Recyclable Rubber Shoes

These shoes are no ordinary eco hotties, these beauties were created in a science lab...possibly by a mad eco scientist/genius/fashionista! Cause what they came up with a is special patented plastic formula called MEL-FLEX that is totally hypoallergenic, safe to wear against your skin, recyclable, odorless (but they also say the shoes smell like candy), and totally cute. It's like when you saw a magical purple pair of Jellies for the first time, but Melissa's Mel-Flex is for Jelly sophisticates. :)
Melissa's has so many funky styles (flats, flip flops, wedges, disco heels), plus rocken' colors to choose from- including a rhinestone & glitter flocked collection.
Check them out @
www.melissaphilippines.com

Put Together A Hot Eco Outfit With Etsy

I was feeling a little sad when another eco blogger (who shall remain anonymous) said icky things about my true love www.esty.com being mostly crunchy and a home EC Project. So I put together this hot little heels & dress combo which is 100% eco, and not at all granola- but certainly 80's punk rock, and maybe even a little punk slutty too. ;) All the crafters on Etsy are working hard to bring us cool hand crafted things, something greatly needed in our overly manufactured modern lives. I really appreciate the love, thought, time and patience put into handmade goods... spread the love by choosing handmade over sweatshop slaved.
(Dress is made of Soy & Organic Cotton Blend, and the pumps are vintage!)
PS- What's so bad about crunchy Home EC anyway?

Solar Shower To Go

Now this is just so awesome, I am in awe! This 20 liter water pouch is a solar shower that you can take anywhere the sun shines for 3 hours, and get 3 warm baths out of it. They recommend it for camping, but it made me so excited I dream of ditching my hot water heater and hanging this genius gadget outside my bathroom window... what do we really need hot water for other then showers? I personally don't use hot water to wash anything but my body. Ooooh Yay! Annual usage of your regular ole' hot water heater is between $200- $450, while the Hi Gear Solar Shower is only about $20... hmmmm. This may be an experiment I have to try ;)
http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/hi-gear/hi-gear-solar-shower/

These Vintage Boots Are Made For Walken'

I could lust after eco made shoes all day, but no matter how much I drool over them it doesn't make my bank account any bigger. When I saw www.thegreenset.com blog about getting your re-wear shoes on, by buying from www.ebay.com...well, it got me thinking. Buying previously loved shoes is super ecologically kind because no new materials are made - although we all want something new every once and a while too and that is what Terra Plana, El Natrualista, and Autonomie Project are all for. But when you want that funky one of a kind vintage pair, buying used can save the planet and big bucks. I bought the boots pictured above on www.etsy.com, where there is a huge mind boggling amount of gorgeous hand selected vintage shoes. I got these babies for less then $20...truly. Vintage prices can range from $15-$150, but I have to say the average price is only about $30-$45. So, now i can drool and buy. Yay !

Gaia Conceptions Revisited

Super Dee Duper Good News::: Gaia Conceptions will be @ www.theokobox.com this spring, with her beautiful designs that are kicken' butt on her Etsy Store. Designer Andrea sources the finest quality fabrics, including local organic cotton, hemp and raw silk, and then hand dyes each piece with low impact dyes. This type of in house production is the most eco friendly you can get, next to buying used/re-wear clothing. The fabulous thing is each design is made special for you when you order, and she carries sizes XS-XL (which not all organic designers do). And with pages of feedback like this: "I must say that this is my new favorite skirt! I couldn't be any more pleased. The color is great, material soft, and it fits perfectly. Thank you!" You know you are in for an organic treat ;)

Sneak Picture Peek: The Oko Box

Coming this Spring 2008 @ The Oko Box !!!!

Mini Maxi Troll Bag

"Reisenthel Foldable Trolley is a smart, helpful companion for urban / commuting shoppers. Proven German design is a hit in Europe and new to the US. Holds about the same as two standard brown paper grocery bags. Folds into itself creating a zippered pouch with carrying handle. Easy to carry when empty. Once ready to be filled with groceries or other items, simply unzip, snap wheels into place, and pack."
Ok so this troller won me over on www.reusablebags.com, and the fact that it had like 30 reviews and 5 stars was pretty convincing too! I was so super happy when it arrived quickly in the mail (much quicker then they predicted) and it came in this cute little compact briefcase-ish carry bag (which is the bag itself folded into itself- and that's me holding it in the picture.)This is what I will walk your Oko Box packages to the post with and get my organic & market groceries in :) !

