Yet that’s exactly what Bonnie C., a 26-year old resident of Washington, D.C., has done. Bonnie is single, lives in an apartment, and works for the U.S. Government. Here’s her story:

“I read a blog post of yours last year encouraging readers to redirect $1000 in spending to green purchases.  This really struck me, and I decided to try it.  I hit $1000 in December when I installed my own programmable thermostat.  Here’s how I did it:

BONNIE’S BIG GREEN SHIFTS

Used furniture (sofa, dining table, patio table, TV, TV cabinet): $340, but the TV and cabinet were free!

 Used Bike: $250

Garden Plot, tools, soil: $200

Organic Food: $75

Glass food containers: $40

Organic Body Products: $5 (but I’ve only run out of toothpaste, so I expect this number to grow)

No VOC Paint: $40

CFL Lightbulbs: $20

Green Cleaning Products: $25

Programmable Thermostat: $34

Total: $1029

Even though I live in an apartment, I installed the thermostat and painted – I’ll change them back when I move out.

I think it’s also interesting to note that most of these purchases saved me money.  I’m 26, and I don’t have a large budget to reallocate, but by buying used items, I must have saved hundreds.  The lightbulbs and thermostat will save me money, AND I don’t have to get out of bed in a cold house!  I also bought a fuel-efficient Honda Fit that gets about 34 mpg on average for my typical commute, but 37-38 on long road trips.

This year I’m planning to shift more spending towards food and beauty products.  I’m also trying to get a roommate, which will not only cut down on expenses, but house 2 people using about the same energy as 1.

Most of these were really easy changes, but I’m still getting over sticker shock of organic food and beauty products.

Changing out the thermostat was surprisingly easy.  Yes, there were tons of poorly labeled wires, but we followed the directions carefully and it only took about 30 minutes.

Next I’m looking for a roommate!  I’m also going to try to get into composting.  And I’ll keep migrating to better food and beauty products.”

Bonnie’s also going to keep working on her boyfriend, who was helpful if skeptical. “He was reluctant at first,” she says, “but had a positive view after we finished those projects (installing the thermostat and setting up the garden plot).”  I’m still trying to get him into better toiletries and food, but he was a quick sell on green cleaning products!”

Thanks for blogging and motivating me!”
Bonnie

As Bonnie knows, every dollar you shift makes a difference. The way you spend your money is your first line of defense against products that contain toxic ingredients or waste energy. Just as importantly, buying “green” encourages companies to reduce pollution and use water and other natural resources with greater care. Plus, choosing more environmental options often saves you money immediately. For all these reasons, the Big Green Purse One in a Million campaign inspires people to set a goal of shifting at least $1,000 of money they’d spend anyway on the most environmentally-friendly products available.

Thousands of people have already committed to shifting their spending. Why don’t you? You can sign up here.

For more inspiring stories like Bonnie’s, start here.

The post Washington, D.C. Woman Shifts $1,029 of Her Household Budget to Go Green appeared first on Big Green Purse.

1) Don’t buy anything that requires a throwaway battery. Batteries leak cadmium, lead and other heavy metals when they’re thrown away. They usually come wrapped in plastic and cardboard, creating more trash as soon as you buy them. Plus, you have to keep replacing them; in some cases, the cost of batteries over the life of a product ends up amounting to more than the product itself.  Avoid toys, gadgets and appliances that require short-lived, throwaway batteries. If you must give a battery-powered gift, include rechargeable batteries and the recharger to go with it. One of my favorites is a reuseable AAA battery you can recharge in the USB port of your computer.

2) Green Shopping Solution: Buy solar- or hand-powered. Among your options: hand-cranked flashlights, coffee grinders, blenders and juicers. Vintage-style razors with replaceable razor blades. A French-press coffee pot. More interested in solar? Try solar-powered chargers for cell phones, flash drives, and radios.

3) Don’t buy synthetic fragrances and air fresheners. Ironically, even though these products are supposed to make things smell better, they actually make it more difficult for many people to breathe, especially those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems. Want your home to waft Christmas? Simmer a small pot of water, cloves and cinnamon sticks over the stove. Need to smell better yourself? Dab a drop of essential oil from your favorite flower (mine is lavender) behind each ear and on the inside of each wrist.

