Our panel of sweet tooths agree: “more, please.” How can something taste this good, and be good for us? We can attest to the wholesomeness and eminently edible qualities of 3 of their 4 lines, not having tasted the Sugar free/Low carb line.

All curious cookies feature natural or organic ingredients, zero grams trans fat, no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats/oils, no chemicals, no genetically modified ingredients, no preservatives; and they’re Star D/Star K Kosher-certified. Here’s some of what’s in them — Plugra European style sweet cream cultured butter, unbleached flour, Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract, Bavarian Schokinag chocolate, and sulfate-free fruits grown in the USA. Unrefined evaporated cane juice is used in lieu of processed sugar — except in the sugar-free/low carb recipe, which uses Splenda. Check out their comprehensive, anatomy of a cookie for the complete lowdown on sweet toothiness.

curious cookie offers 4 lines of tantalizing flavors: Premium Gourmet, Muffin Top, Gluten Free, and Sugar Free/Lower Carbohydrate.

• Premium Gourmet’s yummy flavors are: Ginger Cranberry, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Sugar ‘N Spice and to-die-for White Chocolate & Macadamia Nut or Chocolate Cherry. So flavorful, with out all the bad stuff.
• Muffin Tops come in: Orange Cranberry, Blueberry, Strawberry and Berry Blast. So moist and rich.
• Gluten-Free: (which are also lactose-free and casein-free) — Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Lemon Chocolate Chip, Ginger Cranberry and Chocolate Chip. For full-cookie-flavor.
• Sugar Free/Low Carb: made with Splenda — Coconut, Ginger, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Macadamia Nut and Mocha Chocolate.

Single serving packages easily tuck into your backpack, handbag, lunch box or glove compartment. Curious Cookies make a wonderful gift for any occasion — choose your favorite tin or basket. Treat yourself to a few boxes, by ordering @ curiouscookie.com or calling 877-986-6928 (yummy-2-U).

Shed some light on recycling and make a home decor statement in one bold gesture. The Boeklampen by the Dutch design firm, Bomdesign, takes recycling literarily. Used books are handcrafted into elegant lighting fixtures. Presumably more for show than utility, the lamps do make a striking visual statement.

Prices on the fixtures can run to €300 @ bomdesign.nl
(orders can be made by email)

see more cool finds in our Design Category

(via fashion of recycling)

Golf courses are notorious for their negative impact on the environment. Destruction of natural habitat, fertilizer run-off and the use of carcinogenic pesticides are just a few of golf’s sins. On the other hand, the sport and its rambling courses appear to be gaining in popularity every year; (yes, I’ve hit a few errant balls into the woods myself).

So what to do? Go green, like Greg Norman’s Pelican Club, voted Best Eco-Friendly Golf Course, (this is all relative). The Pelican Club, located in Caloundra, Australia, (unless you’re a local, you’ll need to cash-in some of those carbon offsets to get there) has developed a chemical-free approach to green maintenance, and has installed nutrient filtration zones to protect nearby environmentally-sensitive wetlands. Many American golf courses should take note.

Club Pelican Golf Course

• Feed the monster instead of fighting it. US to Unveil Five Year Offshore Oil Drilling Plan – enn
• I guess my solar toaster idea isn’t destined to save the world. UN Turns Thumbsdown on Oddball Global Warming Schemes- apf
• Do you think any of the candidates participating in the recent Democratic debate really scare old Al as a presidential opponent? Al Gore Calls Canadian Climate Change Plan a “Fraud” – ap/enn
• San Fran really seems to embrace this enviro thing. Now in the Bay Area: The Anti-Gas Station – cs monitor
• Finally a breath of fresh air. California Sets Limits on Formaldehyde in Wood/Building Products – envirolink

First signs of spring – tulips and minis.

Latest eco darling Bahar Shahpar shapes a lovely Ashima silk skirt for flirty stylish kittens; eco chic meets comfort and style. I love the high waist, perfect length, and deep pockets. available @ kaightnyc.com $230, a bit of a splurge, but so versatile and kicky.

Sculptural forms created through the cutting, scoring and folding of paper. Capturing the essence of repetition found in both architectural design and nature.

richardsweeney.co.uk

(via – trendhunter)

Ready to really get away? Pack light, book a plane ticket and head to Mexico — Hotelito Desconocido, tucked away in Puerto Vallarta. Here, you’ll find refreshingly natural surroundings, crystal clear lagoons and long stretches of sandy beaches in a world free of “modern trappings” like electricity, telephones and thumping night clubs. Instead, you can wake up to the sun’s rays while sleeping lazily in your own palafito bungalow, built on stilts over an island estuary or the beach’s soft sand dunes.

Pristine perfection, this ecolodge retreat truly takes it back to basics. Indulge in yoga classes, organic cuisine at the property restaurant, or simply bask in the breeze of an alternative-powered ceiling fan.

Hotelito.com for more info.

Add some classic design to your fabulous patio lifestyle with this Mission Loveseat made of innovative, tree-free Poly-wood.

Built for maximum resistance to the elements, Poly-wood will outlast traditional wood lumber, and provide years of outdoor use. Furnished with cushions made of animal-friendly, faux leather, this is the ultimate in exterior seating.

