Simple living means living smart these days. Why clutter our lives with unnecessary burden when we can live simply with only the necessities. It’s frugal and it’s environmentally responsible.

Here are ways we can live in a harmonious way with nature while saving money and being gentle to each other.

I hope you’ll share your stories of how you live smarter.

xo
Karen

Blog Action Day 2010 – Water!

Today, October 15th, is Blog Action Day. It’s an annual event when bloggers all over the world blog about one issue and this year is about WATER. Why water? Because over a billion people in the world have no access to safe drinking water, unlike you and me. I am really lucky to live near so many reservoirs and dams. I drive through winding roads around reservoirs daily. The colors [...]

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Should you clean your produce with fruit wash detergents?

I’ve always washed my produce – organic or conventional – with Environne’s Fruit and Vegetable Wash. Compared to just using tap water to wash, fruit washes seem to make them cleaner…to me, anyway. But today’s NY Times’s article tell me otherwise. Really??? According to the article, scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in 2000, “tap water “significantly reduced” residues of 9 of 12 pesticides, and it worked as well [...]

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FDA delays its decision on genetically engineered salmon, for now

After 11 hours of deliberation, FDA is delaying its decision on Aqua Bounty Technology’s (ABTX) genetically engineered salmon…for now. It is unclear as to when the agency will decide but at least, it promises to investigate further before approving the company’s technology of breeding genetically engineered salmon for human consumption. According to Center for Food Safety (CFS), however, FDA is misguided in thinking that GE salmon is safe for human [...]

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25 More Ways to Eat Sustainably

Hope you enjoyed the first 25 ways to eat sustainably. Here are 25 more ways. Save that Cooking Water – I have to admit, I never do this but what a great idea! When you blanch or steam vegetables, use the nutrient rich water to boil pasta or water the plant! (only if it doesn’t have oil or salt) EAT SAFER SEAFOOD! Any WILD fish from Alaska is SAFE to [...]

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25 Ways to Eat Sustainably

With my recent disappointment about genetically engineered salmon being pushed to be approved for food, I wanted to change my gear into thinking more positively and revisit the ways to eat more sustainably. Although I probably do most of it, I figured, it wouldn’t hurt to check the list again. This list, “50 ways to eat Sustainably” is from one of my favorite magazines, “Body and Soul “. 25 Ways [...]

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STOP Genetically engineered salmon from your dinner plate!

That’s right. GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SALMON – FRANKENFISH! – will soon be available  – like in 18 months – for you to serve for dinner if FDA approves it on September 17th. ** See below for undated info on hearing dates** That’s ONE week away!! Wait. You hate fish? You don’t like salmon? This is not just about salmon. It’s about biotechnology. It’s about fooling with nature. It’s about our food [...]

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Goodbye Summer and Hello Fall!

I can’t believe summer is already gone. When and how did that happen? These past few months have been all a blur to me. I guess too many things happened this summer and I just as soon would like to forget about them. I can’t wait for the  the cool breeze (I think they said this was the hottest summer on record. Global warming, anyone?), fallen leaves, pumpkin pies, and [...]

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CA Senate fails to approve single use plastic bag ban

I posted about CA’s single use bag ban bill, AB 1998 Bill, in June and how I was expecting it to pass without a glitch. Well, the glitch was the big green dollars. The American Chemistry Council has spent big bucks in the last few weeks to disseminate false information to the public and won the pockets of senators…like the video below. So the bill, AB 1998, DID NOT friggin’ [...]

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What do moms think about being green?

I know being green means many things to many people. I, for one, view living green is the only logical way to live – without waste and without creating a harmful environment for my kids. But what do moms think about living green? Why do they think it’s important and how do they manage their green living? Well, I participated in a survey conducted by Social Studies Group – a [...]

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How green is Duke University?

As many of you know, we just returned from dropping off our son, Andrew, at Duke University last week. We are very excited for him as it was his first choice school and he will be fencing for its Division I fencing team. We can only hope that he’d have the best time of his life during the next four years there. The school is beautiful and the administration did [...]

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Thank You Origins!

Epilogue I had fun writing the last two posts about my experience of buying make up. But the most fun part was reading all the comments AND receiving this “Thank You” card from Origins. They made my first experience as a make-up buyer very special. Thank YOU Kali and Theresa at Origins. I will be back for more. (I guess they did their job of getting ME as a customer.) [...]

