Check out this video about a sustainable community farm in Japan, the Konohana Family Farm. The “family” consists of 47 members and the farm is almost 100% self-sustained. They have farmed their land without chemicals or pesticides for over 13 years! They also exist on a completely vegetarian diet.

If you missed the opportunity to use our previous coupon, don’t fret–we have a new one!

If you get a lot of use out of your home office, chances are it uses up a lot of energy. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your home office more sustainable and eco-friendly.

For many, planning a wedding is stressful and time-consuming—so imagine trying to green the entire process! Luckily, Green Bride Guide is here to make the entire process easier.

In light of recent events, we thought it would be appropriate to remind everyone of one of the world’s most awesome and long forgotten hero’s, Captain Planet. For those of you too young to remember this legend, he and his team of kick ass planeteers fought polluting villains all over the world. With all of their powers combined, these kids summoned Captain Planet in times of great peril, when their own personal efforts just could not withstand their enemies.

Read about green Internet services and information sources at our blog!

It seems like almost everyone owns a smart phone these days. Check out these great (Free!) apps for Apple and Android devices. Greening travel, shopping, and staying up-to-date on green news and trends is now easier and more convenient than ever. Don’t own one of these devices? Keep your eyes open for a post coming soon about green Internet services and applications.

Are you an interior designer looking to incorporate green products into your design schemes? Do you have a client who’s interested in urban green decor? Verde Lifestyles is your one-stop shop for sustainable products and green interior design. Our new Design Partners Program offers a unique opportunity for interior design firms and individuals who want to go green and save some money. All of our interior design partners receive a minimum 15% + discount with a purchase of $1000 or more. Additional discounts and free shipping are available, depending on the volume and frequency of your orders.

Curious about what the city recycling programs in our area look like? Here’s a quick peek at a few of the programs Central and Southeast Michigan have to offer!

If you haven’t already noticed the brown banner on top of our pages, here’s what’s going on: Verde Lifestyles is offering a 15% discount off of all orders over $100! Just type in the coupon code, summer2k10, into the appropriate field at checkout and click “apply”. Not sure what you could purchase to qualify for the discount? We have plenty of beautiful, eco-friendly products for your home to choose from! You can start looking here.

Portland, Oregon has something up its sleeve: The OSC, or Oregon Sustainability Center, a building that will utilize innovative design and architecture to capture and reuse energy and water. Though the building is far from completion, the project hopes to meet the standards of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council’s Living Building Challenge when it’s finished.

Verde Lifestyles is making a few small moves now, like hiring an intern and forming a partnership, with the hope they will turn into something big one day soon.

Brycz, a recent Michigan State University graduate, and her friend Ryan Forrest, who is about to graduate from Oakland University, started Verde Lifestyles (verde is Spanish for green) last year. The company focuses on advising people on how to live a sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle by shrinking carbon footprints with green purchases.

The TechTown-based startup is partnering with Brand Labs to update its website and focus its brand. The Rochester-based marketing firm is also helping Verde Lifestyles focus its product line-up so it concentrates on its best seller. Verde Lifestyles sells environmentally friendly products from its website.

"We're trying to have more of a focus instead of keep on adding, keep on adding," says Danielle Brycz, the co-owner and director of sales and marketing for Verde Lifestyles.

The firm is part of TechTown's SmartStart program but run virtually from Royal Oak.

Source: Danielle Brycz, the co-owner and director of sales and marketing for Verde Lifestyles
Writer: Jon Zemke

There’s hasn’t been an abundance of sustainability coverage for the upcoming FIFA World Cup South Africa. Perhaps the excitement around the first-ever hosting of the World Cup on African soil has monopolized the media coverage; or perhaps there just isn’t a lot of sustainability initiatives to report on.

Regardless of the reason, we did find it worthy to highlight a few programs, most notably the design of the newly-built Durban stadium.

Construction of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban was completed in 2009 and is set to host  70,000 spectators for one of the semi-final matches and numerous group matches.

The design called for a “state-of-the-art landmark sports facility with excellent amenities and a sustainable recreational and multi-disciplinary sporting venue.”

The stadium is stunning in design. Its most notable feature is a large 150-meter arch rising high above the stadium center. A SkyCar funicular system transports visitors to a Skydeck, allowing a birds’ eye view of the stadium, city and nearby coast.

Though large scale event-driven construction is always heavy on resource use, the builders of the Durban stadium minimized construction and demolition impact by utilizing recycled materials from the old stadium. More than 30,000 cubic meters of concrete demolition material from the old stadium was used for construction of the new stadium.

The PTFE-coated roof membrane allows 50 percent of sunlight to filter through while protecting the stadium from glare and rain. The stadium also features a rainwater collection system, water-saving installations, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and natural ventilation design.

When the World Cup comes to a close mid-July and South Africans find themselves in a sort of post World Cup hangover, the ten beautiful stadiums spanning the country, five new and five updated, will still be standing. The Durban stadium, among others, was built to Olympic standards in the hopes of hosting a future Olympic Games in South Africa.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day! There are so many great events to go to this month that we thought we would highlight the ones we’ve checked out. Saturday we went to Windsor for the EnviroExpo, an event for consumers to educate and entertain on environmental issues.  Here are a few of the vendors we met:

Recharge Mower: I’ve seen different types of electric and manual mowers, but with the electric you have a cord and the manual is a little bit more labor intensive.  But with a rechargeable mower,  there is no gas, no oil or emissions.

