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The Alternative Consumer
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The Alternative Consumer provides product reviews, green news and info to the next wave of smart consumers - fresh thinkers who consciously style their lives with their health and the health of the Earth in the forefront of their mind; chic, savvy shopper
Recent Posts Tagged With 'cool'
bobcat’s toe bone pendant
This offbeat pendant is cast from a bobcat’s toe bone in reclaimed sterling silver. Somewhere, there’s a bobcat walking around with a serious limp. $90 @ Species by the Thousands’ supermarket shop ...
recycled keyboard key ring
Do you hate being away from your computer? Now you can take a chunk of it with you, by sporting one of these unique rings made from recycled keyboard keys. The ‘edit’ key is affixed to an aluminum ring by Italian designer Cecilia Fell...
bungaloo - eco-friendly color liquids, er…paint
Can paint be hip? New eco-paint purveyor, Bungaloo, makes the analogy that color, much like music, can dictate mood and enhance one’s mental well-being and attitude. Hence their new line of vibrant, youthful, zero-VOC “color liquids&#...
Dahon’s Biologic FreeCharge - pedal-power your iPhone
The folding bike specialists at Dahon have come up with an energy efficient way to charge your iPod, iPhone, MP3 player or handheld device - bike power. The FreeCharge transfers power from a bike’s generator hub to a high-capacity battery, whic...
EcoSmart Fire’s - Mini T ethanol fireplace
It almost feels like fall here in NYC - time to start thinking about extending our alfresco dining and outdoor socializing as the temps take a dip and the autumn leaves begin to fall. One solution - an eco friendly designer outdoor fireplace. The...
NovoThink Surge - iPhone 3G solar charger
This new Novothink Surge solar charging case slides neatly over iPhone 3G and 3G (S) phones. The slim hybrid charger can store power from the sun or through your computer’s USB port (from which you can also load tunes from iTunes.) Features a...
Carbon Pulse makes iPhone a little greener
For $2.99, eco-techies can now fight global warming directly from their iPhones. The new app, called Carbon Pulse, was developed by Sevencord Studios. The green application is now available on the iPhone App Store. Press release: Carbon Pulse users...
Perfectly Imperfect - eco hip simplicity
Why am I so drawn to this crew neck top? Aside from the beauty of its quiet French Blue color, it’s the inherent details that deliver a dose of understated elegance in this casual wear. The snug fit and organic cotton waffle weave afford ext...
Nau - fall coats for eco men
This one’s for all you fashion conscious eco hombres out there. Lately, we seem to have featured a bunch of women’s fashion on altCon, so I thought I’d post something from Nau’s fall line for dudes - cause guys have to look g...
Feuerwear - recycled firehose bags
Still recovering from the cliffhanger ending of last night’s “Rescue Me?” (you know they can’t kill Tommy off -they’d have no show.) Well, continuing with the fireman theme we present the German sustainable fashion lin...
db clay eco-conscious Broadway wallet
An eco-friendly wallet that can communicate many messages, metaphors and musings. Ideal for cynical thespians, fashion hipsters and attention seekers of all ages. Whip this out at your next book club party, H&M shopping spree or community the...
Green Eyed Monster - funky reusable bags
Ah…unique reusable bags featuring eye catching designer graphics that deliver fun eco messages - each Green Eyed Monster tote is made of 100% post-consumer recycled cotton fabric and recycled plastic bottles by a cool, woman-owned company in Ne...
itHouse - off-grid prefab with style and substance
The sexy itHouse is a design system created by L.A. based, Taalman Koch Architecture. The eco-friendly home is comprised of a series components manufactured off-site. The home, which is designed to be flat packed and easily shipped, is prefabrica...
