What Started Out As Newspaper…

The cleaning up and cleaning out of my grandparent’s old home continues so when Matt and I stopped by the other day to help my aunt get a chair out to the curb I wasn’t at all surprised to find this tacked up on the back of the door to the kitchen:

My old hometown is coming up on its 21st anniversary of recycling. Hooray!

The rest of that side of the page consists of the calendar of pick up dates and a cute little cartoon with a very enthusiastic stick figure announcing that they recycle, proudly! When I flipped the page over I discovered that in addition to newspaper, they were also collecting dropped off (and clean) glass items once a month.  Oh, and the newsletter was printed on already recycled paper.  Nice!

Rain or shine, in a paper bag or a bin, everyone’s newspapers became the catalyst toward a fantastic eco movement in Arlington!

According to the Recycling section of the Department of Public Works website, Arlington now recycles “yard waste, trash collection, white goods, household hazardous waste, CRT/TV collection and more.”, quite an achievement for a mid-sized town in only 20 years!

Good for you for thinking so progressively back then Arlington, thanks for thinking environmentally in the midst of the consumption age. You are the example of how to start small and build a program from one tiny shift in thinking. ♥love♥

Interested in your own town or city’s recycling history? Why not give your Public Works Department a call. Or better yet, stop by for a visit and chat with the employees. If your town has had a recycling program in place for even one day they are making a difference. Tell them thanks and shake their hand!

Happy recycling!

Recycling: A Guide for the green Greenie

A great friend of mine recently moved back here from a less Green area of the country, and she expressed an interest in learning to recycle. I told her she came to the right place! It all started while we were visiting the other night; we had a couple beers and caught up. When she finished her beer she went for the trash can and I cringed.

“Don’t you guys love the environment?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you recycle here?”
“I have no clue.”

There was no blue bin with the trash cans or in her apartment so we created a separate paper bag for paper recycling and a trash bag for the rest and talked about how she could get herself a bin and schedule of pick up days/times.

As she put a plastic container into the recycle bag, long overdue to be tossed, I made mention of the number within the triangle & noted that since it was a #6 rigid plastic it was okay. She looked at me like a deer in headlights and said:

“Don’t they have a Recycling for Dummies book for those of us who have no idea what we’re doing but want to learn?”

I told her I’d write a blog post and send her the link! So here it is. I’ll be breaking down what recycling is, how to do it, what they do & don’t take and why you have to separate all of the different items.

Recycling -- What

First off, let’s start with the definition of recycling. The official definition from dictionary.com is:
To treat or process so as to make suitable for reuse.

Pretty simple right? The item that one places in a bin is sent off to a facility somewhere in happy recycling land and by the process of their choosing (melting, boiling, crushing, heating, cooling, grinding, etc.) the material is turned back to its original state of plastic, glass or metal particles or paper pulp so it can be turned back into another milk jug, salsa jar, can of corn or ream of printer paper.

So why can’t we just throw everything we use right into the bin and turn it all back into its original state?

There are two items that immediately come to mind that are not frequently recycled under conventional process -- corrugated cardboard and Styrofoam. So what are they and why can’t we toss them in?

Corrugated cardboard is more rigid and durable because it has accordion folded cardboard (corrugated) in between two layers of flat cardboard (linerboard). It looks almost like a honeycomb when viewed from the side and is commonly used for packing/shipping boxes. It is frequently turned away from facilities because of its toughness (blades for shredding can become damaged) and because an adhesive is used to bond the layers, too much could impact the functionality of the pulp that comes out. I recommend checking with your local facility to find out how they handle this material. Here’s a picture.

Styrofoam is another beast and for those of you who follow GLR you may remember Melissa wrote a very in depth article (The Lowdown on EPS) on it last October. That article explains the material in depth, provides phone numbers and a slew of additional info so I highly suggest reading it. In research I’ve done related to this material it seems the general response is that Styrofoam is too light to ship, too time consuming to compact and too toxic to burn. It doesn’t seem right to throw it away though so once again, contact your local facility to find out if they take it.

Recycling -- Where and When

Most communities in my state have curbside pick-up of recycling. In my town the schedule rotates every other week and we are given special town sanctioned blue bins to place our goods in but every town is different. Here in my state, The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) website is the best resource to find out where to acquire a bin, what day(s) of the week recyclables are picked up and how often.

It’s easy! Go to the website, scroll down and on the left click My Community. Find the town you wish to research in the list and click Go. Scroll down and under the “Get Facts” heading there will be a link to Recycling in my Community. Click that link and scroll down to find your town in the alphabetical list. Any and all information can be found there. Each country, state and town is different so check with your local government offices for the most accurate information.

Recycling -- Who, How and Why

Who? You! Everyone can recycle, even if there isn’t a curbside pick-up in your community it is easy to collect the various goods in a couple bins around the house and pop on over to the nearest facility to drop items off. Sometimes more items are accepted this way and it takes care of the build up on your own schedule. For example, now that we recycle just about everything in our house we end up having more recyclables than trash and for us it would be fine to flip recycle pick-up to weekly while trash could wait every two weeks instead!

The great thing for us in our town is that all our items can go in one bin together and the facilities sort through it but how you sort your items is something to check into. In our old apartment everything had to be separated so we had several bins -- one for paper (reusing paper grocery store bags are perfect for this!), one for plastic/metal/glass and one for all the other stuff (cell phones, batteries, etc which we had to drop off and only on certain days).

