Lucky for us, when we don’t know what to do with clothes or items that no longer fit (either our bodies or our style tastes), we can turn to Swapdom.com, a site dedicated to trading people’s beloved items that also specializes in the benefits of recycling!

We’ve all had what many like to call the “closet crisis.” You know, where you open your closet doors and brace yourself in fear of the rack snapping and your clothes devouring you like an angry ocean. Or the shoebox mountain that took you months to build comes down like an avalanche similar to a round in Jenga gone wrong. Some may refer to you as a hoarder (you prefer “clothing connoisseur” or just simply “collector”) because you can’t seem to let anything go. What if there was a way for you to feed your habit but also clean out your closet at the same time? That’s right, cleaning and shopping simultaneously can be done on this gem of a website called, Swapdom.

At first glance Swapdom may seem like just another e-commerce website similar to eBay or Amazon. Alas, it is like no such thing out there right now! Normally on those sorts of typical ecommerce websites, you usually have to negotiate with a seller and put bids on items (which you are then feverishly checking on the item 467 times a day, praying that no one has out-bid you). Talk about stressful shopping! It sounds just as bad as going to the mall on Black Friday …no thank you. Good thing Swapdom has taken big strides in changing the game when it comes to the benefits of recycling used and much loved items and giving them a chance at a new life while making all of the sellers and recipients super happy.

The major difference that completely sets Swapdom apart is its swapping system. Gone are the days of wanting an item, hoping the seller will like what you’re offering, resulting in what is supposed to be a successful trade that actually just ends in disappointment because the seller isn’t the least bit interested. Swapdom doesn’t allow room for letdowns. Instead, Swapdom uses a really neat method of grouping people together that are all interested in different items from each other. Basically, the whole negotiation process is eliminated. For example, Person A can give something to Person B and Person B can give something to Person C until it comes back around full circle. That means every customer is satisfied! No more disappointments, frowny faces, or feelings of despondency over a lost item! That’s something we can all celebrate.

Also, Swapdom does ALL the work for you. Seriously. All you’re required to do is request what you want, show what you have to offer, then hang back in your hammock with a nice, cold drink while Swapdom creates a group of individuals looking to swap with each other. Once that’s been done, you have 10 days to approve your swap, then pack and ship the item you’ll be trading and VOILA! Bing, bang, boom, done! How easy and effortless is that?

The best part about this whole site is that so many articles of clothing and accessories (even houseware items and kid stuff!) are saved from ending up in the trash. That’s huge. All of these once-loved pieces and items are blessed with the opportunity to be loved again in a whole new way and continue to fulfill their purposes. Easy and fun with a conscious intention, Swapdom epitomizes the benefits of recycling in the coolest, most innovative way.

Related on EcoSalon

Recycled Clothing Gains Popularity with 3 Big European Brands and Certification

8 Creative Recycled Paper Crafts: Get Crafty with Your Recycling

8 Irresistible Green and Glam Clothing Swap Websites

Image via Swapdom

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Fueled by a rapid rise in collaborative consumption companies, the Sharing Economy has been hailed as “the next big thing” and one of “10 ideas that will change the world”. But what the heck is it, and why should we care? This is the first in a short series of posts that will explain why everyone’s so excited about sharing, and how it can save you money, time, and even rejuvenate your social life.

Every day, we waste energy, space, and money, because we’re obsessed with the idea of owning things. Most of these things see about 10 minutes of use before we move on to the next “must have” item. The things we do use on a daily basis are built to break, and when they do, we toss them in the trash on our way out the door to buy replacements.

In the sharing economy, access is more important than ownership. It’s not the CD we want, it’s the joy of listening to the music. It’s not the cordless drill we need, but the hole it makes. Collaborative consumption companies make it easy to pay a little bit to gain access to what we need without the high cost of buying it or the burden of maintaining it. The sharing economy focuses our attention on connection and collaboration, turning neighbors into a support system and wasted assets into affordable solutions.

