Green Daily

With the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, summer has arrived (even if it doesn't officially begin until the solstice on June 21st) Since I'll take any excuse to go bag shopping, let's go bag shopping! Socially responsible, green bag shopping, that is.

(Photo by NY Historical Society)

NY Historical Society Bags, $35
You know those giant vinyl banners that announce exhibitions? The New York Historical Society has found a way to put them to good use once they are out of date. Working with Urban Samaritans, they're recycling them into sturdy, waterproof totes. Keep your computer or gym clothes safe, even in a summer thunderstorm!

Edun Rosetta Stone Denim Bag, $50
The casual chic of denim says, "Who me? I'm not even trying, I'm just cool." In alignment with edun's other products, this bag is made of 98% organic cotton in Tunisia. Take it to the beach, the grocery store, or on a date to a BBQ.

(Photo by Claire V)

Kelly Starfish Bag from Claire V $57.50
I love a straw bag, and I love a black straw bag even more -- it gives the summery style a little more of a city vibe than the usual, beachy beige. This one is woven from corn husks, a renewable and naturally bio-degradable resource. The perfect accessory for a rooftop fireworks party in July!

(Photo by BethelWY on etsy)

Are you in on the plarn bag phenomenon?

First, how fun is it to say "plarn"? For anyone uninitiated out there, it's yarn made of out plastic bags, and the newest ecool material.

Seriously, how ecool is it that crafty, DIY folk are taking yucky plastic bags and transforming them into something so groovy? It's the very pinnacle of upcycling-chic.

Sure, reusing is good, but a plastic bag gets torn easily, plus it's rare to find one that's pretty. And those handles might as well have tiny razors built into them, they're such hand cutters! But thanks to a bunch of smart, creative people out there, it's relatively easy to take those plastic bags and turn them fashionable, functional and fun tote bags -- all of the directions are online, and anyone can do it!

Seriously, it's easy, even if a trip to Michael's Crafts doesn't make you tingle all over.

First, you need raw materials: the plastic bags. In San Francisco, and like-minded cities, that's actually getting a bit difficult because grocery stores aren't allowed to use them anymore. Fortunately, there's still the protective blue plastic bag from the New York Times, and any number of pink bags from the "variety" stores and bakeries in Chinatown. Color is key, as is weight and texture. Remember, what you put in is what you get out -- if all of your bags are dingy grey, the final product will be dingy grey!

Once you've amassed and sorted your bags, it's time to turn them into plarn. Rather than try to explain this simple but amazing process, I encourage you to check out this excellent "how to make plarn" video tutorial from Lemonade Mama. She also has a very cute finished bag on her site.

I was also blown away this bag by by Holli Friedland from the Baltimore Knitting Examiner. She has amazingly detailed directions, perfect for you smarty knitting types.

For crocheters, here's another bag and pattern, from My Recycled Bags.

If none of these bags are quite your style, or you want one but seriously just don't do crafts, go to etsy and search "plarn." You will find dozens of fun bags, all of them creative, affordable and gentle on the planet.

You came, you saw the fabulous Matt & Nat vegan bag, and you commented! This was one of our biggest contests ever.

We picked a winner at random, and now Veronica is the lucky reader who gets to go out on town, looking hot with the grey Hamburg bag.

Veronica told us about her favorite vegetarian snack:

I love all kinds of veggies. Edamame are my total fave, just with sea salt in a bowl. Yum!

She will look stylish and social responsible at the farmer's market when she's picking up some vegetable snacks and stashing them in her vegan handbag!

I don't really want to give this bag up, but you know you want to win it! This week the Green Daily giveaway is an amazing Matt & Nat vegan bags "leather" bag.

The design is the so-in-style Hamburg, in the perfect shade of grey for spring. And it can be yours, if you get on over to the original post and leave a comment telling us about your favorite vegan snack.

Then, because it's one of our awesome double giveaways, go to StyleList and leave a comment there to win the equally gorgeous Camden in magenta.

You have until 5pm ET to get your comments in, and as always, use your real email so we can tell you when you win!

Vegan and omnivorous fashionistas- alike all agree: Matt & Nat bags are to die for. Looking through the fashion-forward, all vegan line of accessories, you'll want to order one in every color!

