Ready to Trade on Swaptree

A NOTE FROM JENN: Good morning Greenies! It is Monday morning now and I just wanted to say that things with Swaptree were all taken care of yesterday. The confirmation email, though indicating it was sent at 6:00 AM, did finally arrive sometime after noon. I was able to confirm and start listing items for trade.

I wanted to simply test the service for the moment so I listed just one book in my ‘have it’. Sadly no one on the service had this item in their ‘want it’ list so I am unable to receive any trades just yet but I’m sure that will come soon! I also added a book to my own ‘want it’ list and will be excited when I can have it arrive at my door!

Customer service was quick to return my email as well, although they didn’t have to do much considering it worked itself out. Because the site is free (no special envelopes to buy and no money is exchanged) and the only expense is when shipping an item (can we say Media Mail?) this allows Swaptree to suggest all kinds of trades -- movies for CDs, books for video games, etc. -- not just a one for one which is nice.

So I am amending my Leaf Rating on this cool company and concept to a Four Leaf Rating!

Everyone has extra stuff lying around -- DVDs, books, video games and CDs -- the thing you used a million times, read and won’t read again or just plain didn’t enjoy. But what is a person to do with all this brand new merchandise? Trade it on Swaptree!

The company makes it super simple to exchange your merchandise, in fact it is only a three step process! First, register. This will only take a few seconds and the information is minimal (you can also connect with friends on Facebook). Next, add items you want and list items you have to trade. Finally, all that is left to do is swap!

Now, I am a little bummed that I can’t share the whole experience with you because I never received the confirmation email (it is required to click on to activate the account) despite repeated attempts, a change in emails and contacting the customer support folks.

This is not to say it doesn’t work for some however so don’t be alarmed! My friend Bridgete was the one who suggested I become a swapper as she was able to sign up and suggest the site to me. It is legitimate and there are some cool items to be had, I just can’t get to them yet.

Hopefully the good folks at Swaptree will get me a return email so I can give a proper rating based on the entire experience, including being able to swap! But for now, based solely on the concept of it as well as my sign up experience, I have to give Swaptree a Two and a Half Leaf Rating.

I hope to hear from you Swaptree, I am looking forward to bumping your leaves up as soon as I can get active with this very cool concept! ♥love♥

Eco Fashion Friday Catching Back UP with threadUP

Good morning all you fine fashionable folks in bloggyland! Another week has passed and it is hard to believe but we’re already back around to Eco Fashion Friday! I recently got word from my friends over at threadUP that the clothing exchange website for kids is open and ready to rock!

Hooray!

We profiled this company and their unique concept back in January. The company facilitates the exchange of gently worn clothing. This particular division works with kids clothing and although I don’t have any kids of my own, I know a few people who will benefit greatly from the advent of this awesome concept!

How does it work? Easily!

Parents get on the website, list a box of clothing (that their child has out grown) to send, then pick a box to receive from another parent. Done. Plain and simple. Just that easy!

Signing up is quick and membership is free. Oh yes, that’s right. All you pay for is the shipping cost to send the box then sit back and wait for new clothing to arrive for your own little one!

With the rate at which kids grow and outgrow clothing this is just a fantastic concept.

If you’re a parent short on time to shop, looking to get rid of some clothing out of your kid’s closet and want to replace it rather inexpensively then get over to

SIGN UP

And join Ryker in packing up a box of your own gently worn clothing for another kid to enjoy!

Thanks threadUP for pioneering such a time and money saving venture for so many parents out there! ♥love♥

Eco Fashion Friday Feature thredUP Kids

One of the very reasons I have chosen not to have children is that those little buggers can sure be expensive haha! One item that will forever be a need and will definitely add up over time is clothing. How does a parent save money if there aren’t any hand me downs to procure from older relatives or friend’s kids? Or worse yet, what should a parent do with all of those clothes that their own child outgrew? They get on over to the thredUP Kids website, register and begin exchanging quality clothing in fabulous condition with parents all over the country that’s what!

What’s that you say? Exchange clothing with other parents? Why yes indeed and it could not be easier (or less expensive for the first 1,000 registrants!)

thredUP is a bold concept that has been working for adults for a little under a year now and was founded by three guys -- James Reinhart, Oliver Lubin and Chris Homer -- right here in the Boston, Massachusetts area. Surprised? I highly encourage everyone to check out their About Us section on the thredUP site to read the back story, its pretty funny.

So what does all this have to do with kids you might be asking?

Well the long and short of it all is that what has been working for adults is now something they are feeling out an interest in for kids as well and what is even cooler is that the first 1,000 members to register via this link will be allowed to exchange their first for free when the site launches in February! Score!

Not only upcycled, recycled, increase of the lifecycle and reused, but inexpensive too. Now how many parents could go for that? The really great news is that this service will be for boys and girls ranging in age from 0-12 so parents can begin exchanging as soon as their little one outgrows their very first size.

Obviously there are a few rules involved -- no stained or torn clothing allowed for starters -- and since this particular division is just in its own infancy stages there are more things to come but I can’t get over how cool a concept this is to exchange like new clothing that I think I might just sign myself up.

I especially recommend parents signing up that want to do their part not only for the planet but their own kid’s closet. Then sign up for yourself at the flagship site too. The only thing you have to lose is a pile of clothes you are bored with and the gain is a whole bunch of like new stuff you never had to set foot inside a mall to get.

You Had Me at Chocolate, Taza Chocolate

Once in a while along comes a product that is so awesome I can not wait to share everything about it and when my Taza Chocolate showed up a few days ago I knew this would be one of those times the moment the stone ground cacao hit my tongue.

Taza is a local company to me, based out of Somerville, Massachusetts, and not too long ago I started noticing their round chocolate discs at the cash wrap of a few of my favorite locations. When my friend and I saw them at the Farmer’s Market shortly after that I knew there must be something to them so I picked up a package of their Nibs to see what the fuss was about.

I used the Nibs in a lemon pie recipe and they were just the right thing to give it some balance. I wanted more. As a self proclaimed chocoholic and a Greenie I am always looking for the perfect pairing so when I find out how wonderful a company is in addition to their chocolate, I sit up and take notice.

Using recycled winnower and roaster, shipping boxes that can be recycled and traditional stone grinding methods is just the beginning of what makes Taza Chocolate cool. Their chocolate bars come in the shape of a disc and a fairly compensated human is involved in every step of the process from the picking of the cacao beans to the packaging of the bar.

Oh yeah, did I mention most of their chocolate is Vegan approved and all of their product is certified 100% organic? Not to mention that founders Alex Whitmore, Larry Slotnick and Kathleen Fulton spent a good number of hours simply sourcing their first beans. They were only interested in purchasing from a sustainable farm where fair treatment practices were standard. Right on!

The company is dedicated to the environment from recycling efforts to direct trade, a reduced carbon footprint in manufacture to energy saving practices in the factory. In addition to these solid efforts Taza Chocolate also will deliver their product to patrons in Somerville and Cambridge by bicycle and they allow for local direct pick up at the factory.

As if all of this wasn’t enough they are currently working with a few Green initiatives locally to do their part to keep the community beautiful! This includes GoGreen Somerville and through this partnership they have begun working toward a zero waste facility via composting, recycling and donation efforts.

I can not find a single thing about this company that is not amazing! Because of this I feel it is my duty to bestow the long strived for, yet infrequently achieved Five Leaf Rating!

Taza Chocolate you are going in my cupboard, tummy and on top of everyone’s gift from now on as a little something extra. Thanks for sharing your love. Here is some right back!
♥love♥