• I can hear the corporate whining already…EPA to Issue Rules on Smokestack Greenhouse Gases Soon – reuters
• Not a good situation for many fish species…Rising Water Temperatures Found in US Rivers and Streams – sciencedaily
• Me thinks there may be another explanation…Sheep Attacked by ‘Aliens’ – ananova
• The price of increased commerce? ‘Coal Highway’ Threatens Great Barrier Reef - msnbc
• Giant Golden Lizard Eluded Science, Until Now – yahoo! news
• Pass the Kleenex…Americans Sneeze More as Allergies Mysteriously Increase – livescience
• An over-sized cat with hair problems? Oriental Yeti Found in China is No Yeti - cs monitor

Is it time for you to go natural in your finger adornment?   These handsome, sustainable rings are handcrafted by native artisans in Nicaragua and imported by New York-based Via Nativa.  The sale of this jewelry allows the native artisans to earn a sustainable living while preserving their native lifestyle.

$22 @ via nativa

A few months back on New Year’s Eve, as the clock ticked toward midnight, I pondered my resolutions for 2010. At the top of my relatively short list of wished-for accomplishments was one that sprang from the economic toll our nation has taken–a desire to be more frugal. From a financial and environmental standpoint, it only made sense to take additional steps toward consuming less and saving more. So, when public radio correspondent Chris Farrell’s book, The New Frugality (Bloomsbury Press, 2010), debuted in January, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy.

Across the U.S., a gamut that runs the ages–from twenty-somethings to retiring Boomers–has been exploring the freshened concept of frugality and setting the wheels of its renewed existence in motion. In his book, Farrell hits on several components of the movement, including the simple idea that “green is frugal and frugal is green.” Offering up tips that do good to both the planet and your wallet, Farrell suggests downsizing from a too-big home, renovating rather than (more…)

The good folks at Retrevo, a leading electronics review website, recently surveyed over 400 visitors to their site on personal game console use.  The survey group varied in gender, age, income and location in the United States.  Retrevo was gracious enough to share their results with us.

Some findings:

• Retrevo Asked: Do you turn your game console off when you’re not using it?  84% said, “Most of the time.” 16% said, “Almost never.”
• Retrevo Asked:  Does your game console turn off automatically or go into sleep mode when it’s not in use? 29% said, “Yes.” 25% said, “No.” 46% didn’t know.
• Of the people who know their game console turns off or goes to sleep when not in use: 36% say it’s always done that. 18% enabled it to do that.

More on console energy consumption from Retrevo’s blog:  (more…)

UPDATE:  It’s official – CONGRATULATIONS to Dee G. of NJ and Dawn S. of Florida, our lucky winners. Thanks to everyone for participating.  If you didn’t win, don’t despair – be sure to check out our latest Great Green Giveaway; (original post follows…)

We love The Bubble Roome and we’re excited to feature their wonderfully effective bath and beauty products in this Great Green Giveaway, generously sponsored by Jennifer Branham, owner of Natural Luxe online boutique.

Two very lucky readers will each receive a Gift Package of up to $40 worth of Bubble Roome products.  Winners get to select their own product preferences.  Prize includes free shipping.  Winners must reside in the USA.

I’ve tried a nice array of rich, creamy Bubble Roome products, (see Tried and True Review).  They’re vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free and handmade in Brooklyn, NY.
To Enter this Random Drawing, simply:

• Check out the goods @ thebubbleroom.com and find your favorite item.
• Then leave a comment on this post, telling us — when you shop for health and beauty products, do you take a hard look at the ingredients? Also let us know what matters most to you – price or healthy ingredients?
• Be sure to add the following address to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer.com.

Two lucky winners will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email. Contest ends Wednesday, April 14, 2010 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.

*more ways to enter

• 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 a day — 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 become a friend on FaceBook. (If you’ve already signed up, just enter a comment to let us know.)

Note:  this giveaway is also featured on free!grechen.

Contributed by guest blogger, Mandy Ellis, this article profiles eco-entrepreneur Brian Egan’s Vancouver-based, Book Box Company.

For many Canadians, the idea of going green involves over-priced veggies, unaffordable hybrid cars, and expensive organic remedies.  For Brian Egan, going green is the elixir of life—and even business.

More and more people are making it their business to live greener lives, one vegetable garden or cold-wash laundry load at a time.  Brian Egan, 52, knows that even the smallest measures can have profound impacts. For him, green values—energy efficiency and waste reduction—are just business as usual.

Egan has been in the business of recycling for over ten years.  He is the founder of a green e-business called the Book Box Company Inc., which specializes in recycling old books by hollowing them out and turning them into Secret Storage Books.

“Not only do we save discarded books from a long death in the landfill, turning them into functional gifts,” says Egan, “but we also choose to do it despite it not being very lucrative.”

With operations in rural Black Creek, BC, Canada, Egan’s is the pinnacle of low-impact, family-run businesses.  The company’s studio is a converted barn from which nothing is discarded that can be recycled and nothing is thrown away that can be reused.  (more…)

Spring has just about sprung and it’s time to start thinking about growing your own produce.  If you lack space, good soil, or the time to tend a traditional backyard garden, a container garden like the Earthbox can provide a great alternative.

The EarthBox can be filled with any potting mixture and features a cover that prevents water evaporation and weed growth, and a water reservoir that lets the plants take in just the amount of water they need for optimal growth.  As long as you don’t let the reservoir go dry your plants will remain happy, healthy and hydrated.

Fertilizer can be added to the top of the potting mixture and it will naturally filter down to the root as the potting mixture is hydrated.

Plants are placed through the plastic, reversible, mulch cover.

The EarthBox comes in green or terracotta and can be bought with, or without, the optional growing stand.  Available at many garden shops and the EarthBox website.  A complete kit, including organic potting mixture, will run you $59.95

Related:  previously on altCon,
(9.11.08), earthbox – organic container garden

Ever walk down the street and blow through a mini pack of tissues in just a couple of blocks?  There’s nothing worse than feeling tears stream down the face, ruining freshly applied morning makeup – all thanks to allergies. What’s an alternative girl to do?

Try everything – including a neti pot. Since nothing else is providing relief, and curious for years about this extremely alternative, low tech gadget, I finally broke down and bought one. Intended to reduce pollen and dust in the nasal passages, I figured — may as well cleanse the schnoz with some salt water, and see what happens.

I decided to try this one @ internatural.com — $12.71 for the Neti Pot and $2.36 for an 8 ounce bag of salt, (which is currently only $1.99).  Tonight’s the night, I’ll let you know how it goes.  If you don’t hear from me, I’ve probably choked or drowned. Anyone out there familiar with this technique – feel free to chime in.

Morning Update:  It was so surprisingly simple to use – I don’t know yet if Neti has helped curb my allergies, but I’m still breathing…feels a bit like spring cleaning from the inside out:)

UPDATE, Dec 19, 2011:  Yikes! Neti pot warning…Brain-Eating Amoeba Fatalities Linked to Common Cold Remedy – yahoo! news

Today only, cash in on Maggie’s Organics one day sale on Fair Trade made, organic cotton onesies for your eco stylish bambina.

Comfy, practical and affordable.  50% off – regularly priced at $22/each for hand dyed bodysuits and $14 for those undyed in natural; now $11/each and $7/each.  Enter code:  BODYSUIT50 at checkout for savings. Offer expires at 11:59pm EST today. find @ maggiesorganics.com.