Out for sushi with some friends the other night and Yuko whipped out this bamboo utensil set. “I’m saving a tree,” she said, forgoing the disposable paper-wrapped wooden chopsticks in favor of her personal re-usable pair. Great for skipping to-go plasticware on the road, too.

Schools and non-profits get two cents for each juice pouch they turn over to Terracycle, which scours, sorts, then double-stitches them into bags. Last year alone, 42 million pouches were saved from the landfill and made into funky, durable bags like these—great for overnights, camping supplies, beach necessities and more.

Incidentally, the story of the young “eco-capitalists” behind Terracycle is fascinating enough to warrant its own TV show, Garbage Moguls, which debuts on Earth Day (Wednesday) evening on the National Geographic Channel. The company was founded by a Princeton student so taken by a friend’s worm box that he quit school to make all-natural, all-organic worm-poop plant food packaged in used soda bottles. Products created from and packaged in waste are Terracycle’s thing, and their ever-expanding product line now includes kites made from cookie wrappers and the juice pouch tote above.

And hey—good news! You can win that earth- and travel-friendly Drink Pouch Tote by leaving a comment on this post before 9 PM CST this Tuesday, April 21st. Anonymous comments and those without a valid email address will be disqualified. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Earth Day, April 22nd. If I don’t hear from the winner within 5 days, a new one will be chosen. Please enter/comment only once per giveaway. Good luck!

I’m especially excited to give this one away, as it was one of my first TrustyPony finds nearly two years ago. The wee Point It “language kit” is packed with photos of everyday things—food, transportation, toiletries & toilets (yes, a nice clean squat version is pictured), medical items and much, much more—letting you simply point to get your meaning across when the language barrier is too firmly in place. Love the European retro look, too. Since it’s a slim paperback booklet, just 5X3 inches, Point It’s really easy to slip into any daypack or purse, just in case.

Win POINT IT by leaving a comment below before 6 PM CST this Friday, April 10th. Anonymous comments and those without a valid email address will be disqualified. The winner will be chosen at random, then contacted via email by Tuesday, April 14th. If I don’t hear from the winner within 5 days, a new one will be chosen. Please enter/comment only once per giveaway. Good luck!

And congrats to Julia who won last week’s giveaway, the tugo luggage drink holder. I’m thinking Wednesday’s the giveaway day from here on out—nice mid-week pick-me-up.

My latest gear roundup, Born-Again Bags, is in the current issue of Frommer’s Budget Travel. It was tons o’ fun to track down the latest in green carryons, but one of my very favorites got cut at the last minute. So, here it is, this great little clutch made out of pop-tops crocheted together in all sorts of colors (bamboo shown here). I use mine as a purse organizer that makes my business cards, pen and lipsticks easy to find and to transfer from bag to bag. I love that I can just remove it from the bag, as I did recently before hitting the town in Vegas, and bam! It’s a fancy stand-alone clutch. All designs are more refined versions of what’s apparently a common souvenir in Brazil, where the owner took inspiration while on vacation. All Escama bags are made in Brazilian women’s cooperatives—you can see the ladies’ profiles and send the maker of your specific bag a thank-you email via Escama’s website. You’ll likely feel inspired to thank. I get compliments on mine all the time.

As an admitted thrift store addict, I generally carry a tape measure with me to best evaluate tablecloth length, planter height, skirt waist and what have you. Looks like it’s time to get rid of the ridiculous black-and-yellow industrial behemoth I inherited from my handy husband.

Apologies for my extended absence, folks. I’m back! And I give you, direct from the 2009 Travel Goods Show, my new crush, this lovely white-leather laptop sleeve—sleek, but with a sense of humor. Fun to schlep around; fun to close. I heart it so much that I’ve developed a use for it beyond travel, one that plays into my ongoing quest to integrate both more organization and more relaxation into my daily life. My new goal: End the day by turning the laptop off and placing it, on my empty desktop, in this beauty. A laptop sleeve that inspires me to be a better person? Now that’s true love.

I’ll be back with more on Monday. Promise.

I’ve been neglecting you, and for that, I apologize. But I’m back in time to alert you to the FINAL DAY of the latest gear contest over at The Gear Junkie, where the unstoppable Mr. Regenold is giving away some of his favorite outdoor gear of 2008. Check out the prizes and enter the contest here. Among the goodies: Rite in the Rain pens and notebooks, special rain-defying products that allow you to successfully jot thoughts, plans, sketches and such in inclement weather and adventurous water-oriented situations. The Gear Junkie even ran the paper under a faucet, without so much as a smudge of the ink resulting.

Enter away—good luck!

Easy to store. Those pouches at the bottom when it’s in an unfolded state could make this a stand-alone piece for a weekend traveler with mad packing skills. Comes in periwinkle, too.

I associate cribbage with maximum travel relaxation, having played the game most often on European trains, in lakeside cabins and at outdoor cafe tables. I can say from that place of expertise: A board that folds in half and holds its own deck of cards is the way to go.

Super soft, durable and natural, wool base layers are an active-travel essential. Win a set of Merino wool long underwear from Joneswears or Ibex, courtesy of Nerd’s Eye View, by entering the Passports with Purpose fundraiser organized by a group of travel bloggers for Heifer International. Just $10 a ticket enters you to win your choice of really cool travel prizes (TrustyPony’s contribution: A palm-sized Solio Magnesium Edition, “the world’s most advanced hybrid charger,” which uses the sun’s power to keep your electronics charged anywhere.)

To enter:
1. Check out all of the prizes here. Write down the code(s) for the prize(s) you want to win.
2. Go to the Passports with Purpose First Giving page. (You can also get there directly from the prizes page.) For each $10 donation you make, you’ll be entered into the raffle for the prize of your choice. Be sure to enter the prize code in the “comments” field on the form. And please, don’t hide your email. We won’t share it, but do need it to tell you if you’ve won. Oh, and yes, First Giving will give you a receipt for your donation. If you work somewhere with gift matching, please provide that information when you make your donation.
3. Tell all your friends so they, too, can enter to win cool prizes while basking in the spirit of the season.
4. Cross your fingers and wait. Winners chosen on December 30th.