We are fans of Terracycle, (www.terracycle.net) the Trenton company where ordinary household goods are recycled into a cool assortment of candy wrapper school bags, pencil cases, and decorative objects.

Now, these greener than greenies have opened a new store in Princeton’s Palmer Square, (63 Palmer Square West) so you can see and feel and buy these products, plus bring your recyclables and do some good of your own.

Terracycle buys your stuff and converts it to these goods. We explained this program on our original post in March of 2008 after an impressive factory tour: http://www.njmyway.com/index.php?option=com_wordpress&p=317&Itemid=53.

The company even has a special program that helps hundreds of schools with fundraising.

At the Princeton store, there is a wall of cubby holes for you to stuff your throwaways, and get paid $.02 for each item. It’s a great way to teach your little ones to recycle and be rewarded.  Teachers, this is worth a field trip!

Terracyle’s line of green garden products, includes the famous Worm Poop fertilizer (sounds awful, works great) packaged in recycled soda bottles.

The company is succeeding in this unique eco-capitalism. They are making the Garden State –and every place greener, and we’re glad to help.

It’s a simple idea with a great payoff; give someone their own personalized water bottle, and you’ll reduce waste and save a few dollars at the same time.

Mike Aaron of Maplewood presides over Greensender (www.greensender.com), an on-line business specializing in green gifts. His customized, laser engraved re-usable water bottle could be the latest must-have accessory for guys who work out, as well as fitness fashionistas.

The fun part is picking the color of the bottle and matching in artwork, font, and a personalized message. The bottles are made by Swiss manufacturer SIGG, out of non-toxic, durable materials.

Aaron, father of two young boys, left Amex as VP of global advertising in late 1997 to get increasingly involved in the green movement. “I thought there was an opportunity to help close the chasm between people’s good intentions to start doing something and the reality of things; most people not doing much.”

The bottles cost up to $31, but will save the cost of purchase of bottled water, and limit your recycling.

Mike thinks they make the perfect Father’s Day gift, but with the customization, you’ll need to order by early next week to guarantee delivery.

Thirst quenching, stylish, and green—we think this combo makes a better bottle.

The website for Jill Markman’s Generation Green virtual store (www.generationgreen-gg.com) really does span the generations. Jill’s 11 year old daughter Justine is the model for many of the “green” clothing items.

The Short Hills area mom had a background in advertising and marketing, and was out of the workforce for ten years until she was inspired by her passion for all things green, to get back in business.

Markham wrote that she particularly likes selling woven bags that are “made in third world countries and imported through fair trade. This allows small villages to provide better medical care, education and basic necessities that could not otherwise afford.”

The website also showcases jewelry, and organic shirts and sweatshirts. You can customize your own colorful recycled glass necklace, bracelet, or earrings. The products are also sold in two local boutiques.

Markham has been running eco-friendly fundraisers in her son’s school, and is working with local officials to get the program into the entire Millburn/Short Hills district.

“I am really trying to let people know they can continue to be fashion conscious and still be
eco-friendly,” she wrote.

Wallet conscious too. Nothing on Jill’s site will bust your budget. You don’t have to spend a lot of green to be fashionably green, and these days that may be what makes the most sense of all.

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Rose are red
Dinners are romantic
But this Valentine’s Day
Give something Organic!

You’ll be hard pressed to find a greener store than Princeton’s Green Design. The shop opened last summer, and owner Tim McNulty is happy to sell you a variety of Valentine’s Day gift ideas with organic ingredients and fibers.

First off, you and your kids can pen your own tributes, and design your own card, on veneer Maple wood .

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Recycled glass makes the best brightly colored earrings and necklaces. We love the Smart Glass jewelry and lariats made from recycled beer and wine bottles.

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For pampering, and a home spa treatment, try Trillium Organics body polish which comes in three scents: Clementine, Lime and Pink Grapefruit. We tried the Clementine (our favorite winter fruit) and loved how smooth it made our arms and legs. Afterwards, wrap yourself into Under the Canopy robes and pajamas.

The advantage of shopping for green products at the store is so you can see, touch and test them out. You can also get a bonus science lesson about the product from McNulty. For example, did you know that salt is a naturally occurring cleanser and combined with oil it gives the body a smooth finish?

Sharing a green gift and its story with someone you love is not only something a little different but it is also an easy way to get started living an organic lifestyle.

To find a green store near you, go to The Organic Consumers Association and click the “Find Organics” link.

