I’ve always been a nature lover, and although I’ve never thought myself to have a green thumb I’ve always wanted to try growing a Garden Fort. I remember reading about sunflower houses when I was little and being amazed at what a little planning and some seeds could produce.

Hearth Song’s exclusive GardenFort would be a great spring time gift whether you are a nature lover, gardener, or just like the idea of being surrounded in a lush little secret garden of your own. This would be a great eco-friendly activity for you and your children as warmer months approach. (What a great way to get kids outside *playing* after being cooped up for all those winter months!) The kit includes supporting framework as well as 4 fast growing seeds like cypress vine, and moon flower.
$69.95

Taged as: activity, eco friendly, exclusive, nature, summer, under $100

Posted by Alison in Outdoors, Kids
Leave a Comment

I had a dream last night about this very riding toy. Since I saw this online a couple days ago I keep thinking of all the fun times I had as a child riding the sit and skate Flying Turtle. Recommended for ages 3 years and up kids propel themselves by swinging the handlebars from side to side on smooth-rolling skateboard wheels. If you’ve seen them before then you know how easy it is to get moving. I tried to find a good example of people riding a Flying Turtle, but the best I could come up with is this 5 second video of a grown up riding in a circle. If you can find a better example video online or upload one of your own, please let us know by leaving a comment with a link to it.

My personal memories are from the mid 80’s and this teal color really brings back those 80’s feelings. Now you can get them in the always stylish black, in purple, or even a dark green.

I remember I enjoyed it because I couldn’t skateboard well at all, but still wanted to hang out in empty parking lots with the bigger kids. This gave me the transportation, not to mention good exercise, I needed to be able to keep up with the others in the neighborhood. Which is exactly why I would recommend this as a good gift to kids who happen to be in a similar situation.

$58.50

Related: “Trikke 7″ three-wheeler for ages 8 and up.

Taged as: activity, Back to Basics Toys, fun, gift idea, kid friendly, under $100, unique

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Kids, Fun
1 Comment

Using a bicycle for trips around town is the ultimate in environmentally friendly transportation; so promote the use of their bike by giving this easy to use and install cargo trailer. Although this trailer says its made for the eGo Cycle (electric bicycle) it looks like it will fit any bicycle with at least 20′ wheels (most do). This bicycle cargo trailer features a low profile for better visibility or lights and reflectors, can attach in a snap, and can carry up to 100 lbs of additional weight. When not in use this trailer folds up flat for maximum storage efficiency.

$169

Gaiam also offers gift certificates so recipients can find their own perfect present.

Taged as: eco friendly, gadgets, gift idea, green gift idea, under $200

Posted by Sean in Alternative Energy, Holiday Green Gift Guide, Outdoors, Misc
Leave a Comment

Shopping for a fan of snowboarding or skiing? Help reduce waste in our landfills and find the gift you’re looking for by utilizing old snowboards and skis as new furniture. Pictured here is a recycled snowboard bench, but that’s not all. Other items of recycled furniture available are: bookshelves, coat racks, picnic table, outdoor chairs, DVD rack, trash cans, clocks, and more. The time to buy these is now due to the fact that they are made when ordered and they take weeks to be delivered. Actual time depends on the product selected.

Clock, Coat Rack, & Trash Can $30-85
Book Case, Tables, Chairs $150-400

PatioandYard.com has some similar recycled snowboard furniture worth taking a look at as well.

Taged as: 

Posted by Sean in Home and Outdoors, Holiday Green Gift Guide, Outdoors
Leave a Comment

In the heirarchy of green products, those that cleverly solve two problems at once reign supreme. Not only is this wreath made from recycled plastic, but the lights are powered by a solar cell. To make a smart idea even smarter, it’s daylight-sensing and automatically turns the lights on or off so you don’t waste your solar charge. I’m not sure if it’s just proves that the manufacturer really knows their target market, or to play up the “hippie” allure, but you can choose from the traditional style or a peace sign shaped wreath.

$89

Gaiam also offers gift certificates so recipients can find their own perfect present.

Taged as: eco friendly, Gaiam, gift idea, green gift idea, holiday, home decor, under $100

Posted by Lauren in Holiday, Holiday Green Gift Guide, Outdoors
1 Comment

For some of us, adults and kids alike, our bicycles are like good friends. They provide us with eco-friendly transportation, a healthy hobby, and many miles of outdoor fun. Many people receive bikes as gifts (particularly birthday or Christmas presents), and with a bike being stolen every 30 seconds that means a lot of heartbroken gift recipients. It’s estimated that over 1.5 million bicycles are stolen every year, and it only takes about 7 seconds to steal one! The odds look stacked against bicycle owners, but the National Bike Registry has an excellent tool to assist in the recovery of your stolen bike or scooter.

How does it work? With their bicycle registration service, you you can register your bicycle by serial number in their national database and apply the tamper-proof label you receive to your bike. If your bike is ever stolen, it can be identified and you can prove ownership. Law Enforcement anywhere can access our database, they advise NBR that your bike has been recovered, and you can be notified immediately. For a single bike the cost is just $10 for 10 years, and a family of 5 can register all of their bikes for just $25 for 10 years. The cost makes it economical for even a mid-priced bicycle, and an absolute steal if you have an expensive one.

