Friday, December 26, 2008

earth friendly family fun!


We hope everyone is having a very happy Christmas! Whilst we are still enjoying this festive season, I had to take time out to recommend two more great green book finds - i love dirt! and Eco Friendly Families.



The first selection includes 52 activities/suggestions to introduce your children to the beauty of the natural world. I love that this book is divided into the four seasons. The activities are geared toward stimulating such things as 'stewardship and caring toward living things', 'curiosity and exploration', and 'awareness of weather patterns' amongst many other subject areas. Though the book may initially seem a bit simplistic, I love that it gives prompts to parents to get the "environmental juices" flowing. I look forward to diving in with my two girls.

I haven't had a chance to examine Eco Friendly Families very closely yet but I look forward to learning more ways to involve the girls in our ongoing quest to embrace a green lifestyle.

I would love to hear from our readers...do you have any activities which inspire the next generation of greenies?

Thursday, December 25, 2008

merry christmas to all!

Merry Christmas (or Joyeux Noel) everyone!

(Photo courtesy of maudesplace.)

From all of us at Lu-n-Am we hope you are having a merry one (no matter what you are celebrating!) with your loved ones and enjoying your time off. Drink lots of warm drinks, eat lots of good food and give lots of hugs!

Lots of love,
Am, Lu & Kimberly

Sunday, December 21, 2008

a green book

I'm excited to write about this new discovery of mine. It comes via my first present of this holiday season. I received, from one of my best friends, a book called Green Chic, by Christi Matheson.


I've read only about the first 50 pages of this seemingly-short read. And so far it's very concise in its descriptions and details. I like how she talks not only about how to be green (and chic) but also why you should be green and how it actually helps the environment. This is good because it's often hard to find all in one book. Some books talk about how to help the environment, some talk about why you should be green, while other just talk about our environment's problems. This one - covers it all (from what I can tell so far!).

As a recipient of this book, I can recommend it wholeheartedly as a present to anyone this holiday season!
~Am~

Sunday, December 14, 2008

tis the holiday season!

(Martha Wreath Ideas)

It's the holiday and there is no better way of getting in the spirit then by making your own Christmas decorations. Martha Stewart of France and I have been making 3d paper snowflakes like mad crazy! They make a lovely edition to our Christmas decorations (especially since there hasn't been any real snowflakes thus far) and we will be using them next year and the year after that...
( How About Orange... = A wonderful blog full of tutorials and useful resources)

Making your own holiday decorations equals...

1. Quality bonding time with a loved one
2. A unique and personal touch to your home
3. Many Bragging moments when guest come in and say "oh my...these are lovely decorations!"... "oh why thank you...i made them" (shrugs)
4. Saves you from throwing your money towards excess Christmas consumerism
5. An Way of recycling materials, and reusing them next year.
6. Fun!

those are plenty of reasons to get crafty.

if you don't have the time this busy holiday. here is a wonderful secret to getting cheap, environmentally friendly (reused) decorations.....(drum roll)

Thrift stores!!!!!!!! At good thrift stores, and there are plenty out there, they have tons of decorations, some of them are really retro and "different". those are my favorites.

The interweb is full of creative people. Check out these links if you're in the mood for making some decorations.

-How About Orange (New fan of this blog...seriously it's worth the click)
-Martha Stewart (oh Martha, how we love thee, these holiday crafts are oh so nice)
-Craftzine (Instructions on projects are well explained,original ideas)
-Inside A Black Apple
(I definitely wont be buying those little to/from tags anymore, I will make my own, or just print some out on scrapped paper/reusable paper, some of these blogs are giving them to us as gifts! Inside A Black Apple has some really unique printable gift tags, just click on that link, you won't regret this click either)
-Craft Gossip (You'll find everything you hoped and wanted to find here)

Again, I am constantly amazed at all of the talented and creative people that are out there, and I am very thankful that these people are willing to share their creations with us and some of them even willing to share the secret to making these creations. If you have any Holiday decoration ideas or links you are willing to share with Lu-n-Am readers. comment away. It is possible to stay away from all of that excess Christmas commercialism and consumerism and still have a very wonderful Christmas.

-Lu-

Monday, December 8, 2008

aloha!

Hola, everyone! Just wanted to check in and let you know that we are all still alive. Things have been busy, more than usual if you can believe it, and we've all let the blog be the last priority.

