Just saw this snazzy set of mini-wheels under ‘coming attraction’ over at firebox.com.  This electric scooter from eGO will be coming to the U.K. in September and can be pre-ordered now.  The Street Skoota has a top end of 30mph and since it’s electric,  can accelerate a lot quicker than it’s gas-powered brethren.  So with a modicum of motor skills you can zip to work on a vehicle that operates noise- and toxic fume-free. Packs a 1,400 watt motor and will scoot around 40 miles on an 8 hour charge.

£995 @ firebox.com

• Clothing line ECO citizen is looking to feature 15 eco citizens in the upcoming fall/winter ad campaign.  Are you doing your part to preserve and protect the planet? Email them at info@ecocitizenonline.com if you think you’ve got the eco chops.  Photo shoot is scheduled for Friday, July 25, 2008 at their boutique so save the date.
• July/August’s Body + Soul has you covered with tips on how to pack in eco-style for your upcoming camping trip, plan a green road trip, plus the latest sunscreen news.
• ECO Wholesale Trade Show, Las Vegas, NV August 24-27, 2008.  The Global ECO Trade Show is a wholesale show, focused on earth-friendly fashionabe clothing design, sustainable textiles, eco products and green info.   more info @ globalecoshow.com
• Host a Housebulbs to Leadership House Party on Thursday, July 17, 2008.  more info from the sierra club @ sierraclub.org

Creating an effective greenwashing pr or ad campaign can be tough business.  Always focus on accentuating the green-ness of your endeavor or product, even if there really isn’t any.  Vague associations with cuddly bears and penguins or majestic landscapes traditionally work well in upping your perceived green quotient.  Here’s a list of a few other time tested concepts for giving your company or organization that green patina you so desperately desire and probably don’t deserve.

1. Hire a celebrity spokesperson.  Someone attractive that people can aspire to, or emulate, perhaps an actress with great hair from a long running sitcom or maybe a Super Bowl hero.  Stick something like a non-biodegradable container of fancy bottled water in their hand and presto!
2. Develop a marketing campaign around some cute animation with a happening track by a band with some marginal indie-cred – stir gently.
3. Invest 90% of your ad dollars in a commercial campaign for a green product line or eco-friendly technology that you’re supposedly investing in, though that investment comprises a microscopic portion of your total Earth-raping budget.  Then increase prices on your core product.  Works really well for global energy companies.
4. Slap a totally undefined term like “All Natural” on your packaging while keeping the type on the ingredients list really small.  Run a marketing campaign featuring a waterfall or cute blonde walking in a field of wind-blown wheat.  Let sit for awhile then get it on the shelves at WalMart.
5. Sponsor a ‘green’ event or donate some minuscule amount of cash to a worthy eco-charity, then promote the hell out your philanthropy with an ad buy that dwarfs your donation.  Works for both individuals and corporations.

• The U.S. has yet to commit…G8 May Invest Billions to Cut CO2 – reuters
• Is this the most effective way to reduce emissions? Gas Prices Hit All-Time High – cnn
• Wanted: Inner City Supermarkets – cs monitor
• You always hurt the one you love…Pentagon Fights EPA on Pollution Cleanup – washington post/msnbc
• (video) Amazon Tribe Attacked by Masked Gunmen – natgeo
• This could explain my lack of success as a fisherman in my youth…Fish Fade Away, Crabs Take Over – yahoo! news
• Why does an ‘eco’ Emeril just seem weird? Chef Emeril Lagasse Helps Plan a Green Block Party – ecorazzi
• 20 weird photos. (pix) One Whale of a Fish – aol news

UPDATE:  THIS GIVEAWAY IS OVER, KAPUT.  Our lucky winners are Cyndi and Lia.

(original post follows…)

We Give, You Take; yin-yang.  In honor of Independence Day, we’re celebrating by Giving Away not one, but two of our most favorite things in the whole wide world — Certaintees tee shirts.

Made with a 70/30 mix of bamboo/organic cotton, you can wash and wear to your heart’s delight. Get a whole lotta eco style and comfort, and a whole lotta compliments. Trust me, I own 3.  Below are a sample of artist Lee Tracy’s designs:

How to be a contender? Easy. As long as you live in the USA (for easy mailing), just add your name and t shirt size (M, L or X-L), in the comment area, above. On July 3rd, 2 winners will be selected via a random drawing and announced on the 4th.

Win or lose, you can check out Certaintees online sale. AltCon readers can link to Certaintees via an ad in the left side column and receive a special, discounted rate.

Related: previously on altCon (8.29.07) – Certaintees – fit to a tee

For dudes looking to send the caj-cool vibe, strut your stuff in a touch of plaid this summer. Perfect for breezing through town, baking Clams Johnson on the grill or catching the elusive sunset at The Montauket, here’s the organic cotton Quicksilver, ($49.50) from evogear. Or the Rip Stop organic cotton plaid shorts, ($29.99) from Macy’s. Now start planning that stargazing in the sand, Fourth of July bash with commensurate fireworks.