There are two basic types of collaborative consumption: B2C (business-to-consumer) and P2P (peer-to-peer). B2C sharing services typically operate like a normal company, where you pay a fee to access a shared resource. P2P sharing services exist to help people share what they’ve got with each other. P2p sharing can take the form of renting, bartering, or swapping, but anyway you slice it, it’s by people for people.

Since we’re all watching our budgets these days, we decided to kick off the series with a selection of stellar sharing services that can save you money without sacrifice. If you’ve got a story about how the sharing economy has helped you save money, please share it in the comments!

1. Parents

Why buy new when your kids only grow out of it in six months? thredUP is a online P2P consignment store where you can find gently used, brand name clothing for a fraction of the price. reCrib does the same thing for gear, providing a marketplace where parents can list and purchase everything from baby swings to toys. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, gather up a few friends to share a nanny or host a baby food swap.

2. Entrepreneurs

These days everyone’s got an idea for a start-up but no one has enough capital. Coworking spaces are communities where location-independent professionals gather to share expenses and talent. Most are highly social, a hotbed of collaboration, and offer printers, conference rooms, and lots of free coffee. Need to brush up on your HTML skills but don’t have the time or money for a college course? Skillshare lets you learn just about anything from anyone, MaestroMarket lets you pick the brain of industry experts, and crowdfunding platforms give you access to much needed dollars when the time is right.

3. Fashionistas

You know how you love to borrow outfits from your best friend? Well now imagine you have thousands of best friends, all with big closets full of awesome clothes. Rent the Runway works directly with over 170 top designers so you can rent dresses, accessories, and more for just a fraction of the price. Bag Borrow or Steal uses the same concept, only with top brand handbags, jewelry, watches, and more. Looking for fashion you can keep? Attend a clothing swap or browse the P2P swapping site Swapstyle.com.

4. Travelers

Seeing new places and experiencing new cultures is life-changing, albeit a pricey adventure. Just like clothing swaps give you access to a community closet, travel sharing sites can give you access to the houses, guest beds, cars, and local knowledge of friendly people around the world.P2p lodging marketplaces like Airbnb let you rent a loft in New York, an artists’ pad in San Francisco, or a villa in Italy, all for a tiny fraction of what it would cost commercially. Once you’ve arrived, car sharing services like Zipcar, RelayRides, and Getaround can put you in touch with the perfect set of wheels, or if you prefer to keep it non-gassy, look for a local bike sharing program. Believe it or not, there are even sites designed to help people swap houses for the summer or for keeps!

Image: Phillip Taylor PT

The post 4 Ways The Sharing Economy Can Save You Money appeared first on EcoSalon.

Is summer fresh produce from Chile growing on you? Are you grateful to be able to buy grapes, plums, peaches and other August fruit in the dead of winter because of that 2004 free trade agreement?

That mindset is what the earthquake-ravaged country is cultivating in a new Cornucopia television ad campaign reaching out to American consumers who buy produce at Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Winn Dixie and other outlets that peddle an array of both imported and locally harvested fruits and vegetables.

The buy local mantra of the eco movement threatens international growers whose livelihood depends upon the plastic sealing and heavy fuel shipping of fresh foods to markets throughout the United States, including rich agricultural states like California, Arizona and Texas.

That threat has been worsened by the recent 8.9-magnitude quake which damaged roads, bridges, harbors and other key infrastructure while hampering communication lines used by processors and packaging plants.

The 30-second ad, tells us “right now it is summer in Chile” where vast natural resources allow it to grow produce, dairy, meat products, olive oil, wine, seafood and more. What swank menus don’t feature Chilean sea bass? The buttery male voice asks you to experience the abundance of the central American’s country’s harvest, “in season now at Winn Dixie.”

It has been pretty good so far with nearly half of all fruit in the U.S. coming from Chile.

The Stats

The California and American Chambers of Commerce report Chile is our 25th largest export partner, sending us $1.3 billion in fresh fruits in 2003, and packaged food exports worth a whopping $1.5 billion in 2008. The Philadelphia Inquirer tells us the bulk of the crops shipped to U.S. shores (65%), enter Philadelphia to be directed to stores east of the Mississippi River. The rest comes through Los Angeles. California, alone, lists Chile as its 22th largest export buddy. This graph shows countries that imported fresh fruits from Chile in 2008-2009.