PS - it comes in three colors : Black, Red or Orange.

Hand Wash Hang Dry

I just moved to Asheville NC, so I haven't quite got my whole clothes line routine going yet (hence the crooked swooping hemp rope slanting off the deck). But for the last 5 years I have been hand washen' and hang dryen' my clothes. Even when a washer & dryer are sitting right there in my rented space. Spring is my favorite time of year for hang drying clothes- they smell so yummy and fresh after. The electricity in dryers is what causes all that static and started the whole dryer sheet stench addiction. If you stop using dryer sheets for a while and let the cells in your nose regenerate from the past onslaught of deadening carcinogens, the smell of those static sheets will suddenly become much more offensive. (This actually goes for toxic detergents too.) Not to mention hang drying clothes saves tons of energy, lowers your impact, and is a peaceful soothing way to take care of your clothes.
If you don't have a yard you can still hang dry clothes in a open window, sunny window, on a balcony, roof, or near a vent where you have air or heat blowing already. :)

Calculate Your Environmental Impact

Thanks to Siel from Green LA Girl for finding this cool carbon footprint, water usage, all around environmental impact calculator! The eco bone I have to pick with the Low Impact Living survey is IF you don't own your own home, you can not really do 80%-90% of their suggestions to lower your impact. I found this pretty frustrating, also with the fact that they ask you if you have a lawn but don't ask what you mow it with. There are more then traditional mowers these days, there are also low impact solar mowers, the good ole' push mower, and the ancient tool that I use a SCYTHE. My Scythe is a modern update though that has jagged blades on both sides. I find this tool really useful when say, uh, I need to practice anger management (or you could call it mindful thinking).
I am proud to say my LIL score was "You're pretty low impact - nice work!"
Try it out, it's fun, weird, and important to see how much "runoff" you cause-www.lowimpactliving.com

Sustainable Yarn

For those of you who LOVE to play with yarn but don't want to settle for supplies that are socially unconscious, there are finally some options available. Cool new yarns made of soy, organic cotton, bamboo, eco wool, milk fiber AND banana fiber are all at our needle tips! Knit For Brains is one of a few new organic knitting stores popping up on the web, meant to be cruelty free, vegan friendly and light on the earth- you can check out their awesome eco yarn selection @ www.knit-for-brains.com .
If this leaves you thirsting for more, there are eco knitting & crocheting supplies on www.etsy.com and www.organicimaginings.com !

Natural Hair Extensions, Hair Falls, Punk Hair, or Whatever ya Call It

Hell Yes! This is the kinda fake hair that rocks the world and according to the Etsy Designer may scare your boyfriend too. These Lovely locks are made from all sorts of natural materials (some of which you may or may not take issue with depending on which side of PETA you are on): including Alpaca Wool, Colonial Wool, Rabbit Hair (AKA Mohair),corn silk, and Cashmere. Style N Flair makes these extensions in various lengths, colors, plus some curly, some dready, some straighter. Whatever way you like it, this crazy hair is sure to get you many glances, or er, long stares. I would suggest wearing it to important business meetings, church, funerals, honor societies, & grandmaw's house... YAY!
Pictured above is the "Lapis Lazuli Funky fine Fibers Hair falls extensions Scare your Boyfriend A New You" ...um, awesome... and you can buy these @ www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5689354

Katharine Hamnett's Political T's

These pocket tunic tanks by the famous political designer Katharine E. Hamnett are totally cute. The Choose Life Shirt is being revived from her 1980's T worn by WHAM in the "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" Video. Now I thought it meant "choose life" as in support of AIDS research, in support of the earth, in support of choosing to live a positive life- and not in support of the anti-abortion movement...?!?! But What would you think this meant if you saw it on the street?
"The "CHOOSE LIFE" slogan, which in the context of the day was directed at drug abuse and suicide, has since been adopted by the pro-life movement, even appearing on license plates in Florida. However, Hamnett herself has stated that the slogan was never intended to be an anti-abortion message and that she believes in women having a choice."
At least with the "CLEAN UP OR DIE" Tank there is no question about it ;) ... it's all about choosing life too.
Availability of these are very limited, look for them later in the season @ The Oko Box!

