It starts with that first mosquito or flea bite and proceeds like a trail of ants through the rest of your summer. Conquering pests and taking back your yard doesn’t have to mean spewing toxic chemicals that harm the environment and eliminate useful insects. To deal with mosquitos, try New Mountain Sandalwood incense sticks, (pictured) available at Isabella in packs of 12 ($11) and at Ace Hardware for a little less ($9). Made from 100 percent Australian sandalwood, these are safe around children and animals and, the company claims, are 76 percent more effective than citronella candles. Each stick lasts 3-4 hours. Want protection when you leave the incense-protected zone? Check out these mosquito inhibiting/repelling wrist bands ($4.22 each). They’re waterproof and long lasting. The active ingredient is Geraniol and it claims to work up to 120 hours (keep wristband in resealable container between uses for best results, they advise). Your best bet may be with mosquito dunks, a very safe way to control mosquito larvae, which develop in standing water. The active ingredient, Bacillus thuringienses, won’t harm fish or wildlife or you, but those mosquitos won’t ever leave the water and take flight. One of the strongest products used in natural insect control is Pyrethrin. It’s made from chrysanthemums and is fairly non-selective about the insects it controls, so don’t use it as a preventative. Safer Yard & Garden Insect Killer combines insecticidal soap and pyrethrin. It breaks down quickly in the environment and is safe up to the day of harvest on edible plants. Apply only to specific areas needing attention. Effective against aphids, beetles, ants, caterpillars and many others. Planet Natural has a multi-page section devoted to natural pest control information and  products. Read about beneficial nematodes, diatomaceous earth and ladybug lures. Remember: What you put into the earth and air ultimately ends up inside of you.

The Swedes, responsible for the Volvo, have a knack for engineering forms that are as functional as they are fashionable. These days one of the country’s most successful exports is in the shape of the future – the SIGG reusable water bottle. It’s good for you and the planet, and comes in 144 designs with 22 interchangeable lids. Like a fashion house, SIGG rotates or drops designs each year. But if you’re thirsty for one of those Limited Edition Lifestyle SIGGs – its most popular line – you’d better shop around. Due to overwhelming demand, mysigg.com temporarily closed shop in May. In June, several internet retailers, including this one, announced that new inventory would not be available for the next 60 to 90 days. This blogger explains – simply – why SIGGs are hot and worth the price. You can find a SIGG to get you through this summer if you buy one that’s already available – and that’s good for the planet, too. Check out the colorful Maharadsha ($30) which comes in fuchsia, violet, ruby and turquoise, the Sunray ($25) and the Classic Red Traveler ($18). Hurry, because stock is limited and going fast. Go to www.isabellacatalog.com to find Spring Impressions ($25) and www.getngreen.com for Bubble Vision ($20). At rei.com you’ll find several SIGGS in stock and the recommended tool for hand-washing them, another hard to find SIGG item. If you must have one of the latest Lifestyle Limited Edition SIGGS, take a look at what’s selling on eBay, where you can acquire Wisdom Awakens and Flower Power (or others, as offerings on eBay is always changing). If you’re quick, you might get the sure to-be a collectible I Am Not Plastic.

Before you spray insect repellent on your kids this summer, you might want to check the label. Many insect repellents marketed for families and children contain DEET. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has approved the use of DEET on children, the Academy recommends only applying these products once a day, and not on children younger than 2. In addition, applying DEET repellents in combination with sunscreen increases the possibility of DEET having toxic effects on the child. One way to not have to worry about DEET is to use repellents made without it. REPEL, for example, is a plant-based lemon eucalyptus insect repellent, available from Basegear in 4-ounce bottles for $7. This solution repels mosquitoes and deer ticks for up to six hours. REPEL has a very strong lemon scent; and it needs to be carefully applied to the face to avoid eye irritation. Bite Blocker is another good repellent which does not contain DEET. Bite Blocker’s herbal insect repellent spray, which works for up to 8 hours, contains soybean oil, geranium oil, coconut oil and vanillin, among other ingredients. Bite Blocker wipes contain that same repellent, and are safe for all ages. Burt’s Bees Insect Repellent contains eucalyptus and lemongrass oil (Burt’s Bees is well-known for their natural, child-friendly products). REI sells this repellent in spray form for $8. Avon has been very successful with their Skin So Soft Bug Guard line, some combined with sunscreen, that are meant for the whole family. The Skin So Soft bug guard plus disappearing color sunscreen lotion ($12) is a clever way to protect kids from bugs and the sun. It comes out of the tube blue, but the color fades once rubbed into the skin. That blue color makes it more fun to put on, a useful thing if your child is cranky about putting on lotions. There’s also a Bug Guard Plus regular version, which is white.