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How to buy make-up for a teenager. Part 2

This is the second article of a two part series written by my fifteen years old daughter Emily. She wrote in her first article how she learned to “choose” make-up. In this article, she goes to the Mall to actually “buy” her first make-up. On my birthday, my mom and I went to Sephora at a local mall. Make up was going to be my birthday present and I was [...]

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How to choose make-up for a teenager. Part 1

This guest post is written by my fifteen years old daughter Emily, who recently discovered what it’s like to buy make up for the first time. Her experience couldn’t be more timely as “The Story of Cosmetics” by Annie Leonard will be released today. See the video after the article. Many girls start to play around with make up when they are young. But when they become older in their [...]

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Happy Fourth of July from Eco Etsy Team!

I love birthdays. Not my birthdays, mind you. But everyone else’s! So here is to America’s 234th Independence Day with some awesome Red White and Blue gift items from Team Eco Etsy! 1. Nestle and Soar, 2. Reiter8, 3. Sea Find Designs, 3. RosyUndPosy

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My, so called, “Meatless Life”

I am an omnivore. I love medium- rare Fillet Mignon, crispy double-fried chicken, and any fish cooked in any fashion. But I love vegetables too. Give me a generous heap of sauteed any vegetables with a bowl of rice and I’m set for the course. But these clams made me re-think about eating animals that were once alive. I know what you are thinking. “Clams made you think about eating [...]

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What BP doesn’t want you to know

Photos: Hufffington Post According to the NY Daily News , BP does not want you to see what’s going on and is making  the clean up crew sign contracts NOT to talk to anyone. Read more about it here and see more horrid pictures here.

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First fresh water wind farm planned on Lake Erie

First there was Cape Wind Farm off  Cape Cod in MA. Now wind farm on Lake Erie. Whoo hoot! According to Earth and Industry, a non-profit Lake Erie Energy Corporation has ordered five wind turbines from GE to build the first fresh water wind farm, 3-5 miles offshore from Ohio in Lake Erie. This is $3-5 billion dollar business for GE and this order is start of many more to [...]

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CA assembly approved ban on single use plastic and paper bags!!

According to San Francisco Gate, the state Assembly has narrowly approved a measure that would make California the first state in the nation to ban single-use plastic and paper bags from being handed out at grocery, convenience and other stores. San Francisco already banned plastic bags in favor of paper bags but since paper bags produce about twice the greenhouse gas emissions as plastic and results in about 80 percent [...]

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Local Farmers Market Opens for the Season

Despite the oil spill in the Gulf, how top-kill method by BP failed to stop the gushing, and how the recent article said that organic is no better than conventional food – I felt GREAT this weekend. Why? My local farmers market in Pleasantville, NY opened on Saturday with a ribbon cutting ceremony and entertainment throughout the morning. It was great to see those familiar smiling faces of vendors who [...]

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Coming up for air

Since my last two ranting posts, I’ve received many comforting e-mails, messages, and comments about my green fatigue. I am so humbled by your caring words of encouragement. It’s friends and crusaders like you that will keep me going and continue to live the best way I can, to be proactive…even with these little hiccups along the way. I was also pleasantly surprised, although sad too, that I wasn’t alone; [...]

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Green Fatigue Part 2 – Depression but Acceptance?

When dealing with the environment, I feel like I am going through Kublor Ross’s five stages of grief. 1. Denial – done that all my life about the environment 2. Anger – explained in yesterday’s post 3. Bargaining – I think I go through this every day, which is the reason why I’ve reached … 4. Depression – explained below 5. Acceptance – will it ever get to this? I [...]

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Green Fatigue Part 1 – Anger

Anger I’ve been kinda down lately. There’s nothing optimistic about what’s been buzzing in my ears recently and humming incessantly inside my head, like an ongoing droning sounds of a dryer. I want this humming to stop so I thought I’d try the ranting therapy. I normally don’t rant – especially on weekends.  Mind you, I’m a hopeless, eternal optimist. Ask my hubby. But I feel like I have to [...]

