Buddhalicious
Wedding season is upon us again, and you’re considering what type of blender to buy the newlyweds. But don’t reduce your goodwill to a puree; consider a gift that says “ethical” and “spiritual,” instead of “liquid diet.” Buddha Village Imports, Burmese-raised Htu Htu’s retail baby, offers more-inspired choices. The web store is chock full of unique crafts from Burma, all fair trade, unique, and beautiful. We like the large wicker flower vases and ornate wooden wall hangings, as well as the store’s namesake: gorgeous teak Buddhas, handcrafted near Mandalay. Info: buddhavillageimports.com [1] –Jennifer Croll

Paw-parazzi
Vancouver, renowned as a dog-crazed city, caters to its canines with a plethora of doggie delights, including specialty bakeries, spa services, and doggie daycares. Now dog people are barking about The Dog & Hydrant, a boutique and photo studio for our four-legged friends. Mr. Piddles, SharedVISION’s chic chien, is fetching after MOTA doggie wear made from reclaimed T-shirts—most are cotton, except for the odd Canuck Jersey. Taking the enviro theme one step further, D & H serves as a trading post for doggie consignment, so you can recycle Fido’s fashions. If that’s not enough to make your haute dog’s tail wag, “dogographer” Tanya King offers photography sessions, with images on CDs, prints, framed images, cards, and even a hardcover book for pooch-perfect pics. To book an appointment, contact The Dog & Hydrant at 1146 Pacific Blvd., 604-633-3845. Info: thedogandhydrant.com [2]. –Erica Gehrke

Goody SAC
Plastic bags are crammed into every drawer in your kitchen. They’re even threatening to make some inroads into your pantry or, heaven forbid, the seldom-used microwave. It’s time to stop the insurgency! Moukisac is here to provide some resources for your shopping revolution. The local company manufactures a cute, fold-out, user-friendly shopping bag equipped with three large mesh bags and one small to hold everything from produce to grains. The satchel is small enough to carry with you all the time and is available in a wide range of fabrics and colours to help you stay stylish while you shop. Available at moukisac.com [3] or email marie@moukisac.com [4]. –JC

Ride-On Furniture
June is bike month. If you’re not much of a cyclist, consider embracing two wheels with Bike Furniture Design, which gives a whole new meaning to the term recycling. Since 1990, designer Andy Gregg has transformed old bicycles into striking pieces of hand-crafted furniture. His über-contemporary designs range from mirrors and hat racks to armchairs and loveseats. Each piece is made out of recognizable bike parts, including steel and aluminum bicycle rims, handlebars, and frames. Materials from other transportation industries, including train windows and surplus seatbelt webbing, are also used. By reducing the number of bikes headed to the landfill, Gregg has come up with durable furniture that is both environmentally friendly and funky. Best of all? Instead of worrying about the usual “three Rs” when furniture-shopping, you can now think about the next three: redecorating, reclining, and relaxing.
Info: bikefurniture.com [5] or 906-361-2483. –Nadine Pedersen

Ray Ban
We all know to slap on some sunscreen to keep our skin supple but we’re often left with a sticky film of aluminum and titanium oxides griming up our faces. Well, grime be gone with Biovera’s new suncare line. Using the sensitive-skin-friendly Parsol, this easily absorbed sunscreen absorbs carcinogenic UVA rays and filters UVB rays, while miraculously encouraging skin pigmentation (which, it turns out, is protective). So this summer, when your pals hit the beach to work on those tan lines, you can, too—safely. Available at Finlandia, Semperviva, Sweet Cherubim, and other health stores. –JC

Fair Trade, Fair Play
Father’s Day, and you’re drawing a blank on what to get Dad? Do what little Jeffrey Sikes did for his old man, John, and bend it like Beckham with hand-stitched fair trade soccer balls from Social Conscience (social-conscience.com). Unlike other companies, Social Conscience uses no child labour in production—plus, it donates a portion of proceeds to improving the socioeconomic situation of its workers and their families. These soccer balls may not automatically turn you into Brazilian footballer Ronaldo, but they will definitely give Dad and the kids a chance to bond. Rugby and volleyballs also available. To order, contact 604-731-0067 or info@social-conscience.com [6]. –EG

Get Your Maca On
For hundreds of years, residents of the high Andes have harvested maca root. For this powerful little vegetable to have lasted through the Incan Empire until the present day is a testament to its nutritional potency. Maca is packed with nutrients that act to improve mood, energy, metabolism, and (wink wink) libido. Perhaps its most important function, though, is as an “adaptogen,” meaning that it preps the body’s systems for self-defence. We all know the Incan Empire fell, but goshdarnit, it had nothing to do with physical well-being or virility. Try Organic Bolivian Maca from Vancouver’s Maca Spirit, available at Semperviva, Finlandia, Nutrition House, and macaspirit.com [7]. –JC

Cool and Calculating
The Canadian government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions may not add up, but that doesn’t mean the average Canadian can’t do something. If you wonder about your personal GHG output, check out an online carbon calculator (such as the one at climate change.gc.ca/calculator [8]); figuring out your total carbon dioxide emissions is as easy as pi. Once you’ve figured out your CO2 total, mosey on over to the Pembina Institute’s One Less Tonne Challenge (onelesstonne.ca), [9] which lists 20 ways to reduce your emissions. The website demonstrates how simple lifestyle changes—such as cutting down on air travel, regularly checking your tire pressure, and washing your clothes in cold water—can have a big impact. A bonus? It will simultaneously calculate how much money you’ll save in the process. –NP