When it comes to stylish, eco-friendly home textiles, the first company that always comes to mind for me is Amenity. I can always rely on them to deliver flawless, nature-inspired style, and I never have to question their commitment to the environment. So when I learned that they are gearing up to debut their new fall collection, I couldn’t wait to share that news. I don’t have photos yet, but I am willing to bet it’s going to be fabulous!

To make way for the new collection, Amenity is having a huge sale on some of their older designs, including their hemp pillow collection. The ladies at Amenity were also kind enough to send me one of their hemp pillows to review. Given that I’ve had my eye on them for a while, I jumped at the chance to see a pillow in person, and it did not disappoint.

Amenity’s signature is their bold, graphic prints, and I received the Trail Pillow in silver. I have one word to describe it: Glam! I love this pillow! You can see it at top staged on my yard sale chair with an equally pretty silver, organic cotton purse I bought myself for Christmas last year. And above, it’s happily at home on my bed with two other pillows that are also eco-friendly. It is a great way to balance the silver from our bedside lamps.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of 55% Hemp, 45% Certified Organic Cotton fabric
• Printed with non-toxic, water-based dyes
• Printed and sewn locally in Los Angeles.
• Eco-fill fiber generated from spun recycled bottles

Price: $29-99 You can also get an additional 40% off their already low sale prices with coupon code “EXTRA40.” Exp. 8/1/10

(review)

Want to win?

Amenity wants to give one of my readers the chance to win two hemp pillows in the style of your choice. So how do you enter? Visit the Amenity site, and tell me which pillows you would want if you won, PLUS one other item you like from their other collections. If you do one, but not the other, your entry will be disqualified. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, August 6, 2010, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. Amenity is also doing a HUGE summer giveaway via their Facebook page! You can win a $1000 bedroom makeover with a prize package that includes your design choice of: 1 organic duvet cover, 1 sham set, 2 wall art prints, and 2 18″x18″ hemp pillows. Like Amenity on Facebook and enter their giveaway, then come back here and leave a comment telling me that you did. How sweet is that? Two entries for the price of one! But you only have until August 1 to enter the Facebook giveaway, so do it quick!
2. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, August 6, 2010. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
3. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
4. “Like” Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
5. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.
6. Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your post.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, August 6, 2010, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Amenity Hemp Pillows are Just as Fabulous in Person (+Giveaway)

Before I begin this post, let me just say that I know there will be people who will hate what I did with the Mainline desk I revealed to you last week. I know that there are mid-century and wood purists who will say I ruined it and should’ve left it the way it was. After spending a few days with it, I decided I was OK with that, and I LOVE the after, whereas I only LIKED the before. So here goes nothing:

I initially planned to paint it white, but because I have other pieces in the room that are more of an “off white,” and I wanted a little more color in the space to complement the orange, my husband and I decided to paint it light blue. The color is difficult to see in the daytime, but I’ll post more pics of it once I put the computer back on it an redecorate the area. But can I just say that I LOVE it? Really. I can’t say that enough. The new chrome and white ceramic hardware really makes a statement against the blue.

The first step was sanding, and I left the heavy lifting to my husband. Thankfully, we recently invested in an electric sander, so the job took about an hour rather than days. After wiping it down thoroughly, we primed it with the new KILZ Clean Start zero-VOC, low-odor primer. Let me just say that this stuff is THICK. While we didn’t have any stains to cover, we did have a lot of wood to prime. Even with the thickness, it took about two and a half coats (the last was very light) to get the even coverage we wanted before starting with the blue. You can see how it looked after one coat in the photo below. I admit that I was a little peeved by this at first, since I was hopeful that a single coat of such a thick primer would be enough. My disappointment, however, was short-lived.

Scatterbrain that I am sometimes, we primed and began to paint the entire desk before realizing that we had forgotten to prime the drawers. And the lazy person that I am sometimes, I decided to paint the drawers sans primer. It was then that I truly realized the value of a good primer. The body of the desk took just two coats of blue for me to achieve the color I wanted. The drawers? Five coats of blue to match the color on the rest of the desk.

Just so you have an accurate picture, here’s one last before…

And after…

This may not have been the best project on which to test the power of KILZ, but I definitely plan to use it again when we paint our dining room, which has fallen victim to a summer full of kids’ careless hands and grubby fingers. I will say, however, that it had almost NO smell — even when I sniffed just inches from the paint tray. Assuming it covers odors and stains as well as every other KILZ primer on the market, which I have used in the past, I will definitely be switching to this version.

Want to try it?

The folks at KILZ are graciously giving one of my readers the opportunity to win a gallon of Clean Start primer to help with your next painting project. The winner will also receive a $100 Home Depot gift card. So how do you enter? Tell me how you’d use the primer and gift card if you won. Would you paint a piece of hand-me-down furniture? Give a room a quick makeover? Spill the beans for a chance to win!

Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 30, 2010, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, Friday, July 30, 2010. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. “Like” Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.
5. Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your post.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 30, 2010, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Before & After: Mainline Desk Makeover (+Kilz Review & Giveaway)

Today’s the day! We’ve finally come to the end of our 6-week journey to make our homes more energy efficient by making one simple change: Unplugging items that we didn’t need to have plugged in all the time. Phantom power may sound fictional, but it’s a real source of unnecessary energy use and a simple problem to fix. So you have one last chance to participate and unplug! The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is tomorrow, and the Energy Gauntlet giveaway winner will be announced. In other words, if you wanted to participate, there’s no time to hesitate!

All of this got started because I was inspired by the Sylvania Earth Day Challenge, 40 for the Future. Most of you know this by now, but the goal of Sylvania’s challenge is to have enough people pledge to make small changes in their everyday living to save 40 million Kwh before Earth Day. Want to know where we are now? So far, people have pledged to make changes that will total 3,119,341,206 Kwh! Yes…that’s more than 3 billion kilowatt hours! We are often led to believe that small changes for the environment can’t make a difference, but look what we have managed to accomplish together in just 6 short weeks.

I’d love to see that number go even higher! If you haven’t yet, head over to the challenge website and take a look at the small changes you  can all make in your everyday life, both at home and at work. Then make your pledge! You’ve seen how all these pledges can add up, so why not add yours to the pot?

