Oh, the dilemma…do you go for the cheap white or green plastic outdoor furniture that seems like easy maintenance but will get tossed around in high winds, likely crack and get “chalky” in the sun?  Do you opt for the real wood version that requires more maintenance and may splinter and fade?  Or should you get the metal set that will probably rust in a year or two?

What if you had another option that was virtually maintenance free, built to last  and was sustainable?  Well now you do!   Poly-Wood is made from recycled milk jugs, bottles and containers.  The heavy duty HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) plastic is formed to look and feel like real wood and then cut into slats that are used to build their chairs & tables assembled with rust-proof stainless steel screws.  (This same material is also used to build weather-resistent decks & benches as well).  The lightest chair weighs in at approximately 40 pounds, so you don’t have to worry about these blowing around in the wind.  They come in a variety of six bright summery colors and guaranteed not to fade.  With very minimal maintenance (wipe down with soap & water occasionally), these are built to last and resist outdoor elements.  Leave them in the yard, on a porch or even on the beach and they won’t fade, warp or lose their color. 

Poly-Wood Adirondack Chairs:

You have just one more week to prep for your 4th of July celebration…that day where family & friends gather together, eat too much food, play games or maybe just relax at the pool, park or beach in anticipation of the grand display later in the evening.  Lighting really sets the mood when you’re throwing a bash and what better way than to use the sun to power it; not to mention you won’t have to worry about the candles going out or unnecessarily using power to shed some light on your evening.  With a full charge these cool weather resistent, cordless, flame-resistent shoji lanterns will illuminate for 6-8 hours.  If you want to keep them up all summer, they have an automatic day/night sensor so when nightfall arrives, they’ll automatically turn on (or you have the option of manually turning them on or off).  They’re collapsible for easy storage and this set of three also comes in red, white & blue! 

Aaron Chang is a popular action sports photographer & avid surfer.  As such, he cares about taking care of the environment around him and states “Maintaining and loving our environment is paramount to the welfare of our planet and oceans. If we all band together, set aside the politics and do everything within our power to contribute to a global effort we can effect change.”

His line has until now only included traditional materials, but this Spring launched his eco line including bathing suits, board shorts and rashguards made of recycled polyester and t-shirts and cover-ups made of organic cotton! 

In addition, he’s decided to use recycled paper certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Rainforest Alliance for each and every one of his promotional material including catalogs, posters, hangtags, press kits and their POP displays.  

 A percentage of the proceeds from his eco-friendly collection will be donated to environmental and humanitarian efforts worldwide and his hope is to set an example to the action sports industry and its customers in order to inspire change. 

 Aaron Chang ‘Nola’ Bikini:

View the Spring/Summer line here or keep an eye out for his collection to arrive in your local Urban Outfitters soon.  Check out Aaron’s legendary photography here.   

Simple Shoes is, as they say, “a nice little shoe company” and I couldn’t agree more!  Their Green Toe line is perfect for summer and are made out of sustainable materials.  You won’t find an animal by-products (leather) in the bunch, but what you will find is a 100% post-consumer paper pulp footbed, hemp, certified organic cotton, bamboo and jute uppers and recycled car tires for the soles sealed together with water-based cements.  And they’ll ship them to your eco-self in a post-consumer recycled box. 

 The womens ‘Toepaz’ is perfect for pairing with that summer dress, jeans or shorts and great for travel.  I have to wear slip-ons when I travel (on a plane) so that I can smoothly & gracefully make it through the security line.  I have enough stuff to shove back in my carry-on; I don’t want to worry about lacing shoes or zipping boots.  (These are also great to throw in your beach tote!)  The Men’s ‘U.F. Toe’  flip-flop is great at the beach, lounging at the pool, taking on vacation or just about anywhere. 

So what more do you need besides a carry-on made of recycled bottles fillled with healthy snacks for your upcoming trip?  Below you’ll find some of my ”essentials” that help make my journeys a little easier…

 CleanWell Antibacterial Wipes

When you travel, you are exposed to so many more germs than you normally are and in contact with so many different people.  These generously-sized, thick wipes are biodegradable and non-toxic (no Triclosan), made with their own proprietary “Ingenium” ingredient made of essential oils and kills 99.99% of bacteria.  Throw a few of these in your carry-on, wallet or purse and clean up anytime. 

