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

In searching for eco-minded summer essentials for the man of the house, I came across some fresh finds.

As temperatures rise this summer, hombre can relax in eco comfort with these Patagonia organic cotton boxers. Available in white, castaway blue or lemon zest/norris plaid. Lemon Zest hands-down, just for the name. ($25.60)

And the Northface Ex-girlfriend Sandal for not only the image it conjures up, but also the cork and recycled webbing construction. ($39.95)

more good stuff @ backcountry.com

Put your feet up or plop your keester down on this sturdy yet elegant, Joan step stool/bench. Hand cut joints and fastener-free hardwood construction make this a home furnishing fixture to last a lifetime. Lovingly named after a super mom (we have one by the same name, as well).

Bruce Marsh Designs makes every effort to use woods harvested from sustainably managed forests. Made with low VOC adhesives, water-based finishes and without stains.

comes in maple, walnut or mahogany

joan stepstool $235 @ brucemarsh.com

• Britons Fear the Carbon Cops are Coming: Survey – reuters
• Abandoned Farmlands are Key to Sustainable Bioenergy – carnegie instit./enn
• They’re watching you…The 5 Creepiest Advertising Techniques of the (Near) Future – cracked.com
• This is why politicians hate taking a position. McCain Runs Into Opposition Over Offshore Oil Plan – reuters
• A sugar industry give-back. Huge Deal to Save Everglades Reached – msnbc
• Remember the photo of those tribesmen pointing bows and arrows skyward at photographers…A Savage Hoax: The Cave Men Who Never Existed – livescience
• Now America’s really pissed. Angry Kids Protest Gas Prices After Losing Cable TV – myway

A natural, eco-friendly, rinse-free sanitizer to the rescue.

According to manufacturer, CleanWell, this hand sanitizer is a 99.9% germ-killer that’s alcohol-free. I’ve used the pocket spray, made from a patented combo of White Tea infused with Aloe, and Ingenium, botanically sourced essential plant oils. With a refreshing smell and no trace of a sticky residue on my hands it gets a definite, green thumbs-up for delivering feel-clean-sensations. (L, above)

I’ve also tried their all-natural, anti-bacterial Ginger Bergamot hand wash, a lightweight foam that leaves hands feeling clean, moisturized and great-smelling. Try it and you’ll love it. (R, above)

Check out the Ingenium Starter Pack, $9.99 @ cleanwelltoday.com, or find look for them at Target and Whole Foods.

Visit CleanWell for all the facts.

File this under “looks cool but do I really need this?” Add some entertainment value to your next deck party or impress your fellow Garden Club members with your solar prowess. These solar flower pots store up the sun’s rays during the day and illuminate your prized potted plants at night with its built-in LEDs. The solar cell is on a separate spike that connects via a 3m cable. Comes in an eye-catching color changing version or basic white.

color changing pot £22.95 / basic glowing white £19.95 @ firebox.com

via: pocket-lint.co.uk

It’s official, summer’s here and sure signs of seasonal change come from our gardens.

While the rosemary, oregano and lettuce, (pic above), on our deck are ripe for the picking, the basil and tomato plants are still in their infancy. This past weekend, we cooked up some rosemary roasted potatoes which were sweet as candy, and pasta primavera with fresh oregano, garlic, basil, zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes which I’m happy to say, might have been our tastiest sauce ever. Cooking can be more rewarding when the ingredients come from your own efforts.

It just doesn’t get any more “local” than picking homegrown from your own garden. Growing your own is also a true test of whether or not you really have a “green thumb.” Our buddy Frank is a testament to green-ness, having transformed his backyard into a patchwork of fresh produce. Not an easy feat, given mountain climate conditions.

Beginning this past spring he started growing lettuce from inexpensive seeds, and now the Arugula, Boston lettuce and endive are thriving. Thanks to him, we have some growing happily in a planter on our deck. Frank’s mini farm also features: snow peas, snap peas, radish, tomato, garlic, currants, with colorful beets and squash on the way. Such sweet inspiration, his garden has really taken off.

These hand-made, Vegan Classic Ties from Soft Star are suitable for both kiddie formals or the next play date in the sandbox.

Machine washable, scuff and stain resistant, and made of animal-free simulated leather (polyurethane).

$34 @ wilddill.com

Related:

previously on altCon, (3.25.08) eco shoes – personal faves for spring