Eco Friendly Bath

Try bamboo towels.

From CB2 - $3.95 - $24.95

There's a range of colors (orange, white, green, brown) - though bright, pretty inexpensive compared to what you'll find at places like Pottery Barn or Gaiam.com.

Why it's good to not use plastic and to use sustainable stuff:

In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each, but only recycled an average of 23 percent. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.

Bottled water costs between $1 and $4 per gallon and 90 percent of the cost is in the bottle, lid and label.

According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006 that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.

It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.

Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.

In 2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods or movie tickets.

Plastic bottles take 700 years before they begin to decompose in a landfill.

If everyone in NYC gave up water bottles for one week they would save 24 million bottles from being landfilled; one month would save 112 million bottles and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.

Napkins

So as I'm surfing the internet about more green ways to live, I've hit myself in the forehead. Buy cloth napkins. Less waste in the landfills. So I bought some, but I still have paper napkins. What the hell do I do with them? Well, I guess I can bring them to work and donate them to the party box or something...

Pier 1 apron, $12

Pier 1 napkin, $2.50

Enjoy!

Doggie Do Do, What Do You Do With It???

We compost it!

We use BioBag Doggie crap bags. They do actually biodegrade. They are available on Amazon for quite a bit less than what you might find in stores. I buy the bulk. We do have a golden, so the large doggie bags are the best to buy. Seriously - they work well picking up poo!

ME

Bad News Bears for 7th Generation

Ugh. This stuff makes me itch like a madwoman! Has this happened to anyone else? You'd think since its so environementally friendly that it's also people friendly too. Method products don't make me itch. Use Method instead if you're trying to be green. You won't itch so much!

PSH

Organize Those Magazines!

I've been keeping too many magazines lately, it's not that I don't recycle them when I'm done, I bring them to the laundromat to share with everyone else. I just like to covet the magazines for awhile and scour the pages looking for pretty pictures and good recipes.

The Thomas Paul Magazine Holder from See Jane Work is $17.50, but if your a realy DIY'er, purchase one of these from Ikea, find your favorite scrapbooking paper and let your fingers do the glueing!

Check out Michael's for acid free glue - remember to flatten out the paper too so you don't get any wrinkles, spread your glue out VERY thinly as well!

PSH

Earth Day Deal - Seeds!

Seeds of Change Free Shipping

Enjoy your own garden growing - get free shipping!

Coupon Code: DAILYGREEN8

Offer good until the end of April.

Actually, how about a link to 30 DAYS of Green Deals???

PSH

Small Space Storage Solutions

If you're like me it means that you live in exactly 620 square feet and moved a three story house into a one bedroom apartment.

Kind of.

I can't convince my Beemer Man into donating a whole entire box of unsharpened pencils to a school, nor can I convince him that dirty clothes need to be in the hamper and when the hamper is full to wash what's in there. Um, no. He buys more socks. And underwear. That's only one problem.

Here were my solutions:

Kitchen Hutch from Target - $149
I whole heartedly admit, it's not the prettiest, but it's large and fits the needs of our small kitchen. ALL the baking stuff is stored along with the utensils.
For $39.99 the Rexbo storage unit is easily used in the office area. It holds the law school books along with a few reams of paper and one 8x10 framed wedding picture. Who knew that I would fall in love with red?

These are only two solutions to the many -

Closet organizers - boxes, baskets, an over the door shoe holder houses my bras & socks, a plastic closet doubler, purses that hang on what are supposed to be pants hangers (stuffed with tissue paper), plastic shelving under the bathroom sink...

Honestly I could go on forever (need more room for new glasses - use an old coffee mug for a pen & pencil holder) - sometimes ideas come to you that you would never think. I bought an old restaurant utensil holder (kinda like now what the six pack case is with the napkins in it) and it's now used for the address book, errant pens, a lighter, the stamps and all the remote controls.

Amazingly, you'll find something you love that you have to use for something. No worries, more solutions to come!