Are We Also Buying the Image?

The primary world exporter of grapes, Chile controls 24 percent of the global grape market. Raisins, our favorite dried fruit, are produced at home, but we also imported 42.5 million pounds in 2008, mostly from our partner, Chile. Chilean wine, also threatened by the quake, has also been a popular choice here with trendy reds and subtle whites, and Chile has enjoyed the status of being fourth in the world for wine exports. The country is the world’s larges plum supplier with 36 varieties grown annually. It is the second largest exporter of kiwifruit, another gourmet staple, and after the 2004 trade agreement, it upped its peach exportation greatly, shipping over 60 percent of its peaches and nectarines to the U.S.

We also buy Chilean farmed salmon which has boosted the country’s seafood industry. The USDA reports salmon exports exploded from 1.2 million pounds in 1989 to 50 million in 1996, not a welcomed increase by our own salmon farmers who have sought legislation to reduce the surplus.

All About Image

The cornucopia ad, funded by the Chilean exporters Association (Asoex) and The Export Promotion Bureau (ProChile) and fielded by the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), is designed to promote Chile as not just a country with plentiful resources, but a country you can trust to put the healthiest food on your table.

Fruitnet tells us retailers were offered five-second tags at the end of the spots in exchange for in-store promotions. That is why one of the ads says “now in season at Winn Dixie.”

“We have many creative promoters among our partners in retail,” says Tom Tjerandsen, North American managing director of CFFA. “We marvel at the multitude of ways that retailers choose to ensure that they take full advantage of our television support.”

In deciding for yourself, you might want to consider the issue of pesticides in fresh foods, one of the main concerns of the local food movement. According to Consumer Health, residues of the toxins are present on many of our favorite fresh foods, including grapes, peaches, apples and celery. But surprisingly, research shows the crops we import from Mexico and Chile are not more contaminated than domestic foods, despite what is commonly believed.

A reason for the belief is that Chilean farmers in the past have been pressured to use pesticides like Dormex even though exposure has proven to harm the health of growers and their unborn children. Chile imports some 15, 000 tons of the chemicals each year and experts say there are some 928 registered pesticides in use there, including 39 prohibited or severely restricted by the United Nations and governments of the world. Grapes grown in the Copiapo Valley are heavily sprayed, and grapes showed high traces of residue on the Consumer Health study.

And if you are buying Chilean salmon, you should know last year the FDA stepped up its scrutiny of the glut when the New York Times reported on the spread of infectious salmon anemia (ISA) plaguing the Chilean farming industry, as well as unsanitary, overcrowded salmon pens and poor environmental conditions. Stores like Safeway restricted imports, and Chile responded by promising to tighten its control by tripling inspections and reducing antibiotics.

Looks like we have to do some policing at home, as well. Consumer Health says 11 of the 12 highest contaminated foods recently tested were U.S. grown, including peaches, pears, apples, winter squash, and green beans. The key is to know what you are eating, and to properly wash and peel fruits and vegetables before eating.

Still, buying locally raised, organic food is the best way to avoid exposure to toxins. And buying locally grown, organic fare also is the best way to promote and support local farmers who are stepping up to the green plate. Will Chile suffer greatly if we refuse to buy what the country is selling?

I suppose that is a risk we must take in considering our future. When I was a child, we only bought peaches, plums and grapes in the summer – that is – when it was summer in sunny California.

Images: athrasher, CFFA/USA

The post 365 Days of Summer appeared first on EcoSalon.

Buying lots of new things seems to be going out of fashion.

It’s not hard to see why – you can’t spend what you don’t have. And while we’d always advocate shelling out for the best-quality, well-priced (i.e. not super-cheap) products, there’s another way to get exactly what you want on a tight budget. It takes a little more effort – but it’s fun, creative, and it’s been popular for thousands of years. It’s bartering.

