Pretty Green Living

Grow your own organic plants – with or without a garden! The Earthbox Organic Kit includes: 1 EarthBox® container, 1 aeration screen, 1 water fill tube, 2 reversible Mulch Covers, 4 casters, 2.0 cu. ft. bag of organic potting mix, 16 oz. bag of 8-3-5 fertilizer, 16 oz. bag of dolomite, and instruction sheet. All plastic components are durable, food-safe, and UV stabilized. Container holds 2.0 cu. ft. of potting mix, and reservoir holds 3 gallons of water, Product dimensions: 29″L x 14″W x 11″H. Integrated caster sockets.  One-Year Warranty.

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Tags: earthbox organic kit, garden kit, organic gardening

This past weekend Raj and I spent another afternoon in the burbs taking care of errands.  No matter how long we’ve lived in the city, it always seems like we need to travel to do any real shopping…  Is this because of our Ohio/PA/more suburban roots which trained us in driving what were sometimes long distances to reach a one stop solution?  A few years ago a Target and Best Buy were opened in a part of town called Columbia Heights.  Probably a 1 1/2 mile and 10 minute drive from us.  However, we often opt to drive to the same store outside of the city.

I realize I perceive the headache of driving through traffic to the local Target, parking in the garage and also worrying about the location (the area near the shopping center has been plagued with incidents) to be much worse than driving about three times as long to park in a strip mall and do the same.  I feel the same way about an urban Home Depot.  I would rather waste time and gas driving to Virginia where I can also visit a few other stores while I’m out.  (So while this is not obviously the eco-friendly choice, it does mean that I combine all of my errands into one trip thus reducing the number of times I must go shopping.)  Certainly residents in walking distance or those that must take public transportation would see this completely differently but it makes me wonder what urban planners could do to make the benefits of local shopping outweigh the perceived negatives.

What would get me to shop in an urban shopping center?  Easy access to other stores and few obstacles, such as crime and parking, once there.  Admitting that I am like the stereotypical American who demands the rewards of endless options in exchange for relatively little effort is a bit disappointing, but probably accurate.  Which makes me think that perhaps instead of wishing for urban planners to cater to my needs I should, instead, go to where they would be met by current circumstances.  Am I a secretly a suburbanite at heart?

What would make you shop based on proximity rather than other amenities?

BTW – this is why I love shopping for most everything – including furniture and decor - online!

Another day another heat advisory here in DC.  Lucky for me, I can work from anywhere, but it does get claustrophobic for our active dog.  Luckily we have an option just a few blocks away – Dogs by Day.  (Actually, just a block from the new Restoration Hardware I mentioned yesterday.)  I drop Augie off and he is taken into a giant indoor, air-conditioned playroom with about 20 other dogs.  It is a fantastic solution for extreme weather days.  It is also a good alternative, economically speaking.  It is approximately $4 per hour (varies depending on the quantity of hours you purchase at a time) with a minimum of 2 hours a visit.  The folks there are super nice too.  Soon they will be moving to a new location even closer with an indoor AND outdoor play area.

I write this knowing that if you live outside of a major city and have a dog, you will think I am crazy to be taking our dog to an indoor play group.  I also realize that the required energy consumption would be looked on as frivolous by many.  Trust me, in lieu of a large yard this is a fantastic alternative and gives me a sane dog instead of an attention-seeking hyperactive puppy.   And it allows me to ensure he is getting the exercise and canine interaction he needs to be physically and mentally healthy.  Thank you Dogs by Day.

Tags: dog care in the city, dog daycare, washington dc dogs

The Room & Board opened earlier this summer and this morning I had a chance to tour the store.  I had been to the location in Denver a few years ago and am familiar with their products.  We’ve had the Calvin chest of drawers in our bedroom for about five years and despite being filled beyond capacity on a daily basis, it is as solid as the day it arrived.

Room and Board - Washington DC

I was quite impressed as we entered the store.  They had a beautiful vignette set up with the Andres Sofa in the stone fabric, Gate Rug, and some fabulous accessories.  Behind the sofa in place of a console table was the Kitaro Desk.  The entire look was quite sophisticated.

Andres Sofa

Gate Rug

Kitaro Desk

However, as we made our way around the first floor, then onto the second, third and finally top floor, there were few pieces that really stood out to me.  I would say that I found the majority of the pieces a bit boring but perhaps very simple is more accurate.  Some were quite lovely in their simplicity and really, that is Room & Board’s appeal – well-made pieces that will stand the test of time and trends.  While you do see the influence and presence of various styles, particularly mid-century modern, you get the idea that their business is not made following the latest trends.  Rather, it is about sticking with what works:  function and solid design.

I found myself hoping for some big surprise, a striking table or colorway.  Instead I saw dependable looks with lots of blues, greens and neutrals.  The understated design of Galbraith and Paul fabrics is perfectly suited to the look.  I suppose I’m grateful that they didn’t go out on a limb with any shocking looks.  You know what you’re getting in terms of both quality and style and for that, I’m happy we have a Room and Board.  There are plenty of other places out there to find trendy items and it’s quite reassuring to have a dependable Room & Board around.

From an environmental standpoint, some of their products are made in the U.S., saving the overseas shipping.  Outside of that I am not aware of any other initiatives.  Does anyone else know anything about their policies?

This is just another recent addition to the bustling U Street Corridor / 14th Street area of DC.  If you haven’t been, check it out.  You will find a variety of shops that carry goods ranging from vintage furniture to modern pieces.  Not to mention a ton of fantastic restaurants and clothing stores.  Visit soon!