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How to remove oil from oiled bird

If you have been reading and watching the horrific oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico as I have, the first thing that comes to mind is the threat to wildlife in the environmentally sensitive areas. Tri-State Bird Rescue is the lead organization to help the rehabilitation of the affected seabirds along with International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC). Although BP is vowing to pay for the cost of [...]

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Happy Mother’s Day!

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Offshore Wind Farm Approved for Cape Cod

Photo: Cape Wind On April 29th, 2010,  Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar approved America’s first offshore wind farm project! But before construction can start, there will additional studies to make sure that there are certain things, like the site, where Indian burial grounds, can be preserved and whether the views of the cape can be minimally obstructed as opponents, like late Senator Kennedy, were concerned with. The project has [...]

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Dr. Andrew Weill and Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

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Environmental Working Group just released its updated Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen foods, in partnership with renowned medical expert on natural health and wellness Dr. Andrew Weill. Here is Dr. Weill speaking about why organic is the way to go if you want to avoid eating pesticides with your foods. Because EWG releases a new list every year, I will be updating this list as soon as [...]

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Blue Jeans and Pollution

I own two pairs of blue jeans. Personally, I don’t find them comfortable. But after seeing this, I know I won’t be buying any more blue jeans. Ever. Makes you think twice about buying blue jeans, doesn’t it?

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Virginia Beach; eco-friendly vacation spot

When I visit a new city or a new town, I like to check out how eco-friendly it is. I get a kick out of acting like a “green” inspector and try to see what I’d consider ‘green’. It’s for fun but it’s also educational. I had to drive down to Virginia Beach last weekend for a fencing tournament with Emily and I stayed at Fairfield Inn, on the beach. [...]

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Don’t let Earth Day be another holiday

Everywhere I turn, there’s some sale or giveaway or special in the name of Earth Day. It has almost become another occasion, like “Labor Day” or “Memorial Day”, to entice consumers into their store, on line or brick and mortar. We need to take a step back and assess this. Consumerism is NOT what Earth Day is about. Earth Day is supposed to be for the benefit of Earth’s environment; [...]

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Ojami Bento and Lunch Tote Review

When growing up in Korea, bento (Dosirak, in Korean but we used to call it “bento” too) was an expression of mother’s love… so it seemed. We always wanted what was in someone else’s bento. We always compared who had the better tasting lunch and whose mom packed – HAM, of all things – and that her mom must love her more than my mom loves me because I never [...]

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Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) EXPO’10

This is a quick post on what I’ll be doing next Tuesday, April 20th. I’ll be volunteering at Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) EXPO in Pleasantville, NY. As you know, I truly believe that education is a key to success in changing people’s behaviors and misconceptions. And educating them while they are young, is crucial for so many different reasons that I won’t go into right now. Having said, the [...]

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I may be a Green Thumb after all!

Remember I planted some seeds last weekend and confessed that I was NOT a green thumb? E U R E K A! Look what came up to greet me yesterday! With warm temperatures we had this week, these little guys cracked through their seed covers and came through the dirt! And as Mother Nature does what she does best, she gave us some light drizzle today to nourish these little [...]

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Plastic in NYC drinking water

I live near the Kensico Reservoir, a reservoir that supplies New York City’s  drinking water. The road around the reservoir is one of the most beautiful scenic roads. Today’s weather was perfect for a picture I wanted to take of a certain spot for months. So I went out for some outdoor photography. And this is what waited for me today. If you obtain a fishing license, you can use [...]

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I may be green but Green Thumb, I am not.

My mother has the greenest thumb I know. She can revive any plant, any flower, or any tree. Her plants flower when they are not suppose to flower. She can take a branch of a dead tree, stick it in the ground and the next thing you know, there are green leaves coming out. Well, that little green thumb chromosome must have fallen off the DNA while it was being [...]

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Green Share for Earth Day and Happy Easter!

Yesterday was so gorgeous that I couldn’t stay inside. We used to color eggs for Easter but this year, I had different plans. But I ditched them all to plant more seeds, make more seed packets, and distribute them to my neighbors. I live in a small enclave of 24 homes and I know all my neighbors – well, so I thought. I met new neighbors who I didn’t know [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Maram

Today’s Fabulous Friday Featured Seller is Maram from Columbus OH. Cats or dogs? Well, I have one dog who is definitely part cat . . . and the other dog is a scaredy-cat. Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle? Star Wars – but only the original 3 please. My first encounter with a princess who could kick ass all on her own. Fruit or chocolate? Fruit dipped in chocolate please [...]