Come Join Responsible World Citizen

If you own a sustainable business, and are looking for a new innovative forum to make connections, the Responsible World Citizen is a great place to get started.
"Sustainable conscious business consulting. Incorporating environmental practices. Improving reputations by promoting sustainability reporting and business transparency. Cultivating conscious business via authenticity, community, and integrity. "
Come and Join with The Oko Box ! http://www.responsibleworldcitizen.com/

Getting Felt Up

Want to try something insanely beautiful, original and organic ? Hmmm, because this necklace is made entirely of Organic Merino Wool that has been wet felted using a special soap washen' process that makes it malleable and magically transformed it into this fairy princess neck art! I would like to sport this baby everywhere - the woods, the bank, the bookstore, the post, in front a camera, for my boyfriend... you get what I am saying. It's a showstopper that might get ya felt up & is handmade in Israel by Shirel's Felt Boutique @ http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5555904 .
PS- She also makes beautiful Felt Flower Broaches !

Shop With A Reusable Bag, B*tch !

Or so says the tote here... he he. Now I am all for world peace by showing your eco friendly attitude by being a subtle sweet example and well, friendly...but I LOVE THIS TOTE ! And it's so affectionate in that mean sort of tough love way :) . The Angry Little Girl shop has more comical totes to entertain fellow grocery shoppers in line with you. Check out other giggle worthy bags like "I'm A Lover Not A Fighter" and "I Hate Meat Eaters" , plus other crass little diddies @ http://angrylittlegirls.com/index.html . And tell this Be-otch to print these totes on organic cotton so I can buy one ! ;)

Condom Couture Dresses

These gowns are made entirely out of reject factory tested condoms! You heard me right...condoms that broke during testing (makes me squeamish to think of it), and now they are designer works of wearable art. If you are super fascinated by condom clothing go to http://inventorspot.com/bertini_condom_couture to learn what makes these a political & eco statement. In the meantime, gawk. :)

Treehugger : How To Green Your Sex Life !

There isn't a better eco friendly sex guide out there than Treehugger's witty fun all you could possibly want to know green sex article. Everything from sex toys, contraceptives, lubes, outfits, aphrodisiacs, porn and dating sites to find yourself an eco loven' lover at! Woo.... so get started with this hot little helper :
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/how-to-green-your-sex-life.php

Love= Feline Pine Litter

Holy Toodles! Do I love Feline Pine !?!! This litter is completely natural being that it is made of 100% pine pellets and has zero fragrances added...meaning it smells like a lovely forest or the lumber aisle at Lowes. And it actually does what all cat litter claims to do, and that is neutralizes the funky urine odor you wish your indoor cat didn't produce. To me, Feline Pine is the most hypoallergenic cat litter on the market, although there are other natural alternatives made of wheat & corn, pine is not a common allergen to cats or humans. Puuuuuuurfect ! It's so awesome that my cats get excited when I pour the fresh pine in their box ...although they never seem to stop being scared of their own poo (you know when they use it and then haul ass out of the room). Meow !

Blogging Extremes- What Can You Live Without ?

