Brooklyn’s Uhuru Design builds sustainable, functional furniture the old fashioned way – by hand. The company utilizes reclaimed, recycled and reused wood and materials in much of their work.

The Tocador vanity (above) is the shotgun wedding of a recycled cast-iron treadle sewing machine base – a nod to NYC’s  “sweatshop” past – plus a plush and polished cabinet that epitomizes luxury and leisure. The cabinet’s interior is created from reconstituted macassar ebony and features low voltage interior lights and detailed custom milled brass hardware. Available in custom sizes and finishes. Hand built to order.

related:  reclaimed timber – Uhuru’s mason stool

Happy to say, we have a new intern program associated with University of Colorado at Boulder. Welcome to our newest contributor, Connor Neary, who’ll be graduating in May 2012 with a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Sciences.

While most tents allow you to escape the technology found in civilization, the Orange Solar Concept Tent designed by Orange UK and the product design consultancy, Kaleidescope, would allow you to take your geeky creature comforts with you into the wild. The tent sports three slick solar panels on the roof, which can be rotated to collect the most possible energy depending on the position of the
sun.

This energy can then be used to charge computers, game consoles, cameras, or any number of other electronics. Nothing like a scenic location for your epic Stumbleupon sessions. In addition to these charging capabilities, the tent also comes equipped with a wireless device control center, with the total energy being displayed on a LCD screen. And if all this wasn’t enough to keep you comfortable during your “get-away”, the tent also provides an internal heating element embedded in the moisture-proof cloth. Not quite roughing it, huh?

Winter’s outta here – hence you’ll soon be needing a hat to protect your precious noggin’ from that unmerciful summer sun. Why not channel your inner Samuel L. Jackson and top off your spring ensemble with a stylish chapeau from that legend of rap headgear, Kangol? (more…)

Tip #4 on our Countdown to … Friday, April 22:

How to get better gas mileage, reduce carbon dioxide emissions & the cost to fill up your tank

• Remove that extra junk in your trunk. Unload those heavy golf clubs, strollers and office files when you’re not using them – straighten up and drive right:) Every 100 pounds of unnecessary weight costs an additional 12 gallons of gas per year.
• Use cruise control
• Every 5 mph over 60 mph you drive costs you 20 cents a gallon in gas
• Properly inflating your tires can boost your gas mileage 3%, about 20 gallons of gas/year
• Avoid hard stops and quick starts
• To cool off, open your windows under 40 mph, and use the AC over 40 mph
• Avoid idling for more than a minute; just turn off the engine
• Piggyback errands & trips to the store
• Carpool, bike or walk when you can

More ways to green your ride @ ecodrivingusa.com

Here’s something short and sweet for spring: organic cotton & lace camisole and panties. V-neck cami has adjustable straps, in key lime or vanilla $39.

Matching undies, aka cheeky hipsters $29. Made in the USA; free shipping on orders over $50.

• Workers Rush to Dump Radioactive Water into Sea at Japanese Nuclear Plant – cnn
• Though won’t admit what caused the last Gulf disaster…BP Wants Fed OK to Resume Gulf Drilling – columbus dispatch
• A deal with the devil? Analysis: Peak Everything May Mute Fukushima Backlash – reuters
• Is it my imagination, or is that sea rising? Glaciers in Chile ‘Melt at Fastest Rate in 350 Years’ – bbc
• For the sedentary bird watcher…Thousands Watch Eagles Hatch Online – msnbc
• Poop Reveals Immigrant Wolf on Isolated Michigan Island – yahoo! news
• My garden is flush with lovely perennials…Judge Rules Against City – Man’s Toilet Bowl FlowerPot Stays – aol news

UPDATE: Congrats to our 2 lucky winners – Shannon and Michelle and thanks to everyone for participating. Please feel free to check out our next Giveaway, you gotta be in it, to win it … original post:

Bag the plastic bag, and shop with sustainable style by using Envirosax planet-loving bags. Compliments of trend-setting reusable bag designer, Envirosax, 2 lucky readers will each receive 2 eco chic totes.

We’re giving away 2 prize packs, each will include: 1 Minisax (pictured above) & 1 tote from the full-sized Organic Series (pictured below) in your choice of fabric and design — choose from: fine grade hemp, linen, organic cotton or bamboo. Retail value of each prize pack is approx $26-$31, depending on your choice of style…plus free shipping to anywhere in the USA or Canada.

Entering is simple:

• Visit envirosax.com and check out their amazing collections.
• Then share you thoughts — How do you remember to bring your reusable bags into the store when you shop?
• For prize notification be sure to add the following to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer.com.

OPTIONAL: how to receive additional entries:

• like Envirosax on Facebook – leave an additional comment to let us know.
• 4 more ways to receive extra credit: sign up for our new free monthly Newsletter, subscribe to our daily RSS feed, follow us on Twitter & like us on FaceBook. If you’re already a subscriber, etc just let us know by leaving a full sentence – otherwise our spam detector may bounce your comment.
• Tweet about the giveaway (no more than once per day), include @altCon, and leave a comment on this post.
• Bloggers may post about the giveaway with a link back to this post. Leave a comment here with a link to your blog post.

Winners will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email. Contest ends Monday, April 11 at 11:59p (EST). Winners have 24 hours to claim their prize, or the offer is null and void. Winners’ names will be included on this post.

As always, we will not share your email info with anyone. Good luck!

Tip #3 on our Countdown to Earth Day…(Friday, April 22):

Go Native when planting your spring garden. Native plants are generally low maintenance — they adapt to local conditions and are easier to grow than non-native species – even if they require some watering. Xeriscaping is the act of planting strictly drought-resistant plants. Depending on your geographic location, you may want to marry the two concepts for optimum results. eNature provides a list of various types of trees, shrubs, grasses, plants and species native to your state. Try to include some nice edibles in your sustainable garden, your taste buds & wallet will thank you.

More reasons why we love the natives:

• they can withstand droughts or freezes
• they’re perennials or self-sowing biennials so they’ll reappear year after year
• they’re non-invasive so they won’t overrun natural habitats
• they require less fertilizer, water and pest control they stabilize soil and reduce erosion (critical to maintaining topsoil today)
• they improve water quality by more effectively filtering storm water
• they promote biodiversity, providing food and cover for local wildlife (birds, butterflies and mammals).

photo credit: colorado.edu

Need a new, eye-catching handbag for spring? This little number from Zaum is green in more ways than one. Handmade from organic cotton canvas with an apple green organic twill lining. I have a Zaum tote and can attest to its high quality material and fine craftsmanship. (made to order) $140

Related: previously on altCon – Zaum