Our Planet is Such a Pretty Little Home

Happy Earth Day!  Our little home in the galaxy is such a pretty one.  I do hope that we can keep it that way.  And it is such a rainy, dreary day here in Chicago that I hope that the earth day community and school events are able to be as productive as they planned. 

I think that over the past year Dan and I have become much more earth-friendly in our lifestyle.  We have finally finally been able to remember to take our reusable bags for shopping trips- very late to that party, I know.  Our diet changed pretty significantly... the effort to cut out processed foods as much as possible has led to a serious decline in the amount of trash we put out from food packaging. We are very conscious about purchasing locally produced options whenever possible- the obvious farmers market and also little things like in the grocery store we go for the locally produced tortillas or beer over the 'big brand' ones shipped in.  Cutting back on my caffeine habit has resulted in my tossing next to zero paper coffee cups. Among other little things like these.

The little incremental changes are not quite as flashy as making a bold statement to say I can shower in 2 minutes flat in cold water (not happening).  But I feel good about the fact that we try to not be wasteful in our daily lives and are thoughtful about trying to be more environmentally friendly.  I love the beauty of nature and hope that I can reflect that through my lifestyle... which is always a work in progress. :) 

Have a happy weekend!

Restoring A Craigslist Table

I recently tried my hand at furniture restoration on a cute little craigslist find side table (with help from my trusty assistant, the husband)...

From this:

Complete with a million little scratches from the wear and tear of 50+ years.

To this:

Nice and smooth without a hint of a scratch. {ignore that wierd little plant of Dans and all the ugly cords!}

I posted up more about the story over on Elizabeth Anne Designs Living so head on over and check it out (and there are a few more pics of the process (and close ups) on flickr)!

Grow Pots

Having fresh herbs on hand is such an easy way to make the most simplistic dinner that much more amazing (seriously, throw fresh basil with pasta and lemon zest and I am a happy girl).  But space can be a major challenge in the city.  The grow pots from Potting Shed Creations are definitely a pretty option for even the tiniest of balconies or kitchen windows.  The bamboo pots are very chic.  Basil or mint would be at the top of my list but the lavender would be a very pretty addition to any kitchen.

Reusable Produce Bags

As it is almost Farmers Market season here in the midwest and as I am looking to add a new green living practice into our daily life, I have been very close to ordering these Ecobag reusable produce bags. 

The only thing holding me back is I am very confident that they could be a very DIY project...  But they are pretty inexpensive so I am weighing the time for the DIY version versus just ordering them.

Resolution: Sustainable Style

It is that wonderful time of year to start setting resolutions!  And thus what better time than today to resolve to move towards a more earth-friendly lifestyle.  Already recyling and reusing?  Has your green lifestyle expanded to your closet?

I love the style found at Beklina.

 

 Or there is the organic collection at Park Vogel.

Even though the green/earth-friendly movement has become a bit more mainstream it seems that there are still fairly limited options for sustainability focused clothing lines that are also relatively affordable beyond vintage clothing.  But I am on the hunt... any one have suggestions on where to look?