Since it is the middle of winter, I feel it fitting that I do some research regarding eco-friendly snowboarding and skiing.  If you haven’t ever skied or snowboarded then this will hopefully help you entertain the idea of buying green equipment.  If you currently ski or snowboard, then maybe this will open your eyes to greener alternatives.

Arbor is a company that takes pride in moving toward environmental conservation.  Their snowboards are made from eco-friendly wood sources and prove to be lighter than the average snowboard.  When making the boards they try and use as many organic materials as possible.

The site states that they are committed to:

• Using forest products that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.
• Being conscientious about the environment in designing our products.
• Giving back to the environment and the environmental movement.

Another eco-friendly option is Venture.  Venture is also a snowboard manufacturing company that strives toward conservation of the environment.  Not only is their entire operation ran by wind power, but they are also becoming a member of 1% for the Planet, which means that one percent of their business will go to preserving the environment.  They strive to use recycled and sustainable products while providing the quality and performance that you deserve.

Snowboard maintenance is very important to keep the board in tip top shape.  This includes waxing your board every three trips.  Typical snowboard wax is made with toxic chemicals such as perflurorchemicals (PFC’s).  Once you are on the slopes, these chemicals are being transferred to the snow and then into the waterways after the snow melts, which is horrible for the environment.

Instead of the usual snowboard wax try:

Beaverwax – contains all environmentally friendly additives, which repel water and reduce friction.

Enviro Mountain Wax – for $15.97, this wax is also eco-friendly and is made from renewable resources.  Plus it naturally enhances the speed and control of the board.

Why wouldn’t you want to preserve the mountainous land that gives you the opportunity to do what you love?  Without the environment this wouldn’t be an option.  Make sure to open your eyes.  With technology, just about anything has green alternatives, so take advantage!!

Today I was at the grocery store and I saw something that made me smile.  Two out of 10 people were putting their bought items in reusable bags!  I know it is only 2 out of 10, but it is catching on, so jump on the bandwagon!!!

And I took notice of the bags that the one lady was using, they were from JoAnn Fabrics.  I can’t find them online or I would give you the price, but they were perfect.  They looked very sturdy and they could carry a bunch of groceries; a lot more groceries than those little bags that are usually sold at stores.

Over Christmas I bought myself Love This Planet bags, not only are they cute and stylish, but they are affordable at only $5.50 a bag.  I know they are more expensive than the bags that you see in the stores, but they hold two to three times more items and they have a solid bottom to keep the bag balanced.

If you don’t want to spend the extra money to buy reusable bags there is another option.  You can keep your plastic bags and return them to the stores.  It doesn’t have to be the store you got them from though, so that is convienient.  Most of the stores have bins available when you walk in or you can take your used bags to the customer service desk.

Let me know what you think about buying and having reusable bags!!!

A few months ago I was searching for a green hosting site and I came across HostPapa. I did research on a couple other green hosting services and HostPapa seemed to be the best choice. I have been using HostPapa to host one of my sites for 3 months and everything has been perfect. It was extremely easy to setup the site and I haven’t had a problem. People are skeptical about green energy because they feel that it might be unreliable, when in fact it is just as reliable as any other hosting company.

HostPapa can be used for as low as $4.95 a month. Here are a few more features:

• 100% Green Energy Web Hosting
• Unlimited Web Hosting
• Unlimited Data Transfer
• Host unlimited domains on one account
• Free Setup – No hidden fees
• Free domain for life

A second green hosting service is Good Avocado. They also have unlimited disk storage and bandwidth along with 100% uptime guarantee. And the best part…they are powered by wind energy! Check them out for more information.

If we compare packages with a well known hosting company called Go Daddy, then both of the green hosting companies above take the cake.

Go Daddy’s Unlimited Plan can be used for only as low as $12.74 a month and contains:

• Unlimited Data
• Unlimited Transfer
• Unlimited Web Sites
• Unlimited Number of MySQL Databases

If you choose HostPapa or Good Avocado over Go Daddy, you will be getting the same package for about $7.00 less a month. PLUS you are hosting you site with green energy!!!

Saving money and helping the environment!!!

Every few weeks, I plan to update my list of eco-friendly products and services that you see below.  This list allows people to jump between my posts a lot easier depending on what they are looking for.  The links next to the items will take you to my posts, but each post has links to buy the products or find further information on the services.

Again, I am just trying to make it as easy as possible to help you put a little green in your life.  Enjoy!

PRODUCTS

Browser

• Flock: Eco-Edition (Free)

Office/School Supplies

• Smencils ($14.00)
• Water-Powered Clock ($16.99)
• Mac Book Pro

Kitchen

• Blue Honey Pot Composter ($29.95)
• Reusable Coffee Filters ($5.95)
  

Bathroom

• Preserve Toothbrushes (4 for $11.00)
  
• Preserve Tongue Cleaners (4 for $11.75)
  

Misc.

