Read through all our articles for the week? At a loose end? Curl up with a few of these...
The home of Good Housekeeping over in Harlem, NY, has had an eco-friendly makeover. LEED-certified, the new building opens July 30th and is running tours of the premises shortly after. (Ecorazzi gave us the heads-up).
CFLs: great while they're working, not so much afterwards. That mercury is a problem for consumers and recyclers alike - so let's applaud Home Depot, since as Grist reports, the biggest DIY store in the States now collects CFLs for safe recycling.
Amanda Melodini's article here (great title) tells of the latest innovation in air filtration: it's called a plant. (In fact, the breakthrough is all about aerating the leaves and roots so the plant can filter as much air as possible).
Curling up with a good e-book? However eco-friendly, it's a hard sell - but Sony is amongst the companies trying hard to change our minds. Gabrielle at Daily Tomorrow got hold of the Sony PRS-505 E-book Reader. Have a read of her very thorough review - is it worth the $300 price-tag?
Is this the ultimate faucet? It's touch-free, and when the water comes out, it powers a turbine that generates electricity for the touch-free sensor!
With some people, it's shoes. But the latest chic-to-collect is the tote bag. If you're one of them (and you're not alone by any means), don't miss the Savior bags - decorated with a quote that you may recognize.
Here at Ecosalon we like to keep up with the latest in stylish and practical technology. May we introduce the Solar-Powered Bra. (And also point out that those two sentences have nothing to do with each other. Thank you). As usual, it's Environmental Graffitti keeping us abreast of things.
Being fans of Nigel's Eco Store, we were delighted to see the man himself has given an interview with Adam over at Life Goggles. (You even get to see him juggling flying saucers).
EcoStreet has 10 suggestions for looking swish as you cycle. Unsurprisingly and entirely correctly, "Not Wearing Tasteless Lycra Outfits" is right at the top. Wild applause.
Old wax crayons kicking around, edging nearer the trash? Grab them, read Hippyshopper's article, and get sculpting.

Happy reading!

Image: gripspix

Is the week over already? How did that happen? And there are so many other things we wanted to tell you about, such as:

It's Father's Day this Sunday (bought a present yet? How about this or these?).  So you haven't got long to enter Greenupgrader's competition in which you can win a host of Dad-oriented prizes.

Read how building consultants design the perfect green home, over at National Geographic's Green Guide...

...and read the story of architect Winy Maas, who wants to beautify cities by making "vertical suburbias" and manure-powered skyscrapers (no, I'm not making it up). Darcy Frey reports the story for the New York Times.

Don't forget to water the curtains. Air-plants are back in fashion, and this time they're decor. Apartment Therapy can tell you more.

As Vanessa wrote recently, oysters are a marine eco-farmer's dream. Yet as Envirovore reports, oyster-farming in Chesapeake Bay is proving a struggle, despite an investment of $58 million. (It turns out that what oysters need most is clean water, not artificial reefs - polluters take note).

Hit refresh: what we need is to follow some relaxation, thought-clearing and "unbaking" techniques, such as those suggested by Jonathan Fields here. ("Unbaking" is my new favourite word).

 Windfarms have a tendency to rile the local communities under them. Over at Living On Earth, T. Boone Pickens defends his latest project, the biggest windfarm in the world. (Real Audio or mp3 format). Our thanks to Treehugger for blowing this one our way.

Shipping containers have already been adapted into offices, shops and hotels, as we reported back in January. Now, Brio 54 have released the first prefabricated container houses (and very nice they look too). Read the full story over at Ecoble.

Amendment: Brio 54 have let us know that their prefab eco-homes are not in fact created from shipping containers, being instead the tailor-made solution outlined here at prefabcosm. Thanks!

If you're feeling crafty - as in creative, not sneaky - pop over to Whipup and get pleasantly lost amongst the posts until you see something that you absolutely have to try out yourself. (This probably won't take long).

But it's the weekend, and maybe crafting seems a poor alternative to a bit of self-pampering - in which case, Pretty By Nature have plenty of eco-friendly, artisanal suggestions for you. (It's Noel Drake Boehm behind the scenes - thanks, Noel!).

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Image: kofoed

Being "over here" in the U.K., I tend to forget (as many Brits do) how huge the U.S. is.....and how frustrating it must be to hear about an enticing new eco-restaurant or artisan fair that's a day's drive away, or more. Meanwhile, you're stuck with Denny's.

There's a site that wants to tell you about how green your very own backyard is. It's called Greenopia, and it's a combination of social network and business directory, with tailor-made articles and features filling the gaps in between. As yet, the focus is on Los Angeles, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, but that's because it's still in "beta"and hasn't fully spread its wings.

There's a lot to see. The writing is strong (take Starshine Roshell's article on "Organic Panic") and there's clickability aplenty - but the really useful feature is going to be the Local Directory Search. That's where you'll find an artisanal delight or restaurant that's just down the road. Let's hope the media takes note (Time has already dropped by) and local businesses are all over it.

Fancy joining their (free) community? Go here.

Image: Michael448

Here's your green roundup:

Wire & Twine has created this super-useful list of 50 Ways To Help The Planet - perfect for the wall of your kitchen or the background of your desktop.

Juneau in Alaska shows the US how to be energy-thrifty by reducing its own power consumption by 40% (reports Environmental Graffiti).

Nike is greenest of the hastily greening-up big businesses, reports Grist. (Tip to the others: Just Do It, guys).

Bamboo blankets and eyemasks for long-distance travel: we wantee too! (Thanks, Meg).

The Re-Reused Bag, or the Reuseable Re-bag - or the ReTote...er, whatever it's called, it's a brilliant idea, and NotCot has the story.