So why do I recycle…really? I do it because I feel that any item we create new should be able to function (NOT steaming in a landfill!), in some way or incarnation, for the same number of years that I will be walking around this planet. I feel that if I am going to be here, the least I can do is lessen the blow of the things I do and recycling is one of the most widely available, simplest things to do in order to keep my impact lowered.

Recycling -- The Numbers

While researching I came across this really cool website Green Living Tips and they have an excellent article (not to mention TONS of useful information) on recycling and what the numbers mean.

Not to mention they plant a tree for each new subscriber to the site so you bet I signed up for that too!

Every little bit helps so get out there, do some reading and start looking at the numbers. It may seem daunting or confusing at first but I can assure everyone that once you get used to recycling, you will never want to go back!

RubberForm Is Making A Positive Impact By Reducing Waste

If you had a chance to read yesterday’s post about the Washington Nationals Stadium and the environmental efforts they put in place while constructing it, you might have thought that was the only thing that caught my eye while I was away. Of course being the eyes-open Greenie I am almost nothing slips past me!

We spent a little time in a small park right near Dan’s house called Brookside Gardens. The grounds were impressive and filled with beautiful plants and cool appointments, like a small stone labyrinth. On the way back to the car we shortcut through the parking lot and I stepped over a wheel-stop barrier at the end of a parking space.

I looked down to see the barrier was not standard concrete color but black and it had an impression in it which read rubberform.com. Of course my brain immediately considered the possibility that these barriers were created out of old tires or something equally cool so I snapped the photo above in order to complete research once we were back home.

I was immediately impressed to learn that RubberForm not only creates these wheel-stop barriers out of recycled tires (among other eco materials) but they also produce sign bases and stands, speed bumps and humps, speed cushions and tables, vehicle bumpers, car stops, rooftop patio pavers, rubber bricks, spill containment berms, landscape mulch, pipe/hose/curb ramps, wheel chocks and more, plus they have plans to begin creating systems for drain management, storm water drainage, base weights, rubber retaining walls & water retention systems.

They are a US Green Building Council member, are based in the United States, and pride themselves on being an innovative business that puts their employees first.

In today’s market, thinking recycling and keeping an eye on the planet by reusing materials that were already created in order to produce an item of function is not only innovative but just good business sense.

I applaud RubberForm and will now keep my eye out for their recycled, functional, products all over town!

Eco Fashion Friday Featured Designer Alexandra Ferguson

Today’s Eco Fashion Friday feature is all about the fashions for the home. Alexandra Ferguson, a talented member of the EcoEtsy team, stitches up some seriously graphic, fun message pillows from her Westchester County, New York shop. But the coolest thing of all? The felt is made from water bottles!

With 268 sales since she opened shop in January of 2009, and a 100% positive seller rating, Alexandra Ferguson is a true home fashion contender! With so many funky designs and an array of colorways, there is sure to be a design or two to please even the most discerning of Interior Design fashionistas. Don’t worry, they are not all as blunt as the featured photo, I just happen to love that one!

Starting at $45 the pillows go up to around $120 and range in size from 12” x 12” up to 22” and some rectangular shapes in between. Although the price may seem out of reach for some, a really fun, well placed and punchy accessory such as this will add just the right flair to a room and definitely makes a better gift than a sweater!

Custom orders are accepted, as is PayPal and all major credit cards. Each pillow is created with the custom Alexandra Ferguson tag, the recycled water bottle felt, and has a zipper closure which makes for ease of cleaning either the cover or the pillow insert (poly fill).

Because this shop is so committed to making something longer lasting out of a once-disposable resource such as a plastic water bottle, and does it with such attention to detail and flair, I am granting Alexandra Ferguson a Three Leaf Rating!

Your creativity and talent shine through your love for the planet Alexandra Ferguson! ♥love♥

It’s Curtains for the Door Project!

The project to install doors is complete; I couldn’t be more pleased with the final look and functionality of them. Yesterday I posted this photo as a tease for how the before looked:


The opening on the nook that we call our bedroom is approximately 62” wide by 77” high and as you can see in the lower right corner there is a piece of furniture rather close to the opening so the traffic path is just wide enough for passing ability. This means we could not have a standard swing style hinged door so Matt and I began brainstorming a better solution.

Our final decision was to use bi-fold doors. There were a few reasons for this:

1. They are a cost effective solution (since this isn’t our permanent residence that is key).
2. Installation is relatively easy.
3. They will block light & noise as well as provide a greater sense of security.
4. They can come with us when we go if the landlord doesn’t want to keep them.
5. Minimal damage done to the homeowner’s doorway is easily fixable later.

We headed up to tax free New Hampshire for a day of shopping last weekend and picked up all the supplies we needed. Because the brown and copper leafed desk was going to be residing in this space, and also that I was intending to exchange the cranberry velvet curtains with a pair of green striped panels from another room, we decided on sage green paint and oil rubbed copper pulls.

Including the trim on the inside to finish the look and block the light from coming into the sides, the entire project cost us about five days to completely finish and in the ball park of $225 for materials. Here are the finished doors installed and functional! Only bit left is to paint the interior trim which I will finish up this week.

The look is much more streamlined than the curtains were and when left open, they don’t impact the traffic path at all.

These pretty pulls bring the look together well.

So what did I do with those cranberry colored velvet curtains?

Well they were the perfect compliment to our movie themed living room!

They instantly warm up the space, both visually and physically, by providing another much needed punch of color in a room which we are not allowed to paint.

