New Algae-Growing Technique Could Lead to Earth-Friendly Fabric, Paint

Going green is fashionable, but dyeing our clothes has remained a decidedly eco-unfriendly practice. Now, British scientists have developed a way to grow harmless algae to add color to fabric and paint.

The algae, called diatoms, are single-celled organisms that are unique because they pack iridescent shells. The hard silica shells act like crystals -- depending on the configuration of the holes in the shell, the color changes. The perception of color is maintained without altering the chemical composition of fabric, which is a fundamentally different way of producing color.

"As the paint dries, they will all align themselves horizontally at the surface, all reflecting light the same way," said Andrew Parker, the Oxford researcher who helped develop the new technique. "So, even though you have completely transparent paint and completely transparent silica shells, they will produce a very strong color."

The new process is one of several advances that could provide safer and less expensive alternatives.

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Kids - The Littlest Eco-Warriers

Seen and heard, kids are becoming the green movement's stealth weapon, pressuring their parents on everything from lightbulbs to composting. Inside the push to create the littlest eco-warriors.

A recent article in Wall Street Journal shed light on how kids are influencing more "green" purchases and the lifestyles of their parents and family members. In households across the country, kids are going after their parents for environmental offenses, from using plastic cups to serving non-grass-fed beef at the dinner table. Many of these kids are getting more explicit messages about becoming eco-warriors at school and from popular books and movies.

"Kids are putting pressure on their parents, and this is a very good thing," says Laurie David, a producer of the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." Ms. David is the co-author of a new children's book, "The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming," which urges kids, among other things, to petition mom and dad for recycled-fiber toilet paper. "I know how powerful my kids are," she says. "When they want something, forget it -- all the resistance in the world isn't going to help you."

The Natural Resources Defense Council, the New York nonprofit, has been trying to secure permission from various media companies to use a cartoon character to spread the word. "It is the really, really young kids who are going to change their parents' behavior," says Phil Gutis, the group's spokesman, adding that the message to children ought to be straightforward: "I think it'd be as simple as, 'Kids, tell your parents.' "

We hope that as these young eco-warriers mature, they will in turn foster a greater respect for the environment and help drive the political and business worlds to adopt more eco-friendly policies to help reduce green house gases and other pollutants.

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Eco-friendly Yoga Stick-E Socks

Yoga Stick-eTM Socks is the newest patented product for the fastest growing segment in the health and exercise market. Being made from bamboo fiber, they also appeal to today’s eco-friendly movement. Yoga Stick-eTM Socks, U.S. patent #7107626 was invented by Elizabeth Andrews of Libby’s Luxuries LLC to solve several long-standing problems associated with barefoot exercise.

Being made from bamboo fiber, Yoga Stick-eTM Socks are in touch with today’s eco friendly consumer. Bamboo is nature’s most sustainable resource. It is grown without pesticides or chemicals, is 100% biodegradable, and is naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to 4 feet per day.

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Fashionable & Eco-Friendly Clothes

Eco-friendly clothing is now deemed not only fashionable but also a luxury according to Barbara Cavanaugh, Managing Director of Under The Canopy, a Boca Raton company that designs organic items for the home and for your closet. Their new fashion line includes certified organic t-shirts, linen jeans and silk dresses all made from organic cotton.

Under The Canopy, in business in Boca Raton for over a decade, is part of a growing trend towards organic fibers. As more and more shoppers embrace the "going green" trend, Nationwide sales of organic cotton have nearly tripled since 2003.

Large retailers such as Perry Ellis International have also recently launched an eco-friendly line of outdoor wear. Stores from Macys to Zara also sell organic clothes and items for the home too.