Good to Go Eco

Alternative to Baskets: Upcycled Jeans!

2011-04-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are lucky enough to know how to sew, even just a little, you've got to see this idea:

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2011/04/denim_do-it-all_bins.html

Betz shows how to turn those denim jeans, with some pretty fabric, into useful storage bins! I imagine they would make great toy organizers, magazine holders, craft supply containers and even serve as 'baskets' to put shoes at the door.

What a great way to upcycle a pair of jeans!

Build a Family Photo Wall

2011-02-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

(by re-using what you already have!)

Over the years have you boxed up old framed photos, storing them away, only to have them take up valuable storage space? Remove those precious photos from their frames, and put them in photo albums/boxes where they belong.

Now, what to do with all those frames? Sort through them, donate the "odd" ones; you know, the ones you (or someone) thought were cute, but really distract from the photo. The rest, (see photo) spray paint all in one color; black was my choice.

Then frame your current (or favorite) photos in these 'new' frames! They will look great grouped together! I had a lot of frames, more than I had current pictures, but I'm sure I will find pictures for them as the year goes on.

Hanging them close together on your wall allows room to expand, "building" a family photo wall!

Let's Hang Out!

2011-01-25T07:33:00.001-08:00

As the weather starts to warm up, we can save on resources by hanging our clothes outside again! Ah, to have a clothesline to air dry your laundry! Easy on your clothes, and your pocketbook!

But what if you don't have a clothesline, or are limited in outdoor space? Look for unique 'opportunities', like the one shown here. It's a piece of leftover plastic piping that's just long enough to hang on two outdoor patio lamp poles that line a flagstone pathway.

By hanging the clothes on hangers, they take up less space. The wrinkles fall out, and the clothes still get this wonderful scent as they dry. It's a win/win situation!

How to Drink More Water!

2011-01-18T13:02:00.001-08:00

Want your family to drink more water? So, we already filter our water, probably with one of those charcoal filters in a pitcher, but they take up too much room in the fridge, or on the kitchen table, or it's IN the fridge, not in the family room or at our desk where we are. So we don't drink as much water as we should because it's not convenient. And it's winter time...our furnaces are running and drying up the air. Our skin, hair and our health all would be better if we drank more water.

Here's what you do: Get some of those Italian style swing-top bottles with stoppers (see picture), fill them with filtered water (use your charcoal filtered pitcher), and place these beautiful bottles of water throughout your house. Put one on your kitchen table, another on your dresser in your master bedroom, or on your desk in the study, create some space in your family room for a tray holding a couple water bottles and even more glasses, and maybe even in the guest room on the nightstand.

You will be surprised how it will encourage drinking more water! Added bonus: the sparkle of the water and the glass reflect light, creating sparkle and beauty during these dreary months of winter. So, pick up some of those glass bottles today, fill them and do something good for your family! And don't forget to fill them as you see your family drinking to good health!

Wrapping Paper Alternative

2010-12-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

Does it bother you buying that expensive wrapping paper, when you know it will all be thrown away into the landfill? Are you frustrated with using paper gift bags, and still have to use wasteful tissue paper to make it pretty, or to hide what's inside? Do you have to travel with gifts, and worry that the wrapping will rip, or all that added bulk will just add to its size?

Here's one great way around all of that: Wrap your gifts in re-usable linens! Shown here are all my holiday gifts wrapped in new cloth dinner napkins! They are the perfect size for small to medium gifts! You can even use adhesive tape, if you need to, but try just tying with ribbon, cording, raffia, rope, etc. You can even use 2 napkins for the larger gifts; see if you can find which gift in the picture I used 2 napkins.

Right now many stores have their linens half-priced, so for $2 you can wrap your gift within a gift! And to make your gifts even more appreciated, buy a set of napkins, and use exclusively for members of one family, and another set for another family, etc. When the presents are all opened, each family will have a beautiful set of napkins instead of all that torn, wrinkled paper!

FYI: I used white napkins from my linen drawer to wrap gifts for my husband (and myself!).

Too late? You've already wrapped your presents? Well, in January all these linens go on clearance, so buy for next year!

Happy Holidays!
Erin & Judy

P.S. Next year I'm going to try and use embroidered tea towels!

