If you came over to my apartment and looked in my closet you’d find stacks and stacks of t-shirts.  The amazing part about it is that I only use a few of them but I can’t seem to part with the rest of them, they are just too special.  I know that it might seem silly but I worked hard for a lot of those t-shirts- lots of sweat, physical pain, tears of joy or disappointment.  How could I get rid of them?

I spent a long time contemplating on what I was going to do with my shirts.  I know I can’t frame them or hang them up on my walls and giving them away would just be sad.  I also thought about how sad it was that the only time I reminisce about these important events in my life was when I get in a cleaning frenzy and try to throw everything away in my closet.  So, I had to come up with a plan- how could I enjoy my t-shirts on a daily basis and get them out of my closet?

In college, a great friend of mine, gave me an idea.  Her family, 10 people all together, were tired of sacrificing socks to the dryer and being left with a lonely pair.  So, they decided instead of pitching all those lone socks they’d make a blanket- a tribute to the fallen pairs in the hidden land of the dryer.  After hearing her story, I knew what I had to do…make a shirt blanket.

Now, I must tell you that I am not very handy with a needle and thread and even worse with a sewing machine.  You’d think it would be easier but some how I make a process that would make your work easier and faster take much too long, believe me!  I started my shirt blanket in 2001 and I just finished it last Friday. Yup, that only took me 9 years to finish.  I do have to give myself some credit, I did take about an 8 year break.

Even my dog likes it!

Having the finished product is better than I had expected.  I absolutely love my t-shirt blanket.  I get to see all my old shirts that I loved to wear in high school and keep warm at the same time.  Each t-shirt reminds me of a special moment in my life and now I get to remember those every day.  While my sewing may not be the best and I fear the blanket will fall apart any day, I am still really glad I have it.  I realize that I will always have these moments in my life t-shirts or not but now I get to see them and think about them more often than I would otherwise (plus, I have a terrible memory and its always good to have reminders).

The only problem with my blanket is that since it took me so long to finish and now I have more t-shirts from college sitting in drawers.  I don’t know if I am up for round 2 just yet but I will make another one for sure–maybe in a few years:)

Reusing older, gently used fabrics is not a new concept and I certainly can’t take the credit for it.  In fact, there is a whole line of GreenShows that showcases green designs that are much more stylish than my t-shirt blanket.  Recently, Gary Harvey produced a line of recycled coutre where he used newspapers, laundry bags, trench coats, baseball jackets and much more as his fabric choices.  While his line is exciting, I think it falls short of real, usable fashion.  In a lot of his garments he overuses fabrics and makes the clothes look bulkier than they need to be.  But, I gotta give him credit, he is showing off creative ways to recycle fabrics and is inspiring others to do the same.  Let’s just hope they do it a little more functional.

Some other designers have taken to recycled plastics for material and put their designs on the runway.  Others have stuck to reusing plastics to make crafts around the house or office.  All of them are amazing and should be applauded for their creativity.

How are you reusing materials in your closet or your home?  Share your ideas and help others start reusing their old stuff too!

If you’ve noticed by many of my blogs food is not only apart of my life three times a day but I am constantly thinking and learning about it…and probably enjoying a little too much of it:)

Being more aware of the food in your life is such an amazing experience and one that everyone should enjoy.  Understanding where our food comes from, the work it takes to grow it or get it ready for sale is outstanding.  While I love to eat out and enjoy someone else’s cooking, by doing so I sacrifice control over what I am putting in my body, which for some can be scary and for others a relief.

One of the most important things I’ve learned in my Green Journey is that supporting local farmers and restaurants is huge.  The food is amazing and you get to help build up your community.  Amazing!  If you find yourself really supporting your community by eating out a lot, your not alone.  Many of us are so tired at the end of the day the only thing we can think about is someone doing the work for us.  There is nothing wrong with that.  However, with many of us trying to find ways to save money and to shed a few pounds, there is a different way to approach food (unless of course  you get too crazy with the Clean Eating Meal Plan, ha!)– start cooking at home.  I know, by the end of the day who has any energy left to cook and then clean the kitchen.  Well, once you start, believe me, it’s pretty addicting.

Luckily, technology is there to help us get started.  The Huffingtion Post has a great list of apps for getting started for your adventures in the kitchen.  I also posted a few apps and those can be located under the “Local and Organic Food Section.”  These apps can help you plan a grocery list, scan items to see how eco-friendly they are or how healthy they are, it’s so easy!

Also, if you need some more motivation, the Huffington Post is recruiting people to join “The Week of Eating In.“  All you have to do is sign up and chat with others who are taking the challenge.  I signed up and can’t wait to hear about how you and others do with this week.  I guarantee you wont be disappointed and you’ll be surprised how fun your family can have cooking together.

Happy cooking!

You know that feeling when you go to your mailbox and you are so excited because it looks like you got a bunch of stuff and then you take it out and realize it’s all bills and junk.  I know the feeling all too well.  I don’t know why, it’s not like I have a pen pal or that people, besides my friend Katie, actually write letters anymore.