Note: Poly-wood is comprised of specially-processed, recycled plastics once destined for the land-fill. It is UV-stabilized; and it lacks moisture absorbency, which ensures your piece will never rot, warp, crack or splinter, like traditional wood products. Color pigment is present all the way through to prevent chipping, peeling and fading. Requires absolutely no water proofing, staining or painting to maintain its beauty.
Several complimentary pieces fill out the collection.

@ eco-furniture.com

• Did we really have to go to Bali? World Legislators Fly to Bali to Discuss Global Warming – afp
• About that 4 bedroom under the high tension lines….Experts Clash on Powerline Safety – bbc
• And I thought it was just the lack of calories. Secret to Bad-Tasting Diet Sodas Found – livescience
• If Mr. Mayer thinks going green is boring he should listen to his music. John Mayer Advocates Going ‘Light Green’- ecorazzi
• Climate Report – Time’s Running Out in Greenhouse Gas Battle – afp/yahoo!

Green up your spicy summer BBQs with these nifty Cactus Clear tumblers from GreenGlass.com. Made from 100 percent recycled glass, they’re nothing more than a reclaimed beer bottle (Mexico’s traditional “Sol” brand) that’s been morphed into a kitschy tumbler.

After GreenGlass receives bottles from recyclers, they wash and sterilize. Next, they smooth and fire polish the base of the bottle—and voila!—chic, eco-friendly drink ware that makes for great conversation starters.

$25 for a set of four @ GreenGlass.com. Check out the site for other pretty options.

Short, breezy and brimming with sex appeal, this 55% hemp, 45% organic cotton mini dress will set you apart from the rest of that rollicking beach crowd. Raglan sleeves, understated side slits and an attractive scoop neck.

Make it a hot summer in Malibu…or Montauk.

$68 @ minawear

Minawear is manufactured in California from hemp and organic cotton that’s grown in China, under sweatshop-free conditions. Great care is taken to dye the material safely, and recycled boxes are used for shipping. Minawear, caring for dedicated customers since 1998.

We originally posted about Anya’s infamous I’m Not a Plastic Bag
just as it hit the streets. At the time, it seemed like people everywhere were scrambling all over each other to get their paws on the bag. Anya’s site wasn’t providing essential info, and the UK was jonesin’ for them.

Cut to a couple of days ago. Anya’s bag was re-issued, and the line of people outside Sainsbury’s in West London was incredible. According to schmoo on the run, most folks on line were not even aware of the “eco consequences” of the bag’s manufacturing process. Apparently, most of the re-issues were being purchased to re-sell on ebay. What a debacle on so many levels.

Cut to today. According to schmoo on the run, London’s Evening Standard reveals this morning that Anya’s bags are made from conventionally grown cotton under not Fair Trade conditions in China. Headline reads: “I’m Not an Ethical Bag.” How dismal. And interesting that my initial instincts lead me to believe that this Anya bag just smelled bad, all the way from across the pond.

As with most issues, there are all levels of correctness and this is especially true with the environment. Replacing a plastic or paper bag with a cotton reusable bag is the ground floor of eco correctness.

As a society, we can do much better than that. Now that everyone knows how damaging conventional cotton farming is to both people and planet, it’s time for all of us to be more “consumer conscious” and do the right thing. Fashion shouldn’t trump eco values.

Put our shopping dollars where our values are. Support manufacturers who sell organic cotton goods if you must have cotton. Or, better yet, support sustainable fabric manufacturers — those who produce goods from crops such as jute, hemp, bamboo, ramie and seagrass. When it comes to the dyes on the fabric, make sure that they’re eco-friendly. Link here to screen our under-2-minute video on replacing plastic shopping bags.

Once you have your reusable bag, remember to Bring Your Own to the store and Use It — BYO and UI. We’re creatures of habit, all we have to do is start a new, healthy habit (I can attest to the difficulty of this challenge from personal experience). Now I keep reusable bags in my handbag, car, bicycle, and on my door handle so I don’t forget them on my way outside.

Thanks to www.schmoontherun.blogspot.com and www.hempforvictory.blogspot.com for bagging the story.

Photo Credits: thisislondon.co.uk

AltCon Prediction: Anya’s bag will be curated by The Museum of Modern Art, NYC.

July 6, 2007: Anya Hysteria Hits Hong Kong – more Anya hits the streets and stores.

July 18, 2007: Anya’s Bag – a nyc hit

January 2009 – Queen Honors Anya – what’s up with that?

• Going “local” may save us. States Take Lead in Cutting Carbon Emissions – cs monitor
• I saw this bit on JS. Lewis Black takes it to some trendy celeb greenies. Way to go. Daily Show Slams Green Celebs – ecorazzi
• A horrible drought and a bogus war means change. Weather Trumps War in Australian Politics – afp/yahoo!
• The Bush administration is intrepid in its attacks on wildlife. Senators Question Endangered Species Plan – msnbc
• Things are heating up in England…in a bad way. April Weather Set to Break Record – bbc
• Scotchgard and Teflon…two of my mom’s favorites…Chemicals Worried 3M 24 Years Ago – Star Tribune