Green Fitness

2010-03-31T05:16:00.000-07:00

Getting healthier with a green twist is easy! Check out these healthy eating habits and fitness ideas.

Watch the food you eat and try to avoid “edible food-like substances”, such as my favorite, cheese food. J Avoid extra processing and additives which strip out nutritional value and are more difficult for the body to break down. Feast on a diet rich with fruits, vegetables and whole grains! These fill you up with good protein, vitamins and minerals.

Tips:

Stock up on whole foods and reduce or eliminate processed foods
Avoid empty calories from things such as soft drinks, chips, and sweets
Reduce your meat consumption
Drink more water

Healthy Eating:

When preparing an exercise routine, consider going green. There are a lot of options for exercising outdoors or using equipment that does not require electricity. Try out fitness trails at your local parks or using free weights at your home. You can also combine a quick walk or jog with running errands at a nearby store.

Tips:

Head outside for exercising, such as a walk around the pond
Choose workout clothes made of organic cotton, bamboo or other natural fibers. We love the clothing from Gaia Conceptions, such as the yoga pants pictured above.

Fitness Information:

Sustainable, Green Fashion

2010-02-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

Did you know that your clothing purchase has a much larger impact than just making a fashion statement? Clothes also have an impact on the environment through the materials used, production process and longevity.

The easiest way for your wardrobe to contribute to being green is by avoiding fast fashion, or cheap clothing that is cranked out to meet the latest trends. These items usually have a limited lifespan, both in quality and aesthetics. Obviously, this creates more waste in landfills and increases your carbon footprint through the production and purchase of the clothing. By avoiding throwaway fashion and focusing on wardrobe essentials and timeless classics, you can build a lasting and eco-friendly wardrobe. Add a splash of fun then with a few select trendy pieces.

When you do buy new clothing, look for sustainable, or eco, fashion like the organic wool sweater by Pretty Birdie, http://www.etsy.com/shop/stephanieteague, pictured above. This growing trend of sustainable fashion focuses on creating and producing clothing in environmentally and socially responsible methods. This usually involves reducing chemicals through the production process, using natural materials, creating higher quality clothing that will last longer and following fair trade guidelines.

When looking for sustainable clothing, things you can do are

Buy clothes made from organic and natural fabrics (such as cotton, bamboo and hemp) or upcycled materials (materials that are reused or repurposed to make something new)
Shop at vintage or second-hand shops
Avoid clothing that requires dry cleaning

If you want to read more, check out these online articles:

Throwaway Fashion Ends Up in Landfill, Green-Pepper.org
http://green-pepper.org.uk/fashion/throwaway-fashion-ends-up-in-landfill/
“Green Fashion: 7 Reasons Why You Should Care About Sustainable Fashion” , TreeHugger.com
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/09/7-reasons-why-you-should-care-about-sustainable-fashion.php
“Sustainable Fashion”, Green.Wikia.com
http://green.wikia.com/wiki/Sustainable_fashion
“Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts Premiers on Planet Green”, TreeHugger.com
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/02/blood-sweat-and-t-shirts-premiers-on-planet-green.php
“Spring Fashions: Top 5 Eco-Friendly Clothing Lines That Won't Break the Bank”, TakePart.com
http://www.takepart.com/news/2008/03/27/spring-fashion-top-5-eco-friendly-clothing-lines-that-wont-break-the-bank

And, as always, Etsy is a great place to shop and support small, independent business.

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=category&search_query=eco&category=clothing

Add New Furniture by Reusing

2009-11-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

Is money tight this year, yet still want to add some furniture or storage to help organize? Search for ways to REUSE items you may already have.

It all started when I suggested my husband go through his stuff in our garage, and make up some hardware goody bags for our son-in-law. And in the process he emptied one of these metal cabinets! Thinking I would give it to our son-in-law for in his garage, we loaded it up in the back of my car, and delivered it, with all the surplus hardware.

My daughter, being in desperate need for organization, and able to visualize potential, claimed the old metal cabinet before my son-in-law ever saw it! With a little cleaning, it has been transformed into a stylish, and, oh so practical, industrial-looking cabinet in her living room!

Moral of this story: look around, and reuse items you may already have. If you don't have a garage to look through, try your local thrift store or weekend garage sales. Happy Hunting!

