A Tried and True Green Products Review…

Designed as a pick-me-up solution that’s all natural and made with organic ingredients by a team of leading naturopathic physicians and licensed dietitians to enhance the body’s natural healing power … Phix is packed with 14 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, yerba mate, and NADH … After drinking-in 3 different flavors, here’s what we think of Phix:

• It definitely delivers an energy boost, a pleasant buzz of sorts. Purported to provide natural, sustained energy while actually bolstering one’s health — it delivers a nice boost, both physically and mentally. No edgy, over-revved sensations or crashing, either.
• Flavor-wise, we prefer either Teaberry or Tropic hands down over Citron.
• The slim packets of powder are designed to go wherever you go. Just tear open, add to a glass of water, stir and drink. At home, I enjoy it most when it’s added to a glass of plain seltzer. Fizz always makes things more fun. Before heading to yoga class, I mix Teaberry in water, fill my reusable drink container, and take it with me … instant karma. (more…)

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone for leaving such awesome comments. It’s official – Congrats to Trish F of Newton, New Jersey, our lucky winner… stay tuned for our next Great Green Giveaway … and have a Happy Thanksgiving. (original post follows)

NBCUniversal just kicked off their fifth annual “Green Week” this past Sunday, reminding everyone about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling with their Mugs Save Trees campaign.

Be green and win some green … Here’s how to enter for your chance to win a $100 NBCUniversal Gift Card:

It’s all about being green and “paying it forward.” Give us an example of a green effort and how you’ve paid it forward, or set an example for others to follow.

Do you volunteer for your local beach clean-up, pick-up trash on the street, donate electronics to a nonprofit, donate books to your local library, compost organic waste instead of throwing it in the landfill, donate your bag credit at the supermarket, recycle those wine corks and plastic yogurt cups at Whole Foods and set a good example for your children? Leave a comment and inspire others to be less wasteful and more eco-conscious…

More ways to enter:

• subscribe to AltCon’s free monthly e-newsletter with insider news
• subscribe to AltCon daily RSS feed
• follow AltCon on Facebook
• follow @altCon on Twitter
• tweet about the giveaway (no more than once per day), include @altCon

note – be sure to include (m at alternativeconsumer.com) in your address book so if you’re the winner you’ll be able to receive our notification. Contest is open to USA residents only. Winner will be selected at random and notified by email on Wednesday, Nov 23. Contest ends Tuesday, Nov 22, 11:59pm, EST.

By switching to a reusable cup, over the course of a year, we can:

• save millions of trees
• save 5.7 billion gallons of water
• save enough energy to light 77,000 homes
• divert 363 million pounds of solid waste from being generated.

As part of the Mugs Save Trees promotion, from Nov 14-18, select coffee carts in NYC, Chicago and LA will be serving free coffee to anyone who brings their own reusable mug AND the first 100 people to show up will receive a free reusable mug made of biodegradable corn plastic. Also new on the scene is their Green Square app for smartphones.

You can also enter NBC’s Show Us Your Mug Facebook contest.

Well, the temperature certainly is dropping here in Seattle! A nice, warm soak in a bathtub would be nice. But before we all bask in some heated water, might I provide some helpful tips for those of you who are thinking of replacing their current water heater.

Consider purchasing a water heater that has been ENERGY STAR approved. Did you know that ENERGY STAR is a program owned jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that offers energy efficient products and practices for the everyday consumer? I will be honest with you. I had heard of ENERGY STAR approved products, but I was not quite so familiar with the program’s origins. Then, I snuck a peek at an amazing statistic from the year 2010 offered on the program’s website, “Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2010 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 33 million cars — all while saving nearly $18 billion on their utility bills.” So, about replacing that water heater…

The following are the benefits one will experience from using these ENERGY STAR approved water heaters:

• gas condensing water heater: trims your water heating use by 30% and you save about $100 from your natural gas bill
• heat pump water heater: save nearly $300 annually on your electric bills
• high efficiency gas storage water heater: around $30 per year is saved, also, if everyone in the United States invested in a qualified gas storage model it’s estimated it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by one billion pounds annually.
• solar water heater: annual hot water costs can be cut in half; can take up to 10 years to pay for it itself but the costs can be recovered more quickly by utilizing Federal tax credits; can prevent up to 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from hitting the earth’s atmosphere; most systems last 20 years.
• whole home gas tankless water heaters: save $100 annually on gas bills; heats water only when needed but allows continuous access to hot water; small in size and mounts on wall; has a 20 year life expectancy.

For more information about Energy Star rated products in general, check out this link. In the mean time, stay warm!

With the weather turning colder and the economy showing little, if any, heat, more and more folks may be hitting their local streets as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. We thought we’d put together a fun list of items to make protesting a more pleasantly green and productive enterprise. Below we’ve listed a few green gift ideas for the protester in your household:

• No lights, no electricity, no TV…no problemo!  The Etón American Red Cross Microlink radio and flashlight features a multi-band radio that can be charged via hand-crank, solar cell or USB port. The radio features AM/FM and seven NOAA All-Hazard Alert and weather channels. Additional features include: cell phone charging capabilities and a handy LED flashlight.
• Buy your protester a t-shirt that will clearly proclaim their support, affection and affiliation with the Occupy movement. This shirt, made by Colorado-based Occupy Shirts, is made of green stuff too – combed ring spun organic cotton and post-consumer P.E.T. recycled polyester. Occupy Shirts donates proceeds to the city of your choice and the tee costs a very reasonable $20.
• Hygiene is a major issue for any long term, outdoor occupation and protesters always make a better impression on reporters and media types when they smell like a fresh mountain breeze instead of a urine-soaked billygoat. The solar shower (pictured at right) can provide a quick cleansing spritz before that next on-camera opportunity. The shower holds five gallons of H2O which it heats via a small integrated solar panel.
• Hot food is always a mood lifter in an outdoor protest situation and, given the fact that most police and fire departments frown on open fires in public places, innovative cooking solutions are probably required. One option, go all Ed Begley Jr. and break out a solar cooker like the one pictured on the right – all you need is some strong sunlight and a little bit of time…a commodity that, unfortunately, may be in great supply.