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EPA will rule on BPA this fall.

The latest news from EPA about BPA is……it will rule on it this Fall. I know what you are going to say. “Yeah yeah…that’s what they said the last time.” I’m inclined to agree with you in thinking that it’s just another lip service but then the report that just came out yesterday said that “EPA intends to consider initiating immediate actions addressing BPA in the environment based on concerns [...]

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Earth Hour 2010

Earth Hour 2010 will be at 8:30 PM… wherever you are. We are spending this weekend with some friends and we are going to turn off the lights for an hour in support of the climate change. Almost 5 million people and over 126 countries are participating tonight. Will you turn out the light for an hour tonight?

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Ford Motors receives EPA’s 2010 Energy Star Award

This news is so timely as Earth Day is approaching fast and Earth Hour is less than five days away, I found this article very interesting. For Motor Company received its US EPA’s 2010 Energy Star Award for the fifth consecutive year due to its efforts in reducing energy use in its manufacturing and office buildings. It’s latest efforts involves powering down the PC’s in offices when not in use. [...]

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Fairy Godmothers Initiative

As you know, I recently became a co-leader of Team EcoEtsy. One of the best things about the position is that I get to meet all kinds of great people on the team, up close and personal. And one of them is Myra Roldan, from FunkeyMonkeyCompany. She is also a blogger, a techy, and a serial-preneur. She was the “Featured Member” editor for the Team EcoEtsy’s blog for awhile until [...]

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Happy Spring!

I can not believe spring is F I N A L L Y here. After what I went through this past three weeks with snow storm, Noreaster, 70mph winds, rain, and power outages, I didn’t think Spring would ever arrive. But, here is my proof…….. Spring is finally here! Hooray! And here is one of my favorite flowers with intoxicating smell on my kitchen bay window. Needless to say, this [...]

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Shortage of LED lights?

Yep. You heard it correctly. There is a shortage of LED lights! Hooray! You know what that means? More and more people are catching on and using LED lights. Read this full story from PC Magazine…. Global demand for LEDs, especially backlights for PC displays and HDTVs, is stressing the available supply enough that there may be a “drastic” shortage in 2010, especially in big-screen LCDs. According to iSuppli, which [...]

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Team Eco Etsy

I opened my first shop ‘ecogeneration’ on Etsy, end of October 2008. I had no idea what I was doing and I certainly had no direction as to what I was going to sell and how much to charge. But I was so flabbergasted when I had my first sale – a set of “Plastic Bottle Cap Birds Nest Magnets”. I couldn’t believe that someone actually liked what I made [...]

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The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard

Did you see this video? It’s 20 minutes on the “stuff” we have, how they are made, what go into them, and where do they go when we are done with them by Annie Leonard. Go grab a cup of tea or coffee. Get comfortable and watch this informative video about the “stuff” we own. So what do you think about our “stuff”? Do you think we can live without [...]

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20 ways to save money while greening your life

I was honored to be asked to speak at a local High School’s Parent/Teacher/Student Association (PTSA) meeting on Wednesday on “How to save money while living green.” As you can imagine, I had so many ideas in my head whirling around, dying to be let out. I produced a comprehensive slide show and was able to keep the audience from falling asleep while I enthusiastically share my green ideas. I [...]

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Stop Antibiotic Abuse on Factory Farms

I signed this petition to “Stop Antibiotic Abuse on Factory Farms” According to Petitionsite.com where you can go to sign the petition, Factory farms use 70 percent of antibiotics in the United States, not for sick people and animals, but for healthy pigs, chickens and beef cattle. Why? The agricultural industry says it helps the animals grow to market weight more quickly. Antibiotics also compensate for the crowded, filthy conditions [...]

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National Geographic and Global Warming

I love this short video on Climate Change.

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R-E-C-Y-C-L-E

This Aretha Franklin’s tune picked me up today.

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The Dangers of Plastic Bags

Just to remind you why we should get rid of plastic from our lives.

