Cards and Jewelry by Michele

Name: Michele
Shop Name: Cards and Jewelry by Michele: 10% goes to animal charities
Shop Link: http://mvegan5.etsy.com
Location: Israel and CA
Ships To: Everywhere

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? Vintage metal, plastic, and glass, and recycled paper blank cards.

What inspires you? My love and commitment to animals and nature inspires my work.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? About 2 years.

Is this a job for you or a hobby? Its about 1/2 of a job. I also teach art and English.

How did you get into your craft? I have been creating many forms of art since I was little. I went to art school for painting and art education, and the jewelry began while I was there as well.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? I think that having a clear, colorful shop is important, including sharp pictures. Its great to join teams that fit with your location, items, and personality. I love the teams I'm in, including the one that I founded and run; Etsy for Animals: Artists Helping Animals (efa). Check out our shop, where 100% goes to animal charities http://etsyforanimals.etsy.com I also belong to Etsy for Charity, which has a great shop giving 100% to charity http://etsyforcharity.etsy.com . Its great to become part of the community through teams, the forums, and friendly and prompt convos.

Colony Collapse Disorder

Source and Video: CLICK HERE

Did you know that every third bite of food we eat depends on bees for pollination? You might not have given much thought to the role honeybees play in our ecosystem. But fact is, 30% of the fruit- and vegetable-producing plants we rely on to feed our families need honeybee pollination to thrive. That’s why the mysterious disappearance of honeybees known as Colony Collapse Disorder is a critical environmental issue that must be understood and reversed for The Greater Good.

At Burt’s Bees, they hope to raise awareness about the disappearing honeybees with their public service announcement. Additionally, they are funding research to help find a solution. To learn more about research for Colony Collapse Disorder, visit Pollinator Partnership.

What is Colony Collapse Disorder?

Colony Collapse Disorder is the sudden die-off of honeybee colonies that has been occurring across the U.S. for several years now. The bee disappearance is so widespread that it is blamed for losses of up to 70% of the managed bee colonies in U.S. beekeeping operations. Estimates show that 23% of commercial beekeeping operations in the U.S, suffered from Colony Collapse Disorder in the winter of 2006-2007.

What can we do to prevent the bees from disappearing?

While the causes for Colony Collapse Disorder are unknown, we do know that forces like habitat destruction, misuse of pesticides, invasive species and global warming create risks to honeybees. That’s why Burt’s Bees is funding research by The Honeybee Health Improvement Project, which will focus on four critical areas

1. Breeding stock improvements
2. Best practices for commercial beekeeping
3. Promoting forage opportunities
4. Improving nutritional resources

With a well-respected team of researchers in place, the Project’s work will go a long way in preventing further outbreaks of Colony Collapse Disorder.

You can take action today and help make the planet a healthy place for bees. Simply sign up and we’ll send you a free packet of wildflower seeds that you can plant to give bees a healthy place to live in your neighborhood. We’ve also created a list of sites where you can search for local organic farmers who naturally create pesticide-free, bee-friendly environments while providing local communities with healthy fresh produce.

By saving the bees, we save a lot more than the bees.
Be involved. For The Greater Good.

Magenn Power Air Rotor System

Magenn Power's MARS is a Wind Power Anywhere™ solution with distinct advantages over existing Conventional Wind Turbines and Diesel Generating Systems including: global deployment, lower costs, better operational performance, and greater environmental advantages.

MARS is a lighter-than-air tethered wind turbine that rotates about a horizontal axis in response to wind, generating electrical energy. This electrical energy is transferred down the 1000-foot tether for immediate use, or to a set of batteries for later use, or to the power grid. Helium sustains MARS and allows it to ascend to a higher altitude than traditional wind turbines. MARS captures the energy available in the 600 to 1000-foot low level and nocturnal jet streams that exist almost everywhere. MARS rotation also generates the "Magnus effect" which provides additional lift, keeps the MARS stabilized, and positions it within a very controlled and restricted location to adhere to FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) & Transport Canada guidelines.

The Advantages of MARS over Conventional Wind Turbines: Wind Power Anywhere™ removes all placement limitations. Coast-line or off-shore locations are not necessary to capture higher speed winds. Reaching winds at 1,000-feet above ground level allow MARS to be installed closer to the grid. MARS is mobile and can be rapidly deployed, deflated, and redeployed without the need for towers or heavy cranes. MARS is bird and bat friendly with lower noise emissions and is capable of operating in a wider range of wind speeds - from 4 mph to greater than 60 mph.

The Advantages of a MARS combined Wind and Diesel Solution over a Diesel Generator-only solution: MARS can complement a diesel generator by offering a combined diesel-wind power solution that delivers power below 20 cents per kWh. This compares to a wide range of 25 cents to 99 cents per kWh for diesel-alone, reflecting the high fuel and transportation costs in remote areas. The MARS combined solution allows lower pollution and green house gas emissions. It also results in lower handling, transporting, and storage costs.

MARS Target Markets: Developing nations where infrastructure is limited or non existent; off-grid combined wind and diesel solutions for island nations, farms, remote areas, cell towers, exploration equipment, backup power & water pumps for natural gas mines; rapid deployment diesel & wind solutions (to include airdrop) to disaster areas for power to emergency and medical equipment, water pumps; on-grid applications for farms, factories, remote communities; and wind farm deployments.

Source: CLICK HERE

Jen1kanobi

Name: Jennifer Davis
Shop Name: Jen1kanobi
Shop Link: http://jen1kanobi.etsy.com

What materials do you use for your Trashion products? I love to use Outdated file folders, and cast off office materials of all kinds, I also use certain kinds of recyclable plastic containers (for shrink plastic) Sometimes i glean fabrics from old T-shirts, bed sheets, etc... I love finding cast off materials from all parts of my life and trying to “re-use” them, the oddest material I use is Orange peels, I cure them and sew them (like leather) but they harden up just like plastic

Why did you decide to make Trashion products? The “re-use” mentality has been a part of my life since I can remember, my Dad lives a kind of “penny pincher” life style, and I have a hard time throwing anything away that still has life in it... creating trashion items to sell on Etsy was a kind of natural progression for me

What inspires you? I have different inspiration for different things I make... My journals, and jewelry are all inspired by fun, and loving life, and joy, which is taught to me best by my 9 ½ year old son... my dolls and some of my photographic work is inspired by the deeper emotional bits of me that I can’t quite find a voice for any other way


How long have you had your shop on Etsy? since July 29, 2006 (wow... it’s been almost 2 years!)

Is this a job for you or a hobby? a bit of both I suppose... It started as a better reason to keep making things... a way to keep them moving from my hands out in to the world... I will make things no matter I suppose... i need to keep my hands busy, but I think that the only way to keep it successful is to look at it as a kind of job... to think with a bit of business sense and stay disciplined about shop up-keep...

How did you get into your craft? I started as a Photographer... got my Associates degree in that, and then went on to get my Bachelors of Fine Art in sculpture... but it is all really one bug excuse to keep making... when i finished school I started home schooling my son, and craft, smaller objects, and recycling became bigger parts of our lives

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? I often think I am not quite skilled enough to be giving advice... but I would say that lots of great photos go a long way, and posting often is the best bet for getting more traffic to your store... I think the struggle I’ve been fighting against is remembering that I make what I make because I love making it, not because it’s what I think will sell... it can be easy to lose sight of that some times... If you don’t love it it’ll never be worth it!

Anything else you would like to add? well, I guess Thank goodness for Etsy! and thank you for this delightful interview :)

Plastic Living

First video on Today's Show


Follow up Today's Show


A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLASTICS
Use the plus sign at the top of the screen to Zoom in

sHandke ART

Name: Shawna L Handke
Shop Name: sHandke ART
Shop Link: http://www.shandke.etsy.com/
Location: Boston, MA
Ships To: anywhere and everywhere

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products?
I try to use as many eco friendly products as possible for all of my artwork. Many of the materials that I use to create new drawings and paintings come from others’ trash. (I really enjoy looking in other people’s trash when they place it outside prior to trash pick up.) I also use materials that I salvage from my local freecycle groups or craigslist.

As far as what these materials actually are, they vary. I have used copy paper from a local retail store where they discard it simply because other people have scribbled on it. That’s when I was first inspired to begin my scribbles—sketches series. These scribbles—sketches are illustrations that are created from others’ scribbles, and the entire collection has begun evolving. Now, I’m creating rather large scribbles--sketches and hope to create an entire series of original drawings on rather large sheets of 100% Recycled French Paper. I also reuse any extra mat board for this same purpose. Another favorite material for my paintings include found wood, which I normally pick up before it ends up in the landfill. I also occasionally find old frames either in the trash or in some of my favorite thrift stores. There’s always something amazing that someone else seemingly believes is trash.

I also create envelopes from old catalogues and junk mail, but I like to use the best quality of paper that I can find for these projects. I shred junk mail and use it for packaging, and I also reuse the cardboard boxes that a friend of mine collects from her current source of employment. (She is a mechanical engineer, so the boxes that she collects from her company are heavy duty, and I have no worries when shipping my artwork.) I have recently taught myself to screen print, and I’m using recycled clothing that is in good condition or organic t-shirts from Alternative Apparel to create these screen prints.
Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products?
It’s a lifestyle decision. I feel like we need to make the most of our resources that we have at hand, rather than running out and buying something new every time we get the chance. I also really dislike seeing people discarding reasonably nice things. It makes me feel very disgruntled, as I know there are so many people in the world who have very little.

What inspires you?
People, Places, and Things

More specifically, the people who inspire me the most are the ones I’m closest to, so I would have to say my family and friends. My parents always inspired me, as they learned to make the most of what they had (or did not have). I grew up with three younger brothers, and we had a fairly small house. My dad added a large portion onto our house. He built the basement and framework himself. He scavenged the local dump for resources, such as the windows and other bits and pieces of wood. My parents did it all themselves, learning as they went along. And I realized then to value the things that others discarded and to find the new potential in them. My dad was also given the engines and mowers from others in the community and he restored them to working order. He was a natural DIY kind of guy, and he continually encouraged me to pursue my dreams. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing today!

As far as places and things are concerned, I truly enjoy observing every fragment that surrounds me. There continues to be beauty and newness in each new adventure. I attempt to observe and document the ways that I perceive all of my surroundings. Nature walks, coffee shops, and sitting in my apartment/studio and observing passers-by definitely inspire me. I try to take a sketchbook or a camera with me everywhere I go, so I can catch a glimpse of the bits and pieces of life that inspire me. And I continually find new music and other artists who also inspire me. Colors, lines, and sounds that surround me definitely influence the artwork that I create.


