There are new words on every French lips: Verrines and apéritifs dînatoires. And if you wanted to go full-French, you could have an apéritif dînatoire during which you would serve des verrines délicieuses. Verrines are a beautiful way to serve food, and as the name indicates, the food is served in a glass, which allow for playing with layering and transparencies.

Try your hand at classic French cooking with this V’reens set, an eco-friendly take on the quintessential French verrines. This V’reens set includes four glasses made from reclaimed bottles that feature an eco-friendly silk-screened design. Use the enclosed booklet to make one of five recipes including Greek layers of mushrooms, hummus and cucumbers, spicy garbanzo beans soup with mint and basil, and melon gazpacho and raspberries sorbet. Then artfully arrange the glasses on the curved wooden serving tray made from reclaimed wine barrels. Purchase from Uncommongoods!

I’m a big fan of the color blue and my Macbook (as a freelance writer, I rarely leave home without it). Subsequently, I was thrilled when GreenSmart requested MEH review one of their eco-friendly laptop sleeves. Not only was I (conveniently) in the market for a new one, the sleeve looked stylish and durable – just what I needed to haul my laptop on the go.

The Akepa 15.4” sleeve (my color is Blue Ice) is made from the material Neogreene, a “proprietary formulation of thermoplastic elastomer foam.” In fact, the material is completely water-based and contains none of the damaging chemicals or toxins typically found in neoprene or other comparable rubber foams.

But GreenSmart doesn’t simply just manufacture eco-friendly products; they also strive to be as sustainable as possible in their production and distribution processes as well, with clean production of all their products that does not emit any toxic residues.

Aside from its inherent green qualities, I love the bright color of the sleeve (if blue isn’t your color, it also comes in purple, hot pink, orange, and black) and the design, which was apparently inspired by the birdnest stadium built in Beijing for the 2008 summer Olympic games. It also fits my 15” laptop like a glove and easily fits into my oversized tote.

One of the things I like most about the sleeve is the thick, plush lining. Made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles (how neat is that?), it’s thick enough to protect my laptop and keep it from getting scratched. Plus, there’s a ventilation gusset, so when I’m finished using the computer, I can immediately put it in the sleeve and it will cool down.

Whether you’re in need of a new sleeve or just want to replace your old one, the GreenSmart Neogreene sleeve is one I would definitely recommend; it’s stylish, sturdy and best of all eco-friendly.

On a side note, one thing that impressed me about GreenSmart is all their products are named after endangered animals (the Akepa is a small, rare tropical bird found in Hawaii) and ten percent of all their profits are donated to the World Wildlife Fund and other environmental non-profit organizations.

Summary Review

Pros:

• Eco-friendly material
• Thick, plush lining for protection
• Lining 100% recycled material
• Clean production
• No chemical odor
• Unique, stylish design
• Bright, chic colors

Cons:

The cost. At $39,95, the sleeve is a little more expensive than traditional laptop sleeves. However, you get what you pay for and for just a few (well-spent) extra dollars, GreenSmart’s sleeve delivers style, protection and eco-friendliness unmatched by comparable products.

With the ever-growing buzz of green living reaching fever pitch, it comes as no surprise that there are those hoping to cash in on the trend. Case in point: there are many companies – large and small – that have adopted a false eco-spin in hopes to sway consumers and boost profits. So how can you differentiate between the truly green companies and those that only claim to be? Here are three tell-tale signs of potential greenwashing.

Ambiguous Claims – Seemingly green claims using terms such as “natural,” “eco,” and “nontoxic” don’t mean much without any certifications to back them up. In fact, the use of such words is not currently regulated so anyone can slap them on virtually any type of product. Look for more substantial terms including “organic” and “recycled,” which are highly controlled by federal regulations (the term “recycled” indicates the product is in part made from recycled materials while “recyclable” simply means the product maybe able to be recycled in your area). You can also look for government-issued symbols accompanying such terms, like the certified organic stamp.

