I’ve written a lot how I am not a huge gift giver as I much prefer to give the gift of time to friends (a trip, a spa, a fancy dinner out…) or the unexpected gift. But when I do buy, I tend to lean towards handmade, unique, specially crafted goods whether they come from a chain store, a local shop or Etsy. So when I read the “Buy Handmade” Pledge for the holidays, I thought it was a great idea.

I have a lot of favourite items on Etsy, Decor8, Poppytalk Handmade, and Sew Green also have fantastic handmade lists. There are a lot of great stores that do handmade on a bigger scale like:

• Anthropologie (a lot of the home goods and jewelery are artisan made and quite a few done by charitable organizations).
• Branch Home (a lot of recycled and handmade items. I’m partial to these.)
• Shabby Chic (her furniture is artisan, not the Target Line),
• Whole Foods (they have handmade products from Africa that range from jewellery to home goods),
• Mothology

Another thought is to donate money or time to a charity in someone’s name – a great gift for the person who has everything.

There’s so many fantastic ways to buy handmade or locally – what are yours?

Looking back at how I was raised and how the household was run, I can say that we were extraordinarily eco-friendly and self-sufficient although we never would have called ourselves that. There was no green movement then and those who talked about doing good things for the earth were thought of as hippies or granola girls, both of which were easily cast as crazy, out there, or of making no sense.

My mother was raised in a relatively well to do family that had a nice home, private school, and fancy clothes. My father was raised by a relatively poor family that struggled and lacked most regular things. However, both of them generally lived with the idea of having a self-sustaining garden, of buying local (and knowing all your local sellers from produce to meat to clothing), of buying only what you needed from food to housewares, of living within your means, thrifting, bartering, of recycling and re-purposing.

We actually never ate granola but we did eat seasonally because we bought directly from the butcher, the fish shop and the local farmers. My mother made a lot of my clothes when I was younger, we resoled our shoes until they were completely gone and my father darned our socks with dental floss. At the same time my mother bought a few expensive Danish teak pieces for our living room from a well-known store, my father did a yearly shop at a gentlemen’s store for his high-quality and expensive suits and cost wasn’t spared when it came to entertaining guests either for an intimate brunch or a big night time summer party. We were a one family car – even when we lived out in the country (my mother biked with me) and when I was old enough to bike I had to go through several hand me downs before I got my first brand new one. We gardened together, we built and revamped houses together, we camped together and we went to elegant dinners together. We participated in every range of life depending on what our needs were. It was about working with our means and our lifestyle. It wasn’t a movement, it wasn’t extra effort, it wasn’t hard or something deserving of a brownie badge. It was just basic, every day living.

I think the biggest misconception is that the eco-movement is that – a movement. Something that only some people are doing, something that doesn’t have to be done. Something that only those with money or without children can do. Something that is for them, not us. Something that takes energy or time when the truth is, it’s just about conscious living. About being respectful of yourself and your environment which then leads naturally to being aware and respectful of the total environment.

I most likely won’t have a home run on solar panels. I won’t be buying an electric car and I’m not raising chickens. I don’t sew or thrift, I’m not vegan and can’t imagine giving up fish or eggs.  But I’m conscious of the way I live, where I shop, what comes into my home and what goes out. And, as the saying goes, a waterfall begins with only one drop and look what comes from that.

So, in honour of Earth Day I bring to you my favourite links, tips and ideas:

If I could offer a few ways to start I would say the biggest difference can come from cleaning your home using organic and natural cleaners. This is so easy and mainstream now that there’s no reason not to (and here’s a list of my favourites). I think this is especially crucial if you have children, pets, elders or any one with breathing problems living under your roof. Don’t put bleach down the drain – there are safer alternatives. There are easier, more natural ways to clean floors. If you can’t afford to buy organic paint, at least clean the walls in an eco-friendly way.

The second is organic food. I have no idea why so many people have issues with this and think it’s elitist. Putting chemicals, antibiotics and hormones into food is a relatively new thing in human food. If you look at all the diseases and health issues that are plaguing people at an alarming rate, don’t you think there’s some kind of connection? Prevention, to me, is far cheaper than correction. If you can’t make the switch completely, at least make sure your dairy and meat is hormone and antibiotic free, especially if you have children. Then move to fruits and veggies. This can be tricky in a lot of parts of the US and the world and even trickier if you have a family. But consider the long-term benefits and then also re-think your eating. If people went for hundreds of years without processed food, maybe you can, too. Fresh when you can, organic when possible, and the simpler the better for your budget, your waistline and the environment (no good can come from a 5lb of jar of pickles from Wal Mart).

The third is awareness of your usage of things from water (brushing teeth, showering, washing you face, dishes) to electricity (do you need to run the AC all the time or the heater. Can you turn off more lights or put in new lightbulbs?) to garbage (if you’re throwing out a lot of food every week, rethink your buying/eating habits). It’s amazing how just being aware of what you use can change not only your environmental impact but your pocket book, too. Instead of running the heat in my flat when it’s cold, I run a small electric heater. My gas bill has gone down by more than half and my electric bill hasn’t gone up at all.

There are so many other little things you can do – from making sure you recycle at home, consume the food you buy (don’t over buy), think twice before buying something you don’t need, get to know your local shops and boutiques, think about your environment and then move those thoughts to your community.

What not to do on Earth Day
Great article from Treehugger on tips and ideas of what you shouldn’t do.

Boho Magazine
Printed on recycled paper with lots of fantastic (but never preachy) eco-friendly information from lifestyle to fashion to activism. I really enjoyed the feel of this new magazine, both in holding it and in reading it. It’s refreshing to see something eco-friendly and stylish without lacking substance but without being too granola-y. It’s smart, it’s fun, and it’s totally worth buying. They even have a blog.

