There is something very tragic about a beautiful, lone earring, or a favorite old sweater, or a lovely, orphaned glove, isn’t there? Well, now you can stop being sad! Here are five ideas for how to repurpose those items you can’t quite bear to toss. And if you don’t see anything you like here, visit ecoterre.com for more great ideas about how to upcycle wardrobe.

1. Come On, Get Strappy!

You know how bags sometimes come with an extra spare strap you never end up using? Try using it as a belt. Simply loop the strap around your waist and clip the ends together. Easy and ingenius!

2. Turn an Orphaned Earring into Shoe Bling!

Almost everyone has an earring that’s lost its mate. Too attached to toss it? Then don’t! Use it to add sparkle to a plain pair of shoes.

3. Use an Old Sweater to Make a Plain Chair Better!

Is your favorite sweater losing shape, or do you have a stubborn stain that won’t wash out? Reupholster an old or thrifted chair for super-cozy winter seating!

4. Turn an Old Glove into Hair Accessory Love!

In their Fall 2009 show, Dolce & Gabbana had models walking the runways with leather glove fascinators. Not into that idea? You might consider fashioning your lone glove into a glove-scarf or kisslock purse.

5. Make Plastic Fantastic!

Have plastic bottles lying around? Take out your scissors and get to work on an incredibly hip and surprisingly easy statement necklace!

What about you, Mod Readers? Do you have any tips on re-fashioning wardrobe “trash” into “treasure”? We want to know!

Too often when we think of our local library, we flash back to the days we spent as a child escaping to the story-filled stacks after school. But unfortunately, post-academia and pre-children of our own, too few of us take advantage of what our local libraries have to offer. Pittsburghers learned this the hard way recently when it was announced that four Carnegie branches face closure in 2010. Along with the closures, two branches face being merged, and all others face cutbacks in hours and programs.

Serving over 2.5 million people in 2008, the library is far from the often preconceived hushed arena refereed by a librarian with a tightly wound bun. Carnegie is a vivid place that promotes literacy and life-long learning throughout its nineteen branches in the Pittsburgh area. With over 250,000 card holders and hosting more than 8,000 programs a year, Carnegie provides diverse features for its community members, ranging from story time offered in various languages, to workshops to help recently unemployed adults find their way back into the workplace. The library also acts as sole provider for many individuals who don’t have other ways of accessing the Internet. While circulation has increased over recent years, so have costs – yet funding has remained relatively stagnant.

According to library spokesperson, Suzanne Thinnes, a temporary fix won’t do. Long-term substantial funding is needed so that the system doesn’t have to face these challenges year after year. In the face of the closure, local residents are rallying to save these branches. While all support is welcomed, Thinnes urges patrons to write to their elected officials for a permanent solution.

To learn more about the danger facing Pittsburgh libraries and ways you can help, click here. For our readers located beyond the Pittsburgh area, this is not a problem unique our area, libraries throughout the country are facing similar challenges everyday. Think about volunteering at your local library and rediscovering that long lost love of escaping into the stacks!

How do you plan to help out your local library, ModClothers?

(Image above: Dirty White Trash by Tim Nobel and Sue Webster)

You know the saying: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. And in some cases, it becomes another man’s art. For this edition of Green Scene, we dug up some of the coolest recycled art out there, from trash heap shadows to a sprawling, scrap metal city.

(Images above: Forevertron by Tom Every, Trash People by HA Schult, Ballbasket by Elizabeth Lundberg Morisette)

Whether it’s artist Elizabeth Lundberg Morisette’s whimsical Ballbasket (get it?) or Tom Every’s fantastical scrap metal world Forevertron, junk artists are out to shake us out of our usual views on ordinary objects and question their purpose and our relationships to them. Other artists, like German master HA Schult, choose to invade cities rather than create them. Schult’s traveling band of “Trash People” have stood on the streets of the world’s famous cities, from Cairo to New York City. Assembled from crushed aluminum cans, computer parts, and whatever else Schult finds, this silent, telling junk army draws viewers to think about not just trash as art, but what we are in this modern age. “We live in a trash time,” according to Schult. “We produce trash and we become trash. [The] ‘Trash People’ are images of ourselves. Like the pyramids of Giza send messages to us from times past, ‘Trash People’ will travel as a ‘now time expression’ to the world’s most important spots.”