How long have you had your shop on Etsy?
I’ve had my etsy shop since March 7, 2006.

Is this a job for you or a hobby?
When I first opened my etsy shop, I just posted a few things to see if I could clear out some extra space, so I could create some new things. I didn’t expect to sell anything, but low and behold, I sold one of my paintings. Then, I was encouraged to create more, so began my passionate obsession to create something new everyday. About June 2007, I decided I wanted to make this hobby into more of a part-time job. Now, I have a plan in place and intend to turn this part-time job into something more. I want to make this into my career.

So, in response to your question, I thought it would just be a hobby when I first opened my etsy shop, but now I’m taking steps to make this into a career. After all, this is what I enjoy doing!

How did you get into your craft?
My art is a large part of my life, and it always has been. I don’t recall ever saying that I one day wanted to draw something. I just did it. My earliest memories as a child were times that I spent making things with my parents, flipping through catalogues that my grandma gave me, or coloring in my numerous coloring books. I also recall numerous hours my father would spend rebuilding something perfect out of another person's trash. I suppose I inherited that passion and drive to use repurposed materials with my artwork.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners?
Just keep creating. I strongly believe that the more often that you create something new, the more you develop your creativity. Take good photographs, and add new stuff often. And if you would like this to become a business, you need to develop a plan.

Anything else you would like to add?
If you want to see more of my artwork, visit my website at http://www.shawnahandke.com/. And if you want to see my artwork in progress and find any of my upcoming shows, my sHandke ART Journal is updated daily with new information.

I have art shows scheduled now through August, and I’m continually trying to find new places to show my artwork. This month, I actually have my artwork in one show, entitled the Green Art Exhibit. This show includes several artists who create using mostly “green” materials.

What is a Freegan?

Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed.

After years of trying to boycott products from unethical corporations responsible for human rights violations, environmental destruction, and animal abuse, many of us found that no matter what we bought we ended up supporting something deplorable. We came to realize that the problem isn't just a few bad corporations but the entire system itself.

Freeganism is a total boycott of an economic system where the profit motive has eclipsed ethical considerations and where massively complex systems of productions ensure that all the products we buy will have detrimental impacts most of which we may never even consider. Thus, instead of avoiding the purchase of products from one bad company only to support another, we avoid buying anything to the greatest degree we are able.

The word freegan is compounded from "free" and "vegan". Vegans are people who avoid products from animal sources or products tested on animals in an effort to avoid harming animals. Freegans take this a step further by recognizing that in a complex, industrial, mass-production economy driven by profit, abuses of humans, animals, and the earth abound at all levels of production (from acquisition to raw materials to production to transportation) and in just about every product we buy. Sweatshop labor, rainforest destruction, global warming, displacement of indigenous communities, air and water pollution, eradication of wildlife on farmland as "pests", the violent overthrow of popularly elected governments to maintain puppet dictators compliant to big business interests, open-pit strip mining, oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas, union busting, child slavery, and payoffs to repressive regimes are just some of the many impacts of the seemingly innocuous consumer products we consume every day.

Freegans employ a range of strategies for practical living based on our principles:

Waste Reclamation
We live in an economic system where sellers only value land and commodities relative to their capacity to generate profit. Consumers are constantly being bombarded with advertising telling them to discard and replace the goods they already have because this increases sales. This practice of affluent societies produces an amount of waste so enormous that many people can be fed and supported simply on its trash. As freegans we forage instead of buying to avoid being wasteful consumers ourselves, to politically challenge the injustice of allowing vital resources to be wasted while multitudes lack basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter, and to reduce the waste going to landfills and incinerators which are disproportionately situated within poor, non-white neighborhoods, where they cause elevated levels of cancer and asthma.

Perhaps the most notorious freegan strategy is what is commonly called "urban foraging" or "dumpster diving". This technique involves rummaging through the garbage of retailers, residences, offices, and other facilities for useful goods. Despite our society's sterotypes about garbage, the goods recovered by freegans are safe, useable, clean, and in perfect or near-perfect condition, a symptom of a throwaway culture that encourages us to constantly replace our older goods with newer ones, and where retailers plan high-volume product disposal as part of their economic model. Some urban foragers go at it alone, others dive in groups, but we always share the discoveries openly with one another and with anyone along the way who wants them. Groups like Food Not Bombs recover foods that would otherwise go to waste and use them to prepare meals to share in public places with anyone who wishes to partake.

By recovering the discards of retailers, offices, schools, homes, hotels, or anywhere by rummaging through their trash bins, dumpsters, and trash bags, freegans are able to obtain food, beverages, books, toiletries magazines, comic books, newspapers, videos, kitchenware, appliances, music (CDs, cassettes, records, etc.), carpets, musical instruments, clothing, rollerblades, scooters, furniture, vitamins, electronics, animal care products, games, toys, bicycles, artwork, and just about any other type of consumer good. Rather than contributing to further waste, freegans curtail garbage and pollution, reducing the over-all volume in the waste stream.

Lots of used items can also be found for free or shared with others on websites like Freecycle and in the free section of your local Craigslist. To dispose of useful materials check out the EPA's Materials and Waste Exchanges directory. In communities around the country, people are holding events like "Really, Really, Free Markets" and "Freemeets". These events are akin to flea markets with free items. People bring items to share with others. They give and take but not a dollar is exchanged. When freegans do need to buy, we buy second-hand goods which reduces production and supports reusing and reducing what would have been wasted without providing any additional funds for new production.

Waste Minimization
Because of our frequent sojourns into the discards our throwaway society, freegans are very aware of and disgusted by the enormous amounts of waste the average US consumer generates and thus choose not to be a part of the problem. So, freegans scrupulously recycle, compost organic matter into topsoil, and repair rather than replace items whenever possible. Anything unusable by us, we redistribute to our friends, at freemarkets, or using internet services like freecycle and craigslist.

Eco-Friendly Transportation
Freegans recognize the disastrous social and ecological impacts of the automobile. We all know that automobiles cause pollution created from the burning of petroleum but we usually don't think of the other destruction factors like forests being eliminated from road building in wilderness areas and collision deaths of humans and wildlife. As well, the massive oil use today creates the economic impetus for slaughter in Iraq and all over the world. Therefore, freegans choose not to use cars for the most part. Rather, we use other methods of transportation including trainhopping, hitchhiking, walking, skating, and biking. Hitchhiking fills up room in a car that would have been unused otherwise and therefore it does not add to the overall consumption of cars and gasoline.

Some freegans find at least some use of cars unavoidable so we try to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels by using cars with desiel engines converted to run on “greisel” or "veggie-oil" literally fueling our cars with used fryer oil from restaurants - another example of diverting waste for practical use. Volunteer groups are forming everywhere to assist people in converting diesel engines to run on vegetable oil.

Rent-Free Housing
Freegans believe that housing is a RIGHT, not a privilege. Just as freegans consider it an atrocity for people to starve while food is thrown away, we are also outraged that people literally freeze to death on the streets while landlords and cities keep buildings boarded up and vacant because they can’t turn a profit on making them available as housing.

Squatters are people who occupy and rehabilitate abandoned, decrepit buildings. Squatters believe that real human needs are more important than abstract notions of private property, and that those who hold deed to buildings but won’t allow people to live in them, even in places where housing is vitally needed, don’t deserve to own those buildings. In addition to living areas, squatters often convert abandoned buildings into community centers with programs including art activities for children, environmental education, meetings of community organizations, and more.

Going Green
We live in a society where the foods that we eat are often grown a world away, over processed, and then transported long distances to be stored for too long, all at a high ecological cost. Because of this process, we've lost appreciation for the changes in season and the cycles of life but some of us are reconnecting to the Earth through gardening and wild foraging.

Many urban ecologists have been turning garbage-filled abandoned lots into verdant community garden plots. In neighborhoods where stores are more likely to carry junk food than fresh greens, community gardens provide a health food source. Where the air is choked with asthma inducing pollutants, the trees in community gardens produce oxygen. In landscapes dominated by brick, concrete, and asphalt, community gardens provide an oasis of plants, open spaces, and places for communities to come together, work together, share food, grow together, and break down the barriers that keep people apart in a society where we have all become too isolated from one another.

Wild foragers demonstrate that we can feed ourselves without supermarkets and treat our illnesses without pharmacies by familiarizing ourselves with the edible and medicinal plants growing all around us. Even city parks can yield useful foods and medicines, giving us a renewed appreciation of the reality that our sustenance comes ultimately not from corporate food producers, but from the Earth itself. Others take the foraging lifestyle even farther, removing themselves from urban and suburban concepts and attempting to "go feral" by building communities in the wilderness based on primitive survival skills.

Working Less / Voluntary Joblessness
How much of our lives do we sacrifice to pay bills and buy more stuff? For most of us, work means sacrificing our freedom to take orders from someone else, stress, boredom, monotony, and in many cases risks to our physical and psychological well-being.

Once we realize that it's not a few bad products or a few egregious companies responsible for the social and ecological abuses in our world but rather the entire system we are working in, we begin to realize that, as workers, we are cogs in a machine of violence, death, exploitation, and destruction. Is the retail clerk who rings up a cut of veal any less responsible for the cruelty of factory farming than the farm worker? What about the ad designer who finds ways to make the product palatable? How about the accountant who does the grocery’s books and allows it to stay in business? Or the worker in the factory that manufacturers refrigerator cases? And, of course, the high level managers of the corporations bear the greatest responsibility of all for they make the decisions which causes the destruction and waste. You don't have to own stock in a corporation or own a factory or chemical plant to be held to blame.

By accounting for the basic necessities of food, clothing, housing, furniture, and transportation without spending a dime, freegans are able to greatly reduce or altogether eliminate the need to constantly be employed. We can instead devote our time to caring for our families, volunteering in our communities, and joining activist groups to fight the practices of the corporations who would otherwise be bossing us around at work. For some, total unemployment isn’t an option — it’s far harder to find free dental surgery than a free bookcase on the curb — but by limiting our financial needs, even those of us who need to work can place conscious limits on how much we work, take control of our lives, and escape the constant pressure to make ends meet. But even if we must work, we need not cede total control to the bosses. The freegan spirit of cooperative empowerment can be extended into the workplace as part of worker-led unions like the Industrial Workers of the World.

For additional definitions of freeganism, click here.

Source: CLICK HERE

Luscious Naturals

Name: Cassidy
Shop Name: Luscious Naturals
Shop Link: http://LusciousNaturals.etsy.com
What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? Only the purest, natural ingredients--high quality oils (olive, coconut, safflower, sesame) and butters (shea, kokum, cocoa), sugar (only *vegan*), salts, botanicals, and essential oils. I try to buy organic and/or local where possible.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? I've been hyper-aware of the impact we have on the environment since I began researching the ethical issues behind veganism. Once you know the truth, you can't hide from it!