4) Green Shopping Solution: Buy phthalate-free. Phthalates are often the building blocks for synthetic fragrances. They’re also found in nail polish and many other personal care products. The downside? They’re nasty chemicals considered a reproductive hazard in Europe and the state of California. Luckily, you can find a wonderful variety of phthalate-free nail polishes, perfumes, make-up and other personal care products in stores like Whole Foods and the Body Shop or online here.

5) Don’t buy BPA specifically and plastic generally. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is like phthalates – an “endocrine disruptor” that could be toxic to your reproductive system. It’s usually found in plastic, especially plastic water bottles, some baby bottles and nipples, and rubber and plastic toys. If what you want to buy is plastic or rubber, check the label for the words “BPA Free.” Better yet…

6) Green Shopping Solution: Buy stainless steel, aluminum, glass, or wood. Instead of plastic water bottles, choose stainless steel, aluminum, or glass bottles that come with a protective sleeve to reduce the chances of breaking. Choose glass or stainless steel food serving and storage containers, too. You can find wonderful toys made from wood and decorated with lead-free paint from many American companies.

7) Don’t buy wrapping paper, even if it’s recycled. Why does it matter? Because Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than at any other time of year, reports the Stanford Recycling Center. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week! If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. Plus, if every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

8) Green Shopping Solution: Buy reusables. Can you wrap it in cloth? Try decorative towels, large napkins, festive scarves and bandanas, tied up with shoelaces or ribbons. Use reusable shopping bags, lunch boxes, and cookie tins, too.

9) Don’t buy “natural.” Everybody likes the idea of “natural” – which is why marketers slap the words on products that couldn’t be farther from their natural state. Don’t get sucked into buying something just because the packaging claims it’s “natural.”

10) Green Shopping Solution: Buy certified. While “natural” doesn’t mean much, products whose environmental attributes have been certified to meet rigorous standards by organizations independent of the manufacturer can more readily be trusted. Look for companies whose claims that their goods are organic, Fair Trade, humane, non-toxic, or designed to help protect forests and wildlife have been independently certified. You can find a list of labels you can trust here.

Buy:                                                                       Don’t  Buy:

Solar- or Hand Powered                                           Battery Powered

Phthalate-Free                                                       Synthetic Fragrances & Air Fresheners

Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Glass                             BPA specifically, Plastic generally

Reusable towels, scarves, bags                              Throwaway wrapping

Certified                                                                Natural

Want more holiday tips? Look here for info on …

Eco-Frirendly Christmas Trees

Energy-Saving Holiday Lights/LED Holiday Lights

Holiday Candles Made From Soy and Beeswax

Safe Toys

The post Ten “Buy/Don’t Buy” Rules for Green Shopping appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Fredia created the House of Green organization to “encourage residents and business owners (of the District of Columbia) to embrace environmentally-friendly lifestyle alternatives as a solution for sustainability.” The organization offers workshops, connects consumers to green products, and helps raise awareness about green businesses that are operating in the District of Columbia.

She was inspired to shift her spending because she wanted to “live healthy and elmininate toxins” in her lifestyle. Fredia says that the increasing availability of products where she shops and online is making shifting her spending easier than she’d anticipated. However, the challenge is determining what’s organic and what’s not, especially for products that are not food, but still claim to be organic.

In the future, Fredia plans to put solar collectors on her home and replace her current vehicle with one that is more environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, the House of Green will continue to share Fredia’s knowledge with D.C. residents.

How Fredia Shifted $1,000 in 2 Months:

4/10 – Mineral cosmetics – $300

4/17 – Foot detox – $50

4/15 – Two months of natural body products – $300

4/16 – Whole Foods groceries – $100

4/17 – Natural vitamins/minerals – $133

4/21 –  Cookies $7.99

4/28 – Whole Foods – $75

5/2 – Whole Foods – $35

5/3 – Yes! Market – $49

5/6 – Groceries – $31.21

5/25 – Organic shoes – $114

Total Shift – $1,195.20

Have you joined the One in a Million challenge yet? It’s a great way to make the changes you’ve been thinking about making anyway. Get started here.