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How to be prepared for an emergency

I thought I’d share some photos I took this past few days while Mother Nature pounded my area with some snow, wet snow, sleet, and winds. It eventually just snowed and snowed, non-stop, for hours. Big golf ball size fluffy flakes were coming down fast. It was the calm before the storm. I think the birds knew it. And as we feared, the power went out as heavy wet snow [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – alexkeller

This post was supposed to have been featured yesterday but I had no power and could not finish writing. That ordeal will be posted at a later date but today, I want to introduce you to Alex Keller, an owner of a gorgeous jewelry shop and a classic vintage shop on Etsy. I just love her taste in vintage pieces she chooses for her shop, Vintage by Alex Keller and [...]

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Nontoxic way to polish your silverware

When I got married, my grandmother gave us a set of ‘his’ and ‘hers’ silver spoons and chopsticks. They came in a beautiful blue velvet case. I didn’t use them for over twenty years because, frankly, I was too lazy to clean them. But more than that, I hated the toxic silver polish that I had to use to clean them. I couldn’t fathom putting the spoon in my mouth [...]

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Fabulous Featured Seller – Candycalamity

If eating candy was a guilty pleasure, don’t fret. Emily from Candy Calamity can tell you, there’s a plenty of good that comes out of eating all that candy. The wrappers!! She recycles them into beautiful jewelry. Sodas? No problem. She uses the tabs from soda cans and converts them into purses. How C L E V E R is that? Let’s see how she gets her inspired for her [...]

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Walking in Memphis

I just returned from Memphis, TN – home to Blues, Jazz, BBQ and of course the king of rock and roll, Elvis. This was my second trip to Memphis in two years and even though South is not my home, there’s something downright homey about the city. Everyone is so friendly and all smiles. And the food!! Oh.  My.  God. If my kids were going to “fall off the wagon” [...]

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Thought for the Week

The issue of climate change is one that we ignore at our own peril. Not only is it real, it’s here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster. ~Barack Obama~ Photo: Greenpeace.org

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Vintagerenewal

Today’s featured seller is a fabulous vintage furniture re-upholsterer from Denver CO. And she provides free shipping! Let me introduce you, Vintagerenewal! Cats or dogs? Dogs because they are so lovable and devoted! Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle? Star Wars because I can relate to many solo journey’s through my own little creative world Fruit or chocolate? Chocolate, I don’t think I need to explain that one. Favorite color? [...]

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7 Foods Even Food Safety Experts Won’t Eat

Guess what some food safety experts won’t even eat according to Liz Vaccariello from prevention magazine. 1. Canned Tomatoes The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain Bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of [...]

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BPA in toilet paper and pizza boxes?

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Those of you who follow me on Twitter and in blogsphere, know I’ve been trying to get rid of a case of crushed tomatoes. We had this case since before the news broke about BPA tainted canned goods. OK, so we had them for awhile. It was actually part of our emergency stash. But now, we can’t use them because of BPA in the lining. Tomatoes in cans are especially [...]

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Deer Park Tavern and the Environment

To All Our Friends During the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, January 26th, Deer Park Tavern suffered a devastating structural fire. The flames quickly engulfed the historic wooden structure and all was lost. Thankfully, the restaurant was unoccupied and no one was harmed. It is a time of great sadness for all of us who have been part of Deer Park Tavern for the past 15 years. We would like to [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – copabananas

Here is Copabananas who recycles and repurposes like no one’s business. Read her short, to the point, no non-sense answers about recycling and repurposing. Cats or dogs? Kid. Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle? Star Wars. Fruit or chocolate? Fruit. Favorite color? Orange lately. Favorite meal? Breakfast, toast is my favorite food. City break or weekend in the country? Camping. Soaps or documentaries? Documentaries, recently saw a great one about [...]

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San Jose Art Museum

I was in San Jose two weeks ago. The weather was gorgeous and the air was crisp. So I walked around downtown and accidentally stumbled upon an exhibit of one of my favorite photographers of all time, Ansel Adams, at the San Jose Art Museum. It was an exhibit of his early works and it was so poignant and as usual, thought provoking as he really brought out his environmental [...]