I love reading stories about bloggers and book writers who are trying really extreme things like the guy living with all his trash in his apartment for one year, the lady living without ever purchasing plastic, the Manhattan family who doesn't use toilet paper for der' bunghole but a wet towel in a bowl next to the toilet instead, and the various ladies who have tried to only buy sustainable clothing for one year. I realized yesterday in the shower, I too had done something really extreme... I have not used soap or shampoo for 6 years. Seriously I kid you not, not a drop of soap, no conditioner to soften my thick hair, not a bit a shampoo to create that special shine. Why on earth would I ever do this ??? Well, it all started when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease which requires a strict as 'H-E-double hockey sticks' gluten free diet. But it's more then that, I can't have gluten in ANYTHING I use, including care products. I had been eating and washing myself with all organic products already, and was super sad to learn ALL the products I used & on the shelves contained wheat...Darn-it! So I said F-it and went without any soap and shampoo, at first as a temporary thing till I could find something organic & gluten free to lather myself in. Then suddenly year after year passed and I forgot about soap and shampoo, my hair and skin adjusted (if not seemed healthier in many ways). Now I won't lie, the first few months my hair looked rather...um...odd and kinda yucky or sticky, but that quickly went away. I learned a few natural tricks like if you have build up or greasy hair just squeeze a lemon into your hair and it comes out looking like you scrubbed it in expensive conditioner! Yay! Boiling Lavender (the herb) with lemons & then rinsing your hair with that smells sooooo yummy and leaves it silky smooth. (The pic above is my shampoo free hair on an average day.)
What do you live without or think you could live without ? What's your extreme ?

Mason Jar Blender Trick

Here's a blog post from TINY CHOICES that was too good to not pass along !!! www.tinychoices.com

"Stop the presses!(what presses?)
Did ya’ll know that you can screw mason-type jars directly onto the base of a blender, thus bypassing the regular blender container, so that your chopped/whipped/blended/ground stuff ends up directly in the jar, which you can then use for storage? This also saves the steps of washing the blender container, which thusly saves water/soap/time.
This is going to come in SO handy for:
*Making a smoothie for when I’m running out the door and need to take it with me
*Making homemade peanut butter, OH MY GODDESS.
*Making whipped cream directly in a jar, for when I need to bring it along to a party or picnic
*Pre-grinding flax seeds for smoothies and as an egg replacer for vegan baking. I’ve pre-ground flax before and kept it in the freezer for use as needed– does anyone know if this negatively effects the nutritional content of said flax?
*Pre-chopping walnuts and storing in the freezer for my favoriate amazing banana bread (I modify that recipe by using all whole-wheat flour, no sugar, and adding walnuts and/or dried cranberries. And I make two loaves at a time, because I pretty much eat a whole one the day it’s baked.)
Apparently you don’t want to try this trick using hot liquids. Pressure, explosion, ouchy. Also apparently, you don’t want to use thin glass jars (such as mayonaise jars) but only thicker ones (such as pasta sauce, canning jars, etc).
As an aside, from the same site, these banana cookies look delicious! Again, I’ll try them using whole wheat flour, little to no sugar, and egg replacer… heck, I live on the edge. I love my vegan baking attempts, though my 5-year old nephew just said he doesn’t like my cookies. Broke my little heart. Though not deeply enough to start using white flour and processed sugar. :)
Do ya’ll have any handy kitchen tips like this, which our grammas probably knew but we didn’t learn because we were young whippersnappers? Share yours in the comments!
[Image via Elise.com] "
Thanks www.tinychoices.com !!!!

The Esty Eco Panties Round Up !

Devil May Wear : (Organic and Eco Fabrics) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=56341 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Louella Bloom Organic Dainties: (All Organic Fabrics) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5639845 ------------------------------------------------------------

URBAN FOX : (Bamboo and Organic Cotton) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5485698---------------------------------------------------------------

Clare Bare : (vintage fabrics and organic cotton liners) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=61657-------------------------------------------------------------------

On The Inside: (Uses organic cotton liners, but is not fully eco otherwise) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5298883 -----------------------------
SANDMAIDEN : (Bamboo, Rayon and other Eco fabrics) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5160446----------------------------------------------------------------

MADONNA BAIN : (Organic Cotton) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5279141--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All these eco designers are the reason I LOOOOoooOoOove Esty ! Smooches ! :>*

Why Air "Freshener" Stinks

I nearly freaked when my boyfriend happen to read off the warnings and ingredients on a random air freshener bottle in a work van he was driving. After complaining about the smell, he finally picked up the bottle and examined, only to find nearly comical (in the B horror movie type way) sentences like "wear a mask when spraying, avoid contact with eyes, skin...call paramedics if one stops breathing" and then directly after saying "use when you would like fresh clean air". The reason you might want to avoid breathing, touching, or using air freshener is because it actually releases a nerve deadening agent & poisons the air, with a toxic recipe including not so fresh ethanol and propane. It also makes air flammable which Sarah Cooper from Great Britain (pictured here) discovered when part of her kitchen had a plug-in freshener induced fire.

