Hampton Sun’s products are formulated with natural and organic ingredients.  Right now, they’re featuring 2 cool deals to jump start summer fun.

• May 26 – 29.  Enter code FLAG and receive 20% off your order of eco luxe suncare products @ hamptonsuncare.com.
• Enter their Hampton Weekend contest for your chance to win one of three awesome prizes, including a trip to the Hamptons.  (who doesn’t love those beautiful beaches?) Contest ends June 15.

• If this doesn’t work this could be Obama’s Katrina…BP in Wait-and-See Mode With ‘Top Kill’ Procedure – cnn
• Good.  Now get your ass down to the bayou. Obama to Extend Offshore Drilling Ban – msnbc
• No, it wasn’t Dom DeLuise…Paleontologists Solve Mystery of 500 Million-Year-Old Squid-Like Carnivore – sciencedaily
• Greece is having a bad month…Flood of Frogs Shuts Down Major Greek Highway – myway
• Is that mud? CNN’s Live Video Feed of Oil Leak / Top Kill – cnn
• Ever tried to eat quinoa? 8 Health Foods That are Bad for Your Health – cracked.com
• I hope they didn’t issue this press release via fax…Int’l Conference to Save Forests Opens in Oslo – yahoo! news

photo via: cnn

There is more green than just green tea at Joy’s Teaspoon, a family-owned, environmentally responsible distributor of delicious loose leaf teas.  As a loose leaf tea enthusiast, I was very excited to try the eight samples of tea generously provided by Joy’s Teaspoon for this Tried and True Green Product Review.

For many, the joy of drinking tea often depends on the process and presentation just as much as the taste of the tea itself.  For us environmentalists, the process by which the tea comes to us can be an important part of that experience.  Joy’s teaspoon is on a mission to bring you “quality, full bodied loose-leaf teas and aromatic, savory spices,” while being kind to Mother Nature.

So how did the tea measure up?  First, if you’re not yet sold on the merits of loose-leaf tea, I strongly suggest you try a few ounces (I must warn you, though, that once you’ve had great tea there is no turning back).  Avoid discarding individually packaged tea bags, invest in a good infuser, and find out just how flavorful tea can be.

From Joy’s Teaspoon, I got to sample Creamsicle, Emperor’s 7 Treasures, Japanese Cherry, Genmaicha, Cinnamon Roll, Margaret’s Hope, Perfect World, and Moroccan Mint.  Opening up this package of beautiful little sample tins came with wonderful aromas, and the accompanying flavors I sampled over the (more…)

Ahh…an alternative to that stodgy old library you slaved away in, studying til all hours – hopped up on speed and coffee…I digress…This concept for a modern, green library is based on a series of elegant gardens instead of the Dewey Decimal System.

The building, as designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), envisions the structure as a living component of its community – a series of hanging gardens connecting both public and private spaces.

Outdoor gardens would feature restaurants, performance spaces and reading areas.  Indoors one would find a series of vertical gardens and ledges consisting of spaces for research, reading and meetings – all culminating in a beautiful roof garden.

Submitted for consideration in a competition to design the new library in Urtecht, Netherlands.

As I sit here this morning overlooking pristine Sarasota Bay watching the pelicans and seabirds take up their daily feeding positions I can’t help but ponder the potential success, or failure, of this morning’s attempt by BP to cap their gushing oil geyser in the Gulf of Mexico.  One can only hope the undertaking is an unmitigated success.

The spill has brought many things into focus – our total lack of preparedness, our corrupt and antiquated Federal regulatory system, and, as the Deepwater Horizon well continues to pump death and destruction into the Gulf,  our overwhelming need to examine our century-old dependence on fossil fuels.  This tragedy can only serve as a harsh reminder of our need to transition to a cleaner, more environmentally sound energy policy.

But this transition won’t be easy.  Our schizophrenic country is currently torn by divisions between Tea Party supporters advocating deregulation and smaller government versus the the growing public realization – driven by the oil spill disaster – that we need more oversight of both big oil and Wall Street.  The cry “drill baby, drill” isn’t being uttered on many political (more…)

Here’s a freebie that helps the planet and makes your favorite state park a little greener.

All 50 states will be competing for trees this summer when natural health juice maker Odwalla launches its third annual Plant a Tree program.  The program is a partnership between Odwalla and America’s State Parks to support the environment and help with important reforestation and planting initiatives.

Beginning today, May 25, visitors to www.odwalla.com/plantatree can click on one of 50 state park systems where they would like to plant a tree, free of charge.  Odwalla is offering to double last year’s donation and plant 200,000 trees through the 2010 program.  Tree locations will be determined by website visitor designation.