What inspires you? I'm inspired by the power of the earth... this planet is responding to us and the way we have treated it--I'm in inspired by the smells, colors, and textures of nature. I'm inspired by herbalism, aromatherapy, energy work and the teachers of these arts. I am inspired everyday when I wake up and think about my life, I'm doing what I love... and I'm passionate about it.
How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I have only had my shop on Etsy since Feb. 2008.
Is this a job for you or a hobby? This is my job... how cool is that? =)

How did you get into your craft? Well, I've been using my products at home for years... I decided to take the plunge and start a business--to share my products and the information I've gathered with others... I decided that I wanted to do something meaningful to me, something I care about. I would share my creations with my family and friends--when they started requesting more, I knew I should keep at it!

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Think long and hard about not just what you want FROM your craft, but what you can GIVE to it... What is your philosophy? Ask yourself WHY you're doing this... if you're comfortable with your answers, then start doing the background work (research, sourcing, planning, etc.)--above all, have patience.

Anything else you would like to add? I advocate being an educated consumer and speaking with your buying power... We can't rely on others to make the best decisions for us, our families, or the earth--know what you're supporting when you spend money, on food--on clothes--on anything! Money speaks, so use that to make a statement about what is important to you.

The Conference Bike

Daisy Wares

Name:Roni Seabury

Shop Name:Daisy Wares

Shop Link: http://www.daisywares.etsy.com
Location: Berkeley, CA
Ships To: US, Canada and Europe

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? All of my jewelry and bath & body products are vegan. I never use any animal by-products. Factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to Global Warming and after I learned all about how cruel factory farming is I vowed never to use any animal by-products again. My bath and body products are all natural. I reuse wrapping and boxes etc. when I ship my products out. I bought glass jars to put my bath salts and facial scrubs in but I started to gather jars of jelly I had finished and thought I could re-purpose those for shipping. I'm trying to recycle and re-purpose as much as possible.
Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? I have been a vegetarian since 1984 and vegan since 2007 so making ECO friendly products was not hard for me to do and was a no brainer. I have always been interested in the prevention of Global Warming and an animal activist so this comes second nature to me.

What inspires you? I donate 10% of my sales to The Animal Place. They are a wonderful organization in Vacaville, CA that rescues farm animals from abuse and neglect. I am inspired by them from all their selflessness and humanity to raise as much money as I can for them so they can continue what they are doing because animal welfare means the world to me.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I have been on Etsy since October 2007. Which is around the same time I started my business Daisy Wares.

Is this a job for you or a hobby? I do have a "9 to 5" job and then I come home and start making jewelry and bath products. I would like to call it a hobby but since I have a business license I guess I have to call it a job but it's a great job to have.


How did you get into your craft? I went to a craft party. I was knitting a scarf and everyone else was making jewelry. It looked so fun that I took a few classes and here I am. Same with the bath and body products. I had bought some vegan body scrub and read the ingredients, so I started playing around and mixing this ingredient with that ingredient and came up with some very good products such as lip balm and perfume.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Promote Promote Promote all over the place. Stand behind your work and be proud! Do it for a reason and a reason that could change this world for the better.

Anything else you would like to add? Please be my friend at:
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/daisywares
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisywares/
Blog: http://www.daisywares.blogspot.com

Beer Fridges are Bad-Get rid of them

Getting rid of vintage “beer fridges” – secondary fridges which many North American and Australian homes boast – could have a significant impact on household greenhouse gas emissions, suggests a new study.

Beer fridges are additional fridges that are generally used to keep beer and other drinks cold on top of a household’s primary fridge for food. One in three Canadian households has a second fridge, many of which are ageing, energy-guzzling models, according to Denise Young, a researcher at the University of Alberta, Canada.

Young suggests that getting rid of older models, in Canada at least, would have an impact on energy usage. Her study analyses industry data and the results of a national survey to look at the environmental effects of having beer fridges in Canada.

"People need to understand the impact of their lifestyles," says Joanna Yarrow, director of Beyond Green, a sustainable development consultancy in the UK. "Clearly the environmental implications of having a frivolous luxury like a beer fridge are not hitting home. This research helps inform people – let's hope it has an effect".

High demands

The survey that Young analysed was commissioned by Natural Resources Canada and suggests that 30% of households have two or more refrigerators. About 20% of secondary fridges are older models that are kept after the household buys a newer model as their primary refrigerator.

Having a second fridge for cooling drinks means more demand for electricity, and this demand is even worse when the second fridge is an older model.

The Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association estimates that typical 1985 refrigerator models use 1060 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per year, while a 1975 model uses 1580 kWh per year. In contrast, more recent and energy-efficient models can use as little as 380 kWh per year.

The survey shows that in 2003 about 65% of beer fridges were more than 10 years old. About 30% were at least twice that age.

Using the survey's information on the distribution of beer fridges and the data on energy consumption, Young calculated that the 65% of beer fridges that are 10 years or older consume 1165.7 million kWh of energy each year – roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 100,000 average US suburban homes.

By abandoning beer fridges altogether, Canada's 11.5 million households could save 3500 million kWh each year, says Young.

Class divide

Young also found that low-income families were less likely to retire their old refrigerators to the garage to store drinks after buying a new model. She says this is probably because these households find the cost of running an additional fridge (up to $150 per year) too high.

She concludes that middle- to high-income families should be targeted by campaigns to remove old secondary refrigerators. Existing schemes encourage people to buy new more energy-efficient fridges by offering financial bonuses for each purchase – sometimes with a cash-back offer for handing in older fridges.

Young warns, however, that "these financial incentives may also induce a household to purchase a new unit earlier than they would have otherwise done so", which can actually encourage people to keep a second fridge.

Instead, Young supports government-run "round-ups" offering to pick up and dispose of old refrigerators. A 2006 study commissioned by the Ontario Power Authority showed that such programmes have been successful in the past, especially when they are boosted by information on how much money and energy can be saved by getting rid of the beer fridge.

But environmental effect of beer fridges depends on the source of electricity. "In Canada, there are major regional differences," notes Young. "In places where hydroelectric power is used, the greenhouse gas emissions are negligible. In places where coal or natural gas are used, the impacts can be substantial."

She calculates that a 1975 fridge in British Columbia – where most electricity comes from hydropower – is responsible for a negligible increase in emissions. But the same fridge in Alberta, where electricity is primarily generated from natural gas and coal, would be responsible for 1.4 tons of greenhouse gases every year.

Journal reference: Energy Policy (DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2007.09.034)

Climate Change – Want to know more about global warming: the science, impacts and political debate? Visit our continually updated special report.

Energy and Fuels – Learn more about the looming energy crisis in our comprehensive special report.

A Job Well Done

Nothing can compare to the satisfaction you receive from a job well done. When the problems have been solved and the difficult tasks have been completed, you know without a doubt that you've created something of real value.

Any difficult challenge can seem a bit overwhelming when you first encounter it. Yet as you begin to work on it, you transform it from overwhelming to fulfilling.

The confidence you gain from a job well done cannot be obtained in any other way. And that confidence will still be with you long after the work has been completed.

The real value of accomplishment is not in the having. It is in the doing.

Success is a state of mind, and the most reliable way to reach that state of mind is by working through a meaningful challenge. What a blessing it is that there is always work to be done.

Step willingly forward and take on those tasks that you know will make a difference. And enjoy the continuing benefits that flow from a job well done.

-- Ralph Marston CLICK HERE

Al Gore Update

A Fridge that uses no Electricity!

Categories

Energy solutions

Practical Health

This is incredible idea is an extension of the pottery water cooling vessels used though the millennia.

Chris Gupta

Cool: Fridge Without Using Electricity!

This is Mohammed Bah Abba's Pot-in-pot invention. In northern Nigeria, where Mohammed is from, over 90% of the villages have no electricity. His invention, which he won a Rolex Award for (and $100,000), is a refrigerator than runs without electricity.

Here's how it works. You take a smaller pot and put it inside a larger pot. Fill the space in between them with wet sand, and cover the top with a wet cloth. When the water evaporates, it pulls the heat out with it, making the inside cold. It's a natural, cheap, easy-to-make refrigerator.

So, instead of perishable foods rotting after only three days, they can last up to three weeks. Obviously, this has the potential to change their lives. And it already has -- there are more girls attending school, for example, as their families no longer need them to sell food in the market.

Arnold Williams from hathaby.net commented on this in his weblog. He said:

QUOTE
Brilliant ideas don't need to be difficult to execute: here's a case in point. The technology has been known for centuries, but WASN'T APPLIED TO THE PROBLEM. Notice that applying technology also has the effect of educating young people.

DavaEva Designs

name: Maija Bowens
shop: DavaEva Designs
shop link: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5535960
location: I am located in Northern Indiana, US
ships to: currently I ship to the US. I have never shipped internationally before but I sure would be willing to try!

materials used: I use plastic recycled grocery bags to make my rugs, and yarn. I also make my iron-on patches with rescued denim I have salvaged.

why do I do what I do? well frankly it was completely by accident that I started making these rugs. I wanted to make everyone a Christmas gift one year and saw the idea on a craft show. So I made some and everyone liked them so much that I've been making them ever since. Its an easy enough material to get and use, besides dont these bag deserve to have a better life?!

How long on Etsy? I found Etsy in Janurary of this year, 2008, but I only started selling in the end of March. It's has been a great experience so far!

job or hobby? hummm... thats a good question. I'd have to say a hobby but I am trying to make it a job.

get into craft? I can remember my Grandma teaching me to crochet when I was a child but I never did anything with it. Then I was expecting my first child and I wanted him to have a keepsake so I made him a blanket. And I am still crocheting 15 years later.

Do I have advice? Well I was hoping to get some advice for myself. The one thing I keep hearing though is to have patience.

anything else? Well the only thing I could think to add would be something like "Creativity Doesn't Do The Dishes but Don't use paper plates either!"

Dont Ban HUGS!

ECO friendly War?

