eco-friendly surfboards
Sustainable surf: http://sustainablesurf.org/ Marko Foam: http://www.markofoamblanks.com/ Waste to Waves: http://wastetowaves.org/ envirosurfer: http://www.greensurfshop.com/
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I went to Hawaii a couple months ago and took my first surf lesson. It was fun, and I caught a few waves. I haven’t tried to surf since, and I’m unsure which products I would like to buy. I would have to get a new eco-friendly board or buy a used one. I also need to get an eco-friendly wetsuit. Surfboards are probably the least eco-friendly part of the sport, considering that their polyurethane foam cores, fiberglass wrapping and polyester or epoxy coatings are toxic and petroleum-based, and manufacturing new boards is generally energy-intensive. Sadly, eco-friendly boards are 2-3 times more expensive than the toxic foam boards out there. I did a post a while back about the Waste to Waves program. “Waste to Waves™ is a recycling program developed by nonprofit organization Sustainable Surf, that’s designed to turn waste materials into new, eco-friendlier surfing products. Partners for the initial launch campaign include Reef, SPY Optic, Marko Foam, Surfrider Foundation and Waste Management. This is an awesome program! I prefer not to spend a lot of money, especially for something I don’t know if I will continue to do on a regular basis. Although, I would rather get products that have a lower environmental impact. The search continues, and I will let you know which surfboard I decide to get. For now, I will probably just rent one until I get the hang of it. |
The Design Pallet
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The Design Pallet is a modern and organic home furnishing shop from Seattle. They make sustainable furniture, candle holders, business card holders, key and jewelry trays from local salvaged and reclaimed wood. I got a couple of the salvaged tea light holders and they are very nice quality. These items would make a great addition to any home decor.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheDesignPallet
The Design Pallet Website:
http://thedesignpallet.com
Project peaceBOMB: Buying Back the Bombs
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Project peaceBOMB combines human ingenuity and aluminum non-war and war scrap metal to create bracelets that tell a story about their makers and the legacies of our shared history: the Secret War, 1964-1973, during the Vietnam conflict which left Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history.
ARTICLE 22 creates sustainable, hand-made, and value added accessories that tell stories about their makers. Every purchase supports the development of communities in Laos.
A story about war and peace. Destruction and reconstruction. History. Instead of words, this story is composed of fragments of bombs, melted and shaped into a circle, a bracelet, a reminder.
Atwater Village Farm: A community farm-to-table shop
Last week, I went to Atwater Village Farm, and it felt like I stepped back in time. It is a very quaint corner store that you’d find in small town America. The idea is to have access to the farmers market experience every day of the week. Atwater Village Farm is funded and driven by the community. They want to give the community the opportunity to purchase fresh, organic local produce at an affordable price.
Atwater Village Farm carries breads, baked goods, and fresh prepared sandwiches from the Village Bakery in Atwater. The produce selection is great and beautifully displayed. The herbs are in wooden planters which adds a nice touch to let you know they are truly fresh. They also carry grains, cereals, jarred goods, and much more…
They recently opened their doors in Dec. 2011, and planning to expand the space in 2012. They plan to carry meats, prepared foods, and juices. They are also taking requests of items you would like to see in their store. Please support this local business, and help them grow.
40 Sustainable Restaurants in the Greater Los Angeles Area
Update: This post now has its own page:
http://www.ecoenthusiast.com/?page_id=3147
Here is a list of 40 Sustainable Restaurants in the Greater Los Angeles Area. I’m sure there are more and they will be added to my list in the future. I’ve been to some of the restaurants on this list, but I would eventually like to try them all one day.
I chose the majority of my list from Greenopia. A few of the places are Greenopia’s list are out of businesses now, so I didn’t include them. I’ve added a few newer places that I’m pretty sure will make it on their list in the future.
This is how Greenopia chooses their restaurants.
“Although we looked at all sorts of ways a restaurant or café might demonstrate its commitment to sustainability, our primary focus was on the food, as we expect yours is. However, we also looked at other green aspects of the business-its composting, recycling, and energy efficiency programs-and whether or not available carryout containers were biodegradable, compostable, and/or were made with recycled, recyclable, and/or chlorine free materials. The restaurants and cafés in our guide have demonstrated an ongoing and concerted effort toward balancing the issues outlined above.”
Please take a look at the list. If you know of any other restaurants to add to the list, then please comment below.