Products or services, a straight swap or a fierce haggle…bartering is an online boom industry that’s never been more timely. Where to start? Here are 20 places that will help you click your way to a new wardrobe, bookshelf or even four walls and a ceiling!

http://bookmooch.com

What’s traded? Used books – hardback, paperback, anything with pages you can turn.

How does it work? You’re earning and spending “mooch points” – earning by searching for titles, giving them to other members and telling people you’ve received what they sent you…and spending by acquiring the books you want (with a further option of making a donation to the charities Bookmooch support). It’s a system that rewards good practice – and since books fit nicely into small parcels, it operates worldwide.

http://www.bookcrossing.com/

What’s traded? Books. But in the most fun way possible.

How does it work? Welcome to one of my favorite concepts on the web – a place where books are freed into the wild, to not only contain stories but become them, as well. You register your book onto the site on its own profile, and then you write the book’s individual Book Crossing identifier and associated web address on the book’s inside cover, along with a message asking anyone holding the book to go online and register where and how they got it. Then…you take it somewhere fun, and leave it there. You update the  profile to say where you left it. And you watch. With a bit of luck, it’s the start of an amazing journey! Meanwhile, you check what books have been “freed” in your local area, and you go in search of them. Awesome fun.

http://www.craigslist.org/

What’s traded? Absolutely everything.

How does it work? It’s the daddy of all bulletin board sites, it’s the subject of a documentary, it’s permanently busy (20 billion page views a month), it’s simply everywhere…and it’s a bit of an online Wild West. Search hard enough and you’ll find what you want – but there are no safety nets here.

http://www.freecycle.org/

What’s traded? There is nothing that isn’t offered on Freecycle. It’s Life in miniature.

How does it work? We love Freecycle! Love it! Sorry, I couldn’t contain myself there. This is a colossal (4,000+ groups, 6 million+ people) network of non-profit recycling hubs, operating as online bulletin boards. Everything is given away free. You log on at key points during the day, scan down the list of offers, spot something you need and leap to the phone, hoping nobody beats you to it. It’s also a great way to shift unwanted possessions quickly, for example when you’re moving house (I got rid of a single bed in this fashion when I was at University). It’s all about what someone wants to give away for free. I’ve even seen an iBook on there – apparently snapped up in about ten seconds.

http://www.frugalreader.com

What’s traded? Books…and book-related gossip.

How does it work? It’s not just a site to swap books back and forth (you list the books you have; other people request them when you’ve posted your list; you get credit to request books yourself). It’s a reading community, with reviews, discussion forums and all sorts of lines of communication at work. That final “Relate” in the tagline is what makes it distinct from its competitors.

http://www.house4trade.com

What’s traded? Only your home, dude. No biggie.

How does it work? Obviously this is a big deal, in every sense. This site is all about permanent house trading, and so it’s really a sophisticated way of getting in contact with people – no PayPal purchasing here – but the backbone of the site is a very real Real Estate Network.

http://www.makeupalley.com/swap/

What’s traded? Well, now, this should polarize you. Fancy putting on the slightly used makeup of a stranger?

How does it work? You browse the items on offer – you find something of your own that the swapper would be willing to accept in return – and off you go. The FAQ notes that all swapped items should be cleaned with alcohol before swapping, and only unused mascara should be swapped, but even so, there will be some people who will flinch. Since there’s a feedback system and therefore an element of accountability, there’s probably little to fear. Satisfied or disappointed swappers can also air their views on a product review page.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php

What’s traded? Right there in the title.

How does it work? Credits, that’s how. When you successfully send away a requested book for trade, your account swells by one credit (or two, if it’s an audio book). And if you spot a book on offer, it costs you one credit to complete the process. You can also put in a standing order for a book that’s not yet available – which is unlikely, as there are over 3 million titles in there. How much media coverage has this service enjoyed? Maybe all of it.

http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/

What’s traded? Books books books.