Related: more green gifts previously on The Alternative Consumer.

This week we’re featuring great products that are made of recycled and upcycled material. (America Recycles Day is tomorrow).

We love shopecogoods.com … AltCon readers receive an exclusive 20% off on all purchases by entering code AC20 at checkout. Rather than showcase items made of BPA-filled plastic and non-renewable resources, their beautiful selection is comprised of biodegradable materials and/or materials that have been recycled – helping to keep things like plastic yogurt cups and milk jugs out of our landfills. (All items pictured above are created from recycled materials.)

Prices are affordable, and with eco-conscious collections of useful items for you, your family and your home – it’s a wonderful go-to source for essentials and gift-buying year-round. New to the lineup is an awesome new composter. You’ll also find Olive Green Dog shampoo and healthy pet snacks, home decor, personal care items, cool gifts and lots more. (Spoon rests, above, are made of biodegradable bamboo fiber, only $1.99/each) @ shopecogoods.com…use code AC20 at checkout.

• The other cost of carbon emissions…UK Air Pollution ‘Puts Lives at Risk” – bbc
• Most rational people can connect the dots…Regions Must Brace of Weather Extremes: UN Climate Panel – yahoo! news
• I guess I better put some pants on…Scantily Clad Men Viewed as Less Competent – livescience
• Monarch Butterflies Decline at Wintering Grounds in Mexico, Texas Drought Adds Stress – enn/mongabay.com
• What’s the real cost of harvesting tar sands? Canada Will Not Give Up on U.S. to Approve Keystone Pipeline – reuters
• Rising Air Pollution Worsens Drought, Flooding: New Study – sciencedaily
• The latest woodpecker news…Hunt for the Vanishing Imperial Woodpecker – npr

• Great stuff: For bird lovers and nature film addicts, check out the PBS Nature documentary on the little known and secretive Harpy eagle, the most powerful bird of prey in the world. Filmmaker Fergus Beeley and his team of cameramen locate a Harpy nest and struggle to document the lives of these elusive birds in Venezuela’s Orinoco River jungle. See a full episode online @ pbs.org.
• Do you have a thing for big cats? Tonight at 8pm EST you can see the latest episode of National Geographic Channel’s beautifully shot and compelling documentary, “The Last Lions,” – check your local listings.
• Need to know more about fracking? Documentary filmmaker Josh Fox’s Gasland focuses on communities in the U.S. impacted by natural gas – and the truth and lies related to natural gas drilling practices.
• November 21, the Delaware River Basin Commission will vote to APPROVE a plan that will allow for 20,000 or more facked gas wells in the Delaware River Basin…Want to save the Delaware River from fracking? Get active – be seen and heard – join efforts to Save the Delaware River Basin from fracking; @ wtfrack.org.
• Adrian Grenier, Bill McKibben, May Boeve and other notables to be honored at Global Green USA’s Sustainable Design Awards in NYC Monday, Nov 14. 360 Vodka cocktails at 6:30; organic dinner banquet at 7:30, at the Hilton…
• Crossed our desk and caught our eye … we’ve been fans of Tiny Home from Tumbleweed from the start, and here’s an interesting tidbit – for under $54,000 including free upgrades – you can start toting around that home on wheels or make tracks on your own piece of property with a recently completed, Fencl.
• Reminder – America Recycles Day is Tuesday, Nov. 15th – see what’s going on @ americarecyclesday.org.

How about making recycling fun? Designer Benjamin Jones created his cartoonish “Binster” monster to make recycling a more playful endeavor for children of all ages.

Children can develop positive recycling habits just by feeding recyclables to the ever-hungry Binster. Jones envisions the monster coming in different forms for gulping different sorts of trash. Remember November 15th is America Recycles Day.

Related: more eco design

(above) If you can’t make it to your local Occupy Wall Street protest, you can still express your inner rebellion by wearing this hoodie made from an upcycled second-hand Kurt Cobain, NIRVANA t-shirt that has been combined with smart-looking black & white striped organic hemp and cotton jersey fabric.

$63 @ designer Bianca Strom’s alerecoclothing Etsy shop

(above) A sweet mix … turquoise and reclaimed silver form these one-of-a-kind pieces: earth-friendly ring ($53) and teardrop pendant ($119) from Portland, Oregon-based indie designer, Emily Weinstein of PearlEverlasting on Etsy.

(above) Dress down chic … made in Vancouver, BC Canada, by Lav and Kush, find this Black Tunic with a gold foil design on the side panel in eco-friendly Modal, on sale ($86.25 CAD) @ Mudsharkstreetwear.com.

Awesome … I love this bride’s wedding bouquet handmade with recycled brooches … wouldn’t want to toss this one. Created by friend of the bride, Hannah Murrin (via greenweddingshoes.com)

May your 11.11.11 be sartorially auspicious.

related: more eco-fashion previously on altCon