Carefully Inspect Ambigious Claims by "Green" Companies

A Lack of Transparency – Companies that are truly green are typically open and transparent about their green practices and companies that are not tend to be very vague and non-transparent. Green products should have a space on the packaging that clearly explains their green claims. In addition, legitimate green companies should make ample information available on their website or through their customer service department. A lack of transparency of any “green” company should be a major red flag.

Pretty Packaging – Next time you head to the store, take a minute to notice all the pretty packaging of household items. From laundry detergent to cosmetics, many companies have adopted a slick advertising shift designed to subtly imply eco-friendliness (think “natural” looking designs replete with plants, babies, and white, fluffy clouds). Whatever the image, consumers should be clearly aware that these softer, cleaner designs are not necessarily indicative of valid green practices and simply a marketing ploy.

All around the country millions of children (and their ecstatic parents) are gearing up for another school year to begin. For many, back-to-school is synonymous with buying “stuff”; from school supplies to shoes, it’s time to restock on everything the kids will need for the upcoming year. Lest you think being green and back-to-school shopping can’t coexist, take heart! Here’s everything you need to know to help you keep your family’s back-to-school routine green without breaking the bank.

1. Map Out Your Excursions – Gearing up for a new school year just wouldn’t complete without a few shopping trips but before you all pile into the minivan, take some time to plan your trip. Logically map out your errands and shopping to ensure you aren’t needlessly driving all around town and making more than one trip out. This will (obviously) help you save gas and reduce carbon emissions.
2. Take Stock of What You Have – Chances are you have a whole slew of new or (at the very least) gently-used supplies around the house – think pencils, pens, notebooks, backpacks, etc. A principal inherent to green living is reusing whatever whenever possible, so take stock of what you already have that can be used. That being said, only purchase supplies in bulk if you plan on using them! There’s no sense in purchasing 24 bottles of glue if they are not going to be used.
3. Buy in Bulk – If you do need to purchase some new supplies, buy what you can in bulk. Not only is this ideal if you have multiple children, it’s often less costly than purchasing the supplies individually and it reduces the amount of packaging used. Binders, pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, and more can all be purchased in bulk (typically from office supply stores).
4. Choose Green Alternatives – In a similar vein, choose green supplies whenever you can; they are not that much more expensive (if at all) than their conventional counterparts and are much better for the environment. For example, since paper is still heavily used in K through 12, purchase paper and notebooks with the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Also look for recycled pencils (remember these?), refillable pens, and other green supplies.
5. Opt for Green Attire – It’s estimated that more than half of the money spent on back-to-school shopping is for clothes and for many parents, new apparel come complete with sticker shock.  For greener threads that won’t break the bank, begin your search at local thrift stores. Second-hand stores have come a long way from their Goodwill predecessor and gently-used clothing in near perfect condition can be found at next-to-nothing prices. For instance, Kid-to-Kid (located in 21 states) sells near-perfect hand-me-downs for children while Buffalo Exchange is a great source for low-impact hip attire for fashion-savvy teens. Have a larger budget? Stick with eco-friendly clothing made from sustainable fabrics, like organic cotton and bamboo. Many popular retailers offer such attire including American Apparel, Nike, H&M, and (gasp!) even Wal-Mart (which apparently is one of the world’s largest consumers of organic cotton – nearly 12 million pounds annually).
6. Skip the Paper Bag – The use of brown paper bags encourages deforestation so opt for a reusable, sustainable lunch box made with green materials designed to keep food hot or cold until lunchtime. There’s a plethora of options out there apt for kids (and adults) of all ages, from character lunch boxes to sleek, insulated lunch bags.
7. Green Your Way to School – Walking, biking, or taking the bus to school is always preferable to driving. It’s a green(er) practice that encourages a healthy lifestyle while cushioning your pocketbook. If you don’t live close enough to walk, find a safe bike route the (older) kids can take. Even taking the bus (a school bus can hold upwards of 70 children) is greener than driving a single-occupancy car.