Lucky for you, this week we're giving away the gorgeous Hamburg in grey from the Japanese Paper collection. This vegan "leather" bag is lined with 100% recycled grey faux suede lining. It is perfectly sized, with a zip pocket, cell phone and PDA pockets on the inside.

Even better? This is another one of our "more chances to win" giveaways -- you can also enter to win a different Matt & Nat bag on sister-site StyleList!

Want to give this bag a good home? To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your favorite vegan snack. Then go to StyleList, and enter over there, too!

• The comment must be left before 5pm Eastern Time on Friday, April 3, 2009.
• You may enter only once on each site, for a total of two entries.
• One winner will be selected from each site in a random drawing, for a total of two winners.
• Each winner will receive one Matt & Nat bag bag (valued at approximately $275).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

Winner will be notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you're the winner!

When it comes to yoga, we all have the best intentions. One thing I do to make it easier to make it to classes is keep my yoga bag by the door, ready to go with all of my gear -- mat, towel, water bottle, and an extra t-shirt, just in case.

"But what magical bag can hold all this?" You may ask. Why, the Yogoco yoga bag, of course!

It has two compartments -- one for your mat, and another one for whatever else you need. There's also an inside pocket to hold your keys, cell phone (turned off!) and money.

Besides being so functional, the bags are socially responsible, too. They're made from eco-friendly, recycled t-shirt scraps. Also? Incredibly cute!

Best of all, this week we're doing a three-way giveaway of a Yogoco bag in your choice of color and pattern! In addition to entering here, you can enter two more times, at sister sites That's Fit and StyleList!

Ready to OM in style? Here's how to enter:

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your place to do yoga.
• The comment must be left before 5pm Eastern Time on Friday, March 27, 2009.
• You may enter only once on each site, for a total of three entries.
• One winner will be selected from each site in a random drawing, for a total of three winners.
• Each winner will receive one Yogoco yoga bag (valued at approximately $89).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

Winners are notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you're the winner!

Buying new handbags can be a hard habit to give up for some, but you won't have to worry so much about it if you can find an eco-friendly brand or designer that you really like. BasuraBags are quickly gaining popularity here in the States thanks to their fresh designs and bright, spunky color combinations. Their philosophy is "if you can do more, you should" and every bag is made with recycled chip bags that are picked up off the streets of Honduras. And in addition to finding a new use for old litter, all of BasuraBags' profits go back to Honduras and support education for the country's youth in the form of textbooks and school buildings.

I recently stumbled upon a question on some private message boards that not only got me thinking, but prompted me to examine my own behavior.

Do you feel a sense of etiquette when it comes to putting your reusable shopping bags to good use? Can you comfortably bring your Store A brand bags into Store B, or do you feel rude or tacky?

Before reusable bags were popular, my housemate and I used to walk downtown with our backpacks when we needed to buy food, carrying any overflow in plastic bags with our hands. Although this would still be a viable option, as many students know, store employees will shoot you funny looks for bringing in a backpack, if they allow it at all.

Personally, I don't like to use the reusable bags that I do own. They don't match, they look tacky, I hate the fact that they're made partly of plastics, and I don't much like carrying around anything with a store logo. Part of my New Year's Resolution this year will be to find a set of bags that I would use, and then get into the habit.

This question of etiquette will be weighing on my mind when I begin my selections.

There's more than a few companies out there making handbags from recycled materials these days but I think Ecoist has some of the cutest, most stylish ones that I've seen. The ones shown in this picture are made of repurposed Coca Cola bottles, but they also make bags out of candy wrappers, newspapers (my personal favorite), magazines, Dasani water bottles, Luna bar wrappers, and the list goes on and on. Ecoist bags come in every size from coin purse to shoulder tote so what better way to indulge your inner fashionista and help save the world at the same time? Prices range between $20 - $150.

Need portable solar power that fits seamlessly into your wardrobe? Well first there was a tie for the guys and now there's a handbag for the ladies: the Solarjo Solar Power purse. Not only can it charge a cell phone in just two hours, but I think it looks surprisingly stylish and fashionable in the process. It works via a battery hidden inside the lining, which get charged by the solar panel exterior. Then you just plug your phone or mp3 player (or whatever) into the attached USB cord.

