Summer is just around the corner & for those of us in the warmer climates - it is already here! That can only mean one thing for those who love the outdoors…it is CAMPING TIME! A group of Laurel & I’s friends got together to partake in a little R&R in the best gift you get ever get…the great outdoors. It got me thinking, green thinking that is, that while I am enjoying the outdoors, some products I use to get me there could have actually harmed it in some way. Check out the list below for some eco-friendly camping gear to enjoy the environment all the way around.
Essentials:
Tent - Eureka! Camping gear features a tent that uses solar power. The Solar Intent will provide electricity during your stay in the great outdoors by using the natural powers of the shining sun.
Sleeping Bag -The EcoPro line by Marmot features sleeping bags made from and filled with recycled materials. These bags are a part of Marmot’s UpCycle products, the shell is made of recycled soda cans and the insulation is made of post-consumer waste.
Clothes - Need something waterproof? Check out the water-based waterproofing system of Nikwax
Bug Spray - GreenYour.com had some excellent homemade remedies to keep those pesky bugs away, but still alive. Another idea: Remember to eat garlic like you will never kiss another soul again - this is a tride & true method to keeping flies & mosquitos away. Another idea from the Technical Advisor with the American Mosquito Control Association sais to try a concentrated formula of oil of lemon eucalyptus, or purchase Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Spray (Real Simple July 2008 p. 54.) . Yummy!
Reminders:
Be sure to pack plenty of biodegradable dishes and utensils (check out Bioplast and our previous post Break it Down, Break it Down Now) if you don’t bring reusables
Yes, I really meant a Compost Potty vs. Compost Party. While a Compost Party could be a great time, and a long party, this particular post is to send kudos to those Denverites in the great state of Colorado. I recently headed west from the humid climate of Florida to my happy place, the mountains of Denver.
While avoiding bears and hiking trails, the call of nature reached my bladder & to my happiness, I found the image you see to your left.
This may look like an ordinary outhouse - but oh the amenities.
Toilet paper, feminine waste bag, clean, and instructions (for some at eye level). Instructions are necessary when making waste in the woods and mountains. For a closer look, see the image below.
It reads:
You are using a recycling toilet by Clivus
This toilet uses no water or chemicals.
Waste is being composted in the equipment below this building.
Do not throw cigarettes, plastics, bottles, or cans into this recycling toilet.
Thank you for helping us preserve the environment.
For states and nature trails and Clivus that have already adopted this technology for public use, we commend you. This outhouse has provided a haven for my digestive system in the middle of the Lair o’ a Bear, and assisted my friend Mother Earth.
A gift that gives back is the best gift to be given. My boyfriend recently bought me a flower pot to fill with flower seeds that I got in a business card (a post at a later date). Yes, a sweet thought, but it gets better. The flower pot is compostable! It is made from a rice base and will eventually decompose along with your plant into the ground! This way, if I happen to abandon it, or it is suddenly stolen from my porch in all its beauty, it can do a disappearing act with no harm to my Mother Earth.
This amazing garden tool is created by Terra Cycle, and upon further research, this company is fabulous. Their focus is to provide a plant food made from waste, worm poop to be exact, and distribute it in waste, recycled plastic bottles, ie. like the one your soda comes in. Their product is sold at The Home Depot (You really can do it!), Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, and other retailers.
Better yet, they will buy your waste from you! You get paid and save space in a landfill. Cookie lovers: Send them your old Oreo wrapper - get $.02. Caffeine Addicts: Send them your old soda bottle - get $.05. Winos: Send them your old corks - get a good samaritan feeling. Ah, getting rich by the saving the world has got to be the best feeling you can get.
I just had to share this video. Please take the 7 minutes and 17 seconds to watch - it is an inspiration to see what someone can do from waste. A HUGE THANK YOU! to Brittney for sharing her link on videos about recycled bags.
Fresh off our experience at the 2008 Green Earth Expo, Kate and I are bursting with ideas for simple and functional green products. After some extensive research, we tried to pick things that are affordable and easy to add in to your lifestyle in the near future. Read on for our top ten green products to buy now.