Handmade from reclaimed roofing tin and scrap plywood, these rustic frames are an awesome way to display photos, hold memos or notes.

Margaret Taylor’s business of creating artful picture frames, mirrors, furniture, birdhouses, garden and wall art actually began as a hobby. Taylor gained experience and knowledge helping her father on house projects. She was inspired by the fundamental beauty of paint and texture, and she soon gained the confidence and ability to imagine and create anything. Her business Dryads Dancing is now in its eleventh year. We love these reclaimed frames. I actually have two of them myself! They are available at Uncommongoods for $25.

Cork has been used ever since the Greeks and the Romans discovered it more than 1,000 years ago. It comes from an oak tree growing naturally throughout the Mediterranean region and offers humans still can’t reproduce. When it comes to cork, most people think wine stoppers and memo boards. But thousands more uses exist.It turns out that cork also makes a beautiful storage case for wine bottles as well.

Combining the rich, natural texture of cork with modular design, this wine rack holds six bottles, with special notches on top to support three more when positioned horizontally. You can also expand your collection with the expansion pack, which holds an additional three bottles.

The wine rack arrives packaged in a flat box (less packaging means less waste!) and it only takes a couple minutes to put it together. Not only is this wine rack attractive and durable, but cork is a naturally sustainable product that’s also 100% recyclable and biodegradable – so the warm glow you feel inside won’t just be the wine.

Upcycled art is generally described as artwork that’s compiled of objects that have been discarded by others. There are tons of reclaimed art artists that use the vision of what art is to them, to create visually stunning recycled items. It takes a truly artistic mind to look at what many people would consider to be trash and turn it into something eco-beautiful.

I am obsessed with accessories made from recycled wood. I have everything from candleholders, to bowls, to jewelry. So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to write a review for a handmade DEDO frame. Each DEDO frame is crafted from precious post-consumer and reclaimed woods from around the world. The guys behind DEDO believe that the photos and artwork displayed in their frames are just as important as the frames themselves. And that a picture frame should enhance and compliment what lies within, not just serve as a holder. It’s their hope that their frames preserve the importance of art and personal expression without contributing to the destruction of the environment. Isn’t that awesome?!

My Bamboo DEDO Frame

We decided to ask Matt and Roger (owners and artists) a few questions about DEDO and their awesome, eco art. We think you’ll find the answers to our questions quite interesting. And if you can’t already tell by our enthusiasm, we’re HUGE DEDO fans! See our Q&A below.

Wenge DEDO Frame

Where does the name DEDO come from?

- The name covers the way DEDO is engineered and its aesthetic. It’s the Spanish word for finger, alluding to each piece being a “fingerprint”…there are no two alike. Also the cut used to make the frame is called a dado cut (pronounced similarly), so its a play on words.

Your frames are so uniquely designed. How did you come up with the concept?

- We love design that allows the materials to do the talking, so to speak. Our favorite material of all is wood – it’s richness and variability and vitality. We also love people, in particular, people’s faces – each look like a fingerprint. So, we came up with a way of marrying these two things in one display. That’s DEDO! It’s a streamlined design that allows the complexities of each picture and material to have center stage.

Every year Matt and I (Roger) go to a Christmas party where the folks attending have to bring a gift that they themselves have made. I, being a woodworker by trade, have all these amazing pieces of cool woods laying around my shop that are too small to use for much else.

But, I just can’t throw them away! I mean seriously, whose gonna throw away a piece of Cocobolo, or Snakewood (the rarest hardwood in the world)!!! So, what could I make with these relatively small chunks of material? I’ve always enjoyed pictures too. Okay…. My only other thought was that I had to come up with something that was simple enough to make – after all it was the morning of the party! So, I decided to make a frameless picture frame that used one of these really amazing pieces of wood, and brought that to the party. It was a hit, and DEDO was born!

Later on, Matt suggested that this frame was something a lot of other people might enjoy, so we teamed up to present it to the public.