(Images above: Sniff One by Robert Bradford, Filter Rabbit by Tom Deininger, Very Hungry God by Sobodh Gupta)

From a distance, these sculptures look deceptively normal. But step closer and conceptual artist Robert Bradford’s technicolor puppy dissolves into a mishmash of buttons, refrigerator magnets, and plastic toys, while Sobodh Gupta’s giant, gleaming skull breaks down into a frenzied assembly of metal parts. Or, if you’re that little rabbit, you look pretty adorable but reek of tobacco. Believe it or not, American artist Tom Deininger created this cute critter out of used cigarette filters that he collected from beach parking lots!

We’ll admit, when it comes to our trash, the most creative we get with it is recycling. But what about you, ModLovers? What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done with your old junk?

]]> http://blog.modcloth.com/2009-11-05-whatcha-gonna-do-with-all-that-junk/feed 13 http://blog.modcloth.com/2009-10-28-green-your-halloween?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=green-your-halloween http://blog.modcloth.com/2009-10-28-green-your-halloween#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:04:56 +0000 ModCloth http://blog.modcloth.com/?p=6996 (photo courtesy: http://www.christmascentral.com)

I’m not talking about dressing up as the Wicked Witch or sliming your neighbor’s yard. With its foray of candy wrappers, Halloween is not usually a time when we think about conservation – but here at ModCloth, we think it’s time to change that! Here are a few tips for keeping All Hallow’s Eve, all natural!

• Reinvent the Wheel! If you’re a smart ModClother (and we know there are so many of you!), you reinvented your outfit from your already existing wardrobe, thus saving money, waste, and the trouble of figuring out what to do with a giant bingo card the next day.
• Electric Boo-galoo! Cut down on electricity for the night by breaking out candles! Not only does it help out Mother Earth and your electricity bill, but what’s more spooky that shadows cast in candlelight? If you’ve got an elaborate light display in your yard, consider switching to LED lights, which are about 80% more efficient than regular holiday strands. Also, be cognizant of how long they are turned on each day.
• Pumpkin-ify Your Life! Instead of getting rid of all that gunk inside your carved pumpkin – use it! Roast pumpkin seeds or save them to be planted in your garden next year! If you don’t plan on carving them, try your hand at baking a pie or bread with the fresh ingredients – you’re friends will be super impressed!
• Pass it On! If you’re a mom, help pass green traits onto the next generation.

So, the kids have come and taken away all your candy and you wake up on November 1st to find toilet paper in your trees – ah, the glory of the morning after! So what do you do with that costume that’s now laying in a pile on the floor?

• Host a Costume Swap! Invite friends over for a post-Halloween get-together. Encourage them to bring their cleaned costumes along with them! Find a great new costume, show off your pumpkin-baking skills, and even get rid of all that leftover candy (who are we kidding, like you want to share)!
• No More Blood! Instead of pitching your fake blood and black lip-liner, recycle them! Return empty jars, tubes, and bottles to any Origins counter, no matter the brand, and all products will be recycled and used toward energy recovery.
• Donate! While you may think no one in the world could possibly want your banana costume, many organizations are happy to take it off your hands. Check with your local Goodwill or any other favorite, local charity on their giving guidelines (In fact, keep this in mind all year round!).
• Donate Again! If your green conscience still feels a bit weighty, tip Mother Earth’s scales in your favor by donating your time. Whether its planting a tree in your neighborhood or mentoring a child, help make your community a better place in whatever way you can. Check out Volunteer Match to search organizations in your area that could use the help!

Whatever your weekend plans – we hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday!

(Image Above: Tobias the cat knows how to stay warm)

Did you know? Electric power plants are the United States’ largest industrial source of pollutants that cause global warming. Here in Pittsburgh, temperatures have already plummeted into the lower thirties, and the dreary, drizzling rain makes things feel much chillier! Tempted as we are to crank up the thermostat,  we are striving to be as energy efficient – and cost efficient – as possible.  Here is a working list of some alternate ways to stay roasty-toasty.

1.  Take cues from your pet! Lie in a sunbeam.

2. Actually use the hood on your hooded sweatshirt. A disproportionate amount of heat escapes from your head. Don’t lose that precious resource; trap it!

3. Take up knitting. Choose yarn in warm colors and textures to trick yourself (sometimes warmth is simply a matter of perception). There are an abundance of how-to demos on the internet. This one plays jazzy music.

4. Build a big nest of blankets and flannel sheets and dive in! Obvious, perhaps, but underrated. You might also re-live your childhood and build a blanket fort.