Kelly LaPlante interview on Design Sponge
I have the pleasure of knowing Kelly and what I love about her is how genuine, laid back and incredibly brilliant she is about the eco-living lifestyle. Her enthusiasm for life is infectious as are her designs. She’s someone who walks the walk and didn’t jump on board to be cool but because that’s just how she rolls.

Guerrilla Gardening
I love the idea of Guerrilla gardening and may or may not have participated in throwing seed bombs into empty lots. If that doesn’t sound like something you can do, check out the Plant a Billion site. I’ve often wondered if we greened more urban space – especially in poor inner city areas – would that have a positive effect? If gardens were put in, trees that bloomed in spring were planted, if kids could smell grass just after it’s been cut, if people lived in beautiful areas would it change their habits and thinking? Well, let’s start with each planting a tree for $1 and see.

Energy Efficient Home:
Post I wrote on ways the government can help you make your home efficient from free audits to low or no interest loans for new AC’s and natural lawns.

Wash Clothes the old Fashioned Way
With the exception of towels and bedding, I really don’t use a washer and dryer. I prefer to hand wash most things which is great for the environment and fantastic for my clothes. I’m really good at getting whites, white without bleach.

Moving Green
Moving in no fun but a few ideas and tips can make it cheaper and easier on the environment (and hopefully you).

Tonic Mail Stopper (formerly Green Dimes)
I signed up with this service when it first came out and I am happy to report it’s effective in eliminating junk mail for me. This is huge considering how many trees are used to produce materials that most people throw away (not recycle).

Craigslist and Freecycle
I have had a lot of success with Craigslist in selling furniture or items I no longer needed. It’s free to post and you’re almost sure to get a response. It’s a great place to look for items you might need, too. Freecycle was great when I had a million magazines to get rid of. A local art organisation came and picked them up!

Recycling at Staples
These stored are abound in the US and make e-recycling easy. From computers to cartridges to cell phones and batteries, by bringing in your goods you do good for the environment and your piggy bank (they give you an in-store discount!)

For even more you can read my Eco-Living Posts, visit my favourite Green Links, or see some of my favourite Green Products to buy. And if you have any favourite links or ideas, I’d love to hear them!

Tomorrow at 8:30PM begins Earth Hour; an hour dedicated to turning off all the lights. A lot of cities, hotels, shops and homes are involved (a few local hotels are giving out glow sticks to guests!) and I’m also going to turn my lights off at 8:30 and then keep them off for the rest of the night.

Turning things off more often has been something I’ve been thinking a lot about. I’ve been reading Spent and a few other books that talk about the need for the body to be in rhythm with the day. My own doctor has told me this, that it’s crucial to adrenal support. Yet, as a constant night owl who is just creatively charged starting at 10PM each night, this is very, very hard to do.

I used to get away with being up all night, going to sleep at 7, waking up a couple of hours later. But that has caught up with me physically and mentally and now I’m trying to get into the rhythm of the day (it’s hard). So Earth Hour seems like a good way to ease into a less technological-active night while also being part of a big global movement.

And although I have a goal to one day be able to turn all things tech-related (computer, phones, lights) off by 11PM, I’ll start small with Earth Hour tomorrow. Candles, after all, are a very hygge thing.

Some ideas:

1. Play games like Scrabble, Cranium, Twister, cards.
2. Gather friends for a potluck, have some great conversation and eat some great food.
3. Do a puzzle.
4. Read.
5. Go for a walk. Stargaze.
6. Sleep
7. Play hide and go seek – regardless of your age.
8. Camp out (inside or out. Inside forts are sometimes the best).
9. Have a campfire.
10. Embroider (Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching has wonderful kits) or hand sew something.
11. Try some of these 10 ideas,  ideas or these
12. If you have children (or even if you don’t), consider making your own candles in the morning so you can light them in the evening.

I’ve written here before on my Etsy Finds and also on Pet the Pretty Things (where I actually highlight some of the things I’ve bought). Like so many I’ve found that it’s a great resource for finding almost anything I need; it’s been my first and last search stop for numerous things. When I needed a bit of art, the perfect photo turned up. When I need a key chain, I discovered a great one and bought two. A shelf for the entrance way, a bag for dog business, all there.

My current favourite items are listed above and you can find my favourite sellers here. Just click an image and you’ll be directed right to the artist’s shop. And if you have any fav’s, let me know.

Happy Etsy’ing!

P.S.: I hope to get some prints up in my Etsy store by the end of the month in time for the Holidays.

It took me awhile to come around to Etsy though I can’t tell you exactly why. For years I have been singing the praises of independent artists and supporting them and have done my best in the offline world to pick up individual pieces here and there. I think my initial reaction to Etsy was that it was just crafty things that perhaps weren’t so great or useful. How wrong I was.

My love affair with it began last winter when I was in need of a coat rack – something small, beautiful and would fit in perfectly with the seaside cottage I was renting. All my usual stores didn’t have anything close or, if they did, were ridiculously over priced. A quick search on Etsy revealed one from Willow Oak Home Decor and that had me hooked.

Since then I’ve purchased a few things from tea cosies to camera straps to my favourite, Travel Kitty. And there’s still some more on my wishlist.

One of the bits of advice I give to people who ask me how to have a successful career as an artist, freelance or entrepreneur is that you must support what you want to be. I can’t tell you how many people want to be artists but have never bought a print, how many people want to run a small business but buy stuff from big stores. After having used Etsy successfully for awhile, I really believe in it and think it’s a wonderful thing to support.