(Photo courtesy of Cherry Blossom Girl. A secret indulgence of ours.)

But don't worry...we've got some things up our sleeves. Just you wait.
~Am~

Friday, November 28, 2008

KAT

In my last visit to the lovely Lulu (way back in September), I walked many miles around Lu's campus (UT). While there, I noticed not only were that there were tons and tons of students walking to classes (OMG! UT is so big! I went to a college that has 100 times less students!), but that were also tons of students using the bus system.

(Pic from sleepless_aquarius, via Flickr.)

Knoxville's transit system is called KAT (Knoxville Area Transit), and I was impressed to find out that they use alternative fuels in the running of their buses. In further research, I discovered many of their buses are ran on biodiesel.

I am so happy to make this discovery. Especially, since I found it in a place where I did not expect it. I took a vacation from Asheville to Knoxville, and what did I find? Some of Asheville's best values right in the heart of a giant college campus. :)

So the next time you are in Knoxville make sure you use the bus system. You'll be helping out both the city of Knoxville and the planet Earth.
~Am~

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one you!


We are so thankful for all of you! We are thankful to have met so many wonderful people through the blog world and to see that there are so many people that want to be green with us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

While all of us here are safely at home with our respective loved ones, we are deep down wishing everyone a lovely, joyful, eco-friendly and happy holiday. And one more...thank you!

~Am, Lu & Kimberly~

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

green your wedding!

I have to admit, even though I seem like a girl who doesn't dream of her wedding, I am. My dream wedding used to be extravagant and over-the-top and no doubt expensive. But as I 've grown older, more realistic and my priorities have changed, I now dream of a simple, green, eco-friendly, and of course, fun wedding. In building my dreams with real places, people and things, I've done a little research on how to make a wedding green.

(Photo courtesy of OnceWed on Flickr.)

Greatgreenwedding is probably the one of the most comprehensive green wedding sites. It has information on how to turn every facet of your wedding green. But other than greatgreenwedding, there are many sources to check out, like these...

http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/green-wedding/
http://green-wedding-ideas.blogspot.com/
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/weddings/
http://www.grist.org/advice/how/2008/04/29/

Have any advice for making a great, green wedding? Let us know!
~Am~

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Blue Sky Beverages

Ok, so I've been on this really intense Root Beer binge lately. All I want to drink is root beer! I keep on trying different kinds and I don't really think I'm a root beer snob at this point, but I'm definitely digging the latest kind I tried! It's called Blue Sky and it's organic. This equals, my friends, yummy organic sweetness.

"Established in 1980, today Blue Sky Beverage Company provides a variety of all natural beverages including Blue Sky Natural Sodas, "Real Sugar" Sodas, Organic Sodas, Blue Energy energy drinks, and Blue Sport sports drinks. Our beverages are all natural with no preservatives, no artificial colors and only natural flavors. "

Give it a try. I have a six-pack of it in the fridge, right now. :)
~Am~

Friday, November 21, 2008

Email with a Difference


Today's tip finds us in cyberspace... emailing with a difference!

Care2.com is the "the largest online community of people passionate about making a difference". The site was started back in 1998 by concerned citizen and activist, Randy Paynter. Today Care2.com has over 9 million members, 400 nonprofit partners and hundreds of responsible advertisers contribute to making powerful, positive changes in our world.

The site not only hosts email accounts with groovy addresses like "@animail.net, @peacemail.net, @vegemail.net, and @whalemail.net" but has fabulous sections where you can:

* read news stories from around the world
* click to donate to causes that support the environment, the ocean, the rainforest and children
* send environmental-themed E-cards
* sign a petition on causes ranging from human rights, animal welfare and health policies
* shop for eco-friendly products
* further your healthy and green living lifestyle with recipes and health and wellness tips
* learn how to make a difference each day with the daily action section
* meet other like-minded people in the Care2 community

I have been a member since 2003 and have really enjoyed networking, furthering my knowledge on causes around the world, and earning butterflies ("Butterflies are Care2's way of saying "thank you" for taking the time to make a difference. Members receive butterflies for signing Petitions, creating a petition, clicking on Care2's "Click to Donate" Races, and completing Daily Actions.").
We are all using the internet these days, so why not check email and do some good at the same time by supporting Care2.com?