100 Ways you can Improve the Earth!

In your home—conserve energy
1. Clean or replace air filters on your air
conditioning unit at least once a
month.
2. If you have central air conditioning, do
not close vents in unused rooms.
3. Lower the thermostat on your water
heater to 120°.
4. Wrap your water heater in an
insulated blanket.
5. Turn down or shut off your
water heater when you will
be away for extended periods.
6. Turn off unneeded lights
even when leaving a room
for a short time.
7. Set your refrigerator temperature
at 36° to 38° and
your freezer at 0° to 5°.
8. When using an oven, minimize door
opening while it is in use; it
reduces oven temperature by 25° to 30°
every time you open the door.
9. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after
every load so that it uses less energy.
10. Unplug seldom used
appliances.
11. Use a microwave whenever
you can instead of a
conventional oven or
stove.
12. Wash clothes with warm
or cold water instead of
hot.
13. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for
summer and winter operations as
recommended.
14. Turn off lights, computers and other
appliances when not in use.
15. Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star label; old
refrigerators, for example, use up to
50% more electricity than newer
models.
16. Only use electric appliances when you
need them.
17. Use compact fluorescent light
bulbs to save money and
energy.
18. Keep your thermostat at 68°
in winter and 78° in summer.
19. Keep your thermostat higher
in summer and lower in
winter when you are away
from home.
20. Insulate your home as best as you can.
21. Install weather stripping around all
doors and windows.
22. Shut off electrical equipment in the
evening when you leave work.
23. Plant trees to shade your home.
24. Shade outside air conditioning units by
trees or other means.
25. Replace old windows with energy
efficient ones.
26. Use cold water instead of warm or hot
water when possible.
27. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
28. Buy green electricity - electricity produced
by low - or even zero-pollution
facilities (NC Greenpower for North
Carolina - www.greenpower.com).
In your home—reduce toxicity
29. Eliminate mercury from
your home by purchasing
items without mercury,
and dispose of items
containing mercury at an
appropriate drop-off facility
when necessary (e.g., old
thermometers).
30. Learn about alternatives to
household cleaning items
that do not use hazardous
chemicals.
31. Buy the right amount of
paint for the job.
32. Review labels of household cleaners
you use. Consider alternatives like
baking soda, scouring pads, water or
a little more elbow grease.
33. When no good alternatives exist to a
toxic item, find the least amount required
for an effective, sanitary result.
34. If you have an older home, have paint
in your home tested for lead. If you
have lead-based paint, cover it with
wall paper or other material instead
of sanding it or burning it off.
35. Use traps instead of rat and mouse
poisons and insect killers.
36. Have your home tested for radon.
37. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs
instead of mothballs.
In your yard
38. Avoid using leaf blowers and other
dust-producing equipment.
39. Use an electric lawnmower
instead of a
gas-powered one.
40. Leave grass clippings
on the yard—they
decompose and
return nutrients to
the soil.
41. Use recycled wood
chips as mulch to keep weeds down,
retain moisture and prevent erosion.
42. Use only the required amount of
fertilizer.
43. Minimize pesticide use.
44. Create a wildlife habitat in your yard.
45. Water grass early in the morning.
46. Rent or borrow items like
ladders, chain saws, party
decorations and others
that are seldom used.
47. Take actions that use non
hazardous components
(e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds
in a garden instead of using pesticide).
48. Put leaves in a compost heap instead
of burning them or throwing them
away. Yard debris too large for your
compost bin should be taken to a
yard-debris recycler.
In your office
49. Copy and print on both sides of paper.
50. Reuse items like envelopes, folders
and paper clips.
51. Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail
instead of an envelope.
52. Set up a bulletin board for memos
instead of sending a copy to each
employee.
53. Use e-mail instead of paper
correspondence.
54. Use recycled paper.
55. Use discarded paper
for scrap paper.
56. Encourage your school
and/or company to
print documents with
soy-based inks, which
are less toxic.
57. Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of
a disposable cup.Ways you can protect our air
58. Ask your employer to consider
flexible work schedules or
telecommuting.
59. Recycle printer cartridges.
60. Shut off electrical equipment in the
evening when you leave work.
61. Report smoking
vehicles to your
local air agency.
62. Don’t use your
wood stove or
fireplace when
air quality is poor.
63. Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires.
They produce the largest amount of
pollution.
64. Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner
than green wood.
65. Use solar power for home and water
heating.
66. Use low-VOC or water-based paints,
stains, finishes and paint strippers.
67. Purchase radial tires and keep them
properly inflated for your vehicle.
68. Paint with brushes or rollers instead of
using spray paints to minimize
harmful emissions.
69. Ignite charcoal barbecues with an
electric probe or
other alternative to
lighter fluid.
70. If you use a wood
stove, use one sold
after 1990. They are
required to meet
federal emissions
standards and are more efficient and
cleaner burning.
71. Walk or ride your bike instead of
driving, whenever possible.
72. Join a carpool or vanpool to get to
work.Ways to use less water
73. Check and fix any water leaks.
74. Install water-saving
devices on your faucets
and toilets.
75. Don’t wash dishes with
the water running
continuously.
76. Wash and dry only full
loads of laundry and
dishes.
77. Follow your community’s
water use restrictions or guidelines.
78. Install a low-flow shower head.
79. Replace old toilets with new ones that
use a lot less water.
80. Turn off washing machine’s water
supply to prevent leaks.
Ways to protect our water
81. Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as
soon as possible.
82. Never dump anything down a storm
drain.
83. Have your septic tank pumped and
system inspected regularly.
84. Check your car for oil or other leaks,
and recycle motor oil.
85. Take your car to a car wash instead of
washing it in the driveway.
86. Learn about your watershed.
Create less trash
87. Buy items in bulk from loose bins
when possible to reduce the
packaging wasted.
88. Avoid products with several layers of
packaging when only one is
sufficient. About 33% of what we
throw away is packaging.
89. Buy products that you can reuse.
90. Maintain and repair durable products
instead of buying new ones.
91. Check reports for products that are
easily repaired and have low
breakdown rates.
92. Reuse items like bags and containers
when possible.
93. Use cloth napkins instead of paper
ones.
94. Use reusable plates and utensils
instead of disposable ones.
95. Use reusable containers to store food
instead of aluminum foil and cling
wrap.
96. Shop with a canvas bag
instead of using paper
and plastic bags.
97. Buy rechargeable batteries
for devices used frequently.
98. Reuse packaging cartons
and shipping materials. Old
newspapers make great packaging
material.
99. Compost your vegetable scraps.
100. Buy used furniture - there is a
surplus of it, and it is much cheaper
than new furniture.

A Low impact Woodland Home

You HAVE TO SEE THIS!

CLICK HERE

Homemade Compost

I will be potting peppermint plants( it keeps away the mosquitoes!) soon and would not like to spend money on dirt from the store. So what do I do?

Composting with Coffee?
Source: CLICK HERE

Coffee grounds can provide a valuable source of nutrition for your garden if used properly. The proper amount to be used depends on the condition of the soil and, more specifically, what you are growing in your garden. Check with your local gardening expert to see what is best for your situation. Here are a few general tips.

Applying coffee grounds directly in the garden Coffee grounds can be applied along with other materials as a side dressing for vegetables, roses, and other plants. Coffee grounds are high in nitrogen, but are also acidic. Adding brown material such as leaves and dried grass to the mulch will help keep a balanced soil pH.

Mixing coffee grounds in your compost Coffee grounds act as a green material with a carbon-nitrogen (C-N) ratio of 20-1. They make an excellent addition to your compost. Combined with browns such as leaves and straw, coffee grounds generate heat and will speed up the composting process.

Composting Recipe
Source: CLICK HERE

Composting, the natural breakdown of dead plant and animal tissues into soil, is one of the easiest, most natural processes there is. It has been going on without human help for millions of years.

Backyard composting is a great way to conserve the energy it takes to haul your yard trimmings away. You can then spread the finish product on the soil to make it richer in organic matter.

Although it takes a few seasons to go
from fall leaves to soil you can speed it up considerably to deal with
your large leaf pile.

First, youʼll need an enclosure - the easiest one to make is from 36"
tall, 2" by 4" welded wire fencing, available at your local hardware
store. A 4' wide enclosure requires about 12 1/2 ft. (you can get 4
enclosures out of a 50' roll, preventing waste). When the fencing is cut
leave the wires “long“ on one end. Youʼll form the fencing into a circle
and the long wires can be bent to hook onto the other end of the fencing,
holding it all together.

COMPOST RECIPE
After you make your enclosure, you’ll need some ingredients to start the pile. Add them layer by layer, mixing
as you can. Here’s what you’ll need:
1. Brown material (leaves, hay, dry matter) - this cellulose material is the carbohydrate or “energy” food
for the compost micro-organisms, who digest it to get the energy for their work. Most of the brown material
leaves the pile as carbon dioxide. Use a mower or a shredder to grind the brown material into smaller pieces -
this will increase their surface area and speed of the decomposition. Because wood chips and sticks take a long
time to decay, they might be better used as mulch or composted separately.

2. Green material (grass, vegetable waste, manure, fertilizer) - this material contains nitrogen compounds
that are important in the growth of the micro-organisms. The green material can produce odors in compost
piles if allowed to clump together, so layer the ingredients and mix with your fork. Lacking fresh grass or
manure, mix in 1/2 of a 50 lb. bag of ground alfalfa fertilizer to each bin of fall leaves.

3. Soil or old compost - is full of micro-organisms that act similar to yeast in the making bread or yogurt -
just a little bacteria to kick off the process! Although composting will work without the addition of soil or old
compost it helps the process go faster.

4. Water (to a damp sponge consistency). It’s very important to have adequate moisture inside the compost
pile - many piles suffer from being too dry. Water and stir the pile as you build it. Leaves are like shingles
and prevent water from reaching all the material. To keep the pile moist you can line the wire bin with black
plastic. This speeds up the process a lot and will help you keep up if you have a lot of trees. Bear in mind that
piles can get too wet - you might need to cover the compost during rainy periods.

5. Air. Oxygen is required for the “slow fire” called composting. Without air, any biological activity will be
severely limited and a shift to unhealthy bacteria may occur. Putrefication can also occur when too much fresh
green matter is added and not mixed well with the other materials.
Mix all these ingredients and turn as you can - a hay fork (the fork with thin tines) is a good tool to do this.
If the pile is cool but hasn’t turned to humus yet, it needs to be turned. A well built compost pile can get
quite hot, killing weed seeds and pathogens in manure. To turn the pile, unhook the wires holding it together.
Reform the wire circle next to the existing pile which should hold its shape. Use the fork to move the pile into
the newly formed space adding new material as you like. Moisten with the hose if needed.

More Links

Building a Box for your Compost
CLICK HERE

Why make a Compost
CLICK HERE

How to Compost
CLICK HERE

Tips for Kids
CLICK HERE

Spoil your Garden
CLICK HERE

Earth Day

Earth Day is Here! What will you be doing today? I have heard some people will be turning off all the electricity in their home for an hour, I think I can do that! I will just flip all the breakers off. We wont get a chance to plant a tree today but we will be planting one by the end of the month.