How does it work? Running since 2003, this is a veteran of the swapping scene (but note the dot-co-dot-uk…yes, it’s Brits-only, I’m afraid). Want a particular book? You click through The Library, their swap-enabled directory of books, and you choose. The person whose book it is gets confirmation that you want to swap – and checks out what books you have on offer. If there’s a meeting of needs – swap ahoy. It’s all free – the only payment ReadItSwapIt asks for is a voluntary donation to a registered charity.

http://rehashclothes.com/

What’s traded? Clothes and books.

How does it work? Rehash is in it for the good of the environment (their recycling-style logo is a big clue). When you “rehash” (i.e. put up for swap) an item, it’s listed as a page in the site’s Trading Post hub, and people make offers that you can flick through and weigh up. Once you’ve confirmed a mutually acceptable deal, the mechanics of getting item to new owner are left completely up to you. The site also has a nice line in community-based activities and reference resources.

http://seedypeople.co.uk

What’s traded? Unwanted bags of seeds – anything from vegetables to trees.

How does it work? Unfortunately, by the looks of it, it isn’t working – there’s not much going on in that site right now. But it’s such a fun idea that I felt it worth including for the concept alone. Trading plant seeds has terrific potential (although food-related legislation might be a hurdle to clear) – and postage? Cost of a stamp.

http://www.swapace.com

What’s traded? Everything under the sun.

How does it work? Want the push & pull of a negotiated deal? This is the place for you, because you don’t swap based on existing predetermined values – you decide how much your swap is worth, by haggling (using their fancy electronic negotiation system). When you both see eye to eye, the swap can take place – accompanied with the quiet satisfaction of knowing you gave it your best shot.

http://swapcove.com/

What’s traded? In theory, anything you like, large or small. (Since it’s new, it’s still sparsely-populated).

How does it work? There are no points, no credits…it’s all about how much you think your swappable item is worth. You use this SF-based site to come to an arrangement on your terms only. It looks nice, there are plenty of great features (such as finding deals within so many miles of your home) – but right now it’s waiting for enough people to bring it alive. One to watch.

http://www.swapcycle.co.uk/

What’s traded? Anything goes, it looks like.

How does it work? If you’re in the UK, you can use it to offer goods or services by making a formal trade offer to someone, in exchange for their goods/services. If they decline, you can open an e-mail and start negotiating, or move along to a more successful attempt. Some of the offers on here are fascinating broad (“Wanted: anything with an engine in it”) and the front page is rather tatty, but it looks like a good place to check out for cars, clothes and mobile phones.

http://www.swapstyle.com

What’s traded? In a word, glam. Clothes, accessories, cosmetics, shoes.

How does it work? You build up your swapping potential by gaining a positive feedback score, so that other people can see you’re a trustworthy recipient of their fashion triumphs. You can also go for Address Verification status, which is a physical letter containing a code that once entered, confirms you’re where you say you are. Once you’re trusted and verified, you never have to wear the same thing twice and you can keep your principles intact.

http://www.swapthing.com

What’s traded? Mainly music, but generally a bit of everything in the realm of the small to medium-sized.

How does it work? This site is much more eBay-esque in that you can offer an item for swapping, but also choose to sell it, transacting via PayPal. There’s no fancy automated bartering engine behind the scenes: you create adverts, you sift through e-mails, and you move items and/or money around. It’s strictly hands-on, so if you’re a control freak, this is the one for you.

http://www.swaptree.com

What’s traded? Books, music, film & television DVDs, and video games.

How does it work? It’s all about the barcode. Input the UPC or the ISBN from the back of the item you have, and the fancymajiggery behind the scenes at Swaptree will find what items are offered for trade in return, and display them Amazon-style down the screen. What’s more, it’ll keep searching while you’re logged off, meaning you’re faced with a new list of potential swaps every time you log on. Specific to entertainment media – but brilliant at what it does.

http://www.tradeaway.com/

What’s traded? Things from the very, very small to the astounding large.

