I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Pink Julep, who has a fantastic little blog, so go check it out. Since this has been a fairly hectic week work-wise, my posting abilities have been limited, but I figured since I've never done one of these on my blog, I'd take a little break and fill this one out. I'm not tagging anyone just yet, look for that to come soon.

Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.

Step 2: tag—eight other un-tagged people.

Make a list of things you can see without getting up:
A stack of eco-books (for blog research, of course), a stack of backissues of Domino, two cats, my laptop, the across-the-street neighbor's giant energy sucking television (on which he spends endless hours playing Guitar Hero).

Favorite football team:
LSU Tigers

What are you wearing now?
Jeans and a white button up shirt.

What color is your bedroom?
White, we're not allowed to paint.

What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading?
Currently reading Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit

What was the last movie you saw?
The Last Waltz.

What’s your current obsession/addiction?
Hmm, my initial inclination is to say "going green" but I would be remiss if I didn't also add discovering new music.

What was the last thing you said aloud?
I asked the cats if they were hungry.

What websites do you always visit when you go online? Treehugger.com, Ecorazzi.com, Planetgreen.com

What was the last thing you bought?
A haircut for myself.

What are you listening to right now?
A friend's newest cd.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
I'd like to be able to fly. I think that'd be kind of neat.

What is your favorite weather, and why?
Sunny and cool. It's the best weather for walking around in the city.

What time do you usually get up?
9:00 am (I am lucky to work in an industry that doesn't wake up too early)

What is your most challenging goal right now?
Figuring out how to green our upcoming move.

Say something to the person who tagged you:
Thanks so much for the tag, Pink Julep. I look forward to keeping up with your blog.

If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?
Nashville

Favorite vacation spot?
Home to Louisiana

What is your favorite children’s book?
Goodnight Moon

Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you:
Mac and cheese

Favorite hair product?
Burt's Bees avocado pre-shampoo hair treatment

What was the first tape or cd you ever bought yourself?
I don't even remember. Probably something teeny-bopperish.

More Recommended Reading

Next time you're at your local library, check out some of these eco-picks to expand on your knowledge of all things green:

Ready, Set, Green
Cradle to Cradle
Dreaming Green
Urban Eco Chic
Choosing Green
Your Eco-Friendly Home

Skirting the Issue

For a long while, it seemed as though eco-fashion came in only two varieties: trendy and casual. Now, more and more companies are coming out with classic pieces. Take for instance Sublet's Beylah pencil skirt.

This would be a great piece for work. Pair it with a button up and a pair of classic black heels and you're good to go!

Eco-Golf

I worry a lot about my own personal impact on the environment. I try to "green" all of my day to day activities like using a Sigg water bottle, taking shorter showers, using biodegradable bath products, recycling, and the like. Even still, I'm left with a great deal of concern about my extracurricular activities. Running and cycling don't pose too much of a problem to the planet, but what about sporting activities that require somewhat disposable equipment? I like to play golf and by "play golf", I mean I like to go to the golf course and swing fervently at the ball (usually missing or sending it into an adjacent patch of trees, thereby losing the ball). Now, I can feel a little better about my because several companies have started making biodegradable golf balls and tees.

If you enjoy golf too, snap up some of these eco-golf goodies. Now, you can look cute in your pink polo and madras shorts AND do less harm to the environment!

Check out Eco Golf and Eco Golf Balls.

Philadelphia Home Show 2009

I had the pleasure of attending the Philadelphia Home Show today. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of eco-friendly booths in the Convention Center. My favorite booth was Strictly Bamboo which featured 100% bamboo sheets and towels. These were by far the softest sheets and towels I have ever touched in my life! Bamboo is a great sheet/towel option because it's naturally anti-microbial and antibacterial. Good for your body, good for your health!

Another highlight was the Gerhard's Appliances booth where this fun teal Eloctrolux washer and dryer were on display. I spent about 20 minutes playing with all of the neat energy and water saving features!

I also got to check out the Swift Microfiber (a chemical-free cleaning option), Touch of Purple cleaner (an all-natural cleaner/polish that you can use on jewelry, boats, glass, and whole bunch of other things), Solatube (skylight alternative that cuts down on heat from sunlight), EnviroTek green finishing systems (environmentally friendly basement/garage/bonus room finishing), and East Coast Power Savers (a tiny little plug-in that reduces power surges and spikes). There were lots of other green booths and a contest where you can win a $300 gift card just for voting for your favorite green product at the show. The Philadelphia Home Show runs through January 25.

Going Green for Dummies

If you're interested in really easy tips for going green (or green building and remodeling), swing by your local Target and pick up pocket-sized copies of these two books from their dollar section:

In the Trenches

VivaTerra's Organic Cotton Hooded Trench is on sale right now. It comes in two practical colors and the bracelet-length sleeves are adorable! This would be a great right-now coat for the folks living in warmer climates or save-it-for-spring coat for those of us experiencing more frigid temperatures!