 Source Naturals Wellness Formula

If you haven’t heard about Wellness Formula, its great to help ward off any sick bugs that might be coming your way.  After all, who knows how many people on the plane already have the flu and the circulated air doesn’t help matters.  If you’re already sick and need to nip it in the bud so you can enjoy yourself, take these diligently and knock it out. 

Trillium Organics Travel Kit

This little kit contains four products that will keep your skin clean & hydrated.  Airplanes seem to dry out the skin, so that’s why its a good idea to drink lots of water on the plane and keep some moisturizer in your carry-on.  These four travel-size products are totally pure and smell amazing (and they’re less than 3 ounces so you’ll get through security in a breeze)!  Lavender Geranium (pictured here) is their most popular scent, but for summer I like Grapefruit.  If you’re a guy I’d highly suggest Cedar Sage or Lime. 

 What travel essentials can’t you live without???

I’ve compiled some of my favorite snacks that will have you passing up candy at the magazine rack and peanuts on the plane.  In most cases, you’ll find that these alternatives are not more expensive than their conventional counterparts.   Bringing healthy snacks is one of the most important things when I travel, because I know its unlikely I’ll find any at the airport, on the plane or soon after I land.  (Although I do map out the closest market or health food store to my hotel before my trip so I can plan to get some things for my stay).  It’s always important for me to plan ahead and shop in advance so I can pack them in my carry-on for easy access when I get the munchies on the plane (or before or after). 

1). Sensible Foods Organic Apple & Cherry Berry packets:

Equal to a 1/2 cup of fresh fruit, these ”crunch-dried” fruit snacks are 100% organic & GMO free and you’ll find nothing in the bag but the fruit….no preservatives, additives, coloring, sugar, gluten….nada!  Because snacks foods are usually laden with high (bad) fat, salt, refined sugar, and empty calories, the makers of Sensible Foods wanted to create an alternative.  So they created a process to extract the water from the fruit and keep all the enzymes and nutrients in tact.  They are delicious!  

2). Eden Foods Roasted Organic Pumpkin Seeds:

Forego the peanuts and munch on these! Just dry-roasted seeds with a bit a sea salt, make a super delicious and ultra nutrious snack.  You’ll get protein, dietary fiber, magnesium, much needed omega-3, 6, and 9 EFAs and 15% of your daily value of zinc per serving.  They also come in a resealable zip top so they don’t spill over over in your bag.  Studies indicate that pumpkin seeds may protect against kidney stones and parasitic disease, and may even help ward off depression.

3). Woodstock Farms Organic Mango slices: 

These are one of my favorite sweet treats!  They’re addicting and a rich source of Vitamin A with good doses of Vitamins B and C.  Mangos have more carotenoids than most other fruits. They’re high in fiber, and contain a small amount of carbohydrates, which the body converts to energy.
 

4). Oskri Organics Sesame Bar:

If you’re craving a candy bar, try one of these instead.  This is a sweet & nutty crunchy treat that will quench your sweet tooth.  You’ll find three thin vegan and kosher bars in a pack; high in fiber, iron, calcium and protein.  But what won’t you find?  Lactose, gluten, refined sugar & simple carbs.   Yum!

5). NOW Raw almonds:

There are so many amazing benefits of almonds.  Studies have shown that consuming almonds may have the same cholesterol-lowering effects as statin drugs.  With just 1.5 ounces you’ll get a great dose of Vitamin E and magnesium along with protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron.  They contain phytochemicals, which are plant chemicals that may provide powerful protection against heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.  New research claims that almonds may be able to help fight obesity and diabetes.  (I wouldn’t put the whole 1 lb. bag in the carry-on.  Scoop a couple ounces out into a small bag and you’re good to go!). 

Not just for the plane….it’s great to stock up on these for road trips, camping, school lunches or keep a stash in your desk at work 

As Summer Solstice approaches, I’m focusing on travel since the summer months usually bring on the vacations, weddings and family reunions. This week I’ll highlight a variety of goods that will make those security checkpoints at the airport a little easier and those days in the sunshine a little cooler.

It all begins with the bag. Whether it’s a carry-on, a shopping or beach tote, you need a bag that will keep you organized, yet not too big and bulky. The Bagallini ECO Only Bagg is one of those bags. In 1995, two veteran flight attendants decided there was a lack of functional bags that looked as good as they performed. So they went to work creating lightweight bags for travel. Their newly released ECO line made of 100% recycled plastic bottles comes in five colors with a pleasant sheen and flexible water resistant fabric. The line is designed to keep hundreds of thousands of bottles out of the landfill and their “Only” Bagg was designed to be “the only bag you’ll ever need“. Now I don’t know about that, because what woman doesn’t like to have an assortment of bags to choose from…but since this is multi-functional you could most definitely use it for a meriad of purposes (travel, work, shop etc).