The problem with all the junk in your mail is that is is using up a lot of paper and ink and well, is unnecessary.  It’s great if you recycle this junk mail but an even better step would be to contact the businesses and tell them to stop sending you crap.  While that may seem like an overwhelmingly big task don’t worry, Catalog Choice has made it super easy for you.  All you have to do is sign up for a free account and you can remove all your unwanted catalogs and/or add the ones that you do truly care about.  Although, don’t forget that you can always view products online so if your not super attached to your catalogs try getting rid of all of them.  You’d be surprised how empty your mailbox will get.

If you miss your full mailbox start sending letters to your friends and ask them to do the same.  A much better surprise when you open your mailbox:)

Catalog Choice – Control the catalogs you receive in the mail.

Rep. Diane Primavera (D-Broomfield) has introduced House Bill 1248, The Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act.  Primavera, a cancer survivor, is passionate about this bill and is pushing the Food and Drug Administration to increase the list of banned chemicals to hopefully reduce the risk of cancer.

The amount of chemicals used in personal care products can be astounding and the potential risks to health is shocking.  For example, fragrance, otherwise known as phthalates, has been linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, toxicity of the brain, kidneys, liver and lungs.  Phthalates are found in fingernail products, makeup, deodorants, hair products, and even feminine products.

Primavera is so passionate about this bill because according to her, “there was no genetic reason why I should have gotten cancer,” she said. “There was no environmental reason. I never smoked. I never drank. I had my weight in perfect condition. I turned over every rock to figure out why I got cancer but the personal care products was a rock I didn’t turn over and once I found out this is an issue and could be an issue for our citizens, I think we need to step in and take a role to protect (them).”

Surprisingly, studies have linked chemicals used in personal care products to harmful medical conditions however, the U.S. only currently bans 10 of these toxins.  The European Union bans roughly 1,100 chemicals.

Luckily for us, people like Primavera are standing up and taking a stand against the use of these chemicals.  Let’s join her and help Coloradans and other other states take the very much needed step to eliminate toxins from our lotions, shampoos, and makeup.

Later this month, there will be the first public hearing for the Act.  In the meantime, try to use smaller amounts or less of your personal care products and make sure you are reading the labels.  Simplify, simplify, simplify…try and use products that have only a few ingredients and do your homework- check out the company to make sure they are truly doing what they say.

9NEWS.com | Denver | Colorado’s Online News Leader | Lawmaker seeks ban on some chemicals in shampoo, makeup, lotions.

The Olympic craze has started and I can’t get enough!  Since Friday my TV has been on and I’ve been watching with awe as the athletes twirl through the air, scream down the mountain and gracefully move to music on ice.

While I was watching the opening ceremonies and they unveiled the metals I got to thinking about how much of an environmental impact these must have and what the true cost of these metals really are.  After doing some investigating, I found a very happy answer- they are made from recycled electronic waste (e-waste)! What a great idea and way to educate the world about recycled metals.  Moreover, this will hopefully bring to light the problem with e-waste, although I haven’t heard too much publicity about this yet.

The Olympic metals, which total more than 1,000, amount to 2.05 kilograms of gold, 1,950 kilograms of silver (gold metals are made of about 93% silver) and 903 kilograms of copper.  Thanks to Canada, Olympians will not only amaze us all with their talents but will also help keep 140,000 tons of e-waste out of landfills.

This is the first time recycled materials have been added to Olympic medals, which have historically been made from mined mineral deposits refined for commercial use.  Hopefully, from now on, this is the trend.

The metals hanging from the Olympians necks this year were once part of computers, monitors, printers and glass.  An amazing way to honor success and help keep the environment clean and safe.  Way to go Canada!!!

Take a look at these houses…can you guess what they have in common?

If you guessed straw then you are right! These fantastic houses are made of straw bales, a great sustainable resource (the bales are leftover stalks from grain that would otherwise be burnt). The homes are green in every sense considering the tightly packed straw in the walls helps to retain heat, keeping the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, minimizing the home’s carbon footprint.

Many people worry about the risk of fire but because of the construction of the the home and the material placed on top of the straw these homes are, for the most part, fire retardant and without all those chemicals, hooray!

To read more about these fantastic houses and other like them check out Straw Homes – Straw Bale Construction – thedailygreen.com.

If you tuned in last Monday you might already be aware of my very depressing grocery shopping trip.  If not, I will fill you in…last weekend I was reading the magazine Clean Eating and decided it would be a great idea to follow their eating  plan.  The magazine, as nice as they are, already listed out all of the foods I needed.  So instead of doing it myself, I followed them blindly.  What a mistake!  After spending what felt like forever in the store, my husband and I walked out with a full shopping cart and $270 dollars less in our pockets.  What happened?

When I originally wrote about our shopping trip I think I was still in shock.  Now, as the week as passed I’ve been able to experience the food and understand why what we bought was just waaay to much for two people and I have spent a lot of time thinking about how to make this food last longer than one week.

Clean Eating is a great magazine, don’t get me wrong.  But, these sections of an organized list just aren’t my cup of tea.  The article said I should feel more energized, lose weight and overall, feel amazing.  Well one week later, I am the same weight, didn’t feel  more energized, and I feel worse because I spent so much money at the grocery store.  Sorry Clean Eating, this didn’t work for me.  Despite the negative aspects of this experiment there were some good things that came out of this.

