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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

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upcycled America album cover coasters


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america2_1.jpgFeeling patriotic?  These handmade coasters are created from the album cover of the 70′s soft-rock band, America’s, “Homecoming” album.

The album jacket was laminated onto a 1/2″ piece of Baltic birch plywood and cut into (9), 3 3/4″ by 3 3/4″ waterproofed coasters.  The beauty of the original album art is preserved by four layers of polyurethane.

You may recall that “Ventura Highway” was the big track on the album.

9 coasters for $28 @ inoudidsattic’s estsy shop

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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

eco deal of the day – nau


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Sustainable style maven, nau has a 30-40% sale going on right now for guys and girls.  Hey, it’s summer.  People can see what you’re wearing.  Don some new duds – don’t be one.

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repurposed silver spoon earrings


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koear2.jpgPunched discs from an upcycled vintage silver spoon provided the raw material (pictured at right) and character for these eco earrings created by Rhode Island based, k. o’brien jewelry.

After soldering on the posts the designer added a little additional patina to accentuate the spoon’s original pattern.

$38 @ k.o’brien jewelry’s supermarkethq shop

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Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Choice Organic Teas – a tried and true review


Choice Organic Teas graciously provided us with a few boxes of tea for the purposes of this Tried and True Green Product Review.

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Choice Organic Teas is one of our household brands, a staple in our kitchen, but it’s by no means, your typical tea.  I was surprised to learn that this Seattle-based company has been around since 1989 — Choice was the first exclusively organic tea line in America.

ChoiceTeaGarden.2_1.jpgToday, they offer over 70 sustainably grown, Fair Trade Certified, USDA Organic teas — Black, Green, Oolong, White, and Herbal Infusions — in tea bags or loose leaf. Choice is green in many ways – their eco friendly packaging is 100 percent biodegradable and created without the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).  Their tea bags are crafted with care from unbleached natural fibers; and ties, rather than staples, are used to enclose the bags.  Choice offsets 100 percent of their electricity by purchasing wind energy credits.  And some of their growers even follow the biodynamic agricultural practices of philosopher, Rudolf Steiner.

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Their unique blends are deliciously mellow and go down real easy.  My recent Choices were delightful:  Ginger Herb, Himalaya Green, White Jasmine, Mango Ceylon with vanilla, and Green Tea with Toasted Brown Rice – yummy and soothing.

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My favorite time to sip a cup of brew is at about four in the afternoon.  It’s become my moment of zen….

What can I say?  Choice Teas is an impressive company with serious eco cred.

A few years ago I read an article about Choice Organic Teas founder, Blake Rankin, in Plenty magazine, and I remember thinking, this maverick really walks the walk.  He not only maintains a highly principled approach to tea cultivation, but also has applied similar values in building his family’s off-grid home — from sustainable straw-bale construction, solar power, plank cork flooring, PVC-free underground water lines running from well to home — to creating a blue-jean-insulated mud-room, and kitchen tiles from recycled airplane windshields.

Discover more about Choice Organic delightfully flavored teas, here.  I’m off, the kettle calls…

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eco deal of the day – gaiam


The next best thing to FREE shipping is ninety-nine cent shipping.  That’s what Gaiam Facebook fans get on eco home and outdoor products.

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Pick up a nice composter, rain barrel or combo, made of 100% recycled material and receive 15% off as well -  sweet!

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green modular homes – garrison architects


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Garrison Architects creates their green modular home designs from their DUMBO studio in Brooklyn, NY.  Their ‘Red Hook Zero Modular’ design (pictured above) features wind and solar installations, energy-efficient HVAC and appliances.  The 4,000 square foot home/office which is designed to be a net zero energy building (ZEB), is expected to be completed in late summer 2010.

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The small footprint ‘Tread Lightly’ prototype (above) was created for an environmentally sensitive location next to wetlands.  The structure is envisioned as a prefabricated, factory-built modular home to reduce cost and facilitate rapid production.  Sheep are extra.

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The ‘Koby Cottage’ (above) was designed and created for use by visiting families and children at the Starr Foundation located in Albion, Michigan.  The prefab modular plan features two intersecting diagonal axis centered around the dining room table – a traditional family meeting place.  The home’s weld factory-built frame features large windows and a roof deck to provide extensive exposure to nature and the environment.

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vintage playsuit


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Serendipity is a beautiful thing – you never know what will jump out at you when meandering through a vintage shop or surfing the net.  (above) – Carolina Engman extends the wardrobe in eco-fashion, by finding and reusing already existing, quality threads like this quirky piece.
via: fashionsquad.

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eco news roundup


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Monday, July 5, 2010

reco jeans relaunches with MrNY line – designer jeans in recycled denim


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In fall 2010 you’ll be able to swath your loins in reco jeans‘ new MrNY line of recycled denim jeans, designed by renowned fashion visionary, Matthew Langille.  Going green never looked so good.

Check out their website (or follow them on twitter @recojeans) for events, deals and updates.

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Top 25 Green Gifts by Gaiam