For vagabond urban gardeners and those who like to grow their own – this portable garden design allows you to take your garden with you when your girlfriend finally kicks you out.  BACSAC was created by a trio of Parisians – Godefroy de Virieu, Louis de Fleurieu and Virgile Desurmont.

These container garden bags are suitable for all climates and are made from a 100% RECYCLABLE Geotextile material that’s UV, frost, tear and traction-resistant.  The container’s material is permeable to let soil breathe and drain with limited evaporation while protecting roots.  The light-weight, portable bags enable you take your precious produce from terrace to rooftop, from one address to another, rotating crops year-round.

All square and long BACSACs are based on 12″ squares; web straps and rods keep BACSAC in shape under the weight of the soil — and provide a handy subdivision of growing surface.

in various configurations @ a+r store

Related:  previously on altCon

• grow your own – the ultimate in going local

We may be enjoying fresh Gulf shrimp while watching the pelicans, dolphin and seagulls play in Sarasota’s beautiful Bay right now, but I can’t help feeling sickened by BP’s recent oil disaster.

Whether or not the slick hits “newsworthy” areas of our shoreline, British Petroleum’s 210,000 gallon-per-day oil eruption  — or “underwater volcano” as Florida Governor Charlie Crist calls it — is both a human tragedy and a potential environmental disaster of the greatest proportions.  Eleven lives were lost in the explosions.  The negative impact on the livelihood of fishermen, tourism, home values, quality of human life, as well as marine life, water and birds may be seen for many years to come.  Let’s not bury our heads in the sand — offshore drilling is dangerous, and supporting alternative energy sources, ie wind, solar and other innovative initiatives, is overdue.

Will any lessons be learned?  Come voting time, keep in mind the candidates who will be good stewards of our environment.

more @ npr.org

On the state level in Florida, volunteer opportunities may be found @ volunteerFloridaDisaster.org.

For more info on the oil spill and local, state and federal responses to it, visit:

• www.mote.org
• dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon

‘Tis the season for outdoor entertaining and perking up our patio, terrace, or garden. Here’s an eco smart way to add a soft glow to your outdoor scene via solar powered string lights.

By Aurora, these hand-blown glass balls are essentially ornamental.  They come in packages of 6 bulbs, and they’re powered by a 5-inch by 5-inch solar panel.  I found them at EarthTech.com and they happen to be on sale right now, reduced to $49.89 per set.  Now bring on the cocktails – it’s happy hour somewhere.

Incentify-ing recycling.  Here’s the corporate spin:  recycle your beverage container for a 3-prong positive impact:

• help the environment
• receive points for goods and services via Greenopolis.com
• donate to Veterans with Disabilities

I’m not an advocate of soda or bottled water drinking, but here’s a recently launched recycling effort that will help curb the number of plastic bottles and aluminum cans that wind up on our beaches, roads and in our ever-mounting landfills.

PepsiCo has partnered with Waste Management and will be installing Dream Machines in parks, public buildings and sports stadiums all over the country.  They hope to increase our country’s beverage container recycling rate from 34 to 50 percent.

You deposit your empty plastic bottle or can (ANY brand, not just Pepsi products) and in return you receive redeemable reward points on Greenopolis.com.  The program also helps benefit Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. The more people recycle, the more funding PepsiCo is able to provide to veterans.

catch the NYC launch @ youtube.com/

Today’s deal is for anyone living in the UK…MoreEco is the UK’s only eco shopping cash back website.  They’re partners include over 100 organic, green and ethical online retailers, with whom they’ve negotiated a Cash Back % which is passed on to registered consumers who purchase through the site.

Once you have chosen your shop — click through, start shopping and in 30 days you will receive a % of what you spent in your MoreEco account.   Shops offer cash back rewards up to 8 or 9% and include brands like John Masters Organics, Weleda, Patagonia, g=9.8 and Envirosax.

The site also offers free carbon offsets with each purchase.

Solar radios are handy for anyone who works or plays away from a power outlet or electricity, hates to use toxic batteries, or resides or works in remote locations.

UK digital audio expert, Roberts Radio, recently introduced its next generation solarDAB radio – the solarDAB 2.  This sturdy little compact DAB/FM portable radio has a solar panel integrated into the top of the unit to absorb direct sunlight — charging its rechargeable battery pack and powering the radio. There is a level indicator on the display screen that shows the power level generated by the solar panel.  (more…)

New products and techniques will have to be developed to combat the massive environmental disaster about to unfold in the Gulf of  Mexico.  Urgent efforts to fight the spill have engendered an offer of help from a little company from the “land down under”.

An Australian company called Aquatain has developed a product called Gladiator – a silicone-based liquid which spreads across the surface of the water and pushes oil away as it spreads, concentrating it for easy collection.  By applying Gladiator at appropriate locations around a spill, the oil can be directed towards booms or skimmers – potentially reducing the labor required to clean up the oil spill – particularly in those areas which are difficult to access like marshes and islands.  (more…)

• Screw BP.  This is very, very depressing…No End in Sight as BP Costs Mount – reuters
• Louisiana to Bulk-Up Islands Ahead of Slick – washington post/ msnbc
• The new urban cowboys…Coyotes in NYC Lead Surge in Urban Wildlife – livescience
• (video) 12 foot – 800 lb Alligator Captured in Bayou – cnn
• Biodiversity is where the $$’s at! Nature’s Loss ‘to Damage Economies’ – bbc
• Good to see Russian politicians have their own issues – or – I guess they just started getting X-Files re-runs on cable over there…Russian Gov. Ilyumzhinov Claims Space Alien Abduction – aol news
• Good headline...Zombie Satellite Runs Amok in Earth’s Orbit – csmonitor.com

Memorial Day’s almost here – yay!  Time to really take care of our skin and slough off winter’s coat.  Save some time and money as you exfoliate — Do It Yourself, and have some fun in the comfort of your home.

Slap on an apron, pour yourself a strong lemonade or light tea, and crank up the tunes.

Courtesy of Body + Soul, here are a few great ways to clean up your act before applying that sunscreen and hitting the beach.  Tip: try to use organic ingredients – skin drinks-in much of what ever’s slathered on it.

Oatmeal Lavender Face Scrub: 1 cup ground oatmeal; 1/2 cup dry lavender flowers, stripped off stalks; 1/2 cup milk (either whole or nonfat); 2 tsp cornmeal

• mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl
• massage into damp skin
• rinse with warm water
• Note:  scrub will keep for 6 months.  Recipe from Do It Gorgeously, by Sophie Uliano

Coffee Zest Body Scrub: 1/2 Cup used coffee grinds; 1/2 Cup honey;  1 Tbsp fresh orange zest

• mix ingredients together in a glass container
• gently rub into skin using upward strokes in small circular pattern; 1-3 minutes
• apply 1-3 times a week, depending on need
• Recipe from Brenda Brock, founder of Farmaesthetics

Be sure to follow the above routine with moisturizer.  You can make your own Grapeseed Body Oil by taking your favorite essential oil (rose petal, orange, lavender) and mixing a few drops into grapeseed oil.  Shake before each use.

Your skin will love you for it.  So do tell, what’s your favorite DIY homemade skincare tip?

via:  May 2010 – body + soul (love this magazine!)

Related:  previously on altCon
(11.2.09) DIY Soap; Shampoo; Deodorant
(4.27.09) DIY toothpaste