The Budget Ecoist

While you’re out shopping for new summer flops, take a moment to pay homage to the ones you wore down to the nubbins at last year’s beach parties. Then thank the people at Uncommon Goods who are selling cool products made from the waste at flip-flop factories. Using every part of the rubber, these baskets, nesters and our favorite – doormats also place a splash of solid color in your home (bolds are beautiful right now, ya’ know).

For twenty bucks you can pick up the small doormat, which will last for years given the sturdy, washable materials. If you want to super-size, then you’ll need to shell out forty for the big one. We loooove that the doormat doesn’t need to be swept or vacuumed. We also enjoy the Kafkaesque element of, “Hmmm, my shoes are stepping on . . . shoes.” We’re wacky like that.

The baskets will set you back a little bit more; the round baskets pictured above are sold as a set for $120. If you’re feeling wealthy, we think these could be ideal for umbrellas and outdoor shoes. After all they’re waterproof and dirt slides right off of these bad boys.

The rectangular nesting baskets also go for $120 a pair. We say (depending on lifestyle choice) one can fill them up with oodles of kid toys or alternately, your kickin’ vinyl collection. Yet another reason to save your old tunes from your next yard sale!

We’ve also seen these around neighborhood boutiques, so if you’re picky about your color scheme (they are made from the scraps so you never know what you’re going to get) go to your local hip yet socially responsible shop and pick up these styling house wares that have been saved from the landfills.

Green gals know to buy organic cotton. But why? Here’s a run-down on organic cotton and why you should look for it when buying t-shirts, towels, and yet more of those always-disappearing white socks.

Conventional cotton is one of the most widely grown crops in the world. It’s also one of the most chemical-intensive – and all those chemicals have tremendous impact on the earth’s air, water, soil, and the health of people in cotton growing areas.

With nineteen cotton-growing states in our fair union, the cotton crop accounts for roughly twenty-five percent of all pesticides used in the U.S. And these pesticides are classified as among the most toxic by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In developing countries, the regulations are even less strict and conventional cotton farming not only floods the environment with toxins but, according to the World Health Organization, also causes thousands of deaths each year from pesticide poisoning.

Simply put, that cotton t-shirt you’re wearing (presuming it’s not organic) added up to 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to the environment. If you’re wearing jeans, add an extra 3/4 of a pound to the noxious mix. Tally up the pairs of jeans in your closet and do the math. (We’re horrified too. And planning to research cheap organic cotton denim at first opportunity.)

Luckily, growers are becoming savvy to the need for organic cotton crops. Chemical-free agricultural methods are employed, including compost and alternative weed management systems (think innovative farm machinery and flame devices). Natural insect enemies are cultivated to keep bugs off the fluffy white crop. It's more expensive, but more sustainable - for which your grandchildren will thank you.

So look for organic cotton next time the dryer eats your socks.

The Budget Ecoist links you to the best eco buzz from around the web:

Recycled Glass from Pier 1 via Sprig - Glass vases are like a blank canvas: fill them with flowers, sure; or perhaps some sand and seashells for that longing-to-be-at-the-beach look, or fill it with bright green apples for a simple, pop of color. Pier 1's prices for these great recycled pieces are so good, you can let your imagination go wild! And seriously...the recycled....

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The Test: Paige gets down and dirty with Green Works™ Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

The Claim: Green Works™ is the Clorox Company's answer to a green product line. Clorox, of course, is synonymous with bleach in our minds, so we were intrigued by the claim that their "natural toilet bowl cleaner helps scrub away rust, mineral deposits and hard water. And since it's made with plant and mineral-based ingredients it's better for the environment....

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At first, “disposable” chopsticks that come with Chinese takeout or sushi may appear wasteful, and the matter has actually become a hot topic in China recently. But many pairs are made from ultra-renewable fast-growing bamboo, and others are made from other fast-growing woods like birch. However, there’s some debate as to how safe it is to reuse wooden chopsticks as eating utensils (especially if they’ve been used to handle raw fish),....

Continue reading "Five Ways to Reuse Chopsticks: Recycle This!"...