Getting the Facts on Eco Friendly Paint

Painting is a great option when transforming a room’s style and bringing a little cheer to the walls. While the color can do wonders for a room, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the air can be incredibly destructive to your body and to the environment. Nothing is worse than getting into a home improvement project with a gallon of toxic paint and having to lie down for the afternoon because your head feels a little woozy.

A great option to look into the next time you are planning a painting project at home is eco friendly paint such as Mythic Paint, which is described as being ‘the only zero-VOC, zero-carcinogenic, premium quality line of latex paints available.’ Despite the fact that Mythic Paint has a different composition than the water or oil-based paint we’re used to, there is no need to worry about a lack of performance in regards to color or paint application. With over 1200 eco friendly paint colors to choose from, the only thing you’ll need to worry about is which fabulous shade is right for you!

Fair Trade Jewelry

Nearly all products purchased in the United States have gone through quite a process before ending up on the shelves of our nearest convenience stores, malls, and shops. Just as the responsibility of researching the sustainable materials lies in our hands, we must also educate ourselves on fair trade manufacturers in order to support the people behind each product we buy in the store.

Fair trade products come in all forms from groceries and furniture to clothing and accessories. Seek out fair trade companies in your area in order to increase awareness within your community regarding safe working conditions and fair employee wages. We can work together to not only support the environment but also the hard working community.

EVO shares a wonderful collection of fair trade jewelry from companies such as Faeries Dance, Original Good, and Lucina. With these wonderful pieces, not only are you making a statement in supporting fair trade goods, but you are sporting around a beautiful accessory that will be enjoyed for a lifetime!

Featured Green Blog: Inhabitat.com

When it comes to forward thinking and chic, modern design, Inhabitat is a great resource for the entire ‘green-thinking’ community. When reading about the mission behind the site, it was interesting to learn that the site’s purpose is not only about sharing their concern for the future of the environment but that it is also spreading the word that not all of the unique, modern designs we see today are deemed ‘good designs’. In Inhabitat’s opinion, ‘green design is good design’ and ‘good design is green design’. While we may drool over the ultra-trendy designs grazing high-end boutique window displays and glossy magazine spreads, it is our job to find out the material and work put into each piece of furniture to ensure that our furniture purchases are supporting the environment in a positive way.

In their strong effort to spread the word of good, green design, Inhabitat features a large collection of environmentally friendly furniture and accessories posted on a daily basis so that you can get your daily dose of ‘green’! Each post highlights architectural designs and everyday home products that are made with sustainable materials to help keep our planet green and healthy.

Plover Organic Bedding for the Style-Conscious, Earth-Conscious Home

With the Presidential race well underway, it’s hard not to think about the issues we stand strong for and whether our next President of the United States will adhere to future proposals regarding the war, the economy, healthcare, education, global warming, and much more. During a crucial time in our nation’s history, this historic race reminds me of how important it is to have a voice in this country and defend our ideas and beliefs. With that being said, I always find it refreshing to find a company – a well known organization that takes advantage of the fame and recognition they have earned among the public. A well respected company that people recognize has so much power in terms of grabbing the public’s attention and encouraging them to support their cause.

Plover Organic is a company featured in a number of publications from Coastal Living to Real Living to Elle Magazine and more. Throughout the many magazine spotlights, Marisa Kula Mercer and Sheila Mulvihill, founders of Plover Organic, discuss how they created ‘a line of linens fair-trade-manufactured in Jaipur and New Delhi from non-genetically engineered seeds grown in pesticide and herbicide-free soil.’ Not only does Plover Organic have an exquisite collection of beautifully made kids and adult bedding, but the company stands behind their decision to make all of their products in a fair and just way while keeping the human race and the environment in mind. Browse through their unique collection of soft quilts, decorative throw pillow covers, and duvets that seem to coat a crib or bed in the most perfect way.

Birdhead Design

A few weekends back, a Village Street Fair was in full effect just steps away from my apartment building. Harvard Avenue was lined with vendors from the town of Allston giving away free samples of food, household products, toys, bumper stickers, and bags – any type of paraphernalia that a bustling crowd would enjoy taking home with them. After snagging a magnetic shopping list writing pad from Shaws and a mini sample of Dunkin Donut’s iced coffee, my attention shifted to the Birdhead Design booth where I later met a wonderful representative from the company. Kristin was able to tell me the story behind Birdhead Design as well as the importance behind their merchandise which includes clothing, tote bags, stationary, and artwork.