The post She Put $1,000 of Her Money Where Her (Eco) Mouth Is appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Well, Kim (pictured right) also started buying more organic chocolates and tea (who can blaim her?), organic groceries,and organically-based personal care products like body lotions and shampoos. She printed her business cards on recycled paper and bought recycled envelopes, too. Plus, she bought a re-usable stainless steel lunch container so she could forego plastic bags or takeout boxes. All told, she shifted more than $1,000 in just a few months, qualifying her to become a One in a Million member.

Now, you might think it was a “no brainer” for Kim to put her money where her mouth is. After all, she is a green living consultant who has founded her own sustainable business and website. (Make sure you check out her work at GreenWell Consulting and GetGreenBeWell). But she still has to manage a budget, make choices when she shops, and evaluate trade-offs.

So I asked her, “What inspired you to make the shifts to greener products and services?” “I started living greener because of health problems that weren’t being adressed by modern medicine – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia,” she said. “After quickly realizing the positive health benefits of living green, I really became more in tune with how my decisions directly or indirectly affect the health of the planet as a whole. It’s a “Do unto others….” mentality that I have now.  What do my excessive spending habits do to the livelihoods of individuals less fortunate than us around the world?”

Then I wanted to know, “What was easy about the shifts? What was more challenging?”  “Buying organic and healthier foods was definitely easier. There’s an instant benefit there.  And buying green cleaners is a no-brainer. Same cost, or less, for the same cleaning power. Paying much more for healthier personal care products can be challenging sometimes, since the cost is often SO much more than the cheap stuff, but these are products that are being absorbed by your skin, so the health benefits to me are more important. I just find ways to use less stuff, and the savings justify the costs!”

Being intentional about how she’s spending her money has also inspired Kim to plan for the future. “I hope to invest in larger, more expensive items such as rain barrels, a composter, a drip irrigation system and even a hydroponic garden system,” she vows. “I know these are so important, but the initial expense can be quite expensive, especially when it also involves some modifications to your home.”

In the meantime, Kim will continue to make affordable shifts in her day-to-day purchases that benefit her as well as the environment.

Kim’s Shifts in 2010

Feeling inspired? You can join the One in a Million campaign yourself. Here’s how.

And to read about more One in a Million members, click here.

The post Florida Resident Shifts $1,137 to Organic Foods & Worm Poop appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Beth took the One in a Million Challenge last year, as you can see from her balance sheet below. But the spending shifts she’s made weren’t temporary. They’re a way of life that I hope will inspire you to do the same!

Total ……………………………………………………….. $1114.59 

    **NOTE:  “None of this includes cash spent at the Farmer’s Market or elsewhere. These are just credit card expenditures.” Wondering how Beth made these shifts and avoided plastic? She bought laundry powder in a recyclable carboard box, rather than liquid laundry detergent in a plastic jug. She uses cotton mesh baggies to collect produce, rather than plastic bags. She also buys milk in a cardboard carton rather than a plastic bottle. (BTW, ACV stands for apple cider vinegar. TJ stands for Trader Joe’s, though Beth has recently shifted to Tom’s because the aluminum toothpaste tube is recyclable. In the last year, Beth also shifted from detergent powder to Laundry Tree soap nuts.)

Feeling inspired? Please join Beth and the almost 5,000 other consumers who have already taken the One in a Million Challenge! It’s easy — Fill out this balance sheet, keeping track of the shifts you make over time until you have shifted $1,000. Then send us your sheet, along with a picture so we can add your lovely face to our growing wall of One in a Million members. We’ll feature you in Big Green Purse, so you can help inspire others – though we hope you’ll urge your friends and family to take the challenge, too.

The post Plastic Activist Shifts $1114 to Green Goods appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Businesses have long appreciated how much they have to gain by marketing their goods as “natural.” It’s why they’ve plastered the word all over products that, ironically, couldn’t be farther from their natural state…like “natural” cheese puffs, crayola-colored gummy worms, ice cream that contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil and cocoa processed with alkali, and cleansers, soaps, toothpaste, and make-up that contain lye or lead.

Products like these slide by as “natural” because no law prevents any manufacturer or retailer from claiming they are (unlike the label “organic,” which is strictly defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and whose use is policed by both the federal government and consumer groups.) That’s why I and many other consumer advocates encourage shoppers to ignore words like natural, earth-friendly, or something else equally appealing but ambiguous. There’s no way to know what they really mean.