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Company of the Week

Ship Greener. Ship Direct.

This is made possible by an international shipping company called First Global Xpress (FGX)



I received an e-mail from one of our readers (thank you Corinne! :) informing me about FGX. And sure enough this company is very post worthy.

Their promise to you:
your delivery will...
-arrive 24 hrs sooner
-cost 20% less
- use 30% fewer carbon emissions than the big shipping competitors we use and know.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

How do they do it?

FGX partners with commercial airlines that serve as 3rd party carriers and transport your package in one direct flight, eliminating extra travel and carbon emissions.
Theres even a carbon calculator on their website, an they have an official FGX ship greener blog.



Corinne had a wonderful experience with them...if you have used First Global Xpress, let us know about your experience with them~ :)

Christmas will be here before we know it...there will be plenty of shipping going on...so you may want to check out their website before using another shipping giant. (New Clients at FGX)
~Lu~

Extra Articles on FGX
-FGX Website
-Daily News
-Yahoo Green

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

something pretty, something green

Today's pretty, green site is One Pretty Thing, and, trust me, it's got a lot more than just one pretty thing on it.




One Pretty Thing is packed full of how-to's, pretty pictures and snazzy captions. It's a total inspiration to anyone wanting to craft something new, whether it's just to look at or to use it. This blog is pretty much a compilation of the best crafty and artsy projects our there in this world of ours. It's the best. I spent over an hour just drooling over & dreaming about the the blog's "Daily DIY" section.

I command each & every one you: go to it. :) It's the best. It's pretty. It's green. It's DIY. It's everything we love around here.
~Am~

Friday, November 14, 2008

An eco-friendly Thanksgiving!

(WeHeartIt)

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. This means lots of good food! But unfortunately lots of trash & waste.

A Few Tips to make this Holiday a little more green for our lovely planet.

1. We all have to go shopping for this holiday. Whether we are going to buy the ingredients to cook up an entire meal, or we are going to buy a pumpkin pie, or a little candle as a gift for our hostess...we're going. So don't forget to bring your reusable shopping bags, can you imagine all the extra plastic bags that are going to be used on Thanksgiving day! don't use them! plastic bags= no good
Facts on the Evils of Plastic Shopping Bags (Green Sangha)

2. There are always leftovers on Thanksgiving. always. avoid buying paper/plastic plates, paper napkins, aluminum foil to wrap those leftovers. Use reusable containers. We save everything at my house, the butter is empty (save the butter container, wash it and reuse it). So when you are cooking up a storm, save all those empty containers and reuse them to store your leftovers! and if you wanna be extra prepared, start saving all those containers now. make it a habit
(Leftovers- Planet Green)
(Eco-Friendly Food Containers-Pristine Planet)

3. Buy and eat locally grown food. support your community...more fresh, (sadly often times more expensive), better for your health, but you gotta support your local economy...especially these days.
(How does eating locally help your environment? About.com)

4. If you can stay home. do it. I am going to Iowa......so.....I am breaking this rule. we all travel on thanksgiving. let's face it. but be smart. ride a bike, carpool....bus......check your tires. etc

5. Invite those who are less fortunate...or simply have no family close by. My family and I didn't celebrate thanksgiving, because...we're French. but we always get invited every year, and we loooove it. We've now adopted this wonderful holiday, and have celebrated thanksgiving at our house many years.

6. Don't be trapped by the ridiculous amount of Thanksgiving commercialism. Decorations... make them, be creative this thanksgiving. Trust me, this will impress your family and guests a lot more.

(Martha always has great ideas.)

also ReduceYourFootprint has a wonderful post on creative ways of decorating for the holiday.
7. i'm about to get sappy on you.... (drum roll)

say thank you and i love you to your family & friends. be thankful for what you have...do it. really.


if you have any tips you wanna share...comment away! and happy thanksgiving!
-Lu-

- Also if you want to feel really good, find your local charities and organizations and see what you can do to make Thanksgiving available for those are are not so fortunate. Donate some blankets, donate a can of green beans, volunteer...

Monday, November 10, 2008

green trash bags!

What happens with your trash bags after they are thrown out with your other trash? Do they sit and rot? Do they sit there and leach chemicals from the plastic into the ground water? How long do they take to decompose? Do they decompose? To solve all these problems and queries try using recyclable or biodegradable trash bags!

