Urbano Eco Trash Can

March 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

One of my favorite stores ever is UncommonGoods.com. I can always find some really fun and interesting stuff there. Recently I tried the Urbano Eco Trash Can  from the Eco-Friendly Products section of Uncommon Goods and I am in love! I have trash can issues in my apartment, as the one I have hanging over a cabinet door isn’t big enough and I have no real place for a large standing can in my kitchen. I do have pets so I have to be conscious where I put a can so they don’t get into it or knock it over.  This has been an ongoing issue plaguing me ever since I moved into my new place.  The Urbano has afforded me some great opportunities to de-clutter and reuse bags that would otherwise be sitting in a cabinet making a mess.  Although I bring bags with me when I go shopping I do appreciate a reason to use the plastic bags I do accumulate.
The Urbano is the perfect size to fit in my kitchen right against the wall between my oven and one of my cabinets. I can open both without the Urbano being at risk of getting knocked over. I can make use of the plastic bags have and eliminate clutter in one of my cabinets from saving them. The Urbano fits a large amount of stuff in it which I kind of wasn’t expecting.   It isn’t a huge trash can but magically it holds 2 liter soda bottles, cans, plastic containers of different shapes and sizes (yes, I was using it for my recyclables). I tried to cram it with as much stuff as I could and not 1 thing fell out or even made the Urbano sides bulge. That being said I am not trying to say the Urbano holds the same amount as a huge garbage can but a single woman who eats pretty regularly, has 2 pets, cleans more than regularly, and recycles makes some trash and the Urbano is more than capable of handling my mess.

About The Urbano Eco Trash Can at Uncommon Goods: Winner of the 2005 Pratt Product Design Competition, designer Kevin McElroy’s clever trash can allows you to store and reuse the plastic bags that you collect from shopping in a neat, organized way. Simply loop trash bags around the cut-out sides and push them all the way down, creating a visual of stacked handles all along the side. When you are ready to use one, just move it up to the handles and hook so that it won’t fall in on itself. Made in the USA.

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RSVP International – Endurance Stemless Wine Glasses

December 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I received these as a gift for the holidays and am sooo in love! Stemless wine glasses are my favorite! In my eyes yo ucan never go wrong with giving party type gifts. RSVP International wine glasses are made of stainless steel making them green and sustainable. You can even recycle them if ever you need. Save 50% on the Eco Friendly Product of the Week at GreenCupboards.com. Shop Now!
Product Description: Limit 2 per customer. These wine glasses – minus the stem – are beautiful for serving red or white wine while holding the beverage’s temperature longer than glass or crystal. Made from 18/8 stainless steel with a beautiful satin finish exterior, mirror interior and 18-ounce capacity. Use them not only for wine, but also for juice and frozen drinks. Perfect for use at the poolside, on a boat, camping or on picnics! The glasses have an 18 oz. capacity, keep white wine chilled longer. They can be used not only for wine, but also for juice and frozen drinks. RSVP stemless wine glasses are dishwasher safe.
What Makes these Green (from the site)

Mission
RSVP International strives to make quality products that are eco-friendly, safe for culinary use and long-lasting.

Why Stainless Steel?
Stainless steel is rust resistant because of its chromium content. Since stainless steel doesn’t rust or corrode like other metals and because the metals in stainless steel (nickel, chromium, molybdenum) don’t leak into your food when heated, dented or scratched, stainless steel products are used and recommended by chefs all around world. Stainless steel is a durable metal that keeps its integrity longer than most other cooking materials so you can keep your cooking utensils longer while adding less to landfills. Although many people don’t know this, stainless steel is 100% recyclable unlike many other cooking materials. In fact, on average 60% of the metal in each stainless steel product is obtained from recycling. It can be melted down and recycled, while other materials usually get put into land fills due to a lack of recycling facilities or an inability to recycle certain materials.They make products that stand the test of time, reusability is essential.
RSVP recycles and composts at their manufacturing facility whenever possible, keeping cardboard boxes and paper out of landfills. They have a large container/crusher that they call Chewboxa. Once Chewboxa is full, it is taken to a local recycling center for processing. RSVP is also conscious of their use of plastic and paper in the packaging of products. They use as little as possible while still sufficiently protecting products from damage.
RSVP analyzes green trends in order to make eco-friendly products of the future, available now. For instance, RSVP has been making their stainless steel one gallon composter since 2000, long before composting was so popular.