• Recycled Bottle Coat Rack ($75)
• Love This Planet Reusable Bag ($5.50)
• Totes Eco-Umbrella ($17.99)
• Organic Magnets ($1.99)
• Used Cardboard Boxes
• USB Cell Rechargeable Batteries (2 for $17.49)
  

Vehicles

• 100% Electric Car by Tesla Motors

Cleaning Supplies

• Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

SERVICES

• Faxing
• Stop Junk Mail

A couple posts back I wrote about how to make your own dry laundry detergent and I gave you links to all the ingredients for the detergent.  I picked up everything but the Arm & Hammer washing soda at Wal-Mart. I got online, clicked my link and was ready to purchase the washing soda when I realized that it cost $4.50 then shipping was $6.50.  That is crazy, so I figured it had to be cheaper somewhere.

And it was.  Call 1-800-524-1328, one box is $3.99, which is already cheaper than before!

Keep in mind if you buy 3 or more boxes of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda they wave the shipping.  I bought 3 boxes yesterday for a total of $12.71.  That is cheaper than it would have cost me to get one box from the link I gave you in my previous post.

To return to the post about how to make your own laundry detergent, click here.

Here are few of my favorite picks for eco-friendly Christmas gifts.  These gifts are very random as I have come across them while doing research for my blog.  Some of them were too cool to keep all to myself, so I figured I would share my great finds with everyone!  Check them out!

Recycled Bottle Coat Rack for $75

For wine loves I found the perfect gift.  It is a coat rack that is made of the tops of wine bottles.  The wine bottle tops were saved before they were sent to the landfill.  Not only is this a recycled and unique gift, but you can also personalize it when you add your favorite corks to the end of the bottles.

Blue Honey Pot Composter for $29.95

A kitchen compost is a great way to reduce the amount of trash that is throw into the garbage.  It also proves to be a very nutritious plant food for your garden.  The blue honey pot is very attractive and can easily be placed on the kitchen counter.  Incase you were wondering, it is also leak proof and odor free, which are two features that are necessities.  Finally, to keep your composter clean you can purchase biodegradable bags to line the inside.

Love This Planet Reusable Bag for $5.50

It is what it says, a reusable bag.  The reason why I chose this bag over all the others is because it holds 3-4 plastic bags or 2 paper bags!  These bags also look nice and stylish.  Some of the other ones I’ve seen are very bland and not appealing.  Plus the stores usually sell very tiny reusable bags.  I would have to bring 20 of those with me to the grocery store and that just isn’t going to happen.

New MacBook and MacBook Pro

I’m sure you have seen all the commercials about the new MacBook, but have you really listened?  The MacBook has eliminated mercury which is one of the typical toxins that other lap tops have, it is highly recyclable, more energy efficient, and Mac has reduced packaging by 41%.  If I needed a new lap top, this would definitely be the one that I would get.  For more information on the efficiency of the new MacBook be sure to check out their site!

Smencils – Scented Color Pencils $14.00

What could be better than scented color pencils?  That is every kids dream.  I always had scented markers, which unfortunately weren’t eco-friendly.  But these are!  They are made from recycled newspapers and are infused with natural scents.  This gift would be perfect for little kids.  Maybe if my little sister is lucky, I will order her some of the smencils, but only if she lets me color with them too!

Totes Eco-Umbrella for $17.99

The Eco-Umbrella is 44″ in diameter and is made of 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.  It is very similar to a regular umbrella, but better because not only is it very efficient, it is also great for the environment. These umbrellas come in many different colors, so pick your favorite and add it to your list.

And here are a couple stocking stuffer ideas.

Eco-Friendly Water-Powered Clock $16.99

This clock is powered by water!!!  How cool is that?  All you have to do to make it run is add water.  The company recommends adding a little bit of salt and some lemon juice to make it run more efficiently.  Does you time get reset when you change the water?  No.  It has a memory function that remembers the time as you change the water.  Also, the clock comes in four different colors: green, blue, orange and charcoal.

Organic Magnets for $1.99

These magnets are expressive and can be attached to your car, at home or in the office.  You can choose from a number of different magnets that describe your particular view.  Spread the word!!

Tesla Motors has come out with an eco-friendly car. So, what’s the big deal? According to the website, the Tesla Roadster is 100% electric, goes 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph, burns no oil, gets 244 miles per charge and only costs pennies per mile. And the question that everyone wants to know…how much does it cost? “The 2009 Roadster available to US residents has an estimated base price of $109,000.”

But wait there’s more: The site also states, “The tires and the battery of every Tesla Motors vehicle are recyclable. The cost of recycling is built into the purchase price of the car, so there‘s never a reason “why not” to recycle.”

And more: “The typical four-cylinder engine of a conventional car comprises over a hundred moving parts. By comparison, the motor of the Tesla Roadster has just one: the rotor. So there’s less weight to drive around and fewer parts that could break or wear down over time.”

To see more about how the car works click here: http://www.teslamotors.com/efficiency/how_it_works.php

Of course there are many advantages to driving an electric car. The Tesla Roadster has reduced dependence on foreign oil, zero emissions, and a cost of less than two cents per mile driven. And finally, some countries and cities also offer carpool lane access and/or special parking privileges for electric cars, which would definitely be an added bonus to buying the car.