The Energy Gauntlet

It doesn’t seem like we’ve been doing this for 6 weeks, but this is the final day to assess you home. I challenged myself and all of you to do a room by room energy assessment of your home to see how many items are plugged in all the time and what are left turned on that  could easily be turned off or unplugged. This is it. If you haven’t joined the gauntlet, this is your last shot. It will take just a few minutes to go around your home and note what’s plugged in, but trust me — it will be an eye-opening exercise. There’s something about seeing just how much unnecessary energy you’re using that will make you want to fix it. And don’t forget! For participating, you’ll be entered to win a great prize package too, so scroll down to find out what you could win! Every reader who participates will get an entry to win for each week that you comment.

Since this is the last week, I’ll do a side-by-side comparison to show you where our household was in week 1 and where we are now:

I think we’ve come quite a long way! The first step was realizing how much stuff we had plugged in that we weren’t using (a voice activated TV remote that didn’t even work…really?). Next, we had to do something about the items we did use, and smart strips took care of those, for the most part. The last was careful management of those items for which we don’t have smart strips, like the  TV in mu daughter’s room. We plugged her surge protector into a wall outlet that is controlled by a light switch. So cutting phantom power to it is now as simple as turning off a light switch.

It is important to note that we were living in one apartment when we started and that we now live in a whole new place. At the last apartment, we had free cable that simply require a coaxial cable to be plugged into the wall, and free wireless internet with no modem. That all changed when we moved. At the last place, we also had overhead lighting in every room except the living room, so task lamps were less necessary there than they are now. Now, our lamps are the main light source in all the rooms we use the most. Only the kitchen, bathrooms and dining room have overhead lighting (and we put CFLs in all of those).

All in all, we learned to be a lot more proactive about our energy usage. We’re being good stewards of the Earth, but we’re also keeping our energy costs down, and that’s my favorite kind of “green.” In your comments for this week, in addition to your list, I’d love to hear what, if anything, you learned from this challenge.

Giveaway

Ready to find out what you can win if you participate in the Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet? An awesome green home prize package! The winner will receive:

• ActiveIon Pro: This is an awesome little machine that allows you to clean and sanitize your home with nothing but cold tap water. I’m not kidding. I was skeptical of this description at first too, but I have been using my own ActiveIon Pro for months, and I love it! It’s a funny-looking piece of machinery, but I use it to clean my kitchen counters and stove, and even splatter from the walls. It’s great for hard surfaces in the bathroom as well. So how exactly does it work? It’s a tough process to explain, but basically, the ActiveIon ionizes the water, which allows you to clean and sanitize without any cleaning products. Bill Nye the Science guy can explain it better than I can. It doesn’t get much greener than cleaning with just water! You can read more about it here. Value: $299!
• A smart strip: These power strips come with a control jack. You can plug your TV, computer, or any other major appliance into this port. Then when you turn off said appliance, it will cut power to the entire strip, simultaneously turning off anything else that’s plugged into it and reducing your use of ghost power. This is particularly useful when you have lots of peripherals like DVD players, video game consoles, printers, etc. Note: The image above is an example of the type of strip you will receive. The one you actually get may differ, but will serve exactly the same purpose. Value: $30
• Energy efficient light bulbs: You’ll receive two 2-packs of Sylvania’s brand new SUPERSAVER Halogen bulbs and two 2-packs of their Living Spaces CFLs

If that doesn’t give you a boost in making your home greener, I don’t know what will! And I may still add more to the prize package, so be sure to enter every week! The more people who participate, the more likely I’ll be to make the giveaway even bigger and better, and I’m even considering some stylish green decor items! For each week that you check in, you will receive an entry, for a maximum of 5 entries (since noone entered during the first week). For your entries to count, you must:

• Tell me what you did to participate in the Sylvania 40 for the Future Challenge (You only have to do this once. Subsequent entries can include just your list of the following:)
• List all the items in your home that are plugged in all the time, and show an effort to reduce your energy usage each week. In other words, the point is that you have fewer items plugged in during the last week than you did during the first week.

The giveaway entry period ends tonight, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winner, who will be randomly selected from all entries, will be announced tomorrow on Earth Day, April 22. U.S. mailing addresses only!

(sponsored opportunity): Full disclosure: I am being compensated by Sylvania for my time in participating in and promoting the 40 for the Future Challenge. And anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn’t participate if I didn’t believe it was truly an opportunity to make a difference, however small.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet, Final Check-In

Earth Day is fast approaching, and we’re getting down to the wire on the Energy Gauntlet. The Sylvania Earth Day Challenge, 40 for the Future is in full swing, but we still have a good way to go to get to 40 million Kwh. So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t yet, head over to the challenge website and take a look at the small changes we can all make between now and Earth Day, and really every day. Then make your pledge! These changes may seem small, but all of us can collectively have a tremendous impact, and these are changes that will have a lasting impact, far beyond April 22. So make that pledge!

The Energy Gauntlet

As many of you know by now, I have challenged myself and all of you to do a room by room energy assessment of your home. How many items are plugged in all the time? What do you leave turned on (therefore drawing phantom power) that you could easily turn off or unplug? After today, we have just one week left to check in and show our attempts to improve our home’s energy efficiency. So for those of you who haven’t joined in yet, you still have a chance, and I’d love to hear from you! You’ll be entered to win a great prize package too, so scroll down to find out what you could win! Every reader who participates will get an entry to win for each week that you comment.

Here’s where things stand for my family. Not much has changed from last week, but for one important exception:

Living Room

• Lamp (main light source)
• NOTE: Our TV, Wii, DVD player and cable box are all plugged into a smart strip. What this means is that whenever we turn the TV off, that automatically cuts power to all the peripherals and shuts off the power strip.
  

Dining Room

• NOTHING!

Laundry Room

• Washer & Dryer

Kitchen

• Stove
• Fridge
• Microwave (built-in)

Home Office/Studio

• Speakers
• Mac desktop
• External hard drive

NOTE: They are all plugged in to a surge protector, which we have begun turning off at night. We’ve forgotten a couple of nights, but for the most part, we’ve been pretty good about turning everything off.

Daughter’s Bedroom

• TV & cable box (we’ve begun turning off the surge protector when she’s not watching it, and she almost never does)
• Lamp (main light source)
• LED Nightlight (only comes on at night)

Master Bedroom

• Internet modem
• 2 lamps (main light source)

NOTE: The TV, DVD player and cable box in our master are now plugged into a smart strip, which means we need only to turn off the TV to cut power to all the other peripherals. That does mean some added startup time while we wait for the cable box to reconnect when we turn it back on, but it’s worth the wait, in my opinion.