The Natural Products Association wants to clarify the debate. The group, which represents more than 10,000 retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of natural foods, dietary supplements, and health/beauty aids has issued a Natural Products Association Standard and Certification for Home Care Products like household cleaners, laundry detergents, and concentrated and ready to use hard-surface cleaners (they’ve previously issued a similar standard for personal care products). Only products certified under the standard can bear the NPA natural home care seal, which is supposed to signal to consumers that the product can be trusted.

Can it? Or is the standard just a clever attempt by companies better known for harsh and toxic ingredients to greenwash their products and cash in on the “natural” craze?

Dr. Cara Welch, NPA’s Program Coordinator for Science and Regulatory Affairs, said the standard was borne out of “genuine concern by traditional natural-based businesses that the word “natural” had lost its meaning.” As more and more mainstream companies have begun using “natural” to describe their products, Welch said NPA “wanted to challenge every company to keep all ingredients as close to nature as possible.” In other words, NPA wanted to set a meaningful bar that was higher than what many companies might set for themselves while helping consumers make the right choice when they shop.

It’s a step in the right direction.

• Products certified by the NPA can can contain no parabens, phthalates, petrochemical ingredients or formaldehyde.
• They must also be free of synthetic fragrances and colorances (though they may still contain anti-bacterials like triclosan which have been linked to antibiotic resistance in people and deformities in frogs and other wildlife.)
• They may not contain more than 5% synthetic ingredients and those ingredients may not be toxic to human health according to information checked against data bases maintained by the National Institutes of Health and Environmental Working Group, among others.
• They may not be processed using harsh ingredients and may not generate harsh by-products (though the word “harsh” is somewhat ambiguous).

But is it enough? No.

Why not?

• The standard is not mandatory. Only companies who want to get certified will. There’s still nothing to prevent those that don’t from continuing to use — and abuse — the word “natural.”
• The standard does not reflect the product’s entire life cycle,  which includes the environmental and human health impacts of manufacturing, energy use, waste, and disposal in addition to ingredients. As Mary Hunt has frequently pointed out, standards that focus on single attributes create a false sense of well-being about the entire product. But given how much we now know about resource depletion, water scarcity, climate change and packaging impact, how genuine is it to promote a standard that only focuses on ingredients?
• The standard has been developed by those who have the most to gain from it financially – the manufacturers and retailers of “natural” consumer products. There was little or no input from independent third parties, whether consumers or scientists not paid by NPA or its members.  Is this a case of the fox guarding the henhouse? Lack of consumer representation is a growing concern as more and more industry standards abound; businesses should take a look at the opinions posted by the members of the Green Moms Carnival if they have any doubts that they ignore consumer input at their own peril.
• It’s almost impossible to understand the ingredients that NPA considers natural or a non-toxic, permissible synthetic. An orange, consumers get. The tocopherol that’s a derivative of Vitamin E? What the heck is that? If NPA is going to list ingredients, it should at least explain what they actually are.

Dr. Welch said that the standard is a work in progress and will get stronger over time. But why wait to adopt several changes that would immediately address consumers’ concerns?

• Invite consumers and independent scientists to participate in setting the standard, not just the retailers and manufacturers who have so much to gain financially from legitimizing their use of the word natural.
• Make it mandatory. Of course, this would mean that the federal government or enough state governments would have to step in to legally define what natural means. But until they do, marketers will continue to greenwash their products using the word natural, whether they’re NPA-certified or not.
• Make it popular. Until NPA issued this standard for natural home care products, I had no idea the association had previously issued a standard for personal care products. NPA and its certified partners need to use public media and social networks to make sure consumers know what to look for when they shop.
• Get rid of antibacterials. Dr. Welch said that antibacterials continue to be allowed due to “health and safety issues” raised by manufacturers. Consumers and public health officials would argue it is healthier and safer to reduce the public’s exposure to the antibacterials permitted in NPA’s “natural” products.
• Expand the standard so that it includes the life cycle of the entire product. NPA should take its cues from the Sustainability Consortium and expand its standard beyond ingredients. Consumers want and deserve a “complete package” – one that is safe from the inside out. NPA — and any company or industry that’s thinking about setting its own standard — should aspire to that goal.