Tags: modern furniture, room & board, shopping in DC

As we are considering what changes to make during our upcoming renovation, one of the things I’ve heard from contractors and others is that we should replace our toilet – a standard white fella from the 90’s in perfectly fine shape – with a new, more efficient and presumably more low-profile version.  I’ve been wondering whether we are being better stewards of the environment by trashing our existing model for the new.   Yes – I do have aesthetic considerations as well – it would be nice to have a streamlined, new version in there – but it’s a balance, after all.

Pressure Lite® 1.0 gpf Elongated Toilet from Kohler

During my research, I came across a post by The Passive Dad who explored this in detail, comparing his existing toilet water usage to the cost and water usage of a new high efficiency toilet (HET):

“Let’s say my current toilet uses 2 gpf and we use it 20 times a day. 40 gallons with brick vs. 24 gallons with Kohler HET. My current water usage rate per gallon is .0054. The HET toilet would save me 480 gallons a month or $2.60. With the Kohler rebate, [his county provided a rebate for this HET toilet] it would take 4 years to recover the $125 cost of the new HET toilet.

The environment. Even if it doesn’t make financial sense to purchase a new HET toilet now, what about the impact on the environment? Using an additional 480 gallons a month can be considered wasteful.”

What about the option of just tuning up your existing toilet?  You know, with a brick, maybe some new internal hardware.

Upon further investigation, I realize this isn’t just a simple purchase.   For some basic toilet-shopping how-tos, visit H2ouse for a very helpful guide that covers the basics to get started.

In the meantime, I’ll be back with some more info on this tomorrow…

Tags: bathroom renovation, H2Ouse, kohler, renovations, The Passive Dad, toilet, toilet efficiency, water efficiency

Green Living Online has put together an extremely useful eco-guide to fabrics.  Eliminate confusion and navigate which fabrics to use for your next upholstery project with ease.

Tags: eco friendly fabric, green living online

We love to bring beautiful items into our homes and luckily, we are gradually learning to be more conscious of where these items come from:  was the wood for the table harvested sustainable?  could I purchase this material locally, rather than create more waste through the shipping of the item long distances?

One issue that seems like more of a distant concern rather than a current issue is the poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks.  I recently found an eye-opening article on Peachy Green, discussing the still regular occurrence of ivory trade amongst certain countries and the terrible toll it continues to have on the elephants.

The post is very informative but I was particularly moved by the description of the mental/emotional toll poaching has on the elephants:

“Sadly, elephants that survive a poaching attack are profoundly affected for the rest of their lives.  In a National Geographic article, the lingering effects on the herd are described:

“An African elephant never forgets – especially when it comes to the loss of its kin,” according to researchers at the University of Washington. Their findings, published online in the journal Molecular Ecology, reveal that the negative effects of poaching persist for decades after the killing has ended.

“Our study shows that it takes a long time – upwards of 20 years – for a family who has lost its kin to rebuild,” said lead researcher Kathleen Gobush, a research ecologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency and a former doctoral student at the University of Washington Center for Conservation Biology.”

Sigh.

Thank you to Peachy Green for bringing this to light for myself and others.  They suggest signing this petition as a first step to helping the effort to protect the elephants.

In summary, this is a sad reminder that we need to be vigilant in our purchases and activities.  Make sure you aren’t unintentionally supporting trades that take advantage of situations, people, animals or things.  No matter how pretty, there is likely an environmentally-friendly, humane option to obtain an aesthetic or look.  If not, change your look don’t compromise your values.

Tags: elephant poaching, ivory poaching

Considering building a  modern, sustainable home?  Jetson Green recently discussed Hometta, a group of designers, architects and builders who have joined together to improve the way residential housing is designed today.

Visit Hometta for access to innovative home designs.  Some of my favorites (which in addition to their sustainability, exude a sleek modern vibe):

Loop House by Hometta

48' House by Hometta

Tags: home design, hometta, jetson green, sustainable design, sustainable home

Eco Home Resource is more than just a source for “green” living tips – they have a plethora of advice for everything from feng shui for the bedroom to creating color harmony in your home.

As I plan and prepare for our home and kitchen overhaul, I am, of course, focused on making sure we make the greenest choices possible.  So I started researching “green” options for countertops and came up with a few great options that everyone is raving about.

1)  Recycled glass: Because of the broad range of colors, glass can bring beautiful color to your kitchen.  Personally, I’m not extremely fond of the brightly speckled appearance of the countertops that many vendors supply, but really liked the more subtle finish from ECO™ by Cosentino.  Eco is made of 75% recycled content composed of post-industrial or post-consumer materials and is bound by an environmentally friendly resin.

2)  PaperStone: I’d never heard of this options before – which is simply recycled paper that’s compressed into a stonelike material.  However, while it’s strong like stone, I did read some reports that its edges may cheap rather easily – something that should be investigated before you commit to it for your kitchen.  Search for local dealer at Paperstoneproducts.net.

This gorgeous eco-friendly kitchen featured on Inhabitat.com utilizes recycled paper countertops.

3)  Bamboo: I’ve always been a fan of the natural beauty of wood and love the the idea of using it in your kitchen.  However, I hesitate when I think there may even be the smallest potential for water damage.  This is only because I admit I’m not the most particular when it comes to immediately swapping up splashes and water spills.   Otherwise, this is a wonderful option.  Below is an image of the butcher block countertop from Teragren.

Bamboo Countertop from Teragren

4) Concrete: I had to add this one because I love the simple, streamlined look a concrete countertop can give.  Although not traditionally considered “green” perhaps (due to the energy and materials – outside of rocks and natural components – required to fabricate) I was excited to learn that some manufacturers have found a way to make concrete a more eco-friendly countertop alternative.

Tags: bamboo countertops, concrete countertops, eco by cosentino, eco-friendly countertops, kitchen countertops, Paperstone, recycled glass, teragren