BioBag: makes 100% biodegradable and compostable bags, for your trash can and other items. How do they do this? By making bags that are made out of corn. Yes sir-re, corn!

EcoSafe:
has bags that are made of materials that have “controllable lifecycles.” These materials are commodity polyolefin and synthetic plastics. They are, therefore, biodegradable and compostable.

Natural Value
: has bag products made of 10-20% post-consumer recycled plastic and are PVC and plasticizer-free. The bag boxes are also made from recycled materials.

Seventh Generation: ahhh, Seventh Generation, our trusted friend....makes trash bags from 55% to 80% recycled plastic.


So give these brands a try and let us know which one works the best overall for you!
~Am~

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Hiya everyone! It's been a long time since I have visited the blogosphere. (I guess having a baby is a good excuse?) Though life is crazy at Chez Kimberly, I had to break my silence to bring up an important topic...As we sashay into the holiday season, it is important to remember our green values as we consider gift giving.

First, we should evaluate do we really need more stuff? Gone are the days when you waited all year to get that special item or toy. Today, adults go out and buy what they want when they want it. Children are "treated" on a regular basis. So do we really need to go over the top during the holidays? What message are we sending to our friends, family and children when we go into debt unnecessarily and indulge to excess? Let's follow "less is more" this year and consider these options:
1) Instead of buying gifts, how about making them? Some of my favourite gifts have been from neighbors and family who have put a lot of thought, time and love into handmade/homemade gifts. Bake a loaf of that delicious banana bread or share some 'friendship tea' in nice tea cup. This year, my 3 year old daughter and I will be making soap to pass along to our loved ones.



2) Consider making a charitable donation or support a good cause on behalf of the gift recipient. Does your mother love animals? How about a donation to the local humane society in her honor? Give to those who truly need. Last year, for my birthday (which is on Christmas Eve), my husband bought water jugs and mosquito nets from Oxfam's Unwrapped.




3) After considering the above alternatives, if you still want to purchase physical presents, at least purchase from fair trade sites. Auction site eBay recently partnered with the World of Good Development Organization to establish a green commercial site. World of Good.com is a "one-stop shop for environmentally conscious and socially responsible consumers". Unlike eBay's auction style, the items on World of Good have a price tag that isn't negotiable. Visitors can find items from around the world such as food, home decor, and clothing. I like that you can select a gift from a category such as "People Positive" "Animal Friendly" and "Supports a Cause".

Remember, the best gifts we can give are a clean environment and healthy planet to future generations. I hope that you will consider your impact during the holidays. For more ideas, please visit Buy Nothing at Christmas.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

buying green paper products

While you can avoid the use of paper towels by creating your own cloth towels and rags, one thing you can't get around using is toilet paper.

There's just no way around it - you have to use toilet paper. So what kind of toilet paper should you use?

If you can afford it, go green and go recyclable. Here are some brands that sell non-bleached, post-consumer, and recycled toilet paper:

-Seventh Generation
-Whole Foods Markets' "365 Everyday Value"
-Green Forest


From the reviews I've read, the best value and bang for your buck is Seventh Generation's toilet paper. So give it a try! And if you can find any more post consumer toilet paper brands, let us know!
~Am~

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

delight!

Hey everyone! Sorry about this EXTREME lack of posting. Many, many apologies...but on the plus side...Obama is our next president! We are SO happy here at Lu-n-Am. The future is bright and so is the potential for green jobs and the U.S. becoming a sustainable nation!


Three cheers to a green present and future! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!
~Am~

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Skateboard. Stool?


These are a wee bit pricey, but I just thought the idea was super creative. Recycled skateboards made into stools. genius
http://www.deckstool.com/

Hope everyone had a good weekend!
-Lu

Friday, October 17, 2008

lu's art show!

Today is the day! And what a day it is. Today is our little Lu's first art show! And we are all so proud of her. That's why we insisted on taking out this time today to write about our lovely Lu and all of her green accomplishments!

(A sampling of Lu's art work from her first show at Gallery 1010 in Knoxville.)

