In my never-ending quest for the perfect t-shirt (one that’s funny, funky, perfectly political and sustainably manufactured), I’ve compiled yet another post full of shirts that I would love to own! My first t-shirt post, Expressing Your Inner Green, was a huge hit (and fun to write), so I thought it might be fun to find even more eco-friendly t-shirt sites and present people with some fun ideas for updating their wardrobe with the coolest tees around.

Based in Minneapolis, MN, Northern Sun is a 30-year old company that embraces environmental principles and passes their believes on in the form of organic t-shirts decorated with eco-slogans. In looking over their shirts, I found so many that I personally liked that I couldn’t choose just one to post here, so I’ve selected a few of my favorites to pass along.

This “Make Art Not War” design is by Shepard Fairey (the artist who created the ever-present iconic Obama image), and I actually first came across this image on the streets of Cambridge, MA. Fairey’s street art really spoke to me when I saw it, and I took several photographs that I eagerly passed along to friends and family. I really appreciate Fairey’s message of political dissent, and like the fact that his art is so accessible.

Northern Sun also makes this “Tree Hugging Dirt Worshiper” shirt, the bike-friendly Recycle Organic shirt (the bicycle design above), and a funky “Support Local” design that would look great on my favorite plant lover. Northern Sun organic t-shirts range in price from about $20-$30, can be purchased in wholesale batches, and are available in a range of colors and sizes.

The Naked Hippie is another eco-committed company, and uses recycled packaging, paper, receipts and frame board in the distribution of their organic t-shirts. The company only works with organically-certified vendors, and only uses materials and methods in the production of their products. And unlike any other store I’ve ever visited or found online, The Naked Hippie actively encourages its users to “Shop Naked!”

If you want a shirt that makes a statement about the need for a new energy policy in the US, you might? like The Naked Hippie’s “Go With the Wind” design. On sale and available via the company’s website? for $30, this t-shirt is made from 100% organic cotton and gets its message across rather effectively. I also really like the cow on the front of this “Hormone Free” tee,? and think it adds a bit of humor to the serious issue of Bovine Growth Hormones in our dairy products.

If you’re looking for the perfect way to express your political views, this Peace Dove T-Shirt from Shirt Magic of Lewiston, California may be just what you need. Available in 100% organic cotton or in a 55% hemp/45% cotton blend, this $15.00 t-shirt is printed with non-toxic inks and manufactured in sweatshop-free facilities. I especially appreciate Shirt Magic’s stance against using Plastisol Inks in their products, and like their overall eco-attitude toward manufacturing organic hemp and cotton products. In addition to t-shirts, Shirt Magic also sells hemp clothing (hoodies, socks, underwear, etc), and will screen print your designs on their cotton or hemp t-shirts.

If you have an interest in actually designing, and possibly talking about eco-friendly t-shirts, than definitely check out the Artevist website. According to the company’s “About Us” page, Artevist is ” for people who love T-shirts: wearing them, designing them, and talking about them.” The site has all kind of online community elements available to users too, and encourages people to get involved in the conversation and participate in making eco-statements with wearable art.

Community members are able to vote for user-submitted t-shirt designs, and winning designs are turned into the shirts sold on the site. I like this “Breathe” shirt by artist Luke Ramsey. Made from 100% organic cotton and printed using non-toxic inks, this shirt can be purchased for $30 and is a constant reminder to slow down, let go and remember to breathe.

Wearing eco-tees is a great way to make a statement about the importance of living sustainably and with eco-principles. Every time you buy organic you support companies that share your philosophies, and every dollar you spend on organic goods is a step toward a more sustainable future. Eco-tees take this message a step further, as you’re able to share your beliefs (and sometimes a laugh) with the people you encounter every day.