“Besame mucho” is Spanish for “kiss me a lot. ” If you’re a sucker for all things romantic, you will probably fall in love with the beautifully packaged cosmetics line Besame. Founder and CEO Gabriela Hernandez was inspired by a “time when the aesthetic beauty of a compact was just as important as designer jewelry worn for a night on the town.” Launched in 2004, the line is a culmination of her passion for design and her desire to produce quality cosmetics that reflected her appreciation for the glamorous style of the Art Deco era. Besame products are reasonably priced and formulated with an emphasis on clean, natural ingredients. Essential oils and minerals are used extensively to ensure that the products are both good looking and largely free of artificial additives. Besame cosmetics are carried in specialty boutiques around the country, but we like their Web site for easy shopping. Start by browsing their enchanting lipsticks available in 15 highly pigmented, creamy shades ($18). After you decide which colors you’d like to try, you’ll want to snap up one of these amazing two-sided lip pencils ($19). Formulated with vitamin E, these pencils glide on easily, which is not always the case with lip-liners. Choose between cerise/red, cocoa/naturale and rose/pink. Next, select a double-sided eyeliner ($19), an alluring eye shadow ($16), mascara ($24), and boudoir rouge ($18), then finish off with the stunning cashmere pressed powder compact ($24). Wrap it all up in the au revoir satin roll ($8), and you will have everything you need to glam it up Hollywood starlet style. Besame is currently running a promotion in which first time shoppers will receive a gift with purchase. Speaking of gifts, Besame products like the luscious gold vanity case, which comes with powder, rouge, eye shadow and concealer ($40; pictured), are great for the girlie girls in your life. If you can’t decide what to get, you can always opt for a gift card. The recipient will be so appreciative, you are sure to get kissed a lot!

The world of lawn decor is full of lighting options, some more clever than others, some downright junky. Solar lights can be found in pathway lighting, stepping stones, faux landscape rocks, statuary (check out this gargoyle) and even novelties like the ladybug and turtle garden lights, not to mention gnomes playing checkers. Located at the intersection of eco-consciousness, design fetishism and the impulse that gave us luminarias is the Sun Jar (pictured) in yellow or chilly blue. Manufactured by a British firm with the facetious name Suck UK, the elegantly simple lantern uses the kind of Mason jar your grandma (or, depending on your age, great-great-grandma) probably used to can produce from the garden. Housed within that watertight seal (and therefore weather-proof) is a small solar panel, a battery, and an energy-sipping LED lamp; leave it out on the patio in direct sunlight, and come dusk it will emit a warm glow to light your cookout. The lamp can also be used indoors, so long as it gets charged in direct sun — sitting on a window sill, for instance. Available in the U.S. from Elsewares ($40).

You’re going green, so, doggone it, don’t forget Fido! Environmentally-friendly and socially-conscious green pet products are popping up all over the Web. At Eco Pet Life, you’ll find the perfect green starter kit to make your own natural flea and bug spray, biscuits, cleansing wipes and dry powder shampoo ($28). The Go Organic kit is no-commitment way to see if Spot’s taste buds warm to organic dog food ($16). The kit includes a three-pound bag of dry Organix adult canine formula, two cans of Organix adult canine formula and a box of Organix chicken-flavor dog cookies, all packaged in a reusable container. At Fabulous Pooch Lifestyle, four-legged friends can get glam with everything from organic shampoo to breath drops (yes, even Fido gets morning breath!) ($11 to $15). Olive is a one-stop-shop for green pet goodies. The recycled-cotton nesting bed with recycled PET fiberfill is sure to bring Spot sweet dreams ($80). The three-eyed alien plush dog toy made from natural wool yarn treated with vegetable-based dyes and hand-knit by a women’s collective in Kenya will rev up Rover for play time ($28). Want to do a little research without jumping head first into product buying? Eco Dog: Healthy Living for Your Pet is a new comprehensive guide to environmental dog care. As a bonus, you’ll learn several do-it-yourself projects, like how to recycle worn-out sweaters into a blanket for your pup or make a rosemary conditioner flea collar ($12).