Here is a listing of wonderful people, products & services that I’ve got to compile for 2009 in regards to eco-friendly living. Some have been guests on the CasaVerde radio show, some have been written about in other columns & some are products I’ve found, used & wanted to share. Now, what makes ME qualified to compile such a list? Well, as a former Director of Ops for a chain of retail stores that specialized in nature, science & healthy living, & in charge of purchasing & compiling preferred vendor lists & custom product development-I’ve been “vetting” vendors, manufacturers & products for many years. While there may be other manufacturers & vendors that offer similar products, the ones that I’m writing about I have some knowledge of the product, their customer service, ease of using their websites & commitment to their mission statement. Here goes…
Paint & Wallcoverings:
Sherwin Williams: From no and low VOC paints & stains, to their own line of biodegradable drop cloths, Sherwin Williams continues to lead the way in transforming the paint industry. www.sherwin-williams.com
Farrow & Ball: Another paint manufacturer from the UK that manufacturers low and no VOC paints. Their color offerings aren’t as wide as Sherwin Williams, and are much more traditional in their offerings (think colors like milk paint offered). F&B also has created a line of low VOC wallpaper. Patterns are hand-blocked on paper. Again, very traditional, but fills the niche nicely. www.farrow-ball.com
Carpet:
FLOR carpet tiles: I LOVE this company, and this is what I have in my house. They offer a line of eco-friendly tiles AND since they are TILES, if a tile does become damaged, all you have to do is pop out the tile & replace that! Easy to install & replace, PLUS they recycle old, damaged tiles. www.flor.com
Furniture:
KI Furniture: While KI mostly caters to commercial facilities, any of the product can be used in residential applications as well. Contemporary, great clean lines & practical. From offices & storage, to media & family rooms-they have great casegood & upholstered options. www.ki.com
Pallas Textiles: 1st biodegradable polyurethanes on the market! GREAT innovation in textiles! Wonderful colors, practical & perfect for kid’s rooms or any other high traffic area. www.pallastextiles.com
Kitchen items:
GreenLite’s Totally Bamboo products: LOVE their cutting boards! Dishwasher friendly, knife-friendly & light. Come in a variety of sizes. Also offer chairs, mezaluna herb cutting boards & bowls. www.totallybamboo.com
muiKitchen: Bamboo towels, dishrags & aprons. Love it! www.muikitchen.com
Laura Bruzas: Healthy dining menus, books, articles, recipes & newsletter & events www.HealthyDining.org
EcoChamber: GREEN chamber of commerce! Videos, job listings, events, eco-friendly companies, products & service listings. This is now global! www.ecochamber.com
GetGreen Music: GREEN music download & social networking site, video downloads from concerts, music videos & other things music-related! www.getgreenmusic.org.
GoGreen Deals: a wonderful product portal that you can go to daily to download coupons, or find other deals/specials/discounts on ALL products that are eco-friendly, sustainable and/or GREEN from a variety of retailers/vendors. www.gogreendeals.com
Pamela Peeters: created the Sustainable Film Festival which is now global & shown in 5 countries, is a certified eco-consultant & economist, coordinates sustainable fashion shows & founded Sustainable Styles ¼ e-magazine. Pamela is also an author & speaker. www.pamelapeeters.com.
Eric Hansel: founder of EMG which consults in “greening” the casino industry-everything from HVAC units, lighting to starting his own live of sustainable gaming furniture. In fact, Eric just won the International award for his 100% sustainable gaming table. Eric’s products are 100% made in America as well! www.egmgreen.com