1. Stainless Steel or Aluminum Water Bottle - Cut down your waste and avoid sending more plastic bottles to our landfills (those suckers take hundreds and hundreds of years to decompose). Try out a reusable bottle and make sure to buy a skinny scrub brush so you can thoroughly clean it. Many grocery stores are selling their own bottles, or you could try one of these: Sigg Silver Traveler Water Bottle or Klean Kanteen Water Bottle. Bring it to work, bring it to school, or anytime you leave the house.
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2. Green Cleaning Products - It’s spring time and you’re probably doing lots of cleaning. Why not clean with some products you can feel good about (those which are environmentally safe, made from natural cleaning agents, free of toxic chemicals/phosphorus/bleach, and hypo-allergenic)? Kate and I tried Clorox Green Works products and we love them so far ($2.99-$3.39). Choose from All-Purpose Cleaner, Glass & Surface Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Dilutable Cleaner, and Bathroom Cleaner. We also like Seventh Generation products, though I don’t recommend the Automatic Dishwasher Gel. It’s just too gentle and it fails to get your dishes really clean.
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3. Reusable Shopping Bags - If you haven’t done it already, its really time to get some reusable shopping bags to cut down on our plastic waste. You can read Kate’s post on canvas tote bags where she talks about some fabulous, fashionable bag options. Or try out Baggu — they come in 19 different colors at $8 for one, $22 for three, or $38 for six.
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4. Natural Skincare - Not only do we have to protect our impact on the environment, we’ve got to protect our own bodies and reduce the amount of chemicals and toxins we absorb. Skincare is so important and its a topic we think a lot about here in sunny Florida. Try these or look for natural products free of parabens, perfumes, colorants, alcohols, and preservatives: Burt’s Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 15 Burt’s Bees Radiance Lip Shimmer (LOVE this stuff!) L’Occitane Shea & Organic Cotton Cleansing Milk
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5. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs - We know you’ve heard about these before, but have you switched out ALL of your light bulbs yet? Compact florescent bulbs (CFLs) help you save on your electric bill, they use about a quarter of the energy that traditional bulbs do, and they can last for years! Visit Energy Star’s website and click on their “Choose a Light Guide” to help make a list of which bulbs you need for your home.
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6. Rain Barrel - Get a rain barrel made from recycled plastic and catch some clean, healthy water during the rainy months. Your garden will love you for it, and you’ll cut down your water usage. Clean Air Gardening has a 50 gallon barrel designed to blend into your landscape. They have a cheaper 60 gallon barrel too, but it’s bright blue. If you’re clueless, read this Rain Barrel Guide for help.
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7. Energy Saving Power Strip - Pick up one of these power strips that will automatically switch off power to your devices when you’re not using them. Energy-efficient power strips are a great option for those of us that just can’t take the time to unplug and re-plug everything day in and day out. We read great reviews of the USB Ecostrip, but it’s currently sold out in the US. Smart Strip is another good brand.
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8. TerraPass - If you can’t afford a hybrid or flex-fuel vehicle just yet, opt for the TerraPass to offset your carbon emissions. You can also offset your flights, wedding, home, or office. Read our post here for more info. TerraPass’ profits fund clean energy and efficiency projects like wind farms.
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9. Low Flow Showerhead - Switch to a low flow showerhead to cut down your water usage by half. The Roadrunner has ShowerStart™ technology that shuts off flow to a trickle once the water heats up. When you’re ready to get in, just switch on the valve to enjoy your shower. You can also get regular showerheads at Home Depot with easy switches on the head to turn water flow on and off while you’re soaping up.
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10. Organic and Local Food - We know it’s not practical or affordable for most of us to buy ONLY organic food, but every little bit helps. Organics are not only much healthier for you, but organic practices are healthier for the environment and animals too. They reduce the amount of toxins, pesticides, and pollutants that seep into the ground and air supply. Restaurants and grocery stores are carrying more organic foods as each day passes, so try them out when you can. A few easy options:
Green things come in so many shapes and sizes, especially when you aren’t expecting them.