Next Wednesday is our final day! I’ve been enjoying our weekly check-ins, and having to write it all down has kept me accountable. It’s sort of like keeping a food journal when you’re on a diet. Seeing it all listed in front of me makes the impact of all these items so much more real! The final check-in will be next Wednesday, April 21. I’m still holding out hope that more of you will participate!

Giveaway

Ready to find out what you can win if you participate in the Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet? An awesome green home prize package! The winner will receive:

• ActiveIon Pro: This is an awesome little machine that allows you to clean and sanitize your home with nothing but cold tap water. I’m not kidding. I was skeptical of this description at first too, but I have been using my own ActiveIon Pro for months, and I love it! It’s a funny-looking piece of machinery, but I use it to clean my kitchen counters and stove, and even splatter from the walls. It’s great for hard surfaces in the bathroom as well. So how exactly does it work? It’s a tough process to explain, but basically, the ActiveIon ionizes the water, which allows you to clean and sanitize without any cleaning products. Bill Nye the Science guy can explain it better than I can. It doesn’t get much greener than cleaning with just water! You can read more about it here. Value: $299!
• A smart strip: These power strips come with a control jack. You can plug your TV, computer, or any other major appliance into this port. Then when you turn off said appliance, it will cut power to the entire strip, simultaneously turning off anything else that’s plugged into it and reducing your use of ghost power. This is particularly useful when you have lots of peripherals like DVD players, video game consoles, printers, etc. Note: The image above is an example of the type of strip you will receive. The one you actually get may differ, but will serve exactly the same purpose. Value: $30
• Energy efficient light bulbs: You’ll receive two 2-packs of Sylvania’s brand new SUPERSAVER Halogen bulbs and two 2-packs of their Living Spaces CFLs

If that doesn’t give you a boost in making your home greener, I don’t know what will! And I may still add more to the prize package, so be sure to enter every week! The more people who participate, the more likely I’ll be to make the giveaway even bigger and better, and I’m even considering some stylish green decor items! For each week that you check in, you will receive an entry, for a maximum of 5 entries (since noone entered during the first week). For your entries to count, you must:

• Tell me what you did to participate in the Sylvania 40 for the Future Challenge (You only have to do this once. Subsequent entries can include just your list of the following:)
• List all the items in your home that are plugged in all the time, and show an effort to reduce your energy usage each week. In other words, the point is that you have fewer items plugged in during the last week than you did during the first week.

The giveaway entry period starts today and will continue through Wednesday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winner, who will be randomly selected from all entries, will be announced on Earth Day, April 22. U.S. mailing addresses only!

I hope all of you are as excited about this as I am, because it really has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of all our homes. I can’t wait to read all your entries!

(sponsored opportunity): Full disclosure: I am being compensated by Sylvania for my time in participating in and promoting the 40 for the Future Challenge. And anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn’t participate if I didn’t believe it was truly an opportunity to make a difference, however small.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet, Week 5 (+Giveaway)

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to the Sylvania Earth Day Challenge, 40 for the Future. If you haven’t yet, head over to the challenge website and take a look at the small changes we can all make that will save up to 40 million Kwh of energy between now and Earth Day. Then make your pledge! If all of us work together, we can put a big dent in our monthly energy usage. It’s really eye-opening how small, simple changes can have such a tremendous impact!

The Energy Gauntlet

I have challenged myself and all of you to go around your home and do a room by room assessment. How many items do you leave plugged in all the time? What do you leave turned on that you could easily turn off or unplug? This week, I’ll let you know where I’ve improved from last week, and show you were I still have room to improve. I’d love for you to do the same in the comments section! Then every week, we’ll check in again to see if and how we have improved. More readers are participating in the Energy Gauntlet, and we’re seeing some improvements, so I’d love to hear from more of you! Scroll down to find out what you could win in this giveaway! Every reader who participates will get an entry to win for each week that you comment.

Here’s the current state of things at my house. We moved into our new apartment a few weeks ago, and had achieved a state of “normalcy” as of last week. But then we got our cable and internet installed and I admit I feel like we’re right back at the beginning. You’ll see what I mean with this week’s list:

Living Room

• Lamp (main light source)
• NOTE: Our TV, Wii, DVD player and cable box are all plugged into a smart strip. What this means is that whenever we turn the TV off, that automatically cuts power to all the peripherals and shuts off the power strip.
  

Dining Room

• NOTHING!

Laundry Room

• Washer & Dryer

Kitchen

• Stove
• Fridge
• Microwave (built-in)

Home Office/Studio

• Speakers
• Mac desktop
• External hard drive

NOTE: They are all plugged in to a surge protector, which we have begun turning off at night. Now we just have to keep that up…

Daughter’s Bedroom

• TV & cable box (we’ve begun turning off the surge protector when she’s not watching it, and she almost never does)
• Lamp (main light source)
• LED Nightlight

Master Bedroom

• TV & DVD player
• Cable box
• Internet modem
• 2 lamps (main light source)

The cable boxes and modem have made it pretty clear that we need to get those smart strips. While we will probably want the modem to stay plugged in all the time, we’ll definitely want to cut power to the other electronics. Because I’ll admit it’s a bit of a pain remembering to turn the regular surge protectors on and off. I’ve had a few moments when I couldn’t figure out why the computer wouldn’t turn on, only to remember that the surge protector was turned off. Next Wednesday, I’ll check in with you and let you know how we’re doing (hopefully better), and I can’t wait to see what improvements you’ve made! The final check-in will be on Wednesday, April 21. I hope a lot of you will choose to join me on this journey!

