by Maureen @ 5:29 pm 96 comments »
Make your move to eco chic reusable bags, or give them as wonderful holiday gifts. Compliments of Blue Avocado, two lucky readers will each receive a unique and innovative shopping bag kit, made from beautiful recycled materials. Available in three stylish colors; winners get to pick their favorite shade.
- First Prize: the Cool Kit replaces 13 plastic shopping bags, ($44.99, pic above).
- Second Prize: the Ready Kit replaces 9 plastic shopping bags, ($24.99, pic above).
Each prize includes free shipping to anywhere in the U.S.
TO ENTER: STEP 1 & 2 - first, visit Blue Avocado and check out their eco chic shopping kits. Then enter a comment on this post telling us why you’d like to win this Great Green Giveaway.
STEP 3 - Prize notification - is via email so be sure to add the following address to your email address book:
m at AlternativeConsumer.com.
Entries must be received by 12n (ET), Fri, December 5.
Random Drawing takes place on Friday, December 5, 2008. Two lucky winners will be notified by email. (Don’t forget to add: m at AlternativeConsumer.com to your address book.) Winners need to reply to notification within 24 hours in order to claim their individual prize, otherwise their offer is null and void. The 2 winners’ names will also be included on this post.
Thanks for reading The Alternative Consumer — start clicking, and good luck! (One entry per person.) AltCon runs contests and giveaways all time so subscribe to our RSS feed to stay updated.
Related: previously on altCon (11.13.08)
blue avocado’s coordinated collection of reusable shopping bags
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by rd @ 11:27 am post a comment »
The ubiquitous cordless phone just got a teensy-bit greener.
Motorola just announced the introduction of its new D10 and D11 cordless phones. The eco-friendly handsets are designed to look great and consume less energy. The phones’ ‘eco-mode’ (the variations of features with ‘eco’ in the name is getting ridiculous) reduces energy consumption while increasing talk time. Manufactured using 20% recycled materials, these phones also have nice backlit displays in glowing gold or blue. They’ll go on sale soon.
more info
via: cellphone beat
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by rd @ 10:45 am post a comment »
We’ve run our New York City tap water through this filter and darned if it doesn’t work! The Z-Pitcher has a filter on top that that you pour your tap water through to clean it up. The filter features five different filtration stages to eliminate organic, inorganic and radiological contaminants–lead, chromium, mercury, hydrogen sulfide and other funky matter to make your tap water taste better and be cleaner. The cool part is that ZeroWater provides an independently-made electronic water tester with each pitcher, so you can do before-and-after testing on your tap water and do comparisons to bottled water. The 1/2 gallon pitcher has a quick-drink button that lets you dispense water without moving the pitcher.
The electronic tester helps you know precisely when to change your filters. Each filter has estimated average filter life of 25-30 gallons of water. You save on water, don’t have to lug gallons of bottled water around and don’t send plastic bottles to the landfill. We figured that using this pitcher full-time would cost about one-third as much as buying the equivalent amount of bottled H2O.
It reduced the parts per million dissolved solids in our NYC tap water from 62 ppm to 0. Typical tap water measures between 75 and 300 ppm. Not bad.
You can get the Z-Pitcher and one filter @ amazon.com for $36.49 or go to the ZeroWater website for their special offers. Replacement filters run about $14 each (less if buy bulk).
You can also send the filters back for recycling and get $5 off your next filter purchase.
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by seamus the eco dog @ 10:30 am post a comment »
I was hanging around the Thanksgiving dinner table and the ensuing Tryptophan hangover I got as a result of my looking both cute and hungry has me wiped out, so I’ll keep this one short. Pictured above is a classy collar created out of the recycled leather scraps of designer handbags. For all you fancy urban hounds. You can get a matching leash, wristlet or harness.
$21.97 @ scrappypet.com
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by Molly @ 9:15 am post a comment »
Focus on all that we have, rather than that which we may not have. Gratitude to those who have been there for us in good times and bad. Replace fear with hope. Happy Thanksgiving!
This post is from the archives, originally posted by Molly - Nov 19, 2007.
1) Invite your friends
- Send cards from Charity Cards, and the company will donate 10% of your purchase to a charity of your choice.
2) Set the Scene
Check out hemstitched organic linen napkins from rawganique.com. Their beautiful yet simple detail is sure to add class to your Thanksgiving table setting.