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Depression Era Glass Earrings

September 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Recycled Glass Earrings

Recycled Glass Earrings

 

 

How adorable are these recycled glass earrings!?! I love the pattern in particular. Not that the pattern is anything very intricate but the simplicity is what makes me like them that much more. Recycled glass items in general have been interesting me more and more lately. I have been making some crafts of my own at home using recycled glass. I don’t know why exactly recycled glass has been catching my eye so often but these earrings are completely my style and the fact that they are recycled glass is only an added bonus.
If you don’t know what Depression Glass according to Wikipedia is clear or colored translucent glassware that was distributed free, or at low cost, in the United States and Canada around the time of the Great Depression. The Quaker Oats Company, and other food manufacturers and distributors, put a piece of glassware in boxes of food, as an incentive to purchase. Movie theaters and businesses would hand out a piece simply for coming in the door.
Most of this glassware was made in the central and mid-west United States, where access to raw materials and power made manufacturing inexpensive in the first half of the twentieth century. More than twenty manufacturers made more than 100 patterns, and entire dinner sets were made in some patterns. Common colors are clear (crystal), pink, pale blue, green, and amber. Less common colors include yellow (canary), ultra marine, jadeite (opaque pale green), delphite (opaque pale blue), cobalt blue, red (ruby & royal ruby), black, amethyst, monax, and white (milk glass).
Although of marginal quality, Depression glass has been highly collectible since the 1960s. Due to its popularity as a collectible, Depression glass is becoming more scarce on the open market. Rare pieces may sell for several hundred dollars. Some manufacturers continued to make popular patterns after World War II, or introduced similar patterns, which are also collectible. Popular and expensive patterns and pieces have been reproduced, and reproductions are still being made.
You can get a pair of your own recycled glass earrings or jewelry you can visit Shop to be Green. Shop to be Green tons of great recycled glass and pottery jewelry and items for your home.

Because I love these earrings so much I have decided to give a pair away so you can enjoy them as much as I do. Click here to enter to win a pair of your very own Depression Glass Earrings.  Good Luck and don’t forget to check out Shop to be Green for even more awesome items!!!

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Hopscotch Kids Nail Polish Review &Give Away Again

June 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Hopscotch Nail Pollish

Hopscotch Nail Polish

 

 

I love nail polish! I change mine all of the time and I really love making it my own. What I don’t like is the smell and chemicals that go into making nail polish. Even my pooches cringe when I am applying. This made me think about a few things, one being what about children? I know mom’s love making their little ones look extra cute by painting their finger and toe nails but are they considering what is actually in the polish might be harmful? I never really did until I went on a mission to find some non-toxic nailpolish brands.  I found Hopscotch Kids Nail polish at Nature’s Basin. Hopscotch Kids Nail Polish comes in 16 incredibly vibrant colors that are super fun!

I tried a bottle of the color Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater to see how it worked. I won’t lie I kind of thought the colors would need many coats to look as thick and vibrant as they do in the bottle but that wasn’t’ the case at all. The polish went on smoothly, the color was gorgeous. It was also easy to remove and didn’t stain my nails. I was glad I tried it. This is a brand we can all feel comfortable using. Hopscotch Kids Nail Polish is also made in the USA!! That is something you know I can get behind! To find Hopscotch and other great products visit Nature’s Basin. Free shipping on orders over $49 and free samples!

Product Description: This natural nail polish is the premier non-toxic, kid-friendly alternative to solvent-based nail polish. The water-based formula is free of the harsh, smelly chemicals that most nail polishes contain, helping condition your little one’s nails with long-lasting, salon quality vibrant color. Hopscotch Kids is free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, nitrocellulose, butyl and ethyl acetates, acetone, FD&C, coal tar and lake colors.

If you want to try your very own bottle of Hopscotch Kids Nail Polish click to enter here and read the contest rules! The contest ends on July 2nd so enter ASAP before it is gone.

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ECO Lunchbox Contest

May 2, 2012 By 1 Comment
ECOlunchbox Contest

ECOlunchbox Contest

 

 

I don’t know about you but I bring my lunch to work with me almost everyday. I don’t generally like to use plastic bags or disposable wrapping because it really is just a waste of time and packing. I prefer to use tupperware but after eating certain foods some of it stains or will always feel greasy no matter how many times I wash it, then I feel bad having to recycle it because it probably could be used more but I feel like it’s not clean.  Food containment is a constant struggle.  I was looking for some eco-friendly alternatives and I found ECO Lunchbox. I like the concept of stainless steal which does not retain odors, stains or residue. They are dishwasher safe (not microwave safe), non-toxic, non-leaching, unbreakable and easier to clean.  They are independently tested and found to be lead free.   I wanted to try ECO Lunchbox because stainless steal just seems like a cleaner way to go than plastic.
I have reused mine with many a different meal and after washing it is good as new. I bring it to work with me everyday. Nothing spills or drips (which happens to me often with my tupperwear).
ECO Lunchbox has tons of other styles including lunch bags, snack sacks, napkins, bags, utensils and my fave the lunch tray. I personally never liked the concept in school but now it seems so appealing. I am one who likes to segregate her food. Learn more about ECO Lunchbox here!