Try a B&B for R&R

Sometimes we all need a break. Take a weekend and hit a bed and breakfast near you, or take a longer vacation to a B&B somewhere you've always wanted to visit. BnBfinder.com has a great listing of eco-friendly bed and breakfasts all across the country. They've also got a list of Green Getaways that they recommend.

When Fashion Becomes Decor

I've always thought there was a direct correlation between how a person dresses their house and how they dress themselves. Designer Mary McDonald proves my point in this month's Domino Magazine. I love her boldly preppy den!

If you want to put some preppy pop in your own den and you want to do it with eco-panache, consider using low- or no-VOC paints and secondhand or sustainable furnishings.

In Case You Were Wondering...

If you've been pondering about whatever happened to those adorable dollhouse Bean boots I blogged about, wonder no longer. They have a wonderful home...with my mother. After reading about them on my blog, she just had to have them! When I was really young, she painstakingly made a dollhouse that was a replica of our house. Even the doormat on the front steps was just like ours. The petite Bean boots are happily resting in the dollhouse next to the petite brown leather cowboy boots that were added during the early stages of the dollhouse in honor of my dad. I snuck a peak while I was home and the Bean boots are SO precious! Here's to tiny versions of the things we love!

Free Green! Free Green!

Are you thinking about building a new house? Or maybe remodeling the old one? For so long, "green" houses have been ultra modern loft-style homes which work for some people, but the prep in all of us longs for a cottage or a bungalow or a Colonial or a Cape Cod style house. Free Green to the rescue! Free Green offers house plans of all varieties for free (that's right, free!) and you can customize any of the plans available on the website to your specifications.

The Comfortable Cape Plan

Check out the Free Green blog to learn about green building and watch the progress of a green house as it is being built here. The Go Green Now section is also great and offers tips on what you can do now to make your life a little bit greener.

Nashville + Going Green = A Really Happy Eco-Prep!

I love Nashville like I've never loved another city. As I've mentioned a couple of times, I recently spent a couple of months working in Nashville and will be moving back in the not too distant future. It's just such a charming city! But now, it's getting even better! I was so excited when I opened my inbox this morning and found the following information in an email from a friend:

Nashville's First Green General Store to Open in January

Two years ago in Tucson Arizona, Jen Casale found herself driving all over the city (in her 1982 Mercedes station wagon that runs on waste vegetable oil) to shop at different stores to gather eco-friendly products she could use at home. One night after one too many red lights, she realized that a one stop earth friendly shop was desperately needed. Several years of planning later, Jen's vision of a "green" general store evolved into what will soon be The Green Wagon, a cozy yet comprehensive retail collection of environmentally friendly home necessities. Scheduled to open on Friday, January 16, 2009, The Green Wagon is nestled in the heart of historic Sylvan Park in Nashville at 4429 Murphy Road and will be open 7 days a week from 10am – 7pm. Jen Casale is passionate about making "green" shopping easy and practical for customers. The Green Wagon's mission is "To assist communities in reducing our collective carbon footprint by making environmentally friendly products accessible and affordable."

The Green Wagon will house a classic collection of general store merchandise, with everything from cleaning supplies to clothing to shampoo to mattresses. The store will feature a "refilling station" where customers can refill their bottles with certain products at a discounted price, instead of buying new containers. A large portion of the products in The Green Wagon inventory are made locally, therefore reducing the business' and customers' carbon footprint that would normally occur during the shipping process. Since the notion of "green" is relatively new and somewhat undefined, Jen uses a standardized assessment that will evaluate products based on their environmental footprint across the product's lifecycle stages. This standard purchasing process will give The Green Wagon customers peace of mind and allow them the freedom to walk in and feel good about any item they purchase. The Green Wagon hopes that defining its standards of "green" will simplify and enhance the shopping experience for customers.

For more information, click here. Next time you're in Nashville, stop by and pick up some green goodies for yourself!

Denim Therapy

Let's face it, sometimes you fall in love with a pair of jeans the way you fall in love with a puppy. You love them, you wear them as soon as they come out of the laundry, they become almost part of you. Trust me, I know, it happened to me. I bought a pair of jeans when I was a sophomore in college that still, to this day, hold a special place in my heart. They weren't flashy, they weren't designer, but they were comfortable. Basic bootcut jeans. I wore them frequently with everything from tshirts to polos to oxfords to dressy tops. And then the inevitable happened. They became holey jeans. But not in the cool holey places, not on the knee or by the pockets or anywhere on the leg. They did not become rockstar jeans. They became holey in a region where even the mention would make my grandmother would blush. I was devastated. Something inside me told me to hang on to them so I put them in the back of the drawer, all the while hoping for a miracle to come about, a miracle that would allow jeans to be magically repaired.