Did you know that 90% of the life of your electronics is used up by the little lights that stay on when you are not using them? I have all of mine (TV, Radio, Nintendo, Wii, Super Nintendo, VCR, DVD player, and Playstation 2) all hooked to a strip cord and when my oldest son and husband are not home and when we go to bed, I will flip the strip cord off. This saves all the energy that gets used by those lights that stay on and extends the lives of my electronics, which means Ill keep them longer, so less waste!

Hmmm, what else can we talk about today? My friend checked my reusable water bottle yesterday and saw that it was a number 7. This type of plastic is not harmful but you can not recycle it. ( I blogged about this water bottle in an earlier blog and posted a picture. This water bottle came from Target and supports Breast Cancer Awareness) So I contacted two different Breast Cancer Awareness sites and brought this to their attention via email. We shall see if we hear anything back.

I have decided to stop drinking soda and I have a ton of coke bottles saved up to recycle, I will make my husband take those back on his lunch. It is beautiful out today so we are still holding off on putting in the air conditioners. I will blog later today but you wont see me for at least the hour I have everything turned off. Ive got to warn my husband though, because if he tries to call us from work to check on us he wont be able to get through.

HAPPY EARTHDAY!

ThreadBeaur

Name: Carrie
Shop Name: ThreadBeaur
Shop Link: http://threadbeaur.etsy.com
Location: Homewood, il
Ships To:
USA and Canada, request shipping quote everywhere else.

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products?
I use all reclaimed fabric. From sheets, to drapes, to tableclothes.
My favorite thing is to go in to the thrift stores and look for material. From sheets that no longer have a bed to lay on or drapes that have no windows to cover, I will take those long forgotten treasures, and make them new again.
Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products?
Frankly, I am tired of looking at the plastic bags stuck in trees. I thought I would start making cloth bags for myself and my family to take shopping. They worked out so nicely that I put one up for sale on Etsy. These cloth bags are a great alternative to the plastic bags, since my pattern was cut from a plastic bag. The reason behind the reclaimed fabric is simple, I saw an endless supply of fun fabric. The material that I buy is no longer appreciated in its original form. I take my thrift store fabric finds and wash them, dry them and admire their beauty... then I slice them to pieces. The goal being a beautiful cloth grocery bag, one that you can use over and over.


What inspires you? The idea that the world would be a better place with less plastic bags. And a commitment to become part of the solution to cleaning the environment.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I have been on Etsy since July of 2007, but the shopping bags started in January of 2008.

Is this a job for you or a hobby? This is a hobby that has turned into a mission. A mission to make the world a better place for everyone one bag at a time.

How did you get into your craft? I have been sewing for as long as I can remember. My mom taught me when I was very young. The idea of cloth shopping bags is no new idea, I am just refreshing the idea with reclaimed fabric.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Love what you do!

NBC Universal goes green across networks

This is happening this week so stay tuned to NBC for Green Efforts and Information.

Knowledge is POWER.

To read the article
CLICK HERE

Bisphenol A is not Not Recycleable

Reducing exposure to BPA

To reduce exposure to Bisphenol, NIEHS suggests:

• Don't microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. BPA is strong and durable, but over time it may break down from over use at high temperatures.
• Avoid plastic containers with the #7 on the bottom.
• Don't wash polycarbonate plastic containers in the dishwasher with harsh detergents.
• Reduce your use of canned foods. Eat fresh or frozen foods.
• When possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
• Consider alternatives to products that contain BPA, such as PETE (polyethylene terephthalate, ID code #1).
• Use infant formula bottles that are BPA free and look for toys that are labeled BPA-free.

Plastic containers

Plastic containers with the recycling #7 on the bottom. This is the “other” category of plastic for materials that don't qualify for numbers 1 through 6. Recycling centers cannot recycle plastic #7. Some #7 plastics contain Bisphenol and some don't. Aside from the fact that bisphenol-containing plastics are hard and shatter-proof, it's impossible to know for certain whether a #7 plastic contains Bisphenol.

Information about Bisphenol A (BPA) on the Internet Bisphenol A (BPA) Update (April 20, 2008) The National Institutes of Health on April 15th released a draft of its conclusions about BPA, expressing concern over the safety of the chemical. The public can submit comments. (For more details, see below.) Health Canada on April 18th announced a 60 day public comment period on whether to ban the importation, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles which contain bisphenol A. Nalgene Outdoor Products on April 18th announced that it will phase out production of its Outdoor line of Nalgene polycarbonate containers that include BPA. Wal-Mart on April 17th announced that it will stop selling baby bottles with BPA by early next year. For more information: CLICK HERE

Think You Can Live Without Plastic?

One writer chronicles the ubiquity of plastic products in daily life.

by Jill Neimark

Also see DISCOVER's new feature article on the investigation into the dangers of plastics.

How do I love thee, plastic? Let me count the ways. I wake up and glance at my plastic digital cable box to check the time. I go to the bathroom to use my plastic toothbrush, shaking a bit of my “nontoxic” tooth powder from a plastic bottle. I fill the plastic container of my Waterpik with mouthwash from another plastic bottle. I step into the shower—my lacy white curtain is protected by a plastic liner, and my chlorine-free shower water comes to me through a plastic-encased filter.

Ah, but in the kitchen I am a bit freer of you, plastic. When I learned that my plastic bowls, dishes, and containers could leach harmful chemicals—especially the ones with that sneaky, practically invisible little recycling triangle embossed with the number 7—I bought Pyrex. My soft-boiled eggs are served up in a Pyrex glass dish. A moment of rebellion against thee, plastic! But the microwave in which I heat water for tea is made of plastic as well as metal. And the refrigerator shelf on which I store my eggs is plastic.

The coaster on my desk, on which I place my steaming, oh-so-healthy green tea, is plastic. The 22-inch liquid-crystal computer monitor that seems to be the fulcrum of my entire existence is made of plastic. My keyboard, my mouse, my computer speakers, the CD cases for my music collection, my polycarbonate reading glasses, the remote control for my stereo, my telephone—all plastic. The sun shines through my window onto a riot of green plants in … plastic pots. (I could switch to ceramic, but it’s so heavy and hard to heft when I want to water them.) And I’ve been up for only an hour.

Source:CLICK HERE

NorasKnickers

Name:
Penny
Shop Name:
NorasKnickers
Shop Address:
http://www.norasknickers.etsy.com
Location:
CANADA, Ontario
Ships To:
Everywhere else
Materials You use:
recycled wool sweaters

I am passionate about cloth diapering and think disposables should be banned or at least heavily taxed.
Inspired by my children, but mostly my cloth diapered baby.

Opened shop in Jan/08

At this point I just fit it in whenever I can to try to earn a little extra, but I already have a full time job it just does not pay in the monetary sense of the word. I guess you would call that a hobby.

I started sewing diapers for my own babies, because it was less expensive than buying them from someone else and fun too. It also meant I could customize what I was making.


Network, become a part of a team. I am part of the Etsy Cloth Diapers Street Team and it has really helped to bounce ideas off eachother and promote eachothers shops http://www.etsyclothdiapers.com/

Thanks

http://norasknickers.blogspot.com/

From Jackie's Blog

I copied and pasted this from Jackie's Blog CLICK HERE to see more information Ill probably bring over here!

10 Things YOU can do to curb global warming

1) Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Look closely at labels when buying light bulbs. Those marked as CFLs last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs while delivering the same light levels. As a result, CFLs accrue net savings between $30 and $45 over their lifetimes, depending on your cost of electricity, the wattage size of the CFL, and the lamp's lifespan (manufacturers make CFLs that last 6,000, 8,000, or 10,000 hours). The return on investment is 15 times higher than leaving your money in a bank account or the average return on Dows-Jones stock investments. CFLs also reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions and are safer because they burn at a lower temperature (160° F or less) than incandescent and halogen lights, which can burn at temperatures up to 500° F. To learn more download this PDF from energystar.gov.

2) Turn down the thermostat just three degrees in the winter and up three degrees in the summer. You can prevent the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

3) Inflate your car tires. When walking or biking isn't feasible, you can do something to better protect the Earth while driving. Take a step in the right direction by inflating your car tires. Pumping them up can improve your gas mileage by about 3.3 percent -- a savings of about 7 cents per gallon. It's the right thing to do for your wallet and the right thing to do for the Earth.

4) Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you're at it, turn down your house thermostat during the winter to 55° F when you go to bed or leave home. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year, while cutting your energy bill by more than 10 percent. And that's just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.

5) Choose your seafood wisely. We can't afford to wait until 2008. The world's seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to an early November report in the journal Science. That means the moment to shape up is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.

6) Purchase EnergyStar-labeled appliances. EnergyStar products are among the top 25 percent most efficient and can provide a 30 percent return or better through lower utility bills.

7) Wash and rinse in cold water. If everyone in the United States alone switched to cold water with their washing machines, we could save about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year -- and more than $3 billion in energy costs, collectively. And what's more? Cold water cleans your laundry just as well as hot water.

8) Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don't know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers' markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!

9) Drink more water from reusable glassware. It's great for your bank account, your health, and your planet. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

10) Walk, bike, and carpool. In the United States, the car represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. You can significantly reduce your emissions by commuting to work. Try combining trips to minimize emissions, which are greatest at the beginning of a journey before the engine has reached optimum temperature and efficiency. When purchasing your next car, make it a fuel-efficient one. Hybrid cars can get twice the fuel efficiency of the average new car, cut greenhouse gas emissions by half or more, and reduce urban air pollutants. Carpooling saves energy, cuts on additional pollution, and allows you to take a turn as a passenger instead of driving everyday. Car-sharing (not pooling) is available in numerous U.S. cities. Car-sharing enables you to rent a car just when you need it. Each car-share vehicle displaces four to eight privately held cars, requiring less parking area and creating less road congestion. If you live within an hour's bicycle ride to the office (~10 miles), consider biking to work one or more days a week.

Buy a Reuseable Water Bottle

Support two causes with one bottle! I picked up this bottle at Target and I LOVE it. Especially the fact that part of the cost is donated to the Breast Cancer Awareness Fund and I wont be buying plastic bottles at the store. Make sure you don't forget your bottle when you leave the house!

Plastic Recycling Facts

• In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each, but only recycled an average of 23 percent. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.
• Bottled water costs between $1 and $4 per gallon and 90 percent of the cost is in the bottle, lid and label.
• According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006 that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.
• It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.
• Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.
• In 2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods or movie tickets.
• Plastic bottles take 700 years before they begin to decompose in a landfill.
• If everyone in NYC gave up water bottles for one week they would save 24 million bottles from being landfilled; one month would save 112 million bottles and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.

