Thursday, February 28, 2008

Going Green in Kansas City!

The theme for our March KCEtsy Trunk Show, March 7th at Shiraz Restaurant, is Go Green! So today I'm sharing ways you to go green - environmentally speaking - starting this weekend, and I have more great St. Patrick's Day inspired offerings to share from more of our team members!

Three quick and easy tips for Going Green this weekend!

  • The internet has made shopping so much easier … at your finger tips you have access to so much more than you could ever get at the mall. But with online purchasing, come piles and piles of mail … nam ely catalogs! If you find yourself simply dumping catalog after catalog in the trash can – without even leafing through them – call the company and ask to have your name removed from their mailing list. It will take about 3 months, but reducing the amount of unwanted paper in your home is well worth it! And of course it goes without saying, recycle, recycle, recycle all catalogs, magazines and newspapers - it’s good for you and the environment!
  • Are you switching out all the light bulbs in your home to the longer lasting more energy efficient ones. The upfront cost of the bulbs is more than the cheaper, less efficient bulbs, but they use less energy (saving you on $$ on your energy bill each month) and they last much, much longer – like 7 years! Saving you time and aggravation in not having to constantly change burnt out light bulbs.
  • A couple of months ago my local grocery store started selling reusable shopping totes … large durable fabric shopping bags that look a lot like the brown paper grocery sacks with the handles. And at $1-$2 each, they are totally affordable. I purchased four and am amazed at how much produce, caned goods, dry goods, bread, even milk, I can fill in them! They each hold ~30 lbs and I’m easily able to fit ~$100 of groceries in my four bags – impossible to do in plastic! This simple inexpensive change has drastically reduced the number of plastic bags I’m taking to the recycling center each week and has simplified unloading the car after a shopping trip!
For more information on ways you can make simple life changes that can make a big environmental impact visit, The National Geographic's The Green Guide.

Did you know that when you buy something made locally you are also Going Green! According to the World Watch Institute, "Buying any goods produced locally saves energy by reducing the fossil fuels needed to transport ... items across the country and around the globe." Plus your money goes to continuing to support the local economy!

Here are some great handmade Irish green offerings perfect for St. Patrick's Day.
*** See more of what each artist has to offer by clicking on their name, you'll be taken directly to their Etsy shop. To learn more about the featured piece of art, click on the name of the piece in the list below.

1. Artist - JewlLi, Luck o The Irish - Kelly Green Sea Glass Pendant
2. Artist - somethingfromcassie, St Patrick's Day Lace Greeting Card
3. Artist - ajscountrycottage - Coconut Lime Soap, luxury olive oil soap
4. Artist - AdrienneDesigns - Lucky Shamrock Pin
5. Artist - tinystitches - Irish Luck Pillowcase
6. Artist - DumbKidDesigns - Celtic Wallet


JewlLi, and DumbKidDesigns will all be showing at our Go Green, First Friday's Show at Shiraz Restaurant, March 7th from 7-9pm. Be sure to stop by their tables and say hello!

And in keeping with the Love of Irish Green, I have one last little goodie for you, St. Patty's Day cards, created by tinystitches for you to download - free, print at home and send to friends and family. Enjoy!

2 comments:

Dana Miller said...

BaggyShirts - Reusable Bags Made From Recycled Clothing for a Healthier Planet! These multi-use bags are handmade in the USA, and the folks who make them work from home and get paid a decent wage...very cool....very green.....check them out at www.baggy-shirts.com!

JewlLi said...

Yay! thanks for all the great "green" tips! I recently just bought the new energy efficient lightbulbs and have also been recycling all the paper stuff (junk mail, newspapers, etc) instead of just throwing it in the trash. Every little bit helps! :)