The sad truth is the carpets that hold up best to traffic are the ones coated with toxins. And we don’t want those in a place where humans dwell.

If you do have a healthy wool carpet in your home, you can still clean it without harsh chemicals like perchloroethylene – which the EPA has linked to kidney and liver damage. Naphthalene, made from coal tar, is also considered a carcinogen that can harm the central nervous system.

Ask cleaning services if they simply steam to lift dirt or apply shampoos to loosen those hard-to-clean coffee and wine stains. Treatments like Oxi Fresh use an oxygenated method by applying less water and natural ingredients. Some cleaners also use citrus-based products that smell much better than standard chemicals. Just check and see if their products are plant-based chemicals (Biokleen, NatureClean and Seventh Generation’s Natural Citrus Carpet Cleaner) or made with synthetics.

Here are some natural ways to go for maintaining cleaner carpet:

1. For daily maintenance, have guests and family members remove shoes when entering the house if you have carpet on the first floor. Otherwise, remove shoes before heading upstairs. Obviously there can be exceptions, such as when you are entertaining. Guests often complain about taking off shoes for a more formal event. They may have holy socks or need the height so their pants won’t droop.

2. ehow tells us to spot clean with vinegar and water by mixing equal parts into a spray bottle and applying to the stain, then blotting with a clean, dry towel. For tougher stains, you can make a paste of baking soda and water and coat the stain. Let the paste sit for about 30 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth. For deeper cleaning, they suggest going with biodegradable cleaners like AFM Safecoat added to a rented carpet cleaner.

3. Do It Yourself recommends regular vacuuming to prevent dirt and pet dander from settling into your carpet fibers, and to sprinkle on some baking soda before your sweep to eliminate potential orders. You can even add spice, such as cinnamon or cloves, in the baking soda before you spread it. Also, let the baking soda sit on the carpet to lift stains and dirt at least 10 minutes before you vacuum.

4. For spot removal, use a clean dry cloth or paper towel to soak up the spill and blot the stain rather than rubbing it. Once you blot it, apply club soda or soda water to dissolve and lift, then blot up the liquid. You also can use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar mixed with water or rubbing alcohol to lift the stains. You might also try making your own spot cleaner with a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent and one to two cups of water.

In terms of cleaning fiber rugs, such as sisal, it is best to just use water or soda water. These can be the hardest rugs to maintain because many products don’t work very well to get out the stains.

Let us know if you have some other tried and true green methods of carpet cleaning!

Image: adriagarcia

My lovely, celebrity-style dressing room is a spare bedroom I stole in the house, a spare that once housed a maple crib, green nursing glider and armoire of precious, spit-up stained Baby Gap dresses on mini-hangers.

Today, it’s my own little retail Mecca (organic, of course). But I do allow my daughters to visit and check out the blouses and shoe rack, and yes, even borrow on occasion. That sort of thing was taboo when I was growing up. Moms were moms.  Friends were the ones loaning stuff.

My own stylish mother (here with me and Grandma Zelda) towered over me at 5-foot-9 (not counting the beehive do) and always wore at least a size 14. She wasn’t a Laker like Julia Child and her sister, Dorothy, but when she got married, she wore flats so not to surpass 6-foot dad.

I hung out in Mom’s cavernous walk-in closet while she was away at luncheons. But no way could I actually borrow one of those gowns since they hung on me like a puddled curtain. I also was drawn to her off-limits, pointy, size-10 pumps, dyed to match her Jacky suits.

I was the fourth child and the runt of the litter – considerably shorter and smaller than the rest. (My theory is mother smoked a few more cigs and sipped a few more martinis when she was preggers with me.) But to be fair, I’m also considering the DNA link to my small, Polish ancestors.

Cut to my gorgeous teenage daughter with a great sense of style, who caught up with me in stature a few years back. I provide her with her own little Nordstrom Rack down the hall. I take full credit for cultivating her sense of entitlement since I have been most gracious about loaning her items, and have only kvetched a few times when they weren’t returned on time. She is very responsible and that counts.

Combined, Syd and I have a substantial inventory. I’m proud to say a chunk of it is the ski apparel we share for our annual Mommy-Sydney ski weekends in Lake Tahoe.

I was glad to squeeze into a pair of my daughter’s skinny jeans for my birthday outing with friends in August, and only felt a pinch after the second drink. You dirty martini, you!

How does the sharing work? Sometimes we fall for the same cardigan and it can make more sense during hard times to buy one to share and take turns – you know, like college co-eds on a strict budget. Call it the The Daughterhood of the Traveling Pants.

