Archive for September, 2010Here at Verde Lifestyles, we believe in making every aspect of your life eco-friendly. With our products, you can throw some life into your home decor with environmentally-friendly products. We frequently post other places and products that will keep you living green.
Another important form of expression [outside of home decor] is the way you present yourself. That’s why we often post eco-friendly fashion designers, accessories, beauty products and more. But we also think it’s important for you to do some research on your own and define your own personal style. To do this, we recommend visiting Eco Fashion World. Equipped with daily “blog” posts, tips and tricks to finding green vendors, and a list of eco chic fashion designers, Eco Fashion World has it all. It’s the perfect place for green fashion expression because you can check out designers similar to your tastes in fashion.
More than a list of designers and places to shop, Eco Fashion world provides a glossary of eco-friendly terminology and information regarding “environmentally-friendly standards.” More than a fashion database, it is filled with tons of information of green products, the requirements to be green and ways to stay green through daily living. Basically, this site can become any eco-friendly fashionista’s bible. Take a step in the right direction and start doing some green fashion research! Find those designers that fit your standards of eco-chic fashion and that exemplify what you want from your clothes. Explore environmentally-friendly guidelines, terms and ways to shop. The green fashion world is waiting: what are you waiting for?
Every college student knows the feeling of dread when that time of year rolls around again: time to buy another semester’s worth of textbooks. Buying textbooks new often costs hundreds of dollars, hours of your time waiting in lines at crowded bookstores, and frantic nights of catch-up reading because the books that you ordered online arrived late. In short, it’s a nuisance, but there isn’t really a way to get around buying textbooks for class–those 200 page readings are just a part of the college experience. In an attempt to cut down on waste, energy, and publishing costs, Arizona State University is partnering with HP to run an on-demand textbook printing technology, along with only two other schools in the country (The University of Kansas and Portland State University). According to an article from ASU’s website: “HP has developed new technology that can print a perfect-bound book, with a laminated color cover, within minutes, and is rolling out the concept in a pilot program with three universities.” “What we’re excited about is that we’re literally never out of a book if we have the digital file,” Mekelburg noted. And, he added, the “print a textbook on demand” process is very ecologically sound. “The books aren’t printed on the East Coast, stored by the publisher and shipped here.” In the article, Thurman Holder (director of new business for HP’s Imaging and Print Group), states that on-demand printing can reduce the publishing industry’s footprint by an estimated 25%. The cuttings from the printing process are even collected and reused to make note cards. What do you think of this technology?
Looking for the perfect pair of fall shoes? Stay away from brands that are doing damage to Planet Earth and take a look at an amazing and sustainable pair of shoes, instead! Coclico is a sustainable shoe brand that is designed in New York City and made in Spain. The shoes are beautifully designed and incredibly well-crafted. The fall line is absolutely gorgeous; you’ll certainly be catching some eyes! Take a step in the right direction, and put some sustainable shoes on your feet. Some of our fall favorites:
Odanak Tupelo
Sep
15
Fresh-Wave.com
We’ve blogged about eco-friendly cleaning products before, but this time we’re highlighting one company in particular that makes excellent green cleaning products: Fresh-Wave.com. From the website:
Not sure where to start? Check out the “odor guide”, which will tell you which products to use depending on what stinks. For example, the Soy Candle is recommended for “Kitchen” “Basement” “Skunk” and “Smoke”. Fresh Wave’s sprays are particularly versatile, effective on odors ranging from “Athletic” and “Bathroom” to “Upholstery” and “Nursery”. They also carry Vacuum Pearls, Multi-Purpose Additive, Carpet Shake, Pearl Packs, and Pet Shampoo. If you’re looking to make a gift of green cleaning products to a particularly smelly someone, they carry kits: particularly, the Stinky Dorm Room Kit and Green Home Kit.
It’s a pretty exciting time for Fresh Wave–their Continuous Release Crystal Gel recently won the iParenting Media Award for excellent products in the housewares category! In addition, in accordance with a recent agreement between OMI Industries and the Chicago Bears, Fresh Wave products are now being used in all luxury skybox bathrooms and suites at Soldier Field. Head on over to their website to learn more. We already knew that green buildings use up less energy and resources and have a decreased carbon footprint, but now it seems that they have a positive effect on those who live and work in them, too. A recent article from the LA Times reports on a study done at MSU that employees were more productive, happier, and healthier when they worked in green buildings versus regular ones: “Researchers from Michigan State University did two case studies evaluating the physical and mental health status of people who moved from traditional to green office buildings. One scenario involved 56 people and the other 207, and employees were asked through surveys about absenteeism from work in both types of buildings for asthma, allergies, depression and stress-related conditions. They were also asked about productivity in the two settings. …Being absent from work for asthma, allergies, depression and stress decreased following the move into the green buildings; for example, hours absent from work due to asthma and allergies was on average 1.12 per month in conventional buildings and 0.49 in green buildings. The average number of work hours affected by illness per month also declined after the move. Productivity improved.”
Have you ever worked in a green building? What was your experience?
Sep
6
Eco-Friendly Day SpasThe weather is beginning to turn and it’s back to school for all, so why not plan a day of relaxation? There are hundreds of award winning Green Day Spas in which one can relax without doing damage to this planet we call “home.” Check out some of our favorite eco-friendly day spas, and feel free to some exploring on your own. After all, nothing says “relaxation” like an environmentally friendly day at the spa. Spa Eastman, Quebec: Spa Eastman is an award winner in the “Sustainable Tourism” category. Its waste management program diverts over 23 metric tons from landfills, which is equivalent to an 81% recycling rate. The implementation of the Reduction, Reinvestment, Recycling & Validation program [3RV] is done systematically and yields impressive results. Spa Eastman prides itself on paying particular attention to the source of food products: majority of the products are organic. Also, spa’s gardens provide the kitchen with organically grown herbs, edible flowers, sprouts, veggies and even berries.
Golden Door Spa, Scottsdale: The Golden Door Spa at Scottsdale’s Boulders Resort recently further expanded its menu of organic spa services to include new Eminence Organic Skin Care. This line of revolutionary products is created from all natural, organic ingredients. Some of the new and most popular organic services include a variety of organic scrubs with seasonal body soufflé “flavors” such as Pear & Green Apple (fall), Cranberry & Pomegranate (winter), Blueberry Soy (spring), and Cucumber Mint (summer). Nothing sounds more relaxing than a body scrub with nature’s natural scents!
Crystal Mountain Spa, Michigan: Crystal Spa has elevated the model for a green spa to a new level: the 18,500 square-foot facility was designed and built to minimize its impact on the environment while maximizing its efficiency and relaxation. The technologies and materials used in the process have enabled Crystal Mountain’s Crystal Spa to be the only LEED certified spa in the Midwest, and one of only six in the U.S. Talk about a step ahead!
For a complete list of some of the world’s most eco-friendly spas, click here. And don’t hesitate to do some research on your own: responsible relaxation is worth a little bit of work!
Sep
3
Konohana Family FarmCheck out this video about a sustainable community farm in Japan, the Konohana Family Farm. The “family” consists of 47 members and the farm is almost 100% self-sustained. They have farmed their land without chemicals or pesticides for over 13 years! They also exist on a completely vegetarian diet. From a Konohana Family Farm brochure: “Over 260 kinds of rice, grain, vegetables and so forth are grown on the fields of 13 hectares.
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