How does it work? “World’s Largest Online Barter Exchange Auction Site”, TradeAway boldly claims. It’s big, we’ll give them that, but that big? Anyway, there’s plenty to see here. Listings range from the so-brief-they-must-be-spam all the way to exhaustively detailed multimillion-dollar property offers, but the theme is bartering. It’s true: this is where hugely expensive real estate gets swapped!

http://www.u-exchange.com

What’s traded? Items big and small, including vehicles – and homes, just for the holidays.

How does it work? It’s up to you – what this site does is put you in touch with a wide range of bartering services, and provide you with a profile on which you can flag up your status (Trading or Away) – but that’s it. Less a specific service, more a gateway to lots of them.

http://www.whatsmineisyours.com/

What’s traded? Fashion!

How does it work? This site is based in Britain but most items seem to have overseas delivery as an option. As a trader, you put a detailed advert up, attach a price to it for comparative reasons, and mention what items you’re interested in acquiring in return. Then you wait for an offer, tailored to the price or your item (or perhaps attempting to haggle you down a little). Or, if you want to get even more organized, you can set up a Boutique, rather like a shop in eBay. Bags are the most popular trading item.

Useful links:

The Budget Fashionista

“Money Is Dead: Long Live Barter?” – Times Online

Image: stuartpilbrow

The post Why Buy When You Can Barter? Top 20 Trading Websites appeared first on EcoSalon.

We all know that buying fair trade items aids underprivileged communities across the world, but what exactly does this entail on the other side of the transaction? According to the basic standards enforced by the International Fair Trade Association, these organizations must:

Generate opportunities that will help producers who suffer from an economic disadvantage.

Exercise transparency and responsibility in areas of management and commercial affairs.

Work towards the independence of its producers.

Offer its producers reasonable pay.

Ensure that both genders are empowered.

Provide a healthy and safe setting for work.

Enforce the laws of child labor.

Utilize environmentally responsible materials and means of production.

Maintain reputable trade relations.

Promote the practice of fair trade.

For a more comprehensive understanding, visit IFAT.

Like the label “organic”, “fair trade” can be complicated, however. We’ll be exploring this issue further, so sign up for our RSS feed to stay in the know.

Image: James Jordan

The post What Is Fair Trade? appeared first on EcoSalon.

It takes the inhabitants of rural villages in Bolivian regions like Alto Plano or the Central Highlands two hours to walk to the nearest town. Because of this isolation, these people must rely on a craft that doesn’t require goods from distant urban areas. Fortunately, they have everything they need right at their fingertips.

These skilled artisans, members of the environmentally responsible organization Circle of the Sun, share the remote expanses with herds of Alpaca. The soft fur from these gentle mammals is the perfect material for weaving, as it is warmer than wool and hypoallergenic. Plus, with 22 natural shades to choose from, there’s no need for toxic dyes. (Although occasionally plant dyes are used, but those are eco and safe.) Stay warm this winter while supporting fair trade with the handmade Absolutely Alpaca scarf from Original Good.

The post Weaving in the Circle of the Sun appeared first on EcoSalon.

I have thick, long, beautiful hair, and I favor natural, low-maintenance hair care. Generally, a little bit of coconut or olive oil rubbed into my damp hair is enough to keep it shiny, but not so after moving to the ultra-dry climate of Arizona. My hair was quickly becoming dry and brittle as the hot season progressed.

Then my friend Solana saved the day (don’t we always get the best things from our friends?). She was working at a natural cosmetic store and came to visit me with a delicious smelling container of something called Ojon oil. “It comes from a tropical nut in Central America. The Miskito tribes use it and swear by it for shiny hair.” And I can tell you, it works. Once I started using the Ojon, my hair went back to its happy, shiny self – Arizona’s scorching summer notwithstanding.

Rest assured, the Ojon company uses pure ingredients, and has a responsible business relationship with the people who work for them. The nuts are sustainably harvested by hand and over 200 people have gained full time employment in their home town, ensuring that their native forest will be saved and not destroyed for other financial incentives. Ojon oil is produced only in small batches, but you’ll be happy to know that a little goes a long way.

