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Gear Geeks Go Green!
By Susan Rich
The Geeks have been on an extended Walk About since last summer, looking for the latest in green gear (“Environmentally conscious, not Mrs. Geek’s favorite color,” the mister reminds us.) After several rousing choruses of “It’s not easy being green,” the duo returned to Portland, OR with a travel diary full of ideas. |
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Ahnu!
“Bless you dear,” says the missus.
“I was talking about shoes,” grumbles he, slipping on a pair of Questas – a waterproof walker that snugs up with bungee-style lacing. “This shoe’s got sole,” he adds. “It’s designed to give me excellent traction on smooth wet surfaces.”
Green Gear Guide: Ahnu uses hemp and charred charcoal in some of its footwear, certified post-consumer recycled fibers are used for catalogs and packaging, and the factory has an SA8000 accreditation (one of 31 to hold this designation.) Additionally, a significant portion of the company is held in trust on behalf of outdoor and environmental non-profits.
www.ahnufootwear.com |
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It Falls Apart Fast
The Geeks are always looking for the latest in walking shoes. The Brooks Trance 8, featuring a BioMoGo midsole, is gender neutral; only foot size (and color, the missus prefers orange) can tell them apart.
Green Gear Guide: When it comes to an old pair of walking shoes, it’s good to know that these midsoles are engineered to fall apart fast when they reach the landfill or are recycled. Traditional athletic shoes take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade, but BioMoGo will decompose 50 times faster, disintegrating in only 20 years. With the volume Brooks produces now, an estimated 30 million pounds of landfill waste will be saved with this technology.
www.brooksrunning.com |
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Oh Lucy!
“That’s not my name,” Mrs. Geek says, but she’s smiling: The mister is admiring how her booty looks in bamboo – in this case, a pair of hipsters that are spun from a blend of soy and bamboo fabric.
Green Gear Guide: The lucy® sustainable style collection features fabrics containing soy and bamboo fibers. These plants are easier to grow, and easier on the land, than their cousin, cotton. And it takes fewer natural resources to spin plant fibers into a silky, durable fabric.
www.lucy.com |
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It’s in the Bag
While tromping the hills in San Francisco, Mrs. Geek was delighted to discover CarryEco bags — colorful, oversized sacks made from recycled plastic bottles. Water resistant, these sturdy CarryEcos are the perfect tote for wet weather. Order online, or find them in Oregon and Washington state.
Green Gear Guide: Earth friendly and people friendly: The factory where CarryEco bags are produced recently passed an “ethical audit.” This means the people who make the bags are well-treated, paid fairly, and work in a safe environment.
www.TOKYObayinc.com |
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What Comes After the Tractor Pull?
“Is this a knock-knock joke?” Mr. Geek asks.
“No! It’s a Passchal purse,” exclaims the missus, clutching a green and brown tote. “It’s made of recycled tractor inner tubes.”
Green Gear Guide: Discarded inner tubes undergo a rigorous but eco-friendly cleaning process. Leather details are by-products, vegetable dyed, and chrome free. To date, Passchal has recycled 20 tons of tractor inner tubes.
www.passchal.com |
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Me to We (Responsible Style)
“Like his and hers, only with a social conscience,” exclaims the missus, slipping on a silky soft, extra-long T-shirt.
Green Gear Guide: This colorful and comfy clothing is produced in a certified sweatshop-free manufacturing facility. Buy one of their 100 percent organic cotton, bamboo, or other eco-friendly fabric shirts and 50 percent of the profit goes to charity partner Free the Children.
www.metowestyle.com |
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Pullover and Put it On
When it’s chilly out, there’s nothing cozier than this Prana pullover, especially one that comes in pink, or indigo, or espresso. It’s the perfect topper for a wool or cotton shirt.
Green Gear Guide: Incorporates recycled polyester yarn.
www.prana.com |
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Winter Wear for Him
Rain or fog, the mister takes to the hills every chance he gets: Columbia Sportswear’s Waypoint softshell jacket features a wind- and water-resistant exterior. The pants are also weather resistant with a drawcord adjustable waist and fully sealed seams.
Green Gear Guide: The jacket is made of 51% recycled polyester; pants are 45 percent recycled polyester. Recycled polyester retains the same properties as its brand new counterpart.
www.columbia.com |
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Woolly Wool for Winter
It’s Merino wool, and the Geeks have lots of it. But while wandering through Wales, they learned about Howies, and this company’s passion for Zque Merino. It’s true they can’t pronounce the word, but the Geeks applaud the idea.
Green Gear Guide: The wool is sourced from New Zealand. And a Zque accreditation ensures environmental, social, and economic sustainability, animal welfare, and traceability. It covers everything from “free range” conditions for the Merino sheep to the welfare of sheep dogs.
www.howies.co.uk |
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BuddhiWear Yoga Wear
“Not Buddy wear – it’s clothing for people, not the family dog,” explains Mr. Geek. Based in Maryland, this company produces and sells positively themed, high quality, organic apparel for the family.
Green Gear Guide: Most items sold are manufactured exclusively in the US or is purchased only from sweatshop-free manufacturers. BuddhiWear plants a tree for every garment sold and also donates a percentage of each transaction to charity.
www.BuddhiWear.com |
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Pop Top
Combine wool with plastic soda bottles and what do you get? A funky, cozy hat from ShredAlert. Named after popular soft drinks, the Geeks each got one in honor of their favorite beverage.
Green Gear Guide: ShredAlert’s “Bottlecap” line has six hat styles, all made from recycled soda bottles. Each hat is made from one and a half liter-sized plastic bottles, blended with minimally processed wool. The micro fleece liner is also made from recycled materials.
www.shredalert.com |
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