Jamieson: A health product manufacturer that is really going the extra mile.  Their goal is to plant 20,000 trees by Canada’s Environment Week in June.  They were giving small pine trees at the event and if you planted them would plant a tree in return.

Natural Passage: This is one industry I have not heard of going green…funeral homes.  It was a company that offered a greener choice for your funeral arrangements. They had sustainable wood coffins that were manufactured without nails, soy candles for your funeral, and bamboo clothing.  Not something I really want to think about, but good to know those type of services are offered.

Enfinity: This is an Canadian company that leases unused land to install solar panels.  I had never heard of land lease for solar and thought it was such a cool concept. Any 1,000 sq.ft. of land can be used, whether its barren agricultural fields, used landfills, deforested areas, or unused/unusable land.

Verde Lifestyles will also be selling products at the “Urbane” Green Networking Event in Corktown on the 22nd and the Western Market Earth Day After Party in Ferndale on the 23rd.  Other Earth Day events we will be going to are the MI Earth Day Fest in Rochester on the 23rd-25th and theGreen St. Fair in Plymouth the first weekend in May.  We’ll also be writing about each event. Hopefully we’ll see you there!

On April 22, countries around the world will gather together to celebrate the Earth in one of the most historic environmental events of the year: Earth Day.

Founded by former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, the first Earth Day took place in 1970 and was originally intended as a collective environmental protest “to shake up the political establishment and force the issue onto the national agenda.”

Today, the celebration of Earth Day is primarily aimed at raising awareness and encouraging everyday citizens around the world to do their part in preserving the Earth, from recycling to reducing one’s carbon footprint.

Celebrations of Earth Day are as diverse as the cultures themselves. The real beauty of this holiday, however, is the sheer range of events that take place in every country.

Here are a couple of highlights to watch out for, both big and small.

Students in Bangkok raise recycling awareness

A community of students in Bangkok are teaching adults the importance of measuring one’s carbon footprint. Sangam Malani, a student at KIS International School in Bangkok, decided to form an Environmental Committee, which would sell cloth bags, recycled plastics and reusable water bottles at his school fair.

Together, the students formed their own booth and promised to donate 100 Baht from whatever they made to an organization called “Bring the Elephant Home,” which aims to restore the natural habitat of elephants by planting more trees.

“We were selling the bags smartly. However, as the day wore on, the customers began to ignore us,” Malani says. “I realized that many of our customers didn’t understand what we meant when we talked about carbon footprint. And at the end of the day, when I found out that we failed to break even, I noted that next time we would use simpler phrases to get our message across.”

This initial setback did not deter Malani and his Environmental Committee from doing more good work for his community. Shortly after the school fair, the Environmental Committee placed new recycling bins around campus to encourage students to recycle their plastics. Malani adds, “Despite setbacks, what we did was that we made an effort to recycle.”

General Motors to release revolutionary electric car

General Motors, the largest automobile manufacturer in the United States, is planning on releasing an electric car that practically screams eco-friendly.

The Volt will also use only 2,520 kilowatts per hour of energy, which is less than a central air conditioning unit, a water heater and a refrigerator. Photo: Flickr/Passion84Photos

Proving that going green oftentimes just takes a little creativity and resourcefulness, the Chevy Volt uses recycled blue jeans in its car doors to buffer noise and recycled cardboard in its roof to improve acoustics. Even the door handle brackets are made from old carpet.

The Volt may just be the dream car we have all been waiting for, especially as consumers will be able to save an average of 500 gallons of gasoline per year.

The Volt will also use only 2,520 kilowatts per hour of energy, which is less than a central air conditioning unit, a water heater and a refrigerator.

Because 80 percent of U.S. drivers commute 40 miles or less on a daily basis, the Volt is designed to have a battery power of up to 40 miles without using gasoline.

In addition to the Chevrolet Volt, GM now hosts 55 facilities that are landfill-free, meaning that absolutely no production waste or garbage from these factories can be traced to a landfill. These landfill-free facilities recycle or reuse more than 95 percent of all waste, while the remaining 5 percent are usually converted to energy.

The Climate Rally at the National Mall

The growing dependence on Middle Eastern oil and the lack of a major climate bill are only two of the many environmental problems existing in this country. This is why the Earth Day Network is organizing a climate rally at The National Mall in an effort to encourage Congress to pass effective clean energy and climate legislation in 2010.

The climate rally is the highlight of the Earth Day Network’s nine-day festival at the National Mall, and will feature live music from stars like Sting, The Roots, Passion Pit, John Legend, Bob Weir and Booker T.

Other media figures, including film director James Cameron, Reverend Jesse Jackson, author Margaret Atwood and Olympian Billy Demong will be speaking on the necessity for change on both a national and international scale in the fields of clean energy and global warming.

