New Jersey based CitiLogs is a leader in the business of upcycling and repurposing trees into finished wood flooring, cabinets and other wood products.  When builder Tom Fitzgerald realized that large trees on a building site he was clearing could be used for interior flooring and lumber, he contacted CitiLog.

The Fitzgerald Home (pictured above and more below) features the lumber from two large Tulip Poplar trees that once stood within the building’s perimeter.  The trees were harvested and upcycled into beautiful flooring for the home.  CitiLog awarded Fitzgerald’s project its Platinum Certification because the wood harvested from the building’s footprint returned to the project as a finished wood product that was incorporated into the building. (more…)

A green stimulus package for your eyes, ears and mind…

• Today 11a-7p and Tomorrow, Oct 4, 10a-6p, The Baby Show NYC is at the Metropolotan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, between 6th & 7th Avenues.  Featuring a Green Baby 101 seminar by Inhabitots from 2:30-3:15 today, Parents Discovery (ongoing free seminars on how to keep baby healthy and happy), and several exhibitors with the latest clothing, accessories and toys for babies.  Treats by Petite Abeille at the Organic Cafe.  Tix in advance $20/1 day or $30/2-day. Tix at door $30, or $40 for 2-day pass. Kids under 5 free, others, $5.
• Bike Miami Days’ Second Annual Event is tomorrow – Sunday, October 4 with lots of activities and live music from 9a-2p.  Explore the heart of Miami CAR-FREE — on foot, by bike, skateboard or any other form of self-propelled transportation. more @ bike-miami.com
• In honor of Ken Burns’ doc, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea (and to spread the word about the importance of protecting our national parks for future generations), The Sierra Club is giving away a trip to Yosemite and San Francisco as part of their 100,000 Champions for National Parks campaign. Their goal is to get to 100,000 names by tomorrow, October 4th – All you have to do is sign their statement of support for parks at www.sierraclub.org/parks. Tell them your favorite national park and your name will be added to the scrolling list of “Champions for Parks” on their homepage.
• 4th Annual AltCar Expo & Conference Oct. 2 & 3, 10a-5p. Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, FREE admission.
• Green Building Show Thursday & Friday, October 8 and 9; held At NJExpo Center. Tix $10 in advance or $20 at the door. Produced by Go Green Expo, created for both builders and homeowners.
• Learn How to Save Green When You Shop Green by blog-pal, Karen Schiff, co-founder of Ecobunga. (more…)

Homeowners who have turbine attic ventilators, (those spinning fans on the roof of one’s home), lose a lot of heat in the winter when warm attic air gets sucked out by cold outside winter temperatures.   Covering or sealing the vents can cause all kinds of problems – the solution – install a self-regulating Turbine Boss and you can make your attic ventilation system much more energy efficient.  The Turbine Boss’s Thermostatic Controller automatically stops the turbine heat loss in winter by closing the vent when temps go below 40 degrees and opens when they rise above 80 degrees. Just install it and forget it.

The gadget easily fits inside the existing turbine’s cylinder.  No batteries needed and it installs in both new and old ventilators with just a screwdriver – comes with a 25 year warranty and no maintenance required.

Now you just have to get over your fear of heights to install it.

$29.95 @ turbineboss’s online store or at your local Home Depot

Here’s a new reason to go with a copper sink in you kitchen; recent studies have concluded that copper possesses the ability to kill up to 99 percent of bacteria, including super bugs like MRSA, within two hours of contact.  Research also has shown that H1N1, commonly referred to as the swine flu virus, likewise does not survive on copper.  Based on a review of the studies and its own independent lab tests, the United States Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year announced that copper has antimicrobial properties, capable of killing bacteria as well as viruses.

the sink pictured above can be found @ nativetrails.net

Could there be anything better for a hound, like me, than chewing on an all-natural chunk of elk antler?  These classic dog chews are sourced from a trusted, farm-raised herd of Minnesota elk.  Wapiti Labs Elk Antler Chews are said to be the longest lasting chews on the market. These naturally shed antlers won’t splinter like other hard chews, and they’re great for healthy teeth and gums.  They’re a 100% natural source of over 40 essential nutrients promoting strong bones and healthy joints.