Giveaway

Ready to find out what you can win if you participate in the Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet? An awesome green home prize package! The winner will receive:

• ActiveIon Pro: This is an awesome little machine that allows you to clean and sanitize your home with nothing but cold tap water. I’m not kidding. I was skeptical of this description at first too, but I have been using my own ActiveIon Pro for months, and I love it! It’s a funny-looking piece of machinery, but I use it to clean my kitchen counters and stove, and even splatter from the walls. It’s great for hard surfaces in the bathroom as well. So how exactly does it work? It’s a tough process to explain, but basically, the ActiveIon ionizes the water, which allows you to clean and sanitize without any cleaning products. Bill Nye the Science guy can explain it better than I can. It doesn’t get much greener than cleaning with just water! You can read more about it here. Value: $299!
• A smart strip: These power strips come with a control jack. You can plug your TV, computer, or any other major appliance into this port. Then when you turn off said appliance, it will cut power to the entire strip, simultaneously turning off anything else that’s plugged into it and reducing your use of ghost power. This is particularly useful when you have lots of peripherals like DVD players, video game consoles, printers, etc. Note: The image above is an example of the type of strip you will receive. The one you actually get may differ, but will serve exactly the same purpose. Value: $30
• Energy efficient light bulbs: You’ll receive two 2-packs of Sylvania’s brand new SUPERSAVER Halogen bulbs and two 2-packs of their Living Spaces CFLs

If that doesn’t give you a boost in making your home greener, I don’t know what will! And I may still add more to the prize package, so be sure to enter every week! The more people who participate, the more likely I’ll be to make the giveaway even bigger and better, and I’m even considering some stylish green decor items! For each week that you check in, you will receive an entry, for a maximum of 5 entries (since noone entered during the first week). For your entries to count, you must:

• Tell me what you did to participate in the Sylvania 40 for the Future Challenge (You only have to do this once. Subsequent entries can include just your list of the following:)
• List all the items in your home that are plugged in all the time, and show an effort to reduce your energy usage each week. In other words, the point is that you have fewer items plugged in during the last week than you did during the first week.

The giveaway entry period starts today and will continue through Wednesday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winner, who will be randomly selected from all entries, will be announced on Earth Day, April 22. U.S. mailing addresses only!

I hope all of you are as excited about this as I am, because it really has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of all our homes. I can’t wait to read all your entries!

(sponsored opportunity): Full disclosure: I am being compensated by Sylvania for my time in participating in and promoting the 40 for the Future Challenge. And anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn’t participate if I didn’t believe it was truly an opportunity to make a difference, however small.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet, Week 4 (+Giveaway)

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to the Sylvania Earth Day Challenge, 40 for the Future. If you haven’t yet, head over to the challenge website and take a look at the small changes we can all make that will save up to 40 million Kwh of energy between now and Earth Day. Then make your pledge! If all of us work together, we can put a big dent in our monthly energy usage. It’s really eye-opening how small, simple changes can have such a tremendous impact!

The Energy Gauntlet

I have challenged myself and all of you to go around your home and do a room by room assessment. How many items do you leave plugged in all the time? What do you leave turned on that you could easily turn off or unplug? This week, I’ll let you know where I’ve improved from last week, and show you were I still have room to improve. I’d love for you to do the same in the comments section! Then every week, we’ll check in again to see if and how we have improved. Last week, several people participated in the Energy Gauntlet, but I’d love to hear from more of you! Scroll down to find out what you could win in this giveaway! Every reader who participates will get an entry to win for each week that you comment.

Here’s the current state of things at my house. We moved last week, but thanks to a weekend of frenetic unpacking, we literally have only a few left to unpack. BUT, because I still don’t have internet or cable at home, that means a few more things may be plugged in once it is installed, like the modem and cable boxes, as well as a second computer. But for the most part, things are back to normal already, and I’m really thankful for that. So here’s the list:

Living Room

• Lamp (main light source)
• NOTE: Our TV, Wii, and DVD player are all plugged into a smart strip. What this means is that whenever we turn the TV off, that automatically cuts power to all the peripherals and shuts off the power strip. I unplugged the laptop charger and only plug it in when in use.
  

Dining Room

• NOTHING!

Laundry Room

• Washer & Dryer

Kitchen

• Stove
• Fridge
• Microwave (built-in)

Home Office/Studio

• Mac desktop
• External hard drive

NOTE: They are both plugged in to a surge protector, which we have begun turning off at night. Now we just have to keep that up…

Daughter’s Bedroom

• TV
• Lamp (main light source)
• LED Nightlight

Master Bedroom

• TV & DVD player
• 2 lamps (main light source)

We’re getting there! I still want to get smart strips for the bedrooms, since the TVs are plugged directly into the wall outlets. That will essentially cut us back to having only light sources plugged in. Next Wednesday, I’ll check in with you and let you know how we’re doing, and I can’t wait to see what improvements you’ve made! The final check-in will be on Wednesday, April 21. I hope a lot of you will choose to join me on this journey!

Giveaway

Ready to find out what you can win if you participate in the Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet? An awesome green home prize package! The winner will receive:

• ActiveIon Pro: This is an awesome little machine that allows you to clean and sanitize your home with nothing but cold tap water. I’m not kidding. I was skeptical of this description at first too, but I have been using my own ActiveIon Pro for months, and I love it! It’s a funny-looking piece of machinery, but I use it to clean my kitchen counters and stove, and even splatter from the walls. It’s great for hard surfaces in the bathroom as well. So how exactly does it work? It’s a tough process to explain, but basically, the ActiveIon ionizes the water, which allows you to clean and sanitize without any cleaning products. Bill Nye the Science guy can explain it better than I can. It doesn’t get much greener than cleaning with just water! You can read more about it here. Value: $299!
• A smart strip: These power strips come with a control jack. You can plug your TV, computer, or any other major appliance into this port. Then when you turn off said appliance, it will cut power to the entire strip, simultaneously turning off anything else that’s plugged into it and reducing your use of ghost power. This is particularly useful when you have lots of peripherals like DVD players, video game consoles, printers, etc. Note: The image above is an example of the type of strip you will receive. The one you actually get may differ, but will serve exactly the same purpose. Value: $30
• Energy efficient light bulbs: You’ll receive two 2-packs of Sylvania’s brand new SUPERSAVER Halogen bulbs and two 2-packs of their Living Spaces CFLs

If that doesn’t give you a boost in making your home greener, I don’t know what will! And I may still add more to the prize package, so be sure to enter every week! The more people who participate, the more likely I’ll be to make the giveaway even bigger and better, and I’m even considering some stylish green decor items! For each week that you check in, you will receive an entry, for a maximum of 5 entries (since noone entered during the first week). For your entries to count, you must:

• Tell me what you did to participate in the Sylvania 40 for the Future Challenge (You only have to do this once. Subsequent entries can include just your list of the following:)
• List all the items in your home that are plugged in all the time, and show an effort to reduce your energy usage each week. In other words, the point is that you have fewer items plugged in during the last week than you did during the first week.

The giveaway entry period starts today and will continue through Wednesday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winner, who will be randomly selected from all entries, will be announced on Earth Day, April 22. U.S. mailing addresses only!

I hope all of you are as excited about this as I am, because it really has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of all our homes. I can’t wait to read all your entries!