Since we've started the blog, the lovely Lu has:
-Thrown out of h
er toxic beauty products & replaced them with healthy, safe, green beauty products.
-Made, with the help of La Martha Stewart de France, many handmade journals & notebooks.
-Purchased thrift items and turned them into beautiful pieces of furniture.
-Discovered new ways to turn old things into pretty storage items.
-Left a vacation spot cleaner, greener and healthier than it was before she arrived.
-Created handmade shopping bags to replace the use of nasty plastic bags.
-Found new & exciting ways to use cardboard in our daily lives.

So three big cheers for Lu! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!
Love you much, Lu!
~Am~

Thursday, October 16, 2008

omfg

Sorry guys, it's been a week. Yes, a whole week since any of us has written an entry. Our profoundest apologies. So let's get on with the business of the day: blogging!

I'm of the belief that to make our world a green and sustainable world we are going to have to make this way of life accessible and affordable to EVERYONE. This is the only way. If everyone can access it and afford it, then everyone can do it and will want to do it.

This brings me to solar power. Right now, solar power is one of the most expensive forms of alternative energy. It literally costs tens of thousands of get the sources and to convert. Yet, I find it to be one of the most promising alternatives. So for solar power, we are going to have to find new and cheaper ways to make this energy source work for everybody.

(A D-I-Y solar power kit.)

This leads me to the discovery of a $600 D-I-Y solar power kit. This little kit will give you enough power to use some objects around your home (for instance, in one week it will give you enough energy to power your laptop for 40 hours.). Don't get me wrong, $600 isn't really cheap to me. Trust me, this post-graduate girl will not be getting one for herself anytime soon. But it's a start. And for many families and small businesses, this kit could make the perfect start! Plus, I'm a firm believer that every little thing counts...and many little things add up to one big thing!
~Am~

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Freecycle Network

Thanks roomie!
My roommate Lisbeth told me about this wonderful website.

http://www.freecycle.org/


Their Mission= "To build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."

and what a good one it is.

Gifting being the key word. Everything is free.
I mean this is like a free thrift store online! Oh, thrift stores...how we love thee.
So next time you're thinking of throwing away an apliance, clothing, cds, crafts, frames, books...you name the item (someone out there probably wants/needs it)....you're remodeling your house don't know what to do with the old furniture? Don't throw it away!


Chances are they have one in your community. I looked up several smaller towns in my region and they all had a freecycle network.
This nonprofit movement is genius so be sure to check it out and participate within your community!

-Lu

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Figs & Ginger

I'm sitting in a dark valley and listening to the sound of rain on the roof of my cave. And while this visual is...comforting, disturbing, relaxing...I wanted to talk about a neat little local jewelry shop. I've mentioned it earlier, but I thought I'd elaborate further.

The cute little jewelry shop I speak of is called Figs & Ginger. And if the name wasn't cute enough for you, get a load of their irresistibly charming and whimsical jewelry:



(Super cute, right?)


Figs & Ginger is an "eco-friendly metal-smithing inspired by forests." It's located just a few minutes outside of Asheville and is serious about living and working a green and sustainable life. They use recycled and reclaimed silver and gold in their pieces, are building a passive solar studio, using earth friendly jewelry tools and products, use all eco-friendly paper products, recycle everything, drive mopeds and use green packaging.

I think I'm in love with them. Or at least in love with what they do. And love that they are doing right in my own neighborhood - er - area.
~Am~




Monday, October 6, 2008

responsible traveling

(Eep! Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, erupting. I've seen this! And I want to see it again! - Pic from guano.)

I've had a hankering lately to travel, although I'm in no way financially able. So in lieu of my dreamed travels, I wanted to talk about traveling responsibly. By traveling responsibly I mean (definition via Go Green Travel Green):

-Thinking about your impact on the environment (both the physical and social environment) when you travel.
-Doing your part to minimize your impact on the environment – so that tourism in your destination can be maintained in the long run.
-Understanding eco-friendly choices you can make.
-Making eco-friendly choices when they are options.
-Doing your research to be a responsible traveler.
-Saving money by making low-impact choices.

In this day and age it's absolutely vital that you travel responsibly. How far you go and how you get there is, no matter what, going to have an impact on the environment. Traveling by airplane has by far the worst affect on our environment. And the further you travel away from your home the more potential harm you will incur. But there are ways to cut down on this damage.

