Your gal pals are always gushing on about how p.c. they are with their organic beauty products and all, but as a dude who likes to be clean and conscious of what you slather onto your body, why should you be accused of metrosexuality for wanting an alternative to your soap-and-shave regime? Organic Grooming is a men’s line of vegan personal care products, from cologne to deodorant, packaged in biodegradable and recyclable containers and contain ingredients you’d put in your lunch salad (like organic carrot and cucumber). According to the product’s backstory, these remedies were mixed in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere by a couple named Luke and Lisa (no last names listed), who received the first-ever organic personal care facility certificate in the States last year. We guess if you’re going to make a shaving cream from organic aloe, lavender and peppermint, you need a bit of privacy.

Confronted with evidence of global warming, undeniable environmental degradation, and calls to action, I think many of us are left are left wondering what we can do today to help reduce waste and negative impact in the environment. Particularly inside the home, I think it can be a bit difficult to make Earth-friendly changes, especially for us renters. Sure, there are a number of things we can do (think low-flow shower heads, moderate use of heat & AC, “green” cleaning supplies, long-life light bulbs, and so on) but some DIY projects are just too far out there (such as installing solar power) for all but the crunchiest of landlords. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to take advantage of my pad’s Southern exposure and rig up a vast array of solar panels on the roof, but I really doubt I could sell the nice folks who own my building to go for it. But today I stumbled across a solution that’s both DIY and well within the realm of possibility. The Aqus Toilet System reuses grey (i.e. used) water from the sink by routing it into the toilet tank, thus potentially saving thousands of gallons of water each year. The system seems to have a few drawbacks: for starters, it’s only truly compatible with vanity sinks and it may or may not produce enough water to flush the toilet each time (depending on your flushing habits). Then again, if you’re a borderline OCD hand-washer like myself, I think you’ll be fine. On the plus side, the system only costs about three hundred dollars and can be installed in a few hours. Almost the entire contraption resides under the sink hidden within the cabinet, and seems to me like something most landlords could swallow. Of course, then there’s the whole “saving the planet” thing. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, maybe we can spend a few minutes to come up with a term to replace “grey water.” How about water that has been “gently used?”

The world of lotions, soaps and other beauty products is way over my head. Just give me a Dove bar and Neutrogena moisturizer any day and I’m completely happy. Here in Brazil, however, men and women alike have a fascination with Natura, a line of personal care products sold through catalogs and representatives in both South America and France, Avon-style (which exists here too). After trying out a bunch of samples, I’m *this* close to being dangerously hooked on this stuff, because the products smell like yummy fruit and make my skin soft — a girl’s constant battle; guys, there’s an entire line dedicated to you. All of their products, from soaps to fragrances, contain natural ingredients found in Brazil, like guarana, cupuacu and andiroba, each known for their different properties. To boot, the bar soaps are made from 100% vegetable mass, with sustainably planted palm olein as the base, but Natura’s planning to start using oil found from other native palm tree fruit bought from co-ops and associations that exist near their factory in northern Brazil. I also love that some bars have two sides, one for exfoliation and the other for regular washing up. Another new thing they’re hyping is the use of tapioca in their lipsticks, which already are 80% vegetable-derived — sounds so good that you can almost eat it. You can order from the company here, but you’ll need to read Portuguese to get through the process; if anyone stateside knows of a US hookup please, let us know.

There has never been so apt a cliché as “nature calls,” for no matter where you are in the world, what your mood is, how you’re dressed or what appointment you have to make, your body tends to have a mind of its on when it comes to excretory matters. This is why anyone who spends time traveling becomes something of a connoisseur of public restrooms. And connoisseurs know that all too often the only relief available in a pinch is the dreaded port-o-let (or its local equivalent), and that it only takes a couple of bad experiences to scar a person for life…but help is on the way.

From the Roman blog Eternally Cool comes news that Sebach, an Italian company that currently makes some pretty traditional looking porta-potties, has opened a competition to design their next generation toilet. The contest runs until August 4th, and the winner will earn 5,000 Euros — that’s $6,733.58! In the name of all of us who have ever been forced to stoop (or squat) to using a substandard port-o-let, I encourage all of our talented readers to submit. You may not get famous, but you could help a lot of people preserve a little bit of dignity.

–Dan Steckenberg

Yes mocoloco, I agree it is starting to get cold here in Boulder, Colorado. mhsboilers.com brings modular stainless steel steamradiator systems featuring a box shelf and a matching linear shelfs that not only store towels, but heat them too.
Yay Warm Towels! Via MoCoLoCo