The Littlest Birds

(Source.)

This is the home of my latest job. And I love it. Such cuteness all around. Let me give a small tour of the lovely place.

Name: The Littlest Birds
Owners: Sonja & Allison
What: An organic and natural baby boutique.
Sells: Organic and locally-made clothing; baby carriers and slings; safe baby bottles & such; natural baby shoes; safe, lead and bpa-free baby toys; consignment clothing & such; natural cloth diapers; and lots more!

Some great brands they carry:
Simple Shoes
Livie & Luca
Ergobaby
Maya Wraps
Under The Nile
RolyPoly
Grimms Toys
Plans Toys
Born Free
Bum Genius
Happy Heiny

~Am~

An Etsy Green Guide

We're feeling a little Etsy crazy around here lately. Therefore, we present to you a green gift guide, courtesy of Etsy:

Olivia Newton John Coasters

Gardening Apron

Envelopes

Coffee Cup Sleeve

~Am~

Green Angels in Charleston

Suffice it to say, our trip to Charleston wasn't the most eco-friendly trip. There was lots of driving and the campsite had limited recycling facilities. And there was lots of DEET used in the prevention of mosquitoes (but, OMG, it was so necessary - I got "et" up by those horrible little vamps).But, ya'll, we camped. Camped. No electricity involved. People don't really ever camp anymore, apparently. There weren't very many people located in the camping area of the park. But there were plenty of RVs.
We did our best and we had a heck of a good time. Many campfire adventures ensued every evening after the sun set.
~Am~

Recycle your water filters

I was installing a Brita filter in our water filter the other day (it was waaay overdue, but those things can be so expensive!) and the beau asked what to with the old one. I said, I guess just throw it away. But he had a brilliant idea that showed my prowess has been rubbing off on him: why not recycle it?

So I did a little research and found this. So there are locations you can drop them off it to recycle, mostly the drop-off centers are located in Whole Foods stores. And there are none near me and if there are none near you, then this is what you can do: mail it off to a recycle center! So that's what I'm going to do, it'll probably cost me about a dollar or so to mail, but I think it's way worth it so it can be properly recycled! Don't you?

~Am~

Evan Healy

(Source.)

This is my new absolute favorite facial care line: EvanHealy.

I've always had trouble with acne. I had it terribly in my teens and now in my twenties I've had to battle with with because of the birth control pills I take. What I had been using had been working until two or three months ago when I started a new brand of pills and my face or my acne cream couldn't fight any longer and gave in miserably.

Yet on driving to my favorite grocery store, Greenlife, I decided that I would go forward and see what Greenlife's beauty department had in the line of acne medicine. I was in luck. Greenlife carries only organic and natural food and products and this includes their beauty products. After scanning over the products and finding what seemed to be the perfect choice for my problems (the EvanHealy line), I balked at its price. It was $30!!! Granted, what I found was a kit and had five products in it, but I just hoped that I didn't have to spend this too often.

Encouraged by my beau, I asked one of the staff near the beauty counter and asked her for advice. She immediately pointed to the EvanHealy "Blemish" line. I told her my problem with the price and she pointed out a few others which she said had worked ok for her but that she had recently been using this EvanHealy line and it was working really well for her and that all the ingrediants in the line were recognizable and safe.

So I bought it. And I love it! The "Blemish" kit was supposed to last me 7-10 days but it's lasted me much longer. Here's what came in the kit:
-Tea Tree Gel Cleanser: This is a really light and refreshing lather, specially for blemished skin.
-Rosehip Treatment Facial Oil-Blue: This is for sensitive, irritated or oily skin. I mix it with the hydrosol. It has a nice light scent, as well.
-Orange Blossom Facial Tonic Hydrosol: This has a light, sweet smell and I mix it with the oil and rub on my face. It's made for all skin types.
-Blemish Treatment Roll-On: I use this handy roll-on to remedy specific acne areas. It's simple, I only wish it would dry quicker. It takes a while.
-Green Tea Clay: I haven't used this but I think I should. I've heard so many good things about clay and I'm excited to give it a try. It's to be used once a week.

One of my favorite things about using this line is the way I smell after I use it. I feel so refreshed. All the scents refresh me and my face's skin. If you want to make an investment in an amazing, effective, refreshing, and safe skin care line then go for EvanHealy. I think I'm going to try the clay mask right now!

~Am~

VegWare

In preparation for you 4th of July festivities, I wanted to let you know about about a company that makes compostable and biodegrable tableware and cutlery, known as Vegware. It

-Is made from natural starch and fibers.
-Will not melt in hot liquids like some biodegrable products & can withstand high temperatures.

There are other neat facts about the Vegware line of products that you can find out about by going to their website. And tomorrow, when you're hanging out with your friends and family, celebrating the country and eating and drinking the day and night away, if you're using disposable items, think about using compostable and biodegradable items, like Vegware.

~Am~

Juice Beauty

We've previously posted about the dangers of most beauty products that are out there. Juice beauty is a line of skin care products made from organic solutions. I stumbled upon some of their products at ROSS (yes, ROSS is a wonderful place to find unique skin care products for super super cheap)


So far I've really enjoyed their 3 step solution (The cleanser, antioxidant serum, and moisturizer) . They also have an interesting blog not only related to their beauty line but to ways of living a greener life and having a greener future.

