Our good friends at Olive are always on the prowl for innovative products that benefit the discerning eco dog.  Here’s a nifty-looking jacket for keeping your favorite hound warm and happy about being outdoors in the often chilly elements.   Cloudburst makes this jacket from recycled polyester fiber that can be recycled, again and again, after your pooch is done with it.

The jacket comes in blue or moss and in a variety of sizes that can outfit pooches from dachshunds to labs.

$56 @ olivegreendog – get a handy 10% off by entering the code OliveAC at checkout

With Halloween behind us, it’s nearly time to pack away the festive fall décor to make space for the merrier holiday gear. What to do with the pumpkin that sat on your porch stoop? While the thrifty bakers among us will likely turn it into a Thanksgiving pie, the beauty hounds can do one better and whip up an easy mask that will keep your pre-winter dry skin glowing.

After all, pumpkins are chock-full of vitamins A and C, as well as zinc, to hydrate the skin and leave skin supple, soft and most importantly, chemical-free. (No formaldehyde or petroleum derivatives in my skin care, thank you.)

Mix up a mask of your own by combining:

• Two tablespoons cooked (or canned) pumpkin
• One-half teaspoon organic honey
• A dash of organic milk or soy milk
• Optional: one-half teaspoon of brown sugar for extra exfoliation

Slather it on and allow to dry completely before rinsing off. Clean, open pores will put a smile on your face and allow you to follow up with your favorite natural moisturizer, promising ultra hydration that’s perfect for fall’s blustery winds.

• The Republicans took their toys and went home…Democrats Advance Contentious Climate Bill – msnbc
• OK kids…let’s go to Target in our excessively big hunk of metal…Electric SUV’s: A Smaller Footprint for Big Vehicles – cs monitor
• The Quest to Save the World’s Rarest Duck – bbc
• Who’s way more toxic – NYC or Atlanta? America’s Most Toxic Cities List Shows Surprising Results – enn
• Yes, dogs beat cats…Top 10 Smartest Mammals - livescience
• It may be too late…EU to Fight for Tuna Protection at Global Talks – reuters
• All dressed-up and nowhere to go…Inappropriate Clothing Prevents Children Playing Outside – sciencedaily
• New take on, treehouse…Building with Whole Trees – ny times

Are you into multi-tasking and reducing the amount of ‘stuff’ you have?  Do you live in a 100 square foot beach cabana?  Too cheap to buy furniture?  Here’s an idea – use your surfboard as a coffee table by night and a wave carving machine by day.  This kit allows you to transform any surfboard under 7 feet into a beachy coffee table and back again into a functioning surfboard in seconds.  Kit comes with instructions, bamboo base and velcro attachment.  $99.95 @ vintagesurfboard.net

We’re having a little DIY fun here…

1. You got the ingredients mix wrong on that DIY shampoo and now sport a hairstyle that’s been kindly described as early “Telly Savalas”.
2. The t-shirt quilt you’re creating chronicles your pathetic journey from Black Sabbath worshiper to Bon Jovi fanatic (it also contains 17 threadbare Bruce Springsteen tees).
3. The DIY lamp you created out of old kitchen appliances was so frightening that your cat, Mr. Cuddles, took one look at it and has now been missing for over a week.
4. In designing your own electric bike your only success has been in permanently numbing your ass from the repeated shocks from the ungrounded battery and exposed wiring.
5. Your attempt to utilize your breakfast bacon grease as biofuel has transformed your Volkswagen Beetle into a driveway sculpture.
6. You’re still removing splinters from your behind after testing a reclining chair you creating from wooden pallets you snagged from you company’s loading dock.

What time is it?  Time to make a clock out of your tired old computer’s hard drive.  This clock should appeal to computer freaks, geekery fans or anyone related to Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.  Made from the actual recycled remains of a dead computer.  The clock’s quartz movement runs on a single AA battery and the techie time piece has reversible, black or white hands.