Taged as: eco friendly, fitness, gift idea, green gift idea, kid friendly, under $25

Posted by Lauren in Alternative Energy, Holiday Green Gift Guide, Outdoors
Leave a Comment

Have you ever wanted your own lemon tree, but were bummed because you didn’t have a yard, or afraid you’d be moving soon? Yeah, me too. That’s why I was excited to see an organic dwarf lemon tree that produces fruit all year-round. This dwarf tree produces full size lemons with a taste that is sweeter and less acidic than Eureka lemons and can grow healthy indoors or outside.

Available from Viva Terra, there’s also an option to get a more earthy styled pot for this dwarf lemon tree called the Root of the Earth Bowl. This bowl is hand-carved from discarded root balls of Chinese fir trees and comes is many sizes with each bowl unique in its carvings and shape. The dwarf lemon tree in the Root of the Earth Bowl would look great in a room with nature inspired home decor or nature inspired runners.

This would be a great gift for those garden dreamers who live in small apartments when combined with the Miniature Edible Garden we blogged about a while back.

Taged as: eco friendly, food, gift idea, nature, organic, unique, Viva Terra

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Household
1 Comment

Stringing lights up around the edges of your home is so 1900’s. We haven’t seen much advancement in styles other than more colors and “icicle lights”. Now, thanks to technology, we can project fun shapes on the sides of our homes.

Well that’s why there is this Light Display Projector. It’s a device that shines bright light onto your house, or where ever you have it aimed, with a filter to make amusing shapes that float by. These are typically used most during the Halloween and Christmas seasons, but it can be used all year long. It’s great for letting visitors know which house is having the birthday party, wedding, graduation, etc. Tell them to look for the house with the flying deer, stars, balloons, skaters, witches, bats, ghosts or snow flurries all over it. These are all the shapes it comes with, but I’m curious to know if you can easily make your own.

There is a mirror ball inside that you can adjust to determine the direction at which things are flying by as well as a switch to adjust the speed of their flight. Each design is on an interchangeable slide that easily slips in and out of the light projector. The projector comes with a sturdy stand to help keep it upright even in the lawn and plugs into a regular AC outlet.

Anyone know of any modifications or homemade slides for this? I’d definitely be interested in hearing from you.

Taged as: electronics, holiday, lighting

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Halloween
Leave a Comment

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words “garden statue”? Most people would say garden gnomes, but I think it’s time to phase them out and make room for more fun and creative statues. I personally don’t have a garden or lawn big enough to warrant statues in them, but if I did I know where I’d shop to find the ones for me. Design Toscano would be the place because of their many novelty garden statues. Many of their statues can be placed indoors as well.

One of my favorite types of lawn art and statues are the ones where it looks like part of them is under ground. The most traditional of these is the dragon or serpent that looks as though it’s swimming in water. Design Toscano has one called The Dragon of Bamberg Castle Moat. There is 2 1/2 feet of visible dragon that is almost lifelike with its scales, wings, and treacherous tail. Hand-finished in faux stone, it arrives in three quality, cast designer resin pieces. Keep in mind that you get a discount when you by two instead of one. Double dragon score!

In the same vein as the dragon swimming there is a rather novel idea of making it look like a person is swimming in your yard. This prim and proper lady’s name is Coco and it’s aptly named Coco Swims the Channel. This one is an exclusive design from Toscano and is made of 4 cast resin pieces. Believe it or not shipping costs are very fair as I personally thought they would be much more for shipping statues.

Another Toscano exclusive is Chauncey, the Caterpillar who was hand sculpted, cast in designer resin and hand painted is bright summer colors. This novelty garden statue is, as of this writing, currently on sale and if you buy more than one you get an even better deal. I’ve only touched on a small niche of what Toscano actually offers in garden statues so be sure to check out their entire collection of statues, furniture, art, jewelry and more.

Taged as: Design Toscano, funny, novelty, unique

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Unique
Leave a Comment

If you are looking for a portable hot tub I don’t think you are going to find a better place to by a high quality one than from Hammacher. I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth repeating because not many online stores offer a lifetime guarantee. Meaning if it arrives and it’s not what you expect or it fails under normal usage you can return it and get your money back no problem. That alone is a big plus when buying online.

This portable hot tub will inflate in ten minutes with the included motor and will filter your 250 gallons of heated water with the included pump system. Heat is controlled by a built in control panel so you don’t even have to get out of the spa to adjust it. You and three of your friends can relax comfortably on the cushioned walls and soothe those tired muscles with the heated jet action that’s comparable to permanently installed hot tubs. It’s also constructed of the same SK80 vinyl found in white water rafts that are meant to prevent punctures and tears in rough rocky rivers.

All you need is a water hose and a space big enough to fit an 82 inch in diameter inflatable hot tub and you are stylin’ in no time. It’s getting to be that time of year when it gets cold at night, and I think a nice dip in this heated hot tub would be the hit of any party or just a great end to any day.

Taged as: fun, Hammacher Schlemmer, party

Posted by Sean in Outdoors, Splurge
Leave a Comment