Links to Check Out:
-Juice Beauty Blog
-Juice Beauty;s Official Website
-http://www.juiceorganics.com/ (Juice Organics is a line of products from Juice Beauty, but much more affordable and still free of harsh paraben preservatives, synthetic fragrances, petroleum derivatives, artificial dyes, harsh sulfates, and phthalates or toluene. contains 100% vegetarian ingredients)

-Lu

Be a Green Irene

Here's an interesting concept that I stumbled upon the other day: being a green consultant. Not that the idea of being a green consultant is absurd (I actually consider myself somewhat of a green consultant), but that there's a program called Be a Green Irene, which teaches people how to be a green consultant.

"The Opportunity To Be An Eco-Consultant in Your Community We invite you to learn about our intriguing new opportunity in the BOOMING new Green Economy. Our Eco-Consultants are independent business women and men who work from their own home or office and are distributors of our Eco-consulting services and an array of green products."

"The amount of information about going green is overwhelming and often conflicting. As a local Green Irene Eco-Consultant, supported by the resources of Green Irene LLC, you can become the knowledgeable green friend your friends have been wishing for. You will have all the tools and information necessary to move your clients toward a healthier, greener life."

What do you think about this? It seems legit but...I don't know. I think I like the concept of it though. What are your thoughts?
~Am~

Making soy candles

(Source.)

I really, really love candles. And something I've tried to use more of, because of the health effects for one and all, are soy candles.

Some facts about soy candles vs. paraffin candles (via this site):
-Paraffin wax is made of petro (foreign oil dependence!).
-But soy wax is American made and made of soy!
-Paraffin wax has many carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds.

In this vane, I've been reading up, mainly on this site, on how to make soy candles. It seems fairly easy. I plan on getting the supplies this week and trying it out. I don't need much: soy wax flakes, containers/candle molds, essential oil, wicks and....? That's all folks.

If you're interested in buying soy candles yourself, there are plenty of places that sale them these days. But my favorite place to drool over candles is Etsy.

~Am~

Nest Organics

I was walking around downtown the other day and decided to step into this store I'd seen many times, but had bypassed because of lack of interest. But that day - it sparked my interest. And I'm glad I went in! I now wish I had visited Nest Organics a lot sooner!

Nest Organics "is committed to the process of moving our culture toward conscious lifestyle practices by providing modern goods that blend function, style and sustainability. [We] believe the basic foundation of sustainable business is making conscious purchasing decisions that consider personal, environmental, and cultural impacts."

Hallelujah, sister! Preach the good, green word! ;) Check them out!
~Am~

On the [Makeup] Hunt

I recently finished my favorite powder (MAC - hottt). But I decided long ago that whenever I finished my old makeup/beauty products, the next I'd try would be the healthier and safer green ones. So now I'm on the makeup hunt. I want something of the same caliber as MAC (and the same price range) but made up of healthier ingredients.In my hunt, I went over to the Nature of Beauty to look around at some green beauty goods. The ingredient list(s) are impressive and the price range is acceptable for me. The only caveat I found was their lack pictures (of the different powder colors). I don't want to get a powder that is meant for a fair-faced gal when I am an olive-skinned chica. Ya get me?

So I'm in need of a green makeup line that has good and accurate pics of their makeup so I know exactly what I'm getting. Any ideas?
~Am~

a "green guide"

I just adore reading National Geographic normally. They have wonderful pictures and great articles about really interesting topics. But lately I've been obsessed with reading their "Green Guides."

(Source found here.)

Right now I'm reading their Winter 09 guide and it's filled lots of facts and tidbits about going green. My favorite section though is their "One Green Year" article that extends for eight pages. This articles goes into pretty good detail about how you can "go green" by taking steps daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. It is an excellent article with ideas and suggestions for lists to keep track of your carbon footprint and your progress throughout the year.

I also really enjoy the advertisements in the magazine. All of them are related to being green, organic and natural. I don't really encouragement consumerism, but I enjoy seeing what my alternatives are as opposed to McDonald's and Wal-Mart ads.

~Am~

Au Naturel

I received the last of my holiday gifts a few days ago and I was super happy to find some natural beauty and home products! One of my friends got me some lotion, soy candles, lip balm and organic mint chocolate from a local store called Au Natural. She also gave me the store's business card so I could look up more info about them.

So I checked them out...although not all of their stuff is completely natural, they have a fair amount of products to choose from that are more "healthy" and natural. All of their products are handmade by local crafters and they are located in a cute little part of West Asheville. My favorite things, by far, are the soy candles. They come in tons and tons of different scents and they are huge! Awesome, right?!

~Am~

preserve products

Today Lu 'n Am would like to highlight a line of products who takes the philosophy "reduce, reuse and recycle" to the next level.

Preserve products philosophy is "nothing wasted nothing gained". The line of products which includes personal care items (toothbrushes and razors), kitchenware (cutting boards, colanders) and tableware (cutlery and plates) are all made with 100% recycled materials. The company's goal is to keep its products out of the landfill.