My friends Julie, Jamie, and Aidan live in suburban Maryland and recently built their own backyard compost bin. In an effort to get the word out about how easy and practical it is to build this kind of sustainable product, Julie wrote up her experiences and I have posted her story below…

My husband and I are jealous of our California friends who enjoy the luxury of community sanctioned green waste composting. However, our municipality does not offer curbside green waste collection. Years ago, we constructed a chicken wire composter in a corner of our yard, and though it gave great compost, the open nature of the bin attracted all sorts of shady characters, including a gigantic groundhog who took a single bite of every tomato I grew! The chicken wire box made it quite difficult to remove compost from it, and it was hard to properly turn the compost without straining my back. Finally, when the chicken wire began to rust, I removed this bin, and as I researched a more user-friendly compost receptacle, we sadly did not compost for a few years.

This year, we decided to find a solution that would allow us to compost with minimal effort, and without attracting any hungry critters. There are a number of commercially available composting systems, including rolling bins, continuous loading systems with multiple bins, and electronic gadgets specifically designed for composting. However, most of these systems are inordinately expensive and are of questionable and variable quality, reliability, and efficiency. This document outlines a Do It Yourself (DIY) compost bin which can be built in one day. Total cost for all the materials required for our DIY bin was less than $60.00. Since this bin is constructed from a simple garbage can with a lid, the size and cost of any similar system depends only on the size of the garbage can one chooses.

Some advantages of this bin over a simple chicken-wire box are:

1. Since a garbage can does not look out of place behind the house, we can easily avoid detection by our Homeowner’s Association during their annual spring inspection (since composting is technically not allowed in our neighborhood).

2. The garbage-can bin is fully portable, allowing for flexibility in its placement, and making it simpler to spread the compost throughout the garden!

It will take a few months before we can truly say how efficient this design is, but we are optimistic that the simple design and mixing/aerating strategy should allow for good composting. We’ll be sure to update this entry as the season moves forward and our compost matures in this DIY bin.

Materials

1. One plastic garbage can with a tightly fitting lid.

• A 30-gallon garbage can is sufficient for a small household.
• We purchased a decent model for about $25 at Home Depot.

2. About 2-square feet of fiberglass screen (more or less depending on the size of your bin).

• One roll of plastic screen (enough to replace a window screen) is plenty.
• One 8×3 roll of fiberglass screen cost us $4 at Home Depot.

3. Gorilla Glue or any other clue capable of attaching plastic to plastic.

• We found a 10 ounce container of glue for $5.

4. Duct Tape – you’ll need about an 1/8 of a roll.

5. Compost Stirring Tool

• We purchased a Compost Turner specifically designed for this from Gaiam for about $20.
• A Garden Cultivation Tool would work just as well; I found one at Home Depot for $13.99.

6. “Brown Materials” to balance the green materials from the kitchen.

• We use leaves raked from the garden and last year’s dried botanical waste.
• You can also use saw dust from your wood shop if you have one.

Methods:

1. Purchase a garbage can with a tight lid.

2. Use a razor knife to carefully cut several holes in the sides and bottom of the trash can to allow air flow and drainage. (We cut diamond shaped holes, but the shape is not really important)

3. Cut squares of the screen to cover each hole in the trash can.

4. Moisten the edges of each hole and apply a thin layer of gorilla glue. Allow the glue to cure for 5 minutes.

5. Press the screen to cover each hole, making sure that the screen attaches securely. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.

6. Reinforce the edges of each hole with duct tape.

7. If you choose, you can place rocks or pebbles on the bottom of the bin to help with proper drainage, though it is not entirely necessary.

8. Elevate your new compost bin outside by placing it on top of some bricks, rocks, or wooden pallets, which will help with airflow and drainage.

9. Add a stirring implement such as the one above, or use a cultivation tool which will help you stir your compost from the bottom. Alternatively, you can roll your bin on the ground to stir the contents.

10. Add your green kitchen waste to the can with equal parts brown material (such as dry leaves).

11. Always secure the top of the bin securely to prevent critters from raiding your bin.

12. Each time you add additional green material, add equal parts brown material.

13. Stir your compost thoroughly each time you add more material. The key is to keep the compost aerated and “fluffy;” if it becomes too densely packed, the aerobic bacteria you rely on for degradation will suffocate.? If this happened, anaerobic organisms (like fungus) will take over, resulting in moldy mush that is not conducive to composting.