PSH

Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products

Most people don't realize how bad Formula 409 is for the environment. Great for cleaning, but incredibly toxic! Follow these simple steps to cure your toxic cleaning habit...

Clogged Drain? Try this:

Put 2 - 3 tablespoons of baking soda into the clogged drain, then pour 1 cup of vinegar over it. Let fizz and bubble for about 5 minutes. Then pour boiling hot water into the drain to flush out the clog.


Smelly Carpet?

Sprinkle baking soda over the trouble carpet areas, then vacuum up. The baking soda works on carpet just like in the fridge, sucking the smells right out!


Microwave like a nasty frat boy has had it for years?

Mix vinegar, water and a little lemon juice in a medium microwave safe bowl. Nuke for 5 minutes, then let the steam soak into all the gross areas. Open the door and wipe away! It may take several tries, but it works wonders!

Toxic agents by the numbers, thanks to Treehugger.com:

1. 17,000: the number of petrochemicals available for home use, only 30% of which have been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.

2. 63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home, translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.

3. 100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above outdoor air pollution levels, according to US EPA estimates.

4. 275: the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides because they are designed to kill microbes.

5. 5 billion: the number of pounds of chemicals that the institutional cleaning industry uses each year.

6. 23: the average gallons in chemicals (87 liters) that a janitor uses each year, 25% of which are hazardous.

PSH

What's Your Low Impact Living Score?

Try out this Low Impact Living Calculator. At the end, it gives you suggestions of what you can do to live an even more low impact life.

Love it!

PSH

McTatty's Top 10 Things She Cannot Live Without

1. Burt's Bees lip balm

2. Diet Mountain Dew

3. The "Chunky" Sweater from Banana Republic. A reprisal is needed every spring in Minnesota of my biege, black, brown, white and gray chunky sweaters.

4. Seventh Generation Trash Bags - I actually do bulk orders from Gaiam.com.

5. Method hand soap - Sea Minerals. It seriously smells like the spa. How can you NOT deny something that's biodegradable and good for you? Plus it's only $4.00 online. At Target it's usually $2.99 OR $3.99. Get it, you'll never turn back!

6. The Young & The Restless (my soap opera). I read this religiously.

7. Aveda Replenishing body Moisturizer. No need to elaborate anymore on Aveda. I'm from Minnesota and have been addicted ever since my first smell at the Southdale Mall.

8. My 2 year old Nikon D70s. I got it when it was brand new. Now people have the D80 and don't know what ISO even is...

9. The GoogleReader. How the heck would I keep up with blogs like The Pioneer Woman Cooks or Apartment Therapy?

10. The song "Otherside" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Or anything by Tom Petty. Or Dave Matthews.

PSH

Indoor Greenery... For Non-GreenThumbers

Peace lilies are supposedly the best plant to have indoors. My mother never had one. My father never had one, and personally I think that it looks like the hostas the neighbor had growing up.

I digress.

They have large leaves - which means it cleans the air in your home better and to be quite honest, after reading some care instructions, they're pretty easy to take care of!

Bamboo is another possible alternative to those like me. No green thumb. I can kill absolutely anything, trust me. We only kept a rosemary bush alive for two weeks, thank you!

Smith & Hawken, is of course, a home and garden store not just that expensive outdoor living store you find at places like The Galleria in Edina, MN.

The lucky bamboo above is found here, $49.00 for nice thick pieces of lucky bamboo. Since it is a tropical plant, they do need humidity and water every two to three days (But then, I also live in South Central Indiana and I'm looking at bamboo plants out my window right now and they're doing ok).

Smith & Hawken also has tons more foliage plants that are great for cleaning the air in your home as well as helping to brighten up your day and bring spring closer one day at a time.

Plus, save 20% more on their sale stuff!

PSH

Get This, Treehuggers!!!!