The post Ojon Oil Saves Your Hair and Costa Rica's Tropical Forests appeared first on EcoSalon.

Food, water, shelter – the most basic requirements to sustain human life. Thanks to catastrophic global agflation, one of these is in widespread turmoil. Lack of food is causing terrible suffering. Meanwhile in the developed world, good food is ending up in landfills. The world is out of balance.

WHAT CAN I DO? Buy only the food you use. Keep a shopping list, and aim to process all your fresh food within a week of buying it.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? At least a quarter of American groceries go to waste. In Britain it’s an estimated one in three bags of edible food – some $20 billion of groceries each year. If you buy only the food you use, you save money and someone else gets that food. If you’re sceptical about the food reaching the people who really need it, then look at what you’ve saved in grocery bills at the end of the month, and donate a portion of that money directly to a charity or micro-loan provider.

 

It clogs our rivers and seas. It suffocates wildlife and lingers in landfills. It’s a modern scourge- and it’s become known as urban tumbleweed.

WHAT CAN I DO? There’s two things to do with plastic supermarket bags – work around them and work against them. The former is as simple as remembering to carry a tote bag when you go shopping. In the latte case, don’t ever use the plastic bags provided by your local supermarket. Drop them a note (perhaps in their suggestion box) asking why they’re still using them when they’ve been banned for over a sixth of the world’s population. There’s no need to be strident: politeness sinks the message deeper.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Katharine Mieszkowski’s article at Salon covers it nicely.

Getting into the car seems a matter of instinct for much of the modern world, and particularly in the U.S. – in 2001, 90% of Americans were using their car to get to work. The US auto industry relies heavily on subsidies and bailouts when things aren’t going well…and with the state of global oil reserves, things are unlikely to improve. Domestic American ethanol production couldn’t even meet a tenth of the ravenous fuel demands of cars currently on the road. The only way forward is to kick the auto habit – and every little helps.

WHAT CAN I DO? Here’s a good way to start. Whenever it’s practical to do so – walk. (Or cycle). Particularly for short journeys. Factor in an extra ten minutes travel time, and use your legs.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Last year, How to Live a Low-Carbon Life author Chris Goodall calculated that driving to the shops uses less carbon that walking. This statement is well-argued, logical, and completely useless to anyone but advocates of the automobile industry (it’s a damning statement on food prices, not the eco-friendliness of driving, as Goodall himself notes). Driving very short distances is fuel-inefficient: starting your car is around as much energy as idling it for one minute. Anything that reduces American consumption from a whopping 21 million barrels of oil a day is good for the economy and for the environment. And what about your own health?

When the sun falls below the horizon, modern society fights the dark. In keeping our cities and roads illuminated, we squander our precious energy reserves skywards in a blaze of candlepower we simply can’t afford. Light pollution is bad for the environment in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.

WHAT CAN I DO? At night, dim the lights and rediscover the dark.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? By dimming their lights for Earth Hour 2008, Toronto residents saved an estimated 434 Megawatts (MW) of electricity – for comparison, standard nuclear power stations generate from 500 to 1000 MW.

Going green is about communing with Nature, leaving the modern world behind and harking back to a happier, more eco-friendly era when humans lived in perfect harmony with the landscape – right? Except it’s not that simple. Take the “wild” moors of Britain – many of them result from deliberate deforestation during prehistoric times. We’ve always made our mark on the planet with technology – yet recently it’s reached a scale where our ecosystem can’t adapt itself fast enough. So now it’s up to us to make amends. Should we throw away the best tools we have to do this?

WHAT CAN I DO? Buy a programmable thermostat and save 10% on your heating bills. Buy CFLs for now and LEDs later, and save energy when lighting your house. Upgrade your home, 21st Century style. Spend quality time with a crank or two! Buy and use your gadgets wisely, and keep a constant eye on the technological cutting edge of green.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Take renewable energy – it’s all about using the best technology science can provide. And look at the results of doing so.

