Archive for July, 2008

Sunny Side Up

Date: July 31, 2008 | Category: Home Furnishings, The Home

Rubie Green wanted to green traditional processes for creating high quality upholstery fabrics. So when Michelle Adams, a staffer at Domino Magazine, came to her with a similar desire, a sustainable partnership was formed. The resulting collection is comprised of kicky designs that include sunny florals, a pineapple print and all sorts of stripes and lattices (including a golden-hued zebra).

The splashy textiles are whitened without bleach and printed with VOC-free, non-toxic water-based inks. The only downside is they have to hand-washed or dry-cleaned. But once you see these sunny prints, you’ll be too happy to care.

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Home is Where the Hearth Is

Date: July 31, 2008 | Category: Green Building, The Home

I have to admit that I’m a huge fan of fireplaces. In fact, I’ve spent many an afternoon searching through salvage warehouses for the perfect vintage oak mantle to enhance the antique charm of my1920s home. But up until now, I’ve had to settle for decorative charm, since burning wood at the hearth is not a particularly clean or fuel-efficient.

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Who Let The Dogs Out?

Date: July 31, 2008 | Category: Pets, The Home

As the saying goes, “man’s best friend is his dog.” That’s why the furry -four-legged-loving crew here at ecofab central is begging for some of these Chammyz all-natural dog robes! These sustainable creations are made from tree pulp and the waste from paper production, manufactured on a patented machine that makes the fabric plush.

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Target Hits an Organic Bullseye

Date: July 31, 2008 | Category: Home Furnishings, The Home

As big box retailers go, Target has made several notable eco-efforts (they brought the line of Method cleaning products to the masses, and we swooned over their sustainable Rogan for Target collection).

Lately, Target has begun adding organics to their home furnishings too. Riverstone is part of a new line of machine-washable, 100% organic cotton slipcovers made for sofa or loveseat. The striped pattern comes in brown or blue and makes a cozy addition to your family room or den. If stripes aren’t your thing, Target’s organic Aspen collection comes in a classic khaki linen. Both collections are a super eco-deal at $69.99-$79.99.

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We Knight This Bed

Date: July 31, 2008 | Category: Home Furnishings, The Home

We consider it an eco-feat when wood from a torn-down building is salvaged instead of being lost in the abyss of landfill. When transformed into something as striking as the Gustavian Vintage Bed from Vivaterra, it’s a double whammy of sustainable goodness. This bed, with its dramatically scalloped headboard, is hand-planed for a smooth finish that still maintains the rich, textural history of the reclaimed Dougas fir (including weathering scars and natural variations).

The addition of a water-based stain and hard oil wax, plus the domestic construction, make this neoclassical original a true sleeping beauty.

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Elsewhere on the Ecosphere…

Date: July 30, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Stores & Resources

Here are today’s picks for what’s wow in green. Enjoy!

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Goodbye Tupperware, Hello Kitty

Date: July 30, 2008 | Category: Care, Food, Kids

My daughter Zoe inherited many things from me: a love of travel, an adventurous palate and an odd penchant for Hello Kitty memorabilia. I’ve had to soft-pedal my vicarious affection for the feisty feline owing to environmental concerns. Sadly, much of the product line is heavy in phthalates. So you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon these biodegradable, reusable Hello Kitty cups while I was shopping for back-to-school items.

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Children’s Vitamins Are a Tough Pill to Swallow

Date: July 30, 2008 | Category: Care, Food, Kids

Getting my kids to take a daily vitamin is a struggle I can live without. If you’re similarly blessed with a picky eater, you understand the vexing importance of getting them to chew, gag or swallow their daily quota of vitamins and minerals. Fortunately, New Chapter Organics has the answer. Their mouth-tingling pouches of fruity powdered goodness are chock full of whole-food nutrition. Made from organic ingredients and free from synthetic isolates and refined sugar, all of New Chapter’s products are free of pesticide and herbicide residue. (more…)

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Happy Birth Day, Baby!

Date: July 30, 2008 | Category: Care, Kids

It seems like there’s always someone in the ecofab crew who is scrambling to find the perfect baby gift. So we decided to assemble a round-up of some of our favorite picks to nurture green seedlings. Any mom knows that having a baby means dealing with a lot of heavy baggage. In the premium price range, we highly recommend the fashionable yet functional diaper bag from Rickshaw Bagworks (shown). Available in a variety of fun colors and patterns, it’s hard to believe it’s made from recycled bottles. With insulated, removable bags for keeping juice cool and milk warm and zippered compartments for transporting the
gazillion toys, treats and other things a baby is likely to need in the course of a single hour, this Wee Generation Diaper Bag comes fully loaded with eco-savvy books and coupons. Best of all, Rickshaw donates proceeds from this exceedingly stylish $200 bag to Healthy Child Healthy World, ensuring a win for all!

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Game On!

Date: July 30, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys

For decades Monopoly has been teaching our kids how to be good little capitalists: to exploit opponents in times of financial duress, to maximize mortgage-debt ratios beyond reasonable risk and to gamble on windfalls when all else fails. With all due regard for the fruits of free trade, we think it’s high time we teach our children a different game.

Enter Earthopoly, an educational board game where players compete to earn carbon credits -i.e., clean air-for their properties!

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