Red wine, grapes, and other fruits have recently been found to contain a compound known as piceatrannol, which has been accredited by scientists with the ability to prevent immature fat cells from developing.

According to food science assistant professor Kee-Hong Kim at Purdue University, “Piceatrannol actually alters the timing of gene expressions, gene functions and insulin action during [the] process in which early stage fat cells become mature fat cells (known as adipogenesis)”. Similarly related to piceatrannol is resveratrol, which is known by scientists believe may prevent cancer, heart disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases; resveratrol is also found in fruit and is converted to piceatannol through bodily processes, a very intriguing fact to be explored in future research.

Current research is examining ways to prevent the body’s natural degeneration of piceatannol; in essence to manage the ability to create large enough concentrations of the compound in the bloodstream to remediate body fat altogether. Despite the hype, there is much more research needed and Kim states “we need to work on improving the stability and solubility of piceatannol to create a biological effect” that would be suitable for sequestering fat.

Many fruits are shown to have piceatrannol and resveratrol including grape seeds, passion fruit, blueberries, and many more common fruits.

So for now, if you’re struggling to manage your weight, try eating more fruit. It couldn’t hurt.

via:  earthtime.org

Designer Sarah Lagacé’s “Minkette” sterling silver ring (above) is topped with a curiously luxurious chunk of recycled mink fur. $50 @ the Sarah’s Supermarket shop

(above) This cute, industrial-looking bracelet is made from the kind of upcycled hardware you can find in your granddad’s miscellaneous nuts & bolts jar. If you insist on wearing it you might want to spring for a tetanus shot, too. $18 @ the repurposedKATE Etsy shop

Cool summertime bling – the Icicle Necklace by Natalie Frigo. Brass with rock crystals on ultra suede. $165 @ kaight shop

(above) Surf’s Up – with Memorial Day here, time to check-out and spend some play or lounge time at the beach. Naturally chic, stuff it all into this Hyacinth Handwoven Basket Now: $62; was $124 at Sarasota-based, Juno and Jove.

(above) Looking for a workout bag that will tote all your gear around, including your yoga mat & water bottle? Gaiam is offering this “everything tote” for $48 (originally $60/each). Buy 2 and the price drops down to $40/each. This special offer ends at midnight tonight. Made of 100% recycled polyester.

want more?: eco-fashion on The Alternative Consumer

• We may not want to hear what they’re saying about us… Device May Let Humans Communicate with Dolpins – livescience
• Seagrasses Cans Store as Much Carbon as Forests – sciencedaily
• How the meat industry got ‘slimed’… A Meat Mea Culpa: What Went Wrong With ‘Pink Slime’ – npr
• More on the way… Crews Prepare to Remove 40 Tons of Japan Tsunami Debris From Alaska Island – msnbc
• Isn’t that a funnel cloud in your wedding picture?Tornado Doesn’t Stop Kansas Couple’s Wedding Day – myway
• Ban on Plastic Bags at L.A. Markets Approved – latimes.com

photo credit : dirty bottle on beach photo via shutterstock.com

related: more eco news from The Alternative Consumer

Here’s a nifty new portable iPhone speaker amplifier known as the “eco-amp”. The device, which is made by a  company appropriately called eco-made, was designed for those who love to listen to their music on the go (on their phone) who want the additional peace of mind that the product they’re using is completely sustainable — made from 100% FSC certified post-consumer recycled fibers.

Eco-made states that the amplifier works in the same manner that an old-fashioned gramophone did — “a single point source of sound amplified by an articulated horn.”

What’s even cooler is that the device requires no battery power and can be readily assembled, disassembled and re-assembled with ease for quick and easy transport and storage — all for $7.99 (for 2 amps!). No wires, no hassles and just the right amount of performance for a portable eco-friendly device.

How does the sound compare on various applications? According to the eco-made website, in a simple test of two Iphones, one iPhone’s was tested playing a solid white noise then a single solid tone and the other iPhone was using an app called “Decibel Ultra”, which allegedly measures the surrounding decibel levels using the external mic on the iPhone. Without the eco-amp the two phones  built-speaker system produced sound that varied in both quality and intensity the farther away from the source you got, whereas the eco-amp provided solid tones and white noise tests that increased the sound level up to 30dB higher than the phone without the amplifier.

For the price, performance and green quotient, this little device is definitely worth a look for iPhone users.

Via: treehugger.com

related: more green gadgets on The Alternative Consumer

As more and more of us are cutting back on using petroleum-derived, plastic-based products, here’s a timely new toothbrush whose handle is made of Ingeo, a plant-based material that, under ideal circumstances, will biodegrade in roughly six months – rather than sit in a landfill for decades. World Centric, the makers of this new product is working on developing bristles that are also compostable, but for now, the bristles are not biodegradable since they’re made of soft nylon.

For the purposes of this Tried and True Green Product Review, we received 3 toothbrushes for our panel of willing testers. Here’s what we think… they’re a step in the right direction, and good for people and planet in more ways than one.

These are not super-charged, overly designed toothbrushes that will sit a landfill for decades once discarded. These are nice, lightweight toothbrushes that get the job done. The handle has an ergonomic design that fits easily into your hand. The head can be detached before composting. They are packaged in a clear case (also made of Ingeo) that can be reused as a travel case. These certified compostable toothbrushes are available in green, blue or orange (with soft bristles) and retail for $4.55/each; $11.40 for a set of 3.

