What Makes Soy Candles Better?

Why go with soy than the traditional paraffin wax? For starters, take a look at the black smoke coming from a candle's flame, or the build up on a glass votive. Paraffin wax emits toxins that can be as toxic as outdoor pollution and second-hand smoke! Ugh! In fact, according to the Health House Project in conjunction with the American Lung Association, candles ranked among the most unrecognized causes of indoor air pollution.

Now there’s a healthier way of enjoying the ambience and aroma from candles. M. Carlesimo candles, based in Los Angeles, offers hand-poured candles that combine 100% all natural soy wax with yummy fragrances, like “Milk & Honey,” “White Sangria” and “Heaven.”

M. Carlesimo candles also use 100% organic cotton wicks that are both lead and zinc free. The package features frosted white recycled glass and a box that includes recycled paper and soy-based ink, all, made in the USA.

So, all you have to do is just light them up, sit back and relax without the worry! More info at www.mcarlesimo.com.

Re-Usable Produce Bags are Here!

Looking for a reusable bag for all those fruits & veggies from the local farmers market? ChicoBag, a company known for its reusable bags manufactured from recycled water bottles, is introducing the Produce Stand Collection, a new line of reusable bags made to hold fruits, vegetables, grains and bulk foods. This first-of-its-kind reusable produce bag set is manufactured with hemp and recycled content and is designed to prolong the life of fruits and vegetables.

The new Produce Stand Collection from ChicoBag includes three reusable bags designed to optimize freshness. The Hemp-Cotton blend bag keeps leafy greens, grains and green beans fresh. The Mesh rePETe works well with apples, oranges and potatoes and the rePETe keeps squash, broccoli and carrots looking their best.

All of the bags stuff down into a small apple pouch so they can be easily tossed into a purse or glove box or clipped onto anything.

Check them out at: www.chicobag.com

Welcome, Farmer Jane!

Move over Farmer John.. here comes Farmer Jane!

Farmer Jane, a new book by Temra Costa, profiles 30 women thriving in the sustainable food industry, describing their agriculture and business models and illustrating the amazing changes they are making in how we connect with food.

This book celebrates all women, from the first lady, to mother's making meals, who vote for sustainability every time they shop, eat, farm, and advocate change.

It may even inspire you to do the same! Check out all the details at www.farmerjane.org.

A "B & B" That Means Bus and Breakfast!

For those of you who love to travel by bus, how about actually staying in one overnight?

Well, travelers to Israel may now stay in one of the most distinctive and "green-friendly" guestrooms in the world, the individually crafted "zimmerbus." Unbelievable but true, they're constructed from retired buses!

Zimmerbusses are located in the little village of Ezuz, situated on a hilltop, overlooking the beautiful open desert spaces of the Negev. Zimmerbusses are covered with adobe and feature palm-leaf roofing, providing environmentally-friendly housing accommodations to tourists in Israel. Inside, they're completely refurbished and look as cozy as any B & B.

So what are you waiting for? All aboard that magic bus!
http://www.exodia.co.il/

Kudos to Better World Books!

Congratulations to Better World Books, an online book retailer that recently won the WasteWise Gold Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Better World Books collects and sells new and used books online, then donates a portion of each sale to help literacy initiatives worldwide. Books that cannot be re-sold or re-used are recycled. To date, the company has successfully diverted more than 32 million books from landfills! In the process, it has also raised $7.6 million in funding for literacy and education initiatives worldwide through the sale of those books.

Every book purchased on BetterWorldBooks.com funds a global literacy through its non-profit literacy partners, including the National Center for Family Literacy, Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, and Invisible Children. The company benefits nearly 100 additional non-profit organizations every year.

Way to go, Better World Books!

The First 100% Recyclable Wiper Blade Makes it Debut!

According to www.Earth-policy.org, some 14 million cars were scrapped last year, leaving some 28 million rubber wiper blades bound for a landfill somewhere. Until now, there was no choice about what to do with them, but thanks to Jamak Fabrication, we now have the Tripledge GREEN Wiper Blade - the first ever 100% fully recyclable wiper blade.

Jamark bills the new blade as a high-quality, durable, silicone blade produced so that all components can be recycled. By creating a unique technology that can re-polymerize the silicone blade 100% back into a raw polymer product, Jamark is helping to reduce the trash.

Plus, the Tripledge GREEN Wiper Blade's packaging is 100% biodegradable and recyclable. You can recycle their packaging and the metal frame from their wiper blades in your own at-home recycling bins. The silicone can then be returned to Jamak to be reclaimed and made into new automotive parts.

The Tripledge GREEN Blade is designed to last the lifetime of your car and even longer, and comes with a Lifetime Warranty.

For more information on the Tripledge GREEN Blade and other Jamak wiper blade products, please visit www.TheWiperStore.com

Happy Earth Day!

Here’s a quick look at some “Earth Day” happenings:

GoodShop.com, offering everything from groceries to school supplies offers shoppers the opportunity (without spending anything extra) to donate money to the “green” nonprofit of their choice! GoodShop.com is an online shopping mall that donates up to 30% of every purchase at more than 1,400 outlets.

Plus, the site lists hundreds of coupons and deals including free shipping offers, percentages off, buy-one-get-one deals, and money back on future orders.

Meanwhile, LIV GRN,(www.livgrn.com) is introducing a new, eco-friendly clothing line, merging style and comfort with earth sustaining materials (see above). The looks are carefree, with an edge of sophistication. LIV GRN also donates 10% of its profits to GLOBAL GREEN, (www.globalgreen.org).

Want to save some trees? Check out www.cocodot.com for the hottest new eco-chic entertaining solutions. Cocodot lets you save time, money and energy without comprising style. Choose from a gallery of over 6,000 exclusive images shot by famed fashion and lifestyle photographer Amy Neunsinger. Cocodot’s invites may even inspire you to host your next dinner party.!

In honor of Earth Day, you can create a FREE Cocodot invitation by entering cocoEarth2010 at checkout, now through May 15th . Your free party invite can be created, personalized and delivered to an unlimited amount of guests within minutes.

And speaking of FREE, if you happen to be in New York City today, Burt’s Bees will be giving out natural smoothies at Central Park, from 9 to 11 am, and at a “Bike Blender” station in Times Square from 11:30 am to 2 pm today. You’ll see Burt look-alikes taking to the streets, handing out samples and urging people to be as eco-friendly as Burt.

Burt’s Bees has been offering earth-friendly, natural personal care products for 25 years. For more information, visit www.findyourburt.com.