I also prefer to loan rather than buy her a dress for the countless B’Nei Mitzvah parties and other events she seems to attend. If she wears something of mine, it feels like new to her, even though I’ve worn it a dozen times.

This whole lending thing is why those smart couture rental shops, like Boutiqueville in Chicago, do so well. Why own something costly when you can rent for the occasion? When the high is over you send it back. Thank you, it was a great date, but onto other matches.

I should point out it isn’t just us girls sharing the wealth. My daughter also gets warm and fuzzy about wearing her dad’s old sweaters. I seriously think it brings her closer to him in a very sweet way.

Guess teens have been burrowing in oversize wool since Ann-Margret sang “How Lovely to be a Woman” in Bye Bye Birdie. He doesn’t mind her using the old sweaters, or at least, has never complained.

I got to wondering if other kids and parents are comfortable with community closeting or if most families are fiercely territorial about their closets. It certainly requires trust and respect, and the right kind of green deodorant.

I did a bit of research online and found little has been written on the subject. Hurray for me!

But I did stumble upon an interesting post on How to Share Clothes with a Cross-Dressing Husband.

Okay, the ground rules killed me: Killed me! They included keeping his paws out of your underwear drawer, making him replace anything stretched, torn or stained, and drawing the line when it comes to your most precious blouses or skirts (i.e. the ones with price tags still attached). The helpful primer also suggested shopping together to make sure you have the same taste. Oy!

None of this would work in my marriage. My husband is a large man who prefers high-wasted, baggy slacks to hip jeans. If he were a cross-dresser, he’d still be swishing around in those Dean Martin pants.

I do like some of his Oxford shirts and could see slipping into one after a post-sex shower and cocktail in bed, but since we don’t schedule those kind of Hollywood encounters (we don’t eat Chinese out of the box either), it’s all just another fantasy, like wearing my mother’s Yves Saint Laurent caftans.

I do have friends who are married to dainty men with little feet and excellent taste, and I could see trading with one of those fellows, swapping Indian tunics and Moroccan slides for a tux and velvet slippers when those Victor-Victoria mood strikes.

Of course, the well-dressed gay husband is top drawer when it comes to swapping, assuming he would cooperate. His rules might be too stringent for even me. I sort my closet by color but not by texture and season and don’t iron a thing. Crisp is not in my vocabulary.

No, I think I’ll stick with sharing with the girls, my wonderful girls, grabbing a wrap for Lauren when leaving for a party, pulling a dress for Sydney for a Bat Mitzvah. Selecting a hand bag that works. Maybe a trinket or earrings to tie it all together.

Does sharing benefit my daughters more than me? Well, naturally. It goes with the territory when you’re a consummate stylist and mother – who still misses dressing her dolls.

This is the sixth installment in Luanne’s column, Life in the Green Lane.

Main Image: In Style

Image One: Luanne Bradley

I’ve always been impressed at how much longer my husband’s shoes last than mine. Some pairs he has had for 20 years and has simply re-heeled and polished them to make them last. He even keeps the boxes.

But now that he is on the public transportation circuit – like so many other good green worker bees – it’s important to wear a comfort shoe that doesn’t pinch when you’re running for that bus or train.

The good news is vegan shoes have become much more stylish, from the old boxy Earth Shoe and hippie Birkenstocks of yore to the oxfords and buckle slips-on on the market that emulate many of the swank Italian shoes.

Sure, the vegan varieties have a softer appearance but that’s part of the allure. The greatest advantage is not just the material but the price. Most brands are reasonable (under $200) and are built to last.

Here are a few to take you through fall:

Princeton Vegan Shoes in Brown or Black, $58 at Alternative Outfitters.

The dapper yet durable Brouque wing-tipped from Moo Shoes, $150.

Handsome yet rugged Dennis Shoe from Novacas,  $140.

The Noharm Slip-On, $275 at Togged.

Noharm Lace-Up Ankle Boot, $299 at Togged.

Men’s Baker Brown Vegan Loafer, $55 at Alternative Outfitters.

New Hidalgo Camel Workboot, $68 at Regazzi Vega.

Main Image: Regazzi Vegan

Listen closely, because this might get confusing. When you buy a pair, you give a pair, and today at EcoSalon you just might win a pair. Got that?

I’ll start again. We’re giving away a TOMS gift card worth $50 toward the purchase of a pair of TOMS shoes.* Leave a comment to be entered.

TOMS Shoes are comfy, co-ed and some of them are vegan. More importantly, the company’s focus is on giving – One for One, to be exact.

For every pair of shoes you purchase, TOMS will give a pair to a child in need. Since 2006, when Blake Mycoskie was inspired to start the company, TOMS has given away over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world.