5. Reverse your ceiling fan. Since heat rises, running your ceiling fan in reverse will push the heat back down to you.

6. Do your laundry an hour or two before you plan to go to bed. There’s nothing like some warm pajammers!

7. Bust out the heavy-duty shrink wrap and the ole’ hair dryer and insulate. Also try rolling up towels to block drafts that seep under cracks in the door frame.

8. Sip a steaming beverage or a delicious bowl of soup. Using a crock pot is super simple, and since it cooks on low heat for a longer period of time, it is also energy efficient.

9. Exercise. Great for getting your heart pumping, endorphins flowing, and warming you up. Try Zumba. It’s like going to a dance party!

10. Snuggle with your sweetie. Or pet. Or stuffed animal.

What about you, ModLovers? Do you know any eco-friendly ways to stay warm?

(Image Above: Freecycle.org)

Ever wonder what to do with that computer chair you no longer need or those cute clothes you’ve now outgrown? Or, maybe you’re looking for craft supplies or a coffee maker, but don’t have the spare cash to buy them. Well, fear no more – the solution is here! Instead of throwing out those old items or forking over your precious pennies to get new necessities, why not try some creative recycling? Freecycle, an online community built for the cost-free exchange of goods, is a great way to embrace the three R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle. With groups located worldwide, this site will become your best friend. You can either post “wanted” adds for items you need, or “offer” ads for things you want to give away. One recent scan of Pittsburgh’s Freecycle site turned up the following items for ‘offer’: a wooden nightstand, 3 ring binders, blankets, a blender, coupons, a ceiling fan, a rice cooker, and even an antique barber chair!

So, make your conscience guilt-free from putting goods in the garbage, and spare the environment (and your wallet) by taking some surplus stuff off of someone’s hands!

Do you have any other innovative ways to reuse old items? Or, if you’re already a ‘Freecycler,’ share your Freecycle story!

We here at ModCloth couldn’t be more ‘eco-cited’ about the new Re-Construct: Eco-Friendly Crafts Made Easy DVD – it’s super green, budget-friendly, and inspires us to exercise our creativity, too!

We can’t decide which of the 11 projects featured on this instructional DVD is our favorite.  Is it the upholstered, could-that-actually-be-cardboard ottoman, or is it the martini tray made out of old baking sheets? It very well may be the looks-like-it’s-floating ‘Book Shelf,’ which is fashioned from a vintage book and hidden hardware. In any case, we can’t get enough of this DVD’s witty screen team Jeanée Ledoux, author of Abode à la Mode: 44 Projects for Hip Home Decor, and Garth Johnson, the host of Extremecraft.com. This pair is given to, as they put it, “crafty debauchery,” and they provide a lot of quirky, entertaining humor at the same time that they give super-detailed, easy-to-follow instructions. Because the projects are all made from recycled, re-purposed materials, Re-Construct provides a lot of room for experimentation and doesn’t require exact replication. After all, the beauty of working with salvage is that, as Jeanée points out, “you won’t be able to help making something unique.” Another inspirational reason to go green!

Do you have a great re-purposed project idea you’d like to share? Let us know!

Image above: Eco-Erin to the Rescue! taken from NYDailyNews.com

For a while now, Hollywood has been getting greener and greener. While not all of these eco-centric films have been blockbuster mega-hits like Erin Brockovich, they have made an impact on our social consciousness. Documentarians, in particular, have taken on the topic of environmental concern and have flooded the genre with an abundance of green-focused films. My Netflix queue is brimming with them! Here are a few my must-see, green flick favorites.  If I forgot any you think should be included, please comment, and let me know! Pass the organic popcorn…

Super-size Me, Soylent Green, Silkwood and more!

Fictional but Eye-Opening:

Soylent Green – What a way to start the list! This  Hollywood classic starring Charlton Heston explores the dystopian not-so-distant future of 2022, and shockingly mirrors the overpopulation and food shortages we face today. Heston’s character is a detective investigating the death of a food manufacturing company executive and discovers a horrific truth about what’s actually being served up to society.  I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it, but Soylent Green is not what you’d expect… (1973)

Safe – When I first watched this terrifying flick starring Julianne Moore, I was captivated, confused, and totally dumbstruck. In this slow, quiet, and deeply disturbing tale of an affluent suburban woman who slowly deteriorates, our collective social worries about environmental toxins and chemical paranoia are put to the test. At first you think Moore’s character is insane as she insists that the air is making her sick, until eventually, you want to escape to the Arizona desert cleansing resort with her. (1995)