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| Akasha 9543 Culver Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 310-845-1700
1155 N. Highland Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-871-2666
1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice, CA 90291 310-664-9787
1743 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323-982-9900
5406 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-939-3932
10100 Constellation Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90067 310-279-4180
1521 Griffith Park Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 323-667-1551
107 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105 626-440-0100
2135 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-484-6829
2301 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-392-9501
3818 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 323-953-0611
3823 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026-1529 323-663-6885
2122 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323-841-4866
Golden Bridge Yoga – Nite Moon Cafe 1357 N. Highland Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90028 323-936-4172 |
Huckleberry Cafe 1014 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-451-2311
128 Old Topanga Canyon Rd. Topanga, CA 90290 310-455-1311
(formerly Newsroom Café) 530 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-319-9100
2424 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 1310-581-9888
11938 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066 310-390-6005 (check site for other locations)
Helms Ave. Culver City, CA 90232 415-515-8084 (check site for other locations)
1507 Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 323-466-0927
2943 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 323-662-4740
7119 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-525-0588
18621 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, CA 91356 818-758-6971
350 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90071 323-638-4885
2141 West Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-483-2337
1110 Gayley Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90024 310-209-1055 |
Natural Cafe, The 2667 Tapo Canyon Rd Simi Valley, CA 930631 805-527-2272(check site for other locations)
8593 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 310-854-0234
7950 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-375-3390
609 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-587-1552
414 N. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 310-289-9910 (check site for other locations)
333 S. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 213-617-0305
110 2nd St. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-376-2355
6290 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028 323-382-0380 (check site for other locations)
1710 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91506 818-253-1710
8565 Melrose Ave. West Hollywood, CA 90069 (check site for other locations)
8000 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90046 (check site for other locations)
2454 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403 310-586-1707
123 North Larchmont Los Angeles CA, 90004 323-466-6969 (check site for other locations) |
Sustainable Bedding
A few weeks ago I was doing laundry and a friend read the label and puzzlingly asked “Your sheets are organic?” I replied “Yes, they’re organic cotton.” A lot of people only think of food as being organic and don’t realize that natural fabrics come from crops, too.
There are several types of bed sheets such as Organic Cotton, Bamboo, Sateen, Linen, Birch, Hemp, Beech, and more. These sheets can be found in several stores and also online. Next time you need some new sheets, then please consider getting some sustainable bedding. We spend a lot of time in bed and being in a toxic-free bed is definitely worth it.
Kellygreen Home
I’ve been a fan of Kellygreen Home for a few years now. They are one of the few eco-friendly storefronts around. They are located in Silverlake and moving to a new location soon TBD. They also have an online store for those who aren’t in the area.
Kellygreen Home sells items for the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, garden, pets, living, furniture, jewelry, gifts, papergoods, children, apparel, and more. Please support this awesome store and spread the word. Become a fan on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Website: http://www.kellygreenhome.com
Facebook: KellygreenHome
Twitter: KellygreenHome
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Threads 4 Thought
I purchased one of these t-shirts at a local store and liked it so much, so I decided to buy a few more. These shirts are very stylish, comfortable, affordable, and very soft. Please check them out and know that you are supporting a good cause.
Here is more info from their site:
At Threads for Thought we use sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton and polyester recycled from plastic water bottles to create clothing that is comfortable, beautiful, and socially conscious; then we donate a portion of our proceeds to charity. What we wear is as important as what our clothes are made of, and where and how they are put together.
Threads for Thought has chosen to partner with two leading charities that are at the forefront of addressing two of the world’s most confounding issues: The Environment and Refugees and the displaced citizens of the world.
Simple Shoes
Post By Stacy Rockwood of Eco-Napkins
Simple Shoes. Sustainable shoes. “Your stereotypical, anti-stereotype brand offering good shoes and a big dose of reality”. These shoes are made from recycled carpet padding, recycled car/bike tires & inner-tubes, recycled plastics, recycled wool, natural crepe rubber, hemp, bamboo, cork, coconuts, organic cotton and recycled leather with a vegan option. Some folks have a green thumb. Simple Shoes has a “green toe”. They even keep their packaging to a minimum. No hangtags, 100% post-consumer recycled foot forms and boxes with biodegradable bags for the flip-flops.
In 2007, Simple Shoes won the first ever Footwear Plus Green Award. They have an amazing variety for men, women, babies and kids. Velcro, tie, slip-on, sandals, sneakers, dressy shoes, boots, eco-carnivore, vegetarian or vegan options are also on the menu! These shoes are very cool and stylish. At a glance, you would never know that they are differentiated from the status quo by being eco-friendly, born from a regenerative enterprise and made with soul. They are just that classy! It is not until you see their label and read their ingredients that you know these shoes tread lightly upon the Earth.
Not only are Simple Shoes made with sustainable materials, but the company also follows the strict Ethical Supply Chain Guideline that can be read in depth on their website. These shoes are soles to wear and feel proud of. They are the type of shoes that make you feel smart, fun, attractive, happy, classy and professional as you walk your talk in this world.
Check out their huge selection on their website. Make the step toward environmentally friendly choices and feel even better about your eco-footprint!
Website: http://www.simpleshoes.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Simple
Alternative Earth Apparel
I am a huge fan of Alternative Earth apparel. I have a few shirts and they are extremely comfortable and stylish. I get compliments on the organic scoop neck tee shirt. It is very flattering and has that vintage softness.
You can make a difference with what you wear. Their eco-friendly fabrics are manufactured with 100% certified organic cotton, recycled polyester, and man-made fibers derived from sustainable raw materials. Alternative Earth has casual clothes that look good and feel good.
http://www.alternativeapparel.com
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