The Urbano will forgive you your forgetfulness. 

One should remember to tote along their reusable bag for each and every trip to the supermarket, but sometimes even the most thoughtful among us forget. We curse ourselves for carrying our produce home in plastic bags and then stuff them underneath our sinks for future poop scooping, even though we don’t even have a dog.

This clever trashcan, however, allows users to store and reuse those plastic bags in one neon or black bundle. The Urbano is made from recycled polypropylene and is also affordable at $18.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

You finally hunkered down and started composting, you’re officially well versed on carbon-to-nitrogen ratios and you’ve even gotten your neighbors to seriously consider installing their own worm bins. But to fully become a composting master, you’ve got one final step to take: peeing outdoors.

Wait, what?

Outdoor peeing is no longer reserved for the backcountry; it might just be the next step in the composting revolution. Your compost bin might not come off as a Honey Bucket, but in England, the National Trust is actually promoting peeing outdoors in order to make the country greener.

At the National Trust’s Wimpole Hall, gardeners installed a three meter long pee bale, where male visitors are highly encouraged to relieve themselves. The action actually helps activate the composting process, producing a free supply of compost and reducing water supply. Less trips to the toilet means more water saves.

You might not be ready to add plein air peeing to your morning chore list, but for this National Trust estate, the male gardeners and workers taking part in the activity is having a positive effect.

“The pee bale is excellent matter to add to our compost heap to stimulate the composting process; and with over 400 acres of gardens and parkland to utilise compost, we need all the help we can get,” says Head Gardener Philip Whaites.

The only question is: what happens in the colder, winter months?

Image: mjmonty

In addition to being a strong and versatile material for making everything from flooring to vases, bamboo just looks be-yoo-tiful. Take a minute to drool over these five bamboo products that we just love, love, love.

Daryl Hannah’s Worm Bin

Ecorazzi spied this gorgeous 3-quart kitchen compost bucket at Daryl Hannah’s eco-friendly home goods website. It’s only 40 bucks and looks good enough to leave in the corner of the kitchen instead of hidden under the sink.

Lexon Coffee Set for Two

This coffee set from Lexon comes with two coffee cups, two tiny spoons and a swanky bamboo tray that also includes two slide out coasters – so you don’t have to worry about leaving a ring on your table. This set would look awesome on a bistro table because it’s just too pretty to stash in a cupboard until you need it.

Gaiam Bath Ladder

Here’s a handmade bamboo ladder that’s sealed with a moisture-resistant finish so it’s perfect for the bathroom. Drape magazines or plush towels over the rungs, or just lean it against the wall and let it be pretty all on its own.

Bamboo Flatware

Perfect for your next picnic, this whimsical flatware is way more environmentally friendly than disposable plasticware, and looks a heck of a lot better, too. Crate & Barrel says it’s sturdier than hardwood so the serrated knife edge won’t get dull.

Staggered Bookshelf

This shelf would look spectacular in any room in your home. It’s offbeat enough to make it the focal point in your living room and versatile enough to hold everything from books to extra-tall vases.

Nothing goes together like a recession and a paint brush.

If you can’t afford to remodel (and who can?) and are stuck with a peeling, fiberglass clawfoot tub, tap into some ingenuity and resource non-toxic paints and supplies, pure shower curtains, an organic floor mat and go to town.

If you’re opting to go the DIY tub redux route you will want to bone up on stripping off the old finish first. You can visit many good how-to tutorials at sites like ehow. Or,  if you have the budget, hire a tub refinishing service, like Bay Area Coatings. Either way, you are salvaging an old treasure that adds oodles of character to the modern bath.

Here are a few cool designs to inspire:

Steal this teal kids’ bath design from Canadian House and Home.

Basking in blue is oh-so-country French. Eating a baguette in the bain is nice, too. From Apartment Therapy.

How succulent is this cool citrus desert palette from Decorology?

Some lemon aid to brighten the old friend from Country Living.

Basic black is tres chic and sleek, from Happy Living Design.

Stripes to center the mod energy of the citified clawfoot, from Apartment  Therapy.

Check out other DIY ideas at this cute site.

Main Image: Fixer Upper

A few years ago, a dentist told me I’d need dentures by the time I was 50 – that’s how bad my teeth and gums were. Granted, they didn’t look bad – my teeth are strong, straight and pearly white – but my gums were already declining. I was brushing twice a day, but I wasn’t flossing and I was eating plenty of sweets.

After two root canals (and I’m only 30!), I take much better care. I still don’t floss as often as I should, but at least it’s more than I used to. I’d like to save my teeth, and save money too. Here are my natural dental care tips:

First and foremost, use a tongue cleaner. I know, it sounds icky, but the slimy stuff on your tongue when you wake up is plaque. It’s ickier to leave it on.
You have to floss. There’s no way around it. Do anything to make it fun! My husband and I have made a pact to remind each other to floss every morning. Do we always remember? No, but it’s a start!
Use ayurvedic toothpaste for the best blend of warming, astringent and detoxifying herbs. These herbs will promote gum circulation, tightening and cleansing.
Sprinkle baking soda on your toothpaste for extra cleansing and whitening.
Brush a few times a week with a paste made of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Rub this on your gums too.
Rinse with green tea for a natural fluoride wash.
If you get a toothache after all that, clove oil works wonders. Apply directly to the painful tooth with a Q-tip so you don’t get the burning oil on your gums. A paste of ginger and cayenne powder also works.
Check out Pristine Planet’s dental care page for a variety of natural products for teeth and gums.