The posters and movie themed pictures include: The Goonies, Memphis Belle, School Ties, Honeymoon In Vegas, Aladdin, Cinderella and Spice World (oh you better believe it!) plus around the space are tons of movie related items such as a Lord of the Rings statue, scene markers, movies and a copy of The Hobbit plus much more.

Who Is Recycle Moe?

Thanks to one of our Greenies, Michaela, I was introduced to Recycle Moe, a very funky and fun company that creates unique products from 100% upcycled materials.

The company is run out of Moe O’Hara’s hometown of Burlington, Vermont where she enjoys spending her time creating items such as reusable coffee bean/grounds bags, mini spiral bound books with floppy discs for covers, innovative coffee cup sleeves with an attached clip so it will never be too far from a purse or briefcase and a whole slew of other cool items.

Moe not only showcases her awesome goodies on her website but she has a shop on Etsy where the bulk of her items for sale are baby bibs created from fused plastic shopping bags. And they are really cute. In the Vermont area? Recycle Moe items can also be found in twelve brick and mortar locations (and one in Rhode Island too). Check out the Shop link for a complete list.

Her prices are super reasonable (bibs come in at just $15) and shipping is also pretty low. I definitely suggest checking out Recycle Moe next time you’re looking for a creative, handmade, upcycled and unique gift for the quirky and fun Greenie in your life!

Home Improvement Projects from Reused and Upcycled Materials

Over the past couple months, Matt and I have been completing a few minor home improvement updates, upgrades and modernizations to our rental apartment. One of the most important upgrades we have made has been the mattress topper that we replaced.

Since I am not only a Greenie but a novice seamstress as well, it only seemed right to do something functional with the old one. After all, just because it had outlived its useful life on top of the bed, did not mean it could not be turned into a wonderfully functional addition to a couple areas around our home.

All I had to do was cut it up!

This bench seat came from my grandparent’s home. It was originally designed as a phone table due to the attached shelf. We placed it in a small nook in our mudroom and hung my Van Gogh “Starry Night” print above it but it just didn’t feel homey; I knew there was unlimited potential for this space.

We decided on a beach theme since both of us are beach lovers so I wanted a fabric for the cushion that would help draw attention away from the somewhat yucky vinyl floor. With a perfect sized scrap left over from a prior project, I set out to create the seat cushion.

After taking a basic measurement of the seat opening, I cut the foam to match. I then cut each fabric piece at ½ inch larger than the foam on all sides and stitched all but a three inch opening on one of the seams. The seams were pressed open and turned right side out, foam was inserted and using an inside stitch the opening was closed.

The vase was acquired at a discounted irregulars shop and the grasses are faux so they will last for ages. The sand came from a garden supply center and the blown glass starfish was a birthday gift this past June. Matt and I had taken a ride to a favorite beach spot and collected a whole slew of rocks. I also snapped a few photos of the ocean while we were there and one was pretty enough to frame.

Voila!**

We plan to acquire more rocks to fill in the rest of the corner behind the vase, as well as the strip of missing flooring at the far back wall and I will likely stain the bench to match the frame color.

It is true that almost all of these items are newly purchased and only the components of the cushion were reclaimed, but every time we walk in the back door now it is like we are in our own little beach sanctuary. It is calming and relaxing and that is the main thing we were going for. We both love it and know it is a design that will last through the years in our home; and it was all inspired by creating a cushion out of reclaimed materials from the hand me down bench.

Luckily however, I will find about 100 other uses for the foam pad…

The first of these projects will be as cushioning for 5 chairs around the house -- my sewing chair (being recovered) and our 4 kitchen chairs (which will be covered for the first time and using a painted drop cloth for the fabric. I will report on that one soon!)

What outdated materials have you breathed new life into?

**Please note our house is completely out of level and plumb so unfortunately everything is a little crooked.

Nature’s Path Organics Cereal is a Great Way to Start the Day

Upon arriving home from a vacation a couple weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to find a huge box, sent to me direct from Nature’s Path Organics, sitting by my front door. As most of you have likely garnered by now I love food -- love to eat it, smell it cooking and even have become more adventurous making it at home on a daily basis -- so when a big box of it is dropped at my door free of charge, you can bet that I am more than grateful; anxious to give it a try and share my findings with all of you.

What I found inside was seven boxes of cereals and a few granola bars! Holy cow! I knew there was no way I could eat all of these cereals myself so I called in the troops -- Matt, a friend Dan and my Mom (aka Judi FitzPatrick Studios).

This review is going to be fairly lengthy as I feel it is only right giving a little reaction to each of the products, since they are all so different, as well as sharing information on the company as a whole. Tuck in and be prepared to get a little hungry!

Dan was visiting from out of town for a few days so in the mornings we had an, as Dan so aptly dubbed it, “Executive Breakfast”. The first was the Flax Plus Maple Pecan Crunch. The main reaction he had was “mmm” as he went back for a second bowl. He commented that it was “uncomplicated, they didn’t try too hard with it just maple and nuts”.

The following morning we tried both Flax Plus Granola Vanilla Almond, and Optimum Strawberry & Yogurt. Vanilla Almond received the initial comment “ooh its good” but Dan felt it left a slight after taste which I believe might be from the flax seed oils. I enjoyed the crunch of the Vanilla Almond as it held up great in milk. The Strawberry & Yogurt Dan felt was a little too sweet for his taste but he enjoyed the flavors and textures. That one was actually my personal favorite.

A few days later I had an opportunity to test the Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch. The cereal was hearty and there were a surprising number of berries but my chief complaint is it got soggy fairly quickly. Still tasted great, just a bit soggy. Additionally, while completing the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk Boston in September, we were able to sample the Flax Plus Granola Pumpkin as small pouches were given out to test, so I already knew this flavor was light and also uncomplicated.