- Judy

Pack an Eco-Friendly Lunch

2009-11-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Pack your lunch and you will help the environment, save money and probably eat healthier! If you cook a little extra the night before and bring it for lunch, you reduce your carbon footprint by eliminating the traveling to get lunch, the energy used in the preparation of the meal at the restaurant, and the waste in the food packaging or presentation. Plus, while the weather is nice, you can sit outside and enjoy some fresh air during your lunch time.

You can pack an eco-lunch by using:

reusable lunchbag
metal/bamboo utensils
cloth napkin
glass food storage containers
aluminum or stainless steel water bottle

For further reading:

Here they actually calculated the difference in cost of packing your lunch with disposable items vs. 'wastefree' vs. packing. www.wastefreelunches.org

And for finding a great selection for more eco-friendly lunch containers, here's a great site: www.reusablebags.com/store/lunch-bags-c-4.html

Hanging with the INCrowdteam

2009-10-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

What fun! We had such a great time at the Hoosier Artisan Holiday Boutique yesterday. It was great to meet so many of the fellow Indiana etsians from the INCrowdteam. I was so surprised and how many live just around the corner from me!

A special treat was that my family stopped by the event. Here's a photo that my mother-in-law took of my daughter and I in front of our booth.

I also wanted to pass along the names of some of my favorite InCrowdTeam shops that were on display:

Sadly Harmless: www.SadlyHarmless.com
Cordial Kitten: www.CordialKitten.com
Stinky Toes Design: www.StinkyToesDesign.com
Steel Dreaming Designs: www.steeldreamingdesigns.etsy.com
articulate: www.kangarola.etsy.com
Keepsake Couture: www.KeepsakeCouture.etsy.com
Pink Evita: www.pinkevita.com
Refind Originals: www.RefindOriginals.com
Beaded Details: www.BeadedDetails.etsy.com

I hope you enjoy discovering their wonderful handmade items as much as I did!

Hoosier Artisan Holiday Boutique

2009-10-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

To see a full selection of our eco-friendly products, come visit our booth at the Hoosier Artisan Holiday Boutique. The event is Saturday, October 17th from 10am to 3:30pm at the Mansion at Oak Hill. 50 Hoosier artisans will be selling their unique, one-of-a-kind handcrafted wares. Admission is free to the public; there will be complementary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar available to our patrons.

We're very excited about this upcoming show and will be debuting our iPhone/Touch wallets made from handpainted fused plastic. Come check us out! http://www.hoosierartisanboutique.com/

In the news:

Small Helpful Habits

2009-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

A small helpful habit that I've gotten into is using my bedtime water to water my plants. Every morning when I wake up, I shuffle to the kitchen to make the coffee. On my way, I take my bedtime water glass and use any remaining water to water my house plants.

I love this little habit for so many reason. It keeps my bedside table free of glasses first thing in the morning, which is nice and makes my mornings feel less cluttered. By using water that I would have dumped down the sink otherwise, I'm conserving a little bit of water each day. Also, I really don't ever have to take time out of my day to water the plants. I used to be so bad about waiting until they drooped... I haven't had that problem since doing this.

I do this same thing with water glasses that our family leaves lying around. I gather these up at the end of the day and water the plants on my way to the kitchen. My house is less hectic and my plants are so much happier!!

Halter Hotties

2009-09-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite responses to our re-purposing challenge came from Kim Alexander at Halter Hotties. Kim makes fantastic halter tops by upcycling vintage scarves.

Halter Hotties’ exclusive halter top collection: where vintage meets eco-chic. Indulge your inner vamp with a bit of fanciful vintage fashion. Sexy wicked, one-of-a-kind halter tops that are truly art for your body. Made with antique buttons, vintage scarves and silk ribbons. Alice Brownrigg, NWsource shopping columnist, said it best; "Local designer Kim Alexander of www.HalterHotties.com takes classic silk scarves and transforms them into halter tops with iconic silhouettes. These tops are so smoking hot, I can image Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield wearing one. Some of them are actually very conservative and demure, perfect for the Audrey Hepburn type."

Inspired? Do your own 'repurposing', take a picture and e-mail it to us! If we post it, we'll send you an eco-product as a thank-you.