14. Check your compost frequently to assure that it is getting enough fresh air.? It should not seem wet or slimy;? if it starts to smell moldy or look slimy, you are either not adding enough brown material, or the compost is not getting enough oxygen.? Adding more dry leaves or sawdust, and/or more efficiently mixing and fluffing the contents should fix the problem.

15. EMPTY egg shells are an excellent addition to your compost.

16. NEVER add meat or dairy material to your compost, and definitely don’t add pet waste, or you will breed maggots, and your compost will be ruined.

17. NEVER add grass clippings to your compost, or you will grow grass wherever you use your compost!

18. You can adjust the pH of your compost by adding bloodmeal or baking soda. There is a wealth of references on the web which can help you attain a proper pH in your compost, as well as outlining the proper ratios of green to brown.

19. There are also some compost additives that claim to aid in faster composting by supplying enzymes and/or beneficial bacteria. This author has not evaluated their effectiveness, though in theory they should work.

20. Worms can be beneficial to your compost-if you like you can leave the bottom drainage holes open to allow worms to come into your compost. There are commercially available vermiculture kits, but this author is not sure if this DIY composter would be compatible with vermiculture systems.

21. In about 2-3 months, you should have good compost!

When my parents bought their home in 1999, the garden above (and in the other photos below) was an apathetic patch of gray-green grass that went dormant in the winter and brought little joy to neighbors or pedestrians. During their first few years in the house, my parents built a border garden around the grass, erected the shed so they would have someplace to store their tools, and planted a few patches of flowers to brighten up the space. My parents didn’t have the time to do a full-scale lawn renovation; their 260-year old house needed all the attention they could spare.

After they’d lived in New England for a few years, I needed a place to live and moved into a house I’d only ever visited. I had no friends in the area, couldn’t work, and was broke, so I decided to do something productive and tackle the yard. For 2 years I worked nearly 40-hours a week in my parent’s gardens, and paid back their generosity in letting me live there rent-free by making their yard as beautiful, and grass-free as possible.

My parents and I spoke at length about ripping up grass in various parts of their yard, and we all agreed that we would keep a small patch in the backyard so there would always be? a place for children to play. Other than maintaining a small patch of green in the sunniest part of the backyard, my parents let me know that I was free to rip up all the grass I so desired and replace it with flowers and gardens.

I am not alone in my attitude towards grass lawns – environmentalists have been writing about the damage large grass patches wreck on the environment since Rachel Carson published “Silent Spring” in 1962. Carson wrote about the use of pesticides on grass, and how applying these kinds of chemicals caused harm to humans, animals, and ecosystems. And in the years since “Silent Spring” was published, writers, environmentalists, activists and ordinary citizens have raised their voices (and pens) to educate the public about the problems with grass.

Grass is widely prevalent in the US, and according to a NASA-funded DoD study (which I tried to find a source for but, after much searching, as unable to do so), lawns cover approximately 50,000 square miles of land in this country – or a land mass the size of New York State. To kill unwanted plants from growing with grass and maintain the luscious green associated with well-manicured lawns, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals are applied to grass and the soil in which it grows. Water plays a huge role in maintaining grass too, and according to the EPA, approximately one third of all residential US water use goes to landscaping.

So if grass is so bad for the planet, why do so many people devote so much of their energy to its cause, and what can we do to shift away from the practice of planing, feeding, watering, mowing and otherwise maintaining grass lawns? Clearly there’s no one correct answer, and in some instances it’s good to have a little grass in your lawn. I’ll address a few alternatives to planing grass in a future post – in the meantime, think about your relationship with grass – do you enjoy sitting on the grass, do you spend hours each summer weekend mowing and clipping the plant, what would you prefer to grow if you were to rip up all the grass from your lawn…?