World Centric donates 25% of before tax profits to social and environmental grassroots organizations while simultaneously providing discounts to schools and non-profits. Furthermore, as part of their own grass-roots efforts to eliminate Styrofoam use entirely, they provide 5-compartment cafeteria trays to schools, at cost.

Did you know? According to World Centric, every year in the United States some 450 million plastic toothbrushes make their way to landfills nationally. The majority of those toothbrushes will never biodegrade and will remain intact for decades. World Centric is dedicated to sustainability and suggests that you send them your toothbrushes for proper composting if an appropriate facility is not available in your area. Hopefully, more readily available composting stations are around the corner, so to speak. It would be great to be able to walk the beach some day and not see the sand littered with tossed toothbrushes – it’s ridiculous how frequently I see that.

You can snag online @ worldcentric.org or here. For a retailer, check out their store locator.

RockAppleWood specializes in making all manner of docking stations for Apple products from found and salvaged wood recovered from the foothills of California. The iPad dock (above) is made from Manzanita wood — salvaged from a tree lost due to the expansion of a local community college.

The iPhone speaker and iPad dock (below) is made from the remains of an old white oak tree found on the designer’s property.

(above) This combo iPhone and iPad dock displays the hand-craftsmanship involved in these gorgeous creations.

Find these and more @ the rockapplewood Etsy shop

related: more design finds from The Alternative Consumer

A Tried and True Green Product Review – sustainably grown and made wines

For the purposes of this product test, we received 3 bottles from The Crossings wine portfolio: Pinot Noir, Unoaked Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. We tasted, tested and here’s what we think: 3 cheers – these are special wines from a special place…

Food and wine go hand in hand. Over the course of the past couple of weeks, the hub and I sipped, supped and imbibed.

We love the zestiness of the Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – a bright blend with lots of zingy citrus flavors, almost bubbly. Accompanied by goat-cheese-sprinkled Greek Salad, some dips and toasted pita bread … we thoroughly enjoyed rounds of this refreshingly zingy Sauvignon Blanc. Eco chic meets citrus in a wine bottle.

Another evening we paired the Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 with Wild Pacific salmon, green beans and a little side of sweet potato fries. Who knew unoaked Chardonnay even existed. This Chardonnay is freaking delicious. Prior to trying, I didn’t realize how oak can influence or mask the true flavor of the grape. I’m a Chardonnay girl, and I’ve fallen for this varietal – it’s cool and crisp … just like the climate.

Last but not least, we threw together a homemade pizza topped with Portabello mushrooms and green peppers to accompany the Pinot Noir 2010. The Pinot was smooth and delicious. Balanced and elegant. With hints of berry, but not too fruity or sweet. Young yet mature. A simple bite was quickly elevated to a more sumptuous repast.

backstory – The Crossings is located in the dramatic Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand. Looks spectacular. A member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand a group of growers dedicated to providing a ‘best practice’ model of environmental practices in the vineyard and winery, they guarantee better quality assurance from the vineyard through to the bottle, and address consumer concerns regarding products which are made taking care to respect the environment. This wine tastes as wonderful as its roots.

Look for The Crossings, drink and enjoy.

Available at Publix supermarkets in the US – Check the website for more Store Locations. (SB retails for $13.50, Chardonnay, $13.99 & Pinot Noir, $19.50) – cheers.

• Many centuries-old structures damaged. Italy Earthquake 2012 : Aftershocks Rattle North – huffpost
• I had the same reaction… Eclipse Sends Japan Lemurs into Frenzy – yahoo! news
• North Sea Platform Gas Leak Successfully Plugged – bbc
• A hot combo… in a bad way. Pollution Combines With Thunderclouds to Warm Atmosphere – sciencedaily
• Rainbows could be next… Elusive ‘Asian Unicorns’ Face Extinction – livescience
• Israel Becomes Lab for Electric Car Network – msnbc

related: more eco news on The Alternative Consumer

There’s a new and encouraging reason to consider investing in an electric vehicle, especially for the largest car market in the nation, California; Pacific Gas and Electric has revised a recent proposal that is laying the framework for a $1 per gallon fuel baseline.

The per gallon baseline is used to refer to cost per mile in a manner that the majority of the population can relate to. Not as many people know what a Kilowatt-hour is or how it applies to their electric vehicle and efficiency, so PG&E incorporated the standard that everyone can understand.

The new proposal relates when and how consumers can charge their vehicles most efficiently — and inexpensively — during off-peak hours.  The older proposal only granted night time hours and a hefty 8$ monthly charge. Due to public outcry PG&E has eliminated the monthly charge (for now) and also includes more charging options (nights, weekends, and the ability to keep existing charge plans for customers until 2015).

According to David Goldstein, having a similar charging standard nationwide would save “consumers and businesses $16 trillion (cumulatively till 2050)”. Something that should not go unnoticed.

So implementing this new proposal could mean “a world of difference” for the future and it could be coming as early as in the fall.

Refer to the PG&E website for more information about the proposal and other related news.

Via:  greenbiz.com