The post What Does “Natural” Mean? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

What is it? Feelgoodz flip-flops are made of 100% natural rubber that’s harvested from the Yang Para tree in Thailand, where the flip-flops are also produced.  Biodegradable and 100% recyclable, these comfortable flip-flops come in 5 different color combos and are available worldwide through their website. I particularly like the “Twilight” choice, pictured left, which Feelgoodz has designed especially for brides looking to be comfortable at their weddings!

What I like: Feelgoodz flip-flops are made from biodegradable natural rubber, hemp, bamboo, and recycled paper; its display hangers are recycled, too.  The company belongs to the Ashoka network, a global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.  Through their relationship with Ashoka, Feelgoodz has developed a plan to donate 1% of profits to the planet, 1% to the Fair Trade Natural Rubber Program in Thailand, and 1% to the Phitsanulok community that inspired founder Kyle Berner when he worked there several years ago.   I’ve been wearing a pair of the “moon” flip-flops for several weeks, and find the rubber to be very soft and cushiony.  They have not completely molded to my feet just yet, but it is clear from the softness of the rubber that they will.

What could be improved? Because Feelgoodz is a very young company, you can only purchase their products in a handful of retail stores in Louisiana, Hawaii, Oregon, and Maine.  We’d like to see them replace the throwaway flip-flops found in most big-box outlets.  The website is confusing: it shows a great variety of color combos, but only sells five options. Are those coming soon? Hard to say. The company claims the product is recyclable and biodegradable, but where’s the proof? If I wanted to recycle my Feelgoodz flip-flops, where would I send them? How long does it take for them to biodegrade? Back up the claims, please.

Product comparison:

Havaianas – Feelgoodz’ rubber flip-flop style reminds me a lot of the sandals I regularly wear, Havaianas. While Havaianas offer more colors and are available in many local retail outlets, the company makes its product from synthetic as well as natural rubber and says nothing on its website about its commitment to Fair Trade or environmental sustainability.

Rainbow Sandals – One environmentally-friendly aspect of Rainbow leather flip-flops is the lifetime guarantee they provide for the soles of their products.  Keeping one pair of flip-flops in usable condition for a lifetime is a great way to reduce the waste generated by discarding old or broken pairs.  Rainbow also manufactures flip-flops made out of hemp. All their sandals are “triple glued” to keep the soles intact; it was hard to find any information on the environmental impact generated by the glue.

Simple Shoes produces an eco-friendly flip flop called Gumbo, for women and men.  These sandals are made of sustainable hemp, carpet padding, recycled car tire, and natural jute.  They are also vegan-friendly and are shipped in a post consumer recycled box.  Simple Shoes are carried at many nationwide retailers like Nordstrom and Journeys.

BTW, here’s more info on eco shoe styles.

Price comparison
Feelgoodz – $19.99.
Top Havaianas – $18.00.
Rainbow Wide Strap Leather Sandals – $42.50.
Simple Gumbo Sandals – $50.

How many purses?
Two and a half.  Feelgoodz says on its website, “We’re not environmentalists, but we’re doing our part.”  That’s what Big Green Purse is all about, encouraging manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices. Feelgoodz is ahead of the curve. Show us some documentation on your environmental claims and we’ll feel not just good but great about making this a three-purse review!

By Katie Kelleher (with oversight from Diane MacEachern)

Full Disclosure: FeelGoodz provided Big Green Purse with one free pair of flip flips to review, at a value of around $20. The flip flops were worn by our unpaid student intern Katie Kelleher for several weeks before she wrote the review. They will be kept by Katie since who else would want to wear them at this point?

The post Environmental In-Box: Feelgoodz Flip-Flops appeared first on Big Green Purse.

What is it? Barely Native Organic Soaps are entirely plant-based bar soaps.  They contain no artificial fragrances, dyes, or preservatives.  The line of 12 soaps is made with ingredients like coconut, palm, sunflower, and safflower oils.  Berries, fruits, or herbs provide natural colors and gentle skin cleansers.

What I like:  The soaps are certified USDA Organic products, cruelty-free, and contain no parabens.

They’re wrapped with recycled wallpaper scraps salvaged from material that would otherwise go to a landfill and marked with a very small label.  The pure essential oils make the soaps very fragrant and the natural glycerin retained in the handmade process keeps your skin soft after use.  I used a bar of the Thyme soap and was left smelling great and feeling moisturized.   For ultra-sensitive consumers, Barely Native produces a version sans fragrance and coloring.  If you join the company’s Soap of the Month Club, you can receive a bar of each flavor of soap on your doorstep every month.