You can find out more on the environmental ramifications of grass from the following resources:

Turf War by Elizabeth Kolbert – The New Yorker, July 21, 2008

Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education by Michael Pollan (1991)

AntiLawn: Rethink Your Lawn Blog

From Lawn Addiction to Anti-Lawn Activism – Sustainable Gardening Blog, June 23, 2008

Turf Wars: The Battle Over the American Lawn – The Atavist

When you make purchases, are you careful to buy goods that are ethically sourced, Fair Trade, certified organic or made in the USA? Are you conscious of the path your dollars take once you’ve handed them over to a sales clerk or entered your credit card number in an online site? Do you care about where all of the materials used to manufacture the things you buy come from? If you answered yes to these questions, than you’re already on the road to becoming an ethical consumer, and following the principles of ethical consumerism when spending your hard earned money.

According to Knowmore.org (a site dedicated to raising awareness of corporate abuses and directing grassroots action against unsustainable corporate practices), Ethical Consumerism is “…a movement toward corporate reform, through which individuals recognize their own role in systems of oppression, and take personal steps toward resistance and positive change.” Ethical Consumerism encourages people to recognize the significance of collectively organized individual actions, and use that power to alter the landscape of traditional economic systems.

Knowmore.org encourages this kind of thinking by offering an online space for like-minded individuals to exchange ideas and find resources focused on combating corporate abuses. One useful tool on the organization’s site is called “Behind the Logos.” Knowmore.org assigns an “ethical rating” to global corporations like Volkswagen, American Express and De Beers that’s meant to help people understand where the products they purchase are sourced and manufactured, and whether the companies making those products are doing so according to ethical principles. With one quick click, you can find out that AT&T received positive ratings for Worker’s Rights, Human Rights and Environmental Issues, but has areas of concern around their Political Influence and Business Ethics.

Another resource for those interested in Ethical Consumerism is the Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN), an international network of buyers dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing. The RPN is a member-based organization that provides consulting services and resources for paid members, but also publishes helpful guides for the everyday consumer. You can download Responsible Purchasing Guides that provide information about purchasing sustainable products, finding environmentally-conscious vendors, and working with governments to introduce eco-friendly goods into your state’s procurement policies.

If you’re interested in learning about European businesses, UK-based Ethical Consumer is an organization that researches the social and environmental records of companies, publishes free buyers guides, and scores companies based on how well they’ve incorporated ethics into their business models. You can become a member of Ethical Consumer to gain full access to their resources and services, otherwise you might have to pay a fee to access some of the research and information that’s on the organization’s website.

By educating yourself about the consumer choices you encounter on a daily basis, you take control over how you use your spending power to transform business practices and the greater economy. Once enough people realize that they can impact the process by only giving their money to ethical businesses, than real change can take place. If people continue letting big companies off the hook, and spend money with those businesses who practice socially irresponsible manufacturing, who invest their money (which is really your money) in corrupt organizations and governments, and who ignore the working conditions of their laborers, than those companies will keep on acting unethically.

Spend your money wisely and make sure you educate yourself before you open your wallet!

Work can be a tough place to stay warm – thermostats are often off limits, windows and doors can be drafty, and temperature zones don’t always make sense to the people actually working within them. So while my office is always toasty, my co-workers next door are always cold, regardless how high we set the thermometer.

Since most people aren’t able to control the temperature of their work environments, I’ve put together a list of clothes and cold-weather goods that you can use to keep toasty while dreaming of sandy beaches and flip flops as you work.

Keep Warm at Work With…

Hot Drinks for Cold Days – What better way to warm up your day than with a hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa – especially Fair Trade, Organic, or locally produced brands. Make an effort this year to stick to your eco-habits at home and at work by keeping environmentally friendly drinks in your desk to warm you up on those chilly winter afternoons. Personally, I like the Organic and Fair Trade teas from Portsmouth-based White Heron Tea. White Heron Tea offers 16 kinds of tea that meet both Organic and Fair Trade Certified standards. In addition to their Fair Trade tea selection, White Heron Tea sells a variety of Organic teas that include Chai, Jasmine, Pu-erh, and White Teas (among others). You can purchase White Heron Tea in shops around Portsmouth, NH, or via the company’s website.

