Gotta Getaway: Take On Shanghai Sustainably At URBN Hotels!
by Amber Fijolek
Jul 21, 2010 4:19 PM PDT
Eco-friendly never looked so comfortable! This time around, why not take a green getaway and give Planet Earth a little vacation too? With it's state-of-the-art modernism, it's easy to forget that there's actually a cause behind the swanky URBN Hotels. A mere peek at the chic, boutique lodging makes it hard to believe that China's first sustainable hotel is a former factory warehouse. An extensive effort has been put into the greenness of URBN Hotels, located in the heart of Shanghai, including furnishings and decor made from all recycled materials. Its environmentally friendly practices are the beginning to a new breed of hotels with carbon-neutral practices and commitments to leaving as minimal earth-harming footprints. The company even prides itself on its investment in the growth of the million-tree project, one devoted to the planting of trees reserved for the purpose of compensating for emissions. You're even offered the opportunity to purchase carbon credits to make you feel better about your flight halfway around the world! Don't get the wrong idea: the environment isn't the only thing treated like royalty at URBN. The hotel's 26 rooms, spa suite and 2 penthouses provide the ultimate in guest comfort. With in-house accommodations like their guest-only rooftop cocktail lounge and concierge options that include guided bike tours and Chinese Mandarin language tutoring, guests are guaranteed a memorable Shanghai experience. View the slideshow to take a peek at the sleek and sensible carbon-neutral model that will soon be the new craze in tourism: Shanghai's URBN Hotels!
Lancome, Urban Decay, And More Of Your Favorite Makeup Brands Go Green!
by Alex Gambardella
Oct 16, 2009 10:22 AM PDT
Using beauty products may not be the most environmentally harmful part of your daily routine (well, unless of course you're addicted to hairspray), but if you're into going the natural route for the sake of saving your skin and the planet, you're certainly not the only one! Lucky for us eco-conscious makeup mavens, some of our favorite beauty brands have jumped on the green bandwagon and made natural, organic, and eco-chic versions of their popular products. For example, Lancome's Juicy Tubes Pure are just like the old favorite, but this time with 95% natural ingredients! And Urban Decay's shadow box packs 10 of their favorite shadows into a sustainable wooden box complete with a cruelty-free eyeshadow brush. I won't be dramatic and say that a few coats of organic mascara will save the world, but hey -- every little gesture counts! Take a browse through the slideshow to see which big-name brands have gone natural!