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Upcycled Journals by Ecokaren

I’ve been procrastinating listing items on Etsy in fear of….well, actually listing them. That is one part of selling on Etsy I dislike. I need a little elf that can take pictures, write descriptions, edit, upload, edit, tweak,……you get the picture……while I’m sleeping. Anyway, here is just a few of the items I’ve been able to upload on my shop yesterday. I decided to finally use up a pile of [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Animalartista

Animalartista Cats or dogs? cats and dogs, love them both! Fruit or chocolate? fruit dipped in chocolate Favorite color? purple and red Favorite meal? just love eating in general City break or weekend in the country? weekend in the country or the beach Soaps or documentaries? documentaries Bath or shower? shower Dress or jeans? jeans definitely Your favorite material? cotton What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop. [...]

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List of Green Women Bloggers

This post was really hard as there are so many great green blogs that I enjoy reading. But I wanted to come up with a list for Problogger’s challenge and needed to be very specific. So, I came up with some green blogs that are authored or owned by women and I came up with this list. If you are not on this list, don’t be offended; I just couldn’t [...]

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Thought for the week

And Man created the plastic bag and the tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away that which had no further use. And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags [...]

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Thought for the week

I’m starting something new this year. I will be posting some of my favorite quotes on Sundays. I hope you’ll enjoy them. “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” ~Native American Proverb~

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Green New Year’s Eve Party!

Are you excited about bringing in the new year? I am. 2010 is going to be a great year for me. And I am going to celebrate it BIG with a party at my house. So, of course, it’s going to be a “Green Party”! This is what I am planning to do: 1.Use eVite to invite people. Easy. Quick. Very green. 2. Serve organic champagne. There are so many [...]

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Midway: a message from the Gyre by Chris Jordan

These are some of the photographs in a series called “Midway: a message from the Gyre” taken by a photographer, Chris Jordan from a tiny island 2000 miles away from the nearest continent in the middle of the Pacific. Here is a slide show of all the photos by Chris Jordan *All photos by Chris Jordan

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Top word and phrase for the decade 2000-2009

Top word: global warming (“Sustainable” is 22nd on the list) Top Phrase: Climate Change Need I say more? Source: languagemonitor

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Green tips for after Christmas

Now that you are done with Christmas parties, family gatherings, meals, and exchanging gifts, think about these tips for greening your after- Christmas clean up. Recycle your Christmas tree Recycle Christmas lights if they are broken and if you don’t have LED lights, buy them now (they are probably on sale) for next year Recycle old batteries Buy rechargeable batteries Cut out gift tags from Christmas cards you don’t want [...]

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Merry Christmas!

We had a blizzard-like condition last weekend and while it would have been nicer to have the snow on Christmas, I loved it nevertheless.  Snow still covers the streets and it’s cold outside, like Christmas should be. I never had the opportunity to go away to a hot spot for Christmas holiday so, to me, Christmas has always meant below freezing temperatures and waiting anxiously for the snow. For this [...]

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Green is life, optimism and our future

As 2009 comes to an end, I was reflecting on the year past. Blogging about green living has been one of my biggest accomplishments and the one I have enjoyed immensely. While, keeping my head buried in green sand, blogging about it made me to think about, well, being green and what it really means. We know what it means in the environmental sense but what does it really mean?  [...]

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“Twas the night before Eco-Christmas…”

The original title: “The night before an eco-etsy christmas” by FashionGreenTBags Twas the night before an Eco Etsy Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The recycled yarn stockings hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of solar power danced through their heads; [...]

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Clearance Sale on EcoKaren

I am having a clearance sale on all items in my Etsy shop to make room for a new line of products in 2010. I am trying to streamline the shop into a more cohesive structure – a business plan that has been on the back burner since the summer – better late than never, right? So take advantage and buy them before they are gone. So buy a green [...]

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Merry Woof-mas!!

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Spreadshirt is having FREE SHIPPING today!

You know how I love Spreadshirt’s custom design shirts I got for my husband? One says, “Where are my glasses?” and the other says, “Where are my sandals?” because he is ALWAYS looking for them. I think I’m going to order one today that says, “Where is the remote?” I know. I’m cruel. Anyway… I just received an e-mail from them that if you order over $50 today, all standard [...]

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Ojolie Animated eCard Review and Giveaway

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED I am really excited about this review and giveaway. For the first time last year, I sent my Christmas cards and letters via e-mail.  Let me just say this though. I love sending out Christmas cards. It is a tradition in my family where my kids sit and address the envelopes, lick the stamps, and we run to the post office the next day together. Well, those [...]