Cool Mugs for Hot Drinks – Once you’ve procured your Organically-grown, Fair Trade brews, you’ll need a mug to match. These $20 travel mugs from I’m Organic are made from corn and oatmeal (not plastic), and printed with vegetable-based inks. The mugs are 100% biodegradable, and will actually break down in 2 months if tossed into a functional compost pile. I’m Organic sells mugs with 3 different pictures on front, including one that says, Kiss Me – I’m Organic. If you’re looking for a more traditional vessel from which to drink your tea, you might like this Eco Tea Mug (shown at left) from Art of Tea. Made from 100% renewable corn plastic, this stylish mug is microwave-safe, manufactured in the US, and can be purchased for the bargain price of $4.95.

Warm Your Space with Portable Heaters – If hot drinks don’t keep you toasty enough over the course of your workday, you might consider bringing in a portable space heater to achieve a comfortable temperature while on the job. If you don’t need to heat a large space, the Honeywell QuickHeat Low Profile Convection Heater (HZ-617) may be an ideal heater for you. This $90 convection heater comes with an adjustable thermostat so you can maintain a consistent temperature. The HZ-617 has 2 heating options from which to choose – turn on the Quick Heat source for a blast of hot air, or use the natural convection heater to maintain a consistent temperature over time.

When All Else Fails Put on a Sweater – If you’ve tried hot drinks and space heaters to stay warm at work, but you’re still chilly, you can always layer up and apply Jimmy Carter’s words of wisdom by putting on a sweater. Made from 100% certified organic hemp, the Rainbow Hooded Sweater (shown at right) from Rawganique retails for $78-$84 and designed to suite both men and women. If you don’t have the cash for a new sweater, you can always just wear the ones you already own – regardless of how the fabrics they’re made of were sourced. You don’t always need to buy new eco-friendly items if you already own perfectly good products. Buying used sweaters is another affordable way to reduce the demand for new products and reuse those that already exist.

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President Barack Obama was sworn in as the nation’s 44th President on January 20, and while it obviously takes time for real change to happen (especially in an organization as large as the Federal Government), the administration is already hard at work when it comes to the environment. Many of us who supported and voted for President Obama did so with the understanding that he would address the environment in an honest, and non-partisan manner once elected. In looking over some of his first actions as President, it appears that Obama is sticking to this agenda, and that the environment is not going to be swept under the rug for another 4 years.

The EPA has serious work to do in the next few years, and Obama’s pick to head the organization shows that he is serious about not allowing politics to derail the process. By tapping Lisa Jackson – a career civil servant who has dedicated her professional life to protecting the environment – Obama sent a message that EPA will not be run by outsiders. Jackson worked for the EPA for 16 years, and spent another 6 years at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Having spent her career regulating greenhouse gases, pollution and hazardous waste, Jackson is well suited to tighten regulations and demand compliance from businesses used to the Bush Administration’s somewhat ‘lax’ environmental policies.

To introduce herself and her governing principles, Jackson sent a memo to the EPA staff on January 23 (the day Congress confirmed her to the post). In her memo, Jackson sums up the new philosophy of the EPA in stating the 3 core values that will guide the EPA:

1. To uphold Science as the backbone for EPA programs.

2. To not compromise the integrity of EPA experts in order to advance a particular regulatory outcome.

3. To follow the rule of law – to exercise policy discretion and follow the directives of Congress and the courts.

Before the Bush administration took over the EPA, I would have simply assumed that the organization was being run according to these policies; after watching science, ethics and legal mandates being tossed aside for the past 8 years however, it’s refreshing to know that Obama’s surrogates are returning rationality and science to the forefront of the nation’s governance.

