Grumble:
Advertising billboards not only litter our minds but also our streets.  A bit too dramatic? 

Sure, sometimes billboards are worth it all because they’re uber sexy -- you remember Marky Marky's Calvin Klein billboard from the 80s and “Smith” from Sex and the City's!  Absolutely heart palpitating.  But, sometimes billboards are just… well, advertising that’s going to have a short run and then wind up in the landfill.  Like I said, litter, rubbish, garbage.

Goodness:
Thanks to the gurus at Green Guru, that would-be billboard waste is now fodder for bag, wallets, goggle straps and pouches.  Here's how it works... it's pretty dang simple.

Still pretty simple!

Go:
Surf on over to Green Guru and check out their RAD Billboard Series surfboard bag and small deluxe messenger bag which only cost $100 each.  They’re loaded with cool colors and no two are alike because none of US are alike…  not even Octomom’s spawn.

They also have hemp bags which are majorly on sale right now, so buy up if you’re crunchy.

If you are related to Darth Vader, then perhaps the Blow Out Series is more your speed?  As the name would suggest, these pouches, straps, wallets and bags are made of black rubber from bomber truck and tractor inner tubes, so you know they can withstand some SERIOUS abuse.  The Vulcar bag is $150, but suffice it to say, you’ll never wear it out, so it should last you a lifetime!  The wallet is only $25.

Why should you care?  Because lIfe starts to happen when the rubber meets the road... so get livin'.



Tracy Metro (and yes, Metro IS her real name!) is a TV host who was eco-chic before eco and chic were even hyphenated! Wanna learn more about this eco-conut? Grab a fare card and go for a ride at www.tracymetro.com
 

Grumble:
You hate spending the $7 just to get one pair of pants cleaned.  I feel you.  But, you have to spend the dough to get those gorgeous crepe slacks dry cleaned; otherwise, they’ll get all crapped up rendering them utterly unfashionable.  This dilemma begs the question:  why spend so much money on your clothing if you’re not going to take care of it… Boy, it seems as if your Mother just showed up.  Nag, nag, nag.

Goodness:
You’ve decided it IS in fact worth the money to dry clean those gorgeous trousers, but now you just can’t bear the thought of all of the senseless plastic used in the packaging of said dry cleaning.  Good girl!

Let’s think about it for a minute. 

Your clothing gets magically cleaned, then hung up on the cleaner’s clean carousel, then put into your clean car and then into your clean closet.  Does it REALLY need a hermitically sealed plastic bag for the trip home from the C-L-E-A-N-E-R-S?  I thought not.  And so did Dry Greening, my personal favorite NON-plastic, dry cleaning bag.

Go:
Buy your own Dry Greening bag for $4.99!  $4.99, people!  Come on, how can you NOT?!  While I don’t own 2 of them (yet!), here’s what I recommend you do.  Keep one bag in your closet to collect all of your dry cleaning items.  Then, when full take it to the cleaners and leave it with them to cover up those duds once they’re cleaned.  While you’re there dropping off the dirty stuff, pick up the clean stuff which is already living in your other Dry Greening bag.  Voila.  You're a genius.

I promise you that people will begin to ask about your bag thus starting a dry cleaning (er, greening) revolution, in your area.  Oh, and while you’re at it, return those wire hangers to the dry cleaners, so they can reuse them.  As Mommy Dearest said, “No more wire hangers!” and as Tracy Metro said, “No more plastic bags!”


Tracy Metro (and yes, Metro IS her real name!) is a TV host who was eco-chic before eco and chic were even hyphenated! Wanna learn more about this eco-conut? Grab a fare card and go for a ride at www.tracymetro.com
 

Grumble:
You drink like a fish and then happily toss those beer bottles into the recycling bin because no matter what they say, your habit actually DOES care about the planet.  Way to go, lady!  I like your recycling moxie, but how about turning those empties into some kick-ass jewelry so you can show the world how committed you are (and when I say committed, I’m not talking about that stint in Bellevue).

Goodness:
Now, I’m not insinuating you should actually DO anything other than (continue to drink and) purchase some of the hottest eco-jewelry out there.  Let’s not get crazy.  You, lift a finger?  Come-come, you’re smarter than that now that you're aware of Smart Glass Jewelry.

Go:
As Kathleen Plate (owner/designer) of Smart Glass says, “you won’t believe how beautiful a beer bottle can be.”  I am SURE your male counterpart has uttered those words more than a few times over the years, and now you can utter them right back at him as you don…

Your new danglers perhaps made from Dos Equis?  By the by, I don't own any of the danglers, but how gorgeous will the blue earrings look with your sweet tan?

Or even your new bracelets perhaps made from Boddington?  By the by, tragically I do not own the bangles but am MAD for them!  How Wonderwoman bad A-S-S are they?! 

Lastly, your new necklace perhaps made from New Castle?  By the by, I don't own any of the necklaces, but how killer is it that some of the glass has writing on it?

So, what's the moral of the story?  Drink up, let Kathleen make 'em up so you can buy 'em up which is easy to do since most items are under 100 bucks!!!

Tracy Metro (and yes, Metro IS her real name!) is a TV host who was eco-chic before eco and chic were even hyphenated! Wanna learn more about this eco-conut? Grab a fare card and go for a ride at www.tracymetro.com

 

Grumble:
With the sudden celebrity deaths over the last week, it’s just good to be alive and well, huh?!? Suddenly, that cold sore, those backed up bills and the annoying flat tire seems awfully trite because THANKFULLY you’re above ground.