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New Wave Enviro Products Review and Giveaway

Giveaway is CLOSED Fortunately, I don’t have to pack lunches for anyone these days. I know. Don’t hate me. But I do have to pack water bottles and snacks for sporting events for my kids though, which is just about every day. So when New Wave Enviro Products sent me a bamboo lunch bag, a stainless steel water bottle, and a stainless steel food container to review, I was psyched. [...]

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Nashville Wraps Community

My article about Fair Trade was featured on this lovely website called Nashville Wraps Community. I am so honored. Thank you Nashville Wraps Community!

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Anny May

This talented and ambitious seller from Anny May has three shops on Etsy. Yep, three! She obviously loves Etsy. CATS OR DOGS? I prefer cats but only if they are on fabric FAVORITE COLOR? Blue CITY BREAK OR WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY? Weekend in MY country! DRESS OR JEANS? Jeans for the winter, dress for the summer! YOUR FAVORITE MATERIAL? I just love to save fabrics but i enjoy working [...]

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Green Gift Giving Tips

I know you have at least one or two people on your list that you have no stinking clue what to give this Christmas. They probably have everything and whatever they need, they can buy for themselves. Like your Uncle Bob or Aunt Ellen. What do you give to those kinds of people? How about sending them on a vacation where they can volunteer to work on an organic farm [...]

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Equal Exchange Review and Giveaway

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED I wrote about Fair Trade yesterday and told you that I was contacted to review some products by a company that does great work with numerous small farmers around the world. Let me introduce you to a worker-owned co-op called Equal Exchange Co-op, based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It is founded by three visionaries who wanted to change the way food is produced and how the food [...]

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What is Fair Trade?

This is a two part series on Fair Trade and a review of a fair trade co-operative exchange company called Equal Exchange. My family and I watched a documentary called Food Inc. on Thanksgiving. I’d figured, I better capitalize on the opportunity while everyone was in food coma and couldn’t protest. I also reasoned (and yes, there was some pleading involved) that since I fed them, I should get to [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Bluemoon147

Bluemoon147 Cats or dogs? Dogs…especially shelter dogs. They’re the best! Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle? May sound crazy but I’ve never seen either one. Fruit or chocolate? I can’t live without chocolate. Favorite color? Cobalt blue Favorite meal? Sushi rolls. It’s like eating tiny artwork. City break or weekend in the country? I live in the middle of the city so a country weekend sound like a good change [...]

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Spreadshirt: eco-friendly custom design shirts

I just ordered two custom design shirts for my husband through a wonderful company called Spreadshirt. There is such a wide variety of eco-friendly shirts that I had a hard time choosing the one I wanted. I’ve been meaning to make these two shirts for him since last Christmas but I couldn’t find a reasonably priced eco-friendly shirt company. You can even have your own store on its website to [...]

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The Natural Dentist Review and Giveaway

Oral hygiene. I abhor talking about oral hygiene. I hate going to the dentist like going to my car mechanic. When my car mechanic tells me I need a new “timing belt” on my car, I wonder, “What’s a timing belt, and why do I need it?”. Similarly, I have no idea if I really do have a cavity as I try to squint to see a tiny opaque spot [...]

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Eco Friendly Handmade Cyber Monday

Is it really Cyber Monday today? I love it. Isn’t it quiet? No crowds.  Plenty of parking spaces. No check out lines. I can shop in my jammies with a cup  of hot brimming coffee. This is great! So let’s see what great eco friendly finds there are on Etsy. Recycled denim birds on Christmas tree would be awesome. Repurposed Bird Ornament by copabananas Perfect gift for a hostess or [...]

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Eco Friendly Handmade Christmas

Here are some handmade Christmas goodies. Merry Christmas all winter long… Cool presents for your birds! This will start some creative conversations at your holiday party, heh? Who wouldn’t like your present if you wrap them in these? And finally, a placemat and a utensil case in one. Don’t use disposable plastic utensils. Be real and carry real ones. I think I am getting closer to being done with my [...]

