Here’s a special way for loose leaf tea lovers to enjoy that special brew even while traveling. This sleek container keeps tea hot yet is cool to touch. What a lovely gift for the tea-loving hostess.

Libre Tea is holding a summer sale through the month of June. Enjoy 25% off on all Libre Tea poly ‘n glass, portable tea glasses — (take a peek at our review).

And hey, if you join the Libre Tea Facebook Page Contest — every fifth, new, Facebook fan will receive a FREE Libre glass. That’s a sweet $24 value.

• Forget BP – time to just do the work and send them the bill…BP Spill Response Plans Severely Flawed – msnbc
• I don’t know if I want a bio-sensor in my khakis…‘Smart’ Clothing Responds to Wearer’s Emotions – livescience
• Not good…Oil Shows up Near Alabama Beach Resort Town – cnn
• Otherwise production can do more harm than good (see palm oil)…EU Sets Tight Biofuel Standards – yahoo! news
• Amidst the oil mess let’s not forget…Climate Change Linked to Major Vegetation Shifts Worldwide – sciencedaily
• (Podcast) Oil Spill – Nukes Not the Answer – discovery.com

Father’s Day is coming up (Sunday, June 20th)!  Take some time to pick out a thoughtful gift for the man of the house and let me make a few suggestions along the way…

• (above) For the backyard griller, stock up on these Baja BBQ Firepacks designed by Mike and Maaike. Each eco friendly instant charcoal pack contains two pounds of natural lump charcoal.  No lighter fluid required, no toxins or mess.  It comes in recycled biodegradable paper pulp that’s shaped with an integrated chimney for easy heat funneling. Just place the entire package in the grill and fire it up.  You’ll be grilling in 15-20 minutes. Look for them at:  Safeway, Barbecues Galore, Fred Meyer, Von’s, Orchard Supply Hardware and Balducci’s.

• (above) For the golfer, go for a round with the pops at an Audubon International Certified Eco-friendly Golf Course.

• (above) For the fancy business man, keep his closet stocked with business socks made with certified organic bamboo fibers or try some hipster recycled typewriter keys cufflinks.

• (above) For the active dad, keep him hydrated with a BPA-free, stainless steel Klean Kanteen.

• For the brewer and the wine-o’s, try DIY beer making or green booze and organic wines.  Locally, you can probably pickup a nice Chardonnay from Bonterra, or Sokol Blosser or Long Meadow Ranch at your favorite wine shop or sign up for specials via ecovinewine.com
• For the coffee drinker, think any organic and/or Fair Trade and made in the shade, coffee beans at your local natural and organic food store

• (above) For the traveler, how about a new messenger or field bag from Terrapax

• (above upper & lower) For the truly hip dad, try some new hemp or vegan shoes or a recycled neck tie and suit wallet

• And for a guaranteed hit (for the whole family too), an Ultimate Recycled Hammock that’s made right here in the USA!

Trying to change up your eating habits?  Maybe all it takes is free delivery from Raw Guru.

Through today, Wednesday, June 9.  No minimum order required – free delivery applies to everything:  blenders, books, beauty care and kitchen tools, as well as their wild, raw, organic or living foods.  Check it out @ rawGuru.com

Seattle-based grain design makes these hand-knotted rings from colorful, recycled, reclaimed wire.  Tire of the ring and you can recycle the wire again. Sustainable; ethically produced, and a portion of profits are donated to 1% for the Planet.

available in a variety of colors; whole sizes 4-14, for $19 each @ grain’s supermarket hq store

Living suspended in the trees – if that’s your idea of freedom then these Free Spirit Spheres may be just the alternative habitat for you.  Free-thinking Canadian designer Tom Chudleigh has incorporated bio-mimicry into his design and manufacture of these spherical little dwellings which he suspends in trees via ropes and cables.

You can order a wooden or fiberglass sphere (they’re handmade and not cheap – $15ok) or rent one – (there are 3 units) on Tom’s property in the forest just north and west of Vancouver -  for roughly $125 – $190 per night.  By the way — no kiddies under 16; and though there is electricity, plumbing is rustic – note top photo above, lower left corner – the outhouse.

Definitely for free spirits who want that primordial connection to nature.

As the debacle continues in our precious Gulf of Mexico, we’re celebrating World Oceans Day by cleaning up debris (no tar balls) along the shore in Sarasota, and highlighting some of our favorite hip, eco-friendly beach-oriented products.

Get ready to dive into summer 2010, here are a few eco minded items you might want to throw in your day bag.  What are your summer essentials?

• Gypsy Style totes and beach bags from recycled plastic
• organic and natural sunscreens for lips and skin
• eco sunglasses and off-the-shelf sun readers
• eco swimsuits – green swimsuits made from hemp, bamboo, soy or organic cotton
• feelgoodz flip flops from natural rubber; compostable
• splaff flip flops from hemp, recycled tire & bike parts
• wrap up of green summer essentials from head to toe
• organic vodka, champagne to lighten up a little.

Seeing as today is World Oceans Day we thought we’d keep our news links on the wet side…

• Find out what World Oceans Day events are going on today via The Ocean Project
• Developing: 3D look at water column, ‘Low concentrations of oil in water column’…CNN’s live video update of Gulf Oil Spill and related news
• There should be plenty of targets…Obama Says Ready to ‘Kick Ass’ Over Gulf Oil Spill – reuters
• Sentry Plan Initiated Off Florida Keys – deepwater horizon repsonse
• Oil Spill Puts Commercially Significant Cold-Water Reefs in Peril – sciencedaily
• Surfing continues to gain popularity…Crocodiles Body Surf to Hop Between Islands – natgeo
• A Rockefeller and a Cousteau…Sail Around Americas Gauges Ocean Health – msnbc

The nicely arched curves of recycled wine barrel staves form the clean lines of this handcrafted Venice Chest, and create an elegant basket for one’s derriere.  The chest’s legs are also crafted from the remains of oak wine fermentation barrels.  Each bench retains some of the character of the barrel from which it was formed.

A perfect piece of seating…or place to store one’s valuables — sweaters, blankets, pillows or keepsakes…

$975 @ Stil Novo Design’s etsy shop