You seem to have a vast collection of unique wood to work with. How do you obtain your reclaimed lumber?

- We have partnered with various woodworkers and artists in our area that supply us with pieces they would otherwise throw away. Being a woodworker, I have some of these pieces and also seek out my collegue’s who have a cluttered workspace or who simply discard their scraps

Do you have a specific wood that you choose to work with?

- We work with whatever woods are available. We see each piece as unique and beautiful in its own right. No discrimination here! There have been some favorites among our customers, specifically the Zebrawood and the Snakewood frames. The hard part is that we only sell what we have as reclaimed, so we can’t really stock a bunch of inventory by buying wood from lumberyards. We only have what we have on hand for our DEDO frame collection.

Did you introduce Bamboo specifically for it’s green properties?

- We were fortunate enough to come across a cache of bamboo when a cabinet maker specializing in bamboo cabinets cleaned out his shop. We literally rummaged through his dumpster to score all these different patterns he had glued up for his projects. They’re incredible! All kinds of funky patterns and types! Post-consumer bamboo…It doesn’t get much greener than that! We also knew that bamboo is a very popular material used in modern decor, so it’s a great product all around.

How long does it take to make one frame, start to finish?

- That’s hard to say. We typically finish a number of them at one time. But, I’d say around and hour to hour and a half start to finish per frame.

Is the glass you use for the frames also from a reclaimed source?

- I think that would be a tough one. Glass is such a delicate thing. It scratches SO easily, for example. Purchasing new material for the glass has helped us ensure a level of quality there that we couldn’t match were it to be reclaimed. We are definitely open to it, but cannot ensure a result that would be clean enough and that wouldn’t detract from the fine qualities of the overall product.

Are there any other eco-friendly practices that DEDO stands by during production of the frames that you would like our readers to know about?

- We use a very simple finish process that is eco-conscience. Instead of spraying or applying volatile finishes, we apply a simple, rich paste wax to each DEDO. We also look for every opportunity to partner with wood workers to get more material for the frames.

Where do you see DEDO five years from now?

- DEDO is intended to be something fun and beautiful for everyone. I hope that five years from now we can say that this little guy has been part of a movement. A movement where we can see the inherent beauty of materials like wood, but more importantly, one another.

The beauty in nature is always inspiring to Julia, and her love for wildlife and the great outdoors is apparent throughout her jewelry collections. Her grandmother, a fashion influence and model environmental philanthropist, opened her eyes to the beauty in small details. From a young age, Julia was exploring the outdoors, collecting rocks, minerals, bones, and fossils. Julia uses reclaimed metals to reduce environmental impact, and her concern for the preservation of natural resources is also reflected in her designs. Uniquely appealing with both style and substance, her collections are fashionably fresh and timeless.

Worn alone or in multiples, this Little Rose Vine Bangles make a statement!

Bed could be the best place on earth. There’s nothing better than snuggling up with your loved one on a cold winter’s night, lounging in the sunlight on a lazy summer morning or catching some Zs after a tough week at work. Make these experiences even more better by dressing your bed in eco-friendly bedding. Unlike conventional cotton, organic cotton is grown from untreated seeds without the use of synthetic fertilizers and harsh insecticides and pesticides. Another eco benefit: no toxic chemicals are used in the harvesting or processing of organic cotton.

Besides the health benefits that you will enjoy from your organic sheets, there are other environmental advantages of organic bedding. When you purchase organic bedding, you support the organic farming industry. This encourages agricultural methods that do not harm the environment. You also help to reduce the amount of potentially harmful chemical compounds in the air. Finally, you contribute to a recycling strategy. Organic materials decompose naturally back into the soil. They do not leave behind harmful toxins.

Here are two fabulous organic bedding options from west elm. We love them!

Organic non-dyed cotton, tailored with multiple pin-tucks for textural dimension and Zen-like simplicity.

Stylized seedlings sprout on certified organic, 200-thread-count cotton percale.