For instance,
"voluntourism tours" are avaiable. These tours are where you volunteer in the area you are seeing so that you can do something good for the community you are visiting. Or, instead of paying someone to do it for you, you could just look into what local organizations are located in the particular area and contact the person in charge to set up some time where you could help them.

For accommodations, you could stay at a local (mom n' pop) hotel or do a home stay with a local family. It's important that you try to support the local businesses and economy and shop at places that has their profits go directly to the area, instead of shopping at big, commercial stores that you can find anywhere else in the U.S.

Here's some more resources you should check out if you are concerned about traveling responsibly on your next vayk!
-Responsible Travel
-Eco-Travel Logue
-And check out Go Green Travel Green's blog. It's super-informative and fun to read!

Happy travels!
~Am~

Sunday, October 5, 2008

The Target Post


Instead of being a diligent student, I was browsing the Target website.And I am very impressed with their eco-friendly section. (although I still think if it has the word recycled, eco-friendly, or green in the description, the prices seem to be magically higher). <---- This makes absolutely no sense to me, if it's recycled and good for the planet shouldn't it be cheaper and more affordable? 2 Eco-Friendly Target finds we all need:
Reusable Batteries: Peeps, we have the resources and technology to make batteries that will last you a long time...this means these babies are environmentally friendly and a source of renewable energy (cutting the production of single use alkaline batteries), more sustainable, and in the end saving you some money. -----> = a good buy For more information and top quality rechargeable batteries this is a great site.(greenbatteries.com)
Water Purification Filter
- You can't go wrong with these. Knoxville water isn't so tasty...and who knows what it contains. Water bottles and jugs equals a big no no. So just filter it. It costs some money to replace the filters every few months, but buying plastic water bottles and jugs on a weekly basis quickly surpasses that amount.


Some cute eco-friendly Target finds (I really want but can't afford at this time) :( :
Totes Eco Umbrella- These are made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles!They should sell these in amusement parks, everyone is always scrambling to buy umbrellas and ponchos when they feel a few drops of rain.
Lipper International Bamboo Tea Box
I love tea, and this little bamboo box is adorable.
pb Bamboo Travel Eye Mask: I am all about some eye masks. My roommate and I even had a "competition" to see who had the comfiest eye mask. We are hooked. Anyways, I wonder if bamboo fabric is soft and comfy?


I think that is enough procrastination on my part for one day. ;) Anyways, check out the eco-friendly section at target. They have cute things. again, some of these are way way overpriced and often times not really "needed".
but..hey, whats wrong with a little shopping every now and then. *shrugs*

-Lu

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

peas and carrots

Found this super-super cute website,called peas and carrots. It's a cute recycled-craft blog. The blogger seems like a particularly young lady, and which leads me to saying that for her age she is such an awesome and amazing crafter. Especially since she's one who uses reused and recycled products in/as her craft pieces.

Some of my favorite pieces of her's are cute earrings and necklaces made from old beer and bottle caps and "fused" plastic pins made from old plastic bags.

(Flower pins made by peas and carrots.)

It's all pure sweetness. She's an inspiration. I, actually, have a butt-ton of bottle caps waiting around for me to turn them into something cute and useful. And peas and carrots has shown me the way!

(Bottle cap necklaces at the Bel Air Festival for the Arts.)
~Am~

On a side note: My good friend and great blogger Sensiblekitty has recently gotten an internship at the raddest local jewelry-making joint, ever - figs and ginger. I want to wish her congrats and good luck in her new venture - she always finds the sweetest places to work for!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

"if it's yellow: let it mellow; if it's brown: let it drown"

Ok, so we're going to get dirty here at Lu n' Am. I want to talk about some bathroom etiquette, or rather - bathroom preferences.

You've probably heard this saying before: if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, let it drown. It's a saying that started in 60s, a product of the hippies and that mind set. It basically is encouraging the conservation of water and discouraging wasting water as much as possible. But I feel that this doesn't set really set too well for many people.

(Yumz...courtesy of jablife.)

Many people would find this disgusting. This motto was something I followed quite closely in my freshman year of college. I went to what some people would call a "hippie" college and signs with this motto could be found in many restrooms. I followed this until I heard of something called "backsplash." It's reminds me of backwash - the spit that is found in your drinks from getting your spit mixed in with your beverage while drinking. But backsplash sounds so much grosser - it's the pee splashing back onto your bottom. And not only is it pee...but it's someone else's pee if you are following this lovely motto. Ew, right?