No elk were harmed in the making of this chew…

(med. chew $9.99/ lg. $13.99) from the premiere purveyor of eco dog products – olivegreendog.com – don’t forget to use code: OliveAC at checkout to receive 10% off.

Project BLUE is generously sponsoring this Great Green Giveaway so we’re spreading the eco love in four different ways.  4 lucky readers will each receive 1 of the following gifts for guys or gals:  boardshorts, shades, backpack or tee shirt.

4 Winners, 4 Prizes – enter to win one of the following:

• Billabong Peace (women’s): $39.95; made from recycled plastic bottles
• Billabong Sonic Boom (men’s): $59.50; made from recycled plastic bottles
• O’Neill: $28 (men’s t), $26 (women’s t); organic cotton w/soy based inks; choice includes a limited edition Vote the Ocean t
• Electric polarized shades: $129.95-$169.95, depending on style; eco packaging
• DAKINE surf pack:  Oceana (women’s) $75.  Recon (men’s) $70; made from (PET), recycled plastic bottles

Seven competitive brands (Billabong, DAKINE, Electric, O’Neill, Famous Wax, Nixon and Reef) in the multi-billion surf dollar industry have come together with a complementary product line under the Project BLUE umbrella to make a difference and clean-up the oceans and beaches.  A portion of the proceeds of each sale supports the Surfrider Foundation and their coastline protection initiatives worldwide.  This is an awesome brand partnership that’s two years young.  Innovations and eco benefits have taken place on several levels — to date, more than 5 million PET bottles have been diverted from landfills and turned into stylish boardshorts using the Eco Supreme Fabric (the same fabric Billabong uses in the project BLUE boardies for men and women).  Jump in and get on board.
To Enter, simply:

• check out project BLUE @ betruetoblue.com
• Then leave a comment on this post, answering the following:  “What’s one easy way you personally try to reduce your environmental impact?”
• Add the following address to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer.com.

Four winners will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email. Contest ends Friday, October 9, 2009 at 11:59p (EST). Winners have 24 hours to claim their prize, or offer is null and void. Winners’ names will also be included on this post. Giveaway includes free shipping, anywhere in the USA.

*One entry per person.
*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 (once per day), and be sure to refer to @altCon, and leave a comment linking to the status. You can also receive additional entries 3 more ways: subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter or friend us on FaceBook. (If you’re already a subscriber, just enter a comment to let us know.)  Time’s ticking, so start clicking – good luck!

What today falls into the niche of “DIY” (do it yourself), is in fact the longest human tradition there is.  It’s funny that today we need people to teach us how to do it ourselves, that we can’t fathom making things we find essential.  Do it yourself-ism is a quiet, but effective way of protesting the consumerism that has gripped us.  By taking the few extra minutes to make your own shampoo, deodorant, shirt or whatever it is, you’re turning your back on big companies and bringing your health and well-being back into your own hands.  It may not seem like a big deal when you do, because it isn’t, it’s what we’re made to do.

Take, for example, deodorant.  Many people consider it a daily necessity (and perhaps more people should).  Rather than going to the store, look for a few things in your cabinets: (more…)

Handcrafted, designer hats made with loving care from organic cotton, merino wool and the finest natural yarns.  What a lovely way to protect your wee one from harsh fall winds and blowing leaves.

hats for newborns, tots and children range from around $20 to $40 @ threefishshop’s esty store

By Nature has introduced a new range of hand crafted recycled glass giftware from U.K.-based, Who’s Glass.

What’s interesting is that Who’s Glass’ approach to recycling glass, (reforming), is one of the most energy efficient possible – estimated to be 90% more efficient than re-melting the raw materials down and working from scratch.   Each bottle is made in the UK from locally collected bottles that are heated and shaped by hand, slowly cooled, hand signed and packed.  No glue is used (either with the glass or in the packaging) and every piece is hand engraved instead of labeled.

They make both branded, Corona, Coke etc., and plain glasses as well as good ol’ shot glasses.

@ bynature.co.uk