It isn’t easy to move this cynical eco-chick, but the TOMS commitment to kids is quite meaningful and masterful. Mycoskie has inspired others to join his mission, which keeps the message growing“¦far beyond the shoe itself.

I can’t help but feel inspired. Don’t you want to be a part of it too?

Leave a comment to enter the giveaway. One entry per person, the contest ends next Wednesday May 20 at midnight. Good luck!

* When using your gift card, please be mindful that not all TOMS shoes are eco-friendly. Look for the vegan styles here and here, including the Wrap Boot (image above).

The early mornings are for padding along silently.

When the sun’s barely risen and the house is as cool and serene as a Buddhist temple, it would feel wrong to clatter through it in hard-heeled shoes – but at that hour, the floor’s too cold for your bed-warmed bare feet.

To wander through the house without a sound, you’ll want some soft, snugly contoured slippers. We’ve been in love with this softest of footwear since at least 1478 (the earliest recorded use of the word in English), but in recent years slippers have tended towards parody – great fluffy acres of them, the wider, (mock-)furrier and sillier the better.

Now, slipper fashion has come to its senses again. Take the calming, svelte lines of Acorn’s Quilted Eco Scuff Slippers (at Planet Shoes): the “Ivory” variety (shown) is made from natural hemp and organic cotton, while the “Earth” is hemp, wool and yak down. Both types use CFC-free polyurethane to form a soft sole that’ll keep you gliding silently through your waking home. Alternately, if you don’t live as far north as I do and your floors aren’t as cold, wiggle your toes deliciously in a pair of Acorn Eco Wraps.

Meet the rubber beach slip-on that became an urban fashion staple: The Flip Flop.

So popular are these rubber thongs, you’ll find barrels full at your favorite boutiques in mod patterns, as well as more sensible Eco versions for the camping set.  College kids (male and female) ride bikes to school in them and teens pair them with dresses..even on winter days. They offer zero support but there is no taking back the craze. The good news is you can store your pile over your closet door, thanks to Organize.

This Bamboo Flip Flop Rack by Jokari® is an over-the-door organizer made from fiber friendly bamboo and can house up to 12 pairs of your favorite zories. The rack comes with two metal hooks on top that mount right over the door and a third hook at the bottom that is attached to an elastic strip to accomodate door height. It fits over any standard size door, and actually looks pretty cool. Since they’re in plain view, you’ll never forget to grab a pair en route to your next pedicure!

As the drops come down outside my window, I’m glad my girls have their new rainboots so we can venture outside to collect flowers to make our centerpieces before the holiday arrives. 

Unfortunately, their boots are the smelly, rubber variety that we bought on sale at Nordstrom last month because they were Lucky Brand with skeleton patterns and so darn cute. Not great criteria, I know.

Still, it’s not easy finding sustainable rain gear. I went looking for other brands that might be greener. The report indicates light showers of available styles, rather than a heavy downpour:

The mod Kamik rainboots are at least made of 100% recycled materials, even if they do contain PVC (phthalates). At least this company is trying. $189.95 at Zappos.

Retroactif makes their sustainable hats (including the waterproof blue, top left, and black print, bottom right) from discarded art banners. Check on the site to find a store that sells them near you.

More companies are letting us take cover with greener umbrellas, including the recycled PET collection from Peerless which lets you customize with your company name, soccer team, etc.

These were the first on the market as reported in EcoSalon earlier this year. Whether you go for the pink manual ($25) or green automatic ($30) you’re still covered with good stuff in these Eco Brellas from Totes. Made from recycled PET bottles and recycled aluminum and steel with a friendly bamboo handle.

Patagonia uses recycled polyester for these rain shells for men ($95) and women ($200). Keep an eye out for the sales at this site and other sites that sell the brand at discounted prices.

Image: silent shot

As Nancy Dong sees it, eco-stylish footwear is the “sophisticated grown-up sister to the old crunchy granola hippie sandals”. The young designer behind Kailia Italian footwear is both a longtime vegetarian and a veteran in the fashion business. Having already created looks for BCBG Max Azria, Ermenegildo Zegna, Charmone Shoes, and Shoes with Souls, we’ll trust this woman with our feet any day.

Nancy moved to Italy and invented Kailia under the principles of cruelty-free and sustainable practices. According to the website, the factories pay fair wages and the company strives to run a “transparent and honest business”. All shoes are handmade in Italy, using water-based glues, chrome-free recycled leather soles, pre-consumer recycled footboards, and animal-free uppers. And what’s more, hemp, organic cotton, and microfiber make for breathable lining. With fun, quirky designs meant to add an air of frivolity to your feet, we’d say Kailia is truly green, from the inside out.

