Breezy living

Natural Health, July-August, 2007 by Jane Tuv

SLOW DOWN this summer and appreciate the great outdoors. You can start at home by heading to your backyard, patio, or balcony, and stretching out on one of these natural and recycled loungers.

Made from durable, fast-growing hemp, the extra-wide Pan World Traders Two-Person Hammock ($159; www .ecopatio.com) shown at right is naturally resistant to mildew and will stand up to the elements.

The Recyclers Raft Air Mattress ($50; www.recyclersraft.com) offers a new use for discarded soda bottles: unzip the polyester-canvas shell and fill it with 26 empty two-liter plastic bottles to make a floating raft that holds up to 300 pounds.

Made by Amish woodworkers and designed to seat two people comfortably, the Amish Poly Lumber FanBack Swing ($274; www.dutchcrafters.com) looks like hardwood but is actually 90 percent recycled plastic, which won't splinter or fade.

The London Woods Teak Adirondack Chair ($350; www .londonwoods.com) is manufactured from teak, a hardwood that repels water (and termites) due to its high oil content. The wood comes from plantations where the trees are regularly replanted.