Update: See bottom of post for stunning conclusion!

Are your current sandals falling apart, barely holding together, but your eco-conscience won’t let you throw them away and get some new sandals? Partner, you’re in luck, because Okabashi Brands just happens to make eco-friendly sandals from recycled shoes!

Who is Okabashi? Welp, they’re a small company in Buford, Georgia, that takes in old used sandals and shoes, and recycles/reuses them to make new sandals.

They found the kindness and pity in their hearts to send me a pair of brown Surf men’s sandals, and let me tell you, they seriously might be the most comfy pair of sandals I’ve ever wore. Not only are they soft and have some good arch support, but they’re anti-microbial and odor resistant (which I sadly need).

The best thing is, once your sandals have finally bit the big one, Okabashi will recycle them into, you guessed it, even more sandals. So if you have some old sandals or shoes, send them on in, and they can be reused to make some brand spankin’ new sandals.

We close with a short video explaining a bit more about this elusive company.

SPOILER ALERT: It turns out this guy’s favorite Okabashi sandals are the ones I got. What a coink-idink.

Update

After a few months of wearing my sandals around town, they suddenly broke (the little thong piece ripped in two). Devastated, I briefly considered ending it all, but instead remembered Okabashi’s two year guarantee.

Clinging to hope, I mailed in my ripped sandal, and about a week later I received, for FREE, a brand new pair of replacement sandals! Now that’s some high quality customer service, or my name ain’t EcoJoe.

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Almost everybody uses spices in their foods. Salt, pepper, maybe even cinnamon, for the adventurous. Even those people in Dune used spice. But what if you want some freshly ground, organic spice that’s unusual, like the elusive Persian Adwiya?

Then Teeny Tiny Spice Co. (of Vermont) has got you covered. They’re a small, family-run business that grinds their organic spices when you order them, so they arrive fresh and strong like bear. They sent me a package of their finest spices last weekend:

Not only do they offer their organic spices, but they also sent some cool recipes for said spices. Read the rest of this entry »

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A few weeks back, I was lucky enough to receive two samples of EcoClean non-toxic cleaners. After trying them out for awhile, I can give them a hearty thumbs up.

First, a little aside about Eco Clean; it’s a Scandinavian company that makes a variety of non-toxic, non-petro natural cleaners, most of them scented with essential oils. The cleaners are made with water, plants, and sugars, plus the bottles (and sprayheads) are 100% recyclable.

I tried out the Eco Clean Kitchen Counter Top cleaner, and the Eco Clean Glass Cleaner. Both of them worked swell, plus smelled good.

Also, their nozzles had a foaming option, if you wanted the crucial foam that strikes fear into dirt everywhere.

In short, I’d recommend checking Eco Clean out if you’re looking for some eco-friendly, great cleaners. The major downside is that they’re made in Denmark, so they have to be shipped pretty far, but besides that, they seem to be bueno for the environment.

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Picture from Gordon Murray Design

Professor Gordon Murray, who is a famous Formula 1 race car designer, is spearheading a project to produce some dinky cars that weigh only about 1,250 pounds, seat three, and have a top speed of close to 100 miles per hour — all for $9,000 per car.

Now I don’t think the T25 is as small as THIS atom-sized automobile (P-50), but it’s pretty dang close.

Not only is the car itself tiny, but it’s built in a very small factory, from recycled plastic bottles, glass fiber, and steel tubes — using only 20% the material needed for a “normal” car. As for its miles per gallon, let’s just say that it bucks this sad MPG-improvement trend and clocks in at a whopping 74 miles per gallon. Say whaaaaattt??!!!

All in all, it looks like a great, efficient car. Of course, it’s a bit “greener” to ride a bike instead, but if you’ve got to drive a car, then the T25 may just be for you.

Bonus T25 Benefit

Question: How could you be mad if you were pulled over by a cop car that looked like this? Read the rest of this entry »

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The green movement is making inroads even in the lil’ town of Garner. I was in the library last week, lamenting my near-illiteracy while I looked for the picture book section, when I saw Read the rest of this entry »

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During a recent trip to my friendly, local, down-home neighborhood Walmart, whilst perusing the sports section, what should catch my eye but a fahwnky green basketball. I snapped a precautionary picture before taking my chances and slowly approaching the strange, green orb.

I figured it’d be one of those gimmicky “Go Green!” products whose only claim to “greenness” is its actual color. Imagine, if you will, my surprise when I saw that 40% of its surface is made from recycled rubber. Now sure, that’s not 100%, but that’s almost half of the surface that’s made of recycled rubber! Crazy.

While it’s not quite as eco-friendly (or cheap) as buying a used basketball (or just finding one in a creek), it’s a good start. I hope to try one out soon; if it passes my reverse jam test, then it’s good enough for me.

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Note: Since it was a phone interview and I didn’t have a recorder, his answers (and my questions) are not exact quotes, but are pretty close to what was actually said.

A little while ago, I had the good fortune to talk with Aaron Vronko, the CEO of RapidRepair, and ask him a few questions. For your 411, RapidRepair buys your broken small electronics and uses their parts to repair other people’s gadgets. A prime example of a business that helps the environment while also making money. But let’s get on with this here entrevista…

Joe (Me): So, what does your company repair?
Read the rest of this entry »

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