Written by Victoria Everman
Published on February 12th, 2008
Do you ever wonder where that smell in your paint set comes from? If there was an ingredients list on your crafting supplies, similar to those on food and beverages, you might not like what you see.
It’s ironic that such a relaxing, restoring and expressive activity—making art and crafts—can also be so toxic. Although legislation controlling many of the dangerous ingredients in hobby materials has recently been passed, exposure to certain art materials remains a health risk.
CAGW pal Jennifer from Eco Child’s Play turned us onto an article from Care2 about arts & crafts supplies that I couldn’t resist sharing with you all. Adapted from Safe Substitutes: Non-Toxic Household Products by Gary Davis and Em Turner, the article brings to light the surprisingly abundant amount of dangerous chemicals and metals in common creative goods. “Toxic chemicals in the home can be eliminated simply by making thoughtful choices in the supermarket after educating oneself about what the hazards are of common consumer products,” said Gary and Em. Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Juliet Ames
Published on February 11th, 2008
I have just discovered Smencils and had to share them with the world! Smencils are gourmet scented pencils made from 100% recycled newspaper. You can even see the layers of newspapers when they are sharpened! The Smencil World website not only offers original Smencils, but also a colored variety, mini kits and home kits for the do-it-yourselfer!
They can customize for business or events and work with organizations to make fundraising kits. What a great way to promote your green business or raise money for a cause! Sure, there are recycled newspaper pencils on the market, but where else can you find pencils that smell like your favorite fruit or dessert? Life is too short to leave your sense of smell out of the experience of writing a letter!
Written by Victoria Everman
Published on February 7th, 2008
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Michigan based Mango Moon Yarns takes the last two steps of that now infamous eco-mantra to another level. Working with the Nepali Women’s Empowerment Group, Mango Moon creates unspeakably vivid yarns made from recycled fibers.
The N-WEG, an NGO organization, welcomes abused women to their shelter, where they harness their native knitting and spinning skills to “rebuild their lives, while continuing to care for their children. Proceeds provide a safe shelter, health care, education and the dignity of financial independence.”
Woven from the yarn of old saris and sarongs, Mango Moon yarns comes in an infinite concoction of colorways. Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Victoria Everman
Published on February 5th, 2008
I can’t believe it has only been one year. My first post for Green Options went live on February 15th, 2007 – just days after the blog launched. It feels like much more than a year that I have been working with these great, eco-minded folks – how the time flies.
Just a year ago, my main focus was covering the fashion beat for the site. Once a week, I’d write about a green fashion brand that was sustainable, stylish and affordable. I also had the pleasure of interviewing some very cool folks, including Jonah Sachs of Free Range Studios (the folks who did The Meatrix), Josh Dorfman (The Lazy Environmentalist), Belinda David-Tooze of Envirosax, and Danny Seo.
After just a few months, Green Options editor and my savvy boss Jeff McIntire-Strasburg gave me the opportunity to start doing reviews as well – including yoga mats, jewelry, TV shows and magazines. We decided together to start writing about more DIY and crafty fashion topics in August of 2007 and have never looked back. I still do a review for each issue of Body+Soul Magazine over at sustainablog (see my take on the Jan/Feb 2008 issue here), but when Jeff told me about Green Options changing from a single blog to a collection of blogs, the conversation about a fashion and crafty blog came to life.
Choosing between heading up the fashion blog or the crafty blog was a tough choice – in the beginning, I was planning to do both. Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Juliet Ames
Published on February 4th, 2008
Valentine’s Day has become more of a headache then heartfelt for most. Poor men are inundated with commercials claiming that if they don’t go to a mall jewelry store, their lover’s family and friends will be completely disappointed in them. That little jewelry box must also be accompanied by chocolates, flowers and a card. And, don’t forget the reservations, guys! No wonder men are not much into this dreaded day. Is this really what women want? Here’s a suggestion for this year: avoid the commercialized, boring routine and have a green Valentine’s Day!
No worries if you don’t know the first thing about making gifts – it is easier then ever to find cool, recycled, handmade gifts online. Online boutique Zanisa is a great place to find all sorts of recycled, organic and sustainable gifts like this necklace from designer Liana Kabel, made from recycled Tupperware! And of course, Etsy is the fantastic place to find original handmade gifts. Check out the daily Valentine’s Showcase for ideas.
Even if you are not a crafter, this recycled heart project from A Little Hut, is totally achievable. All you need is a paper egg carton, some red paint, background card-stock and a box frame to create something that your lover won’t soon forget. Read the rest of this entry »