Matt had a nice big bowl of Sunflower Agave Plus Granola Crunch and was overall very impressed. So impressed in fact I asked him to shoot me a couple of his thoughts and here is exactly what he said:

“The Agave Sunflower Crunch was a pleasant surprise. The combination didn't work in my brain, but the flavors worked very well together. It was lightly sweet like a honey-cluster cereal, but the sunflower seed flavor balanced the flavor of the cereal well. I will definitely keep this one in the house from now on for a quick snack or healthy breakfast.”

Finally, I sent my mom home with a box of Flax Plus Pumpkin Raisin Crunch. Upon careful inspection of the box as well as the cereal my Mom deemed that “The flakes are much like any other whole grain flakes - tasty, crispy, not too sweet, a pretty shade of tan.” Unfortunately she was a little bummed that there was a decent amount of crunch but not much pumpkin or raisin included. She did think it was more yummy than the one we received on the walk but was keen to point out “a serving is 3/4 cup, not an entire cup, so it is much higher in fiber than the others, but also higher in calories when compared by dry measure”.

Overall it seems the four of us were mostly impressed with the yummy factor of Nature’s Path. Now I was off to discover just how cool the company itself really is.

On the homepage we are greeted by the motto “Eat well. Do good.” They have meant this for the past sixty years the company has been growing; it all started with an organic berry farm in 1949. The first experiments with cereal came in about 1971 as the company was focusing on all natural and organic, hand made foods for their supermarket LifeStream in Canada. Nature’s Path Food, Inc got its humble beginnings in 1981, introduced the breakfast line in 1985 and debuted their first cereal in 1988.

These folks are true innovators in the realm of awesomeness -- they were the first cereal company to ever be certified organic, they installed an organic garden and composting area outside their building in Richmond, British Columbia, they signed the Declaration of Sustainability and they firmly believe “Do good and it keeps coming back to you.”

I could go on for days about all the good these folks do! Their website is chock full of info on their involvement with organic agriculture, their amazing employee treatment (including incentives to buy hybrid vehicles and tuition assistance), purchasing of Green energy credits to offset plant generated energy, composting food waste, Their EnviroKidz efforts, and donating line waste to local farmers, in addition to so many other initiatives.

Want more anyway? The boxes are a great source of information and provide a good read while chowing down: They introduced the EnviroBox (10% less box) to save water, energy and paperboard (144 tons!). The box itself is even created from 100% recycled material.

So I took a trip to the cereal aisle in my everyday supermarket; want to know what I discovered? Not only is this brand widely available but the prices are in many cases less than those of the refined sugar and artificial flavoring varieties right next to it. Score!

With such a solid eye on the planet for so many decades, an amazing focus on social consciousness and humanitarianism, as well as maintaining the planet through organic practices, and just all around yummy products, I am granting Natures Path Organics the ever sought after and much coveted Five Leaf Rating!

Cereal lovers, snackers and those concerned with the way packaged foods are processed these days will all fall in love with at least one of their amazing flavors; I strongly suggest testing out a few to find your favorite. Thanks for such a strong eco focus Nature’s Path! ♥love♥

CVS Earth Essentials Paper Products from Recycled Content

CVS Earth Essentials paper towels and bathroom tissue (4 pack available online) are the final products I had the pleasure of testing out in this new and exclusive line. What I discovered is that I am really pretty impressed with CVS as a brand now!

I will start with the paper towels because this item is one that we had previously deemed extraneous in our household. Over the course of the last year or more we completely eliminated our use of paper towels and napkins in lieu of cloth versions. I was curious to test out the Earth Essentials towels however as I know there are many families who do still use them, so if this was a better choice I wanted to know about it.

At only about $0.80 per roll (online) the paper towels are a solid bargain considering they are two ply. The new trend in paper towels with the choose your own size means there will be less waste as a smaller piece can be used to take care of the same job. Best of all they are created from 100%, non-bleached recycled content (a minimum 60% of which is post consumer). In a final flourish, the quilting on the towels is in the shape of a heart; as if to say love the Earth.

The exact same post consumer recycled content and overall percentages holds true in the bathroom tissue as well. This truly impressed me but I was nervous to try it as it was only one ply and not puffy and quilted like my standard brand. What I discovered is that although it is not the softest brand I have ever used, it was absorbent and not completely reminiscent of sandpaper. Very important as a girl!

I am not sure if the packaging these items come in is recycled as well (paper towels are plastic wrapped, tissue is a tissue paper) and I wish there was a little more information available online as to the environmentally friendly manufacturing process.

Overall this product impressed me and if paper products have to be used at least they are created from a lengthened lifecycle of something else. With that said I am granting these paper products a Three and a Half Leaf Rating!

Overall I am very excited to know that my local CVS Pharmacy is concerned with doing something positive for our planet in creating this exclusive line of Earth Essentials. I hope to see the line expanded in the future with an even greater focus on the benefits of being eco-friendly! ♥love♥

New Vocabulary Words with Sturdy EconoGreen Trash Bags

I am always on the lookout for ways to supplement the everyday items I can not seem to get away from, like petroleum based trash bags, with a more environmentally responsible option. EconoGreen Trash Bags deliver on function, environmental benefit and learning as they are tough enough to do the job and also taught me all about a new Green vocabulary word -- oxodegradable.