Adorable but Poignant:

Happy Feet – Oscar-winning, toe-tappingly fun, and piggy-backing on the success of March of the Penguins,  this kid’s film deals with the repercussions of humanity messing with the delicate balance of the food chain. Although couched in cute metaphors and surrounded by upbeat sing-alongs, the message is as cold and crystal-clear as the polar ice melt-water. (2006)

WALL.E – This Pixar offering is not to be missed. It’s adorable and devastating, hopeful and dreadful all at once. WALL.E is the story of a trash-compacting robot who wanders the abandoned Earth cleaning up the literal garbage of consumerism, and along the way, learns how to be more human then those who did the eco-damage. (2008)

FernGully: The Last Rainforest – If you’ve never seen this animated eco-flick featuring the voices of Robin Williams, Christian Slater, Tone Loc (no joke), and Tim Curry, I suggest you stop what you’re doing, rent a copy, and start watching! It’s an epic fairy sprite vs. human destroyer story, set in a magical rainforest in Australia. Pollution and deforestation give rise to an evil, hellish being, set on destroying the lovely inhabitants of FernGully. (1992)

Send in the Nukes:

Silkwood - Exploring the circumstances of the death of Karen Silkwood, a real-life metal worker at a plutonium processing plant, this eerie tale speaks to all the things we don’t know about the nuclear power industry. Silkwood, played by Meryl Streep, had been investigating some wrong-doings at the plant just before her suspicious, allegedly accidental, death on the night she was to meet a New York Times reporter. Streep and Cher were nominated for Oscars for their performances in this based-on-a-true-story film. (1983)

The China Syndrome – Like Silkwood, The China Syndrome centers around the relationship between a reporter and whistle-blower at a nuclear power plant. Although a fictional story, this movie ironically premiered just 2 weeks before the infamous, and very much real, Three Mile Island meltdown in Pennsylvania.   (1979)

You Are What You Eat:

King Corn – This truly engaging, super-watchable documentary follows two college buddies as they seek to achieve their goal of farming an acre of corn in Iowa. Along the way, these budding farmers learn all about the destruction of the family farm, the totally illogical structure of government subsidies, and the shockingly unhealthy prevalence of high fructose corn syrup in the American diet.  (2007)

Two Angry Moms – This film focuses on a particular pet-project of mine – making the school lunch programs at public schools better! Amy Kalafa and Susan Rubin were moms fed up with the horrible, processed food their children were receiving at school, and this film was the result. Not only do they highlight the horrors, but they also suggest solutions for getting good grub into our school systems. (2009)

Food, Inc. – Just how much choice do we really have in the grocery store? Food, Inc. shows us that the answer is not that much. A massive percentage of our nation’s food supply is controlled by just a handful of corporations, who oftentimes put their bottom line before our health – in clear sight of the USDA and FDA.  I guarantee that this movie will scare you and have you signing up for a CSA in no time flat. (2008)

Super Size Me – If you haven’t heard of this movie, or its creator Morgan Spurlock, you’ve probably been living in a McDonald’s-induced coma! Nominated for an Oscar and earning huge box-office ratings, this experiment in fast-food binging piqued the curiosity of a nation. I was so excited about this film when it premiered – I gave up fast food in 1999- and I was eager to finally get some attention for the cause. I was not disappointed. In this highly-effective documentary, Spurlock challenges himself to eat nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days and only take the shockingly low amount of steps the average American walks daily. The results are McDisgusting. (2004)

Farming at Risk:

The Garden - A moving, frustrating tale of a community rebuilt from the rubble of the LA riots thanks to an urban garden, this film depicts the various ways in which the powers-that-be seek to suffocate any breath of self-reliance in the inner city. (2008)

The Real Dirt on Framer John – Farmer John Peterson had it all, lost it all, then turned it all into the largest organic CSA in the U.S. in this unique documentary. Admittedly, it’s a bit slow-moving, but John is sweet and watchable, and totally entertaining in his attitude towards life, farming, and the American dream. (2005)

Water, Water, Everywhere:

Chinatown – A cult, film-noir classic, Chinatown takes conservationism to the highest apex of chic. Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Faye Dunaway and Jack Nicholson, this who-done-it won Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for 10 additional Oscars! The plot intertwines danger, murder, adultery, and incest with municipal corruption, real estate hoarding, and the control of LA’s precious water supply.  (1974)

