Drizzly days like today in Washington are common -- yes -- but, so are the moods they evoke in me as well. These misty, cold, dank, dark days just make me want to curl up next to the fire with a hot cup of coffee, and my battered, dog ear cornered, marked up, highlighted copy of a Falcon Guide. Longing to be "out there," but permanently stuck indoors due to the weather, I often find myself planning my next trip. Or making lists of the gear I eventually want to possess. Or dreaming about how I can further protect the natural world I so cherish.
Over the last rainy week or so, I've really put in some research hours into learning about some super nifty products, and the companies who make them. I think it's really awesome to see individual companies addressing the issues we (as a human race) are having to deal with, while providing functionality as well. Now, I realize that these products I'm going to be talking about are all over the map, and some don't even have anything to do with the outdoors, but they all share one thing in common. They're functional, and good for the environment. Which, as anyone who knows me can tell you, I'm extremely passionate about.
So, without further adieu...here are the top ten products I am most excited about. :)
Number one is the
Guyot Designs Fireflye wide mouth bottle cap. Now, I know what you're all thinking, "
A bottle cap?! What use is that?" But the
Fireflye is soooo much more. It has three, ultra bright LED light strips that are water-tight sealed in a seperate compartment, and when turned on with the push of a button, turns your water bottle into a very practical lantern. You can use it upside down, or right side up because the internal workings of the LED lights will never get wet. Three AAA batteries are all you need to get your
Fireflye up and running. It even has a few different settings, including a nightlight feature. Have your water
and your light source hanging from the roof of your tent! How cool is that?
Next on my list of super cool, eco-friendly inventions is the new, 100% compostable SunChips bag made completely out of plants. I'm sorry, but when I first heard that they were going to release this product on Earth Day 2010, I just about jumped out of my seat with excitement. If SunChips can design a bag that completely breaks down in the environment...why can't ALL the chip manufacturers follow in their footsteps and do the same? Can you imagine the amount of land-fill waste that would be eliminated if every single chip bag on the super market shelf was biodegradable? Big props go out to the geniuses who came up with this design.
Third in the count-down is Burt's Bees Fabulously Fresh Peppermint & Rosemary Body Bar. First of all, as an actual user, let me tell you how invigorating this soap is. The peppermint instantly cools and refreshes you while the fragrance wakes up your senses. It's also peppered with rough almond flour to exfoliate your skin, and it's made out of all-natural ingredients so you don't have to feel bad about what's washing down your drain. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the packaging is made out of pressed powdered stone. It's absolutely, 100% bio-d. Just toss it in your normal garbage can, and let mother nature do the rest!
Coming in fourth is the stunning new line of cleaners called Green Works made by Clorox. All of the products in this line-up are amazing at doing their job while still staying natural and chemical free. But, what I'm really excited about are the Natural Compostable Cleaning Wipes. Ever since cleaning wipes were introduced on the market I've been an avid user. They're quick, convenient, and germ-free, unlike ordinary sponges. However, I couldn't help but notice how much waste I was creating every time I threw one of those wipes away. Now I don't have to compromise my health for the sake of the environment. The Green Works wipes are made out of wood-based fibers, so now I don't feel so bad when I toss them in the trash, and I can be confident that I'm not using any harsh chemicals on my surfaces.
Fifth on the list is the EcoSneaks "Bio-D" line by SimpleShoes. I've been a HUGE fan of SimpleShoes ever since I bought my first pair of Satire sneakers over a year and a half ago. EcoSneaks uses all kinds of natural, recycled, and organic materials to make their shoes, and now they've beefed up the soles of their shoes with a bio-d additive. Basically, you can throw your shoes away, and they'll turn into dirt in about 20 years (which isn't really a long time in the grand scheme of things). But why would you want to? EcoSneaks are super comfortable and last a looooong time. There's hardly any signs of wear and tear on my sneaks, and SimpleShoes actually has a customer who blogged about how he was able to wear his shoes for TEN YEARS before he finally had to throw in the towel!!
The number six slot goes to Guyot Design's TapGuard. Fitting snugly into any standard wide-mouth bottle, the TapGuard almost overextends itself on practicality. Slip the carbon pouch into it's holder, press the TapGuard into your water bottle, and presto! you have great tasting water from your tap. This product is great for many reasons. First, you can have the luxury of bottled water taste from anywhere, including the drinking fountain at work. Secondly, it helps to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles tumbling into our landfills. It's made with food-grade silicone so it's a snap to clean and disinfect, and you don't even have to remove it to fill your water bottle.
Number seven goes to show you that you don't need a lot of cash to go green. For under $20 you too can own an Energizer Simple Charger complete with two rechargable AA batteries. I nabbed one of these little suckers after I had a rather disappointing (and not to mention emabarrassing) mishap out in the field. I was trying to document my first experience on the Kautz Creek trail when suddenly my camera's batteries died on me. I vowed never again to leave for a hike without fresh batteries and a pair of back-ups just in case. I didn't want to keep buying batteries, though, and polluting the earth in the process, so you can imagine my enthusiasm when I found these rechargables. The Simple Charger charges both your standard AA and AAA batteries, and has the added bonus of being able to juice up 9Volts as well. I use mine to charge up my AA's in my camera before any trek, and hey...you can use it to recharge your AAA's for your Fireflye! ;)
Number eight on my list is the Buff. Yes, you heard me right...the Buff. I honestly believe that every hiker should own one. It has so many uses, it practically makes my head spin. Coming in a wide variety of colors, materials, and patterns, the Buff is a long, tubular, seamless piece of microfiber. You can use it in hot weather to keep you cool, and cold weather to keep you warm. Wear it as a wristband, neck scarf, headband, mask, hair wrap, hair scrunchy, bandana, beanie...the possibilities are endless. Use it wet to keep you super cool on really hot days, or use it to pre-filter any sediment in your water when you fill up at streams (don't forget to actually filter your water though!! LOL). The Buff even comes in UV and insect repellent fabrics, and the company gives you the option for no packaging when you check-out, thus saving waste. Looks good in my book. :)
Number nine weighs in heavy for me because I'm so honored to live in the Puget Sound area of the Northwest. Bartell Drugs has created a line of unique re-usable bags to inspire their customers to keep their home clean for future generations. 100% recyclable, each bag holds just as much as three to five plastic bags. I'm pretty much hooked on the super-cute vector design, depicting my favorite mountain of all time -- Mt. Rainier.
And last but definitely not least is the Natural Jute and PER Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat by Barefoot Yoga Co. I loooove me some yoga, and I love the way jute feels under my feet. This yoga mat is 100% bio-d, so feel free to toss it once it's lifespan is up. But I guarantee you won't be throwing this mat away for a long time. Barefoot Yoga also sells a wide variety of other eco-friendly yoga mats, as well as yoga blocks.
Well that's it. Thanks for checking out the products I'm uber-stoked about. Hopefully my next entry will be of an actual hike, instead of a rainy day activity. :P I've got some neat places planned for this summer, and Eagle Peak is definitely a challenge I want to defeat before the season is over. Look out Mt. Rainier!
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