Sebastian Copeland, an art ambassador of Earth Day Network, is taking a photographic journey into the Arctic where he will witness in person the effect that global warming has had on the poles.

Artist explores global warming in the Arctic

Sebastian Copeland, an art ambassador of Earth Day Network, is taking a photographic journey into the Arctic where he will witness in person the effect that global warming has had on the poles.

The Arctic, which receives the smallest amount of sunlight on Earth, should technically be the coldest habitat on Earth. However, due to rising temperatures and melting glaciers, the poles are now warming twice as quickly as the rest of the Earth.

Copeland says on his blog, “As one of the great climate regulators in the Northern hemisphere, vast ice losses in the North threaten the thin balance of its ecosystem, in place for hundreds of thousands of years, and spells trouble for the world.”

Copeland’s photographic expedition will take him across Greenland, where he will capture the disappearing glaciers and the wildlife that exists in the Arctic.

London hosts the Green I.T. Awards

To reward the efforts of green distributors, suppliers and companies, Green I.T. Magazine will be hosting the annual Green I.T. Awards on Earth Day. The ceremony seeks to highlight and honor organizations and projects that have changed the face of the I.T. industry’s environmental performance.

The Green I.T. Awards is historically significant because it comes at a time when individuals and governments are putting more pressure than ever on corporations to take responsibility for their waste and impact on the environment.

Several notable figures will be in attendance at the ceremony, including the Right Honorable Lord Hunt OBE, representatives of Climate Change and the Minister of Energy from the Department of Energy.

Winners, ranging from vendors to nonprofit organizations to distributors, will be announced at the London Zoo in Regents Park in honor of Earth Day and the growing eco-friendly I.T. sector.

Jane Goodall Institute teaches carbon footprint to students in China

On Earth Day, the Jane Goodall Institute in China will be teaching students and instructors in the city of Beijing how to reduce their carbon footprint by switching from conventional tissue paper to handkerchiefs.

Their lesson plan will include games featuring a traditional handkerchief song and dance and a fun lecture on low-carbon treasures and fashion.

The focus of the lesson is to encourage as many students as possible in Beijing to make the easy transition from wasting boxes upon boxes of tissue paper to reusing handkerchiefs. At the end of the lesson, students will sign a large banner declaring their support for the environment and understand that living a low-carbon life “starts right under [their] noses” from all the small changes they can make in their everyday lifestyles.

Artist highlights ‘What is Missing’ on Earth

Can you imagine that every 20 minutes a living plant or animal species disappears forever from the face of the Earth? Or that at this rate, as much as 30 percent of all the Earth’s living flora and fauna will be headed for extinction in just a century’s time?

According to artist Maya Lin, this is a nightmare that may very well come true if we fail to recognize the threat we pose to ecosystems around the globe.

To raise awareness of the Earth’s diminishing biodiversity, Maya Lin created “What is Missing?”, a Web site scheduled to launch on Earth Day that will compile photographs, videos and information from her various art exhibitions.

All of her sculptures share an environmental theme that serve collectively as a digital memorial to the species and habitats we have already lost.

These installations range from the Listening Cone, a permanent sculpture that contains sound and text, to a billboard video featuring a five-minute movie that shows images of extinct and endangered species.

The billboard video will be broadcast in cities across the world on Earth Day, and has already won a highly coveted position on MTV’s billboard in Times Square.

Perhaps the most haunting of Lin’s exhibitions is a creation she calls The Empty Room, which is a traveling show where visitors will actually be able to catch and hold onto projected images drifting in mid-air. Species featured range from songbirds to whales, while each panel will include information that viewers can read.

Sustainable Wood Stools & End Tables

Bring nature into your home with our unique handmade Wood Stools and End Tables! All of our stools are hand-carved from sustainably harvested trees. One of our favorite styles is the Twist Collection with long wrapped wooden arches and intertwining legs. Other designs include our Stacked Rings, Inverted V, Squeezed Rectangle and Blocky stools with simple designs for a touch of the outdoors in your living or dining area. Non-toxic stains available include walnut, white wash and a honey tone made from tung oil. NOTE: Not all stools come in these three shades.

I hope you like them as much as we do!  We’ll also be rolling out wall panels, mirrors, bathroom and spa products, as well as more great home accents.  So be on the look out!

Windows End Table

Honey Tone Mango Merlot End Table

Small Sustainable Wood Twist Stool

Honey Tone Blocky Sustainable Wood Stool

As many of you know, the building materials we use for our homes and the chemicals we clean them with impact our health and the planet. But what about our home decor? Materials used for our bedding, bath towels, and decor have an equal affect on the environment as the structures that hold them.

Wondering what materials you should use in your home?

Bedding:

Eco friendly bedding includes comforters, duvets, mattress pads, pillows, and blankets. For these items, natural fibers such as organic cotton and wool would be the most appropriate. Traditionally grown cotton causes harm to both the environment and laborers because of the extensive use of pesticides and other chemicals. Certified organic cotton is grown without the use of chemicals protecting both laborers, the surrounding land and people who might have allergies to chemically treated fabrics. Another quality that’s important to consider is water based inks for specially styled bedding. Verde’s organic cotton and non-toxic dye selection includes duvets, pillow cases, and blankets and their comforters and mattress pads have an organic cotton cover with an organic wool filling.