Stick whole cloves stem-down into organic oranges. Place on a baking sheet and bake for around 20 minutes at 300 degrees. It will make your house smell distinctly spicy and cheerful. Plus, you can simmer them in a pot of apple juice to make delicious homemade cider.
3) Eat Meat- but don’t feel too guilty
- Dartagnan.com is dedicated to sustainable, responsible farming and supports City Harvest among other charities. They specialize in traditional holiday meats and game such as rabbit, duck, and of course turkey.
Continued »
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by Maureen @ 12:17 pm 122 comments »
Looking for a smart and useful holiday gift? Compliments of Kathy, one lucky reader will receive a free Standard Climate Kit — a collection of tools and tips that will help you save money, energy and water.
(valued at $44.95, plus free shipping to anywhere in the U.S.)
STEP 1 & 2 - To enter: first, visit Kathy’s Climate Kits and check out the Standard Kit. Then enter a comment on this post telling us which item in the Standard Kit you like most.
STEP 3 - Prize notification: is via email — be sure to add the following address to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer.com.
Entries must be received by 12n (ET), Wed., December 3.
Random Drawing takes place on December 3, 2008. One lucky winner will be selected and notified by email. (add: m at AlternativeConsumer.com to your address book.) Winner needs to reply to prize notification within 24 hours in order to claim their individual prize, otherwise their offer is null and void. The winner’s name will also be included on this post.
Start clicking, and good luck! (One entry per person.)
AltCon runs contests and giveaways all time so subscribe to our RSS feed to stay updated.
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by rd @ 12:01 pm 2 comments »
Please don’t hurt yourself rushing to buy this piece of crappy Chinese solar technology.
This collapsible traffic cone presumably fits in one’s trunk. The little built-in solar panel charges a rechargeable battery that powers red LED bulbs. Add some reflective ‘material’ and you have a supposedly green highway safety gadget.
No info on how a it gets solar-charged while stored in the dank, dark trunk of your Smart car…do Smart cars even have a trunk?
$55 @ gadget.brando.com.hk
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by rd @ 10:17 am 1 comment »
Bask in the intrinsic character and beauty of reclaimed wood flooring while doing your part to conserve our trees and forests. Deforestation and logging of old growth forests are a threat to ecosystems worldwide, why not do your bit for the planet while imbuing your home or office with the natural richness and warmth reclaimed lumber can provide. Kansas City-based, Elmwood Reclaimed Timber creates great looking wood flooring from reclaimed woods including white oak, heart pine, chestnut and walnut.
Elmwood also creates reclaimed wood counter-tops, paneling, mantels, cabinets and ceilings. They keep it green in all phases of their operation, and all of their antique wood products are 100% reclaimed from old buildings, barns, rural structures and sustainable sources of reclaimed timber. They’re also FSC certified.
see more @ elmwood reclaimed timber
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by Maureen @ 1:01 pm post a comment »
Ladies, it’s cold outside; so let’s put a lid on it! Here are some personal faves that may suit your eco friendly fancy. Remember, style can be had at any price.
Above, L to R from Urban Outfitters
wool leopard cocktail hat ($28). applique cloche ($34). fedora ($34).
Below, L to R
BTC Elements, london cap ($56) hand-knit in Peru;
fairly sourced, 60% Alpaca, 40% wool.
People Tree striped beanie hand-knit wool from Nepal, (£12).
Urge to splurge a little? Below, L to R
From U.K.-based Devidoll, Deborah Lindquist’s tassle aviator cap (£89.60) or snowflake cap (£58.50), both on sale and eco-fashioned from vintage cashmere. Also available in the U.S. via deborahlindquist.com
Whether it’s artsy, trendy, vintage, boho chic or simply designed for nonstop comfort, we’re always looking for an eco-friendly, sustainably-made head turner. Eco fashionistas, throw your favorite green hat in our ring via the comment area.
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by Maureen @ 10:38 am post a comment »
When an e-card just isn’t appropriate — curb the eco guilt with these hot off the press, super stylish greeting cards from San Francisco-based, Redbean Design.
A beautiful array of elegant designs printed with soy-based ink on luxuriously smooth, heavyweight and un-coated, FSC-certified, 100% post consumer waste paper. Manufactured with wind power. The perfect tableau for your bon mot.
Box of 12 square cards with rounded corners, and envelopes $18.
shop @ shopredbean.com
more info @ Redbean.com
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