$35 @ the pixelthis etsy shop0

Now here’s a toy for those rugged green kids in your household.  These natural wood building blocks are made in Canada by Natural Pod.  The blocks are created from kiln-dried, locally-sourced, renewable alder.  The colorful, 10 piece set contains a bunch of unique pieces that come in various lengths, sizes and diameters – all with a natural Harmonic Beeswax finish.

Forget all those plastic Chinese toys and go natural.

This set was recently named one of 2009′s Top 10 Eco Toys Under $30.

small set pictured goes for around – $29.95 @ naturalpod.com

Say goodbye to plastic water bottles and hello to pure water.  We were recently turned on to Water Geeks’ stainless steel reusable water bottles and we love them.  The filter is activated each time you take a sip.  It’s like drinking water through a straw.

Just fill the bottle with tap water, and eliminate chlorine, bad taste, odor, lead — the replaceable filter “effectively filters tap water contaminants plus bacteria and other potential ground water contaminants.”  The ergonomic design feels good in your hand, too.  The 12-ounce size is available in vibrant bottle colors and tap covers.  Each filter lasts a long time (up to 800, 12-ounce servings).  find on our OpenSky shop.

PLX Kiwi
Sure, hybrid vehicles can considerably cut gas consumption compared to conventional cars, but if you’re not ready to buy a new car, the patent-pending PLX Kiwi can help increase the fuel efficiency of your current ride by as much as 33 percent.  Compatible with any 1996 vehicle and up, the PLX Kiwi easily connects to the OBDII port (usually located under the steering column) where it gathers your car’s sensor data, including vehicle speed, RPM, engine load, oxygen sensor readings, and so on.  The Kiwi monitors and analyzes your driving behavior, then determines your car’s maximum fuel efficiency and identifies areas in need of improvement.  It even keeps track of how much gas and money you save when you modify your driving habits.  To learn more, watch the demo video.  It’s available @ plxkiwi.com for $299.99.

reNEW solar battery charger
This ‘Pez’ inspired solar battery charger is one clever concept.  Unlike conventional battery chargers, the top load, bottom dispenser design takes out the “guess” factor in fully charging your batteries.  Batteries retrieved from below always come out fully charged, so you’ll never have to pick and choose.  And, because the frame can either stand on a desk or be hung on a window, the charger is versatile and visible for the home or office.  Made from biodegradable plastic and sustainable wool felt, it’s a wiser and eco-friendlier alternative to conventional chargers.  Unfortunately, it’s still in its concept stage.  via: yankodesign.com

solar headphone radio
This Solar Headphone Radio is perfect for listening to the radio while outdoors, whether you’re gardening, taking a morning walk, or camping outside.  Its ultra-thin film solar technology provides 1-3 hours of listening power for every one hour of sunlight, with a fully charged headset able to run for as long as 20 hours.  Because it automatically recharges in light (even when in use), as long as you’ve got the sun shining above you, you’ll never have to worry about losing power.  It’s available for purchase @ ecotopia.co.uk for £24.95 (~$41.01) and comes with a 3 year warranty.

The Kiran solar lamp
The Kiran lamp combines solar technology with highly efficient LEDs to provide up to 8 hours of 360-degree lighting that is four times brighter than a kerosene lantern (see photo above).  The lamp can be hung, carried, or placed on any surface, and features 2 brightness settings to provide versatility for both indoor and outdoor use.  It is expected to be available on the market soon, and is set at a price of only $10, making it the world’s most affordable solar lamp.  Learn more @ Dlightdesign.com

Freedom Dynamo electric shaver
No batteries and no electric bill…here’s an electric shaver that offers more than just a close shave.  It brings you freedom from dead batteries and saves you the hassle of outlets.  With its Wind ‘N Go lever, men will never have an excuse to go unshaven again.  One minute of winding provides enough power for a full shave.  And, with three individual heads that flex and rotate, it won’t slack on performance.  You can purchase yours from Think Geek for $49.99 (price includes a travel case, mirror, cleaning brush, and adapters).