Make like Florence Nightingale with this energy-efficient LED lamp that'll never singe or scald (Josh Spear lights the way on this one).

Biodegradable furnishings? (So much for multi-generational possessions). Sure, it's "green", but come on! The New York Times has plenty to say on the subject, and Apartment Therapy has the links. While you're there, check out Re-nest's priceless comments on this useless eco item. It must be a joke.

Image: Light Play

Here we are, in the whirlwind of another Wednesday - take a few minutes to enjoy these links.

1. We spend a third of our lives in the bedroom: what better room to green up? Jessica Jensen at Low Impact Living shows us how.

 
2. Those clever people at Radius have rethought the toothbrush, giving us designer handles and replaceable, recycleable heads. We can't blame Dose Of Design for loving it.

3. Coat hooks are so 20th-Century: what we need are coat mountains, demonstrated by Reuben Miller.

4. The Eat Well Guide finds you a local source of fresh, sustainable produce (US and Canada only), at the click of a mouse button.

5. Bequeathed to humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders, by the late Haaken Christensen: his entire $40m art collection!

6. We like Ideal Bite's sassy Tips of the Day (for May 2nd, thinking outside the box for Mother's Day gifts - and here's our take on the same subject). 

7. ReadWriteWeb have kindly rounded up 15 of the best Green search engines for us (we're particularly intrigued by the thinking behind Blackle, but naturally we adore Flock).

8. Over at Clipmarks we learnt about Climate Change Chocolate - tips and carbon energy credits with every bar!

9. Vegetables are eco-food - but we're still not making them fun for our kids (in the U.K. at least), claims Heinz survey. (Thanks to Diary From England for the tip-off).

10. Going solar? Bay Area company Sungevity offers a novel way of analyzing how much power your roof is worth. (Thanks, Alternative Consumer!).

Blog to bookmark: We know that going green doesn't mean any sacrifice in style and quality. Erin Balser at ChicByNature is of a similar mind - go and see what she's found in the world of eco-friendly fashion.

Now - on with the week!


Image: josef.stuefer

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Grechen's Closet is not your everyday online store. I admit I normally avoid online shopping, unless I go directly to a designer's web site where the flash-slide-shows are too enticing to pass up snagging a piece or two - but Grechen lured me in for her special Eco Month.

Each day in June, Grechen models an eco-chic outfit, head-to-toe. What I love most is that Grechen's measurements are not those of most fashion models - she's one of us, ladies - and her photos give a sense of how these beautiful clothes look on the more average-proportioned woman.

 She's conveniently cataloged a bevy of earth friendly and ethical clothing and designer sites. Her reviews are handy and quirky, featuring many of EcoSalon's own favorites. But the best part of Grechen's closet is something I wish my closet was full of too. . .  coupons! This month, Grechen offers coupon codes for 20% off of a long list of top eco-designers.

This closet is worth a walk-in.

Image: tanakawho

Right when Lauren Bush’s FEED bags hit the scene a year or so ago, my roommate snagged one for each of us. People have been asking me about the understated burlap sack ever since (your money goes to feeding Rwandan school children 100 meals). So naturally, I was excited to see that our friends at ecorazzi have given us the scoop on the recent West Hollywood celebration that attracted such stars as Marcia Cross and Elizabeth Berkley.


Get to know Face boutique’s founder, Sarah Vorbech, who just launched a mostly chemical-free product line, in a personal interview with the girls over at Style Will Save Us. This is my go-to spot for short, personal interviews on cutting-edge fashion and beauty news.


Jaime from Design Milk happens to have sewing on the brain, just as I did with my blog on Stitch Lounge. Certainly functional, I say these pincushion bracelets are only fashionable in the sewing lounge.


With so much green reading available today, it’s hard to know what to bookmark and what to pass over. I refer to Treehugger often as my trusted source: check out their review of Sandy Black’s Eco-Chic, The Fashion Paradox - a meaty read about the inherent lack of sustainability in fashion and the fundamental need for it throughout culture, accessible on many levels, and cover worthy of coffee table display.



Image: Cristiane Sousa

I regularly search Greenloop for products – I love the eco-designers and apparel they feature. But what I just stumbled upon is even cooler. Greenloop hosted a Reshirt Cutting Contest where readers entered a refurbished top to win a $300 gift certificate to the site. Unfortunately, the contest ended May 23. But you'll want to see all the winning pieces!

If you liked the Melissa Zig Zag shoe I blogged, check out Chartreuse Chic’s post on the company’s Cutout Jelly Skimmer. These shoes are popping up everywhere and I agree with Chartreuse Chic that these might be the next generation of Crocs.

If you don’t already know Josie Maran, have a look at Gigi’s interview with the superwoman of all things green on Green Girl Guide. Ecoista of the moment, Josie recently launched a cosmetics line that will soon debut at Sephora.

I always reference Deana’s Hit List and Kat’s Must Haves on Green with Glamour when I’m looking for unique eco-pieces. The site is always elegant and these two really have an eye for great style. Check out one of Kat’s current picks – the understated balsa chic clutch by Heather Heron Couture.

Even old sweaters deserve a second chance. That's the thinking behind the community of knitters that forms a part of the oh-so-addictive Etsy, which sells accessories made from the reclaimed yarn of old garments.

In knitwear, you'll find that many of the headbands, bags, gloves and baby wear are all produced from 100% reclaimed materials. You'd never think used when looking at a one-of-a-kind purse with original embroidery and felt appliques ($70 at Etsy). The artist who did the handiwork even points out it was crafted in a "smoke free studio.

Get addicted to Etsy to buy or sell fabulous knitwear.

Image/Purchase: Etsy