The only problem? Much like the solar necktie, hopefully you spend a lot of time carrying your purse around in sunny places. (If this sort of thing is the new rage I'll be looking to buy stock in sunblock!).

Fabric materials made from recycled plastic are truly an exciting direction for the possibilities of clothing and more, which is why Reware Bags is such an interesting product. Created from their signature Rewoven-brand fabric, these products are available in recycled and organic varieties. Their recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate is a high-quality polyester fiber made from trashed two-liter bottles. The bags are said to be extremely durable and water resistant. depending on the bag's style, anywhere from three to ten soda bottles are used for each Reware bag, keeping these bottles out of landfills.

On August 1st, Reware introduced four bags; an attaché, messenger bag, women's hobo bag and Everyday Tote, all made from these recycled fabrics. "We use Rewoven fabric in a production process that employs talented American craftspeople who make our products to exacting standards," says Henry Gentenaar, of Reware. "We're excited by the idea that you can indeed make not only high-quality products in the U.S., but high-quality environmentally-conscious products."

I know, I know...the last thing you want to hear about is another freakin' recycled tote bag, right? But Retroactif caught my eye because of the specific item they recycle into bags: banner ads. You know...those ads plastered on the sides of bus stop shelters and perched on the sides of street poles. We see them every day, and probably don't give much thought as to where they're printed and what happens to them when they are changed out.

To withstand various climates, the posters are usually made from non-biodegradable materials, and millions are thrown away each year.

So RetroActif began turning the signs into something more long-lasting messenger bags and purses. The bags are handmade, and the company gets bonus points for adopting a nonprofit company, Room to Read. The nonprofit works in developing countries to establish schools and libraries, and a percentage of your bag purchase goes toward the cause.

via [feelgood style]

Every week we pick a theme to explore in more depth, and this week that theme is eco-friendly pets. To read all our posts related to this theme, click here.

...And to round out this week's theme, I present to you: Flushadoos, a great product with a hilariously disgusting name.

So, instead of picking up your dog's presents with plastic bags, check these out: the bags are made from a disintegrating water-soluble material, so they're safe to flush. Being able to flush dog waste is important, because it can carry E. coli, salmonella, tuberculosis and bellyworm into our bodies of water by rain. According to the EPA, fecal coliform contamination from pet waste makes up about 90% of all bacterial watershed pollution in urban areas.

Yesterday a commenter asked about whether Ziploc bags could be recycled. I know that aren't recycled in my city and I'm going to take a stab and say that one of the reasons why is because they are made from more than one type of plastic which would make separation of the actual bag from the "ziploc" difficult and expensive. These bags also fall under plastic type number 4 which in general, is rarely recycled.

Fortunately there are not only plenty of alternatives to Ziploc and other sandwich bags but there are several ways to reuse them.

1. Sandwich bags can easily be washed to hold foods once again. You can even make your own drying rack. If you are uncomfortable reusing them to contain foods, they are great for containing your marble collection, toenail clippings or dryer lint.
2. By cutting a small hole in the corner of a baggie, you have an instant icing bag. I've done this before with great results.
3. You can clean them and save them up to make a wreath ... if you're into that sort of thing.
4. Cut the baggies into strips and crochet them into ocean critters.
5. Place a recipe card inside them while cooking to protect the paper from any splatters.

Good news, high-fashion lovers: starting this month and continuing throughout the year, Nordstrom will begin transitioning from its current bags to recycled bags, boxes and tissue paper (for all of your gift wrapping needs). The store will also start carrying reusable shopping totes with a cityscape illustration for a whopping 22 bucks.

Details on the stuff: the gift boxes will be made of 100% recycled paper stock that is 30 percent post-consumer waste. The silver foil on the current gift boxes will instead be a matte silver ink, making them fully recyclable.

Rock on, Nordstrom. Way to be about a year behind every other store in the world. No, seriously, though, good move on Nordstrom's part.

Now, way more importantly: doesn't this mannequin photo taken at a San Fran Nordstrom look like a hybrid human-deer-goat? Just sayin'.