Upcycled Metal Lantern

2009-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was given this lovely lantern as a birthday gift from a friend. I just had to share this with all of you!!

The lantern is made from recycled metal cans, boxes and scrap metals. Then to top it off, it came with a soy candle that smells just wonderful! :) I tried to find the product online, but wasn't able to. It's from the Cupcakes & Cartwheels division of Two's Company (www.twoscompany.com). Post a comment with a link if you find an online retailer who sells it. In the meantime, it can be an upcycling inspiration.

Green your space by adding plants

2009-09-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Adding healthy plants to your work space is an easy way to add a bit of green to the office. It has been proven that indoor plants filter toxins and provide clean oxygen to refresh the air. Indoor plants also soften sound (who doesn't want that?). It's good feng shui and can make an office area feel more welcoming, cleaner and more spacious. In fact, philodendrons, spider plants, and English ivy all do well indoors, and are great plants near electronics to minimize electromagnetic energy. They are very easy to grow; just keep away from direct sunlight.

Additional benefits

Reduces fatigue, coughs, sore throats and cold-related illnesses
Promotes optimism and calmness
Increases positive feelings and reduces feelings of anxiety, anger and sadness.
Controls humidity to be within the optimum levels for human health
Decreases dust levels
Improves concentration levels

For further reading:

Take on the Challenge of Re-purposing!

2009-08-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

Have you started a collection of those large plastic containers that held fruit & snack mix? We get ours from the membership clubs that sell in large quantity. We end up collecting those jars, but we were never sure what to do with them.

So I took on the challenge: Repurposing! On first one, the taller jar, the label peeled off wonderfully! Then I cut the top off, just as it bent in, slicing a starting point with a serrated knife, then finished off using scissors. (You could mark it with masking tape first to make a cutting guideline.) This made a large enough opening, and the slight curve inward gives a small finished detail. Simply add 2 or 3 rolls of TP and it's done! Keeps them clean, yet easy to grab when needed!

Second challenge: the shorter large mouth jars. Those labels don't come off easily at all, and mine had 2 labels! So, I cut same size 'labels' from chalkboard contact paper, and covered the original labels. The contact paper is very easy to use; in fact the adhesive is almost the repositional kind; very forgiving if you don't get it perfect the first time. I put my jars on my craft shelf above washer/dryer, storing spools of thread, notions, ribbons, etc. If I wanted to, I could actually use chalk labeling what's inside! This would work great for kids' craft supplies as well!

Inspired? Do your own 'repurposing', take a picture and e-mail it to us! If we post it, we'll send you an eco-product as a thank-you.

Featured Seller for Eco Etsy

2009-08-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to share the exciting news!! We're currently the featured seller on the Eco Etsy Street Team Blog!!! :) Check it out and comment!!!

http://ecoetsy.blogspot.com/2009/08/featured-member-goodtogoeco.html

For those of you who don't know, Eco Etsy is a great group of individuals selling handmade items on Etsy with a focus on eco-living. The members are joined together not only by their common etsy aspirations, but also by their passion for being green in life and work. You can find Eco Etsy products by doing an Etsy tag search for "teamecoetsy".

Featured in Etsy Treasury

2009-08-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with all of you this lovely treasury created by the Indiana Etsy Team, the INCrowdTeam. One of our iPod Touch sleeves was featured in this Peridot treasury for the month of August!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=63397

A Good Laugh

2009-07-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

I thought we could all use a good laugh this Friday! Enjoy!!

http://emailsfromcrazypeople.com/2009/07/28/no-pets-clause/#more-65

Press

2009-07-24T22:12:00.000-07:00

Eco Etsy

Capital Style

Friday Eco-fabulous seller on Planet Playground

Guest Blogger feature on Bululu Studio's Blog

EcoSalon - Top 10 Planet-Friendly iPhone Covers

Revitalized Beauty

2009-06-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

My daughter is gone this week visiting her aunt. After arriving back home from dropping her off, I began realizing how quickly Isabella has grown up from a girl to a young lady.

I stand in the middle of her room and think about how quickly time has gone by. I see the scattered disarray of tween girl glamor; jewelry strewn everywhere, makeup scattered on closet shelves, and hair rubberbands piling up on her bedside table. Taking the advice of a good friend, I decide to clean to calm my anxious mother worries. She is growing up too fast for me!

