The Energizer Solar Crank Flashlight is ready when you are!
Every once in awhile a product comes along from a top notch company that is easy to sell because it is so good. The Energizer Solar Crank Flashlight is that product because it is well-made and does what it is supposed to do- really well. Flashlights are notorious for not working when you need them. The Energizer Solar Crank Flashlight will be there when you need it!  It charges quickly just sitting on your window sill in the sun, or you can pull it out of a drawer and wind it for a few second for instant bright light.  And oh yeah, you can drop it like I did and it might not break!

Sadelle bought a bunch of them to give to each of her family and the reports are that everybody loves them. Sadelle says, “I keep one on the dashboard of my car and it is always ready when I need it. The other night I was standing outside waiting for my friend to pick me up. My Energizer solar light gave off as much as I needed. That light is great.”

Check out the quickie video below, then go the Energizer Solar Flashlight page and buy some, using our LEACommunity coupon code and get 10% off! Some dark night in the future you will be glad you did!

Looking for a challenge and wanting a change out from our regular Saturday morning routine, my three best friends and I spontaneously escaped  the city and trekked to Camel’s Hump State park located outside  Waterbury, VT. None of us had conquered this moderate 6.8 mile hike  (4,083 feet to the Summit) before. With a beautiful, temperate climate, and blue sky, we spent the day outdoors and tried something new.

Waubanaukee Indians were the first inhabitants. Originally named Tah-wak-be-dee-ee-wadso, translated to Saddle Mountain, Vermont’s  third tallest and oldest mountains underwent many name changes. Samuel  de Champlain and his French explorers renamed it to “Le Lion  Couchant”, The Sleeping Lion in the 1600′s.  Ira Allen then coined the  term “Camel’s Rump” in 1798, and in 1830 “Camel’s Hump” was decided upon.

The state park is opened 24 hours 365 days a year. Whether you’re a couch potato or an avid climber, you’ll enjoy trekking to the summit. Mushrooms, paper birch trees, and running water pave your way up the trail and arctic tundra surrounds the open summit.  If you haven’t done so, lace up your king boots and take off for the day.  Camel’s Hump will provide a reprieve for the busy brain and work out your body

Power up and light up any time any where, safely and surely!

When I was a Boy Scout one night I was pumping up a liquid fuel lantern in a cabin with my troop near the peak of Mount Mansfield. Then WHOOSH!!! Somehow pressurized lantern fuel spewed out onto the wood table and erupted into flames! Quick thinking put the fire out but not before I saw my life flash before my eyes! It was a moment I will never forget. Luckily only my pride was burned. Back in those days everyone used liquid fuel lanterns. The only alternative were heavy battery lights that no one wanted to carry and they didn’t last very long. Our high tech products today are very different!

But still, my survey showed that 95% of adults admit to picking up a light and having dead batteries. And when this happens during a storm, disaster, camping or other situation it can not only make your life miserable but dangerous too. And sometimes kids even use flammable liquid fuel lanterns out on the trail, at camp or at home. As a father I know the last thing I want to have happen to our kids is to unnecessarily get burned or not have light or a cell phone charge! We have a simple and elegant solution.

The sturdy EcoCharge Mini Lantern delivers bright light when you need it, and will quickly charge your cell phone too using winding action. You can charge it up in three ways: using a wall outlet adapter, using the winding crank or using an included car adapter! The mini lantern is lightweight, sturdy and ready when you are for backyard fun, camping expeditions and emergencies. It is one piece of overnight gear that should be in every scout’s backpack and every home’s emergency drawer.

The early reviews are in and our customers and field testers are raving about the EcoCharge.  One of our field tester packed one up on the Long Trail on a three day hike. His comment was, “The EcoCharge is the lightest, brightest, safest lantern I have ever used. And to top it off, it charged my cell phone!” The EcoCharge Mini is simply the smartest little torch charger you can buy. Check out the one minute video and buy them here. If you are not completely satisfied with the EcoCharge mini lantern after 30 days, please return it to us undamaged and we will gladly refund your money!

I spotted this monarch in late August warming in the sun on a misty morning in a meadow.

Monarch butterflies fly 2500 miles to migrate out of the cold. The milkweed leaves they eat as caterpillars have a chemical that builds up in their bodies and the butterflies are poisonous to predators like frogs, birds, mice and lizards. Increasing development has led to destruction of milkweeds and lack of habitat for monarchs. Conservationists are trying to restore monarch milkweek habitat before it’s too late. The males and females look alike except for dots that the males have over veins on the wing. The dots secrete pheromones to attract girlfriends. Can you tell which sex this one is?

Monarch Butterfly Migration 2006, PenOpticon, youtube

More information is available here. If you enjoy the outdoors be sure and check out our outdoors products. We offer the very best green products and we support cold and hungry people. Find our products like solar chargers, wind up lights, green coffee makers and nature games here.

Check out a great book on Monarchs here:

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This Ain’t No Ordinary Cup A Joe! And it’s green!

Are you a coffee lover? Listen to this:

“The AeroPress coffee maker is the best coffee maker I’ve ever owned.” Another user says, “It makes the best cup of coffee I’ve tasted in my entire life.”  and  still another commendation: “I have achieved coffee nirvana.” And the citations go on and on! The AeroPress is greener because it only needs energy to heat the water, it uses tiny filters which compost easily, and it uses very little water for cleanup. When we heard this portable little coffee and espresso maker was so popular we had to buy one and do our own review.