1. I didn’t go out to eat

I couldn’t justify spending any money on food this last week and so spent more time cooking and less time out.  This, I will say, made me feel good because I didn’t do the last minute meals that leave you feeling too full and broke.

2. We still have enough food for this week and next (Hopefully!)

Looking in our refrigerator and pantry we still have a bunch of food.  Things are getting low but if I can get creative, I think I can stretch out the duration of this food to last us through the next 2 weeks with having to only buy the staples (milk and eggs) from the grocery store.

3. I tried new things

This is by far the best part of the experiment, trying different foods.  In high school I over did ham and swiss cheese, I put it on everything.  I haven’t eating it really since until this last week and I am in love again!  The ham I used was uncured ham, which is a little bit more expensive but so much better.  Other things I tried, Greek yogurt, putting unsalted sunflower seeds in oatmeal and salads, a fajita salad recipe, an amazing mango and vanilla protein shake and incredible egg and ham turnovers (a great alternative to fried or scrambled eggs in the morning).

Overall, I am glad I tried the Clean Eating Meal Plan but I don’t think I would do it again.  Instead, I will take recipes from the Plan and incorporate them into my budget grocery list and shop smarter and healthier.

Until next week…I will be eating carefully and creatively and will tell you all about it:)

Have you tried to grow kitchen herbs and failed miserable?  I have (with the help of my plant sitter).  Everyone says growing herbs is so easy but the more I read about them, the harder it seems.  You have to consider lighting, heat or cold, water and nutrients and the type of containers your using.

I just found these amazing containers by GroBal, that actually take care of almost everything for you.  All you have to do is find the perfect spot to place your plants.  I think I can handle that, hopefully.

The reason GroBal herb containers are so amazing is that there is a reservoir in the bottom with water and nutrients that the plant can use as it needs it.  All you have to do is check the water level indicator and refill when needed through the Nutriport.  The other great part about these, they are totally unique and stylish and they will make your herbs and plants look amazing.

Shhh…you don’t have to give up your secret and tell anyone your container is doing all the work for you.

It seems like every where we turn these days someone is talking about efficiency.  What the heck does that actually mean?  Well, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy in California, efficiency is simply the process of doing more with less.  Sounds easy, not a new concept but for most of us, can be very hard to achieve.  I think I’ve been working on the same “To Do” list since the new year started.

An easy way to start incorporating efficiency into your every day life can be in terms of energy and how much you are using in your house.  The goal of energy efficiency is to accomplish the same tasks and functions as before while using less energy.   If you are like me and want to cry every time the gas/electric bill comes in the mail, this is a great place to start.

Winter is a hard time to think about being energy efficient, especially if you live in a place that actually has winter (snow, ice…burr) and you live in an older house or apartment with drafty windows, doors, and an ancient heating system.  It’s easy to forget about all the money floating out of your home when it’s freezing inside.  Summer is so much cheaper, especially in Colorado!

Luckily, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to become more energy efficient.  To fix drafty windows you can get a window insulation kit, which you can get from Home Depot, Lowes or Target for under $10.  They are easy to install and really reduce the heat you are losing from your windows.  Another great, cheap and easy fix for poorly winterized doors is the self-adhesive door sweep from Green Irene.  These only cost $3 and are so easy to install and they keep your heat and money inside.

You can see a quick video showing how easy it is to install the door sweep.

Another great way to start on your new path of energy efficiency is to change your light bulbs from incandescent’s to CFLs (compact fluorecent light bulbs).  I know, I know, you’ve heard it a million times and so what?  Well, let me practice on my efficiency and say–they can save you tons of money.

Lighting consumes between 10-15% of your home’s power and if you bring that cost down, you’ll have more money to enjoy an night out with friends.  Who wouldn’t want that?  CFLs are four times as efficient as incandescent bulbs, representing a 300% increase in efficiency. For example, a 100W incandescent light bulb will provide the same lighting as a 25W CFL bulb.  The problem with incandescent bulbs is that 90% of the energy they use is lost as heat.  Ever try to set the mood by putting a scarf over a lamp and realize that was a terrible mistake?  Not so romantic when the scarf starts smoking…

CFLs last 6-15 times longer with a typical lifespan of 10,000 hours vs 1,000 hours for an incandescent bulb.  If you replaced one incandescent bulb with a CFL you could save more than $14 a year.  That’s just for one bulb.  Imagine if you replaced 12, you could save over $160 a year!

Changing one light bulb really does have an impact and making small changes to your home and apartment will not only make you more efficient but richer.  We all could use a little extra money and who knows, maybe after making your energy use more efficient other parts of life might follow too.  Here’s hoping!

Katie Couric of CBS News covered the very important topic of antibiotic overuse on farms and the effects it has on the farmers and people that are eating the meat.

If your not too sure about the effects of antibiotic overuse take a look at this video.  If your already familiar, let me know what you think about the coverage of the issue.

Animal Antibiotics (VIDEO): A Threat To Human Health?.