Since Isabella is gone for a few days, I take advantage of the free reign and give her room a make over. I want to surprise her with a more mature room decor; one that feels less childish, but doesn't push her to get too old too fast. :) The focal point will be a fun place to organize and contain her beauty supplies. I want to make a little tween beauty center. She already spends hours playing with make up, clothes and jewelry. We might as well embrace this and jazz it up a bit.

After scrounging for found objects to reuse in my tween beauty center, I am thrilled with my artistry. :) I've hung a mirror as my starting point to anchor the area. (After our last move, the mirror had just been collecting dust in my basement.) Isabella's caboodles container got an organizational overhaul and then placed within easy access of the mirror. I found an empty jelly jar and wrapped her rubberbands around the outside. I then filled it with lipglosses. For her myriad of bracelets, I grabbed a candlestick out of the kitchen and rung them around it.

What to do with the remaining pile of necklaces and bracelets...? I thought about adding a bulletin board and hanging them from that, but I would have to take down all her magnet strips. Ah ha! An epiphany - hang them by magnets. Beautiful!

Last but not least, a flower pot made a perfect catch-all for hairclips, sunglasses, and her brush. I topped the whole thing off with a bit of whimsy by adding her wooden owl. Voila! A tween dream!

Okay - my little disclaimer is that Bella introduced me to Picnik.com and I've had quite a bit of fun with their photo effects! :)

Trying Out Tofu

2009-06-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

A friend and I were discussing tofu the other day. We both ordered tofu frequently when eating out, but had never ventured to prepare any at home. After pondering this for awhile, I decided it was time to branch out and try something new. On my next visit to the grocery store I picked up a package of firm tofu. The package sat in my frig for awhile as I struggled to incorporate the ingredient into some of my standard meals. Looking back on it now, I truly think the tofu was intimidating me. This foreign substance had no natural place in my current repertoire.

Finally, I broke down and decided to just go for it. We did the standard fare of marinating the tofu in soy sauce and sautéing it with stir fry vegetables and serving over rice. The meal was tasty, but nothing overly engaging. We still had half a package of tofu left and were a bit overwhelmed by the rules for storing tofu. Since, I am completely against tossing good food, I decided now was the time to experiment. I sautéed the tofu with teriyaka sauce and a pat of butter. While this was cooking, I cut up some romaine lettuce and a tomato. I then tossed in the tofu and some Asian Ginger dressing and put in a container for lunch the next day.

The next day, I tossed in some crushed pita chips, in lieu of croutons, and tentatively tried my concoction. It was fabulous! In fact, one of the best salads I have ever had. The textures of the crisp lettuce, soft tofu and crunchy pita chips were the perfect balance. In addition the teriyaki sauce and dressing blended perfectly. My tofu experience had been a success!

Tofu Asian Salad (makes 1 large serving or 4 small sides)

1/2 package firm tofu

a few tablespoons teriyaki sauce

a pat of butter

1/2 organic romaine heart lettuce

1 organic roma tomato

T. Marzetti Asian Ginger dressing

Over medium high heat, sauté tofu with butter. After a few minutes add the teriyaki sauce and continue to until sauté all liquid is absorbed.

Rinse and chop lettuce and tomato. Toss in tofu and desired amount of dressing. Serve with crushed pita chips or croutons.

Eco Etsy

2009-05-26T11:09:00.001-07:00

What a great group of eco-conscious artists and crafters! We just joined the group EcoEtsy, www.ecoetsy.com, and are amazed at the talent this group represents.

Some of our favorites are listed below:

MarkMyWords makes adorable bookmarks from upcycled scrabble tiles:
http://www.markmywords.etsy.com

Rikrak's iron-ons are too cute to pass up:
http://www.rikrak.etsy.com

Infusion has beautful dresses made from sustainable, natural and organic materials:
http://www.infusion.etsy.com

La Pomme home decor items are whimsical and magical:
http://lapomme.etsy.com

Handmade Naturals has fun kids clothing items, such as ultra cute organic cotton hats:
http://HandmadeNaturals.etsy.com

To check out more EcoEtsy members, just search www.etsy.com by teamecoetsy. Also, don't forget to stop by our etsy shop at http://GoodToGoEco.etsy.com.