Source:
Click Here

Bazil Essentials

Name: Elizabeth Nicholson

Shop Name: Bazil Essentials

Shop Link: http://www.bazilessentials.etsy.com
What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? All of our products are 100% natural, and we're Vegan Certified, Certified Climate Cool, and we plant 5 trees in the Central American Rainforest with every purchase. We use natural essential oils to scent our products, and to offer unique aromatherapy benefits for each of our Signature Scents (Jasmine Rose - Love and Sensuality, Ginger Orange - Energizing, Vanilla Lavender - Relaxation, Sweet Almond - Comfort and Nurture, and Lemongrass - Refresh and Revitalize). We use many organic oils, waxes, butters and salts, which reduce the amount of pesticides that are harmful to the farm workers and our environment. We use recycled and recyclable kraft/paper mache for our soap and candle boxes, gift boxes, and retail bags. We also use aluminum tins for our body butters, which are endlessly recyclable. All of our packaging is recyclable and/or already recycled from another source (kraft paper). We also use only recycled packing peanuts.


Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? We believe that ECO friendly products are the only way to go. We only get one planet, and we want to make sure that our children, and our children's children have the same beautiful place to grow up that we did. My childhood was magical, and I want the same for them. We only get one planet, and I believe that it's our responsibility to protect and preserve it.

What inspires you? This is a hard one! I'm inspired by just about everything - friends, family, nature, children, quiet. If you just stop to look for a moment, the smallest thing can be life changing, and you can learn, be inspired, and be renewed by something as simple as the sound of a river. My husband (my amazing support!!) and I were walking down a country road last night, and came across this beautiful river with large pools that just made me want to dive right in! That was inspiring, and I felt uplifted for the entire evening.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I've been here for about 2-3 years now I believe. But, I recently just started selling and learning how to really market my products on Etsy around November 2007.

Is this a job for you or a hobby? Well, both! I work full time on my business, but it's always fun for me, and I'm always learning and wanting to learn new things. It's so much fun!

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Hmmm.... I'd say, do what you love, make sure that it doesn't become a "job" or a chore. I think other people can really feel that about your art, and can tell if you're really passionate about what you're creating. Always try to give back as much as you can to your community. As far as the sale end of things, list and relist often (at least 2x a day), have great pictures (it's amazing what Photoshop can do!!!), categorize your shop, try to be unique and stand out, use every description and category you possibly can, and just be yourself.

Faerie Made Soaps

Name: Tina Glenn
Shop Name: Faerie Made Soaps
Shop Link: www.faeriemadesoaps.etsy.com and www.faeriemadesoaps.com
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Ships To: Anywhere

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products?

Faerie Made uses quality food grade oils and nut butters, fair trade products, local materials such as beeswax, organic clays sourced from around the planet, plant based pure essential oils, resins and absolutes in all our fine products. We work hard to minimize our impact on our planet.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products?

Why did I decide? Is there any other option? It's who I am. I have always worked hard to live a life that is in balance with the planet. I have always worked hard to watch what goes in my body and on my body and that of my children (drives my husband nuts when we shop ... avid label reader!) I have always worked hard to walk my talk. This philosophy of course, spilled over to Faerie Made. My company is an essential part of me. I am not playing the "natural" game with respect to Faerie Made's products and ingredients. "Natural" isn't a buzz word for my product line, Faerie Made has always been this way.

What inspires you? Life inspires me. I don't live life passively. I am passionate about all aspects of my life. It doesn't matter if I am reading a book at night or planning my next trip or working on a new perfume or soap blend.
How long have you had your shop on Etsy?

Not too long. I guess since January 2008? I have been in business since 2002 and opened my website in 2003. I really am new to Etsy as I am still learning the ropes around here.
Is this a job for you or a hobby?

Faerie Made is a full time business which started at the house with only me working day and night around my youngest child's needs. Now, I am in a separate location ... I outgrew my house ... and I have a full time assistant, sales reps, and my husband is picking up more production hours to allow me to focus on other aspects for the company (New products and formulas ... I love when I get to play around making new things and of course, soap making ... that's my main craft!)

How did you get into your craft?

I was working as an advocate for battered women and I came across some handmade soap and a basic recipe in 1999. After my first timid batch, my creative outlet became soap making ... creative outlet??? How about obsession!
When my daughter was born in 2002 I knew I didn't want to return to the work force and leave her to be raised up by some one else. I decided to take my hobby and make it a viable business. And I have.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners?

Know your product. I believe our craft is an extension of ourselves. So work hard to make great stuff, don't settle for less than the best.
Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share a bit about myself and my company :)

Garbage of Eden Design

Name: Stephanie Huffaker
Shop Name: Garbage of Eden Design
Shop Link: www.garbageofedendesign.etsy.com
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Ships To: everywhere USPS ships to

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? Upcycled plastic wrappers, packaging, plastic grocery bags and the bags newspapers get delivered in. Vintage jewelry parts. All of the plastic is given to me by friends and family or by Brooklyn Freecyclers. I also pick them up from the street. I wash everything in warm water and veggie-based soap.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? There's so many materials wasted everyday why not use them for design fodder? Less waste, more art and design! It's win-win. In fact, sometimes the challenge of using eco-friendly materials leads to new designs!
What inspires you? So many things! I have a blog about them: www.garbageofedendesign.blogspot.com.
I think my first "job" working on an organic farm was what first inspired me to ask questions about our impact on our environment. My first summer working there (I was 11 years old) the neighborhood kids and I started a "Save the Whales Club". : ) good times!

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? Since July '07

Is this a job for you or a hobby? it's morphing into a job

How did you get into your craft? I went to Pratt for industrial design and after I graduated I did (and still do) some freelance design work. For awhile I was looking for some great design job where I could design cool creative stuff that doesn't hurt the environment or the people making it. Then I had a "duh!" moment and realized I didn't need somebody else to hire me in order to do that.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? love what you do, take exciting, clear photos of your work, join a fun, active street team such as the Trashion Team!

Anything else you would like to add? I'm happy to announce that 10% of all my etsy sales are now going to some really great non-profits including: Added Value (www.added-value.org), Just Food (www.justfood.org), Time's Up (www.times-up.org) and Riverkeeper (www.riverkeeper.org).

Spot Mold and Mildew Remover

1 Cup white Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Borax
3 Cups Hot water
1 Clean 32oz Spray Bottle


1. Combine Ingredients in Spray bottle and shake well.

2.Spray on surfaces where mold and mildew are forming. Wipe off mildew, but leave cleaning solution residue to keep mildew from returning.


My thoughts: This works great! And it doesn't leave me gagging or feeling light headed from using it.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Picture is of an original piece of artwork by Etsy seller bellsakabin (Belinda Hall)-Click Here to Purchase
Picture is copyright and can not be used or reproduced without permission from the artist

Switching to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) is a way to use energy safely and wisely. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last up to ten times longer than the comparable incandescent bulbs, they can help reduce your energy bills while also reducing green house gases and fuel used to generate power.

If every American replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb, it would save enough energy to light 3 MILLION homes a YEAR, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of 800,000 vehicles!!

Source: Environment Protection Agency and Energy Star
Picture is of an original piece of artwork by Etsy seller ANiemanPhotography Click Here To Purchase
Picture is copyright and can not be used or reproduced without permission from the artist

Moving to more efficient lighting is one of the lowest-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. In fact, it actually will save households money because of lower utility bills. Ninety percent of the energy that an incandescent light bulb burns is wasted as heat. And yet, sales of the most common high-efficiency bulb available—the compact fluorescent (CFL)—amount to only 5 percent of the light bulb market. Earlier this year, Australia became the first country to announce an outright ban by 2010 on incandescent bulbs. The changeover in the United States will be more gradual, not mandated to begin until 2012 and phased out through 2014. However, don't be surprised if some manufacturers phase out earlier.

Each cone-shaped spiral CFL costs about $3, compared with 50 cents for a standard bulb. But a CFL uses about 75 percent less energy and lasts five years instead of a few months. A household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity. Look at your utility bill and imagine a 12 percent discount to estimate the savings.

Consumers are rightly concerned about the toxic substance mercury that helps CFLs produce light. Even though the amount sealed in each bulb is small—one old-fashioned thermometer had about 100 times as much mercury—contact local trash collection for disposal instructions. Environmentalists agree that more work must be done on bulb recycling programs. Right now, you can return any CFL to any Ikea store for recycling, and the Environmental Protection Agency and Earth911 have sites you can search for other recycling programs near your home.

By the way, don't think that incandescent bulbs are mercury free. In the United States, the chances are at least 50 percent that their light is generated by a coal-powered plant featuring mercury as well as other types of pollution. Popular Mechanics recently crunched the numbers to find that even if the mercury in a CFL was directly released into the atmosphere, an incandescent would still contribute almost double that amount of mercury into the environment over its lifetime.

Source: U.S. News

If a Bulb does break in your home, follow these easy clean up steps CLICK HERE

gaiaconceptions

Shop Name: gaiaconceptions

Shop Link: http://www.gaiaconceptions.etsy.com

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? Local organic cotton fabric, hemp/organic cotton blend fabric, organic wool blend fabric, Low impact fiber reactive dyes, plant dyes, and I try and use recycled packageing.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? When I was ten years old my father was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis. Current research is now linking this disease with a prepubescent exposure to an environmental toxin. That was the pivotal moment when I connected the cause and effect of a toxic environment. So I knew at a young age that what ever I ended up doing I wanted to be apart of the solution.


What inspires you? Sustainability and Great Design. I get really excited about living machines and edible landscapes!

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? about 7 months

Is this a job for you or a hobby? I'm a full timer

How did you get into your craft? My family taught me how to sew over the years. Then I became quit tall. So I started making cloths for myself. That led me to Fashion and then to fiber arts and then on to sculpture in collage. However, I still kept making clothing on the side and my business slowly grew to what it is today.



Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Take good pictures and give good information each item. Try to consider all the info you would want before purchasing.

Anything else you would like to add?
WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, “Alice Walker”

Solar Powered Ballons

Pouch

Name:Nicola and Ruth Chappell (mother and daughter team)
Shop Name:Pouch
Shop Link:http://www.pouch.etsy.com
Website:
http://www.pouchbags.co.uk

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products?
We mainly use vintage fabric which is often repurposed and we also use recycled denim and corduroy.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products?
We decided to use eco-friendly products because we hate to waste stuff, in particular, good quality fabric that still has lots of life left in it.
Here are some facts from the TRAID website
"Consumers purchase 2.15 million tonnes of new clothing and shoes each year in the UK. In order to make room for all the new clothes, they are throwing away the old. Over 900,000 million items of clothing are thrown away each year in this country alone. Discarded clothing and shoes are typically sent to landfill. Textiles present particular problems in landfill. Synthetic (man-made fibres) products do not decompose. Woollen garments do decompose, but in doing so they produce methane, which contributes to global warming and climate change...
...Meanwhile, the fashion industry is producing new styles and trends for the high street at a frantic pace. This is having a negative effect on the environment as virgin resources are being used faster than they can be produced, toxic pesticides and other chemicals are being used to grow cotton and energy is being used to transport products around the globe."
Therefore, at Pouch, we think it is very important to re-use fabrics to prevent them going to landfill.

