SOLUTION FOR THE OVERTIRED

New Jersey sculptor Patrick Palumbo no longer raids junkyards to build his Wildlife Creations tire swings. Companies around the world now send him worn-out tires, helping him fill orders from more than 850 retailers

SEE THE LIGHT ON SAVING ENERGY

Forget the dim glare of a classroom's fluorescent strip. The Twister from Lights of America--which makes only energy-efficient products--is a bright, compact fluorescent bulb that fits standard sockets, uses a fraction of the wattage of its incandescent cousins and lasts as long as seven years

NATURAL FROM THE BOTTOM UP

Paper or plastic bag? Cloth or disposable diaper? That kind of question plagues would-be environmentalists. Hempers, a hemp/cotton diaper, adds a twist. Hemp lasts longer than cotton, requires no pesticides and softens in the wash

ELEGANT AND ECOLOGICAL

Japanese designer Unsetsu Furukawa knows eco-chic. This dress, created in rattan, a solid but flexible Asian cane that can be grown without chemicals, is typical of the couturier's use of natural materials. Furukawa's models also show off fashions woven out of fabric made from recycled plastic bottles

READY TO TAKE SOME MORE BYTES

Software can turn obsolete as fast as Bill Gates can earn another billion, and discarded discs add to the clutter in landfills. GreenDisk in Washington State recycles high-quality diskettes by erasing and reformatting them, making them as good as new

YES, YOU CAN SAFELY SQUEEZE IT

Made of 100% recycled fibers, this two-ply toilet tissue from Vermont-based Seventh Generation is part of a line of biodegradable, nontoxic household products--from dishwashing liquid to window cleaners--never tested on animals

FINE WINE FROM THE UNTAINTED VINE

Both sommeliers and environmentalists have toasted California's award-winning Sanford Winery. For 16 years, vintners Richard and Thekla Sanford have organically produced wines like this Chardonnay, while taking up such conservation causes as preserving local oak woodlands