Reduce Reuse Recycle: Hidden Treasures at Estate Sales

Vintage Swizzle Sticks from SunnyDayVintage

by Sunny from SunnyDayVintage

I’m an estate-sale fanatic – not only when I’m searching for vintage goods for my Etsy shop, but also because I’m fascinated by the homes they’re held in.

What is it? An estate sale is a whole-house sale of furniture, furnishings and household goods, usually held over a weekend, when a person passes away or goes into assisted living. There are companies that handle estate sales as a full-time business, cleaning, sorting, organizing and running the sale.

Small Space? Urban Garden Solutions!

Tis the season to start planning your 2011 edible gardens. City dwellers must overcome the myth and fear that growing veggies is only for those with a stiff mortgage and plenty of land mass. Those of us who live in apartments and high rises can overcome this obstacle by employing some creative solutions:

Urbio Vertical Garden: This up-and-coming design team is currently collecting funds via Kickstarter to turn their urban jungle ideas into reality. Their concept of magnetic and adjustable plastic planters is brilliant, modern, and functional.  Let Urbio be your inspiration.

Earth Day Confessionals

by David Paul Downs

Earth Day raises awareness about the environment. It gives us all a chance to reflect on the damage we have already done, and encourages us to think of solutions to the scars.

In the third grade classroom at the school where I teach, Earth Day is popular though sometimes overshadowed by
“Swimming Pool Day”. The halls are filled with useful tips on how students can affect change. In this day and age, kids are used to recycling everything they can and some are even familiar with composting.

Despite this, when questioned on the idea of a “carbon-footprint” you will receive blank stares and shoulder shrugs. This is usually a term reserved for adults who think it wrong to hold their children responsible for their family’s mark on the planet. But when it comes to educating children to use natural resources responsibly, no age is too young!

As a simple introduction to conservation, my co-teacher came up with a great idea: ask the students to name something they did that day that was not Earth-friendly. Then each student was asked to come up with solutions to improve on their shortcomings. Here are some of their answers and really simple solutions:

A Time To Celebrate

by Lydia Krupinski

The holiday season is creeping up on us.  Once the thrill and chill of Halloween is over, the marketing departments of all things retail begin their assault. Sprout Chicago wants to help you get through the holiday madness by keeping the season in perspective.

So we are adding a seasonal section to the blog called “Celebrate.” We’ll be bringing you articles on green gift-giving, eco-friendly wrapping, veg head recipes, and how to keep yourself safe from consumerist madness.

Think of it as our little  gift to you!