Contrary to what some would have you believe, a sustainable lifestyle is not about vowing to never buy anything “non-essential” ever again. Shopping is green – but only if it’s done right.

WHAT CAN I DO? Eco-artisans and fair-traded products deserve your custom, from the beads of Project Have Hope to the fresh produce of the Milkweed Mercantile. By buying products that have an unambiguously eco-friendly component to them, and by closing your ears to the greenwashers (and their twins, the greenscourers), you can prevent profits triumphing over ethics.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The Fair Trade movement, for all that it should be called “Fairer Trade”, gives producers a better deal without compromising on social and environmental standards. It’s a success because shoppers often choose to buy Fair Trade over cheaper, more readily available items. It’s a great start.

Next month, the United States has a new president. He’s already been unprecedentedly vocal about his commitment to the environment – and, like all politicians, it’s his job to listen to what people want. He needs feedback to do his job well.

WHAT CAN I DO? A green lifestyle is a politicized one. You don’t have to march in endless rallies or pore over The Economist every week – but you should have a read around the most pressing issues facing your governments, federal and local. Your voice deserves to be heard – if you’re doing everything possible to live in the real world. Sustainability is pragmatic: there’s no room for unthinking dogma in today’s eco-political climate, and the best way to approach green issues is with open ears, open eyes and an open mind.

HOW WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Because, more than ever, Washington listens.

Remember when you were a child? Your optimism and determination knew no bounds (I’ve fallen over? Well, I’ll get up again). Everything was endlessly fascinating, and nothing wasn’t worth learning about. You had more energy than you knew what to do with. Wouldn’t it be great to experience the world like that again?

WHAT CAN I DO? A thriving green lifestyle is: optimism about the effects of your personal choices, determination in the face of contrary commercial pressures, fascination in scientific innovations that will clean up our environmental impact, a willingness to learn new skills and relearn old ones, and applied energy and enthusiasm in adapting to an ever-changing modern world. Sound familiar?

HOW WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? By giving our children the future they deserve. 

Main image: Wrap

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And yes, we’ve done a zillion posts on a good number of eco-bags but I promise you, we do discriminate. The Bag the Habit bag caught my eye because it’s inexpensive and would make a great stocking stuffer or simple go-green hostess gift during the holiday party season. I also happen to think it’s good looking – which is a big plus – but it isn’t so trendy that next year it’ll look like last year’s bag.

Bag the Habit’s new collection of reusable shopping totes are made with 55% recycled polyester and are completely recyclable. They’re large enough (27.5″ H x 22″ W x 6″ D) and plenty sturdy enough for your weekly trip to the farmers market. The cushioned shoulder straps comfortably help you carry up to 30 lbs. of stuff. And when you aren’t using it, it folds into a sewn-in pocket and snaps shut into a compact 4.5″ x 4.5″ pouch. Water-resistant and available in plum, chocolate and a swirly navy and aqua floral pattern, find it at Bag the Habit’s website for $18, or $45 for three.

They also created a mesh produce bag made of 100% un-dyed and recycled polyester. The standard size works perfectly for bulk items like beans, coffee and oatmeal, and the large for fresh fruit and vegetables. Just think how many baggies and twist ties you’ll avoid! Buy the produce bag individually for $6 and $8, or get a set of 3 for $18 and 6 for $38. Available at Bag the Habit.

Bag the Habit products are sustainably manufactured in fair wage factories in the U.S. and Mexico. And right now you’ll get $2 off your next online purchase if you send Bag the Habit any of your old, worn-out and overused green shopping totes. They accept all brands, types and sizes.

Bag the Habit is indeed a good habit.

The post A Bag Habit Not to Break appeared first on EcoSalon.

“Cut metal work represents the wealth of Croix des Bouquets. This is what has made the city famous,” he says. “This is what God gave me to live; I support my family, I am building a house and I am providing work for others.” You can find handmade candleholders and wall hangings from Augustin and other members of the Comite Artisanal Haitien at Ten Thousand Villages.

The post Jhonson Augustin: From Apprentice to Master Artisan appeared first on EcoSalon.