What could be improved? Because Barely Native is a small company, it appears you can only order the soap online.  Plus, it is a bit pricey. One barcosts $5.95. Unless you buy six or more bars of the product, you must pay a five dollar shipping cost, bringing the total for one bar of soap to $10.95. Ouch!

Product comparison

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Bar Soaps are similar to Barely Native.  The line of eight scents is made with coconut, palm, and olive oils.  They also contain jojoba, hemp, natural glycerin and fragrance.  The soaps are wrapped in colorful paper that is 10% hemp-flax / 90% post-consumer recycled paper.  Dr. Bronner’s bar soap is certified fair trade, organic, and cruelty free. It’s often available at food coops and natural foods stores.

SkinnySkinny organic soap bars smell good enough to eat. Like Barely Native, the soaps are made from certified organic ingredients like beeswax, avocado oil, and unrefined shea butter. Most of the soaps are made in Brooklyn, New York; they’re packaged in recycled, reclaimed and sustainable materials. At $8 bar, they’re much pricier than Barely Native. However, they’re available in a growing number of stores if you prefer to shop in person rather than only on-line, which makes them a bit more affordable.

Vermont Soap Organics produces Certified Organic handmade soap bars for sensitive skin, liquid soaps for skin and cleaning, and organic shower gels.  The company says, “Our special bar soap process removes excess alkali from the soap, creating a super mild bar for the most sensitive skin.” A useful purchasing guide helps you choose the right soap for your skin type: dry & sensitive, dry, normal, combination, normal to oily, oily. You can also choose a shampoo bar and a deodorant bar. In addition to options like peppermint magic and lemongrass, there’s a bar made from aloe and lavender especially for babies.

In contrast to organic soaps, consider the conventional brands available in your drug store or supermarket.  Neutrogena RainBath shower gel, the brand I’ve traditionally used, contains both methylparaben and propylparaben.  Parabens act as preservatives in many personal care products, but have raised red flags because they can irritate the skin and have been found in breast tumor tissue.  RainBath also contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which can lead to canker sores and skin irritation and has been said to contain 1,4-dioxane, a known carcinogen.

Irish Spring is among the most popular drug-store brands of bar soap.  Its active ingredient, Triclocarban, is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent that has been linked to endocrine disruption.  Irish Spring also contains synthetic fragrance.  On the plus side, Irish Spring is packaged in a 100% paperboard carton, 35% of which is post-consumer recycled material.

Price comparison for a bar of soap

Barely Native – $5.95.  If purchased online, $5 flat rate shipping is added to the price, though if you buy six bars or more shipping is free.

SkinnySkinny – $8.00 plus shipping. A free lip balm is included with orders worth $15 or more.

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Bar Soap – $4.19.  The minimum order from the website is $20, but in return you receive free shipping anywhere in the continental United States.

Vermont Soap Organics – $3.95, plus a  $3.99 handling fee per order, along with actual shipping charges.

Neutrogena RainBath shower gel – $8.49 for an 8.5 ounce bottle.

Irish spring – $3.49 for a three-pack.

How can you afford the more expensive soap? Cut back on unnecessary products. If you traditionally use soap, shower gel, body wash, and body scrub, switch to just soap – and enjoy the difference.

How many purses?
Three. We love Barely Native soap, despite its  limited availability and the high cost of one bar. Start asking for it when you shop. Increasing its availability in retail outlets will spare you the shipping cost and help bring the price down.

By Katie Kelleher with Diane MacEachern

Full Disclosure: Barely Native and SkinnySkinny provided free samples for our review.

The post Environmental In-Box: Barely Native Soap appeared first on Big Green Purse.

How, then, does bottled water fit into the equation? Pepsi continues to push bottled water as a greener, cleaner alternative to much cheaper tap water. At my Earth Day presentation, I was amazed to note that virtually everyone who attended brought a bottle of Pepsi’s water with them. Yes, it was in the new “Eco-Fina” bottle, which they say is made using 50% less plastic than their conventional AquaFina bottle. Still, it made me wonder: why are thousands of people in the company drinking bottled water every day when they can get healthy water from the tap?