I was interested to learn that the T-shirts are made from 100% organic cotton while the colorful cotton tote bags are hand sewn in the United States in a sweatshop-free environment. The focus behind Birdhead Designs is to create a clothing and accessories line that is modern and inspirational. Each product design is original in that it steers away from the typical fashion norm we see today in most stores, giving customers an opportunity to be innovative and unique in their everyday lives. As stated on their website, Birdhead Design explains that ‘through art we are able to expose the contradiction in life and in culture…Clothing can be one of the most personal and effective ways of expressing your individuality as a human being.’

Spotlight on Vermont, the Green Mountain State

Fall is finally starting to settle in throughout New England and this marks my second year of fall in the city. As much as I love living in Boston, the city just isn't the same in regards to the many things I look forward to during this enchanting season in the country. This weekend I will be driving up to northern Vermont to a small town that holds my alma mater. The campus I called home for four years is just two miles away from Burlington’s Church Street, a few extra miles north of Shelburne Farms, and a short drive away from the best skiing and hiking that the Green Mountains has to offer.

If there’s one place that cares about conserving the environment, it’s Vermont. With farmland stretching for miles into the horizon and an active community that spends a large amount of their time whether for work, or for pleasure, in the outdoors, it’s no surprise that Green Mountain citizens want to keep the state of Vermont looking beautiful, prosperous, and natural. During my days in Vermont, I enjoyed working in Stowe, a bustling ski town known for its accommodating bed and breakfasts, gourmet restaurants, and a plethora of outdoor activities including skiing (of course), mountain biking, dog sledding, and snow-shoeing, among many others. Streets are lined with local stores selling authentic Vermont Cabot cheese, packaged jams, Cold Hollow apple cider, and organic fruits and vegetables that you were sometimes lucky to try as a free sample.

Aside from the food, it was always nice to enjoy a crisp, autumn day while driving through a mountain road that cut through the foliage. While inns and hotels were filling up during each fall foliage season, I always felt lucky just to live amongst this beautiful scenery.

100% Eco Friendly Pet Beds

If there is anyone that appreciates the outdoor environment, it’s your pet. While I have dogs on the brain, it’s difficult to think of a dog that I met that didn’t love running around in the backyard. We aren’t talking about Paris Hilton’s little lap dog that remains in the confines of a luxury handbag – we’re talking about energetic dogs that love to explore every smell the outdoors has to offer. Dogs find comfort in running free or rolling in the fresh green grass, sniffing every blade of grass that comes their way, and lying under a shady tree. The environmentalists are our very own pets! At least they are here to not only offer us comfort and love but to remind us of how important the environment is to them.

With the strong relationship between pets and the environment, it only makes sense for pet companies to design eco friendly pet furniture such as all natural beds and mats. Pet furniture manufacturer Bella Creature Comforts take on a ‘green’ focus when planning out the materials used for their comfortable and cushy cat and dog beds. Each uniquely shaped bed is made from recycled cotton fiber while the high loft fiberfill is made from recycled soft drink bottles. Bella Creature Comforts pet beds are designed with the environment in mind, provide a comfortable place for your pets to sleep, and look great with their colorful and fun design – who could ask for more!

How to ‘Green Up’ Your Next Backyard BBQ

With the days of summer coming to a close and fall quickly approaching, it’s time to squeeze in those last few hours of sunlight with some barbecuing before the early darkness sets in. As popular as grilling a good meal has become, it’s scary to think of the number of VOCs emitted into the air by using lighter fluid time and time again to heat up our charcoal grills. To be exact, 14,500 tons of VOCs are released from 46,200 tons of lighter fluid in the United States. Fortunately, a designer duo by the name of Mike and Maaike have developed an alternative, eco-friendly solution to cutting down on the chemicals released into our atmosphere.

Next time you are using your charcoal grill, consider investing in the Baja BBQ Firepack, a package containing 2 pounds of charcoal inside a biodegradable paper pulp box. Once the package sits inside the charcoal grill, feel free to light the box through the bottom hole with a match and watch the magic begin. As described on the Mike and Maaike site, the Baja BBQ Firepack ‘features an integrated chimney that creates perfect hot coals without the aid of chemicals or lighter fluid.’ The process is as easy as flipping a burger! Take a look for yourself – the pictures speak for themselves!

Stay Green While Surfing the Web

Since the technological boom of the new century, life has never been easier and our access to computers and internet has redefined the term ‘multi-tasking’ forever. When you think of the amount of time that you spend on a computer researching, shopping online, checking stocks, or paying your bills, you may be amazed at how dependent you are on technology. In order to support your daily computer time and the environment at the same time is by using charity and energy efficient search engines every time you make a search. The energy efficient factor we are discussing is the lighting used in search engine web pages and search results – not the fact that the site is going to use half the amount of energy to find what you’re looking for!