This NJ My Way column was written by contributor Hilary Morris of Mrs Mo’s New Jersey, Baby (www.mrsmonj.com).

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We eat healthy organic food. So why shouldn’t our pets? That’s why Edison-based K-9 Confections (www.k9confections.com) launched a new line of organic dog and cat treats.

The two–year-old company is the brainchild of an area woman, Jennifer Wilner, who was concerned about her beloved pet boxer’s food allergies. The line of tempting treats is completely free of wheat, corn and soy, and made from organic grains and vegetables, and high quality manmade ingredients.

Wilner says the company “brings to the marketplace what most pet owners want, and that’s a desire to give their pets high-quality, great tasting, good-for-you treats.”

Signature products include Pumpkin Biscotti, Peanut Butter, and Bitchin’ Beefy Bites.
Sounds good enough for friends of the two-legged variety!

Another enterprising Jersey gal has just launched pure and little (www.pureandlittle.com), “ a one stop shop carrying pure products for your little ones that are natural, safe and eco-friendly.”

Former public relations executive Kaitlin Spreitzer of Warren created the web-based business, which includes organic baby towels, sheets and blankets, along with clothing and bath items.

And North Jersey’s Kim Bloom recently purchased Rosie Hippo (www.rosiehippo.com) because she believes the right toys and other products “can help encourage positive development of skills and values in all children.”

The website features a huge array of hand crafted toys made from natural materials, that are the product of Fair Trade, and promote imaginative growth, diversity, and community involvement. A NJ My Way bonus; if you enter NJMW in the promotional code box, you’ll save 10% on your purchase.

Spend some time on these websites; you’ll likely find a gift that will help the planet, and bring some real green to these break-out businesses.

Liz Kulig of Hasbrouck Heights thinks a clean environment should be a green environment.

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So when Liz and her co-workers spiff up your home, they use organic, bio-degradable, vegetable-based cleaners. No chemicals, nothing that will cause skin irritations, or trigger sensitivities in pets and children.

Liz’s special mission started two years ago when cancer struck close to home. She began learning about the benefits of a diet of organic food, and lots of exercise. Plus, she educated herself about toxins in the house.

“I (also) learned that the air inside my house is at least 5 times more contaminated then the air outside!” Liz wrote us. “And sometimes, due to the usage of household cleaners, the air in my home may be even 100 times worse than the air outside!”

And so, Eco Green Home, — Liz’s company—was born.

At the end of one of the cleaning sessions, you’ll be able to inhale your room air without worrying about toxic residue. The cleaners leave behind a sachet filled with lavender. Sometimes, they burn natural oils when they clean.

Liz attended a session on aroma therapy at a Pennsylvania spa. “The idea came to me, that if I’m using odor-free cleaners, I can offer my clients aromatherapy during the service, so they get that refreshing, and healthy, fragrance when they open the door coming home, “ she wrote.

Eco Green Home charges $25 per hour, and services North Jersey. Most average 3 bedroom homes take 3-4 hours. The green cleaning supplies are included. You can reach them at (201) 694-1350 or email at EcoGreenHomeServices@yahoo.com.

When the job is finished, the cleaners leave a piece of organic chocolate on the bed pillow. Liz thinks the service is “hotel-worthy.”

You—and your house — will be healthier when they are finished.

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Want a greener home? Think about wrapping it in bark.

Not so unusual in other parts of the country, but rarely seen in our neck of the woods… bark siding looks great, and signals that you are serious about recycling.

Spectrum Construction and Development (www.spectrum-construction.com) is completing the remodeling on what is believed to be the first house in the state with bark siding. The pristine three bedroom home on Lake Mohawk in Sparta was purchased by a Jersey City woman as a weekend retreat.

“It ties right into the existing renovation. There’s a lot of stone and logs, she thought it (the bark) would compliment the natural beauty of the stone”, says Spectrum President Don Dyrness.

The bark is snipped off when poplar trees are cut down for lumber. It is dried and cut into siding. The material is more costly, but lasts up to eighty years without any maintenance, like staining or painting. And when it is finally replaced, the bark can be ground into mulch, so it is fully recyclable!

Dyrness says green products are becoming more important to his customers. Energy efficiency and sustainability have become the biggest selling points for exterior and interior materials. In keeping with the natural theme, the bark house has a sink made from a carved tree trunk.

You can read about bark siding at www.barkhouse.com. We think Sparta’s bark house will be the first of many. Good ideas have a way of branching out.