'Tis the season to be sustainable ...

• Author: Peterson, Eric

A MARK ON THE WORLD BAGS

At the behest of their son-in-law, Phil and Karen Schilling started importing handmade, fair-trade bags from Indonesia nearly a decade ago. The first bags were made of rattan, which the Schillings had replaced with recycled material in 2003. "The fruit and vegetable cartons they ship from island to island in Indonesia use plastic strapping," Phil explains. "It's hand-woven into an all-purpose utility tote." The Schillings now import or distribute handmade bags from Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Indonesia and Guatemala. $18 to $25 retail.

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Imported by A Mark On the World, Littleton, (303) 797-9554, www.amarkontheworld.com. A schedule of upcoming markets is on the website.

ECORANCH BOARD GAME

After what she describes as a "prosperous" career in software, Eileen Thournir wanted to give back to the planet in some way. Her 11-year-old nephew's angry video game-fueled outburst lit her path and inspired her to create EcoRanch, a board game for kids 12 and up. Players adopt an animal and answer questions en route to completing their ranch chores, learning about sustainability in the process. "We're teaching concepts at a very high level: trading, bartering, recycling, cooperating and using only what you need." $34.95 retail.

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Made by Enlightened Play LLC, Lakewood, (888) ECO-KIDS, www.enlightenedplay.com.

GRANT FAMILY FARMS SHARES

After planting his first organic fields in 1974, Andy Grant launched his first community supported agriculture (CSA) program in 1978 to market fresh produce directly to the consumer. "It was a total flop," Grant says. He gave it another shot in 2006, offering home delivery of 22- to 26-week shares of certified organic fruits and vegetables, and found that attitudes had changed. "People are really interested," he says. "It's been a godsend for this farm." The price is "a bargain--it's a better price than buying conventional produce at Wal-Mart," Grant says. Vegetables: $390 single to $754 family for 26 weeks.

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Grown by Grant Family Farms, Wellington, (970) 568-7654, www.grantfarms.com.

WESTIN RIVERFRONT RESORT & SPA

Tethered to the slopes at Beaver Creek via the Riverfront Express Gondola, the swank new Westin in Avon became the first hotel in Colorado--and just the ninth in the country--to garner Silver Leadership status from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Built...