Note: Not all wool is considered equal. Superfine merino wool is thought of as being the softest wool and is itch-free. Why wool is used most often in bedding is that its warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Its also hypoallergenic, mold and mildew resistant, and biodegradable, making wool not only eco-friendly but practical.

Rugs:

Materials used most often for rugs includes bamboo, jute, organic cotton, and recycled materials. Bamboo is a remarkable resource because of how fast it grows. Some species can grow up to 3 feet a day! Bamboo is also durable, so rugs made of this renewable resource are often suitable for indoors or outdoors.

Jute, another natural fiber, is harvested from the hemp plant. This durable material is anti-microbial and anti-mildew which is perfect for entrance way rugs. There are also products on the market made out of recycled materials such as plastic water bottles and tire rubber. The type of material just depends on where the rug is going. You might not want recycled tire rubber under your feet in a bedroom!

Lighting:
Whether a light fixture, lamp, or candle there are numerous energy saving and eco-friendly options. Once again, pieces with recycled content and non-toxic coatings are your best option. Most lighting appliances are compatible with CFLs as well, but if you want to go the extra mile look for appliances with LED lights. While LEDs are not as mainstream as CFLs, they are much more energy efficient and there is no worry of mercury contamination if they break.

As for candles, my one tip would be to avoid paraffin! Soy is a much healthier option. It burns longer, cleaner, and without soot. You know how when you walk into a candles store and you immediately have a headache? Thats not the case with soy candles. Its not necessarily the fragrance thats nauseating but the combination of the fragrance and the type of wax.

Accents:

The emphasis for accents is often on recycled content. Accent pieces can be made of recycled glass, reclaimed steel, or ceramic with non-toxic paint for example.

Whether your redecorating, buying a gift, or treating yourself its important to consider the life cycle of a product as well. We’ve mentioned materials used in common home decor products, but manufacturing standards and recycling options are important too. Some products may not be recyclable at the end of their use, but can last over 20 years while others may last only 5 years and can be easily recycled. Next time you make a purchase consider what it is made of, how was it made, and what do I do with it after its served its purpose.

One look at a pair of Olsen Haus shoes, and the word that comes to mind is “fabulous.” However, more meaningful frases to describe these pure vegan shoes are “universal truth, respect for all beings, and social responsibility.”

Elizabeth Haus created this high style line to offer an escape from the environmentally unfriendly repercussions that result from the making of traditional shoes. For more than 20 years, she has been an advocate against “the use of animals for food, clothing, experimentation, and entertainment, as well as for the environment and social justice.” For nearly 20 years, she has maintained a vegetarian diet, with the last 2 years being vegan. Her shoe concepts stem from a “passionate pursuit of consciousness, purpose, function, color, art, design, and ethics.” Olsen Haus has redefined the world of high fashion shoes, and this cruelty-free woman is definitely here to stay.

Spring/Summer Lookbook:

Click Here to Visit The Olsen Haus Website

High-end fashion will no longer be associated with slave labor and animal furs. The Green Movement has swept the fashion industry, proving eco-friendly fashion does not necessarily mean dreadlocks and hemp frocks. Exhibit A: Anne Salvatore Epstein and her environmentally-friendly collection, Beau Soleil.

After replacing her “overly excessive” lifestyle with one that was “simple, modern and organic,” former Marc Jacobs worker Anne Salvatore Epstein decided to launch an eco-friendly fashion collection. She named it Beau Soleil after the her favorite oyster, with the simplistic slogan “Reduce Recycle Renew.” The collection focuses on sustainability, fair trade and labor. She concentrates on the use of organic raw materials with the goal of offering consumers environmentally healthy clothing choices without sacrificing fashion.

Epstein uses fabric made out of bamboo [a sustainable material], vegetable-dyed organic cottons, vintage tencel [made from eucalyptus tress] and  recycled leather trims. The high-style collection combines popular designs with comfortable, sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics...

To start off the new year, we are offering 15% off Verde Lifestyles’ recycled steeltabletop and wall decor pieces!(See our Verde Deals page for the coupon code.)

These industrial strength tabletop and wall decor pieces were created in part, or entirely of reclaimed steel and celebrate a raw beauty. Due to the sourcing of the materials used in these products, each is a one of a kind.

Global warming, climate change, carbon footprint, sustainability… we all know the buzzwords and if you are reading this post it means you want to live a greener life.  But the question for most people is where do I begin? Saving the planet is not an easy task, but the road begins with small steps.  Therefore, I present to you a list of some small steps that you can take to make your life a little greener in 2010.