Outer fabric is made from 26 recycled plastic bottles:

Personally, I think this makes a great carry-on with it’s three main compartments (for laptop, magazine and book), seven inside zippered compartments (to keep your wallet & boarding pass secure yet easily reachable & your snacks accessible), two bottle holders, a detached ID/coin (to smoothly flash to security or grab exact change for your iced organic green tea at the airport Starbucks), and detachable cell phone holder on the strap (so you don’t have to rustle around the bottom of your bag hunting for it). I like to have my carry-on with me, not up in the overhead bins where it is often inconvenient to get up and pull your bag down from the scrunched overhead storage, not to mention if you are in the middle or window seat asking everyone in your row to get up for you. So I like to bring a soft tote that I can stash under the seat in front of me and easily access my book, magazine, laptop, snacks, water, notepad, lipbalm, etc.

What’s your favorite carry-on? I’d love to hear…

How about getting the man in your life some designer duds?  Joe’s Jeans is one of those conveted labels from everyday hipsters to celebs including Will Smith, Kate Beckinsale, Mary J Blige, Tom, Katie and Suri Cruise.  Although most of their line is made from conventional material, they’ve definitely caught on to consumer demand.  These ‘Rebel’ Relaxed Fit jeans are made from Certified Organic Cotton and have a great look.  Gift him with a pair of these and he’ll feel good knowing he’s stepping out in style all while supporting organic industry.  The more we buy organic, the more demand there will be for it which means less pesticides and fungicides in our air, in our soil and in our water.  Often times an increased cost is associated with going organic, but in Joe’s case the organic version is in the same range as the rest.  (In fact, right now they are 33% off!).  So why not go organic?!  And who said we have to give up style for “green”? 

Hemp is an exceptionally eco-friendly material. It requires no irrigation, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. It is also harvested and processed by hand. Hemp is also one of, if not the most, durable natural fibers on the planet. With such resilience, hemp will last and last and last, so you won’t have to spend precious time and money on replacements.

Patagonia’s Hempdress is made from 67% hemp and 33% recycled polyester.

If you haven’t already heard about the hip & eco-centric Pangea Organics, it’s time to get in the know!  Comprised of a small group of like-minded soap slingers in Boulder, Colorado they’ve got a lot of style, but even more integrity.  “Pangea” (pan-jee-uh) means “the whole earth” and describes precisely what this company cares so much about.  With a desire for businesses to become more conscious of their decisions and aware of their impact on the earth, after being prompted by a friend, founder Joshua Onysko decided to fund his dream of a learning center (Pangea Institute) with soap sale profits.  With an “Always Beneficial, Never Artificial” mantra, today he is doing just that…laying the financial foundation for a non-profit that will teach entrepreneurs and small businesses all aspects of sustainable living and business practices. 

The first bar of soap he made was at home with his mother and when he got such great feedback about his soap bars from family and friends he decided to sell it at local Farmers Markets.  Today, he is still very much passionate about sourcing the best organic ingredients from around the world, paying a fair wage for those ingredients and ensuring his packaging is recycled and/or recyclable.  The compostable cardboard boxes in which the glass containers arrive contain seeds so that when it’s planted it will grow herbs.  (How cool is that?!)  Today, the line has expanded from bars to include shower gels, lotions, liquid hand soaps, massage/body oils and a full skincare line.  (A children’s line is also in the works…shhhh!).   All of which you can be sure I’ll post more about in the future. 

Not only do I personally love their products for their purity and effectiveness, but their unisex packaging is cool & modern (so lacking amongst organic products) and looks great in the bathroom!

 If you’re waiting until the last minute to get the Dad in your life something unique, forego that polluted bottle of cologne and meet Pangea’s best seller, Canadian Pine with White Sage Shower Gel.  A hit with anyone who’s had the pleasure of smelling and sudsing with the highly concentrated woodsy gel that will last up to three times longer than conventional body wash.  My personal fave is Malagasy Ylang Ylang & Linden Flower.

 If you’re a Pangea convert as well, what’s your favorite scent???