Annie Chun

Do you shy away from packaged noodle bowls and other Asian foods because of the fat content? Or reluctantly eat that styrofoam cup of ramen at work because its quick and easy, but feel guilty about the nearly 20 grams of fat you've just consumed? Well put those feelings behind you! Annie Chun's is a company dedicated to all natural, healthy packaged Asian cuisine. The noodle soup bowls are 100% natural, vegan, and contain no msg or preservatives. And not only that, but it comes in a biodegradable bowl! 

Annie Chun's products are made in the USA, and besides soup bowls, also sell noodle bowls, noodle side dishes, and sushi wraps.  You can buy them in your local grocery store, on Amazon, or on Annie Chun's website.

They are also involved with 1bowl.org, which fights world hunger. When you visit 1bowl.org, you can click on the blue button to donate a meal and Annie Chun's will match that

Worm Factory

This may seem like a hardcore green step, but its really a simple way to be a little more green. You simply put worms with some bedding and food scraps in the bottom drawer. As the worms digest, they move up to the next drawer, leaving behind rich castings that would be great for your garden! At full operation, the Worm Factory houses up to 10 pounds of worms (thats about 12,000 worms!) and they can eat through 5-8 pounds of food each day. The Worm Factory is weather resistant, and made in the USA of recycled plastic. 

You can get the Worm Factory and an order of worms at magicworms.com.

Smart Car

You may have seen it by now, parked nose to the curb on a parallel parking street.The Smart Car, first seen at an auto show in Paris, has been brought to the US. Sales began here in January for this cute, 8' 10" long car that gets 42 miles to the gallon and starts at just $12,000 (if you want air conditioning you'll have to pay a little more) It also rated very highly for safety, despite its tiny size.

Interested? Get in line. This car was such a hit, they can't keep up! For $99, you can get put on the waiting list. 

localharvest.org

Concerned about eating organic, and also about being eco friendly? Try localharvest.org! There you can put in your city, zip code, or state, and can search from farms, restaurants, and community supported agriculture where you can get local, organic food. 

Buying local is a good choice for many reasons. You can actually go and visit the farm so you know exactly where your food comes from. While it may be an hour or so to travel to the farm, thats it! It won't be hauled across the country on a truck, it only travels as far as you do. It can also be healthier for you. Grass fed hens, who are allowed to graze in a pasture can contain up to 20 times more omega 3 fatty acids than the hens who are kept in tiny pens. They also have 10% less fat, 40% more vitamin A, and 34% less cholesterol. Beyond the amazing health benefits, you are also helping a local family business instead of a big corporation. How can you say no to all of that?

Try the site, and check out your local farms. 

Method Omop

Keep your floors clean and nontoxic with the Method omop (short for "oh, what a mop"). This kit is the ultimate in green cleaning. You get a non-toxic, biodegradable cleaner in a recycled plastic bottle, a washable microfiber cleaning pad, compostable sweeper dusters made from corn-based plastic, and a mop, all inside a box made of pressed bamboo and recycled paper that is compostable or recyclable. 

You can buy it online at method.com for $30 or you can also get it at stores like Target.

Eco-Friendly binder

With Back to School right around the corner, its time to start thinking about school supplies. So many school and office supplies are made of new paper and plastic, which are so bad for the environment, especially since most of them get thrown away so quickly.

This year, try these eco-friendly binders. They are made with 70% recycled post consumer content and have a reduced chemical content than regular binders. They are also 100% recyclable. 

You can find these binders at TheGreenOffice.com in 5 sizes, ranging from $2.84-$4.74. They also have many other eco-friendly school and office supplies.

Flip Flop Door Mat

Its summer, and with it being so nice out, you and your family are going in and out of the house all day, and likely tracking in a lot of dirt. Have them wipe their feet on a mat made of another summer staple- flip flops! At the factory, after the flip flop shape is stamped out, there is leftover material around it. These are being made into indestructible, one of a kind door mats. You can get them at VivaTerra.com for $29-$89.

Corntainer Filtered Water Bottle

These brilliant little contraptions are filtered water bottles made from corn resin instead of plastic and petroleum. They contain carbon filters so that you can fill your bottle anywhere you go and end up with clean tasting water. You no longer have to buy a plastic bottle at the zoo when your carry-along bottle runs out. It is perfect for bikers or joggers who may run out of water along the way.

They are compostable, and will degrade in a commercial compost in 80 days. The corn is grown in the USA, and all the money spent to purchase the bottles stays in the USA. The corn polymer is also greenhouse gas neutral. 

These bottles are also reusable. How can they be reusable when they are compostable you ask? Well, compostable is different from biodegradable in that a compostable item needs heat and moisture to degrade, where as biodegradable items, such as fruits and vegetables, will rot and decompose even in your fridge. That being said, should you leave the bottle in your car on an extremely hot day, it could warp.

You can learn more about the Corntainer Filtered Water Bottle, or buy them on Amazon for $6.50 each. 

Organic Men's T-Shirt

These Cottonfield USA Crewneck Tee-shirts are grown and sewed in the USA, and are 100% Organic cotton. They are soft and comfortable, come in 4 colors, and cost only $20!

These shirts get an American tour as they come together. The cotton is grown on Organic cotton farms in Texas, California, and North Carolina, they are milled in North and South Carolina, are dyed in New Hampshire, and the fabric is cut and sewed in Boston, Massachusetts. Not only do they not have to travel far, but think of how many jobs they are providing in each of these states!

Grounds for Change

At GroundsforChange.com, you can find 17 different Fair Trade, 100% Organic coffee blends. Most of the coffee they sell is Shade Grown Coffee, which is better for the environment because it is allowed to grow underneath other trees, instead of having the area cleared out. This also loets local animals such as birds keep their habitats. 

Naturally occuring coffee bushes will only grow and thrive in the shade, and until 25 years ago, was the only way it was done. However, hybrids were developed that were placed in full sun, and were able to produce more coffee.

At Grounds for Change, they make sure it is done the old fashioned way for a number of reasons. Shade grown coffee shrubs actually live twice as long, and experts agree that the flavor is much better, and less bitter than full-sun coffee. They also provide homes to over 150 species of birds, who in recent years have been declining due to habitat loss.

Grounds for Change also offsets 100% of its non-renewable energy consumption and is a member of 1% For The Planet, donating 1% of total sales to organizations committed to improving our planet.

Prices are very reasonable, starting at $6.95 for an 8 oz bag and $41.95 for a 5 lb bag. They also sell sampler packs and other gifts.

Chopstick Folding Basket

Thats right, this basket is made entirely of recycled single-use wooden chopsticks! Don't worry, they've been sanitized. Great for fruit, keys, mail, bread, and folds flat for storage. It makes for a great conversation piece as well!

You can buy it at eco-artware.com for $25

New York Times Earrings

These pretty earrings are actually made from the plastic bag that carries the New York Times newspaper! The bag is twisted and wound into a spiral shape, and sewn togther with clear thread. The beads at the tops are glass and are recycled from vintage jewelry. 

You can get a pair at EarthFriendlyGoods for $28.50.

Walnut Sponge

This scrubber sponge is made in Ohio, and is made with organic walnut shells and 50% recycled materials, which includes paper, cardboard, and old, used clothes. 

There is a very small amount of glue in the sponge to hold it together, but the rest of the ingredients are biodegradable. Just cut the sponge into pieces when you're done!

You can buy these sponges for just $1.50 each at greenfeet.com!