We’re completely smitten over these not-too-cool-for-school accessories, not to mention the quality and workmanship. Top on our list for the summer is the Newberry iPhone case in mustard, but you can shop the whole collection at jcrew.com.

Made from glass, an easily recyclable, low-impact, nonporous material with zero chemicals, the transparent bottles ensure that what you see is what you get. And since glass doesn’t scratch like plastic, there’s no leaching of chemicals and a significant reduction in bacterial growth. Available in six modern hues (Pearl White, Midnight Blue, Sky Blue, Spring Green, Orange and Red), the wide entry allows for ice cubes, tea bags and lemon wedges making this bright little number a summer essential.

Take it from famous musicians like Joss Stone and Rob Thomas, Vocal-eze Professional Throat Spray is a life-saver. A proprietary blend of marshmallow root, osha root, licorice root, echinacea and other natural ingredients, this little spray gets you back in the groove without the use of harsh, synthetic chemicals ($10.99). So whether you’re a teacher, preacher, musician or sales rep, keep a bottle of Vocal-eze handy because as they say, “the show must go on!”

Heron’s aesthetic vision extends beyond the clutches and totes we’ve come to know her for. A recent collaboration with furniture purveyor Environment gave Heron the opportunity to showcase her talents in the realm of home design. The result is a “lifestyle collection” consisting of staple pieces such as a hemp and flax throw, a plush, hand-woven beach blanket, and a surfboard bag made of discarded luxury Japanese denim. Hanging ten never looked so good.

Yet, our favorite piece illustrates Heron’s talent for accessory design. The Boro Weekender is a unisex tote made of vintage military fabrics and hardware from World War II. And while it’s name – “Boro” – means “tattered rags” in Japanese, it is far from being a piece you’ll carelessly cast aside. Casual, yet luxurious, it is a collectors item if we’ve ever seen one – a piece that pays homage to a bygone era while contributing to a sustainable future.

To get your hands on Heron’s latest crop of stylish offerings, call Environment’s showroom at 866.981.3976, or check out the collection online and make an e-mail inquiry.

For six days, enjoy luxury eco-conscious living and dining at the Harmony Hotel, daily yoga classes carefully designed to invigorate and relax, and world-class surfing at one of the best surfing beaches in Central America. Additionally, registered dietician Alana is offering Ayurvedic nutritional consultations, helping you get your whole body in tune with nature.

February 6-12, 2010. Rates: $2,600/ single occupancy, $2,200/ double occupancy.

See www.nosarayogaretreat.com for more details.

Ever dreamed of setting sail on the open ocean with a handsome explorer? This fall, thanks to modern technology’s satellites and video streaming, you can.

Last year David de Rothschild and friends set up shop in San Francisco to build a catamaran constructed out of recycled plastic bottles. A couple of months ago David gave Bill McDonough and me a tour of the Cradle to Cradle inspired workshop. Though originally skeptical, I walked away with a burning desire to know more about this boat, its crew and the waters they will chart.

David, a world class adventurer and activist wanted to draw attention to the unbelievable mass of garbage (especially plastic) accumulating in our seas. And to do so, he will take us on a journey (eventually) to the Pacific Gyre where we see the most poignant example of human impact on the oceans.

Named one of the sexiest bachelors alive, David has a titillating way of presenting the devastation. He is charming yet informed but not easily daunted. Ecofabulous caught up with the British environmentalist to find out more about his motivations and aspirations.

1. What really inspired you to set sail on this incredibly ambitious mission?

In June 2006 I read a report issued by UNEP called ‘Action Urged to Avoid Deep Trouble in the Deep Seas’ which alerted me to the fundamental issues facing our oceans. After reading this and on further investigation I felt I had to do something. True to Adventure Ecology’s values I wanted to create a compelling and pioneering adventure that would not only be informative but would capture the imagination of a global audience and empower them to act more responsibly towards our planet.

One of the inspirations behind The Plastiki adventure was Thor Heyerdahl’s 1947 expedition, The Kon-Tiki, which saw Heyerdahl and five like-minded adventurers traveling to Peru where they built a replica of an ancient Inca raft from balsa wood and other native materials and sailed it across the Pacific to test his theories on early Peruvian settlements. By putting his theories into practice in such an audacious and bold way Heyerdahl was able to raise phenomenal awareness and educate generations of people, which is what we hope to achieve with The Plastiki, but within the context of the environment and the world’s oceans, highlighting the growing impact we are having on our most remote and fragile ecosystems.