Donna found it easy to use, green, easy to clean up and best of all, it produced incredible coffee. We will use this in our kitchen, in the shop, at the office and on the trail. It even comes with it’s own carrying pouch! Check out our homegrown video to see how it works and then buy one here at LoveEarthAlways! Best of all, get 25% off during our summer sale through September 21st. Use coupon code Summer2010 at checkout.

Video: LoveEarthAlways, youtube

Before the pitter patter of little feet first echoed in our house we kept a log of our hikes. From Camel’s Hump and Mount Mansfield in Vermont to Giant Mountain in the New York Adirondacks, to Mount Washington in New Hampshire to the Athabasca Ice Fields in Alberta and Longs Peak in Colorado. Each time we accomplished an ascent, we would write an entry, usually no more than a page or two, and later post a snapshot or two once our photos were printed. The hiking journal gave us reminders of the “joys of the journeys” that any hiker knows to well. Most of our hikes were uneventful tours of spectacular beauty, while some were a “foot bath through the wilderness”.

Once we had kids, the hiking log took on new meaning. It wasn’t just a chronicle of a pair of intrepid explorers. It became a story of a family’s commitment to playing outdoors. As I look back through twenty years of our journal now I see a commitment to hard work, an appreciation of nature (and of how good a tuna fish sandwich can taste after a few hours on the trail), and I see joy. (more…)

This is the second article by Nathan Winters (@follownathan), writing about his travels on a bicycle trip across the US last summer. Last Monday we published the first article and Sunday photo galleries of his adventure. All photos are from Nathan’s camera. Enjoy!

What evidence did you see during your travels, of peoples’ concern for the changing climate?

The evidence that I saw in regards to climate change were overwhelming. Prior to this journey I had no idea that there were so many people in so many different communities taking action to prevent climate change and promoting sustainability. During my visit to Vermont it was as if I was preaching to the choir. Small orgs such as ReSource (formerly Recycle North) and Carshare VT were acting as great difference makers and the larger operations such as Seventh Generation and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters were using their resources to “do more with more”. It was fascinating. It was my visit to the Green Mountain state where I realized that there was a “revolution” taking place and that there were many “small people’ doing big things. The feeling of not being alone in my efforts was a tremendous weight lifted off of my shoulders.

What was your most alarming encounter with an environmental issue or pollution?

I think for me the most fascinating situation was in the Adirondacks. It is a very complex and unique situation over there. There is a great struggle between public and private land. Currently there is a great tension over the possible development of a ski resort in Tupper Lake which could be a huge lift on the local economy however there would be catastrophic environmental drawbacks. The struggle between the conservation groups, local people, economy and politics was so evident that you could feel the tension without hearing any words.

How did you measure your own carbon footprint on your trip?

I have never “measured” my carbon footprint at any point in my life. What I strive to do is know in my heart and with my actions that I am doing the best of my ability to be a good steward to the land. This includes thinking things through, making tough decisions and of course making sacrifices when it comes to fancy “nice to haves”. My time on Earth is borrowed and I would like to return it the same way it was given to me.

What surprises did you find on your trip?

I would have to say that my favorite hidden gems were my encounters with the Amish communities. I have read and understand their way of life but to have shared meals, prayers and discussed the modern world with them was without a doubt something that I will cherish forever.

What new environmental learning happened on your trip?

I think the biggest thing I learned is that it all comes down to accountability. It doesn’t matter if you are a large CAFO or a small CSA. We are in this together and the choices we make are what has the biggest impact either good or bad. Both on large and small scale.

The following is a guest post by Nathan Andrew Winters, known on twitter as @follownathan. Here he describes his nearly 5 months in the bicycle saddle, exploring the USA. All photos here were taken by Nathan. Nathan is currently living near Stowe, VT where he is working on his book that tells his story straight from the heart. For more, see yesterday’s Mother Nature Sunday Gallery here at LoveEarthAlways.com blog.

On Mother’s Day May 10th 2009 I set out on a cross country bicycle adventure starting in Belfast, Maine. My destination was the Washington coast and I had very little worry about what came in between. With a peaked curiosity into environmental and agriculture issues and the never ending desire to see what type of obscure situations I could land myself in… I packed 70 pounds of gear on my bike, kissed my mother goodbye and set out to live my dreams.

My experiences on this journey allowed me to do the one thing in which I was most eager to accomplish most. And that was get to know my fellow Americans. On this journey I visited, stayed with and exchanged long conversations with all walks of American life. From the Amish, organic, and conventional farmers to hermits in cabins, college professors, drunkards, and just about everything in between.

Over 4.5 months time I had done what most people advised me not to do. I rode a bicycle from coast to coast going East to West fully loaded. During this journey I was faced with many physical, emotional and mental challenges and with a great deal of determination and an amplified sense of intuition I climbed over mountain passes in extreme heat, against relentless winds and with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty.

When my journey was complete I walked away knowing that I would never have to live with regret and that we all share the ability to live out our dreams if we just learn to put our fears aside. I had also come to understand and witness countless people doing great things in their communities all over America despite all of the negative talk you see and hear in the main stream news outlets. America is still the kind of place where you can ask a complete stranger for help and you will find an answer. With or without the swine flu and an economic recession. America is still a place we can all be proud of.