The search engine, Blackle, uses a black background version of Google which can save up to 20% on energy on select computer screens whereas The Green Spider provides a dark green background for all of your searching needs. In addition to saving on energy, some search engines powered by Yahoo and Google results such as Good Search donates a percentage of revenue to a charity or a public school district of your choice, respectively. Lastly, Green Maven is a search tool that pulls results from websites associated with green living and eco-friendly products only. Talk about the ultimate in multi-tasking – not only can you manage your life online but you can support the environment and donate funds those in need each time you make a search. Who knew just searching the internet could reap so many benefits?

An Eco-Friendly Solution to Home Cleaning

Let’s face it – no one likes to do the cleaning around the house yet who wouldn’t want to live in a clean house? Sometimes I find myself cleaning around the apartment at odd hours of the day whether its 7am or 11pm. Once I tackle one problem area on my kitchen counters, I’m soon onto my kitchen floor, pantry, and stove, which inevitably leads me to the bathroom. At these odd hours I seem to transform into the Energizer Bunny acting as a powerhouse of cleanliness from one room to the next.

The next issue I face when cleaning is the cleaner I use and the rags or towels I use up when going from room to room. Sometimes the thought of touching a wet sponge is tragic enough let alone having to clean between all of the cracks and corners of a bathroom. Also, by the time I’m done with a small room like a guest bathroom, I end up feeling dizzy and nauseous from that uninviting chemical cleaner smell. In the quest to solve my cleaning problem, I found Planet Green, a site dedicated to giving its readers (and viewers on their eco-lifestyle TV network) a plethora of information for making your life greener one step at a time. From environmentally beauty tips, healthy green snacks, home improvement solutions, and everything in between, Planet Green is here to educate and inspire.

Elizabeth Seward, a Planet Green member, shared her homemade eco-friendly cleaner that was specifically designed for her hardwood floors. She describes how she ‘combined a gallon of water, 3/4 cup of olive oil, 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 cup of lemon juice’ that proved to be wonderful! I’ll be sure to try this combination out on my floors this weekend!

Top 8 Ways to Save Water Without Spending A Dime

In a recent National Geographic online post under the ‘Green Guide’, a resource that is home to hundreds of articles focused on established a greener lifestyle on a daily basis. Emily Main, the Green Guide’s Senior Editor, shares a valuable list of essential ways to conserve water use in the bathroom while saving big bucks on energy bills. Below is Emily’s list:

1. Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.
2. Fill a milk jug with stones and place it in your toilet tank to displace water.
3. Dig up an egg timer from your kitchen and use it to cut showers down to 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the water while shaving.
5. Fix toilet and faucet leaks immediately.
6. Don’t use your toilet as a trash can.
7. Collection ‘warm-up’ water to irrigate your lawn and flowerbeds.
8. Conserve energy. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that .47 gallons of water are lost for every kilowatt-hour of power generated by coal power plants.

Emily also highlights the fact that the most water used (and wasted) in a home is in the bathroom. It is our haven for washing, cleaning, and primping ourselves every morning, afternoon, and night while we brush our teeth, use the bathroom, and take steaming hot showers after a long day. One bathroom fixture to look out for is the toilet and it is important to check on the efficient flush cycle that claim to have. In her article, Emily writes that ‘a 2000 study commissioned by the city of Tucson revealed that the new 1.6-gpf (gallons per flush) toilets actually used 1.98 gpf on average, due to double flushing caused by poor performance or to malfunctioning parts. It’s vital to research and learn more about the efficiency of eco-friendly toilets and the many different types offered in today’s market so that you can cut back on water usage and enjoy a greener, environmentally-friendly world!

Eco-Friendly Grocery Bags

How many times can we count the number of plastic bags that we use in a normal grocery shopping trip? If it's too many to count, it's time to invest in a reusable grocery bag that will last a lifetime. Made from recyclable materials often from plastic bottles and bags, these spacious totes will not only save your fingers from the restricting small-handled plastic bags but will also be beneficial for the environment. With a reusable supermarket bag, you are getting the support you need when carrying a heavy grocery load while toting around a uniquely styled bag that is irresistible!

Eco-friendly reusable grocery bags made from recycled plastic and organic cotton come in all sorts of designs and colors to make your shopping easy and enjoyable. Many environmentally-friendly companies have come out with a line of eco-friendly totes and spacious over-the-shoulder bags that have helped keep paper and plastic bag consumption down. There are even reusable grocery bags for kids so that they can help with the weekend shopping. You may have seen such bags at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, but I definitely prefer these any day!