The box states “Built Tough” and they truly mean it. Sometimes flexible plastics created from 100% recycled material can become flimsy, but these bags passed my fingernail test and more! I held the black bag up to the light through my kitchen window and it looked no different than that of my normal black trash bags.

Jig-A-Loo, the parent company to EconoGreen, has figured out the ultimate secret when it comes to plastics and their decomposition. They claim that through a process called oxodegration the plastic will completely break down in about 2 years, and based on the box I believe it; inside the top is stamped a packing date.

They place a “unique agent” in the mix which causes the plastic to break down into smaller and smaller pieces once exposed to oxygen until it finally becomes a nutrient for microbes. All that is left behind is CO2, water and reusable biomass, no toxic residues.

The box of bags was shipped to me using very minimal packaging and the box which holds the bags is not only recyclable but it is created from 100% recycled materials and printed using veggie based inks. And the cost is reasonable for the type of bags; the large trash bags have an MSRP of about $6.00 which is well within normal range for 20 large trash bags.

My main concern is the unique agent additive. Nowhere could I find a description of exactly what the additive is. Similarly, there is no real information available on how it breaks down or what type of nutrient it becomes. I feel that these are vital facts to share as this is a completely new way of looking at Green plastics.

With all these things in mind I am granting a Three Leaf Rating to EconoGreen!

By enhancing your transparency on certain information about the ways your product breaks down, your leaf rating will skyrocket right up to a five due to the function and unique concept you have going Jig-A-Loo! ♥love♥

Miwa Koizumi Creates Aquatic Life from Plastic Bottles

By now many of us are fully aware that there is a place in the Pacific Ocean called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Gyre. This area, about 1,000 miles off the coastline of California is a swirling mass of non-biodegradable plastic debris that outnumbers marine life by a 1000:1 ratio in some areas. Because much of this plastic has traveled to this area from land (wind carried bags, bottles washed out to sea, etc) it is more important than ever to ensure we find the most functional uses for our PET plastics and artist Miwa Koizumi has done just that in stunning form with her PET Project.

Her plastic marine animals and creatures are created primarily from items she has harvested from the trash and include all manner of plastics from colored soda bottles to five gallon water cooler bottles. She creates everything from dramatic jellyfish with seemingly weightless tails to the urchin and anemone type life forms that reside on the ocean floor.

The artist lives and works in New York and her art takes shape by all manner of cutting or soldering tools to create something truly unique and special.

In addition to her actual sculpture Miwa is also working on a photography project which captures the beauty and grace of her designs through use of black backgrounds, white backgrounds and directional lighting. She truly took the ‘trash to treasure’ adage to new heights with this project!

These works of art are just the tip of her creative talents however! Other projects include her plastic bag kites, a plaster and LCD installation art display, sound installations and performance arts.

Eco Fashion Friday Featured Video from Threadbanger

If you have been reading Green Leaf for a while it is no secret I have fallen in love with Threadbanger. They have provided me with tons of inspiration to make simple yet adorable clothing out of recycled, upcycled and unconventional materials. This video is no exception to that rule!

In this video they share the secrets for creating a shirred dress. For those not in the sewing know, shirring is created with that elasticized thread and can frequently be found on the top of dresses (like the photo above taken from the video) or tops for the gals.

Now I have two dresses that must be created as soon as possible! I know just the fabric this one will be created from too, it will drape great and be a perfect little black summer dress!

Get creative with this if you sew -- make it longer, create a halter with wider straps, make spaghetti straps for both shoulders, criss-cross the straps in the back -- the opportunities are endless which means by using the same base pattern, we ladies could create an entire summer wardrobe of super cute dresses. I’m in!

On the Move with NorthStar Moving Corporation

Almost all of us have done it, Matt and I personally joke we are professionals now, college kids are about to do this en mass - moving. Most of us think of moving as a hassle or a headache and many of us also understand the environmental impact this activity can have on the planet due to emissions alone, never mind the lifecycle of boxes or the trucks, and even Greenies may not be thinking of the impact the facility itself will have. So who do we turn to in this stressful time to ensure not only that we remain calm and cared for, but that our planetary impact is low? Well NorthStar Moving Corporation may drive bright red trucks but look closer and all you will see is Green!

Based out of Los Angeles, California, NorthStar Moving is in a prime location but do not let the Southern California address fool you! Although their primary geographic focus is moving folks from the Los Angeles area, they are looking to expand their service in order to move anyone, anywhere. Oh, and they are doing it all in trucks that run on biodiesel.

After the conversion, and once it became clear that the old trucks were harmful to the planet, yet impossible to convert because of their current age and wear, NorthStar Moving hooked up with E-Cycle Environmental to break down and recycle the oldest trucks. E-Cycle also assists by offering a more eco friendly option for folks who are moving and getting rid of bulky, potentially harmful items (such as televisions, computers, etc).

Additionally all the new trucks were outfitted with lift gates that run on battery power as opposed to the engine. Emissions can be further reduced as the truck does not need to be running constantly during a move, the lift will operate while the truck is off. This is a very cool innovation and one I believe is exclusive to NorthStar as I can not find another company that indicates they do this yet.

Of course the awesomeness does not stop at the trucks and their fuel source.

All of the boxes the company sells are created from recycled materials but get this, they will also grant a 25% discount if you bring your boxes back to be recycled. Then the next person can re-purchase those boxes also at a 25% discount. Taking advantage of both moving boxes are sold at a 50% of rate, sweet!

The storage facilities utilize wooden storage compartments (made from recycled materials!) that are stacked in order to save on need for space as well as materials and the warehouses take advantage of natural light (through use of skylights) which helps to save on electricity as well.