When: 03/01/2010 - 12:00 PM  03/02/2010 - 12:00 AM
Where: Detroit, Michigan, United States

When: 03/23/2010 - 11:00 AM  03/23/2010 - 11:00 PM
Where: Green Thumb Garden Center
22963 Woodward Ave.
Ferndale , Michigan  48220, United States

When: 05/22/2010 - 11:00 AM  05/23/2010 - 7:00 PM
Where: Chicago

Have an old cell phone (or three) that you don’t need and don’t know what to do with? Here are some safe, environmentally friendly ways to put your old phone to good use and keep it out of a landfill:

-Donate it. Mail your old phone to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This organization uses the proceeds from selling refurbished cell phones to fund its programs, which include providing cell phones to victims of abuse so that they can call 911 in emergencies. If you mail your phone to Greenphone (the shipping is free, they provide a shipping label), they will repurpose it, or, if they must recycle it, will plant one tree for every phone recycled. Cell Phones For Soldiers sells the phones you donate to Recellular and uses the money to buy calling cards for soldiers overseas. Check in with Call2Recycle to see what programs they offer for you—and your workplace—to keep old batteries and cell phones out of landfills.

-Recycle/Repurpose it through the manufacturer or service provider. Most service providers and phone manufacturers how have programs for recycling and/or refurbishing and selling old cell phones. Check with your carrier or the company that made your phone to see what they can do for you. Some are teamed up with charities and nonprofit organizations.

-Sell it. If your phone is still functional, sell it to someone who can put it to use. The benefits here are obvious—your gets reused, you get paid, and if you sell it locally you probably won’t have to worry about shipping materials or costs.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, E-waste is increasing at a rate higher than any other category of municipal waste. Greenversations, the EPA’s official blog, states that the average cell phone is used for only about 1.5 years before it’s replaced. With companies competing to produce smarter, sleeker, more versatile cell phones and cell phone upgrades offered every couple of years upon contract renewal, many of us find ourselves replacing our phones more and more frequently. Add to this the fact that cell phones themselves are often not built to last longer than two years, and it’s no wonder that e-waste is on the rise. A startling statistic from Greenversations: “150 million cell phones are taken out of service each year, if Americans recycled just 2/3 of those cell phones, we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 630,667 tons of CO2 and save enough energy to power more than 194,000 U.S. homes for a year.”

Ready to make a change in NYC’s eco-friendly nightlife scene? Make sure to vote for Fair and Square. The Fair and Square goal is to bring about New York City’s first Fair Trade bar, which will serve wine, beer, and even artisanal liquors. This will certainly change the current bar scene: it’s a company desperate to show they care, and an opportunity to encourage responsible decision-making.

In addition to a trendy bar, Fair and Square will provide a daytime coffee shop, a place for ethical city-dwellers to relax in peace. The comfortable and stylish place will serve Fair Trade products to further improve the lives of all Earth’s inhabitants.

Fair Trade provides relief for impoverished communities who are belittled by the traditional sales method. Fair Trade ensures that those workers receive the most value for their product, and that buyers receive the best quality. As Fair and Square proudly states, “The solution is to trade fair & combat global poverty with our purchases.” Well, let’s help them out!

Visit the Fair and Square Web site for more information or if you want to vote. It only takes a second, and it will greatly benefit those in foreign countries, and across America. Voting ends June 14, so make sure to act quick! Look out, New York City– the Fair Trade bar is coming!

This Friday, eco-friendly fashionistas at EcoSalon are hosting a “pop up shop and green fashion tweet-up.” It will be held at Green Spaces [SoHo] in New York City. It’s a great opportunity for people to see the high-end design of these green designers, and to spread the word to some of fashion’s most influential crowd.

EcoSalon’s Editor in Chief [Sara Ost] and Fashion Editor [Amy DuFault] conveniently collected a group of green fashion designers to showcase their work and further carry out the green movement. Easy access to environmentally friendly fashion all in one place! Some of the big designers include Lara Miller, Doucette Duvall, and NatureVsFuture, but there are many more to be expected. This event will change the green fashion world as we know it, so make sure to stay tuned!

A preview of the designers and what to expect in the future:

Lara Miller

Doucette Duvall

NatureVsFuture

For most of us, we start and end our day in the bathroom.  So why not have it be as relaxing and sustainable as possible?  You can either make simple changes to your bathroom or go all out and remodel, but I’ll focus on simple changes today.  There are a handful of items in the bathroom that could be changed to create a healthier home. Here’s a start, but feel free to add your own in the comments!

-Switch to non-toxic cleaning supplies. Can easily be found online or in local stores.  I’ve been using Green Works and 7th Generation lately, but the are numerous brands.

-Use organic cotton towels. Organic products are made without harmful chemicals, keeping your home free of toxins.

-Use an organic cotton or hemp shower curtain.  Or use a shower curtain that will last for years to come. The important part is keeping products out of landfills, so look for products are are recyclable or natural.

-Use natural body products.  This is especially important since the products we use on our skin have more of a direct impact on our health.  There are a ton of different body products available, just look for products with few ingredients that you recognize.  Products with long names you can’t pronounce are normally chemical based.

-If updating cabinets or shelving, use sustainable wood products or bamboo.

-Use a low-flow shower head to conserve water.

This is just a list to get you started, so feel free to go above and beyond!  If your looking for more information or ideas, check out Verde’s eco-friendly bath products.

