The best part of the 2015 Greenfestival at the Javits Center in NYC was witnessing the Cafeteria Culture (formerly the “Styrofoam Out of Schools” campaign) win $5,000 towards the continuation of their efforts in schools. They successfully fought for the banning of styrofoam in NYC schools, and I’d love to see the same thing happen here on LI. Their styrofoam monster, made from the plates from just ONE lunchtime, must have made an impression on some decision-makers. See http://www.cafeteriaculture.org/foam-trays-out-of-schools.html

My 3 Favorite Products

• Anti-human trafficking t-shirts: Sustainable items made by women who either escaped from having been sold into the sex trade or who are at risk and in need of financial opportunity. Started by a woman who was studying in Cambodia and saw how sad one family was to decide to sell their child as a desperate means of making money. T-shirts are made from organic cotton, and bags made from upcycled rice bags. See http://www.nominetwork.org/ or http://www.buyherbagnotherbody.com/.

• Socks for a Cause: Conscious Steps is an international company run by 3 young men that sell 4 styles of ethically made men’s organic socks, each one dedicated to a certain nonprofit organization. One is for a group providing HIV therapy for pregnant women in Africa, one is for food packs for children, another is for schoolbooks for children in Asia, and a fourth is for tree planting in Kenya. See http://consciousstep.com/

• Toys and kids tableware made from recycled plastic: This one is a no-brainer. While I prefer all plastic be a thing of the past, if children are going to play with/use plastic at all, it should at least be recycled. This brand uses the plastic from used milk containers which does not contain BPA. See http://re-play.com/

4 Honorable Mentions:

• The GrowOya—a terracotta jug that you plant in your garden and fill with water once a week—it naturally seeps water directly into the soil so less water is wasted by evaporation. Ancient technology made new again. See http://growoya.com/

• The Swedish cellulose dishcloth/sponge comes with fun prints and replaces 17 rolls of paper towels because it can be dried and reused. http://threebluebirds.com/

• Affirmats: Yoga mat made of natural rubber and jute (a plant fiber) so is totally biodegradable. See http://www.affirmats.com/

And last but not least, my perennial favorite… the green burial casket and seashell made of ashes. This is the way I want to go. http://agreenerfuneral.org/