Breaking news:  EDF (Environmental Defense Fund) approached corporate giant Wal-Mart about greening their supply chain.  The results could be healthier indoor environments for many of us, plus a better world overall.  Read about this massive change here.

I want to highlight that EDF approached Wal-Mart, not the other way around, so ignore the doubters in the article comments.  Now if we can just get them to do something about the environmental impact of their stores (reduce energy use, permeable paving, sustainable building practices, etc) ....

Our friends over at Q Collection recently sent out an email blast highlighting the steps they've taken to become more sustainable in their fabrics, furnishings and accessories lines. 

Here's one of my favorite pieces, the Abigail Settee:

Can you see a plastic box soundsystem on your shelf or desktop from where you are sitting now?  Does it appear from this accessory as if you enjoy plastic packaging more than the quality furniture in your home or office?  Does it actually jar you out of peacefully enjoying Mozart when you look at this piece of plastic crap cranking out your beloved tunes?

Next time you need to replace your broken stereo, consider this Vers system instead.  The design idea was inspired by a classic 1955 Zenith radio that co-founder David Laituri has owned since he was 12.  He and partner Tim Trzepacz worked together at Brookstone before they started Vers as an alternative to plastic-encased sound systems.  They wanted a high-quality sound system that would look smart and also be sustainable (each Vers 1.5R system replaces 80% of what could be plastic with wood).

Ever been confronted with a not-so-pleasant smell in your home or other indoor environment, particularly the gym, the laundry room or the bathroom?  Here's a great little product that's all-natural to fix it in no time!

Ever Bamboo is made from bamboo charcoal, which is porous enough to address areas that hold onto moisture and humidity, like basements, pet beds, closets and lockers.  You can even use it instead of baking soda to soak up odors in your fridge or freezer.  It's made from a completely natural product, so you're not putting more chemicals into your environment or your body like with traditional deodorizors.  Plus, bamboo is a rapidly-renewable resource, so it's preserving other resources.  The moso bamboo plant can grow more than 2 feet in a single day!

The charcoal packs are long-lasting - up to a year - but here's a handy trick for recharging them:  put them out in the sun for a couple of hours and they release their stored odors and are ready to use again.  Wow, sun-power to the rescue!  Plus, the packs are completely recyclable once their useful life is up.