The weather is getting nicer and— while it’s important to stay healthy— there are other options for staying fit than using endless amounts of electricity in the gym. Instead of using the treadmill or elliptical for hours, try going for a walk with a friend. This will make it easier to get up and exercise, plus much more fun to keep going. Plus, 30 minutes of brisk walking you’ll burn approximately 150 calories. If you’re going for the real cardio workout, take a run along a nice outdoor trail. It will clear your mind and force you to push yourself. The average amount of calories burned in a moderate paced 30 minute run? 390.

Save the trip to the gym just for riding the stationary bike. Get in the habit of biking to run errands. This is a great way to get fit and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions and the use of natural gas of cars. You can get an inexpensive bike at garage sales, Goodwill or even  brand new and on sale. Not only will you be positively impacting the Earth, but for every half hour of moderate biking, you’ll burn about 280 calories.

Not up for those extensive exercises? Try doing yoga outdoors. Nature’s sounds and the sunshine will calm you and really enhance your yoga experience. If none of these sound appealing, play a game. Organized sports are a great way to interact with friends and get some good exercise in. Or cool off from the summer sun and get fit by swimming laps or treading water. Water is a great place for exercise because your body doesn’t feel the heat, and you don’t realize how tired you really are. 30 minutes of breaststroke will burn about 350 calories, while treading water is about 150.

The options for outdoor health are endless when you put your mind in it, and you’ll be greatly reducing your carbon footprint. Gyms are using an immense amount of electricity, and you can get just as good [if not better] of a workout out in nature. It’s an easy step to take to further improve the world. And think about what you could do with the extra $40 a month you’ll save on gym memberships this summer. You could get a really great reusable water bottle for that!

With Spring finally here, I’ve been seeing more and more community gardens.  Five years ago there were only a few in our area, but now it almost seems mainstream.  There’s even local apartment complexes that have their own gardens!  So what is a community garden?

Community Garden

“The basic philosophy of a community garden is that residents share the responsibility of the management and maintenance of the garden. Community gardens also serve as centers of recreation and education, providing a living classroom for schoolchildren. Fruits and vegetables supplied by community gardens also make for healthier neighborhoods.”

So if you live in an urban area and don’t have room to grow your own flowers or veggies, you join a community garden instead.  Sounds like fun doesn’t it:)  So how do you get started?You can always ask your local chamber or search online.  Here are a couple of resources I found:

Garden Resources Via The Urban Garden Project

Urban Gardening Help: Community Gardening

Urban Gardening: You Can Grow Food, No Matter Where You Live

Community Garden

 

In February I wrote a blog post about our new wood furniture products such as our end tablesand stools.  But since then we’ve added so many new products, I thought it deserved another post.  We now have benches, chairs, mirrors and wall panels, bath accessories and vases!

All of the wood products are made with sustainably farmed woods and natural finishes such as Teak, Livos, and Tung Oil.  Check out our favorites below!

Teak Wood Block Bench With Natural Honey Tone Finish

Honey Tone Mango Twist Vases

Buddha Wall Panel Ushnisha

Teak Towel Ladder with Adjustable Shelf - Natural Teak Oil Finish

We all wonder what we can do to improve our home without damaging the environment, but sometimes it’s hard to find viable answers. So we’ve composed a list with the three best green home trends of 2010, as well as ways to make them affordable and fun!

Energy Efficiency: Not only is saving energy incredibly beneficial to Planet Earth, but also lifts a load off the wallet. One of the simplest ways to decrease our carbon footprint is by purchasing LED or CFL light bulbs. LED light bulbs are extremely efficient. Though they can be pretty expensive, LED’s last up to 10 times as long as standard light bulbs by using only 2-10 of electricity. That can be up to 1/30^th of traditional fluorescents. Another option is CFL light bulbs, which are very popular right now. Although they contain mercury, they are still much more energy efficient than standard light bulbs.

Other great options may require a bit more work, but certainly retain some incredible benefits. These other options include R 38 insulation, high efficiency AC systems, passive solar orientation, solar panels, energy rated appliances, and tankless water heaters. Make sure to do your research and compare prices, and you’ll be pleased to see how much money [and energy] you’ll save in the long run.

Bamboo in the Home: There are countless benefits to using bamboo in your home. Whether used for hardwood floors or countertops, it’s easy to install and maintain. Bamboo is an incredibly durable material, so it also works well for dishware, especially if you have kids! Bamboo is also very pretty, so it looks fabulous as an indoor and outdoor plant. It can be fairly cheap to purchase, especially compared to traditional flooring and countertops. Perhaps the greatest benefit of bamboo, though, is the fact that it’s the world’s fastest growing plant. This makes it the perfect renewable source. Also because of its abundance, it’s super easy to come across a quality and inexpensive lot of bamboo. There’s no reason not to try, especially since you’ll love how the bamboo looks in any situation!

Sustainable Home Products: We’ve given you tips for more efficient energy and green building, so to complete the triangle, we now address green decorating. In the bedroom, useorganic cotton bedding. Living areas can be spiced up with decorative throw pillows. You’ll love the limitless options of designs, textures, and colors! When decorating your kitchen, use products made from organic clay or recycled glass. Your kitchen will be beautiful and eco-friendly! In the bathroom, don’t forget organic towels and natural soaps to keep the place bright! Finally, when decorating the dining room, think organic table toppers and accents. No matter what part of your home you plan to decorate, there is always a sustainable product fit to make it look great!