I never use any type of fresheners or perfumes not only because they are unregulated chemical cocktails, but also...well... they f-ing stink. And now I know they can also burn my house down.

So here's a typical ingredient list for a spray bottle freshener :

ethyl or isopropyl alcohol
glycol ethers
surfactant (quaternary ammonium salts)
perfume
water
propellants
metazene (4.0%)
petroleum distillates (6.0%)
aluminum chlorhydrol
bromsalicylanilide 2,3,4,5-BIS(2-butylene) tetrahydrofural
cellosolve acetate
dichlorodifluoromethanol
ethanol
fatty esters
lauryl methacrylate
methoxychlor
methylene chloride
o-phenylphenol
p-dichlorobenzene
pine oil (toxicity like turpentine)
piperonyl butoxide
pyrethrin
synthetic surfactants
trichloromonofluoromethane
wax
zinc phenolsulfonate

Pretty Fresh huh ? Try opening some windows instead, and let real fresh air take care of the problem. :)

Sustainable Seed & Nut Jewelry

I love jewelry, but not the metal kind. Sustainable, natural, made from seeds, hemp, tagua nuts, glass, stone, shells... and this is not a hippy preference but a healthy one. Metal on my skin gives me a reaction (as in red itchy blotches and rashes). The seed necklace pictured here is from the Etsy shop NOMAD - which is so totally natural that they ask you to lovingly oil your seed necklace and keep it from getting wet (will it sprout if exposed to neck sweat...if so, that would be very cool !?!)
Tagua Nuts also make fab sustainable accessories that look similar to the seeds here, and need not be oiled ;) . Tagua is known as "Vegetable Ivory" cause it's rock hard, can be carved like tusk ivory, is smooth like a piano key, it's harvested sustainably and nobody killed an elephant to make it. Vegan & Eco Friendly- the perfect combo!
To see just how fabulous a tagua nut can be check out http://www.gaiaccessories.com/materialgaiatagua.htm .
And get your seed necklace @ http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5228847 .

ReUsable Everything

The concept of recycling is pretty awesome and I think it really could be taken much further into mainstream materialism, where it really belongs. We have created alot of junk and what better way to make new junk then with the old junk, and even better is to buy reusable recycled everything so that more junk isn't created. Totes, grocery bags, drink containers, lunch boxes, batteries... why make anything that's not recycled or recyclable even available (um except that it's a free country and free to destroy ). This lunch tote pictured here is made from used juice cartons and re-fashioned into this cute bag by a women's cooperative in the Philippines. There are so many cool products like this available now I truly believe one day this WILL be the mainstream way of making things.
If ya haven't already go get your very own reusable bag, Thermos, lunch tote, everything @ http://www.reusablebags.com/ - and if you want your groceries carried in something hempy from ecolution go to http://www.theokobox.com/ .

Recycled Leather Bags

These recycled leather bags made by designer Ashley Watson are absolutely gorgeous and made from 100% re-used leather- making them far more earth friendly then their new leather counterparts filling up malls. While I feel recycling any product into something new instead of creating waste is a good thing, I also understand the ick factor some vegans may feel about ever carrying around a leather product - recycled or not. Much like Umbra from Grist says about Fur, wearing old used furs still promotes the use of fur...does this go for using old leather too? If you are more on the everything recycled is cool side (which I lean to these days) these handbags rock the recycled world- they are so vibrant, well styled, and each one is handmade and unique. "Vancouver based designer Ashley Watson handcrafts her one-of-a-kind leather products using exclusively recycled material. She began designing handbags with recycled leather in early 2005, inspired by the original features of jackets purchased from charity thrift stores. She ultimately incorporates these features, such as pockets and seams, into each unique bag or wallet design. " Check out the plethora of styles, including make up bags and clutches too @ http://www.ashleywatson.net/main.html