I was asked to travel a distance of 20 minutes to assist a friend in picking up a part for his car. This is not a normal task, but he is a nice friend, so I rode along for good music and conversation. Little did I know he was on a mission that turned out to be one of eco-friendliness.
What he purchased at his local auto parts store was The World’s Best Air Filter. Literally. This air filter by K&N will not only improve gas mileage on his already efficient Subaru, but it comes with a million mile warranty, can be washed and reused, and will never have to be replaced for the lifetime of the car.
Here is what you can contribrute to the Earth and save for a small price in changing your air filter:
Improved gas mileage - saves dollars & emissions. Cars work better when there is more air flow to the engine, a clogged air filter will restrict this flow.
Waste - both in dollars & land fills. According to the very informative box this air filter comes in, over 100 million disposable air filters are thrown out every year.
Paper - unlike traditional air filters made of layers of paper, the World’s Best Air Filter is made of cotton gauze which is easy to wash.
Time - this air filter is very easy to install (we did it right in the parking lot with no tools!), and it only has to be cleaned every 50,000 miles, so no need to rush your laundry.
Do you have t-shirts that are holey, smelly, and with dark yellow pit stains? Get a clue, your local thrift store doesn’t want them. The dog won’t go near them. But they still have potential.
Cut ‘em up. Old sleeves make a great head scarf and the remaining shreds make excellent cleaning rags! Spray some eco-friendly all-purpose cleaner and you’re off! This way you can avoid more garbage, and the multiple handiwipes it takes to clean the surface of your table.
I was browsing an issue of Slap Magazine at my boyfriend’s house the other day. What do you normally look at in magazines? Pictures. So there it was, a full page advertisement featuring green shoes. Not green in color mind you, but eco-friendly kicks.
So I took my search to the world wide web. You can find shoes made of all kinds of earth-conscious materials: bamboo, hemp, recycled car tires and bike tires (which probably make you walk faster), and vegan- and vegetarian-conscious shoes that remove all animal products, by-products, and animal testing for the devout. One of the most interesting and beneficial sites I came across was SimpleShoes.com. Simple is educating their consumer and allowing you to shop right there—two of my faves combined!
This company is not only concerned with the why of their earthly cause, but the how. Dedication to using earth-friendly materials (organic cotton, water based glue, hemp, recycled rubbers, and so many more!) in production makes their shoes 100% sustainable. By using the entire recycled tire, they are saving it from going to a landfill. That same recycled tire is then saved from sending poisonous gases into our air because, if it were in a landfill, it would be burned to make more room in that landfill. Hello?! Save a step and make some shoes!
Planet Shoes features Simple shoes along with other companies that are in touch with the greeness of the feet (Earth, Acorn, and Patagonia to name a few).
Check out each link, and when you shop, think of lil’ ol’ me. You could be green from head-to-toe so easily!
When driving down the green-way of life, don’t overlook the smallest room in your house—the bathroom. There are plenty of ways to convert your potty to that of an eco-friendly environment through the basics: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce: Something as simple as cutting down on one square of t.p. per meditation period could reduce how much packaging is wasted because it will cut down how much toilet paper you have to purchase. Grocery saving: BONUS!
Reuse: While we don’t recommend reusing those squares, look at incorporating a plastic, washable cup for your toothbrushing routine instead of purchasing Dixie cups.
Recycle: Save those cardboard rings and either use them for arts-n-crafts with the kiddies, throw them in your hamster cage, or place them in your neighborhood recyling pick-up. A double use makes scraps that much more useful.
A not-so-basic investment: a hemp shower curtain. You may not have ever thought the thin plastic lining of your shower curtain could create so much waste—and a waste that can last a lifetime! Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and bacteria, is quick drying, and will bring a natural feel to your bathroom. It will get wet, but the water will not go through the fibers, so no liner is needed: BONUS! I am not going to lie, it is a little bit pricier than your average $11 shower curtain from Bed, Bath, & Beyond, but wash wisely and you won’t need to buy another one again.