All this is well and good but without strong customer service and attention to the client’s needs even the most eco-friendly company will not last very long. NorthStar has been in business for about 15 years and they not only offer a basic door to door moving service but also literal Red Carpet, luxury moving service. These folks have moved everyone from budget conscious college students to Hollywood heavy hitters like Angelina Jolie, Chuck Norris and Eva Longoria.

Not to mention their work with Hollywood Green Team, Sustainable LA** and the pre Oscar Green Carpet party this year. These services truly set them way apart from any other Green moving company out there never mind the fact that they treat everyone the same no matter what their moving budget is.

I spoke with a company representative to see what types of offerings they have at this time and for those in need of a storage solution now is an excellent time to take advantage of NorthStar’s services because in addition to their deal of $49.00 per month for a 5' x 7' x 8' high unit, you are also going to get the first month free. Yippie!

I am completely impressed with the company model that NorthStar is structuring here and like I said, since Matt and I move more often than the average family it is pretty safe to say I will be utilizing these services at some point in the not too distant future myself.

With such an innovative approach and strong planetary focus NorthStar is well deserving of a Four Leaf Rating!

Keep up the amazing work!
♥love♥

** The Downtown Film Festival runs from August 12 - 22 primarily located at the corner of 7th & Figueroa. Sustainable LA is a full day of Green awesomeness that includes speakers, films, parties and advice (all free!) and it takes place on Thursday August 20 from 10AM - 11PM at the Ernst & Young Plaza. If you’re in the area I highly recommend checking it out!

Eco Fashion Friday Featured Designer Enuwbe

As a member of Team Eco Etsy it pleases me to locate and feature other team members who showcase their amazing work, so when I came across Enuwbe’s shop I was immediately impressed. Using only organic, sustainable and recycled or reused items throughout the shop, Jen states that she is attempting to toss absolutely nothing into a landfill. Nice!

Personally, I am a nut for comfy clothing - cotton, bamboo, any fabric that is soft and will move with my body - so to see that organic cotton is the number one material of choice here definitely draws me right in. Normally I need to touch an item but for some reason I can just tell how comfortable these clothes will be simply from a photo. It makes me want to curl up and drink some Yerba maté tea on a cool fall morning, come home from the beach all cozy and comfy, or cover up after a relaxing yoga class. Simple comfort.

Enuwbe has the right idea with shipping by utilizing recycled materials of all kinds from business cards to shipping boxes. When selecting the fabrics she uses, Jen does not simply see that it is organic cotton and grab a bolt, she researches the company for their own sustainability and consciousness prior to purchasing. Then she utilizes every last scrap of material she purchases by creating the item, using scraps for appliqués and the teeny pieces unusable for clothing she turns into stuffing for pet beds. Very cool.

My one and only concern is the cost of her items. Not to say that for the time and effort Jen puts into this shop and each hand made piece that the prices are not reasonable, they are, just for the average gal they are a touch high. Most tops hover in the $40 - $69 range, dresses and skirts from $65 - $95, pants $47 - $69 and her cuffs are $14 (they have a pocket too, sweet). There are also maternity clothes, shorts, accessories and one formal dress available in the shop.

With such a strong focus on the planet and sustainability I am awarding Enuwbe a Four Leaf Rating!

Keep up the amazing work Jen, I can not wait to test drive that hoodie pictured above!
♥love♥

Eco Fashion Friday Featured Designer Billabong

As a staple provider of a slew of athletic gear, Billabong is a company most surfers, snow and skateboarders are intimately familiar with. Well surfers can now feel even better about their impact on the planet as Billabong is now offering a recycled wet suit!

Created from 90% recycled polyester the material used to create these B9Platinum suits is sourced from old fishing nets (available in full style, men’s). The remaining 10% is textile created from flax which is said to provide an exceptional softness on the skin.

The suit comes standard with cool features like a hidden key pocket, a watertight neckline and seams placed specifically to ensure the surfer has total comfort and flexibly to glide on the water, not to mention a triple enhanced knee pad area (PFRE).

The cost for this item might seem a bit steep as they retail for $650 - $699 depending on the model purchased. The next full suit in Billabong’s line, the Platinum-X (also with the PFRE knee technology, comfort seam placement and hidden key pocket) also sells for $649 but is created using all new materials.

After completing an additional cost comparison at $389.99 for a similar style (men’s full suit) and a direct Eco competitor, Body Glove’s Eco2 (non petroleum based but not created from recycled materials), I was a little concerned with the cost of the Billabong suit at first.

The general information I seemed to receive through further research is that the old adage “you get what you pay for” happens to ring completely true. The general rule is that with additional cash outlay comes more flexibility in the suit. Very important for any surfer.

Due to all factors -- use of recycled materials, lack of a women’s version, added comfort, high upfront cost -- I am granting the B9Platinum a Three and a Half Leaf Rating!

As a leader in the world of comfort gear for surfers who find their waves in chillier waters I am fully impressed by this eye on the planet, keep up the innovation Billabong!
♥love♥

Going Green with Solo Brand - Bare

I know what you are all thinking - ‘how can a company that makes disposable products possibly be considered Green?’ and if you saw my leaf rating tag at the top of the post you might be even more curious. Well read on to learn about the entirely new, environmentally responsible side called Solo Bare™!