Your intrepid eco dog, moi, sadly doesn’t have anything environmentally constructive to contribute today. However, I did come across a product of questionable necessity but undoubted appeal to those misguided dog owners with a compulsion to dress-up we poor canines…doggie shades.  Why do people feel compelled to put wacky stuff on us dogs? Mother nature has delivered us to this Earth fully equipped with a nice array of options.  Spend the cash on something really useful…a doggie massage!

Oh, these shades come in variety of sizes, shapes and lens colors.

$12.95 @ doggieshades.com

Another fine example of the many fabulous uses of renewable, sustainable cork.  Shape the ladder into a lyrical shape that reflects your inner zen or one that conforms to the size of that saucepan you’re using to make your signature bouillabaisse.  When not on display just hang it up.

sorry, Europe only – €38 @ materiashop.com

Even though I’ve used it for almost two weeks, I’m still sort-of wondering if this high-tech solar toothbrush really works. My next trip to the dentist may render the final verdict.  But it does lay claim to some interesting dental hygiene technology.

The light-activated (solar-like) Soladey Ionic Eco toothbrush is purported to be used daily by millions of people in Japan and many other countries. Having used this brush for about 10 days, along with their tongue cleaner, my teeth certainly “feel clean.” So if I were to squash my skepticism, I’d have to consider this experience a success. Soladey also make a mouthwash that contains silver, and you’re supposed to ingest it…but I’m not ready to swallow that just yet.  We’ll do due diligence and followup with you, soon.

The nifty toothbrush contains a titanium (metal) ionic conducting rod, which runs through the replaceable bristle head and into the handle. The rod supposedly allows light, by photoelectric activity, to be converted into a natural energy source which kills harmful bacteria in your mouth. No toothpaste needed, but optional. (I use it hard-core, without toothpaste.) The new ‘Eco’ model has a new ergonomic handle and no doubt is trying to grab some ‘green’ customers with this brand extension. A novelty item that I recommend for the dentally adventurous.

available for $29.95 @ soladey-usa.com

Update:  Never could get used to the taste of that mouthwash, but I absolutely love the ionic Eco toothbrush — I use it with toothpaste.

• We haven’t invested in energy infrastructure in like…forever. Where’s My Wind? Outdated Grid Transmission in the U.S.. – triplepundit/reuters
• (video) Green Living Pays…Literally – msnbc
• This should make you feel better…6 Supposed Action Heroes You Could Probably Take in a Fight – cracked.com
• Someone must have caught this report just before it hit the shredder.  Climate Change May Challenge National Security, Classified Report Warns – science daily
• Lander Finds Mars Soil is Like That in a Veggie Garden – natgeo
• Germany and France Ban Pesticides Linked to Bee Deaths: Geneticist Urges U.S. Ban – enn/greenrightnow.com

Whether you’re a music loving geezer with a stash of vinyl gold like myself, or an upstart DJ with a taste for the past, you may need to get your retro-tunes from vinyl to digital.  This portable turntable from Ion will get your old Buzzcocks, James White and the Blacks, and Squeeze discs out of the closet, onto your laptop – or pumping through your stereo at your next geezer-fest. A USB cable and easy-to-use software can get the music to your desktop whilst the built-in speaker can have you listening to your audio heirlooms in a low-fi jiffy.   Plays 33, 45 and 78 rpm records, runs off either batteries or AC and has line level and headphone outputs.  Software included.

$129.99 @ ion-audio.com

Arizona Jean Company is offering cool combo deals on duds.

Guys can buy an organic shirt or tee and pair it with “recycled” shorts or jeans and get the combo for a reduced price. And girls get a similar deal, only difference is that the tops and bottoms are both from “recycled” material, no organic cotton. The recycled (in this case, upcycled) goods are made from “pre-consumer recycled cotton, leftover cotton, reclaimed cotton from the mill.” Especially in today’s economy, it’s a decent deal.

more green combo info @ azjeans.com

• So you want oil rigs off Florida beaches…Supreme Court Cuts Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Damages – NPR
• California Unveils Ambitious Climate Plan – yahoo! news
• Starting to think outside the energy ‘box’. Man-made Tornadoes Could Power the Future – livescience/msnbc
• British PM Pushes Wind Power Expansion – bbc
• Sending a cablegram every time you flush. San Francisco May Name Sewage Treatment Plant After Bush – IHT
• The man had a point. The Green Quote: George Carlin on Eating Less Meat – ecorazzi
• Southern hospitality. Crocodile Welcomed into Australian Pub by Drinkers – myway