Meet the miracle!

Denim Therapy Denim Repair

Here's their process:

We have reunited thousands with their favorite jeans and we know we can help you too. Its simple:

1. sign up for denim therapy (its free!)
2. ship us your jeans
3. we'll give you an estimate
4. we apply therapy (only if you still want us to)
5. you are back in your favorite jeans

The proof is in the pudding. Here's the before:

And the after:

Now you can hang on to your favorite jeans for a while longer!

The Eco-Prep Medicine Cabinet

Because most of my friends and family know about this blog, I get asked fairly frequently about which products I use. I decided I'd go ahead and share my product choices with everyone. I don't wear much makeup because I have super sensitive skin, so I'll share with you the arsenal of other products that have found a home in my bathroom. (Click on the links below to learn more about each product.)

Jason Tea Tree Shampoo, Kiss My Face Cool Mint Moisture Shave Cream, Weleda Foot Balm, Badger Sore Muscle Rub, Badger Headache Soother, Burt's Bees Radiance Eye Cream, Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer, Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, Evan Healy Blue Chamomile Day Moisturizer, Evan Healy Green Tea Mask, Evan Healy Cleansing Milk, Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist, Alba Tea Tree Deodarant, Recycline Preserve Toothbrush, Tom's of Maine Toothpaste

The Dish on Repurposed Dinnerware

Sarah Cihat's line of dishware could not be more fab! She's taken the concept of reusing and repurposing to a whole new level...CHIC! The plate below is just one example of her amazing work. Check out the rest of the collection at her website.

Recycling the Tree

So the holiday season has come and gone and now you're probably left with an ornamentless (and likely brittle) tree. If you're wondering what you can do with it to lessen the impact on the environment, read on.


Plenty Magazine has a terrific article on recycling your Christmas tree. Read it here. Some suggestions include making it into mulch or sending it to your local Christmas tree recycling program. Just make sure you take the lights off first!

The Polo Goes Eco

Patagonia's Polo Shirt for men is made from organic cotton and garnered outstanding reviews, both from customers and from Evo. The shirt comes in a plethora of colors and prices range from $30 (for discontinued colors) to $55.


So fellas, if one of your resolutions was to go green this year, here's a great way to start!

Getting the Boot

Fashion traditionalists have long thought that there are style boundaries which simply should not be crossed. For example, there is a school of thought that says you should never wear a polo shirt with cowboy boots. My reply? Give me a break! Maybe it's because I was raised in the south. Maybe it's because I worked for a while in Nashville. Maybe it's because I subscribe to the school of thought that says "wear it if you love it." Ralph Lauren feels the same. Read his opinions on the matter of mixing and matching styles (specifically preppy and western) in this article.

**Photo from Vanity Fair

If you're like me and occasionally like to mix 'n' match to change the wardrobe up a bit, try mixing things up in an eco-friendly fashion. This goes for guys and gals. Wear that old favorite oxford or polo with your favorite leather belt from way back when (sans giant buckle...you have to draw the line somewhere!). Pair it with some eco jeans (once more, I offer a plug for Levi's Eco line because I can't get enough of them!!!) and a pair of vintage cowboy boots. I have about 15 pairs of vintage boots, but my favorite pair by far is my Justin boots in cognac-colored suede. They have a slightly pointed toe which gives them just a little bit of edge.

**This is just a sample of vintage boots, these are not my actual boots. I sure wish they were, though.

If you want to try the vintage boot look but don't want to invest a ton of money, thrift stores, shopgoodwill.com or ebay are great places to start. If you're more interested in getting boots from someone who knows vintage, stop by Sputnik Ranch on Magazine Street in New Orleans or Katy K's in Nashville.

Preppy (and Green!) Icon of the Day

Today's Preppy Icon of the Day is Kelly Rutherford.

In addition to being preppy, Kelly, who stars on the CW's Gossip Girl, is also uber green. In fact, she's on the current cover of Positively Green magazine.

Sprig has a great video interview of Kelly talking about her eco-friendly lifestyle. Not surprisingly, Kelly is wearing a super preppy twinset. Presh! View the video here.

Stealing One from the Boys

Ordinarily, I go for fitted pieces with a feminine flair, but some days just call for something more comfortable. If you've ever lived (or wanted to live) on or near a farm or ranch, these shirts are for you. Sundance, one of my favorite catalogs, is currently having a sale on all of the pieces in the outlet section of their website and you can snag these two great and enduring shirts for a steal of a deal!

The Poplin Boyfriend Shirt:

The Femme Chambray Shirt:

Pair 'em with your favorite pair of eco-denim and a killer pair of vintage cowboy boots and you've got yourself an outfit!