Bye - bye to the plastic bottle! I'm so glad that ONE hotel is doing this... I know, I know, it's not quite a decorating post but I can't help but praise this hotel for NOT selling bottled water! I do LOVE my FIJI water every once in awhile, but whatever... I'm more for the environment!

Oh yeah, Indiana residents, if you're a true treehugger, go ahead and apply for THIS greenpeace job!

And NOW for the Big Ideas:

Biokleen - http://biokleenhome.com/

A fab place to find cleaning products that REALLY work. And GREEN cleaning products too!

Ok, enough digression about the environment today... (I'm actually supposed to be working at my REAL job)

PSH

Inside Out

I grew up in Minnesota - I'm huge fan of outdoor living. When I nannied in the summertime, I don't think we spent more than 1 hour inside. Whether it was so hot we'd be sitting on the front steps drinking pink lemonade or running around at the park, being outside was so incredibly freeing - it was as if we didn't have any constraints. Lovely, just lovely one of my co workers would say!

Pottery Barn has always had some of my favorite outdoor furniture, yet it's still way out of my price range for almost anything! Above has been a favorite look, but it's just not personal enough for my tastes - it looks like it should be in one of those HGTV home selling shows. Blech.

Smith & Hawken has sets under $1500 - talk about a deal (if you find one that you like)!

S&H also has a great BBQ grill - shown above - that's not too seriously expensive. Since they do sell things at Target - they can't be too bad, right??? (ha ha, I love s&h!)


Light up your outside world with some copper oil lamps (but don't forget the oil).

Outdoor spaces need to be decorated just like indoor spaces. Don't forget the details, otherwise you'll end up with something that just seems unfinished. Get an outdoor rug, candles, bring your bar outside in the summer and voila! An outdoor space that you'll never want to leave!

PSH

I'm BACK!!! From the depths of personal assistant life...

So I have a new day job. I'm an assistant, more like a personal assistant to a Vice President at a major university. Yes, yesterday I was creating a Flickr account for his photos...

Which literally had me thinking that maybe I need to focus on things I like when I come home, back to my new year's resolution!

And aha!

Welcome to Acacia!

You'll be welcome to find all the recycled materials and zen-like flavor it offers for peace and tranquility.

Take for example this stone pebble door mat. For $45, it's really not a bad deal for pretending to walk in water, right?

Ha! No, but I love the feel that it brings right away to your entryway, front door, it reveals a calming sense of your home for visitors.

Looking to show of some lovely drinks, maybe your fabulous foodie creations? Try this utsukushii tray (means beautiful in Japanese). $29.95 can bring you the creativity to host a Japanese themed dinner party, purchase some Japanese prints and maybe a budha or just enough inspiration to find more decor that you absolutely love!

I could seriously link to everything (including their lovely sexual intimacy DVD collection), but I just can't help showing the ones that I purchased this past week.

Enjoy!

PSH

The Entertainment Center

Enjoy organization with this DVD storage set. It's $60 bucks, but totally worth it for the sanity of all who search for that missing DVD (I'm currently looking for The Mexican with Brad Pitt, anyone seen it?). Plus, you can finally get rid of those thick DVD cases that take up room and force you to buy more DVD racks that take up precious wall space. For the most part, you can drop off those cases at your local recycling centers but sometimes they don't take them. In that case you have another option! You can recycle those by mailing them to this place:

Plastic Recycling, Inc.

2015 S. Pennsylvania
Indianapolis, IN 46225

Phone: (317)780-6100

Above is the entertainment console that we need to corral all of our stuff. With a PS2 & a PS3 along with a DVD player, tuner, wireless headphones and countless other television gadgets, they can all be thrown in one place. I love the doors - close off what you don't need and put the items that you use every day in the middle. In fact, I think I might even be able to find a place for the 4 remotes and controllers! Love it! This one is dark wood, but Ikea has a fabulous set of options and many more styles to choose from.

