Full disclosure: this is not an “advertorial of any sort” – just a true story that I had to share ’cause I recently had a brush with poison ivy, I tried this stuff and it really works!

I was going bonkers the other day, ready to jump out of my skin because of an allergic reaction to a plant that must have come into contact with my skin.

Here’s what happened — after taking a walk along a pretty oceanside pathway, my ankle began to itch – so naturally, I began to scratch it. The itch subsided. Several hours later, the itch returned and wouldn’t go away. It was the middle of the night so I padded into the kitchen, opened my refrigerator door and don’t ask me why, but I dabbed some organic nonfat plain yogurt on it. Instant relief.

Next morning, I showered, gently cleansing the rash on my ankle. After drying off, the itch returned and became incessant. More yogurt, instant calm. Realizing this was only a temporary fix, and not having any anti-itch stuff on my shelves, I made my over to the nearest drug store to do some investigating. (more…)

Handling your iPad just got a whole lot cooler. Say hello to the Handstand – a rotational ipad case designed to prop up your iPad while it sits atop a flat surface or safely rotate 360 while in the palm of your hand. Rotation has 36 pre-set stop points for easy pivoting. Available for iPad 1 and iPad 2. This green accessory is made in the USA from recycled resin, and 100 percent recyclable. One size fits all.

pick-up @ thehandstand.com $49.95

This concept for the laptop of the future was short-listed in designboom’s Fujitsu Design Award 2011 competition. The Lifebook Leaf laptop design features an exterior polycarbonate shell covered in amorphosis solar cells. The whole deal is designed to be waterproof, durable and scratch-resistant.

The interior is one continuous touchscreen that can be viewed vertically as a conventional laptop or horizontally as a tablet/wide screen display. The rubberized interior prevents scratching the screen when you flip it face-down for solar charging. The design also features 3 cameras for 3D photography and a 4G module with small OLED screen for alerts. Designed by Carl Burdick and Laura Karnath.

• Millions in lobbying cash buys lots of loyalty…Senate Blocks Bill Repealing $2B in Oil Tax Breaks – msnbc
• They’ve earned zero trust…Is Big Pharma Ignoring a Potential Cancer Cure? – livescience
• They may not be pretty, but we need them…US Publishes White-Nose Bat Killer Action Plan – bbc
• The first step to solving a problem is to acknowledge that you have one…UK Eyes 50% Carbon Emissions Reduction Target – yahoo! news
• Nuclear Nations Turn to Natural Gas and Renewables – npr
• A living artifact…Brazilian Woman is World’s Oldest Human – aol news

Our eco buds at Blissmo are offering the following getaway giveaway:

The perfect blissful package for eco travelers: yoga and great food wrapped in paradise. Giveaway includes: 5 nights in a bungalow, 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day and 8 yoga classes all for free! Winner notification will occur on or about June 16, 2011. Link here for details regarding the Samasati Sweepstakes.

Just sign up for Blissmo’s daily emails – Enter Now, Pack Later.

The award winning E.D.G.E. (Experimental Dwelling for a Greener Environment) anti-McMansion was created by Revelations Architect as a portable, prefabricated, educational prototype for sustainable small home design.

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Display some arm candy that’s fun, sexy and has interesting provenance. Handmade, this upcycled jewelry didn’t require tearing up our ecosystem or burning non-renewable energy. These baubles became body adornments through human ingenuity and individual resourcefulness. We like them as gifts. find @ etsy.com.

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In our daily endeavor to minimize the amount of plastic packaging we consume, let me introduce you to a more earth-friendly material: PaperLite. Created by Flextrus, PaperLite is a paper-based material sourced from sustainable forests. What makes it so unique is that it’s thermoformable — can be molded and sealed just like plastic, and it’s ideal for food packaging that requires refrigeration. (more…)

The organic section of your neighborhood grocery store will soon be sporting four-packs of Wolfgang’s delicious coffee. These new iced brews will be dropping into Fresh Markets this month, Kroger in June, and then a number of other stores, which include King Soopers, Smith’s Food and Southern California Whole Foods.

Puck’s iced coffee sums up to only 120 calories per bottle and is made with certified organic ingredients, giving us yet another way to support the hard-working organic farmer as well as keep tabs on our waistlines. Flavors include: Vanilla Fusion, Double Blend Mocha, Café au Lait and Crème Caramel. These special blends undergo a cold-brewing process that reduces tannin content, softening that bitter taste we get with most coffee.