I occasionally pick up crafting items/fabric from Ebay because I can get a used tshirt with free shipping for less than at my local Goodwill (which can run in excess of $4.00). Today, while perusing the site I came across a new section of Ebay called World of Good. The “About” section says, “WorldofGood.com by eBay is the world’s first online marketplace to convene thousands of People Positive and Eco Positive sellers and products all in one place, empowering you to shop in ways that align with your personal values. Respected, independent organizations verify the positive impact every product has on people and the planet. Our goal is to ensure that every choice you make here is a good one”.
WorldofGood.com breaks products down into four categories: People Positive, Eco Positive, Animal Friendly and Supports a Cause. People Positive ensures that “producers get great new opportunities”, or fair-trade practices. Eco Positive, are “good products for the planet” or what you think of as “green” items (ie, recycled, refashioned, use conservation-based raw materials and/or production methods. Animal Friendly and Supports a Cause are pretty self-evident in their product descriptions.
This new method of buying and selling is intriguing and I’m going to look into becoming a seller and I hope that this categorization helps people to more easily make informed decisions about the products they buy and how they affect the world around them.
Here is a link to the press release issued on September 3, 2008, “eBay Launches New Online Marketplace for Ethically Sourced and Eco-Friendly Products”.
I love finding new earth-friendly products to try and review. The health and beauty industry is practically bursting with new, organic alternatives to mass-produced synthetics that can contain nasty things like petrochemicals and “hormone disruptors”; yikes! Today I found a very intriguing product online, 
I try very hard to completely recycle the things that I use by purchasing goods made from previously recycled products. It’s great that we all try to recycle more, but unless these recyclables are actually made into something that we purchase it doesn’t really help the environment. One thing that I purchase and throw away every 3- 6 months is made from plastic (i.e., petroleum-based product), will take forever to degrade, and makes me feel bad every time I buy and toss a new one is… my toothbrush. Not this time! I was on a mission to find a recycled replacement for my toothbrush that was comfortable and affordable. My dentist has always urged me to use the softest bristles available to prevent my gum line from receding after years of brushing too hard. I was stoked to find toothbrushes made from 100% recycled plastics (25% of those from yogurt cups!) and with ultrasoft bristles too! Amazon carries the 
for about $16.00 with free shipping. At about $2.50 each they don’t even cost more than the old toothbrushes that I used to buy. When they arrived I looked at the “reusable travel case with ventilation holes” that was super cheesy and hoped that I had not made a bad decision. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the brush was a good weight with a balanced feel and the perfect size to maneuver even in those hard to reach places. Most importantly, the bristles were as promised, ultra soft. My teeth are happy and I did something good for the environment without blowing my budget, which always makes me feel good. The best part is that when I’m finished I can mail my brush back to the company with a postage paid envelope and they promise to recycle it into something else made from plastic lumber, like park benches. According to their website they have also teamed up with Whole Foods to provide convenient drop-off locations mean that you can reycle your toothbrush and any other #5 plastics while picking up new earth-friendly products at the store. Find out more about the company, their recycling efforts, and their other preserve products on their website 