So this conservation motto is really just a personal choice. For me, I will not flush if I am using a public restroom or in my own home. But for me the thing is, I don't really care if my own pee is "backsplashing." And in a public restroom, chances are the next person is going to flush the toilet and if they don't, well, that's their own personal choice.
~Am~

Friday, September 26, 2008

southeast gas crisis

I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about something that is affecting me, my friends and family, and much of the Southeastern U.S. And this is the gas crisis that has been happening recently.

Fellow blogger SensibleKitty has also been blogging about the situation in Asheville. She has a unique position on this crisis because her housemate WordPlaySam actually works at a gas station. I think everyone should take a visit to her blog and read about her housemate's first-hand account of the situation.

(Photo from Mother Jones article.)

This gas shortage just really makes me more encouraged to start riding a bike, to take public transportation more often, to walk more often and to do carpooling. It also really emphasizes the need for our country and government to take charge of looking into more alternative energies and fuels. This complete reliance of oil is hurting all of us.
~Am~

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Oh, Etsy!

How about some reusing & reinventing-
So here is the item:Clothespin. Not only are these great for hanging your laundry to dry (previous post by Am), but you can use them to hang cuteness in your home. Cuteness, as in photos, post cards, fabrics....you name it.

Wanna have the coolest clothespin in your neighborhood? You know you do.
Paint them, collage the outside, add wallpaper on the edges....these little objects have the potential to look super cute. And this etsy user...well she knows! (StellaBean)-




These could make cute gifts don't you think?

-Lu

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

local beauty product!

A friend of mine knows that I'm writing on this blog, and she is a big makeup lover. While her passion is for animals and cruelty-free products, she knows my passion is for the environment. So when she found this local makeup line that is both vegan and paraben-free, she emailed me about it!

Stript - Vegan - Paraben Free

The line is Stript Makeup. The creator, Gina Austin, is an Asheville native and that always makes us proud. The makeup products are all plant-derived. The website also has neat "how-to" tips, which is always helpful for the makeup lover. Not to mention, they've got really cute designs and packaging. So if you are looking for a pretty, safe alternative to your regular makeup - check out Stript.
~Am~

Monday, September 22, 2008

a new journal

I was reading through the Gorgeously Green book this week and while reading I found some tips to talk about. The one I shall share with you right now is an idea for keeping your ideas in order AND keeping your daily environmental, sustainable and "green" habits documented.

One thing I started doing this year was keeping a small notebook with me at all times. I decided to do this so I could keep a record of all my thoughts and ideas down. I'll write down things I hear that make an impression on me, things I want to remember, lists, drawings of creative ventures I want to pursue, etc. It's something that I really enjoy and that I have found to be really helpful and relaxing for me.

(A mosaic of notebooks. Found here.)

Something I think I'm going to add to this documentation of thoughts is my consumption intake, my waste output, and other little notes on my environmental impact. You could start this documentation by making your own notebook, which you can find more information on here.
~Am~

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Whoa!


I say whoa! because look who is updating for a change ;) Lu here, sorry for the lack of posts on my part, I have been a busy and diligent little student preparing for an art show in October and taking 18hours of classes. But enough excuses...cause non of them should count.

I've come to write about these lovely notebooks...that not only are cute, creative, and unique...but Recycled! and oh so easy to make.

My sweet mother (Martha Stewart of France) has made me several of them, and I have used them for study notes, journals, and even sketch books.
All you need is...
Paper scraps...and we can find those everywhere...just look around a printer- discarded printer paper is perfect, just use the clean side! take your old notes from last semester, who needs to remember about that geography chapter on soil...(my mother has now turned this chapter into a cute recycled notebook)
Some staples ( if you want to sew yours with cute string...go for it! the quick way is staples.
One sheet of prettier paper for the cover. (you could use a collage, some of your old art, patterned paper, old calendar photos...be creative this will be your cover.)
and last of all some clear duct tape to reinforce the side.
and voila!

Photos and examples from our beloved Etsy. Don't feel like making your own, Subu's handmade recycled notebooks, journals, books, and notepads are awfully cute.
~Lu
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