For some free Wall paper downloads click here: http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/wallpaper.php

And last but not least, if my boss is reading this…a Tesla Roadster would make an amazing Christmas present. I particularly enjoyed the Premium Electric Blue or Metallic Twilight Blue. Just a thought!

This post is for all of the avid coffee drinkers. I don’t drink coffee, so I don’t have this issue, but if you drink and brew you own coffee every day that’s 365 coffee filters. I know they are relatively cheap, but that is a ton of unnecessary waste. Now what you could do is quit drinking coffee…this is an unreasonable request, I know. Most people would literally die without their daily cup.

All the coffee drinkers that I have come in contact with use paper filters. These paper filters have a few disadvantages. It is said that paper filters actually filter out some of the coffee flavor. Now why on earth would you want to drink coffee and not get the full flavor that is intended? If you use bleached paper on purpose or don’t realize the difference between bleached and not bleached, you could be drinking some chemicals that are very bad for you. Bleached paper gives off an unhealthy dose of dioxin. Yuck! And finally and most importantly, if you run out of paper filters, you CAN’T MAKE COFFEE!!! That would definitely put a damper on your day, if that is what gets you going in the morning.

Like some of the products I have discussed previously, the upfront cost is going to be more expensive, but if you drink coffee regularly, it will save you money shortly. And they aren’t that much more expensive, just a few dollars.

The first reusable coffee filter I found was Nubius Organics for $5.95. It is a filter made from hemp fabric. You can reuse it everyday, after use you rinse it with water or natural dish soap and let it dry. Once it is dry, you can use it again!!! You will never have to buy paper filters again.

The one you need may or may not be the brand of the coffee maker. If not, just search for reusable coffee filters along with the brand name and hopefully you can find one to fit.

I found a few more brands and they are listed below. Hope this helps.

Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter for $9.88.

Cuisinart Gold Tone Basket Filter GTFB for $6.68.

Mr. Coffee GTF2-1 Basket-style Gold Tone Permanent Filter for $8.34.

All of those prices are under $10 and will most definitely save you money in the long run.

If you need a new coffee maker or you are thinking about starting to drink coffee, remember to look for coffee pots with reusable filters included!

Today I ran out of laundry detergent. Instead of running to the store to get more, I decided to do some research on eco-friendly detergent. It turns out there is a very easy recipe for environmentally conscious laundry detergent.

For powdered laundry detergent, you will need:

• 1 bar of soap (not antibacterial) Fels Naptha ($1.75), Ivory ($1.99), Zote ($1.95)
• ½ cup of 20 Mule Team Borax ($4.99)
• ½ cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda ($4.50)
• Grater
• Re-sealable container

To add a scent:

• 1 oz. of essential oil or fragrance oil to each load

To add a touch of softness:

• ½ Cup Distilled White Vinegar ($1.99)
• Downy Ball ($2.69)

First, grate bar of soap into container. Next, pour in the borax and washing soda. Finally, mix well. Add 2 tablespoons per load. Also, add essential oil if necessary. Finally, for softness, add ½ cup of white vinegar to a Downy ball and put in with the load of wash.

**Of course you can double or triple the batch, whatever you find necessary.

Click on the links to go to the sites where I found these prices. This will make it easier for you to get all the ingredients.

I will try the recipe out and get back to you with my review, cost comparisons, etc. If you decide to try it, let me know what you think.

Technology never ceases to amaze me. I knew we were capable of coming up with something like this, but you don’t really appreciate it until you see it. One of my new favorite products is definitely this one: USBCell by Moixa Energy. These batteries are rechargeable by USB port (laptop, PC, game console) and you can re-use them hundreds of times. The coolest feature is that the batteries have intelligent charging. This means that they have LED lights that indicate the charge status, a smart end-of-charge detection and a timed charge. Charging them for just a few minutes provides extra hours of instant use!!! Other rechargeable batteries definitely don’t have that luxury.

Fifteen billion batteries are made and sent to landfills each year. If each battery was lined up tip to end, the amount of batteries would reach the moon and back. The average American buys and tosses out about eight batteries a year. Four batteries average about $8, so you spend on average $16 a year on batteries. Those batteries die and are tossed out, money wasted. Wouldn’t you rather invest money into a battery that you could recharge?? Without a special charger?

The USBCell is $17.49 for two batteries. This seems expensive, but you have to think of it as an investment! Like the majority of green products, they cost more initially, but SAVE money in the short and long term. Think about it this way. Do you own wireless controllers for Wii or XBOX 360? Each of those controllers takes two AA batteries. For Wii, a Powerstation Charger and 2 Battery Packs cost $39. For XBOX 360, the play and charge kit ($18) and two rechargeable battery packs ($24) cost $42. I found both of these prices on Amazon. If you bought the USBCell battery you would get four rechargeable batteries for $34.98…for all you whose math is a little rusty…THIS IS CHEAPER!!

The AA batteries are the only ones available right now, but they have numerous future products. These include AAA, C, D, 9V, Phone and Device batteries. Even though the future products are currently unavailable, the website offers the chance to request an alert when they are available. Click here and then click learn more about a future product. Then there will be a button to register for product launch alert!

www.usbcell.com