Category Archives: For The Home

Recycled Note Of The Week: Squirrel In The Attic

Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week we’re showcasing the hand-drawn recycled notes from the Oxford-based Etsy shop, Squirrel In The Attic.

A little bit about Squirrel In The Attic, in their own words:

You know how sometimes you want a greeting card to simply say “hey”, but still want your recipient to feel special, knowing the card was chosen just for them? Well, here at Squirrel in the Attic, we produce hand drawn greeting cards that do just that by coupling the word “hey” with a fun descriptive noun.

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Great Green Giveaway: NoPlastic.ca

I think by now most of us know we as a society and a planet use too much plastic on a daily basis. We’ve talked about it on the site before, about where our plastic goes to die live forever in our oceans, and about proactive ways to minimize our reliance on plastic.

I’m happy to introduce you to NoPlastic.ca, a Toronto-based green business helping consumers lessen their plastic footprint with every product they sell. Their passion and focus?

They’re here to help you clean your food from the outside in.

The story behind NoPlastic.ca:

We use enough plastics on a daily basis!

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Recycled Note(book) Of The Week: Esta Sketch

Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week I thought I thought I’d switch it up a bit and feature two recycled notebooks from an extremely talented Australian artist, Esta Sketch.

I love the fact that they’re discarded sketches re-purposed into artistic and usable notebooks. Which makes every one them (lovely, and) one-of-a-kind!

Recycled Art Notebook (blue)

From the seller:

This is a handbound notebook constructed from cartridge paper and silk screen prints. The cover features one of my ‘comfort’ prints that didn’t turn out perfectly.

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Recycled Note Of The Week: AC Bohman Designs

Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week we’re showcasing the beautifully designed and playful cards from AC Bohman Designs, a North Carolina based freelance designer with an etsy shop filled with unique recycled cards.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

Rad Father’s Day Card

From the seller:

This A2 sized card is made of heavy eco-white stock and flat printed with a vintage illustration (in black) and typewriter text (in red). Paired with a recycled kraft envelope and packaged in a clear archival sleeve.

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One Less

You can gradually reduce the carbon footprint of your baby with Baby Pottying or Elimination Communication. (Did you see the word “gradually” in that sentence?)

Gradually is there because you can ease into EC slowly, taking baby steps to gain your confidence and discover some EC tools with your baby to reduce your use of diapers in time.

Imagine if every baby wore just one less diaper each day because Mom and Dad are dabbling in baby pottying? That means millions less disposable diapers will be tossed in the bin.

EC, or Elimination Communication, is an ancient approach to baby hygiene that involves getting to know your baby’s patterns and rhythms of elimination so that, together as a cooperative team, you can “catch” some of their business in a potty, potty bowl or other suitable place.

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Recycled Note Of The Week: Little Green Cards

Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week we’re showcasing the bright and artistic 100% recycled cards from Little Green Cards, an etsy shop based in the Pacific Northwest.

Here are a few of my favorites from the shop:

Birthday Beauty

From the seller:

I found this monarch butterfly during some travels and it was kept safe in a little plastic bottle all through Central America. I drew the wings and found some bright colors to recreate my find. Comes in two colors, pink and blue.

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Indoor Air Quality

Every day we are faced with many types of pollutants. It can come from buses, autos, smoking, factories, detergents, pesticides and more.

Although it seems as though the safest place to be at times is your home, you may not be entirely right. Many indoor pollutants can trigger a LOT of different health issues. Asthma, allergies and carbon monoxide are just a few of the issues your home many have.

Luckily there are a few things you can do to make sure the IAQ (indoor air quality) in your house is up to par.

In the Bedroom:

  • Washing bed linens in warm water weekly and keeping a low humidity (30-50%) will keep dust mite levels low
  • Dust mites also hide out in other places so wash stuffed toys, dust often, and vacuum regularly

In the Bathroom:

  • Mold is the allergen here and can easily be remidied by proper ventilation.

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Recycled Note Of The Week: JustUsWomen

Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week’s Recycled Note Of The Week comes via JustUsWomen’s etsy shop. While I was browsing her shop I was instantly taken by the simplicity and creativity in her stationary sets, comprised of repurposed paper from various vintage books and paint chip samples.

Tacking and Jibing Stationary Set

Mix and match this set of 4 cards and envelopes. These folding note are cut from 80 lb 100% recycled PC White Mohawk paper, which is manufactured with wind power! The paint chips are slightly distressed to add some texture.

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Green Birth

As a birth and postpartum doula, and a natural parenting company owner who is expecting a baby in the next few weeks, I can’t help but write a post that mentions the “greenness” of homebirth.

I think that most of the time we focus on a lot of the other possible advantages to homebirth (such as lack of unnecessary interventions, comfortable atmosphere for the mother, and even affordability), but rarely mention how having a birth at home can also be a green choice for your family. So, I thought I would put together a few little green things to consider (which obviously should not be your soul reasons for choosing a homebirth, but they can’t hurt either):

Less waste!

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Going Green By Growing Green

In the never-ending quest to find the best food possible–healthy for both people and planet–it seems like there’s a pitfall around every corner. Farmers’ market or supermarket? Buy organic, or not? Is buying local always better? What if the farmers bringing food to the market use unsustainable practices, or dump loads of herbicides and pesticides on their crops? What if they have driven a hundred miles to bring those fat bell peppers to the stall?

Of course, you can always do research, or ask the vendors questions. Some markets have standards in place governing vendors’ growing practices or limiting the distance they can drive to bring their wares to the table.

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