Unique Recycled Gifts

September 30, 2011 By Anne

I subscribe to The Daily Green and get some pretty cool emails. If you are into recycling or upcycling, I would recommend checking them out.Today’s email came with some cool recycled gift ideas, perfect for those geting ready for the holidays.

The first idea is cool – I’ve never seen this one before.

The cat’s going to jump in the suitcase if you open it, anyway. That’s what cats do. Why not provide this super-cool vintage “Royal Traveller” upcycled suitcase pet bed for your pet’s sleeping pleasure, instead? Brad and Ashley Reynolds, the college students behind VintageRenassance in Moscow, Idaho, say their cat, Hamlet*, loves the cotton fabric, the eco-friendly stuffing … and, of course, the novelty of something new to sleep on. Cost: $65.

The vinyl bowls would make gifts for those on your list who remember records. Do you?

These “platters from the past” are made from old vinyl records, painted with original psychedelic acrylic designs and heated so they can be molded into flower-like forms.

Made by Christine Claringbold (Eye Pop Art) in Portland, Ore., and sold for $58 apiece, these bowls are “fantastic for holding fruit, candy, candles, trinkets, or anything your heart desires.” Plus, you never know what original record label you’ll find on the bowl’s bottom.

I love all the colors in this wooden frame. It would be pretty easy to make something like this too, if you’re into that kind of stuff.

This Chalecco creation is as simple as it is fashionable: A scrap wood picture frame for $47.

All images and info obtained from The Daily Green.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Back to School the Eco-Way Giveaway Blog Hop

August 22, 2011 By Anne

Another Back to School event? This time it’s going Back to School the Eco-Way!! Why not start the new school year off the eco-friendly way?

There are tons of places to buy eco-friendly products and they’re not terribly high prices, either.

I have five awesome sponsors for this event.

The Ultimate Green Store – has everything you can think of – not just school supplies. Check out my review here. Prize – $25 GC

LunchSkins – Reusable bags in 3 sizes. Check out my review here. Prize – set of 2 bags.

Ethical Ocean – another great store that has a large variety of products – they show where everything came from. Check out my review here. Prize – markers, pencils, glue all in eco-friendly case.

Terracycle – Cool company that takes trash and turns it into products. Check out my review here. Prize – Backpack, pencil care and notebook.

Green Time Bags – Reusable sandwich and snack size. Check out my review here. Prize – set of 2 bags.

I will have 2 packages for 2 winners!!

Prize pack #1 – The Ultimate Green Store $25 GC and a set of LunchSkins reusable bags.

Prize pack #2 – Ethical Ocean prize pack, Terracycle backpack and Green Time Bags reusable bags.

See review posts for disclosures.

Anne

Terracycle – Sponsor Highlight

August 19, 2011 By Anne

I can’t get enough Terracycle! It has nothing to do with the fact they they sponsored my very first giveaway. I love the fact the take trash and turn it into products!

I signed up with Terracyle 2 years ago and starting collecting and collecting. I tried to get my son’s school involved and even put a story in the local paper. The school wasn’t ready and they missed out a great oppurtuniy. I do have to say- they started collecting the following year., so that’s good.

Terracycle collects a lot of different products like, chip bags, cookies bags, candy wrappers, yogurt containers and the most popular – juice pouches. The consumer – you and I actually collect the trash and mail it to Terracycle and Terracycle pays for shipping! Then they sort and clean the trash and make something new. Like backpacks, notebooks, garbage cans and more. Terracycle then gives your local school or favorite charity $$ for every itme collected.

How cool is that! Get money for trash!

Terracycle sent me a backpack and notebook and pencil case to giveaaway during my Back to School the Eco-Way Giveaway Blog Hop!

Have you seen their show – Garbage Moguls? Check it out if you haven’t seen it. I wish they would make some new episodes.

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter too!

Anne

Green Time Bags – Sponsor Highlight

August 19, 2011 By Anne

Another Reusbale baggie!! You can never have enough, really, you can’t. At least for my family. We are major snackers so that means bags of pretzles, bags of cookies, chips and so on and so on. You know how many baggies we would go thriugh? Way too many as I’m sure many families do today. Is getting easier though – with reusable baggies.

Green Time Bags started out with a family, like mine, that wanted to redue their footprint and help the environment.

My family started using reusable bags about two years ago and while I do still use them, I don’t use them as much. You can get many different designs and colors and really make it fun to be “green”!

The inside of the Green Time Bags are BPA, lead and phthalate free. The liner is nylon and peva fabric. It’s kinda like a tablecloth material that you can wipe up or throw in the wash. Great for work, school or picnics,

Green Time Bags is offering a set, including one sandwich and one snack size bag for the Back to School the Eco-Way Giveaway Blog Hop!

Follow then on Facebook and Twitter too!

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I haven’t decided which set I’ll be giving away – which one do you like?

I received 2 sets, one to keep and one to giveaway – my opinions are my own.

Anne

Ethical Ocean – Sponsor Highlight

August 19, 2011 By Anne

I was looking for school supplies on line, but I didn’t want just any supplies, I want eco-friendly supplies. I came across Ethical Ocean. Their website has everthing eco-friendly, not just school supplies. They sell clothing, make up, cleaners, pet supplies and really anything you can think of.

Ethical Ocean is an online ethical marketplace aiming to increase the awareness and consumption of ethical products and services in North America. Our goal is to transform the market by connecting buyers and sellers through one easily-navigated website that amasses every type of ethical product imaginable. – And they mean every type!

Ethical Ocean know that ethical can mean different things to different people, so they lay it all out for everyone to see. They take these items into consideration:

information on where the product is made;
official certifications the product has been awarded;
additional claims made by the seller on what makes the product ethical;
a rating system which allows users to evaluate those claims; and
feedback from members who have purchased the product.

I love the bios on their team! I’ve never seen anything like it. Complete bios and pictures of the members of the team. Very cool.

Ethical Ocean is one of the sponsors for the Back to School the Eco-Way Giveaway Blog Hop! The prize – a pencil bag, recycled pencils, eco markers and eco-glue. Check out Savannah using them!

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Giveaway starts August 22 – get ready!!