 

CONTEST!!!!

Since I loved my ECO Lunchbox  so much I decided to give away one as well. To enter click here. Once you have done that you must
Follow ECO Lunchbox on Twitter here
and The Green Beagle here.
Like Eco Lunchboxes. Once you have done that comment below that you have done all 3 and you are entered to win!
The contest ends on May 31st. The winner has 48 hours to send me your contact info and pay for shipping. If I do not hear from the winner in 48 hours the contest starts all over again!!
Good Luck and Thank you for participating!

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Grow Your Own Mushroom Kit

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The great folks at Eartheasy.com sent me a Grow Your Own Mushroom Kit to try and I think it is just about the coolest thing ever. Here are some pictures I took from day 1 to 6. It supposed to take 10 days but I think my mushrooms are doing soo well I had to show you.

Mushrooms Day 2

Mushrooms Day 2

Mushrooms Day 3

Mushrooms Day 3

Mushrooms Day 4

Mushrooms Day 4

Mushrooms Day 5

Mushrooms Day 5

Mushrooms Day 6

Mushrooms Day 6

In 6 days this is how much they have grown. All you have to do is keep them out of direct sunlight, spritz with water 2 times a day and watch them grow. Then when you are finished with 1 side. You can turn it around and the start on the other side!!

This is a great way to teach kids about plant care, gardening (albiet differently) and being responsible. This makes a cool gift even for an adult. I have been having so much fun. Every morning I wake up to see how different they look and before I go to bed. They grew so fast I almost couldn’t believe it.Eartheasy.com has some other really cool grow your own kits as well. Check them out here Eartheasy.com and on Twitter & Facebook to find more super cool items.

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SleepyTime Tonic

March 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
SleepyTime Tonic

Sleepytime Tonic

 

 

As I have mentioned a zillion times my house is full of pets and they are all rescues. I love them all and they are my life but sometimes rescuing an animal does require you to give them a little extra TLC. My animals are also super spoiled because the BF works from home and is with them every waking moment.
That being said the girls have horrendous separation anxiety. We have to lock our puppy in a crate when we leave because she eats holes in walls and furniture which is not good. Our older dog was abandoned in the first year of her life and was chained to a fence for a long period of time before she was rescued so she gets terribly nervous and scared when we leave and for a multitude of reasons when you haven’t left. We have tried training and different products to help but nothing really has worked.
I have written about Happy Tails Spa a few times and feel like I can trust their brand so I went searching to see what they had to help soothe my pooches. I found their Sleepytime Tonic and was excited to try it. I had tried other products like it before and they never really had an effect but I was determined to help my babies. I tried putting the drops directly in the pooches mouths but they didn’t seem to like that too much so I put a few drops on their Frosty Paws treats or in their water and that worked like a charm. I will say I didn’t notice an immediate change the first few times I used it but after a little while the girls definitely started to exhibit a calmer demeanor when we got home. I started giving our older dog a few drops when it would storm out because she really hates that and I have to say she hid under things much less and seemed less bothered by it over all.
I am extremely happy my pooches are having an easier time when we leave them and even happier our older dog seems more relaxed. I hate to see them sad.
Here is a little more about what Sleepytime Tonic does:
Sleepytime Tonic was developed to relax and calm an over-anxious dog. The blend of all natural ingredients address underlying predispositions and weaknesses which cause the anxiety. If you have a nervous dog, an overactive puppy or simply want to calm down a hyper hound Sleepytime will do the trick. It does not sedate your dog it simply calms them down.
To learn more about Sleepy Time Tonic and Happy Tails Spa click here! Don’t forget to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.  You don’t want to miss out on awesome stuff for your pet!