(sponsored opportunity): Full disclosure: I am being compensated by Sylvania for my time in participating in and promoting the 40 for the Future Challenge. And anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn’t participate if I didn’t believe it was truly an opportunity to make a difference, however small.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet, Week 3 (+Giveaway!)

Last week, I introduced you to the Sylvania Earth Day Challenge, 40 for the Future. If you haven’t yet, head over to the challenge website and take a look at the small changes we can all make that will save up to 40 million Kwh of energy between now and Earth Day. Then make your pledge! And if you can believe it, so many people have pledged to make changes that we’ve already hit more than 400,000,000 Kwh saved, blowing the original goal out of the water! In other words, even if only 10% of those people who pledged actually make the changes, we’ll still reach the goal. It’s really eye-opening how small, simple changes can have such a tremendous impact!

The Energy Gauntlet

Last week, I challenged myself and all of you to go around your home and do a room by room assessment. How many items do you leave plugged in all the time? What do you leave turned on that you could easily turn off or unplug? This week, I’ll let you know where I’ve improved from last week, and show you were I still have room to improve. I’d love for you to do the same in the comments section! Then every week, we’ll check in again to see if and how we have improved. Since noone participated in the Energy Gauntlet last week, I’m sweetening the pot. Scroll down to find out what you could win in this giveaway! Every reader who participates will get an entry to win for each week that you comment.

Here’s the current state of things at my house. Keep in mind that we’re moving this week, so technically, everything is unplugged right now, but this is where I was this past weekend before we packed up the last of everything:

Living Room

• Lamp (main light source)
• Cordless phone (needs to go, since we never use it)
  NOTE: Our TV, Wii, DVD player are all plugged into a smart strip. What this means is that whenever we turn the TV off, that automatically cuts power to all the peripherals and shuts off the power strip. I unplugged the laptop charger and only plug it in when in use.
  

Dining Room

• Cordless vacuum charger (what can I say? We have to clean up as we move)
• LED night light

Laundry Room

• Washer & Dryer

Kitchen

• Stove
• Fridge
• iPod speakers & dock

Home Office/Studio

• PC desktop tower & monitor
• Mac desktop
• External hard drive
• Cordless phone
• Printer

We unplugged all the items we weren’t using regularly, but we’ll also plug the computers in to smart strips once we’re in our new place. We also need to be more consistent about turning the computers off at night. After all, the smart strip will only be useful if we actually turn the control machines off.

Daughter’s Bedroom

• TV
• Playstation (used as a DVD player)
• Lamp (used regularly)
• Nightlight

Master Bedroom

• TV
• 1 lamps
• Alarm clock
• Husband’s cell phone charger

Sooo…we’ve made some changes, but still have a ways to go. We’ll be better able to control a lot of this after we move and reassess all our electronics. Next Wednesday, I’ll check in with you and let you know how we’re doing, and I can’t wait to see what improvements you’ve made! The final check-in will be on Wednesday, April 21. I hope a lot of you will choose to join me on this journey!

Giveaway

Since not a single reader participated last week (boo hoo!), I have sweetened the giveaway pot! Ready to find out what you can win? An awesome green home prize package! The winner will receive:

• ActiveIon Pro: This is an awesome little machine that allows you to clean and sanitize your home with nothing but cold tap water. I’m not kidding. I was skeptical of this description at first too, but I have been using my own ActiveIon Pro for months, and I love it! It’s a funny-looking piece of machinery, but I use it to clean my kitchen counters and stove, and even splatter from the walls. It’s great for hard surfaces in the bathroom as well. So how exactly does it work? It’s a tough process to explain, but basically, the ActiveIon ionizes the water, which allows you to clean and sanitize without any cleaning products. Bill Nye the Science guy can explain it better than I can. It doesn’t get much greener than cleaning with just water! You can read more about it here. Value: $299!
• A smart strip: These power strips come with a control jack. You can plug your TV, computer, or any other major appliance into this port. Then when you turn off said appliance, it will cut power to the entire strip, simultaneously turning off anything else that’s plugged into it and reducing your use of ghost power. This is particularly useful when you have lots of peripherals like DVD players, video game consoles, printers, etc. Note: The image above is an example of the type of strip you will receive. The one you actually get may differ, but will serve exactly the same purpose. Value: $30
• Energy efficient light bulbs: You’ll receive two 2-packs of Sylvania’s brand new SUPERSAVER Halogen bulbs and two 2-packs of their Living Spaces CFLs

If that doesn’t give you a boost in making your home greener, I don’t know what will! And I may still add more to the prize package, so be sure to enter every week! The more people who participate, the more likely I’ll be to make the giveaway even bigger and better, and I’m even considering some stylish green decor items! For each week that you check in, you will receive an entry, for a maximum of 5 entries (since noone entered last week). For your entries to count, you must:

• Tell me what you did to participate in the Sylvania 40 for the Future Challenge (You only have to do this once. Subsequent entries can include just your list of the following:)
• List all the items in your home that are plugged in all the time, and show an effort to reduce your energy usage each week. In other words, the point is that you have fewer items plugged in during the last week than you did during the first week.

The giveaway entry period starts today and will continue through Wednesday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winner, who will be randomly selected from all entries, will be announced on Earth Day, April 22. U.S. mailing addresses only!

I hope all of you are as excited about this as I am, because it really has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of all our homes. I can’t wait to read all your entries!

(sponsored opportunity): Full disclosure: I am being compensated by Sylvania for my time in participating in and promoting the 40 for the Future Challenge. And anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn’t participate if I didn’t believe it was truly an opportunity to make a difference, however small.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Your Decor Energy Gauntlet, Week 2 (+Giveaway Revealed!)

I’m generally averse to any challenges that specifically coincide with Earth Day. It’s not that I don’t think the day is important. It’s just that because I focus on green living every day, it tends to feel a little disingenuous to ask people to make this or that change for Earth Day when I really want them to do it all the time. However, I also realize that this day is an excellent opportunity to educate the masses about green living. And when a company like Sylvania approaches me with a challenge so simple that literally anyone can participate, it didn’t take much convincing for me to sign on. Especially because all of these changes are ones that can be done any time of the year.

So what exactly is the 40 for the Future Challenge? Well, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Sylvania is challenging everyone to take small actions to improve energy efficiency at home and at work. And over 40 days, lots of small actions will add up to 40 million kilowatt hours of energy saved. That’s a huge number to aspire to, but one that I believe can be reached if we all take part.

