The Alternative Consumer

Australian Scent – sustainable skincare

Maureen — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:11:07 PST

Whether traveling by air, or caring for your skin on the home front, here’s an all natural line of products to help keep your complexion and the planet balanced and glowing. I recently discovered AustralianScent, and was surprised to learn that this company is New York City based. Deemed food for the skin, these powerful goods [...]

a mixed bag of green news

rd — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:29:55 PST

Clean energy shouldn’t be a species expense…Solar Showdown in Calif. Tortoises’ Desert Home – yahoo! news I think a little exotic pet regulation is in order…Crews Contend With 19 Pythons in Utah Trailer Fire – myway Seems a wolf can’t catch a break anywhere…Sweden Culls its Resurgent Wolves – bbc I guess dimwitted Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal doesn’t [...]

January First, 2010 – living in the present

Maureen — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:07:23 PST

A fresh dawn. A new year. A new decade. A new moon. Kiss 2009 goodbye, farewell. I welcome this day and decade with open arms and a surprising thirst for firsts. Having reflected on the past year and decade, and considered plans for the coming ones, I figured it’s time to focus on the present. Just be. [...]

the sustainability spectrum – part 1

Rose — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:23:16 PST

You buy organic food but you’re not sure what fair trade means. Or maybe you’re a strict vegan who drives a hybrid. You could be a religious recycler, or an energy curmudgeon, or just getting your feet wet into this “green” thing. You have ideas about what’s right, and you have questions about what you [...]

the white blur

Maureen — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:01:43 PST

One fine new year’s eve many moons ago, a handful of friends descended upon The Deer Mountain Inn in upstate New York, to ring in the new year. It was a beautiful snowy night, and given the mountainous terrain, this “evening out” was to be quite an adventure. Evening attire was required, so we got [...]

2009 – taking stock

Maureen — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:10:35 PST

I guess it’s officially time to reflect on the past, and consider plans for the coming year or decade. How are you doing? For some reason, I awoke with thoughts of life being like operating a car. Weird. But here goes. Can’t drive too slowly, it causes congestion. Can’t drive too quickly, it’s reckless and could [...]

2009 – a look back greenly

rd — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:12:22 PST

Was 2009 a good or bad year for green? On balance I’d say it was a net positive: we got rid of G.W. Bush and his oilman cronies, saw the Obama administration throw some significant seed money at alternative energy R&D, and got the EPA back doing what it was created to do. On the [...]

Tanita solar digital scale made with bioplastic

Maureen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:05:18 PST

If one of your new year’s resolutions is to lose weight, here’s a nifty eco gadget to help you monitor the situation. Japanese precision electronic scale maker, Tanita, has made the common bathroom scale a little greener. In addition to being solar-powered, Tanita’s new HS-302 Solar Digital Scale is made with ABS plastic using biodegradable resins. [...]

sprayology – be the life of the party…before and after

Maureen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:50:47 PST

Now here’s something I’m going to have to try…since even smart cats or kittens get themselves into trouble now and then. If your New Year’s unexpectedly hits level 5 on the party scale, don’t be caught hung over. Reach for Party Relief, a “natural rx” to alleviate headache, dehydration and nausea. Trick is — spray it in [...]

recycled bicycle parts clock – time pedals on

mr. happy — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:40:07 PST

Unlike many items made from upcycled or recycled materials, this clock made from old bike parts looks kind of cool – in an industrial, bike obsessed kind of way. The swinging pendulum is made from a recycled bike cog and chain section. The 12″ tall clock runs on one, AA battery. Comes in green, blue or [...]