Flow: For the Love of Water - Just like Food, Inc. documents the dangers of corporate control of our food supply, Flow assures us that the the big businesses that maintain our water supply are just as uncaring and harmful to our health. The statistics put forth in this documentary are horrifying – 500,000-7 million people get sick from water each year, and Flow explores why and how. If nothing else, this movie will have you looking at your tap a little differently. (2008)

In the Air, up in the Trees, and under the Sea:

Sharkwater - This stunningly filmed, hi-def, underwater documentary explores the cruel world of shark poaching. Corruption, greed, death threats, chases on the high seas, shark fin soup – this movie’s got it all. (2007)

Winged Migration – Showcasing the fantastic, grueling, and elegant migration journeys of several species of birds, this truly amazing documentary spans four years and seven continents. Using in-flight cameras and aerial footage,  you’ll feel like you’re flying along with the geese. (2001)

Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey – The true-life story of environmentalist and naturalist Dian Fossey,  Gorillas in the Mist is the story of a women devoted to the study of primates and her work in the mountains of Rwanda. Sigourney Weaver plays Fossey in an Oscar-nominated performance, who forsakes romance and safety for the good of the peaceful, loving gorillas. A true, full-out tear-jerker. (1988)

For the Sci-Fi Fans:

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – The moral of this trekkie tale is that you never know how  all of our pollution and poaching today will impact us in the future. For example, a super-powerful race of aliens from an unknown galaxy could come to earth years from now, hoping to say “hi” to some humpback whales, but if they’ve already been poached out of extinction, how can they tell the aliens to go home? Kirk and Spock figured it out, but I’m not so sure we could. (1986)

Silent Running – From the same director of 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Andromeda Strain, Silent Running is an  environmentally-conscious sci-fi flick that tells the story of a futuristic eco-protector. In this vision of the future, all of the plant life has died on Earth, save some specimens that float, preserved, around Saturn in bio-dome space stations that are slated for termination. The fate of every little flower rests in the hands of one rebel ecologist. (1972)

Quirky and Worth It:

Blue Vinyl – Lighthearted and interesting, this documentary follows one woman’s quest to outfit her parent’s house with an attractive, eco-safe covering. Her quest takes her to various US towns (and all the way to Venice, Italy) effected by the vinyl industry, and the harm that polyvinyl chloride presents. (2002)

Traffic-Stopping:

Who Killed the Electric Car -  Get ready to be seriously angry. This film, detailing the creation, limited distribution, and eventual destruction of the electric car, will have you gearing to write your Senator and protest oil companies. If you weren’t too sure about those government automotive bailouts,  this film will help you make up your mind. (2006)

It’s Gettin’ Hot in Here:

An Inconvenient Truth – This highly-acclaimed cautionary tale by Al Gore shed new light on and breathed new life into the topic of global warming. Passionate, informative, controversial, and captivating, this film became a hot-button political issue and a water-cooler favorite.  An Inconvenient Truth is to be admired. (2006)

The 11th Hour – Things are bad. The environment is suffering. And, Leonardo DiCaprio wrote this movie to tell us about it! In the style of An Inconvenient Truth, but lacking the hopeful sentiment, DiCaprio’s documentary is an assessment of the plight of our world in very grim terms. Not a picker-upper, but well worth the watch.

Did I miss your favorite eco-film? Leave a comment!

(Image above: CSA shares taken from greatcountryfarms.com)

It’s that time of year when going to the farmer’s market is a magical experience. Well, it is for me, anyway. Gone are the early days of spring when there’s an abundance of lettuce, radish, cucumber, and broccoli. What remains are stalks of corn, heirloom tomatoes, gourds of all shapes and sizes, and the final burst of banana peppers. Soon, the apples will greet us in overflowing bushels and gallons of cider. This shift in produce signals that wonderful time on the cusp of seasonal change – it bids adieu to the hot summer and heralds the chilly days of fall to come. It’s my favorite time of year, this in-between time, and I see it most notably at open-air markets.

However, as much as I’d like to, I don’t have time to spend lingering over late-harvest peaches or picking the perfect spaghetti squash from a farm stand. That is why this year, I joined a CSA. Basically, a CSA (which stands for Community Sponsored Agriculture) is a farm food cooperative that allows you a ‘share‘ in the harvest of a local farm. Most CSA’s deliver to convenient locations for city-dwellers, and most offer a wide range of fruit and veggies from late May to mid-November.  There are over 900 CSA’s in the US, so to find the right one for you, check out Local Harvest.  Simply enter your zip code, and pick the farm that best suits your needs and eating habits!