Note: Starting in Spring ‘09, the Kailia line will be entirely vegan.

Put away the sandals and bring on the fall shoes!  Okay”¦so it’s November and many of you did that long ago, but our favorite vegan and eco-friendly shoe designers are now rolling out their some new winter styles.  With every season, they get better and better”¦more sophisticated, more in tune with what’s in vogue and just plain hot!  Recently, we brought you our picks for the season’s best eco friendly boots and now, here’s our list of fall’s high style high heels.
 
An educational note: There is a difference between an eco-friendly shoe and a vegan shoe. Vegan means that absolutely no animal products are used, but the materials are not necessarily sustainable. Call it socially responsible. Eco-friendly means the materials used are either recycled, vegetable tanned leathers (as opposed to chemically tanned) or other sustainable textiles. At EcoSalon, we prefer the best of both worlds, but that’s not always an option – while we’d opt for eco over vegan, we know some of you prefer not to wear leather, ever.

Beyond Skin Gloria T-Bar Open Shoe in Black: We’ve been following this British company for a while, waiting patiently for them to start selling in the U.S. and at last”¦here they are! This great hand made, t-strap shoe is a combination of hemp and synthetic patent with a chunky heel.  ($285)

Charmone Rosemary in Smoke: A traditional, pointed toe, medium heeled pump with a twist”¦of grosgrain ribbon that elegantly crosses the foot. Made of microfiber suede. ($179)

Cri de Coeur Linneah: For those who think edgy, this anthracite slingback is a cross between a shoe and a bootie and we just love that! Made of distressed hemp canvas.  (shown below, top left; $265)

Kalia Nobilia: This new Italian-made, eco-friendly shoe collection has gorgeous, rich detailing. Finally, it is arriving in the U.S. So, it’s still only for pre-order but we’d recommend ordering yours now. We promise”¦this line will be hot! The Nobilia (noble in English) reminds us of exactly that, nobility. Microfiber suede with purple velvet lace up trim.  (Shown at top; $340)

Melissa Shoes Flocked Wedge in Black: For the girl who likes a fun statement shoe, this modern, ankle strap, platform shoe has a big wedge and the tiniest peep toe. Made from Melissa’s sustainably produced Mel-flex plastic and flocked with a velvety finish to give an almost suede effect. ($69)

Natalie Portman Picasso 2 in Red: Natalie Portman loves red. We do, too. The very first shoe she wore from her first vegan collection was a red faux patent Mary Jane. This season, she’s introduced this vibrant red, faux suede wedge with great fold detailing. (Shown below, top right; $295)

Neuaura Caroleena in Capuccino: A bit more conservative vegan pump with some style. We like the ankle strap and thick heel, as well as the spectator styling of the toe. Made from synthetic patent leather. ($84)

Olsen Haus Pure Pump in Navy: We are completely in love with this whole collection, but this navy blue 100% vegan patent, croc-embossed pump, complete with covered platform and ankle strap, is to die for!  (Shown above, bottom right; $215)

Stella McCartney Metal-Heel Patent Pump in Gray: Leave it to Stella McCartney to get several fall trends going in one great pump”¦the color gray, which is once again big this season, a metallic silver tone heel, patent leather (although hers is faux patent). (Shown above, bottom left; $595)

Terra Plana Patch in Bronze: This new eco friendly shoe from Terra Plana updates their classic pump with a beautiful bronze and black patchwork motif and great stitch detail. Made with vegetable tanned Nappa leather and other eco friendly materials. ($165)

post reprinted from: White Apricot

Logging the miles is good for your heart, but replacing your running shoes every 300-400 miles isn’t too good for the earth. So, folks at Brooks got to work and created BioMoGo midsoles, a non-toxic, natural additive that exponentially increases the rate of biodegradation.

While traditional Ethylene Vinyl Acetateâ„¢ (EVA) midsoles can last up to 1,000 years in an enclosed landfill, Brooks expects (after extensive testing) their BioMoGo will biodegrade in roughly 20 years, breaking down into its component nutrients that can be used by plants and animals.

Calculations show a potential savings of nearly 30 million pounds of landfill waste over a 20-year period. Here’s the part we love: in order to to increase environmental progress, Brooks decided during development that they would offer the innovation to other footwear manufacturers and interested industries. Now that’s what we call sharing the love. The Tranceâ„¢ 8 with BioMoGo is available at specialty running retailers worldwide and online.

]]> http://www.ecosalon.com/biodegradable_shoes_running_away_from_landfill_waste/feed/ 0