ABOVE Magazine
We just got our hands on the first issue, (summer ‘09) of the reborn ABOVE Magazine and it’s a beauty. Nicolas Rachline has transformed the former glossy fashion mag into a stylish statement on sustainability - with a focus on eco-friend...
golf refugees - fun, carbon neutral golf shirts
Here’s a U.K. company with a sense of humor. We all know most golf courses aren’t really green in any way except for the color of the grass - but some folks still can’t (moi) give up the game. Throw on an organic cotton, carbon ...
the eniCycle - a gyroscopic electric unicycle
The eniCycle is a rechargeable, zero emissions, gyroscope-controlled means of transport that’s probably best suited for circus performers, individuals who are strapped for space and those determined to risk their lives making a statement about ...
Enamore’s 2010 eco undies
Enamore has unveiled its 2010 collection of pin-up inspired and vintage styled eco lingerie and accessories. The collection is created using soft blends of soya, organic cotton jersey, bamboo and organic or herbal-dyed and printed silks. English la...
soji solar lantern
It’s never too late in the summer to add a little sustainable style and atmosphere to your deck, patio or garden. These Modern Soji each feature a little solar panel and 2 amber LED bulbs. Powered by the sun - no electrical wires or outlets n...
reclaimed wood furniture by Gursan Ergil
Istanbul based, Gursan Ergil Design Studio, practices “environmental modernism” in the making of these great looking, handcrafted pieces of furniture. The furniture is created from reclaimed and recycled wood using traditional handcrafted...
Loblolly House - a prefabricated vision
The innovative Philly-based architectural firm, Kieran Timberlake, has created a vision in prefabricated home design, the Loblolly House. Integrated into its environment, readily assembled and disassembled by a wrench - is this the future of prefabr...
Pfeifers Studio - eco friendly gifts and home decor
As they say, sometimes it’s the little things that can make all the difference. In terms of our homes, thoughtfully placed decorative accents can add touches of warmth to our environments and oftentimes bring us well-needed peace and comfort. ...
Mio Trask Lamp - low on energy, high on style
Mio’s Trask Lamp is designed to be a sustainable, customizable, low energy lighting fixture. The lamp can be adjusted by the user into into table, task, or track lighting. The Trask Lamp, which is made of recycled content, is recyclable and ...
the OfficePod - small footprint garden office
Are the kids zapping your home office productivity? Is your commute killing both you and the environment? This small office concept from U.K.-based, OfficePod, is a one-room workspace that is designed to be placed in your backyard, garden or pati...
Ford explores using liquid wood in car making
Ford Motor Co. appears to be taking sustainability seriously. Researchers at Ford’s European Research Centre in Aachen, Germany recently announced they are investigating an innovative, new wood-plastic compound (WPC) – or liquid wood. The...
Powcell solar iPhone charger
All you iPhone and Blackberry fanatics can soon look forward to topping-off your tired batteries with an integrated solar charger. The Powcell sleeve, which will charge via sunlight or most ambient light sources, is designed to fit nicely onto the b...
Kozo lamps - upcycled plumbing parts
Demo Design Clinic creates these fun-looking steampunk lamps from select, repurposed galvanized plumbing parts. The Kozo lamps are sold at the Design2009 Etsy Shop prices range from $169 to $229. via: recyclart.org ...
guilty pleasures - spa getaways
Inspired by the need for a real vacation, I uncovered a few fantastic places that I’d like to share with you. For me, there’s nothing better than healthy spa treatments for relaxation and rejuvenation, when experienced in an exotic locat...
PIE studio eco furniture summer sale
Sexy eco-furniture maker, PIE studio, is running “Summer Garage Sale 09″ — a limited time offer with limited amounts of furniture; sold in US and Canada only. The sale runs through midnight August 31, 2009. This once a year summe...
Lloyd Russell’s Rimrock Ranch House
Architect Lloyd Russell’s Rimrock Ranch House is a tasty blend of practical functionality and sustainable style. The home sits 4,500 feet above sea level in the California desert outside Palm Springs. Russell, who describes his design aesth...
Tesla opens NYC showroom
If you’re planning a spin around Chelsea’s westside gallery row, looking for an excuse to escape a man-bar on 8th Avenue, or on you way to the High Line Park to work on your tan, there’s a new stop on your eco express - the new Tesl...