These are only three suggestions for ways to make your home more environmentally friendly. For more ideas, make sure to check out Verde Lifestyles! And don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone when decorating and researching new green home ideas.

We’re super excited to announce our new collection of natural soaps. We know you’ll love them, so check it out!

These simple and fresh soaps are made with only natural ingredients, unlike all other hand and body soaps. They’re handcrafted in small batches to ensure the highest quality of product. To further the high quality, only natural ingredients are used and no harmful or artificial fragrances. Plus, they come in eight delicious scents!

If you like fruity scents in your home, try the Tangerine Pomegranate White Tea soap. Prefer spicier smells? We carry Spearmint Eucalyptus, Gypsy Spice, Lavender and Poppy Mint. Not for you? We didn’t lie when we said everyone would appreciate this line—we even have subtle smelling scents like Earth Mama Goat Milk, Amber Vetiver and Cocoa Butter. No matter what aroma you like, you’ll be more than pleased with our new line of hand soaps.

Not sold, yet? These fabulous and organic soaps are only $5!

Ever wonder what goes into your favorite organic throw pillows? Danielle and I went to a local Douglas J Institute (Aveda) to get our hair cuts and saw a cap recycling station!

I’ve never actually seen a small bin dedicated to this particular item, but I know that the Whole Foods we shop at allows you to put the caps in with plastics #3-#7. Speaking of Whole Foods, the one up in Rochester is going to be recycling more unique items soon including batteries and corks. We’re super excited for the corks because we’re major wine-o’s and love our cabernets. We’ve got a small collection going (see below) for the day they open up the new recycling section.

Also below this is a before shot of my hair, ridiculous. You’ll have to come see us at Westborn Market in Berkley on the 23rd to see what our new hairdos look like. We’ll have some sweet products on hand including new soaps, fall scented candles, bamboo rugs and decor pillows with the aforementioned recycled bottle cap inserts.

The green movement has finally spread to the travel world! After much demand, several eco-friendly hotels have been popping up all over the globe. Although the most environmentally-friendly vacation includes taking a hike and spending the night below the stars, there are now other viable options. While there are several outstanding green hotels, we thought you’d most enjoy this one: voted the most eco-friendly hotel in the world, the Hamanasi Resort in Belize is the best in its game!

Hamansi began building with environment conservation in mind. They built around the existing trees, leaving animals’ homes and “nature’s air conditioners” intact. When they ran out of space? They built luxury tree houses in the forest! Down on the beach, Hamansi left a strip of vegetation six feet wide past the point of high tide. This little strip heavily reduces erosion and minimizes silting, which eventually chokes the reef. They have set aside over 10 acres around the hotel, keeping it as a stunning nature preserve. This preserve adjoins the swampland savanna which overlooks the Maya Mountains.

Not only is the Hamansi Resort built on eco-friendly ideals, but they maintain these practices in daily routines. All fruit and vegetable scraps are added to the compost pile and used to maintain the rich lands. When replanting, they minimize the use of pesticides and chemical based fertilizers. Old room linens are used for cleaning tools [just like we suggest!] to eliminate waste. The icing on the cake? Any leftover products are distributed to local community! The Hamansi Resort produces virtually no waste, recycles every product, and gives back to the planet by maintaining nature’s natural beauty. Hamansi is a great role model for every resort out there!

Have you ever thought about the potential of kinetic energy?  Any corner on a busy street could have 50,000 steps a day, imagine if you could use that foot traffic for energy!  One such company has taken advantage of our foot traffic, Pavegen Systems Ltd.  They install “slabs” on the sidewalk that absorb the kinetic energy created by every footstep and five “slabs” on a busy sidewalk can generate enough energy to illuminate a bus stop throughout the night.

But there are so many other applications for kinetic energy!  There are dual purpose bikes that can be used for transportation and energy production, rocking chairs that harness energy, evengyms that are powered by exercise equipment, and countless other products that are on the market or soon to be.  Here is a sampling of cool products we’ve found that use kinetic energy:

Corky Mouse Generates Kinetic Energy With Every Click

Power Your Music Player With Your Running Pants

Energy Generating Soccer Ball Brings Clean Power to Off-Grid Areas

Mineral makeup is a big trend, but is it as environmentally friendly as you think? No. So here are 3 outstanding makeup brands [tested and approved by sheknows.com!] that are made with all natural elements and without all those harmful ingredients!

1. Josie Maran: “The natural beauty teamed with the Environmental Working Group’s siteSkin Deep for the creation of the cosmetics’ formulas and with The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to bypass harmful ingredients. Josie is as committed to quality and luxury as she is to the environment—which is a win-win for the environmentally savvy girl on the go.”

2. Nvey Eco: “The entire Nvey Eco brand is certified by the Organic Food Chain. In addition to its environmentally friendly practices, Nvey Eco is praised for making long-lasting and durable cosmetics.”

