This is the third in Luanne’s new lifestyle column, Life in the Green Lane. Read the inaugural column, “The Pros & Cons of Being Married to an Eco Man” and the follow-up, “Why Is it So Hard to Get My Mom to Go Green?”.

My dog has fleece. And that’s not all. There are dozens of reasons why this impossibly adorable pug is leaving behind a puny carbon paw print.

If you consider dogs part of the family then it’s important they’re pulling their weight in the eco …

Tags: bio bags , biodegradable , birds , carpool , china , compost , Conserve , dog beds , dog food , dog toys , dogs , endangered , fleece , fuel , green , hybrid , Life in the Green Lane , organic , pets , plastic , pugs , recycle , reuse , Smoky Bear , walking

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Dawn Pickering, founder of San Francisco-based Pickering International, Inc. opened the doors of her fabric import and wholesale company in the early 90s.

Since then Pickering’s offerings have expanded into nine distinct fabric categories specializing in textiles made from sustainable and organic fibers and certified by recognized green standards like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).

I caught up with Dawn recently.

What fabrics do you currently offer and who are your customers?

We currently offer hemp, soy, bamboo, organic …

Tags: alternative fabrics , china , Dawn Pickering , GOTS , Inc. , Pickering International , sustainable and organic fibers

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When Greensource, one of the largest suppliers of organic cotton apparel production in the world launched its private label organic jean line at Kmart and Wal-Mart this month, I became skeptical.

After all, are Wal-Mart and Kmart customers really green shoppers? Do they care about pesticide free pants?

Am I being bratty by asking?

Eco-Textile news reports that

…

Tags: china , Del Forte Denim , GOTS , Greensource , organic cotton , Rejeaneration denim

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Security was exceptionally tight surrounding the sentencing in the tainted milk scandal in China. Police roadblocks were set up and grieving parents of the young victims were not allowed into the courtroom to hear the verdicts. Three people were sentenced to death (including a middleman who peddled the poison to milk stations) and several others were ordered behind bars, including the head of the dairy that knowingly produced the melamine-contaminated formula.

Tian Wenhua, who pleaded guilty, received a life sentence plus a $3.6M fine. Why did the …

Tags: china , contamination , food safety , milk , news

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What goes around comes around.

Here’s how it works:

1. You want something new in a difficult economy so you hit Marshall’s or TJ Maxx to get the Maxx for the minimum.

2. You spend $200 on a bunch of junk (albeit you have 5 new things), made in China, absolutely not eco-friendly and have taken business away from the local boutique or business run by a hard-working small business owner trying to pursue the dream of running a successful business.

3. You’ve taken away from the designer whose order is refused from the same …

Tags: boutique , china , eco friendly , prairie underground , recessionary living

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