In addition to the Odwalla website, a portion of the trees will be allocated via codes found in the Park Visitor Welcome Kits at participating State Parks.  Fans of Odwalla on Facebook also can create their own virtual Microforest by encouraging others to donate trees via the Plant a Tree program.

The website portion of the Odwalla Plant a Tree program runs from May 25, 2010 through August 15, 2010. Codes found in the State Park Visitor Welcome Kits can be redeemed through December 31, 2010.  The species of trees donated will vary by region and will be planted in fall 2010 and early 2011.  Odwalla has donated 160,000 trees since the program began in 2008. It just took me 2 minutes to plant the first tree in Massachusetts via this program.

UPDATE: It’s official, CONGRATULATIONS to Kate A. of Austin, TX, today’s lucky winner.  A pair of Grace shoes are on their way… And many thanks to everyone for participating.  If you didn’t win this one, don’t despair – check out our latest Giveaway, ’cause as you know, ya gotta be in it, to win it.

This great green giveaway is generously sponsored by OKA b. Shoes That Love You.

Treat your feet to super comfy, free shoes!  Pick your favorite style and color  — from flip-flops and sandals, to slides, heels and flats, open toe or closed.

They’re 100-percent recyclable, waterproof, washable, bacteria resistant and feature an ergonomic footbed with massage beads to pamper your tootsies with every step. USA made, the Buford, Georgia plant regrinds ‘pre-loved’ OKA b. sandals and combines them with virgin materials to create new shoes.  Spring/Summer styles include the new Bridal Line.

One lucky winner will receive one free pair + free shipping to anywhere in the USA.  Note:  this particular giveaway pertains to USA residents only.  (Shoes retail from $20-40, depending on style). Winner will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email. Contest ends Thursday, June 3 at 11:59p (EST).   Winner has 24 hours to claim their prize, or offer is null and void. Winner’s name will be included on this post.

To enter, simply:

• check out shoesthatloveyou.com and find your favorite style.
• Then tell us which is your favorite, and why.
• Add the following address to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer.com.

*One entry per person, but here’s how to get some extra credit:

• Have your own blog? 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.
• follow us on Twitter and leave a comment to let us know.
• Tweet about the giveaway (once per day), and be sure to refer to @altCon. When you leave us a comment on this post, please write a full sentence with a link to the Tweet.
• follow OKAb on Twitter (same as just above)
• friend us on FaceBook (same as just above)
• subscribe to our RSS feed; (if you’re already a subscriber, just comment by writing a complete sentence to let us know).

Time’s ticking, so get clicking – good luck!

It’s almost June and for students (like me) that means it’s the start of summer and graduation time. Celebrate your new grads hard work and make sure you don’t show up empty-handed to the ceremony!  If you’re trying to find a graduation present for a recent grad, why not try a green gift while you’re at it? :)

As an undergrad right now, here are MY Top 3 Picks for Green Grads (mom, read closely!)

1. Many students learn to love and cherish the awesome powers coffee has during an 8am lecture as well as finals week.  Give-in to their coffee addiction and wow them with a variety pack of organic, shade-grown or Fair Trade coffee neatly packed in a reusable tote.  Not a coffee fan?  Try organic teas or chocolate! (Stop by your local market and pick your favorite brands.)

2. Whether your graduate is finishing high school or college, they’re growing up and possibly moving out! Make sure they aren’t stuck re-using dining hall plates — spring for a cute set of recycled glass dinnerware. It may help make those burgers and spaghetti seem a bit more gourmet…Try VivaTerra or Terrestra.

3. Now this is for the parents who really want to indulge their newly graduated sons and daughters — Ecotourism!  It has once again become a big trend for recent grads to travel around a bit before getting back to the grind…summer disappears before anyone realizes.  The socially responsible travel options are endless; recent grads can volunteer at a wildlife preserve, travel to a developing nation to build houses or schools, learn about environmental conservation & cultural heritage and so much more.  Check out Sustainable Travel International or VolunTourism for extra info.

Related:  previously on altCon – (our coveted travel category)

• BP Plans Oil Spill Cap Options – yahoo! news
• Purrfect…Lost Re-Enacted by Cats – orange uk
• Smart move…Most Large Companies Plan to Increase Spending on Climate – enn
• Did they have to say “pretty please”? EPA Pressures BP to Reduce Use of Toxic Dispersant – npr
• Every new species needs a cool name…‘Dracula Fish’ and Bombardier Worm Make Top 10 List – livescience
• I’d suggest washing your hands anyway…Can Bacteria Make You Smarter? – sciencedaily
• Bad human tricks…Man Bites Man in Fight Over Dogs – myway