3. Alima Pure: “Alima Pure takes being natural very seriously, which is why they are certified against the more rigorous European standards of the Federation of German Industries and Trading Firms for natural cosmetics. As only the second American cosmetics company to get that coveted stamp of approval, you can count on them for quality natural ingredients.”

Since we’re all trying to better the world by “going green,” why not do it in every possible aspect of daily living? Environmentally friendly home decor, fashion, and travel have taken the world by storm, so why not apply earth friendly behaviors to nightlife?  One of the most fun, beautiful, and responsible nightclubs in the world is Greenhouse, located in New York City’s legendary Soho district. Besides having unbelievable decorations [including bamboo/grass walls and a crystal rain effect], this club aims to fulfill its environmental responsibility. Below are some of Greenhouse’s unique qualities that keep it #1 in eco-friendly nightlife.  Now you can go green when you go out!

Greenhouse is L.E.E.D. certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. It strictly uses LED lightbulbs, which use 1/30th of the energy of regular club lights. There is even wind-generated energy to cover its electricity usage. Greenhouse’s 6,000-square-foot space includes waterless urinals and low-flow toilets to reduce water usage, in addition to bamboo walls and floors. Even high-rolling club goers goers make a green contribution by signing up for a table with bottle service and purchasing eco-friendly Vodka 360. Var staff wear uniforms made of organic materials designed by Edun. Next time you’re in New York City, make sure to support the green efforts because helping the Earth has never been so glamorous!

Wired Resistance is an eco-friendly company [started in 1998] that uses unusual recycled pieces to make eye-catching and beautiful jewelry. Melissa Kolbusz is incredibly creative with her designs, using materials from Effen Vodka bottles to washers from old BMW’s. Below is a list of some of our favorites, as well as a link to purchase her jewelry and local stores that sell it. Hop on the green wagon and start accessorizing with recycled materials!

Dangle Earrings Made From Recycled Effen Vodka Surgeon Warning Label

Ring Made From Recycled Rubber Stoppers and Stainless Steel Wire

Dangle Earrings Hand Punched From Rubber Labels and Steel Cuts

Wrap Bracelet Made of 30+ Feet of Recycled Wire

Wired Resistance Web site

Environmental hero, Dan Phillips, started a Texas construction company that builds low-income houses solely from salvaged pieces. The company, Phoenix Commotion, has been around for 12 years and is responsible for the construction of 14 homes. Each house sits on a lot that was either donated or purchased at a reasonable price. Phillips claims that over 80% of the materials are recycled, coming from previous construction projects and giant trash heaps. In this case, one can confidently state that trash really can be beautiful.

Some creative ideas:

Cork Bottle Floors

Wine Bottle Stain Glass Doors

Scrap Wood Siding

Picture Frame Ceiling

Cattle Bone Chair

Mirror Shards on the Wall

Recycled Shingle Roof

But what about the iPad? The iPod touch-like device can be used to watch movies and TV shows and has full access to the iTunes store (and a built-in iPod). That means many of the more energy-intensive things we rely on laptops to do can be accessed on the smaller iPad, which weighs just 1.5 pounds, has a 9.7 inch display, and is .5 inches thin. And the impressive 10 hour battery life means that the device doesn’t need to be hooked up to an outlet for nearly as long as a standard laptop. The iPad’s 30-day standby battery life means that it rarely needs to be plugged in at night, too. And according to Steve Jobs, the iPad is arsenic-free, BFR-free, mercury-free, PVC-free, and is highly recyclable.

Still, few people are likely to replace their iPods or laptops with the iPad. So we have to wonder — is this really anything more than an unnecessary luxury item?"

Other Requirements: Resume and 1 creative writing sample.

Hours and Pay: Intern will be required to put in 10 hours per week (40 hours per month) with a weekly evaluation meeting or phone call to go over new strategies or improvements that can be made. Rate is $8 per hour. Minimum timeframe for this is 3 months and a final evaluation at the end of that period may result in increased hours and further employment.

Job Description: From week to week the intern will be given guidelines for writing landing pages, press releases, blog posts, category descriptions. Intern will also be taught how to read and understand Google Analytics and Rank Tracker to determine growth of online marketing campaigns. Expectations and quantity of projects will vary each week but still maintain approximately 10 hours of work weekly.

Getting Started: After the intern is accepted into Verde’s internship program, there will be a 1-2 hour initial training to go through further guidelines for the job and learn the website’s back end interface.

Internship Experience: Student will gain an extensive knowledge of online copywriting, basic html formatting, website analytics and search engine optimization. With a majority of brick and mortar businesses moving their operations online, understanding the ecommerce industry, online search marketing as well as how the back end interface of an online business functions is a great asset. We are more than willing to write letters of recommendation as well as speak to other potential employers about your experience here.

Verde Lifestyles Inc Background: After approximately one year of product and industry research as well as financial planning, co-owners Ryan Forrest and Danielle Brycz launched Verde October 1^st, 2009.  The website www.verdelifestyles.com sells organic, recycled, repurposed, fair trade, sustainable and other eco friendly home décor ™.

EMAIL RESUMES TO DANIELLE@VERDELIFESTYLES.COM