Getting Purelled is the growing phenomenon of sanitizing one’s germ-infested mitts with the alcohol-based, Johnson & Johnson product known as Purell.

What’s in the name, William Safire students might ask?

Pure, I imagine, denotes the opposite of tainted, which in flu terms translates into ralphing, the runs and the unpleasant sensation of having been poisoned by Satan. Elle is French for she, as in, she is cruel that H1N1 Virus, widespread in 47 states now. Elle also is a swank Fifties ad-on, like ette for dinette. …

Tags: Alcada , alcohol , bacteria , cdc , eco , environment , germs , H1N1 Virus , Life in the Green Lane , plastic , Purell , sanitizers , schools , swine flu , teens , toxins , upcycling , vaccinations , viruses , waste , work

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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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While we generally avoid traditional paper gift wrap these days, a Berkeley MBA and mom has developed a line of more responsible coverage for those gifts: reusable, recycled bags.

Josie Gaillard’s Living Ethos made its debut in San Francisco this summer in selected boutiques. Now, the versatile and vivacious eco-chic wrap is available on the web.

What makes this attractive paper one to chase?

The sustainable gift bags come in 30 varied prints that are as attractive as upholstery fabrics. But instead of being assembled …

Tags: anniversaries , birthdays , Conserve , eco friendly. gifts , gifts , occasions , paper , PET bottles , plastic , recycle , resuse , showers , sustainable , weddings , wrapping paper

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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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True, we are still living in a material world, but cotton grown with pesticides is no longer the fabric of our lives.

The green movement is making huge strides replacing toxins and waste in the marketplace with organic fibers like bamboo and hemp, as well as good old corn starch, throw-away cork and used paper.

The brave, new soldiers of eco industry believe enough is enough when it comes to creating more waste and adding to our grossly overflowing landfills and plastic islands. Bet you do, too!

Instead, the …

Tags: bamboo , cork , corn , furniture , greenest materials , guide , hemp , how to , howto , materials , organic , PET , plastic , reference , resource , textiles , upcycled

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The San Francisco Public Library is lending an ear to the landfill crisis by piloting a new library card program that substitutes plastic cards with ones made from corn. You’ve seen the corn utensils. This invention is just as ingenious, but it fits into your wallet much better.

Check out the new ecocard. It’s a true-blue alternative that might catch on

…

Tags: biodegradable corn , compost , corn products , environment , landfills , library , library cards , plastic , San Francisco

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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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If plastic is such a one-way ecological nightmare of a substance, why do we keep using it?

Like it or not, the world currently needs plastic. Its versatility is incredible – because it’s so tough, flexible and nonreactive we can even use it to replace our own internal organs (even in its most everyday form). If plastic was universally banned tomorrow, the modern world would immediately start to fall apart. And if we keep using it? A littered, poisoned environment. Not to mention it’s …

Tags: news , plastic , renewable , sustainable , technology , wood

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Gaia, -1. As seen on Reddit, the lap pillow. It’s the simultaneous decimation of any shred of hope for humanity and perverse rubbernecking wonder at such cultural discoveries followed by intense psychological concern for oneself that only Reddit can so reliably provide. Surely there is a German word for this.

Anna N. of Jezebel says: “Ever want to just rest your head in a woman’s lap, without those pesky arms, torso, and head leaning over you and complicating matters?”

Polyurethane laps: because the environment was doing entirely too well …

Tags: adult toy , bizarre , environment , lap pillow , plastic , sexism

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