Preserve has a partnership with Stonyfield Farm to reuse their yogurt containers in their products. Reusing the plastic results in less resources (water, energy, oil, etc.) being used to produce their products. Less green house gases are also emitted in the environment.

Not only does Preserve use recycled plastic, they encourage their customers to recycle once they need to replace the item. I have purchased preserve toothbrushes for our whole family. Once they were worn, I was able to send them back to Preserve in a postage pre-paid envelope. They have a similar program with their razors. Talk about closing the loop - no waste!

Preserve products:

* are not tested on animals

* are made in the United States, working with US manufacturers

* do not contain toxic chemicals such as BPA

* uses clean energy and energy reduction measures at their office headquarters

* support local non-profit organizations

Next time you shop for personal care items, consider a purchase from Preserve. The website has a handy dandy shop search feature so you can find the nearest store that carries this eco-friendly line.

Cheers, Kimberly

Eco-Friendly Products of the Week

I apologize that I have been so behind on updating Lu n' Am (as you can see I am also behind in my laundry, Eli enjoys it though)., but I am glad Am and Kimberly are doing a better job than me. :) Hopefully, now that I am all settled in my new apartment with Mitchell & Eli...I will be posting more often.

Well, our apartment is finally coming together. Over Christmas I got lots of lovely gifts that have been very useful here at our wee home. Mitchell and I particularly enjoy these....(Well we don't really...enjoy...them...but we have to)

Biodegradable Poop Bags!

I believe my mom got us these from Target, but there are lots of options for biodegradable poop bags out there. We live in an apartment and little Eli no longer gets to roam free and duke & the owners be worry free. Our duty is to clean up after our puppy son and so It is silly to have to use plastic bags that are not biodegradable, especially considering these are used multiple times...daily. Anyways, these are great for pet owners who have this duty.

Another environmentally friendly useful product here at our apartment is the ECOVER all-purpose cleaner.
Straight from their website-

• effective cleaning with the power of nature
• safe for all washable surfaces
• fresh fragrance from plant based ingredients
• no chemical residue

• plant based ingredients
• quick and complete biodegradability
  (OECD-test 301F, full product)
• minimum impact on aquatic life
  (OECD-test 201 & 202, full product)
• no animal testing

Packaging Materials are 100% recyclable.

It smells deliciously fresh, does the job, and is all natural. I really recommend this cleaner.
Check out the link above for more of their products, their website is great, if only more companies followed their footsteps.



I will be posting more soon! I must do laundry.

-Lu

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~

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

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

working at the car wash [oh, oh ,oh]

This blog post idea is actually courtesy of Lu, but I thought I'd run with it since she hasn't been posting too much lately.

Washing cars...sigh. I wouldn't know anything about this since I don't own or even drive a car. But it seems that some people really, really like to have nice, clean, shiny cars.

(From Dave Gorman, via flickr.)

Washing cars requires lots of water. Big duh. But did you know that washing your car at home is actually a bigger environmental hazard than washing it at a car wash? Laser washes are actually required by law to recycle and reuse their water. So that water you use goes into a drain which then cycles the water again in the laser washes' system.

Washing it at home is bad because if you are using nasty products to wash your car then the run off from your washing can (and most likely will) seep into the ground. This will then travel to our water (streams, rivers, etc.). And this, in turn, pollutes our last remaining fresh water and pollutes the water that comes back to us in our homes.

The moral of this story: If you want to wash your car, do it a laser wash! But if you really have a hankering to do it at home then consider switching your cleaning products. There are, thankfully, green cleaning products out there. For instance - the Simple Green Car Wash.
~Am~

a christmas list - yes!

I've been on a creative/drawing tirade this week. And it has felt good! Part of this tirade has included me drawing things that I want to make for my loved ones for this upcoming seasonal holiday (i.e. Christmas!). I know it's kind of ridiculous to think about Christmas already but I know I'm not the only one who thinks ahead so far in advance! Trust me, I know there are plenty of you who would love to get things done at least a month in advance. And so would I, but the thing is that I usually never take the steps to get this business done in time. And now that I've gone off on some random rant...I'll get back to the point of this entry: the Christmas list. Here is what I have been doodling (if I had a camera I would have totally taken a picture of my thoughts):

Making a headband and embellishing it for the friend who loves...what else - headbands!
Making a wallet for someone who is in serious need of a new one. I think I want it to look something like this one.
Making a painting for someone who has requested this a looong time ago.
Making a to-do list that is handmade and hand-designed.

...A lot of "making," no?

Also, I have some friends/associates birthdays coming up and I have a few projects in mind for those peeps:

Making some paper, on my own, and stamping w/this excellent stamp I've created in my head.
Making two cards: one w/a big ole heart and one w/a kitty representing the birthday person's much-loved kitty.
Making some earrings for a friend who can never have enough jewelry.

(Some inspiration via Your Impact Matters.)

I intend on having a sustainable and green Christmas this year and by doing a whole lotta "making," I hope to achieve a Christmas where I keep away from plastic containers and generic presents.
~Am~