In fact, I might have a hard time of doing this, but I might even try convincing Beemer Man that we need to get shelf speakers instead of the big tall ones that are sitting by the television now. They're ugly. They just don't look good. Bose makes shelf speakers that are full of volume - one pair is about $160 at Best Buy, (search at www.bestbuy.com for Bose Speakers) so for that much money, you get speakers on your shelf, more floor space and enough sanity to actually enjoy looking at speakers!

Happy DVD organizing!

PSH

I Don't Have a Balcony

And I've decided that now I'm glad I don't have a balcony because it would've been on the North side of the building! Completely wrong place for growing tomatoes!

With our old South facing apartment in Saint Paul, Minnesota we used to store stuff on the balcony. Tires, a grill, chairs, pretty much anything and everything that we could keep outside in the Minnesota cold. Even beer every once in awhile. I just wish that I would've been creative enough to get rid of more stuff (ok, get rid of my husband's stuff) and to have a cute little balcony escape!

Keep your feet free from deck nails and toe stubs with this wooden indoor/outdoor rug from West Elm. Even if you're only living in an apartment for a year - this will become a handy mat for your future deck or patio.

Wooden indoor/outdoor rug -
2' x 3' $49.00
2.5' x 7' $159.00
3' x 5' $129.00
5' x 8' $299.00
8' x 8' $549.00
8' x 10' $599.00

Dining Set - $799

On the cheaper side of life:

Overstock.com has amazingly great deals this time of year if you're looking to re-do your outdoor teeny, tiny space! The set above is $229 with of course, the O's $2.95 shipping. I say paying for the shipping is going to be the worst part, unless of course you're at Home Depot and happen upon a cheap plastic set...

From a renter's experience I can say simply one thing, don't ever nail anything into the siding, you can't cover it up with toothpaste! Also, don't get a birdbath or a bird feeder unless you want to be walking around in do-do and powerwashing your deck. Instead, take from your small home what you already have - vases filled with glass beads, seasonal accents or grilling accessories that you can't exactly find a perfect place to store! You can even get the planters that hug the deck railing and fill with your favorite herbs, sweet peas and other fun plants for the summer months.

Happy balcony decorating! And don't forget to go to Tuesday Morning and Marshalls, you never know what they might have! Sometimes you find the neatest things at the oddest times.

PSH

GAIAM Online Coupon

Get $20 off Orders of $100!

Coupon Code: SWST

Grab it before it expires!

PSH

B-Town Happenings...

Artistic events for your decorating inspiration.

These events take place in Bloomington, Indiana. If you have any events in your area - feel free to submit a comment and I will post the inspirational event!


First Friday Artists’ Reception - Wandering Turtle Gallery February 1, 2008
Times: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
http://www.wanderingturtle.com/
Location: Wandering Turtle Art Gallery, 224 N. College AvenuePhone: 812-330-1990
Admission: Free
“Spirit and Image” Photographs by Darryl Jones & Wood Carvings by James Alexander Thom With Special Music by Curtis Cantwell Jackson

Bloomington Photography Club Member Exhibition February 1, 2008
Times: Monday-Friday 11-5 and Saturdays 11-3
http://www.artlives.org/
Location: John Waldron Arts Center, South Walnut StreetPhone: 812-334-3100 x 111
Admission: Free
Photography takes over the walls as the Bloomington Photography Club holds a Member Exhibition at the John Waldron Arts Center in the Rosemary P. Miller Gallery. It runs from February 1st - 29th with an opening on Friday, February 1st from 5-8pm. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 11-5pm and Saturdays 11-3pm or by appointment. For more information visit http://www.artlives.org/ or contact the gallery director at (812) 334-3100 x. 111.


The Irish Lion - Bourbon Tasting EventJanuary 31, 2008
Times: 7 pm
http://www.irishlion.com/
Location: The Irish Lion Restaurant & Pub, 212 W. Kirkwood
Phone: 812-336-9076
Admission: $25 ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
The Irish Lion and Big Red Liquors present a Bourbon tasting event. Seating is limited. Tickets are $25 per person + tax, includes tasting and complimentary appetizers.


