Here at EcoSalon we love glass – and we’ve spent years celebrating its use in milk bottles and gorgeously translucent tableware, its almost magical ability to be renewed and reshaped by the elements into something truly sublime. We want glass to shove past plastic and regain the well-deserved status it’s enjoyed for the last thousand years. Frankly, we can’t wait.

But nothing has prepared us for this.

A German company called Nanopool has secured the patent for a new type of glass – in spray …

Tags: cleaning , decor , fabrics , glass , health , nanoscale science , news , silicosis , technology

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Every time you leave the water running while brushing your teeth, you vow you will break the habit soon because you care deeply about the planet’s resources. Eating meat makes you feel sad, knowing we are no longer hunters who cannot survive without animal protein, yet those subliminal burger ads are bringing out the Edward in you. And every time you leave the TV on all night, you wake up without the proper REM sleep and a higher power bill.

Be compassionate with yourself. …

Tags: antibiotics , appliances , bamboo , beauty , biking , bottles , compost , detergents , disposables , eco , eco fashion , farmer's markets , food safety , fresh , glass , green , hormones , household chemicals , idle energy , local , meat , nail polish , organic , organic cotton , phantom energy , plastic , public transportation , recyle , sustainable , waste , water

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Flashing and blinking colored lights are already setting my hood aglow at night, and my home looks a bit dark and subdued in comparison.

But step inside, and it’s beginning to look a lot like Hanukkah. You want tinsel? We got tinsel. You want some banners and dreidels? Come in, come in, have a jelly donut, sit by the fire. We know from decorating for the holidays. We’re yuppie Jews who majored in art.

For me, getting in the spirit of the season isn’t limited to peeling potatoes for latkes and lighting the menorah. I like going that extra mile (oy, …

Tags: banners , chanukah , chocolate , Christmas , coins , dreidels , entertaining , fair trade , glass , Hanukkah , holidays , lights , menorahs , napkin rings , napkins , ornaments , place holders , recycled , retail , seasonal , shopping , tableware , tinsel , winter

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Be the host with the most eco savoir faire. Follow our lead and pair organic bubbly with born-again vessels for celebrating the spirit of reusing and recycling. Your green guests will drink to that! Of course, mine will drink to anything.

Cheers to Monaco Champagne Flutes made from the top halves of recycled glass wine bottles. In a stunning cobalt blue, they’re $53 from Green with Glamour. Pair …

Tags: biodynamic farming , bubbly , celebration , champagne , eco , entertaining , festive , glass , green , holidays , organic wine , recycle , recycled flutes , reuse , Sparkling wine , sustainability , upcycled

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It’s not your grandmother’s wine box!

This 3-liter tube contains a premium, rich and structured California Cab – the first release by winemaker Barry Gnekow, who went looking for a way to drink outside the box and to entertain without the waste.

“My goal was to produce the equivalent of a $25 bottle of wine that could be delivered to the consumer at under $10 per bottle,” he says.

At $40 a tube, The FOUR Cabernet scores many eco points. It eliminates expensive traditional glass-and-cork packaging, cutting wine bottle landfill waste by …

Tags: carbon footprint , cardboard , cork , eco friendly , gas , glass , green , organic , packaging , Paso Robles , shipping , sustainable , tube containers , windpower , wine

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Your principal incentive to recycle? That one’s a no-brainer: the environment, of course. But, it doesn’t just have to be a green act of good will; it can add a little extra cash to your wallet as well. Recycling for money sure won’t make you a millionaire, but these days every penny counts. So, cash in on your good conscience with these items.

Aluminum Cans
I’m a soda addict, and I can go through a 12-pack faster than a roll of toilet paper. Even if you only drink a …

Tags: aluminum , glass , money , plastic , recycle

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Call it a succulent message in a bottle: terrariums that capsulize nature’s beauty and grace without requiring high maintenance and daily watering to thrive. You probably have the ideal vessel stashed some place with your vases. Get inspired and grow!

Pictured above: A Carnivorous Plant Terrarium from Apartment Therapy is showcasing a Pitcher Plant, which is rumored to feast on flies.

This Etsy Moss Terrarium, described as the “instant boyfriend” is simple to care for, involving  a glass container that …

Tags: air plants , fern , garden , gardening , glass , green , grow , indoor plants , moss , plants , succulents , terrarium , vase , water

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Window tints are optical grade polyester sheeting with colored dye and/or metal particles embedded into its surface.

For years, homeowners have applied the film to their glass to add privacy and security to bare windows in a modern setting, and to keep expensive furnishings from fading.

But as our energy conservation needs grown, consumers find the film to be a fairly inexpensive way to add or block heat and greatly reduce their electricity bills.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an estimated $30 billion or more of energy is lost per year …

Tags: blinds , conservation , decor , design , eco window film , energy , energy bills , glass , glass tints , solar

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Now that my pancakes have been flipped (and, in one instance, removed from the ceiling), it’s time for me to take up Caitlin’s challenge and observe my very own Eco Lent.

I’ve already decided what I’m giving up for 40 days. It wasn’t very difficult.

First, a little about me – and a confession. Of the whole EcoSalon team, it’s a safe bet that I’m the least eco-friendly. I recycle, I try to shop ethically, and I walk or cycle everywhere (I’ve never learnt to drive, initially because …

Tags: composting , cooking , food , glass , healthy eating , ingredients , lifestyle , organic , plastic , recipes , recycling , sustainable

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