Going Green Gear

Please don't cringe when you read this. I admit I don't recycle as often as I should--if at all--in my high-rise living situation, I don't have a grocery list that's 100 percent organic (hey, I like my 86-cents-a-pound strawberries), I'm not so conscious in my clothes shopping to go with sustainable products--it happens accidentally because I naturally like the gear--and I have a cabinet full of basic cleaning products like Windex and Fantastik, with the one exception being the eco-friendly laundry detergent that was a better value at Costco than the Kirkland brand. All eco-loving rule-breakers aside, I still love the Earth--and know I should show it a bit more--and celebrate Earth Day every year (OK, it helps that it's also my birthday). This year is no exception as the Earth Day holiday celebrates 40 years in the making. And to get into the holiday spirit there are tons of companies on the active front doing there eco-duty. Here's a sampling:

Horny Toad. With a campaign of "Do more by doing less (laundry)," these clothing outfitters are highlighting their eco-friendly fabrics and pointing out that 40 percent of energy expenditure on a piece of clothing happens after you take it home--wash before wear. Take fabric blends like Samba (Tencel, cotton and spandex), Voodoo a la Mode (Modal, cotton and spandex) and Flexcel (Tencel, cotton, poly and spandex) for example, where Modal is made from beechwood and Tencel is nice on the environment. And you can usually get away with multiple wears before washing.

Skirtsports. Save on ground shipping with your next skirt--or other activewear-purchase now through Sunday at Skirtsports.com. You don't need a coupon or code to show that you love the Earth too--and want free shipping on your order. As this Boulder-Co. based company says, ground shipping "has the least environmental impact and we need to protect Mama Earth!"

The North Face. Check with The North Face store near you for special Earth Day events through Planet Explore. My faves are the upcoming beach clean-up days--I'm grateful to those folks who go to such lengths as grabbing cigarette butts and the tiniest scraps of trash.

Merrell. I'm on a million-and-one mailing lists--or so it seems--and Merrell sent me a note this morning to celebrate Earth Day with them. The deal includes free shipping when you spend $150. They've also taken the time, and research, to blog about other companies and happenings getting in on the green action. If you're into visiting the National Parks, be sure to take a look: the parks are free to visitors this week and select Merrell retail shops are donating $10 from every purchase toward the National Park Foundation.

Be Present. When it comes to yoga gear, comfy clothes and relaxed style, Be Present always seems to fit the bill. On Earth Day they want to remind you that their apparel lines are full of earth-friendly fabrics--think lots of organic cotton--and cute designs. And you can save on shipping today, which makes the purchases even more worthwhile, at least in my book.

These are just a few companies to keep in mind on Earth Day. Do you have any others? Photo grabbed from FlyingSinger at flickr.