What inspires you?Gorgeous, bright, vintage fabric and the desire to breathe new life into fabric which would have been destined to go to landfill.
How long have you had your shop on Etsy?
We opened an account in January 2007 and started selling in April 2007, so it's been a year now.

Is this a job for you or a hobby?
It is something we do part time around other freelance design work, but it would be great if it could be full time!


How did you get into your craft?
After seeing so many mass produced, cheap imports being sold in UK shops, we decided that we'd like to make eco-friendly bags which were made to a high qulaity.
We love sewing and Nicola had a vast collection of vintage fabric so we chose to make bags and homewares to utilise that collection before it took over the house!

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners?
You definitely need to promote and not expect people to find you the minute you open your shop. It has taken a few months to build up momentum but now we are getting lots of traffic to our website and hopefully this will generate more sales in our Etsy store. Also, enjoy what you do and take time and care with each and every item you create.

Weeping Cherry Tree

Above Photo was taken by the author of this blog and is copyright


The following excerpt was copied from the following link Click Here and if you would like to learn about more weeping trees please following the link and click to page 2.

Weeping Cherry Trees

Weeping cherry trees must be included in any Top 10 list of weeping trees, since they are spectacular blooming specimens for the spring landscape. In fact, below I mention two additional cherry blossom trees that do not have a weeping habit, so as not to shortchange the contribution of joy that Japanese cherry trees bring to our spring yards.

The weeping Higan cherry (see photo at right for a picture of this flowering tree) can be grown in zones 4-8. Weeping Higan cherry trees (Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula') produce pink to white flowers in profusion, if grown in full sun and well-drained soil. This weeping cherry tree attains a height of 20'-30' and a spread 15'-25'.

"Snow Fountains" weeping cherry (Prunus 'Snow Fountains' or 'Snofozam') is suitable for landscapes in zones 5-8. Height 8'-15', spread 6'-8'. Snow Fountains blooms best in full sun and well-drained soil. A slow-growing ornamental, the branches of this weeping cherry cascade right down to the ground. For a picture of this spring-blooming favorite, see photo #2 above (accessed by clicking on photo #1 to open the mini-photo gallery).

Snow Fountains and weeping Higan are the first two entries in the present Top 10 list, the other eight members of which we'll encounter on Pages 2 and 3. All the entries on this Top 10 list make excellent focal points in your landscaping. But while on the subject of cherry blossom trees, it's hard to pass over a couple of widely grown specimens with an upright (i.e., non-weeping) form.

One of the most popular Japanese cherry trees in North America, Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan', grows 15'-25' x 15'-25'. Its white to pink blooms will be most impressive when the tree is grown in full sun with good drainage. Zones 5-8.

Another cherry tree with an upright habit, the purple leaf sand cherry tree (Prunus x cistena) is suitable for growing in zones 3-8. Purple leaf sand cherry has a moderate growth rate and, like the other cherries, prefers full sun and a well-drained soil. Height 7'-14', spread 7'-10'. An added bonus with this ornamental cherry is its striking summer-long reddish-purple foliage and its fragrant flowers.

The Craft Pantry

Name: Cammie Cole
Shop Name: The Craft Pantry
Shop Link: www.thecraftpantry.etsy.com
Location: North of Seattle
Ships To: Anywhere

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products?
I primarily feature my drawings, photography and illustrations on Recycled EcoBags. I put my art on traditional canvas for years, why not put it on Eco Friendly Recycled Canvas that can be carried around and used for practical things like shopping and Market? I also use Hemp Bags and Recycled paper for all of my cards.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products?
In the not soo distant past, Eco Friendly prodcuts were hard to find. Now, it is much easier. I try to participate in that movement by placing my art on Eco Friendly materials.

What inspires you?
I find inspiration everywhere. Living in Seattle provides a constant source of landscape from which to draw inspiration for colors, imagery and style.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I've had my shop on Etsy for a little over 7 months.

Is this a job for you or a hobby?
This is a hobby that has grown into a part time job.


How did you get into your craft?
I've been a practicing artist for over 20 years, since my teens. Participating in art shows and selling my work. Right through college until present.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners?
Know why you are selling, believe in what you do, offer outstanding customer service and take it one day at a time.

Anything else you would like to add? Thank you!

Organic Beginings

Name: Ange Hanna
Shop Name: Organic Beginings
Shop Link: http://www.organicbeginings.etsy.com
Location: Aylmer , SW Ontario Canada
Ships To: Everywhere
What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products?

I mainly use 100% organic cotton which has been SKAL and GOTS (both set global textile standards ) approved.

The eco friendly 100% cotton clothing I have ( not organic) has been guaranteed by the manufacturer to be eco friendly.
All of the products I use have no harsh chemicals ,dyes or bleaches used in the production even the thread used is 100% cotton.
I am phasing out the eco friendly product and moving to all Organic by the end of the summer.As I can give my 100% assurance everything has been tested and guaranteed to be sweat shop free , ecologically friendly and sustainable.

All of the snap fasteners are nickel free. All thread used is 100% cotton, All dyes used to color and print the clothing are low impact eco friendly dyes .



Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products?

I personally have very sensitive skin and allergies many caused by man made products, as do all 3 of my children .

I have become increasing concerned about the quality of clothing, and the dangerous substances used to manufacture them .
We can produce healthy eco friendly product without adding pollutants or having a negative impact our environment
I feel the time has come to begin taking care of ourselves ,families , and planet , so we can give our children and their children a healthier hopefull future .

As a family we have just bought a home which is eco efficient, made from logs, powered by wind and solar power, and we hopefully will have our own hydroponics fruit and vegetable greenhouse up and running this summer.
We are not” hippies” we just had a eureka moment, where we realised, every little step helps the planet.


What inspires you?
The beauty of the world around me , being able to breathe clean fresh air, the ocean ,music, my family ,and colour ( it affects my mood greatly ) .

How long have you had your shop on Etsy?
I opened Organic Beginnings last October and listed my 1st item for sale on December 3rd , so that’s 5 months of actually selling there.
Is this a job for you or a hobby?

It is a career, and I love it.

How did you get into your craft?
I studied screen printing and clothing design many years ago but I took a different career path and worked as an RN for 23 yrs.
I have always loved painting and design and after a serious car accident a few years ago ,my daughter who is an artist encouraged me to “give it a go” so, I began picking up a paintbrush and painting , then moved on to designing , and this fall I hope to have my own range of clothing in the store with my unique screen printed designs .It is very exciting.



Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners?
Try to stay encouraged , sometimes it seems as though you will never sell anything ,but be patient ..it will happen .Keep listing and renewing you product to stay visible to buyers and most importantly Love what you are doing and try to keep a sense of humour when everything is crazy all around you .

Anything else you would like to add?
If we are kind to ourselves , then we are kind to others,and ultimately kind to our planet ….what better example can we give our children.

About Paper

The average family of four throws out 13 thousand pieces of paper a year, most of being junk mail. If you recycle 1 ton of that paper, You will save 17 trees. I know that doesnt seem like a lot, but 17 trees times just 100 people is 1,700 trees. Our trees. The trees that help us breath and save our endangered species of life. So recycle and plant some trees, maybe 17 trees!

Go to this free website Click here and sign up to be removed from Junk Mail Offers. Some are one click and your done, while others, ironically, you have to print out a form and mail it to the company. Which is time consuming, which is probably why they do it, so you wont take the time and fill it out and they can keep mailing you shit. Well prove them wrong, let us flood them removal requests, think about how much our one letter to them will change the waste coming to us. So print those pages, fill them out and put them in the mail. I will update with a picture of all of the ones I will be sending out in tomorrows mail.

Click here

The future of cars? I want one!

Less than $30,000 with a $500 deposit, not bad! 300 Miles PER Gallon! Check it out, I think you'll be impressed!

Click Here

Sweetestpea

Name: Jen Bennett Gubicza
Shop Link: http://sweetestpea.etsy.com
Location: Boston Area
Ships To: Everywhere!

Materials: Cotton, recycled clothing, vintage kimono fabric, eco-craft fiberfill (corn based)

Why Eco?: I wanted to make animals that could be loved by all and not completely plastic... something that can be recycled. It's important to me to have an eco friendly option for customers who are looking for that.

What inspires you?: Trips to the zoo, people requesting their favorite animals, color combinations that I happen to see in every day places: walking along the street, people's wardrobes, photos in magazines, artwork. I think that there's inspiration everywhere. I find it hard to absorb it all!

How long: Since January 2006

Job or hobby: It has definitely been a part-time job. I'm making this full-time in June.

How did I get into the craft?: My husband is an illustrator (http://goobeetsa.etsy.com) and about 5 or 6 years ago he had drawn this bird that was so fat he couldn't fly. For his birthday that year I attempted to make a stuffed animal of this bird. We still have it. It's amazing to see the difference between that one and the animals I make today. I also have a background in art. I'm currently a graphic designer, so I'm able to use my design skills every day.


Advice: Talk about your craft to everyone you meet. Always carry business cards that show photographs of your craft. Always be professional and treat every customer well. Great customer service and a great product will serve you well.

Anything else: Thanks for the feature! Every animal can be ordered in eco-friendly materials. I have plans to really expand the shop to showcase all of these options. Happy Earth Day!

My Thoughts: How adorable! Do you have a birthday coming up that you need a gift for? Or maybe one of these guys could sit on your desk at work? Do you have a child that would love a cuddle? Make sure and stop buy the shop!

JAK Random Art

Shop Name: JAK Random Art
Shop Link:http://www.jakrandomart.etsy.com
Location: Highlands, NJ
Ships To: Everywhere

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? Mostly I use rescued vinyl records to craft my jewelry and notebooks.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? I have always been passionate about recycling and finding new uses for old objects.


What inspires you? I am inspired by so many things, especially the world around me. A big part of my inspiration comes from my passion to help the environment and animals. I am constantly looking for new ways to turn "trash" into "art".

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? Since October 2006

Is this a job for you or a hobby? Etsy is a hobby for me. It would be a dream come true to be able to make this my full time job.

