It’s not easy to find eco-friendly products that are also fashionable and affordable. Enter Simple Shoes. This spring, they introduced Flippees, the first flip-flops on the market with biodegradable soles. Flippees come in a variety of colors for both men and women at only $30 a pop.

 

Earlier this summer I ordered their Eco-Certified Nubuck Flippees in pink and black. My sandals arrived in a biodegradable bag with a biodegradable hanger, and the foot form inserts were made of post consumer recycled paper.

 

I was immediately impressed with the super-comfortable, egg-crate inspired footbed, and I decided to break in my new pair at Disneyland. This was a risky move; most new flip-flops chafe the skin between the toes and cause blisters. But I experienced no discomfort as I ran around the theme park and stood in long lines. The shoes also provided good traction.

 

I also felt good on the inside. Simple strives for 100 percent sustainability. As their motto goes, “HOW we make our shoes is just as important as WHY we make them.” Simple are vegan-friendly; they do not use animal products or even animal byproducts. What’s more, they use water-based (not petroleum-based) glue to hold the shoe together, and the soles are made of recycled and natural rubber that biodegrade after 20 years. Nothing’s perfect, though; if you’re concerned about ethical production, they are made in China.

 

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the Flippees and would strongly recommend them.

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Halloween should be fun, but every year it gets scarier--for parents and the planet. From the discovery of lead in fake teeth and candy, to chemicals in costumes, to the garbage left in the holiday's wake, it's a wonder more of us haven't given up the festivities and spent October 31 watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The good news is, there are loads of child- and earth-friendly alternatives to the usual Halloween fare. The most important point when planning to green up any holiday or celebration, especially those involving children, is to get their "buy-in." And of course, your approach makes all the difference. Telling kids, "We're going green this Halloween--that means, no candy," isn't helpful. What can be is a discussion about the challenges that Halloween brings. Obviously, what you say (or don't), depends on the age of your children. But helping them to see the wider ramifications of their actions can help make transitioning to healthier choices more appealing or at least understandable. Many kids are learning about eco-issues in school. They often want to do something about them, but need guidance on where to begin. Talking to them about the excess and waste associated with Halloween (and all holidays and celebrations) and discussing how they can make a difference, may spark their altruism and inspire them to act in positive ways. A great way to start a discussion is to list each aspect of Halloween (costumes, treats, decor and activities), and brainstorm child- and earth-friendly choices to what you've done in the past. Then, encourage your kids to choose one or two of the ideas to implement this year. After Halloween, talk about what worked, what didn't and what you'll do next year.

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As you're busy putting together a deliciously healthy end of the season BBQ, with all the fresh and organic spoils of summer, don't forget to pack your cooler with some of Greenopia's Picks from our most recent Corporate Ratings of Beer, Drinks and Wines . There are so many great choices that there is something refreshing for everyone. For the beer drinkers in your crowd, Greenopia's favorites, receiving 2 or more leafs, are from Bison Brewery, New Belgium Brewery and Sierra Nevada. For the soda, tea, or juice drinkers receiving 3 or more leafs, try Honest Tea, Steaz or Santa Cruz Organic Sodas. And for the wine drinker, you can't go wrong with the choices from Benziger, French Rabbit or Alma Rosa Wineries, all with a 3 or higher leaf score. Here are many more Greenopia suggestions for organic, eco-conscience beverages. GREENOPIA'S TOP PICKS FOR BEER: (choices earned 1 or more leafs based on Greenopia's Beer Criteria) New Belgium Bison Eel River Butte Creek Fosters Sierra Nevada Anheuser-Bush Corona/Modelo Labatt Blue Samuel Smith

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