And everyone who participates will be entered to win daily prizes, weekly prizes and an awesome grand prize: A carbon-neutral, three-night vacation at Disneyland®. To offset  the carbon emissions from the trip, Sylvania will give one classroom a lighting upgrade that will reduce their energy usage. This drawing is offered to K-12 educators in a public or private school in the United States, and eligible entrants must present the lessons of the “40 for the Future Earth Day Challenge” to their students. Also, everyone who takes the challenge will be rewarded a coupon for $1 off a Sylvania energy saving light bulb.

Click here to take the challenge!

So far, here’s what I’ve pledged to do:

• Turn incandescent lights off when not in use
• Turn CFLs off when not in use
• Dry dishes using the air-dry setting on the dishwasher
• Don’t charge electronics overnight
• Use warm or cold water in your washing machine
• Use a low-flow showerhead
• Turn off computer monitor(s) at night

There are many other small changes you can make, and I’d love to hear what you’ve pledged to do in the 40 for the Future Challenge! You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook if you so desire.

Throwing Down the Energy Gauntlet

Sylvania’s challenge reminded me of a personal energy assessment I’ve been meaning to make in my own home. I have been focusing so much on indoor air quality in my home that I sometimes forget to pay attention to our energy usage. But in addition to the 40 for the Future Challenge, an electric bill of $200+ bought me out of my energy stupor. I also read at another blog (I read so many that the link escapes me, but I’ll link to it as soon as I find it) about how this particular blogger did a room-by-room assessment of her apartment to see what items she had that were plugged in all the time, and therefore using ghost power. She did pretty well, with very little plugged in other than the refrigerator and stove. When I looked around my own home, I’m embarrassed to say that I have a lot more than that.

So here’s my challenge to myself and to you. Go around your home and do a room by room assessment. How many items do you leave plugged in all the time? What do you leave turned on that you could easily turn off or unplug? I’ll list all of mine (as of today), and ask you to do the same in the comments section. Then every week, we’ll check in again to see if and how we have improved. I have a special prize, from my own personal stash, to offer. I’ll keep it as a surprise for now, but here’s a hint: It’s one of the items listed below that I always leave plugged in (but shouldn’t). Every reader who participates will get an entry to win for each week that you comment.

So here goes nothing:

Living Room

• Lamp (main light source)
• Laptop charger
• Cordless phone
  NOTE: Our TV, Wii, DVD player are all plugged into a smart strip. What this means is that whenever we turn the TV off, that automatically cuts power to all the peripherals and shuts off the power strip. I strongly recommend using one of these for your TVs and computers, and I need to get some for my own computers.
  

Dining Room

• Cordless vacuum charger
• LED night light

Laundry Room

• Washer & Dryer

Kitchen

• Stove
• Fridge
• ActiveIon water ionizer (a cool little gadget that allows you to clean and sanitize using JUST water. Really.)
• iPod speakers & dock

Home Office/Studio

• Desk lamps (rarely used)
• Closet lamp (rarely used)
• PC desktop tower & monitor
• Mac desktop
• External hard drive
• Cordless phone
• Printer
• Paper shredder
• Battery recharger

Shame on me! This is the room where I need the most improvement, since most of these items could easily be unplugged or at least turned off when not in use. I know. I’m a bad girl. I need to get some smart strips in here!

Daughter’s Bedroom

• TV
• Playstation (used as a DVD player)
• Lamp (used regularly)
• Nightlight

Master Bedroom

• TV
• 2 lamps (we only ever use one)
• Alarm clock
• Charger for a voice activated TV remote (that we haven’t even programmed yet…tsk, tsk)
• My cell phone charger
• Husband’s cell phone charger

OK. I’m done embarrassing myself now. Clearly, we have a long way to go. We are moving into a new apartment next Thursday, but we’re taking all these items with us. We have GOT to be more conscious of unplugging a lot of these items. Next Wednesday, I’ll check in with you and let you know how we’re doing, and then again during the weeks following our move. The final check-in will be on Wednesday, April 21. I hope a lot of you will choose to join me and Sylvania on this journey!

Giveaway

As I mentioned, I have a special surprise giveaway package that I’ll reveal next week. For every week that you check in, you will receive an entry, for a maximum of 6 entries. For your entries to count, you must:

• Tell me what you did to participate in the Sylvania 40 for the Future Challenge
• List all the items in your home that are plugged in all the time, and show an effort to reduce your energy usage each week (In other words, the point is that you have fewer items plugged in during the last week than you did during the first week).

The giveaway entry period starts today and will continue through Wednesday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winner, who will be randomly selected from all entries, will be announced on Earth Day, April 22. U.S. mailing addresses only!

I hope all of you are as excited about this as I am, because it really has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of all our homes. I can’t wait to read all your entries!

(sponsored opportunity): Full disclosure: I am being compensated by Sylvania for my time in participating in and promoting the 40 for the Future Challenge. And anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn’t participate if I didn’t believe it was truly an opportunity to make a difference, however small.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Sylvania’s Earth Day Challenge & My Energy Gauntlet (+ Giveaway)

Waaay back in 2008, I introduced many of you to Yumi & Laurie, a company that makes gorgeous eco-friendly textiles, specifically their signature luxury blanQuettes. I fell in love with the style and story behind this product without ever having experienced one myself — until now. Owner Laurie Suzuki recently sent me not just one, but two of her gorgeous blanQuettes so I could see for myself what all the fuss is about.

I can unequivocally say that I now get it.

We are addicted to blankets in this house. I have one over the back of my desk chair that use to get comfy, we curl up in them on the sofa, and we even take them in the car with us on long drives. I can easily say that these blanQuettes are the most luxurious throws we own. They are unlike any other blanket in our collection, and we have quite a few. The colors are vibrant and stunning, and they are the weight of a hefty blanket with a texture similar to a really high-end towel. It’s like the most luxurious robe you’ve ever owned, but it won’t make you hot if you’re wrapped too long.

They are made of 50% bamboo and 50% organic cotton. This construction also makes it antimicrobial, so it can actually get wet without any worries about mold. It can be hung out to dry, much like a towel, and used again. I haven’t had the chance to test this particular feature, but it’s nice to know.

As you can see above, my daughter is having a good time with her blanQuette. At 6′6″ by 4′9″, it is more than big enough for her to wrap up in. In fact, we both easy cuddled under it, which is a good thing, since we usually find ourselves fighting for covers on the sofa. I’m not over-exaggerating when I say that I love them. They are so versatile and available in so many colors that they can fit into any decor, and thrown over the arm of a sofa or folded across a neatly made bed, they could be a great finishing touch.

