Written on
March 26, 2009 by
SusanC
It’s probably pretty safe to say that there are more people on this planet eating chocolate, than fighting climate change. Sad but true. A more encouraging statement would be that there are definitely a lot of people out there that want to do more of both.
Although there are many brands of organic and fair trade chocolate on the market (just browse the candy aisle at 
any natural grocer) and many of them are using their yummy products to promote good things, from the protection of endangered species to saving the rain forest, very few do more to impact their cause then spread awareness…until now.
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Written on
March 23, 2009 by
SusanC
With 297! comments our skeeda review and giveaway was our biggest yet. A big thanks! to everyone who visited both here and the skeeda site to support such a great green mom-owned business.
Now, onto our two! lucky winners (chosen at random) who will each be receiving a reusable skeeda bag of their choosing.
The first winner is: Commenter #286, Carra!
The second winner is: Commenter #34, Victoria!
Congratulations! ladies.
If you didn’t win today, be sure to visit www.skeeda.com to buy a few for your collection. At just $15.00 a bag, reusable bags never looked so good.
An original 5 Minutes for Going Green post.
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Written on
February 26, 2009 by
SusanC
Until I met my husband I didn’t like coffee. I was a tea person and maybe the occasional whipped cream topped, syrup flavored something, but even that was rare. Now, I’ll go through three or four cups in the morning and I almost always have another pot brewing by afternoon.
Have you really looked at all the “green” factors that can go into a truly green cup of coffee? I’m not going to throw facts and figures at you and try to scare you. That’s just not my style; I like to blog about what I learn and how I understand it.
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Written on
February 19, 2009 by
SusanC
Are you ready to install solar panels or a wind turbine at your house? How about adding insulation or installing more energy efficient windows? 2009 may just be the year to take the plunge, thanks to some new, extended and improved tax credits.
Details can vary depending on your project but energy efficient home improvements including replacement windows (capped at $200), insulation (10% of the cost, capped at $500), sealing cracks in the shell of your house and in the duct work, and energy efficient water heaters and furnaces (capped at $300) can get you some very helpful tax credits.
The existent tax credit for installing solar panels was extended for 2009 giving you a 30% credit against the cost of your equipment with the previous $2,000 cap removed.
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Written on
February 10, 2009 by
SusanC
Still need a green Valentine for your sweetie by Saturday? We have your romantic note-giving covered.
I Fancy You
So, this is my first endeavor into the world of Valentine Cards. I’m hoping this set will inspire you to organize a Valentine exchange in your office. You know, cover some shoe boxes in pretty paper and make mailboxes at your respective desks, and choo-choo-choose someone! Or maybe you’ll just give them to your friends. Or the 10 suitors you are currently juggling?
This set of 10 flat notes is printed on linen finish stock with rounded corners and comes with natural kraft recycled envelopes.
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Written on
November 28, 2008 by
SusanC
This week’s Recycled Note Of The Week comes from My Good Greetings, whose beautifully designed custom photo cards, invitations and stationary are printed on 100% recycled, carbon neutral paper which is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified.
My Good Greetings uses 100% digital short-run presses which significantly reduce paperwaste and emit 90% less Volatile Organic Compounds. What does that mean, exactly?
It means that when you send a unique and creative Good Greetings card, not only will the card be well received, you will know that you’ve made another good choice for the global environment.
In addition to their customizable cards for all occasions, My Good Greetings.com
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For many people, Christmas has become a very commercial holiday. It has shifted from being a season of giving, to being a media circus and it has become a season of excess. This year tailor your shopping to be a bit more responsible and ethical in the items that you buy.
Shopping conscientiously doesn’t stop at being more frugal when making purchase decisions. We also need to think of the global implication. Every purchase we make is essentially a vote for the world we want. We need to look at the people behind the products that we invest our monies with.
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One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about living simple or living in a frugal manner is that it means great personal sacrifice.
Yet the idea behind simple living, or voluntary simplicity as it is also called, is not to live as cheaply as possible, but instead to see just how well you can live on less. It is entirely possible to be perfectly content and have all of your needs met and satisfied by living in a simple and frugal manner, no great sacrifices required. A vow of voluntary simplicity can bring a sense of inner peace and certainly less financial pressure.
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At my house there is never a shortage of green material (also known as wet or nitrogen-rich matter) – orange peels, corn husks, dinner food scraps, yard waste, etc. – for my compost bin, but when it comes to finding brown (also known as dry or carbon-rich) material, in the past I’ve often ended up coming up short. The trick, of course, to getting compost to work and breakdown into that coveted nutrient-rich soil is to have the right combination of both green and brown matter.
About a year ago, however, I posted my first Green Tip of the Week suggesting that my readers keep a bag or two (or three) of their dry fall leaves to use throughout the coming year as brown material to add to their compost pile or bin.
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Written on
October 14, 2008 by
SusanC
© Ink+Wit
These modern takes on traditional thank you cards from Tara Hogan are 4.5×5.5 inch hand-made postcards, with plenty of room to write on the back. These particular notes come in a set of five, and are comprised of 100% cotton paper, 100% cotton white envelopes and water based inks, which means not only are these cards adorable (and they so are), but they are also an eco-friendly option for sending the best and brightest of all grateful correspondence. Their pun-ny slogan, combined with all of the above is what makes them this week’s Note Of The Week.
Visit Tara Hogan’s Etsy shop, and her main art & design site at www.inkandwit.com
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