It’s not like bottled water has been a public relations boon for Pepsi. To the contrary, Eco-Fina bottle or no, Pepsi has taken a lot of heat from green mom bloggers, social justice advocates, and consumer groups who feel that bottled water is an environmental nightmare. Pepsi has made some strides in reducing the environmental impact of the bottle, but still: they’re selling water, a local resource that is becoming more and more scarce, in communities grappling with drought, burgeoning populations and unchecked development.

Is Pepsi likely to abandon selling a product that generates millions and millions of dollars in revenue each year? Not unless there’s a compelling alternative — or competition. So how about this:

Get Pepsi to follow the example of cleaning companies like Arm & Hammer, which sells one empty bottle, plus cartridges of cleaning concentrate the consumer can mix with water at home. Couldn’t Pepsi sell a reuseable bottle that could be refilled at convenience stores and restaurants as well as at home? If Pepsi is mostly interested in selling water, it can market an in-store dispenser so people can fill up their reusable water bottles rather than purchase a new one each time they’re thirsty.

This idea is not only doable – it’s already being done, sort of. Consider 7-11. Every day, millions of people make their own Slurpees at 7-11 with nary a complaint. I haven’t met a person yet who is not capable of putting a cup underneath the Slurpee faucet and filling up. Why not figure out a way for people to bottle their own Eco-Fina water in the same way? True, this strategy wouldn’t put a dent in the proportion of bottles being sold out of vending machines. But it would severely reduce the number of plastic water bottles being sold at 7-11, Stop and Shop, and thousands of other convenience stores.  Restaurants, meanwhile, could serve water in Eco-Fina-labeled pitchers. Since most of the water Pepsi puts in its bottles is tap water, there’s not much difference if it’s served in a branded bottle or a branded carafe.

I’d recommend that Pepsi not drag its heels too long waiting to make a change like this. Otherwise, some entrepreneurs at 7-11 just may take it into their heads to market their own branded refillable bottles, and then sell refills from the tap for the same amount of money they earn for stocking each bottle of Eco-Fina on their shelves (which usually amounts to about half the retail price of the product).

There’s nothing like a little competition to get someone to rethink their approach. 7-11, I hope you’re paying attention. Pepsi, you too.

NOTE: This post is part of this month’s Green Moms Carnival selection on food. Water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration…though not very well.

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* Motorola’s MOTO W233 Renew – constructed of plastic made from recycled water bottles; can be completely recycled. Cost: $9.99 with a two-year contract; buy through T-Mobile. Comes in packaging made of 100% recycled paper; includes prepaid shipping envelope so you can easily recycle your old mobile phone. PLUS: Motorola pays to offset the carbon emissions created during manufacture and distribution, along with the first two years you use it. (Its carbon offset payments are going to support methane gas capture at a landfill in New Bedford, MA).

* Sony Ericsson’s GreenHeart – made with recycled biodegradable components; the charger uses a fraction of the electricity common chargers draw. NOTE: Sony Ericsson stood out in the 2008 Greenpeace Electronics Guide for banning hazardous chemicals in its products since the beginning of the year. In particular, the company’s T650i mobile phone and Pli PDA came out on top in Greenpeace’s Searching for Greener Electronics survey.

* Samsung’s Blue Earth solar-powered phone – made from recycled plastic and just darn pretty. According to the company, the phone and its high-efficiency charger contain none of the toxic chemicals often used in electronics, such as brominated flame retardants, beryllium or phthalates. My favorite feature? An “eco walk” function that lets you count your steps with a built-in pedometer so you can  also calculate how much less CO2 you’re using by walking as opposed to driving.

* ZTE, a Chinese manufacturer, and Digicel, a Latin American service provider, have teamed up behind what they say is the first solar-powered mobile phone. This is still in design, but when it’s on the market, it’s expected to appeal particularly to the 2 billion people in the world who have limited or no access to steady electricity supplies.

* Nokia released the 5630 Xpress Music Phone, along with a preloaded application called “we:offset” so users can measure their carbon emissions. Want to pay for the pollution you create? The company provides a link to an easy online form just for that purpose.

Though I welcome these product developments, I hope they don’t encourage any of you to shelve a perfectly good phone if you don’t have to. We’re adding more e-waste to trash than any other form of garbage. The longer we use the phones we have, the less electronic garbage we’ll have to clean up in the not-so-distant future.

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