Environmental responsibility has moved from the periphery to the mainstream, which means that there’s an increasing array of green products that look great, work wonderfully, and are good for the planet. Natural renewable fibers replace polluting plastic, organic cloth takes the lead over pesticide-laden cotton, and recycled materials keep waste out of landfills. Bright, sustainable ideas abound. Here is Black Enterprise‘s eco-starter kit:
- Green Glass Co. These high-end glasses are made from reclaimed wine and beer bottles. The vivid colors come from the bottles themselves and a sandblast process is used to create patterns such as fish and vines on glasses and goblets. In recognition of Earth Day, in April the company will donate 10% of the proceeds from its Evergreen Collection to the Nature Conservancy. Prices start at $37.50 for a set of four tumblers. www.greenglass.com
- Cisco Brothers
Gone are the days when environmentally friendly couches, chairs, and pillows only come in oatmeal color and look like burlap. Cisco’s Basal Living Collection is made from natural latex instead of foam and isn’t treated with toxic fire-retardants. Colorful and classic designs are made from 100% organic material. Frames are constructed from Forest Stewardship Council-certified sustainable wood. Prices range from $825 to about $3,000.www.ciscobrothers.com. - Lucky Earth Waterless Car Wash
- Washing a car at home can waste from 80 to 140 gallons of water and produce soapy runoff that contains phosphates. Lucky Earth’s spray cleans, shines, and polishes. The solution is organic, hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and doesn’t require water. Each bottle contains up to 10 washes, $22.www.luckyearth.com
- Ceramcor’s Xtrema Cookware
Ceramcor’s cookware is made from natural minerals with a nonstick glaze that is nontoxic and nonreactive. The pans can go in the oven, on the stovetop, and even in the microwave. That versatility and durability means less cleaning and plastic waste. Prices per piece range from $39 to $139. www.ceramcor.com - The Company Store’s Bamboo Collection
Bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource that has hypoallergenic and antibacterial qualities. It can also feel just as soft as high thread count cotton and doesn’t pill up. The Company Store’s durable blankets, sheets, towels, rugs, and loungewear come in classic colors and start at $24.www.thecompanystore.com - Herman Miller Caper Multipurpose Chair
Office chairs are commonly made from materials that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This family of chemicals is emitted as gases–think headache-inducing paint–and is bad for the environment and human health. Herman Miller’s Caper chair is made from nontoxic and recycled materials that can all be recycled at the end of the chair’s useful life. Retails starting at $515. www.hermanmiller.com - HYmini
This handheld wind and solar power charger for your cell phone, music player, and other small electronics only needs nine mile-per-hour winds to charge. Mount one–or several–on a bicycle or, for the fast-footed, strap one to your arm when you run to charge a cell phone later. Comes in black, white, and green, $49.99. http://hymini.com - Power Monkey eXplorer Solar Charger
Some solar chargers are the size of dinner plates, but the Power Monkey model fits in your pocket and is more powerful than a standard battery. It comes with attachments for a wide variety of devices and can provide 96 hours of standby for a cell phone, as well as 48 hours for a PDA, $120. www.ecogeekliving.com/pomoexsoch.html - LED Shakable Flashlight
This LED flashlight never needs batteries, just a good shake to get it started. EcoGeekLiving’s model has three brightness levels and is waterproof. Leave one nearby in case of emergency. Starting at $21.95. www.ecogeekliving.com/shakeledflashlight.html - Sony VAIO Eco-Series Laptop
Sony’s Eco-Series laptop is narrow to reduce the use of natural resources, has components made from recyclable materials such as its magnesium alloy casing, and is packaged with recycled paper certified as sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council. The laptop is also free of lead and other hazardous materials, making it compliant with strict European electronics standards, $1,090. www.sonystyle.com - Klean Kanteen
While the debate over whether plastic water bottles leach hormone-disrupting chemicals continues, these sanitary-grade stainless steel canteens are a stylish, safe, and eco-friendly alternative. The lightweight bottles come in sizes from 12 to 40 ounces, starting at $14.95 for a 12-oz bottle. www.kleankanteen.com - Ecover Cleansers
This company’s tagline for liquid soap is “does the dishes, not the fishes.†Made in ecologically-sound factories, these nontoxic soaps are phosphate-free, meaning they don’t disrupt aquatic life like other detergents. After three days, soapy Ecover water is safe enough to be used on your garden–ideal for homes with water-capture systems. Prices start at $3. www.ecover.com/us/en/ - Ecopod e1
This home recycling center is the sports car of home recycling. No need for bulky bins parked around the kitchen. The sleek-looking Ecopod e1 compacts aluminum and plastic containers in one pedal press motion, making room for up to 60 crushed items. There are also storage compartments for glass and paper under the lid, $328.
www.ecopod.org - Kill A Watt
Even if your TV is off, it still pulls electricity. Plug your electronics into the Kill A Watt device and a readout shows how much energy they use. The EZ model calculates monthly energy costs so you can identify electricity vampires, put them on power strips, and flip the off switch at night to save money. Starting at $20. www.p3international.com - Recycled Billboard Bags
District Cotton, a New York-based company that makes socially responsible organic cotton apparel, found a colorful way to keep used billboard materials out of landfills. The result: graphic messenger bags and totes handcrafted in Buenos Aires from the remnants of local advertising. No two look the same: $37-$63. www.districtcotton.com