What’s Next In Internet Green Shopping?

Photo courtesy of ThisNext.com

The other day I received an email from Kristopher Dukes asking if I would post my top ten shopping choices on a website, “ThisNext.” Who is Kristopher Dukes, I thought? Or for that matter what is “ThisNext?” Had someone big discovered me? (Stop dreaming, I reminded myself.)

Who is Kristopher Dukes? Is Kristopher a he or a she? When I went to the site, I immediately discovered she was a “she” who loves wearing 5 inch heels (because she loves standing tall), and

a penchant for soy lattés (more of an addiction than a marketing tool). A published writer since she was 10! (“I was publishing — writing, editing, illustrating, and distributing — a muckraking magazine on playground scandals”) Since then, she has published in many notable fashion venues. Her blog is a combination of sass with fashion. So why did this savvy trendy person contact me, who spends her time looking up green products and has a perpetually dirty knee from kneeling in the dirt?

Believe me, I asked her since our worlds are so different. She replied, “how we pick profilees — we like the best of industries, tastemakers of all verticals.” Did I tell you she had good taste? I was on cloud nine. “They like me, they really like me” a/k/a Sally Field’s acceptance speech… I was just thrilled that someone contacted me to put my choices on a website.

Still thinking I was special, I went to ThisNext to find out that it seemed like hundreds of people have posted their recommended products. What is This Next about?

Every product on ThisNext is picked by the ThisNext community (That means you!). You can organize your picks into product playlists we call shopcasts.Great shopcast lists can be about activities (like climbing or cooking) or things (like fashion or food). They can even be about lifestyles (like being green). Shopcast lists and picks are tagged and searchable on ThisNext for easy discovery by other people.

When you make a shopcast list, you are letting the world know what you think is great and worth spending hard-earned money to buy. You are answering the question “What do you use?” for people who share your interests and POV. People who like your taste can then find and track your personal shopcasts or they can follow the collective wisdom of crowds to discover what the community recommends. (Via ThisNext’s About page.)

Is there green content on ThisNext? Sure. they already had successful green “websiters” such as Danny Seo ( Simply Green), Heather Stephenson and Jen Boulden (the gals of Ideal Bite), and Kevin Contreras (Building Green TV) listing their picks. I still felt special. (Kind of) It seemed everyone on the site was listing personal or clothing products. Should I recommend my toilet paper (Marcal) or my shampoo (Jason)? Nah, how boring. I wanted to post with panache. Kick some eco-butt. Let everyone know who Green Talk is.

I checked in with Kristopher since of course the fashionista and Dirty Knee became BFF (best friends forever) through my search for the ultimate 10. She stayed with me via email through the process (as a BFF does) as I sweated and thought and wrote and crossed out a zillion times.

It was important to me to make sure that I listed items that I personally used. Sure, I could list items that were neat and cool that people would ooh and ahh over but what happens if people used them and hated them? Guilt can be a powerful persuader in your choices. (If any therapists are reading this post, no I do not need your cards. I have it covered…somewhat.)

I use green cleaning products. Enough people write about which products they like. I haven’t bought any green designer clothing since I never throw my clothes out. (Ask my sister, and she will verify this fact about me. I know the 3 Rs:  reuse, reuse and reuse.) So, what was I going to talk about? Green Gardening supplies? I garden organically so I don’t really have a top 10 list of green fertilizers, insecticides, etc. I just have a pair of wore out gloves, my trusty small shovel (when I can find it), and my husband to help me with lots of task when I tell him it is just a few things. (You know, the honey-do list?  A man’s nightmare.)

I was left with what I know best— Green Building Products. How sexy is that?? I started day dreaming and thought of Brad Pitt sitting on a Richlite counter (an eco counter top material). Well, you just don’t get sexier than that (well maybe Kevin Costner … Matthew McConaughey … snap out of it; you are married, I reminded myself and happily too… )

Then I received an email from Kristopher, “can she count on me for Friday?”   No more stalling.  Just pick ten I kept saying.  So, with Batman like determination when he says “To the Batmobile, Robin…”, I sat down and started working.

As Friday was looming over me like Freddie Krueger, I finally compiled a list of ten products (not in any order) that I would recommend, and (drum role please), they are as follows:

1. Stor-X Pacific Closet Systems (their green version)

2. Weather-Bos Deck Protection

3. Naturally Yours Mold and Mildew Remover (I could not resist)

4. Solar Star Solar Attic Exhaust Fans

5. Broan whole house HEPA/Energy Recovery System

6. Icynene Spray Foam Insulation

7. Bonded Logic Cotton Insulation

8. Sierra Pine’s Medite II fiberboard

9. Enviro BioComposite Countertop

10. AMF Safecoat Primer

So, there you have it. Believe me there are more I wanted to list. Over the next few days, I will be explaining in more detail about why I chose these products. So, come back and visit ThisNext week….

Oh, before I forget, check out ThisNext.com! It can be really addicting.  (I know, since I spent half my day reading people’s recommendations instead of finishing this post.  It’s a good way to procrastinate.)

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