Reusable bags don’t have to always be boring, mundane practicalities.  This fun shopping bag from BlueQ sends a message about who’s really in charge…

Made of (95 percent) recycled woven polypropylene.

$11.99 @ blueq.com

I am partial to coffee, but I do enjoy a spot of tea every now and then. I’m always skeptical, however, of teas that claim superiority in terms of purity, integrity and smoothness. But I recently sampled a new line, called Teatulía, and I know now that not all teas are created equal.

I tried Teatulía’s Green and Black Teas and also the Tulsi Infusion, a blend of black tea and Holy Basil. The Green Tea was earthy and clean tasting, splendid with a tiny squeeze of lemon and honey. The Black Tea, possibly the smoothest I’ve ever tried, was enjoyable straight up without milk or sugar, and the Tulsi had a pleasant hint of spiciness. I would definitely recommend all three to a friend.

Taste aside, what makes Teatulía most noteworthy and unique is how it cultivates and packages its teas, which are farmed (more…)

• 1.8 million homes to be served…Solar-Thermal Power Stations Announced – enn
• Is taking the train greener than driving that SUV to work?  Think Twice About ‘Green’ Transport: Scientists – breitbart
• Norwegian innovation…Floating Wind Turbine Launched – bbc
• That old north vs. south thing…Stimulus Funds Keeping Sun Belt Cool – msnbc
• WWDC 2009 Mac Rumors Roundup: iPhone, Snow Leopard, Laptops? – mac rumors

Now you can be a walking billboard for the cradle to cradle approach to life.  Made of 100 percent organic cotton, and with water-based inks and dyes — once the shirt has seen its final days, simply cut it into thin strips and feed it to the worms as a yummy dessert.

Designed by North Carolina based potter and devoted composter, Lena Cox, it’s a cool tee, and a great way to keep once-loved threads out of the landfill, ($20).

find @ etsy.com

I’ve been down in Florida for a couple of weeks.  Stopped at a beach on Hutchinson Island that was adjacent to a mosquito-infested cypress lagoon.  It seemed when we jumped back in the car there were more mosquitoes inside, than outside.  I immediately picked up a 4oz. spray can of Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent.  We returned to the beach.  Bug problem solved.

Burt’s Bees has a refreshing smell, and a nice, light texture — must be the soybean and citronella base, mixed with rosemary, geranium, peppermint oils and Vitamin E. A little goes a long way, so don’t be bugged by the $8 price. Coincidentally, Burt’s Bees is celebrating their 25th anniversary, so you can cash-in on special offers online, more @ burtsbees.com.  Feel free to jump in with your fav way to deter bug bites, naturally.

New York based furniture designer Andrew Moe creates clean, modern furniture out of resawn hardwood beams salvaged from dismantled buildings from across America.  Each beam has a story, character and grain all its own.  By reusing some of the close to a billion board feet of wood removed from building across the U.S. each year we can reduce the amount of wood entering our landfills and reduce the necessity to harvest trees.

The Moe Design Studio utilizes ash as its primary species.  Red and white oak and maple are also available for special orders at an additional cost. They occasional come upon salvaged walnut or cherry.

pictured above are pieces from their 2009 Oslo line

UPDATE:  (6.17.09)  It’s now official.  Congratulations to our 3 lucky winners:  Naddez, Kim M, and Tracey B! Thanks to everyone for entering, you’re all winners!  Check out our new Great Green Giveaway by linking to it (upper left column of our site).

(original post follows…)

This Great Green Giveaway is sponsored by our friends at ICUeyewear.com.  I love their eco frames (made from bamboo, reclaimed or recycled material).

3 Lucky winners will each get to select their favorite style of ICU readers, sun-readers or sunglasses from their “core” collection; (giveaway does not include the Studio Collection of handmade readers).  Each prize is valued @ $22.95, plus free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A.

To Enter This Drawing, Simply:
Visit ICUeyewear.com. Then enter a comment on this post telling us if you’d select a reader, sun-reader or regular pair of sunglasses.  Note:  you get to choose your style preference from the fun and fabulous, eco-friendly styles available for men and women.

Add the following address to your email address book:
m at AlternativeConsumer.com. (*one entry per person)

Entries must be received by 8p, EST on Friday, June 12, 2009. (free shipping, USA only)

Three lucky winners will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email on Friday, June 12.   Winners have 24 hours to claim their prize, or offer is null and void.   Winners’ names will also be included in this post.

*EXTRA CREDIT
If you have your own blog, you can post about the giveaway with a link back to this giveaway post. To make sure we know, you can come back and leave a comment with a link to your blog post.  If you Twitter, you can tweet about the giveaway, and leave a comment linking to the status.

Also receive an additional entry by signing up to receive our RSS feed via email/Feedburner (see right side bar) or by following us on Twitter. good luck!

• Clean Energy Depends on Wider Economic Growth – reuters
• Money must change hands. Rainforest is Worth More Standing – bbc
• Great minds think alike…Conan’s ‘Tonight Show’ Takes on Twitter – cs monitor
• A few thousand less lawns would help…U.S. Tells Cali to Cut Water Use to Save Fish – reuters
• Easily Grossed Out?  You Might be a Conservative! – sciencedaily

Newborns are sensitive little creatures who, like mother earth, deserve the very best.  ja*lu is a Washington-based, baby gear company founded by an eco-conscious mom who gives back 5 percent of profits to charities.

Featuring essentials for infants, these comfy bibs and blankies make beautiful gifts for alternative tots — wrap those bundles of joy in soft and comfy, pesticide-free, organic cotton @ shopjalu.com