Who: Vanmoof – Amsterdam, The Netherlands

What: Vanmoof No. 3

Where: econscious market – $600 with $24 donated to the charity of your choice.

Why We Love It: This slick bike by Areaware & Vammoof would be the answer to one of our biggest frustrastions – losing our bike lights (literally just replaced my front light for the second time and the rear light for the third, and thinking I’ll give up on it all together before I buy a fourth!) some to the universe and others, unfortunately, to ‘sticky fingers’…. The Vanmoof Bike has a solar powered LED light system built right into the frame which can be charged by sunlight or for cloudier climes, with a micro USB cable used with phone. How cool is that??? Click to continue »

Who: PlanToys; Palo Alto, CA

What: Green Dollhouse

Where: Amazon.com – $218.08 w/furniture &  free shipping

Why: Goodbye plastic Malibu Barbie Dream House,  hello eco-dream home! PlanToys modern masterpiece comes complete with solar panels, a wind turbine, a passive solar shade, a rain barrel, a recycling center, and furniture made of recycled, natural rubber wood dyed with vegetable and soy dyes. The perfect platform for teaching your children about the beauty of green living. Click to continue »

Who: Mar Y Sol (formerly Mad Imports); Brooklyn, NY

What: Marielle Clutch

Where: World of Good – $79, available in sunflower/ocean, punch/apple, espresso/natural,  lavender/sunflower & mango/natural

9/10/09 Just found these on sale at Natural Luxe for $65!

Why: You leave the house with everything tucked nice and neat in your smart looking clutch, but then somehow during the course of the day the contents of your purse inexplicable expand to the point of no return? That’s when the Marielle clutch would really come in handy. By night she masquerades as a sleek, yet ample-sized, two-toned clutch, and by day unfolds to reveal a roomy handbag able to contain all of the overflow. Click to continue »

Who: David Trubridge, Cicada, NZ

What: Floral Pendant

Where: YLighting; $500 with free shipping on orders over $50

Why We Love ‘Em:

we love the innovative blend of art, nature & function…

we love the mesmerizing way the light filters through the organic pattern…

we love the way we can’t quite figure the design out – is it a web of hands, roots, petals, flowers or is that the point? to signify interdependence…. Click to continue »

Newsletter Giveaways & Sweepstakes:

Enter to win a Sage Creek Organics baby Kimono Ensemble from Born 2 Impress.  To enter,  submit a comment by August 15th on the Born 2 Impress blog about your favorite Sage Creek product. Urban Sherps favs?  The Sea Turtle & Dragonfly PJ’s.

Enter the Bob’s Red Mill/Redline Bicycle Sweeps and you’ll be entered to win a Redline Conquest Pro bike valued at $1600. To enter fill out the short form by September 15th.

Enter to win a 1K roof mounted solar photovoltaic system from Community Green Energy!! You can enter once a day now through December 31st. Prize package valued at $6500-8000 includes a 1 kilowatt grid-tied solar electric system, includes a 1 kilowatt solar panel, converter box, mounting hardware and all necessary wiring. Winner is responsible for taxes, shipping and installation. (Note: Just heard from Community Green and they estimate installation costs to run about $2000.)

Enter to win an Urban Sherp favorite – 100% biodegradable, dye free and dishwasher safe Twist sponges, the Twist Naked Sponge & Loofah Sponge from A Bookworm Mom’s Diary. To enter visit Twist and share a comment on A Bookworm Mom’s Diary by August 22nd.

Enter the Green Festival Getaway giveaway to win a trip for two (hotel, airfare & passes included) to the Green Festival either in San Francisco or Washington, DC. To enter, share one of your greatest green challenges on the Green America comment page.

Who: Madsen Cycles; Salt Lake City, UT

What: kg271/Bucket Bike

Where: Madsen; $1299 or, if you can handle a few minor scratches $1099

Why: Coined the “urban utility bike,” this is one serious grocery getter. No more struggling to squeeze a watermelon into your dainty bike baskets, the 40 gallon bucket can handle your biggest loads, even kids. It comes with a removable bench and two seatbelts so you can secure the little ones in. Perfect for commuting to school, practice, the beach……honestly, can you even imagine how fun it would be riding around in that giant baby blue bucket, as a kid, that is? Although it is tested up to 600 pounds…..

Click to continue »

Who: Bambeco; Baker, WV

What: Soji Modern Solar Lanterns

Where: bambeco.com; $39 & 15% off your purchase with code: ecobungajune; 9″x9″ available in pure white, pearl motif or mineral motif

Why: Based on the intricate hand folded shade designs of architect Poul Christiansen, these hard plastic soji lanterns are perfect for outdoor entertaining. Mix and match patterns to create a festive setting and with no outlets or cumbersome cords required, you can cluster them in the trees or string them along the patio with ease.

Powered by solar panels absorbing the sun’s rays during the day and providing a warm glow as the sun goes down and the amber LED lights switch on. And for those in the sun deprived northeast  who haven’t seen the sun for the past week, not to worry, the lanterns come complete with AAA rechargeable batteries for those less than stellar days.

Click to continue »

Who: Bed, Bath & Beyond; Union, NJ (HQ)

What: Solar Patio String Umbrella Lights

Where: Bed, Bath & Beyond, $29.99. Be sure to track down one of their 20% off coupons before you purchase.

Why: The perfect summer accessory, a handy string of  eight hand-blown glass bulbs runs on solar powered LED lights, so you won’t have to replace this very often. The discreet solar panel rests on top of the umbrella soaking up the rays all day so once night falls you will have a well lit retreat for end of the day aperitifs. And surprisingly simple solar strings of lights are not that easy to find, this one is just right.

Finally!!! There is now a recycling program for Brita Water Filters in the US! The company has had a recycling program in place for Europeans since 1992 and just now, in response to numerous campaigns and petitions led by Take Back Our Filters, Brita has partnered with Preserve to bring water filter recycling to the states. Click to continue »

Who: Speesees; San Francisco, CA

What: Onesies & Bibs

Why: With five nieces, I am constantly in search of fun kids clothes that are neither pink (although am currently losing out to their “everything must be pink phase”……), nor covered in Laura Ashley florals, nor emblazoned with princess appliqués, oh, and are not laced with chemicals. Thankfully there is Speesees!!

Speesees (“species” in baby talk-even the name is cute!) is a remarkable company both in design and eco-mindedness. They specialize in comfy cotton stylings in splashy color combinations with hip funky plant and animal prints. Perfect for the fashion forward tot! I mean, honestly, what could be cuter than a tyke toddling around in a seal pup onesie? Well, maybe, the picture of Obama hugging that adorable little boy…… Click to continue »