We have likely all had experiences with the Solo brand; their plastic cups have practically become synonymous with the word ‘party’ in the past 73 years since the company’s inception. Their cups are instantly recognizable for their shape and color. They can be rinsed and reused, or even recycled, but more often than not they are simply tossed into a garbage bag and thrown away. The centuries it will take for this plastic to degrade times the number of parties Americans throw every year equals a huge landfill problem.

But most party goers want something convenient and easy, something they can simply be done with at the end of a night full of laughter and fun.

Enter Solo Bare™ (Bringing Alternative Resources for the Environment).

With plates made from sugar cane and bamboo in the Bare dinnerware line, and cups created from either plant based materials or 25% post-consumer recycled content in the Bare drinkware line, Solo just put a new twist on the old stand by!

The compostable** sugar cane plates come in three sizes for all party needs and are square with high edges so food will not spill out. They are free of chlorine, ink and dye and are cut resistant as well as microwave safe.

The renewable plates created from bamboo fiber are a khaki color, round, and also have a deep well for food. They are also microwave safe and take advantage of a fiber sourced from a rapidly renewable resource which can sustain a new crop in approximately 5 years as opposed to tree based paper which can take upwards of 40 to fully mature.

Solo Bare, 14 oz cups are created from plant based materials, (likely corn starch in the US) and are either compostable or recyclable. The larger 18 oz clear drink cups are made utilizing 25% post consumer recycled content and are also recyclable.

Now it would be imperative to recycle the 18 oz cups as they are PET based plastic and without a commercial composting facility available it would also be difficult to ensure suggested disposal of the sugar cane plates or 14oz cups, so this is my only reservation. Party goers and hosts would need to be diligent in practicing proper recycling disposal of these items.

But with such a progressive concept, especially where the bamboo plates are concerned, I am impressed with this giant leap forward from such a well known company as Solo and am granting a Four Leaf Rating to the entire line!

Keep the innovation for new and eco-forward™ concepts flowing Solo and you will remain the number one purveyor of party products for a long time to come!
♥love♥

Visit the Bare by Solo website for coupons and to find a retailer who carries the product in your area as well as to read about the Keep America Beautiful campaign which Solo is a big part of sponsoring and taking action with. Hooray!


** all composting of materials must be done in commercial facilities. Bio-plastics will degrade in approximately 90 days in this type of environment as opposed to upwards of 500 years for petroleum based plastics sitting in a landfill.

Walking on Flip Flops Just Got a Whole New Meaning

My sister is a shoe lover, any type of shoes really, but in the summer she thoroughly enjoys wearing flip flops just like many of the rest of us. For holidays and special occasions I have given her little kitchy shoe related items and when she sees something adorable, be it shoe related or an actual pair of shoes, it is a must have for her. So when I got a text message from her the other day that one of her best friends had just given her a doormat made from recycled flip flops I knew she was in heaven!

My immediate response of course was asking her to send me as much information as possible so I could research it and share it with all of you! I found that Uncommon Goods not only carries this mat made from recycled flip flop scraps but they also create barrels and baskets from the material and carry so many different upcycled items it would be impossible to list them all!

The company is based out of Brooklyn, NY and provides exactly what their name suggests -- Uncommon Goods! They stock everything from Home Décor to Children’s gifts and literally just about everything in between. I could get lost on their website for hours that is for sure! But not in a bad way, it is easy to navigate and there is even a recently viewed items box for ease of shopping.

The cost of this mat is either $20 (small mat 26" L x 17" W x .75" H) or $40 (large mat 35" L x 22" W x .75" H) which is fairly reasonable considering the handmade nature as well as use of recycled foam rubber. The mat is made in the Philippines and each one will vary slightly from the next in color and size due simply to the nature of the material acquisition.

My only concerns are that the mats are produced using Fair Trade practices and that the shipping cost is not revealed up front. Due to all of the above I am granting the Uncommon Goods Flip Flop Mat a Three and One Half Leaf Rating!

This is an extremely cute way to give a nod to the planet and your love for adorable shoes. Keep up the great work providing unique products with a planetary focus!
♥love♥

Eco Fashion Friday Featured Designer Jennifer Locke Designs

Last week when I briefly touched on the children’s tee shirts it occurred to me that we have yet to feature a fashion designer who creates eco fashions for kids. So when I came across Jennifer Locke Designs adorable bloomers for little girls it seemed only right to give her shop some love!


Jenn, as she refers to herself in her shop announcement, uses all vintage fabrics when she is creating these little bloomers. Upcycling at its finest! The photo above is of a pair created from a former sun suit. Her price is right in line with other shops that create this type of clothing but for a handmade children’s item the price is amazing -- most of her pieces are either $15 or $18. She ships internationally as well and the cost is very reasonable.

Most of the bloomers are available in sizes ranging from newborn up to 4T and she will even create custom orders utilizing client selected patterns or embellishments. JLD also will accommodate wholesale orders and her winter stock (recycled sweater mittens) has been featured in galleries. Her feedback is 100% positive after being in business for two years.

With a great eye on protecting the bottoms of little girls everywhere as well as the planet I am granting a Three and a Half Leaf Rating to Jennifer Locke Designs!

Keep up the amazing work, from one Jenn to another!
♥love♥

Replacing Wood and Plastic in the Building Trades

I have been posting a few odd rubberized items on Eco Fashion Fridays recently, such as belts made from recycling the inner tube of a bicycle tire, but could car tires actually be turned into something we use to construct homes out of? This is just one of the newest products in a family of wood-replacement innovation in the building trades which have sprung up in recent years. Especially for concerns of deforestation, as well as preservation of waterways and reducing the use of petroleum products, new concepts for replacing wood or plastic are being welcomed with open arms in construction.