May as well green up the routine, too! Use a Preserve toothbrush made from recycled plastic.

I often grumble about all the work and time it takes to care for my teeth, but I suppose it’s better to have teeth to take care of in the first place! Let us know your own dental care tips in the comments below.

Image: ninette_luz

Here’s our final Mother’s Day giveaway: this organic and functional loofah luxe gift set. While you cleanse your body with a natural body brush and moisturizing vegetable-based soap, the decorative sponge they come in can be used to store your favorite beauty products. The sponge is sustainably harvested. A $98 value. Leave a comment to enter to win. Good luck!

It’s ideal for that teeny-weeny hotel room in Tokyo or the mod green apartment that’s tight on space but big on water solutions. Yes, if you don’t mind straddling the bowl or facing a faucet sideways to wash up, you will love The Profile┞¢ Toilet Suite with an Integrated Hand Basin.

I’m flushed with inspiration just looking at this unique dual system from Australia, the first of its kind. It incorporates a unique integrated dual-flush push button and spout combination designed to lower total bathroom water usage. It looks pretty cool, too, I suppose because it offers the unexpected.

How does it go?

Number One: It lowers water consumption in the bathroom by allowing water to be used for two purposes. Fresh water is first used for hand washing (thank goodness) and then it flows into the cistern to flush the toilet.

Number Two: The ergonomic space saving design of the compact unit features a landing at the back to accommodate a liquid soap dispenser and at the same time is configured to ensure the lid and seat will remain upright when lifted. Hear that, husbands?

Worried about soapy water in the bowl? The company says tests have been conducted to guarantee this will have no adverse effect on the operation of the suite.

This combo is already catching on down under and will soon be available to North Americans.

Last week I wrote about Anti-Body’s line of natural bath and body products. Since then I’ve had the liberty of testing out the peppermint lip balm known to rival Burt’s Bees and I must say that I’m hooked. It’s not as pungent as Burt’s and leaves lips feeling silky and soft, rather than sticky and tingly.

Anti-Body wants you to see for yourself, and so, right in time for the holidays, they are offering EcoSalon readers 10% off a total online order. This special coupon will be available through December 31 when you enter the “EcoSalon” code upon checkout. These products make great gifts, so buy away. Thanks, Anti-Body!

We probably could smell our way to becoming better green citizens, especially when it comes to conventional shower curtains and other vinyl products that off-gas toxic odors. If they reek, they’re probably bad for us and the planet.

But will cotton coverage keep you dry? Not as much as the nasty plastic, so just be careful where you aim your shower head.

You might try the Pack Cloth liners, $50 from Pristine Planet, which are made from durable urethane-coated nylon, a fabric which doesn’t off-gas chemicals.

For curtains, check out these options:

The Birch Shower curtain from Eco Bathroom is understated in its damask weave neutral pattern, but offers a healthier way to keep that bathroom floor dry while rinsing off. Made of organic cotton and linen, it’s $98 and very washable.

Hemp is another way to go clean in the shower. Did you know a vinyl shower curtain releases more than 100 different volatile oganic compounds into the air during the first month hanging in your shower? This natural material is soft and pretty and will arrive much bigger than advertized at Green Home. It shrinks to its actual size after several washings. Also, pretty hemp selections are available from “Eco wise” along with natural brass rings.

A touch of pastel lines these cotton chenille curtains from Land of Nod, $50.

Sohpisiticated for an eco option, the metrobrown organic twill curtains  come in two-toned brown or moss, from $75 at No Feathers Please.

Of course the rings make a difference, too. Avoid plastic and find cool twine and hemp designs, like these colorful ones from Rawganique.

Image: House of Sims

What’s the difference between hand soap and body soap?

My opinion is that there shouldn’t be any. I respect the skin of my hands just as much as that anywhere else on my body (after all, finger-tips are in charge of one of our five senses). But conventional wisdom seems to be that liquid hand soap should be harsher, more aggressive. That doesn’t sound very wise to me.

In Sarah‘s words, what we need is a soap that feeds the skin – natural, sustainable, effective but gentle. (Feeding, yes – intoxicating, no). So we’re talking about Castile Soap, produced purely from vegetable oils. Dr. Bronner’s range is a market leader in the States, with a tagline that confirms everything I think about good soap – “All-One”. Reviews? Glowing (here’s Adam’s, over at Life Goggles).

In the U.K., we’re big on two brands of eco-friendly liquid soap – Ecosoapia and Ecover. I’ve no hands-on experience with the former (which enjoyed a lot of media attention in the first half of 2007) but I’m a fan of Ecover, which leaves my hands feeling and smelling like they’re freshly laundered.

Don’t take my word – test them yourself! A stockist of both Ecosoapia and Dr. Bronner’s is EcoHip – for example, the peppermint Ecosoapia variety costs around $12, and 16 oz. of Dr. Bronner’s Pure Almond Castile Liquid Soap is around $13 (note: this soap is better value than it looks, since it’s thick enough to water down and still remain useful).

Image: B.G. – Oodwin