In addition to these administrative changes, Jackson outlined the directions in which she plans on taking the EPA during her tenure. Over the next few years, Jackson is going to guide the nation towards a low-carbon economy by reducing carbon emissions and creating “green-collar” jobs. She wants to improve air quality and intends to comply with legal air quality standards and tighten regulations to close loopholes that allow polluters to side-step current laws.

Jackson also intends to clean up the nation’s Superfund sites, protect consumers, employees and the environment from risks posed by the introduction of toxic chemicals into every day products, and address the health of the nation’s streams, rivers, lakes, bays, oceans and aquifers. With the backing of an environmentally-focused President and the legislative support of Congress, Jackson should be able to address these basic issues and allow the EPA to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment.

I went looking for organic beer a few days ago and realized that my grocery store only carries 2 varieties (Peak Organic and Wolaver’s). Because of this, I thought I might provide a public service by doing a round up of some great organic beers available in the US. I’ve tracked down a few of my favorites as well as a few brews I’ve not yet had the good fortune to sample. Hope this helps next time you’re looking for the perfect organic brew and not sure which to buy!

The idea to write this post actually originated with a 6-pack of Peak Pale Ale I picked up at the grocery store last week. Brewed in Portland, Maine by Peak Organic Brewing Company, I can conclusively state that Peak Pale Ale is tasty, full-flavored and a pleasure to drink. The Peak Organic Brewing Company was launched in 1998 with a mission to “make the world’s most delicious beers, and to make them in a way that we can feel good about.” Today, the company uses locally-sourced ingredients in the production of their beers, and maintains a business philosophy that includes sustainable and environmental principles in the brewing of their beers.

Wolaver’s has been making certified organic ales since 1997, and is committed to “making the best beers in the most ecologically sound way.” Located in MIddlebury, Vermont, Wolaver’s brews 7 different organic beers including their seasonal Will Stevens Pumpkin Ale, and 10th Anniversary Farmhouse Ale. I’ve had the pleasure of sampling Wolaver’s, and I can definitely say that these guys make good beer! In addition to using the freshest, most natural ingredients available, Wolaver’s also donates a percentage of their profits to the Organic Farming Research Foundation, and is a long-time supporter of sustainable brewing.

The Eel River Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Fortuna, California, and holds the distinction of crafting the first ever certified organic beer, and of being the first certified organic brewery in the country. And while I can’t exactly recall ever having consumed Eel River beer (hey, it’s hard to keep track), the fact that they’ve won tons of awards for their products is indicative of the quality and taste of their beers. The company makes 7 USDA Certified Organic brews, and ships them all over the country. If you want to try some on your own, make sure you check their map to see if you can buy Eel River beers in your state!

Green Lakes Organic Ale is brewed by the Bend, Oregon brewers at Deschutes Brewery, and made using Salmon-Safe certified organic hops in an Oregon Tilth certified 50-barrel brew house. The brewery was certified organic after brewing 20,000 batches of beer, and now meets the National Organic Program standards. By using Salmon-Safe certified Sterling hops, Deschutes Brewery is helping create a safer future for the wildlife living downstream these sustainably hops fields, and bringing us an eco-friendly brew in the process.

Elliott Bay Brewing in Seattle, Washington uses 100% organic barley to brew their signature craft beers. With a 7 barrel (or 200 gallon) capacity, Elliott Bay Brewing makes a fresh batch of organic beer weekly and serves it in their Brewery/Pub in West Seattle and in their Brewpub in Burien. You can find a list of their year-round and seasonal beers here, or stop by for a fresh one if you’re in the neighborhood!

Located in Olympia, Washington, Fish Brewing Company is a locally-owned craft brewery that produces authentic British-style organic ales and German style lagers for beer lovers. When visiting the brewery you have your choice of three organic ales – Organic Amber Ale, Organic India Pale Ale, and Wild Salmon Organic Pale Ale. Each beer is certified organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the USDA, and the National Organic Program. Finding bottled Fish Tale beers might be difficult outside of Washington State, but as winners of multiple NABA awards, you’re probably wise to snap up any bottles you find on your liquor store shelves!

