Here’s a nifty concept for a children’s toy.  Designer Yana Tzanov’s Mod.U.Me is a multi-use, modular combo of kid’s furniture and toy, whose many uses are intended to grow with the child.  The piece’s combination of wood and soft ply-able foam offer children a multi-sensory experience.

Use it as a tunnel, a rocking chair, a fort or flower… and when done playing, make it a stylish table or shelf.  The materials used for this concept are renewable balsa wood, EcoSoftx and Sofficel.

With record breaking temps this week in NYC, there were a lot of folks who looked like wilted lettuce.  Here’s my small, edited collection of eco threads to help keep you fresh and cool looking.

Katrina may have turned New Orleans, LA upside down, but some resourceful folks at repurposingNOLA.com are making good use of found materials and piecing together remnants of the disaster to create useful clothing and home furnishings…sure beats tossing piles of stuff into those landfills.

Upcycled bags — from the Hobo Bag (above) to the all-important, RE-Weekender (below).

(at right), the RE-shift Dress, ($200) made of repurposed coffee bean sacks.

(above) Channel a little Zooey Deschanel, aka 500 Days of Summer.  The sweet small print, decorative button details and organic cotton lining make this reclaimed jacket a true beauty.  find (Navy Floral Blazer, £80.00) @ anniegreenabelle.com.

Not sure about this one, Web site says, “eco friendly fabric.”  (Spandex, OK – it stretches.  Nylon?  Typically, not so eco friendly.) Sexy bikini from L Space ($124) @ beachBliss.com

(above) On the lookout for some edgy earrings?  These handmade SAW earrings are sharp looking and attention grabbing. Earrings and hooks are sterling silver.
$55 @ missy industry’s supermarkethq shop.

Green gal-pal and editor extraordinaire, Jasmin Malik Chua of Ecouterre shows us how to roll with it, literally, in eco savvy style.  K2 fashions rollerblade frames from durable, highly renewable, bamboo and boots from PET (recycled plastic bottles).  Cruise to work or your friends – find the “eco” @ K2Skates.com.

We all know the staggering amount of time, energy and environmental costs involved in manufacturing anything new, especially apparel.  So we’ve become better at shopping vintage, freecycling and swapping.

Here’s an easy and FUN way to save the green (money & Mother Earth) while dressing in your own personal style — from boutique to bargain basement.  Shell out twenty five bucks a month and start clothes swapping with other fashionistas. (above, elizabeth and james slightly worn shoes @ GivePlusTake.com.)

Sooo, that’s a wrap for now.  Have a beautiful, low carbon impact weekend.  Remember, love what you have and only buy what you need.

Related:  previously on altCon – friday finds

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a balloon…The U.S. Navy MZ-3A Airship arrives at Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, (July 8), en route to Mobile, Alabama where it will be based to conduct oil surveillance duty in the Gulf of Mexico.  The airship was requested by the U.S. Coast Guard to support Deepwater Horizon Response operations.  The A-1-70 series blimp will be used to detect oil, direct skimming vessels, and look for wildlife that may be threatened by oil.

Find more spill-related photos here – or checkout deepwaterhorizonresponse.com for official updates on the spill.

It’s summer and when the temps aren’t topping out at 100+, a great time to think about hitting your local park, beach, or roof deck for a nice green picnic.  The new, eco-friendly Boxsal picnic box comes with all the stuff you need (except food) for your next mobile summer noshfest.

The Boxsal comes in three designs and a full arsenal of eating accoutrements. Each Boxsal is produced locally using 100% recyclable materials and earth-friendly inks. When it’s done, all the Boxsal eating tools – forks, knives, spoons, glasses, plates, bowls and napkins – are fully biodegradable.  Just toss them in the compostable trash bag, which is also part of this party pack.

Each Boxsal comes with 4 biodegradable eatin’ trays, 4 biodegradable large bowls, 4 biodegradable small snack bowls, 4 biodegradable knife, fork & spoon sets, 4  biodegradable cold cups, 8 recycled napkins and one compostable trash bag.

Comes in three designs: Office Escape, Urban Picnic and Today’s Date.  Pick one up for $35 @ boxsal.com