Most of us have some form of wood outside our homes such as a deck, railing, stair treads, etc., and the recommended wood to use for such a project is built to last by undergoing a process known as pressure treating. This process ensures the wood will hold up longer against weather and is resistant to insects. There is only one problem, the process involves treating wood with inorganic arsenic, a known poison. Not only can this be harmful to skin and should not be ingested but the chemical can potentially run off and corrode surrounding soil which in turn might soon end up in waterways compromising the safety of the liquid and potentially harming marine and wildlife. Yikes!

So what are some of the options?

One product which has been on the market for a while is called Trex. This substance is created by fusing reclaimed sawdust and plastic (grocery store bags) into a solid plank that looks similar to wood but will never warp, splinter, need to be sanded, painted or stained and is inherently resistant to insects and sun damage. The product is extremely dense and will hold up just about forever. I can personally speak for this product as I used it for my old home’s deck and it was a dream to clean (broom sweep), easy to shovel (no splintering) and never needed anything for maintenance.

Re-Tread Products (RTP) is going even further and using reclaimed car and truck tires to construct their “lumber” which they call Tire Logs. These logs are made from strips of tread that are claimed after removing the sidewalls from a standard tire. They are woven together and rolled to create a flattened looking log. Although the company is years away from the ability to utilize such a product in construction of a home there are already thoughts as to how it could best be used in earthquake prone areas, as levees for flood prevention, decking, and even as a sound dampening device along major highways.

One of my very favorite items available that not only takes the place of wood or plastic but some quarried stone, is paper. I came across a company in my travels called KlipTech who not only provides commonly recognized paper countertops for a kitchen or bath but also paper based exterior siding, decking for skateboard ramps and a plethora of products that take on the appearance of wood. The siding is a product called EcoClad and it is a composite material made from 100% post consumer recycled paper and bamboo fiber which creates a dense and durable material suitable for all environments.

As innovation continues rise in the realm of reuse, more and more companies like these will take on the challenges of creating functional and stable products that take advantage of turning something formerly loved into something new that is safe and efficient to satisfy our basic needs. I think major kudos should be bestowed upon companies such as these for their ingenuity and dedication to furthering the lifecycle of items already on the planet.

Eco Fashion Friday Feature This One Is For the Dudes!

There have already been ten featured artists in our continuing Eco-Fashion Friday series but only a couple of those designers were guy approved and some of my male readers may have begun to wonder if good planetary fashion sense was relegated solely to the ladies. Not at all! So in an effort to share some of the funky and cool designers I have discovered for the Earth conscious boys out there, I am going to pull an entire outfit together, literally from head to toe, and you can let me know what you think. My Leaf Rating at the end is going to be my own interpretation of the collective awesomeness of this outfit and I am also assigning a 'brief review' Leaf Rating to each piece and the designer who constructed it. OK let’s get our guy style on!

Of course the first thing every hip dude needs is a really great hat for those days where he wants to be noticed. This one by U.S. based company Miller Hats, in a classic black and white houndstooth pattern, can easily dress up or down. Since it is made from 100% wool it is good for the planet as well. An easy Three and a Half Leaf rating!


Heading out does not always mean a T-shirt, this button up hemp and cotton blend long sleeve shirt from Emmett Brown is a clear Four Leaf effort from brand Planet Earth! They focus on outerwear and accessories, not to mention the planet.

Off to a meeting and need to spiff up? How about wearing this Three Leaf rated necktie from Me and Matilda? It is cotton and washable and they ship everywhere! Don’t like the pattern? They have eight pages of awesomeness in their shop, sure to please everyone; even bowties!

(Don’t forget after the meeting is over to strip the tie and unbutton the shirt to reveal your killer Blend Apparel graphic Tee!)

No guy’s outfit would be complete without a nice pair of sturdy pants. How about a twist on the standard blue jean and go with these Duck Pants from Patagonia. Made from organic cotton by a company who states “we seek to build the best product and cause no unnecessary harm” I’d say these are worth at least a Three and a Half Leaf rating!

Um, can someone say Five Leaf Rating? Hemp and organic cotton upper, recycled tires for the sole, recycled plastic laces, certified Vegan, post consumer recycled paper forms, water based glue, even the box is made from post consumer recycled content and soy based inks. Oh and they are cheaper than that brand they will remind you of. And of course they’re hot. Visit Simple to check out all their shoes (women’s too!).

Though flip flops or sandals are comfortable those shoes need a nice comfy pair of socks. How about this offering from HT Naturals in 100% bamboo fiber? They come in natural (shown) or black. This company is killer in their eco-mission and even aiming for carbon neutrality on shipping. A Four and a Half Leaf Rating is in order!

While perusing the sock collection from HT Naturals why not check out some boxers made partially from soy and organic cotton?

Does it get cooler than recycled inner tubes? Only when it is turned into a funky belt and this belt is a fun addition to the already hip outfit above.

Want to see how it looks all together (minus the accessories)? Yes I had a little time on my hands so I compiled this in Photoshop. Not too bad huh?

Overall the average Leaf Rating on this outfit is hovering somewhere around a Four Leaf Rating with some higher and some lower of course but all of these companies are striving to make a difference in the world of men’s fashion by their materials, shipping methods, price, environmental practices, fabric selections and a whole slew of additional ways.

Now admit it ladies, wouldn’t you notice this guy walking down the street? And once you found out he was sporting such planet friendly gear wouldn’t you find him that much more awesome? Get Green guys! ♥love♥