To learn more about organic beer and breweries, check out Roger Protz’s The Organic Beer Guide from the Carlton Publishing Group.

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I know that I’ve written a lot recently about eco-friendly winter-wear(long underwear, gear, boots), but with winter lasting so long and being so cold (and snowy), you can always use another pair of gloves or socks, an extra hat to keep in the car, or ski pants for outdoor activities. Seeing as it’s January and I have no immediate plans for a warm weather vacation, I’m apt to write about what’s on my mind and what I could use to keep me a little toastier on these chilly evenings and even colder mornings (can you tell I just can’t get warm)!

Keep Warm at Home

Blankets – Each of these DreamSacks Silk Filled Comforters are handmade by 4 women who sit together and hand stretch layer after layer of silk fibers to create the comforters’ silk fillings. According to the company’s website, the silk adjusts to your body’s temperature and provides an extra layer of warmth so you drift off to sleep feeling as if you’re wrapped in a silk cloud. While pricey at $480 a piece, I have to admit that I would buy one of these comforters if I had the extra cash lying around! If you can’t afford one of their comforters, you might consider a Silk Fleece Blanket (starting at $99) instead.

Pajamas – I love that this SheAndMe 100% organic cotton Little Green Riding Hood comes equip with a hoodie – it shows the designers understand what it’s like to live in buildings that lack adequate insulation! Paired with these 100% be organic Everyday Lounge Pants you’re sure to keep warm and look cute to boot! Both items are made in the USA, and are relatively affordable ($95 for the hoodie and $68 for the bottoms).

Sheets – If it’s affordable and organic that you’re looking for, you might want to check out Target’s Organic Sheet Sets. Made from 100% organic cotton, these sheets are available in Sage Green, and range in price from $10.50-$42.00. For slightly more luxourious organic sheets, you might consider West Elm’s Organic Cotton Frayed-Edge Sheet Sets. These sheets have a 230-thread count and can be purchased for between $79 and $119 per set (includes a flat & fitted sheet, plus 2 pillowcases).

Slippers – According to the ‘disclaimer’ on Viva Terra’s website, you shouldn’t try these slippers on first if you’re intending on giving them as a gift – they’re that comfortable! Hand assembled and knit by a group of indigenous people in South America, these Cozy Knit Slipper Booties look to be well-worth their $58 price tag. I also like the looks of these Acorn Cozy Booties – vegan slippers that are made with memory foam mid-soles and weatherproof out-soles so your toes stay dry when you run out to start your car or grab the mail in your slippers!

Notice how limited my world view is when it comes to keeping warm! I haven’t included any hardcore winter athletic gear here, as I’m mostly concerned with finding eco-goods that can keep you warm when you’re not intentionally putting yourself in situations where being cold is part of the plan (i.e. snowshoeing, bike riding, winter surfing and skiing).

Stay tuned – I have 2 more posts planned to help you find great eco-goods that will keep you warm outside (gloves, hats, etc), and at work – because life is too short to be cold all winter long!

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I know that long underwear isn’t the sexiest or most exciting thing out there – but on nights like tonight (it’s about 15 degrees and windy outside, and I’m sitting here watch huge trucks haul snow around my town) – long johns are the greatest product ever made! And since winter here lasts forever (well, not really – I’d rather be here than in Alaska!) – I try to buy several different kinds of long underwear to last me through the season.

The good people who make Icebreaker products sent me an email about their products back in November. I wasn’t ready to write about eco-long johns at the time, and saved the email for future reference. In looking over their product line, I wish now that I’d ordered one of these Delta Scoop long sleeved shirts (to the right). Icebreaker uses all natural merino gathered from 30 New Zealand farmers to make the Nature Ultralight fabric from which their clothing is produced. The company is passionate about the wool they buy to make their clothing, and even discusses how purchasing inferior merino in the past almost put them out of business! Fortunately for us, the company prevailed and is still making their luxurious wool clothing.