And at these remarkable prices, slashed significantly from where they were a year and a half ago, you’re getting a luxury project at a non-luxury price. A win-win situation, really.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of 50% Organic Cotton and 50% Bamboo
• Yumi & Laurie textiles are antimicrobial

Price: $78-88 (down from $195-235)
SPECIAL OFFER! When you purchase a blanQuette from Yumi & Laurie, mention that you found them at Green Your Decor, and get 2 free washcloths, also made of 50% organic cotton/50% bamboo.

(review)

Want to win?

Yumi & Laurie is generously offering up a Laguna blanQuette (shown above) for three lucky readers of Green Your Decor in the winner’s choice of color.  That’s right! Three of you will get to experience the luxury for yourselves! So how do you win? Visit the Yumi & Laurie site, then come back here and leave a comment about which of ALL the blanQuette styles you’d love to own AND how you’d use it. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, March 22, 2010, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. Make a purchase from Yumi & Laurie and get 5 bonus entries! And don’t forget to use the special offer above to get 2 free washcloths!
2. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, March 22, 2010. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
3. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
4. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
5. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.
6. Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your post.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, March 22, 2010, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Luxury on a Budget: Yumi & Laurie blanQuette Giveaway No. 2

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back this week so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

For the most part, my skin, on my face and elsewhere) manages to stay pretty clear and smooth. But I’d be lying if I told you it was because I pay a whole lot of attention to it. I’ve never worn makeup — none at all — and the furthest I really go toward making sure my face looks its best is washing it with some olive oil soap and moisturizing with a drop or two of pure coconut oil. But I know that there are lots of girls and women out there who don’t have it so easy. My niece, for example, has eczema, and the flareups really drive her crazy. So when I found Good for You Girls, I knew I had to include them in the Green Gift Guide.

In their tween and teen years, girls are likely going to start becoming curious about skin care and beauty products. Good for You Girls starts them off on the right foot. Unlike the chemical-laden products they could discover on the shelves of pharmacies and department stores, Good For You Girls contains only organic and natural ingredients. And like many other green products, the idea for them was developed by friends Kim and Grace, who were looking for natural skin care products for their own daughters. They couldn’t find what they needed, so like many savvy mama’s they made their own!

The Good For You Girls product line consists of 4 items:

• Gel Cleanser: soap-free, gel cleanser gently washes away daily dirt and grime without stripping or irritating skin.
• Blemish Wash: helps deep clean pores and fight bacteria naturally.
• Purifying Toner: Alcohol free toner combines witch hazel, organic aloe vera gel and antimicrobial meadowsweet extract to deep clean pores while soothing organic botanicals like chamomile and calendula help balance skins delicate pH.
• Moisturizer: A lightweight facial moisturizer that absorbs instantly to help protect against moisture loss without clogging pores.

The kit includes 2 oz. bottles of the gel cleanser, toner and moisturizer and is projected to last about 4 months.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of organic and natural ingredients | See list of ingredients
• Products are 100% vegan and come with recyclable packaging

Price: Kit, $24.99; Other items: $13.99-37.97

(review) – I will receive a Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Earthopoly board game by Late for the Sky. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Clementine Art holiday gift set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Good for You Girls has generously offered up a complete skin care set for one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. So how do you win? Visit Good for You Girls, then come back here and leave a comment about something you learned. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Good for You Girls Complere Skin Care Kit

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back this week so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

As a graphic designer, it warms my heart to see my daughter become a budding artist. As much as a hate the paper waste, I love watching her go to town with a stack of crayons, a couple of markers and her imagination. She has made more than a few masterpieces that we proudly display on the fridge, and several that I plan to frame. However, I’m not a big fan of traditional, paraffin-based (ie. petroleum-based) crayons that smell like the bottom of an old oil barrel. I also rarely let her get her hands on glue, dough or paint because you never know what they are made of. So I had her in mind when I added Clementine Arts to the Green Gift Guide for kids.

These fantastic art products were conceived by an art teacher who had many of the same concerns that I do. They are made from a variety of plant and mineral pigments and other natural ingredients, including crayons and crayon rocks made of soy. And unlike any other art company I can ever remember seeing, Clementine lists all ingredients on its packages. I love the gift set, because it contains several of Clementine’s most popular products, including scented, crumble-free modeling dough, soy crayons and crayon rocks, and multi-purpose glue.

When I opened the packages, rather than being greeted by a typical, strong art supply scents, I was met with lemon, lime and strawberry. According to Clementine, the modeling dough will last for more than 12 months if it is stored in the airtight container it comes in. The glue, which is supposed to work on a variety of materials, dries clear and washes off most surfaces. The crayons and crayon rocks are thick and stubby, which means they are perfect for small hands that might drop or break their thinner traditional counterparts. They are also designed to be washable, which is a great thing, since our little artists often tend to get carried away and color in places where they shouldn’t.

I think it’s safe to say I know what I’ll be buying next time my daughter needs replacement crayons and paint. It’s comforting to know I won’t have to guess about what’s in the products the little one is using.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of non-toxic, all-natural ingredients
• Packaging made of 80% post consumer recycled and reusable materials

Price: $5.49-27

(review) – I received a Clementine Art gift set to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Earthopoly board game by Late for the Sky. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Clementine Art has generously offered up a gift set for one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. So how do you win? Visit Clementine Art, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Become a fan of Clementine Art on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
5. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
6. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
7. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
8. Follow Green Your Decor AND Clementine Art on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD, Clementine or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Clementine Art Gift Set

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back this week so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

We are starting to get back into playing board games at our house. Monopoly is one of our favorites, particularly because we have the newer electronic version that comes with “credit cards” and a banking machine. So when I discovered Earthopoly, by Late for the Sky, I knew it would be a great addition not just to the Green Gift Guide, but also to our family game stash.

Earthopoly, as the name might suggest, is patterned after Monopoly. You can still buy and sell properties like the Concrete Jungle, Coral Reefs or even Mother Earth. The big difference is that property values are increased not by adding hotels and other buildings, but by collecting Carbon Credits and exchanging them for Clean Air. And just like in real life, you are rewarded for actions like switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, and “punished” for actions on the opposite end of the spectrum. For example, you lose $78 when fill up your gas-guzzling car. That’s what I call sweet justice!