How did you get into your craft? I began making notebooks, jewelry, coasters and other objects created out of recycled materials about 5 years ago. I really love the artwork from the old records and would pick up albums from the bargain bins at record shows and sometimes come across boxes of records at the side of the road. I have been passionate about recycling and helping our environment since I was a child, so I wanted a way to give new life to these records. I began making the notebooks and then went onto making jewelry as well.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? It is important to not loose hope. There are ups and downs to any business, keep on trying.

Anything else you would like to add? Just remember to recycle, use reusable bags when you go shopping, and if you are not a vegan or vegetarian try and eat veg at least once a week. It makes such a huge difference on the world we live in.

Katnappies

Name: Kathy Blue
shop: Katnappies
Link: www.katnappies.etsy.com
Location: New York

materials: cotton prints are the icing on the cake for my diapers. The choices are endless when you choose today's cotton fabrics. My diapers also incorporate fleeces, and waterproof layer, there is no need for a cover, it is an all in one system with a stuffable feature.

why I make eco friendly products: I detest mindless spending. We should give thought where our money goes the same as we should be thinking about where our food comes from or where the waste we create with trash is going to go. I can't imagine why someone would want to "throw" their money out with a paper, chemical laden, and plastic wrap they can tape to a baby. Cloth offers a cost effective, cuddly comfortable and reusable alternative to disposables. My Granddaughter deserved better and while making her diapers I began to sew and sell them to Moms who wanted to choose cloth diapers that were practicle and stylish too.


Inspiration: Other people who have used cloth to create. Some of the most beautiful clothing can be made from a single beautiful cut of cloth wrapped to make a Sari. My Mom and I made all my clothes when I was growing up,even a beautiful prom dress made from a new white bed coverlet embroidered with strawberries and blossoms. I valued her skills and learned to appreciate "handmade" as the best kind of "priceless".

How long on etsy: I joined in late fall 2007 when a friend told me to have a look at a great site - - - I was transfixed for hours and hooked.

job or hobby: I refer to it as my hobby/jobby. I am a retired RN and only wish I had started this endeavor long ago.


Advice for others: Enjoy what you do, Truly enjoy what you do. It will show in how you respond to others about your shop if you love what you do. If it is a joy you will find it easy to talk about and share with others your passion. If you believe that what you offer is a great product at a good price, go for it - - - and keep making it better.

Etsy inspires me in all the shops here. Even though I am terrible with a paint brush I can spend time looking at the talent here and come away with ideas and a thankful attitude for what we all have.

My Thoughts: I have three children, two of which are in diapers. And while I have not used cloth diapers before, Im scared of the smell, the sanitation, the start up price, I am thinking I might look for a pattern on the internet and give a go of making my own. And seeing how we do here. If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave a comment.

What kind of tree should I plant for Earth Day this year?

Earth Day is coming! April 22nd is the official day and everyday is good for planting a tree. Have you though about what type you will be planted this year and where will you be planting it?

My Favorite Tree is the Weeping Willow Tree.
I love the way it looks and how it provides the perfect spot for a picnic or many times a game of hide and seek!
Here is some information on Weeping Willows and what they require:

• Willow need to be planted along streams and ponds.
• Willows are fast growing trees.
• Willows can be transplanted easily.
• Willows do well in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Willows are highly ornamental.
• Willows are a large tree
• Intolerant of shade
• Need a lot of water
• Blooms in early spring
• 70' when fully grown
• Known as a spring, summer perennial
• Known for medium drought tolerance

More Tree posts to come! If you have some information on this tree or another tree that you would like to see featured you can email me at hylawaldron@gmail.com.
If you have a tree in mind that you would like more information about you can also email me at the above email.

Annarubyking

Shop Name:Annarubyking
Location: Athens, Greece
Ships: WorldWide

Shop Link:http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5314691

What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? My cards are made with card that is 100% recycled, with a high post consumer waste content. I also have envelopes made from surplus map pages which I love! For the fabric I use in my cards, as much as possible I look for offcuts and remnants and cut up old shirts and handbag linings whatever! I do still buy new fabric though, I just can't help myself!

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? It was a no brainer, living with as small a carbon footprint as possible is very important to me.

What inspires you? Nature is endlessly inspiring to me.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? Since September 2007

Is this a job for you or a hobby? This is my lifestyle!


How did you get into your craft? I grew up drawing and painting and making things with playdoh and then advancing to clay, it was only a matter of time before I arrived here.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners?
Buy a better camera. Seriously, selling online, you are selling the picture of your item. If the picture doesn't look great a shopper is going to pass your item over.


My Thoughts: Do forget about Mother's Day, May 12th

10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green

Brought to you from
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/3915

1. Re-route your commute.
• Walk or bike to work and save money on gas and parking while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
• If you live far from your office, investigate the option of telecommuting. Or move closer—even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
• If your streets are not conducive to biking or walking, lobby your municipal government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in decreased traffic and pollution.



2. Buy used.
• Whether you’ve just moved to a new area or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist or FreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items, rather than buying them new. Check out garage sales and thrift stores for clothing and other everyday items.
• Use your creativity in gift giving, including making homemade gifts, donating to a good cause, or even regifting. (And gift green, in general.)
• Your purchasing habits have a real impact, for better or worse. When making new purchases, make sure you know what’s “Good Stuff” and what isn’t.



3. Buy local.
• Shop at your local farmers’ market. Though the offerings can be more expensive, you can generally count on a higher quality product—and the entire purchase price goes directly to the farmer. Buying any goods produced locally saves energy by reducing the fossil fuels needed to transport food and other items across the country and around the globe.
• Start a local currency program in your town. This can ensure that money stays in your local economy, valuing local services and supporting local merchants.



4. Compost your food scraps.
• Composting helps reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill, which can save you money if you live in a municipality with a “pay as you throw” system. In the process, you create free, healthy fertilizer for your garden (or your neighbor’s—or lobby for a community garden!)
• If you don’t have a yard or space for a compost pile, try indoor ‘vermiculture,’ or worm composting.



5. Change the thermostat setting and install energy saving devices.
• Setting your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer can translate to substantial savings on your utility bills.
• Install low-flow showerheads and take shorter showers to save water and the energy used to heat it. Or, consider eventually installing a solar hot water heater on your property.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible and use a drying rack or clothesline.
• When incandescent bulbs burn out, replace them with longer-lasting, low-energy compact fluorescent bulbs.
• With the money you save from making these changes, consider buying wind energy from your local utility or purchasing renewable energy offsets. Renewables offer our best hope for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a host of other pollutants. In some cases, “green energy” options can be cheaper than electricity from conventional sources!



6. Skip the bottled water at the grocery or convenience store.
• Filter your tap water for drinking rather than using bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it produces large amounts of container waste.
• Check out this recent update and life cycle analysis for the latest on bottled water trends.



7. Make your own cleaning supplies.
• Using simple ingredients such as baking soda, soap, and vinegar, you can make cheap, easy, and non-toxic cleaning products that really work! Save money, time, and your indoor air quality.



8. Think twice about new electronics.
• E-waste from discarded cell phones and computers is a growing environmental problem. Mounds of electronic refuse are being shipped abroad illegally for ‘disassembly’ by workers with little protection against the mercury and other toxic substances they contain.
• Keep your electronics as long as possible and dispose of them responsibly when the time comes.
• Buy higher-quality items and don’t give in to ‘psychological obsolescence’ marketing campaigns.
• Recycle your cell phone and support good causes at the same time!
• Ask your local government to set up a responsible recycling and hazardous waste collection event.



9. Add one meatless meal per week.
• While strict vegetarianism isn’t for everyone, even the most devout carnivores can cut back on meat consumption without cramping their style—and save money in the process. Industrial meat production requires huge energy inputs and creates noxious waste problems. The proliferation of factory farms is damaging the environment, and the global nature of the industry creates conditions that promote the spread of diseases such as avian flu, potentially costing society billions.



10. Use your local library and other public amenities.
• Borrowing from libraries, instead of buying personal books and movies, saves money and printing resources. Consider donating the money saved to your local library.
• Be an active civic participant and ensure that the public spaces and facilities in your town are well maintained. This will promote a healthy, sustainable community.

Xiane and Threeravens.net

Shop Name: Xiane and Threeravens.net
Shop Link: http://xiane.etsy.com
What materials do you use for your ECO friendly products? My products are made from simple ingredients - mostly botanical, and certified organic/wildcrafted/fair trade whenever possible. I do a lot of research to make sure to the best of my ability that my ingredients are cruelty free and from sustainable sources. You'll find that I like herbs, clays, essential oils, vinegar, sugar, salts - things that are good enough to eat.

Why did you decide to make ECO friendly products? We are surrounded by toxic elements everywhere - in the air, water, and earth. We can't go to the store without facing products for our home and body that are filled with mystery ingredients, often without adequate labeling to let us know exactly what is in the products. I wanted to make things that I know are safe and nourishing for our bodies AND the planet, because it is all connected.
What inspires you? Nature, my guildmates of the Etsy Green and Clean Guild, treehugger.com, herbalists like Susun Weed and Rosemary Gladstar.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I joined Etsy in June of 2005, but didn't start selling items there until November of 2006 - before that I sold through my own website.

Is this a job for you or a hobby? This is my full-time job! Yay!

How did you get into your craft? I started studying herbalism in 1988 or so, and read books and experimented voraciously until I was confident to start making my own concoctions to sell. I love pampering bath and body products, so it was an easy jump from herbs for internal health to herbal products for my skin and hair!
Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Take your time with your craft and your shop - don't try to compete with other shops, but build your business to your standards and dreams alone. And remember that a slow spell is just that, and it will pass!

Anything else you would like to add? Please buy handmade - especially handmade, organic bath and body products! The planet will thank you! :)


My Thoughts: It's always a great feeling to make your own products but if that is not an option for you, then the next best thing is using handmade natural ingredients.

Is this the beginning of the Water Wars?

Read the whole article here

As Barcelona runs out of water, Spain has been forced to consider importing water from France by boat. It is the latest example of the growing struggle for water around the world – the "water wars".

Barcelona and the surrounding region are suffering the worst drought in decades. There are several possible solutions, including diverting a river, and desalinating water. But the city looks like it will ship water from the French port of Marseilles.

The water services authority in Marseille say that no contracts have been signed, and would not say how much the water would cost, although it is unlikely to cost any more than it costs the inhabitants of Marseilles. And the amounts of water than have been discussed are small – 25,000 cubic metres, less than what's needed to grow an acre of wheat, and not enough to keep 30 Spaniards going for a year, based on their average consumption.

But the proposal is interesting because it turns a local drought into an international situation.

Contact Me

You can email me at hylawaldron@gmail.com