Goodness:
With that, here are a few great, green products that will help you channel your inner Farah Fawcett, Billy Mays and Michael Jackson.  We’ll miss you all… especially the unintelligible David Letterman interviews, the overly loud selling of basic cleaning solutions and… well, the nose.

Go:
In honor of Farah Fawcett, here are 3 FAB 70s style headscarves in case you’re having a bad hair day (or worse, chemo!)   Lym & D’s website isn’t up quite yet, but you CAN buy these scarves at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, CA though they are quite pricey at $265 each.  Paying homage to the late, great Farah ain’t cheap, but Charlie says you’re worth it, angel.

In honor of Billy Mays (yeah, I included him in here.  Sue me!)  Here are a few green cleaning products that not only do I actually use, but ones that I really like!  Eco-Me’s cleaning solution is perhaps the B-E-S-T smelling cleaning product out there.  In fact, my house currently wafts with their yummy aroma.  If you’re just getting into chemical free cleaning products, this is a great way to start because they provide the components for you to make your own solutions.  Pick up their  Eco-Me Home Kit for $26 and get cleaning!

Here’s what’s in the kit:
Eco-Me All Purpose Spray Cleaner
Eco-Me Wood Polish Spray Cleaner
Eco-Me Scrub Cleanser

** They also have personal care products though I've never tried them... well, not yet at least!

For that pile of laundry that’s mounting in the corner, try getting rid of your liquid detergent and pick up an Official Greenwash Ball.  You toss the ball in the washing machine and simply add water!  No chemicals, no nothing!  I feel like I’m doing good for the planet, but still have some regular old detergent on hand when my duds are uber dirty.  You can pick this ball up all over the place such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, Whole Foods and of course the Official Greenwash Ball’s site.

In honor of my first crush, Michael Jackson (that was before I knew he was gay!), I’d like to draw attention to our (intact) noses.  People, the nose is the body’s filter for all things bad (and I’m not just talking about the funny stuff from the 80s that people put up their noses!).  Ever come home from a run in the city and blow your nose only to find gobs of black shoot in the tissue?  I rest my case.  It’s dirty up there and deserves to be clean as a whistle!

So, why not treat the nose right and do a little preemptive clean out with the neti pot.  For $13, you can buy your very out neti pot at iherb.com.  As you can clean out your nasal passageway you can tell all those icky bits to "Beat It!"


Tracy Metro (and yes, Metro IS her real name!) is a TV host who was eco-chic before eco and chic were even hyphenated! Wanna learn more about this eco-conut? Grab a fare card and go for a ride at www.tracymetro.com

 

Grumble:
1.You just got a pedi, your toes are still wet and you can’t wear real shoes or you’ll ruin the new paint job.  
2.You just had the doc remove that horrendous bunion on the side of your foot and you, quite literally, can’t wear real shoes.  
3.You just walked the entire Javits Convention Center tradeshow floor, your dogs are BARKING and you can’t wear real shoes or your feet will fall off.

Goodness:
No need to fret little piggies!  90210 podiatrist, Dr. Sylvie created Planet Flops which just so happen to be some of the cushiest, cutest and most natural flip flops on the… well, planet!  Flops are made in Brazil from remarkably soft yet durable natural rubber and are baked under the warm Brazilian sun.  Think about it people, Brazil is known for their thong bikinis, so it stands to reason that their thong flip flops are pretty hot, too!

Go:
Hop on an American Airlines flight to Brazil… better yet, skip on over to Planet Flops and jump on board with every man, woman and child in BH who are wearing Flops.  I bet Donna Martin will be wearing a pair, soon -- and, you don't want to be left out of the cool crowd.

Tracy Metro (and yes, Metro IS her real name!) is a TV host who was eco-chic before eco and chic were even hyphenated! Wanna learn more about this eco-conut? Grab a fare card and go for a ride at www.tracymetro.com

 

Grumble:
When I say rain, rain go away, unfortunately I’m talking about the rainFOREST!  Uh oh.  When we destroy the rainforest, we displace indigenous people, animals and native species not to mention screw up our climate (but there’s no such thing as global warming)!!!!!!  Did you know that the Amazon rainforest works like an awesome air conditioner that cools down the temperature of the ENTIRE world by a few degrees Celsius?!  Now, ya know!

Goodness:
Purchase an Andira Rain Tee 100% organic t-shirt designed by youth living in endangered rain forests (in Central and South America) and a child living with environmental destruction receives a tree to replace one that has been destroyed. 

Go:
Grab a hold of your vine and swing on over to www.thegreenloop.com to help save the rainforest one tee at a time!  You can even buy your little monkey a tee and show them how  getting a little winds up giving a little, too.

Tracy Metro (and yes, Metro IS her real name!) is a TV host who was eco-chic before eco and chic were even hyphenated! Wanna learn more about this eco-conut? Grab a fare card and go for a ride at www.tracymetro.com

Grumble:
You packed on the pounds over the holidays. OK, truth be told it wasn’t only over the holidays it was during 2008’s entire last quarter that the poundage kept piling on (damn economy)! Life’s hard sometimes, I know and Ben & Jerry’s is oh so good. Aye there’s the rub, people. There’s the rub – and I’m not talking about the one your pantyhose are making between your thighs. By the way, who even wears hose these days?! I digress… 

Grumble:
Let’s face it, holiday shopping is a pain in the tuchas (for all of you non-Yiddish speakers out there: butt, tush, arse, hiney, rear). Honestly, it just doesn’t matter if you’re shopping for eco-gifts or trying to be economical with your shopping; it’s all stressful and can make this part of the year loathsome for many.    What? Me -- hate shopping? Someone quick… check my temperature!