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Napa Soap Company

February 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Napa Soap Company

Napa Soap Company

 

I have written about Napa Soap Company before and just held a contest for some lucky greenie to win a sample set of their soaps that ended yesterday. I have a fragrance background from past jobs I have had and for some reason the sense of smell is really important to me when using products. I cannot stand over scented or artificial smelling products. It ruins the whole thing for me.
The Napa soaps I received were not only packaged beautifully (and not over packaged which is something I have been seeing lately much too often) but what I noticed immediately was the careful detail to the scent of the soaps. That is one of the most important elements to any good soap, in my opinion. The soaps looked so beautiful in their packaging I really didn’t even want to unwrap them.
I appreciate a green company that pays attention to detail. The Napa Soap Company website is great, their products are lovely and the prices are quite reasonable. They live up to their green practices which is also an extremely important to me when purchasing a green product. Overall, I am going to say that I am impressed with Napa Soap Company and will be sure to use their product in the future!
Have you ever tried Napa Soap products? If so tell me about them!

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Gateau Chocolate

January 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

cake boxGluten-Free Organic Chocolate Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say I haven’t tried too many gluten-free baked goods. I have tried some and haven’t been disappointed yet. I was looking for a cake to get for the bf because his birthday was coming up and I wanted to get something a little special. I found Gateau Chocolat when looking for Gluten Free Organic Cakes. I was excited because I knew he would love it if I got him a gluten-free organic dessert for his birthday. I must also add I think the website is cute. It is simple but the color combination and logo I like which is always a plus in my book when a business, especially a conscious one, has a well designed site/logo. I am put off otherwise because I feel if you can’t put an effort into your website or even logo what effort are you making for your product. Now granted there is only one item to choose in 2 different sizes I was completely fine with that.

I received the cake quickly and in a cute package (not a fan of styrofoam the cake came in and will admit I have no idea if it was made from recyclable materials or was some other kind of eco packaging, which is my fault). The bf was soo excited about the cake the packaging got forgotten about.
When we opened the cake everything was together and the packaging did help keep from any damage or shifting in transit which was good.
We cut up the cake which looked like a super rich brownie of sorts. I am not a fan of nuts so I personally wasn’t enthused about them being atop my cake. The photo shows almond slivers, the ones on my cake were more like coarsely chopped nuts that I think were almonds but I picked them off of my cake so I am not sure what they were.
I thought the cake was chocolaty and delish. The wafter-like bottom gave the cake some crunch too which was good. The bf however wasn’t really a fan. He said it was dry and didn’t really like it which 1. made me feel bad for getting him a cake he didn’t like but 2. made me ask myself if we at the same cake at all. I liked it, I didn’t think it was dry at all. I really liked it. I think it is a great gift for people who enjoy gluten-free and/or organic food.

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Twisted Limb Paperworks

October 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Twisted Limb Paperworks 100% Recycled Handmade Paper and Custom Invitations

I think I have mentioned before how I love writing letters and sending cards which isn’t the greenest of approaches to correspondence but I go out of my way to find the green-est stationary I can get my hands on. I do my part and send out actual stationary only when I need to express that personal touch that e-mail/e-cards cannot display.
While searching for some invitations for a family member’s upcoming baby shower I came across Twisted Limb Paperworks unique designs. Twisted Limb’s handmade paper is just as unique as the company. You should be happy to know that the paper is made here in the USA which is a quality I will never get enough of. The colors and texture are much more fun than you can find in boring old mass produced stationary. Just feel one sheet of Twisted Limb paper and you will immediately see a difference. You can see the care and love put into producing Twisted Limb products. This paper isn’t made for the sake of cutting down tree’s it is an alternative to a necessary evil that will probably plague the world for quite a few more years.

About Twisted Limb Products (you can read more about Twisted Limb Paperworks by clicking here):
■Eco-friendly: We want you to fall in love with any of our designs knowing that they have the highest environmental integrity possible. The paper we make and use is the very best from an environmental standpoint or we don’t carry it. Except for the eco-friendly vellum, which is 30% PCW recycled and processed chlorine-free (best available), all paper that you receive from Twisted Limb Paperworks is 100% PCW recycled and processed chlorine-free; most are also manufactured carbon-neutral. Learn more about our sustainable business practices.
■Artisan-crafted in the USA: Our handmade paper and invitations are carefully made from start to finish in our colorful carbon-neutral art studio in Bloomington, Indiana

If you must purchase stationary or have an event that requires invites do your part and support businesses that support our environment, better yet that support our environment and our country! Did I also mention that they support your wallet by not charging a million dollars for their beautiful products?? Twisted Limb Paperworks goes out of their way to make beautiful, high quality stationary for their customers so go out of your way to do the right thing and choose green! You don’t be disappointed.

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