2. Plastiki is a project under the umbrella of Adventure Ecology. What is Adventure Ecology and why did you establish it?

The mission of Adventure Ecology is to captivate the imagination, motivate and ultimately activate. We do this through adventure. We take the issue and create a story primarily through expedition and exploration. The current series is about promoting a better understanding and respect for one of the most pressing ecological issues of our time; waste.

As far as the establishment of AE, it wasn’t exactly planned per se but really a culmination of things. I have always been fascinated first and foremost by health and the concept that you are what you eat, and you are what you breathe, which took me down the path of organics and understanding the environment that way. As I became more involved in organic farming I naturally became more curious about the environment as a whole and the ‘green space’ surrounding us, but when I started looking around for more information I found it all to be a bit aggressive and guilt mongering. Whereas the information would be interesting, I didn’t know what to do with it and would go away feeling a bit defeated and guilty in the face of all these problems rather than liberated to take positive action.

It was then during an expedition across the Antarctica in 2004 that it dawned on me how adventure can be utilized to create an alternative and accessible information platform on the environment and act as a catalyst for change. I felt that by taking these adventures and telling their stories, rather than allowing them to dissipate and be forgotten, it would allow the journey to continue resonating and build a community up and around them. So it really was an organic process that essentially grew out of what I felt to be a gap in the market for information that was compelling, inspiring and informative but also inclusive and fun. I think that for so long the issue of ‘green’ was such an overwhelming concept and I wanted to take it out of that realm in order to captivate, engage and encourage a new community to get involved and take positive action for our Planet. We can make saving the planet an adventure.

3. Well I can clearly see how the Plastiki mission fits in with the overall objectives of Adventure Ecology! It sounds like a spectacular adventure that will alter perceptions about where our junk ends up.

Absolutely! The goal of the expedition is to not only continue encouraging the world to focus on reducing, reusing and recycling more of its natural resources but ultimately to think smart by re-thinking waste as a resource.

It is such re-think that will ultimately help to promote and provide stepping-stones towards the type of thinking that will lead individuals, business and industry alike to start living within the equilibrium that our natural world craves.

4. You’ve been working on this project for some time. What has the overall response been? Have the boat and the mission been received well?

The perception to date has been two-fold; the non-sailing community is wowed by the magnitude of the challenge and often poses questions specifically on the systems, the crew and how we will live together in such close quarters. Kids have asked what we do with our waste if we keep it on board. However, the sailing community thinks we are quite mad and struggle to fathom how we will sail across the Pacific on a 60ft catamaran made almost entirely out of reclaimed plastic bottles!

5. You could have chosen any port, why did you select San Francisco to set up shop?

We chose San Francisco for its international location and proximity to Hawaii. The bay, with its sailing community, has been an ideal testing ground and we are lucky enough to have the ongoing support of Mayor Gavin Newsom. Also, with the link to its ‘Sister City’, Sydney, it made sense to start and end the voyage on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Click here to read the rest of the article in Coco Eco Magazine.

*Photo credit: Adventure Ecology.

Dying to getaway? In need of a little indie rock n’ roll therapy, meditative yoga and quality time with Mother Nature? This weekend’s first annual Wanderlust Festival in Lake Tahoe, CA (July 24-26) is just the retreat you’ve been looking for and ecofabulous has it hooked up! We’re giving away a pair of VIP tickets and 3 pairs of regular admission (music & yoga) tickets to ecofabulous subscribers – that means you’ve got to be signed up!

Additionally, you can buy tickets for 10% off using the code “ECOFAB” at checkout. But that’s not it! We wouldn’t send you off without the right “ecofabulous approved” goodies, would we? Tomorrow we’ll be spotlighting some of the top sustainable yoga gear that’s available on the market – with special discounts offered to ecofabulous readers through the end of August, so stay tuned!

Ten years ago, the non-profit Friends of the High Line was formed to prevent the historic elevated train tracks on Manhattan’s West Side from demolition. Their vision was to preserve the space and give the public full access to a much-needed park. A decade later, their hard work has paid off and one section of the 1.5-mile long park is ready for visitors.

During our sneak peak of the High Line last month, we fell in love with many of the park’s unique features, including chaise lounges movable by rolling them along train tracks, and a commissioned work of art made with a mosaic of multicolored glass.  Add these to stunning sunset views of the Hudson River, plants and grasses growing wildly between the concrete, and the surreal feeling of floating 40 feet above the noise of the streets… it’s almost like being transported to another world (or at least to Upstate).

Read more about the High Line here and get up there!

*Photo credit: Jesse Chehak