The New "Green" Billabong
As one of the world's leading makers of surf clothing and gear, Australia's Billabong also wants to be known as a friend of the environment; especially to the oceans that provide the playground for the majority of the company's customers. To that end, the company introduced a new line of clothing in 2008 under the name Eco Collection. They followed up in 2010 with the introduction of the new Rasta Collection.
The Eco line is named for the primary fabric used to make the clothing, ECO Supreme Suede. ECO Supreme Suede is produced from a combination of recycled polyester and rPET, a material that comes from recycled plastic bottles. Billabong claims the suede is high in quality while still being eco-friendly. The Eco line began with board shorts and swimsuits and has since been expanded to include t-shirts, hats, and hoodies. Organic cotton is also being used now as an additional material in the Eco program.
The Eco line is part of a broader company project to reduce the impact its manufacturing process has on the environment, while still creating eco-friendly clothing. With an average ten plastic bottles being needed to create a single pair of board shorts, Billabong is saving a lot of landfill space that the discarded bottles would otherwise fill. The company's wetsuit division joined the movement in 2010 when it introduced its first eco-friendly offering, the B9 Eco line. The B9 wetsuit is made primarily of recycled polyester and uses water-based inks which are friendly to the oceans.
In 2010 Billabong freesurfer Dave Rastovich lent his name to the company's new Rasta line in a project to help provide financial support for efforts to protect the world's oceans. Rastovich explained the program during a 2008 interview by saying, "When it comes down to it, if you have an option to buy a pair of board shorts that are actually lessoning our impact on the world we live in, the choice is simple."
The line includes the name of Surfers for Cetaceans (S4C) in its marketing, and in return, donates a certain portion of the profits to the organization. S4C is a collaboration of surfers from all over the world who provide a voice for the protection of whales, dolphins, and the world's oceans in general.
With two pairs of board shorts, a t-shirt, and ball cap currently in the new S4C line, Billabong clothing continues its research and development to further the company's green goals and support S4C. We'll have to wait and see what new items will be added to the Rasta collection for 2011.
Gadgets Which Can Make Travelling Easier
Most men and plenty of women love new gadgets. Gadgets are great at making our lives easier and they come in handy in all kinds of situations. One situation where you can expect to experience any number of problems is travelling. Luckily there are a number of travel gadgets that will make your journey easier. So before you head off on your next vacation, you should seriously look into the travel gadgets which are available so that you can equip yourself with the ones which are going to make life a little bit easier.
When you go on holiday it is a good idea to have something with you that will keep you entertained. Most people like to take a book on holiday with them, but what if you read really fast and will get through four or five books while you are on holiday? It might be quite difficult for you to find room for five books in your luggage and then don’t forget about the weight restrictions too! So what can you do about it, Ebook readers are a great alternative to taking a paperback away with you. An Ebook reader will measure much the same as a small paperback but it can hold an entire library or books!
So what about the kids? Well children these days love to play their games consoles to keep entertained. Fortunately there are portable versions of many of the popular games consoles which can be played with on an airplane, train, boat or in the car. Some of these consoles even have the ability to play movies too!
You may be wondering about how to power these gadgets when you are away. Well there are now gadgets which will charge your devices no matter where you are. You can even use them in the park or at the beach.
If you are travelling in the car for a long journey and you have children, one of the best items that you can buy is an in-car DVD player. These are great for keeping children entertained during these long journeys. You can even buy twin DVD players with two screens which can be attached to the back of each of the front seats of your car. That way you can be sure that if you have more than one child, that nobody is straining to see what is playing.
There are also a number of gadgets which will help to keep you safe when you are travelling. GPS tracking devices are a great gadget for anyone who likes to get away hiking or climbing. These devices can be a great source of comfort and can actually be lifesavers should you find yourself in trouble. For example, if you were to get lost, you could simply send your exact location to the emergency services.
So not only will gadgets make your travels much easier, but they could also help to save your life!
My Cyprus Dream
I am well aware that, for most people, dreams rarely come true and that I was extremely fortunate when an unexpected inheritance made mine possible. When I found I had been left a considerable sum of money by a distant uncle I had never even met, I took it as a sign for me to transform my life. I loved travel, but after discovering Cyprus, felt I had found my home from home and need look no further. My inheritance meant I could make my dream a reality by buying a property on the island.
I started my research online and a month later was stepping off the plane at Larnaca International Airport armed with my portfolio of property information and list of Cyprus realtors. I had pre-booked my car hire in Cyprus as I wanted the freedom to move from place to place under my own steam. Driving was easy as the Cypriots drive on the left, like we do; the only real problem was the need to keep a careful eye on the speed limits as I knew this was something the Cypriot authorities were very strict about.
I took the A3 motorway to Agia Napa, my first port of call. I had fallen in love with Agia Napa some years previously so naturally it was top of my list. The first apartment I saw was a new, two bedroom apartment in the village, quite close to the shops, taverns and local amenities. Because it was on a hill, it afforded beautiful views of the surrounding green belt, yet it was only minutes away from the beach. It felt quite spacious and airy with its private as well as communal gardens (which included a swimming pool), but I wasn’t quite sure about the open-plan design inside.
I looked over a new complex of villas and apartments which I could see would be spectacular when finished, but I knew I really wanted something with more character and age. I saw two charming bungalows on the outskirts of the village, which almost fit the bill and I shuffled them up my short-list of potential properties.
When I booked my car hire in Cyprus, the agent, who came from Limassol, mentioned a couple of properties she knew of, so the next day saw me back on the motorway, heading out to Limassol to explore the area. Being the second largest city on Cyprus, it has quite a cosmopolitan feel to it. It seemed like a lively, buzzing city but it also has the longest coastline of any other city, which was a definite appeal.
It was along the old coast road, heading towards Paphos, that I found my dream home – a two bedroom bungalow set on a hillside overlooking the sparkling, clear Mediterranean. The purchase went through without a hitch and a few months later I took possession of my own little piece of paradise on the lovely island of Cyprus.