For the whole skinny on my CSA story, keep reading! In the Pittsburgh area, we’ve got a wide variety of CSA’s.  A few of them include Cherry Valley Organics (who offer freshly cut flowers with your share), Dillner Family Farm (family run since the 1940’s), Harvest Valley Farms (featuring a bakery), and Kretschmann Farm (offering a stunning variety of apples). I chose Blackberry Meadows Farm, as the pick-up location was right outside Phipps Conservatory at a weekly farmer’s market. I could get my share, and if I wanted, pick up some other seasonal goodies, as well!

I was warned beforehand that I might be overwhelmed by veggies, so I should split my share with friends. My share group consists of two friends, myself, and my husband, and each week, we struggle to finish all of our produce (and we’re both vegetarians!).  Our first share arrived the last week in May, and we’re expecting veggies right up until Thanksgiving! I should note that we never know exactly what we’re going to receive from week to week, but I think that’s part of the fun. Last week, we were treated to watermelon, and this week, we got two different kinds of tomatillos!

Here’ s some other benefits of belonging to a CSA:

• You support local farms and agriculture. Yeah for farmers!
• You consume in an organic, macrobiotic way by eating foods that are in season for your specific region.
• You save money. Yup, you get more produce for less money than you would normally spend at a grocery store, especially if you split your share!
• You eat a wide variety of fruit and veggies on a weekly basis, which means you might learn how to prepare things you’ve never seen before!
• If a crop does well, you benefit! This year, basil went out of control, and I dried 4 jars of it for the winter.
• CSA’s often offer add-ons to your share, including eggs, organic chicken, organic beef, handmade soap, jam, cider, etc.
• You get to share your food with friends and family, thus promoting community!

Do you belong to a CSA, or can you recommend one? Leave a comment, and tell us about it!

Go ‘green’ with ModCloth!

This season, the hottest look is eco-chic, because let’s face it – ‘green’ goes with everything! Here’s a little run-down of a few ModCloth items that can help you rock this earth-friendly trend all day long!

8.00 a.m.

Your alarm goes off, and you give a big ‘good-morning’ yawn to the sunshine.  After a quick shower (less then 5 minutes saves up to 10 gallons of water a day!), you slip into the Cloud Gazing Top and a pair of organic cotton leggings.  Now you’re ready to start the day, cute and green!

9.00 a.m.

You’re just not yourself without a stout cup of Joe. You hit your favorite vegan cafe/bakery for some shade-grown, organic coffee, filling up your reusable I Am Not a Paper Cup!

11.15 a.m.

Frustrated at the pile of work that just got dumped on your desk, you slam down your notebook and spill your coffee everywhere! Luckily, you have your reusable I Am Not a Paper Towel in your desk drawer for a quick and eco clean-up.

12.00 p.m.

Finally, lunch! You’ve been so excited for noon so that you can ‘accidentally’ sit beside your crush and impress him with your quirky little Panda-a-Day Bento Box.  Let’s just see if he can resist making a comment.

5.00 p.m.

Time to hit the gym! You’ve got a 5K coming up, so it’s a good thing you remembered your sneakers and your Whale of a Good Time water bottle today!

6.30 p.m.

You stop at the local farmer’s market for some fresh basil and heirloom tomatoes – you’ve been dying for a capri salad for weeks, and you’re finally going to treat yourself.  You cart all of your produce home safely in one of your favorite reusable totes, the Smart Shopper Fold-up Bag! But, you could have easily gone with the Cute Finds Fold-Up, or the Sustainable Chevron Baggu Tote!

8.00 p.m.

Your best friend just called – cocktails? You bet! You slip on a pencil skirt, your Teaberry Organic Top, and some brown flats to match your Perfect Palate Bag, and meet her at your favorite retro lounge.

12.45 a.m.

What a fantastic night! Still smiling about your unexpected trek to an underground dance party, you kick off your shoes and brew some of your favorite orange spice herbal tea. You hold your Owl Warm and Cozy Mug close to your chin, breathing in that citrus scent and gazing out your kitchen window at the cars passing below  your apartment.

2.00 a.m.

After flipping through a few new fashion magazines, you crawl into bed, cozy in your Save Our Forest Tee! Night night!

What green items fit into your daily routine? Let us know!