OCA Discovers Carcinogen In "Green" Products

Bad and Good news...
The Bad : Half the "green" care products tested by the Organic Consumers Association came up positive for a known carcinogen called 1,4 Dioxane, which caused cancer in laboratory rats and is declared hazardous to humans by the EPA. The tricky part has been that labeling laws for natural products really aren't that strict- neither for the claim to be "natural" and "green" or for the ingredients involved if they are present in low enough amounts. Sadly some of these companies being ratted out are huge well respected Green Companies that have literally spear headed the organic care products industry. Seventh Generation (GASP!), JASON (no!), Kiss My Face (OMG!), Nature's Gate (tears), Method (go figure) and Alba (suck!) are among some of the companies who had products containing the chemical, which those who conducted the testing said is "barbaric" to have done in this day and age. Now not every single product these companies make contains 1,4 dioxane but some of their products definitely do, so it may be safer to find those products who are truly certified organic.
The Good: You won't be lathering your head and dishes with 1,4 Dioxane anymore! And that is good news. I used Nature's Gate shampoo for nearly 10 years in a row so I know first hand how dedicated we are to our fav organic care product. It's best to be informed and glad the cat is out of the faux "green" bag. (Although I'm shedding major tears for Seventh Generation who may be sued by OCA and Dr Bronners.) There are still safe and certified organic care products out there, and you can search this data base http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1 to select the most safe care products. TerrEssentials, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Nourish, Aubrey Organics, Burt's Bees, Desert Essence, Dr. Hauschka, EO, Zia Fresh, and Avalon Organics were all given two thumbs up on safety, since they are certified organic by the USDA under the same regulations as food. The OCA also gives this 3 step advice for choosing products that are chemical free :
1) Opt for products with the organic seal, 2) Avoid products with these suffixes or words in their ingredient list: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, any other eth, PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol, and 3) Avoid products with unpronounceable ingredients in general.
This advice is technically good, but probably you were already perusing the labels that way. If you are really hardcore (as I am) you can write out the list and bring it to your local Health Food Grocery to be certain which chemicals to avoid.
For more details (like what happened to the lab rats) on this study check out the LA Times Article here:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-natural14mar14,1,6535224.story?track=rss .

Upcycled Skateboard Jewelry

As a former skateboarder from New Orleans, and the former girlfriend of many skateboarders in my ((wink)) younger years ((wink)) I am totally thrilled to see these old boards being made into something cute and new! Designer Lindsay Jo creates hoop earrings (big and small), pocket mirrors (to look at your earrings in), and bracelets for those who love piling on jellies but want something much cooler & earth friendly, ALL created out of skateboards that ollied into their prime. These are freaken awesome, and hope to be having them at http://www.theokobox.com/ very soon...
In the meantime, pick them up from Lindsay Jo @ http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5090476 !

Organic Style's Edible Bonsai

Organic Style has some rad little bonsai trees, which make perfect long lasting gifts that keep on giving as they grow. The Tangerine and Grape Bonsai make yummy smelling flowers and then edible fruit. If cramping a plant into a tiny pot and watching it grow tiny fruit in a tiny eco system doesn't do it for you, they have some other great edible plants, like Blood Orange Trees and Olive Trees - which my Olive Tree is now making Tuscan olives! I don't know how it happened, but I tried using my fingers to pollinate it just in case that would help. :)
Check out their selection of organic potted plants (which in my opinion are way better then cut flowers, even organic cut flowers...) : http://www.organicstyle.com/c_167/organic-potted-plants.html?viewall=1

Eat In Season & Local

The ideal environmentally friendly (plus healthy) diet would be to buy local, organic & in season all at once... and although this is like a huge challenge during the winter, spring is upon us and now is the time to support your local organic farmers! I am all over the local farmers market, the way fag hags are at glittery drag queen shows- I am a dedicated follower of the local produce scene. Every year I grow some of my own produce too, which is an awesome fun way to get exercise, play in the dirt, and taste what food is really like before it sits on a store shelf for who knows how long. Yum yum !

To find out what is in season in your state, check out this nifty guide @ http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/ .