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Buy Eco friendly Handmade

Continuing with some great Eco Friendly Handmade finds on Etsy today… You can never have enough pillows and these are made with bamboo fabric too! Just looking at these arm warmers keep my arms and wrists warm. Pretty flowers too. OK, I’m biased on these but the lavender smells so great and did you know that lavender is great for stress relief? This conflict free diamond ring makes me want [...]

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Buy Nothing Black Friday

Fridays are usually set aside for introducing fabulous sellers from Etsy. However, today is considered to be “Black Friday” or “Buy Nothing Day”.  As I said before, I strongly believe you have to assess what you truly need and what gifts you have to buy so that you don’t contribute to excess waste. And, if you need to buy  gifts for your loved ones for the holiday, you should buy [...]

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Happy Thanksgiving

Every Thanksgiving, I ask myself  “What am I thankful for?” And I come up with some lame corny things. But the truth is, I really am thankful: for my family, for my friends, for our health, that my family wants to eat what I cook, that they want to get together every year, that this year has gone by without any disasters in our lives, that despite the doom and [...]

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EcostoreUSA Share the Love Holiday Sale

This is a short post to share a tip about a big holiday sale EcostoreUSA is having. Starting 5PM today, EcostoreUSA is having a HUGE Share the Love Holiday SALE. Until the end of the year, everything will be 40% off. That’s 40% off until December 31st! I thought you might want to know.

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Fabulous Fridy Featured Seller – California Blue

California Blue Cats or dogs? cats (although I really like dogs too) Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle? Sleepless in Seattle (husband is a huge Star Wars fan Fruit or chocolate? fruit (but I also love fruit with chocolate, like strawberries and dark chocolate) Favorite color? I guess I would have to say aqua blue, but it is a close tie with cool green shades Favorite meal? Warm goat cheese [...]

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BMW announced as automotive partner of London Olympic and Paralympic Games

I wanted to give you the full story without editing it because I think this is such a great news! According to the BMW website, “Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has today announced that BMW has become the Automotive Partner of London 2012. BMW will provide the 4,000 or so vehicles which are required at the Games to [...]

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Peer pressure is good for the environment

If you have kids, I bet you tell your kids not to give into peer pressure. I bet you tell your kids not to take drugs or drink alcohol just because their friends are doing them. But on the flip side, I bet you want to follow what your neighbors or your colleagues are doing, secretly. I bet you want to make your garden just as pretty as your next-door [...]

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Turnaround Design Product Review and Giveaway

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED When Shannon Whealey of Turnaround Design contacted me to review her eco-friendly calendar, I was curious. I thought, “How can you make calendars eco-friendly? Calendars are the epitome of waste – once it’s used up, it’s garbage! You can’t reuse January of last year?” So, you can imagine the delightful smile on my face when I received the nicely packaged calendar printed on recycled paper in recycled [...]

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Green Ecokaren Magnets

Short little post today….. I’ve been trying different promotional items to include when I ship to buyers. It’s my way of introducing my other items in the shop and also a way to say “Thank You” for their purchase. I’d send one of these…an organic makeup remover. or one of these…a bird’s nest magnet made from non-recyclable plastic bottle caps. Yes, did you know that the plastic bottle caps are [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Windy Hill Fibers

Windyhillfibers Cats or Dogs? Cats, definitely cats. I have a soft spot for kitties in need. Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle? Star Wars, as long at it’s one of the three originals and not the newer ones. Otherwise I’ll take Sleepless in Seattle Fruit or chocolate? Both! Raspberries with chocolate. Yummy. Favorite meal? That depends. My favorite comfort food is Annie Mac and Cheese, but my favorite pig out [...]

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Green Thanksgiving Part 2

If  you read my last post on Green Thanksgiving, you know that it’s a special holiday in my family and that I am planning to adopt a turkey this year. But besides that, I am looking into ways to make it a little more eco friendly this year. How? 1. I’m buying local and organic – that means, my vegetables, fruits, meats, and decorations will all come from local farmers [...]

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Fabulous Friday Featured Seller – Wine Coutures

I am dedicating today’s post to American Liver Foundation. One of my husband’s friends, Johnson, almost lost his life to liver failure back in February, a complication from chemotherapy he received for Lymphoma a year earlier. He survived Lymphoma but the treatment caused his liver to fail, and he only had days to live if it wasn’t for the liver transplant he received at the eleventh hour. Johnson’s birthday was [...]

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