We don’t espouse mindless consumption, but we do occasionally like to perk up our wardrobes and spirits with a stylish indulgence.  Here’s this week’s small, edited collection of eco savvy fashion finds…

What do you get when you marry sustainability with fashion?  An important addition to  your year-round wardrobe.

Eliza Starbuck’s little black dress – the only black dress you’ll ever need. Eliza’s new design can be worn forwards, backwards or open.  The silhouette allows for flexibility and versatility — wear it as a dress or an ensemble.  Wear it wherever and whenever – daytime, nighttime, whether casual or formal occasions, year-round.

Drape and accessorize according to your personal style.  Each piece is created as needed so there’s no overstocking issues or wasted resources.  These LBDs are created as limited edition runs, requiring 6-8 weeks for delivery.  This premier edition retails for $185 plus 8% NY state sales tax.  Pre-sale begins today, June 18.  more @ brightyounggthings.com

(above) emobiswimwear.com body- and eco-friendly, and made in Australia; cute separates and one-piece swimsuits for splashing around in your favorite body of water.

(above) An architect of Colombian descent,  Andres Arango, currently resides in Vermont and designs handmade sustainable and organic jewelry — muichic.com. The cool line is created from Tagua nut, a seed that comes from the ivory-nut palm” which only grows in South America’s Rain Forest.  With eco baubles for neck, fingers, ears and wrists, all superbly reasonably priced.

(above) Whether strolling down the boardwalk or chilling with friends round the solar cooker, nothing’s cooler than a summer sun dress. This baby comes in four colorways.  It’s made in the USA from merino wool, (surprisingly comfy and highly breathable) from outdoor casual wear specialist, ibex.

(above)  And speaking of merino wool, check out finisterre‘s Zephyr shorts for sustainable style and comfort.

And that’s a wrap.  Have yourself a beautiful, low carbon impact couple of days. And remember – buy only what you need and love what you have.

• Ex-oil exec and major all-round dipstick, Texas Rep. Joe Barton apologizes to BP – the whole Republican Party is covered in oil…(video) GOP Oil Industry Loyalties Exposed – msnbc
• (see picture above) 8 National Parks Endangered by Oil Spill – natgeo
• Anyone remember that Ben Affleck Classic “Armageddon”? New Hawaii Telescope Searches for Killer Asteroids – myway
• Anyone up for a boycott of sushi and Playstation? Future of Commercial Whaling Ban Rests With Japanese – yahoo! news
• You’ve got to be kidding – that was survival? Investor Mood Lifts as BP Survives Spill Grilling – reuters
• Fine French cuisine…Illegal Bushmeat ‘Rife in Europe’ – bbc
• Oil Spill Could Trigger Massive Rescue Effort of Florida’s Manatees – cnn

The conservators of Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece home, recently announced that a design jury has chosen Patkau Architects of Vancouver, British Columbia, as the winner of its first-ever design competition for on-site cottages that will support residential educational programming at the legendary home.

Patkau Architects’ winning design for six small, efficient, sustainable cottages will serve as the basis of a final design, to be implemented following regulatory approval and fundraising.  The Patkau design was inspired by Fallingwater itself,  “We took a similar strategy to the meadow above, and tried to intensify the ground form,” explained principal John Patkau.  Preliminary cost estimates come in at $150,000 per unit, the design centered around the the concept of a corrugated- steel culvert with openings carved into the approximately 650-square-foot structures.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, which preserves and maintains Fallingwater, will build the cottages on the grounds of the 5,000-acre Bear Run Nature Reserve some distance from the house itself.  The design competition is the first that Fallingwater has sponsored for construction of new buildings on-site.

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With our current focus on all the things “ocean” related,  this shark’s jaw pendant made from the casting of a tiny white shark’s jawbone caught my eye.

The necklace is designed and created by Brooklyn’s own, Species by the Thousands, who makes great jewelry pieces utilizing reclaimed sterling silver and casts of natural, and man-made objects.

made to order for $110 from  species by the thousands

A luxury car with fuel-efficient street cred – the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid – is now officially the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America with an EPA-certified 41 mpg rating in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway.

The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid’s final fuel economy certification was completed this week, and the vehicle will carry an EPA label of 41 mpg for city driving and 36 mpg on the highway when it goes on sale this fall.  It tops its nearest competitor – the 2010 Lexus HS 250h – by robust 6 eafety features.

Related:  previously on altCon – Cars Category

BioLite Stove was just awarded the Grand Prize at this year’s Sustainable Brands Open in Monterey, CA.

Did you know that 3 billion people in the world cook on wood stoves, and most times, it’s indoors?  That’s a heck of a lot of wood consumption, wood burning, and accompanying toxic smoke & air pollution.

By using a side vent system and converting a fraction of the fire’s thermal energy into electricity – BioLite’s eco friendly stoves:

• use less than half the wood of an open fire and reduce smoke emissions by 95%
• reduce family fuel expenditures by 50%
• provide off-grid users with power to charge cell phones, LED lights and other small devices.

Scheduled to be released in early 2011 are models for both recreational campers as well as the developing world.
more @ biolitestove.com

Please Note:  Abe’s Market graciously provided us with a complimentary kit for this Tried and True Green Product Review.

Not long ago, I was perusing Abe’s Market, the online shop for all things natural, when I stumbled on a travel find that I hadn’t yet encountered. I’ve been a travel writer for a while now, freelance and full-time, so it’s a rarity to run across something I haven’t seen once or twice, so this, instantly, caught my interest.  It’s an all-natural kit created for travelers that takes into account all of the issues one might suffer, on say, a plane or long car ride; (photo, below).

Let me preface my review with this: I’m not an elegant flyer. Long gone are the days of boarding a jet plane in a skirt suit, let alone a pant suit. I’m a jeans and zippy sweatshirt sort of traveler. The one that can’t sleep on a plane and therefore, almost always emerges red-eyed, energy zapped, leg-cramped and sore-throated. In other words, not happy. And while (more…)

I wonder how many millions of watches have hit the scrap heap over the years because the battery ran out of juice?  Well, who needs watch batteries? Go solar.

This manly Citizen solar watch is a nice Father’s Day gift option for anyone out there with a green dad.  This Citizen Eco-Drive watch comes in very virile military black with a nice canvas wrist strap.  Never needs a battery, charges via the sun or artificial light, water resistant to 100 meters, features nicely retro-looking analog date and numbers and – for cave dwellers or those on a submarine – it will stay charged up to 180 days when fully charged even in a no-light environment.

marked down from $165 to $123.75 @ amazon.com

If your precious tiny tots could rest on one of these healthy, comfy, mattresses they might snooze longer — allowing you to read the paper or watch the tube once-in-awhile.  The Nook Pebble Mattress has a lot of nice features:  a unique air layer that fosters oxygen flow inside the mattress, the superior softness of all-natural eucalyptus fibers, a stylish and unique pebbled surface that promotes air circulation – every detail has been designed for maximum breathe-ability, non-toxicity and crib worthiness.

Cover Materials: eucalyptus, organic cotton, zinc, polyester.  Core Materials: organic wool, natural latex. Features: a removable cover; breathable, non-toxic, fire retardant; wipe-able; water resistant; stain resistant; machine washable;  antimicrobial; anti-fungal; anti-mite; anti-odor.
Complete system includes Pebble Wrap and core. Comes in 6 colors – measures 28 x 53 x 4 + weighs-in at 25lb – $550 @ designpublic.com