SoFA Gallery: MFA Metals, Sculpture + Textiles Area ExhibitionJanuary 22, 2008 - February 2, 2008
Times: 12:00 - 4:00pm, Tuesday - Saturday
http://sofa.fa.indiana.edu/
Location: Indiana University, Fine Arts SoFA Gallery, 1201 E. 7th St., Bloomington IN, 47405
Phone: 812.855.8490
Admission: FREE!!
These exhibitions will highlight artworks created by graduate Metals students in the Master of Fine Arts Program, and Sculpture and Textiles students in the Masters and Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts, Indiana University. Events are free and open to the public.


The Kinsey Institute Gallery - "Women of Pleasure" exhibition
January 18, 2008 - April 4, 2008
Times: 2:00 to 4:00 M-Fhttp://www.kinseyinstitute.org/
Location: The Kinsey Institute Gallery, Morrison Hall, Indiana UniversityPhone: 812-855-7686
Admission: FREE
The Kinsey Institute Gallery presents an exhibition titled “Women of Pleasure,” which explores the depiction of women in 18th and 19th century European erotic art. The exhibit contains paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, books, and other materials from the Institute’s extensive collections. Highlights of the exhibit include a pair of engravings by British satirist William Hogarth and several rare editions of "Fanny Hill; or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure," John Cleland’s 1749 erotic novel.


Ok everyone, I'm sure by the LARGER font you can tell that I might be seen at the bourbon tasting... haha... Actually, I'm more prone to end up at the Sahara Mart's Wine Tasting events that take place in a tent in their parking lot with plastic cups...

Enjoy and be inspired!!!

PSH

Decorating Green - Air Purifying Plants

Who wants to spend money on an air purifier and use more energy when you can have some green in your life? Here's a list of some plants that help purify the air. Green living is not about just changing your light bulbs, it's also about making your living environment safe and livable for your family too. Give them as gifts, as hostess presents, get well presents, whatever you can give them away for, please do!

A good rule of thumb - one plant for every 100 square feet of living space. Personally, I could only NOT kill one. But these plants are also pretty easy to take care of too!

Aglaonema sp. Chinese Evergreen

Aloe barbabensis Aloe Vera, Burn plant

Chlorophytum comosum Spider Plants

Chrysanthemum sp. Mums

Dieffenbachia sp. Dumbcane

Epipremnum sp. Golden Pothos

Ficus sp. Ficus

Gerbera sp. Gerbera Daisy

Hedera sp. Common English Ivy

Philodendron sp. Heart leaf philodendron

Spathiphyllum sp. Mauna Loa

Some of these are poisonous, be very very careful of your pets and your small children. Aloe is a great soothing plant for cuts, scrapes, bruises, etc...

Aloe can be grown in your bathroom (we used to do that when I was little on a shelf above a window), ficus can sit in a corner and you can spread your plants throughout your home. Or you can bunch them up together so you don't forget to water one! Whatever you decided to plant, please choose something that will help you live better and make you feel like you've chosen the right plant for your home and family.

Enjoy!

PSH

Easy, Simple Green Things All Can Do

To go green or not? That is the question. Here's simple things you can do that most people don't think about.

1. I bring $20 to the farmer's market and purchase all the groceries I need for a week. That's a local thing you can do. Even if you just buy tomatoes (which is what I did for two weeks until I discovered the corn, peppers, potatoes and flowers).

2. Buy soy or beeswax candles. They don't emit toxic fumes like paraffin candles do.

3. Shop at thrift shops and flea markets, whether it be for fabrics, furniture or fun stuff! You're recycling other's peoples unwanted goods.

4. Decorate with plants. They help clear your air of carbon monoxide. I particularly like just about anything that flowers or that I can cook with. I also like bamboo and also the winter bulbs that you can plant in the spring.

I can usually come up with more stuff, but today my brain is stuck. Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

PSH