The premise of the game is fun, but it also serves as an educational tool. Each property deed comes with a “Go Green” tip. Some of the are obvious steps that most of us who are already trying to lead a greener lifestyle will already be doing, but let them serve as a reminder that every little action counts.

And to demonstrate that the message the game presents should not be taken lightly, check out the Why It’s Green list below to see just how far Late for the Sky has gone to make sure that the Earth was considered. I can’t wait until our next family game night so we can try this out! I think I’ll invite my nieces to play, too. They can’t help but learn something.

Why It’s Green:

• Game board and box made from recycled materials.
• Printed with soy-based ink.
• Shrink wrap is a compostable plant-based product called EarthFirst PLA film
• Game tokens are all made of natural materials. Any given box might contain a lima bean, a piece of crystal from Arkansas, a bamboo ring, a pyramid carved from black walnut by local woodworkers or a shell from Southeast Asian.
• Made in the U.S. (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• There’s even more! Click here.

Price: $24.95

(review) – I received 2 Earthopoly games to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Clementine Art eco-friendly gift set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Late for the Sky has offered up an Earthopoly game for one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. So how do you win? Visit Late for the Sky, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Earthopoly Board Game

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back throughout this week and next so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

I have been addicted to coffee ice cream for years, particularly if it’s made by Starbucks. But would you believe I only started drinking coffee, cappuccino and espresso a few weeks ago? Yeah. Crazy, I know. But now I can’t get enough of it. And since we didn’t have a coffee maker, that meant numerous runs to the nearest McDonalds (don’t hate me) or coffee shop to get a cup. At least that’s the way it was until Presso, the makers of this fabulous manual espresso machine, sent me one to review.

All I can say is heaven! The idea that I can have a fresh shot of espresso from my own kitchen is awesome. In fact, I can make a single shot or a double shot, simply by adding a small attachment that comes with the machine. It is also incredibly easy to use and requires no electricity. Well, technically you have to boil some water on the stove, but the espresso machine itself doesn’t require any power to operate. You simply add ground coffee of your choice, add hot water, and press. Voila! A hot shot of espresso. It also comes with a milk frother, which you use directly inside your cup.

Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for a better, more useful addition to our kitchen. And because it’s made of durable aluminum, it is built to stand the test of time AND to be recycled whenever it does reach the end of its useful life. All I need now is a few bags of Fair Trade, organic, shade-grown coffee and I’ll be set for the rest of the winter.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of aluminum, which is 100% recyclable
• Manually operated, requiring no electricity

Price: $150. BONUS! Get 20% off your purchase with coupon code “greenyourdecor.” Exp. 12/31/09.

(review) – I received an espresso machine gift set to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Earthopoly board game from Late for the Sky. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Clementine Art eco-friendly gift set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Presso has offered up an awesome prize for one lucky winner: an espresso machine gift set that also comes with a sugar scoop and a bag of flavorful coffee beans. So how do you win? Visit Presso, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company, but it has to be something that was not mentioned in the post above. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Presso Manual Espresso Machine

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. Because this prize will be delivered via email, you may still be able to shop before Christmas! Come back throughout this week and next so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

If the name Bambeco sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen me feature their products so many times here at Green Your Decor. This is easily one of my favorite retailers when shopping for green products online, whether for the home, for myself or even for my new puppy! For that reason, I featured several of these products in my Green Gift Guide, including the Arroyo Candle Blocks (by Amenity) shown above.

Bambeco provided a $100 gift card for me to do some holiday shopping, and here are my picks for the loved ones on my list:

• Red recycled cotton photo box: For my mother who loves red and never seems to find a good way to display the dozens of photos she insists on taking of all of us. Made of recycled cotton. Price: $20 (aff)
• Reknitz sweater by West Paw Design: For the tiny, 2 pound Doxie-Chon puppy that my husband gave me for my birthday, who is so little that short bathroom breaks outside in the December weather make him shiver within 2 minutes. Made in the U.S. of reclaimed cotton fibers. Price: $34 (aff)
• Big Green Purse: For my sister, who is always asking me whether something or other can be recycled or what makes product green or whether the changes in her spending habits are really making a difference. This book answers those questions and more. Price: $17.95 (aff)
• Ecolo Red Recycled Leather Journal: For my niece, who will likely use it as a sketchpad for all the images she loves to draw. Made of recycled leather. Price: $24.95 (aff)

When I take into account the coupon codes for up to 15% off and free shipping that are available from Bambeco (see the GYD deals page), I was really able to stretch my budget!

(review) – I received a $100 gift card from Bambeco in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Azuri Pashmina Scarf from Nimli. Ends 12/18/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Manual Espresso Maker from Presso. Ends 12/21/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

Want to win?

Bambeco has offered up a $100 gift card for one lucky winner. Give it as a gift, use it to shop for the special people on your list or keep it as a special gift for yourself.  The gift card will be delivered electronically, so you still may be able to use it to do some holiday shopping! So how do you win? Visit Bambeco, then come back here and leave a comment telling me what you’d buy if you won the gift card. This cannot include any of the products mentioned above! Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: $100 E-Gift Card from Bambeco

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back throughout this week and next so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

Of all the people my Christmas gift-giving list, the women are the toughest to shop for. Maybe it’s because I know my husband and dad well enough to know exactly what they’d like. Or maybe it’s because women tend to have very particular tastes and will always say “nothing” or “I don’t know” when asked what they want for Christmas. I you know a woman like that, you can rest assured she will be very happy with a luxurious pashmina scarf by Azuri, sponsored by Nimli.

They were generous enough to send me a pashmina wrap, and I love it! While it is not thick at all, the thin fabric is soft and luxurious. I felt like a princess while all wrapped up in it. It would be the perfect accessory to take a simple dress or outfit over the top, or to dress up casual jeans and a cute top. I personally like wrapping it around my waist like a sarong over a pair of fitted organic jeans.

You could also use it to wrap another gift for the special lady on your list.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of Pashmina wool

Price: Wrap, $49; Scarf, $25 (aff)

(review) – I received a Azuri Pashmina wrap to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• $100 Gift Card to Bambeco. Ends 12/18/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Presso Manual Espresso Maker. Ends 12/21/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

Want to win?

Nimli has offered up a purple Azuri Pashmina scarf for one lucky winner. Give it as a gift or keep it as a special gift for yourself.  So how do you win? Visit Nimli, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter. U.S. mailing addresses only! A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Azuri Pashmina Scarf from Nimli