If you’re looking for cold-weather athletic gear, consider the Midweight Rapid Leggings for men or women – these leggings enable you to stay warm, dry and comfortable when you’re running, biking or hiking in chilly temperatures, while their articulated knees give you extra freedom of movement. The Bodyfit Active Base Layer for men (below on the right) and the Olympia Crewe for women are the perfect complements to the leggings, and are both rated for cold to very cold conditions.

Icebreaker is committed to manufacturing sustainable products, to the welfare of the animals from which they source their merino, to an ethical manufacturing process, to maintaining a transparent supply chain, and to buying merino from local farmers with whom they have long-term relationships. And if you’re looking for something other than long johns, Icebreaker also makes merino wool socks for all seasons, and as well as athletic gear and accessories for men, women and children.

Cuddl Duds is another eco-retailer that is making sustainable long underwear to keep us warm on chilly nights. If you’re looking for traditional long underwear with an eco-twist, you might like their eco-bamboo Scoop Neck Long Sleeve Shirt. At $28 this shirt is affordable and sustainable, and is finished with a gray stripe and ribbon that add a feminine touch to the practical garment. You can also grab matching Long Pants or a Tank Top to complete your winter wardrobe.

Other excellent sources for environmentally friendly all-weather long underwear and layering garments include gear companies like REI, The North Face, Patagonia and Marmot. Look for all natural merino wool baselayers for men and women on the North Face website, and Marmot Upcycle underwear that’s made from natural, organic, recycled and discarded materials. Even though Upcycle goods are made using materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, there’s no way you could tell when you are wearing midweight crews and midweight bottoms created using this revolutionary technology.

Hopefully you can find something here that’ll help on these frigid winter nights and keep you cozy all season.

With so much attention focused on environmental issues lately, it seems as if we are constantly barraged with stories about the environmental impact of our actions and the damages done to the planet Earth. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by this kind of ever-present data, so I have broken a few choice facts down into digestible chunks of information for easy reference.

The facts aren’t great, and this isn’t a “look how good we’re doing” piece, rather, it’s the black and white of our impact on our planet. Each fact is backed up with the source I used to find it, so feel free to do a little digging of your own if you’re skeptical or if you’d like to learn more about these issues.

According to Alex Wissner-Gross, a Harvard University physicist, a typical online ‘Search’ generates about 7 grams of carbon dioxide. (Measuring Your Google Search’s Carbon Footprint by CNET.com). Overall, the IT industry produces 2% of global carbon emissions, or the same amount as the airline industry!

Each year over one hundred million trees are harvested and turned into junk mail. (Just the Facts: Junk Mail Facts and Figures from New American Dream and Conservatree). The production and disposal of all of this junk mail ends up using as much energy as do 3 million passenger cars!

Even though phone books are recyclable, people throw 660,000 tons of them into landfills annually (The Story of Phone Books from Earth 911). For every 500 phone books that end up in landfills, we needlessly waste 7000 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, 17-31 trees, and 3.06 cubic yards of landfill space.

In 2005, almost two million tons of e-waste were disposed of in landfills. Comprised of old cell phones, computers, television sets and batteries, this e-waste contains hazardous materials including lead and mercury that were never meant to be disposed of in landfills, and pose significant risk to people and the planet. (E-Waste: Harmful Materials from Earth 911).

Of the 215 billion plastic, glass and aluminum beverage bottles and cans sold in the US during 2006, a full 66% (2 out of 3, or 143 billion) were thrown out instead of being recycled. (Beverage Market Data Analysis from The Container Recycling Institute).

There are over 87,000 flights (commercial, cargo, private & military) in the US every single day of the year. (Air Traffic Control: By the Numbers from the National Air Traffic Controllors Association). And according to Boeing’s 2008 Environmental Report, aviation accounts for a full 2% of global man-made carbon dioxide emissions. (Boeing 2008 Environmental Report – page 3).

I’d like to give thanks to Brendan for constantly reminding me of the little things that make for huge environmental problems, and that also probably make Al Gore cry!

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