BETTER BAG

Better bag
Treat yourself to a new catch-all and do something good for the environment at the same time. Impossible? Surprisingly, no.
Ecoist, www.ecoistbags.com, creates one-of-a-kind handbags made from things you'd normally see floating down a dirty city street or (hope upon hope) in an actual trash can, such as candy wrappers, snack food bags and soda labels. These are items that typically would languish in landfills, taking years to biodegrade, if they did at all.
The artist and designer behind the idea, Marisa Rey, came up with the inspiration while traveling in Mexico, and the idea formed from her interest in creating items from recycled materials. Some of the patterns on these bags are pretty amazing. You'd never know that coin purse had another life and another purpose -- well, unless you look closely! Every now and then words and logos will work their way into the pattern. But the bags are created in Mexico, so unless you're adept at Spanish, you won't know what your bag is trying to sell you.
The bags come in multiple sizes and price ranges, with the cheapest being the coin purse for $25. The next size up is the "Everything/Anything" bag ($35), which is perfect as a small clutch. Bonus time: For every bag purchased, Ecoist plants a tree, thanks to a partnership with Global ReLeaf.
Sweet treats
As spring inches its way toward us (far too slowly, if you ask us), teens are already becoming obsessed with how to make our skin smooth, soft and ready to go beach- or pool-side. Or, in other words, as if it hasn't been hiding out under layers of clothing for the past few months.
Look no further than Jessica Simpson's newest line of kissable beauty products: Dessert Treats. A spin-off of her Dessert Beauty line, which launched last April, Dessert Treats offers the same quality of products, but at prices that will more easily work with a teenager's budget.
The Treats come in everything from fragrance to lotions to lip gloss, all ranging from $11.99 to $27. Choose from six flavors that will remind you of the fun side of summer and keep you smelling yummy: banana split, bubble gum, butterscotch toffee, creamsicle, cotton candy and lollipop.
Get Dessert Treats at drugstores such as Walgreens and Eckerd, or online at www.desserttreats.com.
Quote/unquote
"'Baby Got Back' by Sir Mix-a-Lot. You just can't help but sing along." -- Erika Christensen, on her favorite rock-out song, in People.
"I do my own laundry. I'm a Tide girl. ... Last time, I got Tide Spring Breeze. The time before that, I got the original. I like to do laundry. I think it's fun. There is nothing better than clean clothes." -- Ashlee Simpson, in J-14 magazine.
"I would call myself the mayor of Nerdville. I'm not really a wuss; I'm more of a dork. There's a big difference." -- Clay Aiken, in Twist magazine.
Web site: Sex, Etc.
When it comes to sex, it's not always easy to find answers to all your questions. Turning to teachers and parents can be embarrassing, and our friends may not always be informed.
Thankfully there's Sex, Etc. (www.sxetc.org), a Web site with tons of useful information on sex, pregnancy, abortion, drugs and other health issues. The best part about the site is that it's written by teens, for teens, so you don't have to sift through boring textbook-style articles.
Sex, Etc. was created as a part of the National Teen-to-Teen Sexuality Education Project developed by the Network for Family Life Education, a nonprofit organization based at Rutgers State University of New Jersey. An award-winning national newsletter supplements the SEX, ETC. site, and also features articles written by teens.
Some questions about sex may be hard to ask, but with the Web, the answers are just a few clicks away.