USA - Ponies, natural toothpaste

Eric Davis, the creator of this natural toothpaste

Even if you have zero interest in the environment, veganism and sustainable businesses, being able to brush and pet two little ponies with colored manes would be worth the trip to the Los Angeles Convention Center this weekend. That's where the sixth edition of the Green Festivaltook place, attracting roughly 20,000 people and 300 exhibitors, sponsors, and partners.

Among them was the Have a Heart Ranch, in Malibu, which owns these cute little ponies. It was founded by a young girl with autism as a non-profit animal rescue eco-sanctuary and organic farm. This pretty much sums the kind of brands and businesses exhibiting this year: small, familiar, green companies trying to make a difference and provide an alternative to consumers fed up with big corporations, factory-farming and harsh chemicals.

That's what inspired Eric David Buss to create a new brand of natural toothpaste, 'Davis', which took him 4 years to develop, perfect and release in the market this past May. "We're using the finest ingredients from the US, premium natural ingredients," he tells me on his booth at the Green Fest. "There's no secret ingredient, but there's a combination of high quality, recognized ingredients within the health community, like stevia and xylitol, which helps remineralize the enamel on your teeth." This is a sulfate-free, fluoride-free toothpaste. Why? "People are ditching fluoride because they're concerned about the effects that it has on the rest of your body." Instead of hardening the enamel with fluoride, they use natural abrasives to remove the plaque, preventing cavities.