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Interview with a Bride: Part 3

Craig — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:12:16 +0000

Welcome back to the third installment of “Interview with a Bride.” I’m releasing this a day early due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. I certainly hope you enjoy the holiday with family & friends, and that you’re able to secure some good deals on Black Friday as well! There’s much to be thankful for despite the economically challenging times we’re going through currently.

To get back on topic, we’ll once again chat with Kristin about her upcoming wedding in May of 2011. To remind you, Kristin works with us here in the E-Commerce Department at PrintMyThing & PrintMyRibbon. She’ll be tying the knot with Nick, who works over in our Applications Department. We’re excited for them both! Without further ado:

Craig: I know you really value the “green” approach to things. Do you have anything “green” in mind for your wedding?

Kristin: “You’re right! I try to make as many ‘green’ decisions as possible everyday, but I’m certainly not perfect in that area either. As far as the wedding is concerned I definitely want to have a recycling container at the reception, dressed up for the occasion of course! We plan on serving bottled beer and sodas and I wouldn’t be able to let guests just throw them away. We’ve also considered using food as our centerpieces. For example, we would use apples and pears if we were having a fall wedding. The best part about using food as centerpieces is that it can be donated the day after the wedding, which always makes you feel good.

Craig: What unique things have Nick, your fiancé brought to the wedding planning process?

Kristin: “Nick has been patient with me throughout the planning process, which makes things really easy. He also isn’t afraid to give ideas every once in a while. So far planning hasn’t been too stressful.”

Next week: The final part of “Interview with a Bride”. Happy Thanksgiving!

Eco-Friendly Ribbon & it’s on sale!!!

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:00:55 +0000

Woah! Big Deals two days in a row…plus a new product annoucement…things are beginning to heat up here in our offices! This eco-friendly ribbon is made from 100% organic cotton using earth friendly colorants. Call in today and get 20% OFF your order of this ribbon designed to be nice to our planet. Just call 888-807-6020

A new year…another chance at those pesky resolutions

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:38:10 +0000

If you’re like me, I have all but abandoned even stating any resolutions at the start of a new year. It seems everytime you start, you get a couple of weeks in and then it just slowly fades onto the list of resolutions past.

What is it that can truly make a resolution stick?…Lots of other people doing the same thing? I thinks so. What is one of those things…hmmmm. How about going green? It’s never too late to start, but there is no time like the present, so hop on the Eco-Friendly train and check out our Earth-Friendly Stickers, Bags and Other fun things. Don’t forget to tell your friends about your new year’s resolution and have them help you stick to this one…Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.

Something borrowed, something…Green?!

admin — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:30:42 +0000

Summer is a popular season for weddings; the weather is typically pleasant (although Northwest Ohio has had its fair share of rain storms) and the splendor of nature lends itself nicely to outdoor ceremonies and receptions. As more people are taking action to reduce their harmful impact on the environment, green weddings are gaining popularity. I have done a bit of research into the marriage (pun intended) of eco-consciousness and the big day, and it is very encouraging to see so many couples make the decision to incorporate green ideas into their wedding. And companies are providing amazing services and goods to reduce their carbon footprint.

Brides and grooms can opt for vintage and second-hand clothing not only for themselves, but also for the wedding party. Brides Against Breast Cancer is a great organization that sells slightly used (and sometimes brand new) couture wedding dresses for a fraction of the cost and the proceeds go towards helping men and women who are battling breast cancer. The Arbor Day Foundation sells inexpensive tree saplings which can be used as wedding favors. Just select your temperate zone and they will send you trees indigenous to the specific area.

There are so many resources available to recently engaged couples. Browse various online sources for information of accenting your wedding with green. Your mother (Earth) will be so thankful you did.

Coming Soon: $60K all electric sedan

admin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:02:02 +0000

Ever heard of the Tesla Roadster? You should. It’s only the most awesomest, crazy wickedest all electric sports car ever built. This thing does 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds while gettin 256 equivalent MPG. The people at Tesla Motors have decided to break the trend of designing another un-inspiring yet slightly better for the environment car and design something truly…inspired. Here, just check out their website…

Get it now? Now picture this technology all bundled up nice and neat like in the form of an ultra-efficient commute to work sedan. I first became aware of this company while watching a special on the Discovery Channel. Normally you just kinda watch this stuff and know that this tech won’t ever really make it to a mass production level where anybody can buy one, but this one may actually have a chance…Here’s why: Courtesy of the folks over at TechCrunch, reports are coming out that The Governator himself is preparing for a joint presentation with the Tesla Motors people announcing the construction of a brand new factory to product the sedan version of this car in his state of California.

Currently there are no photos that I could find of this thing, so hopefully we’ll get some along with the announcement…

Cup o’ Fair Trade & Organic Java

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:21:53 +0000

As an avid coffee drinker, I am constantly searching for a better brew. I frequent the local coffee shop, Grounds for Thought, which also houses a massive collection of for-sale used books. As I become more engrossed in environmental-responsibility, I am learning a lot about organic products and fair trade products (having one doesn’t necessarily indicate the presence of the other). I purchase most of my coffee from Grounds, but sometimes I browse the selection at retail stores such as Meijer and Kroger. It is very promising when these large stores carry a wide selection of organic and fair trade coffee. They also carry an impressive selection of organic produce (to be expanded later).

Fair trade and organic coffee aren’t by any means cheap, but both are environmentally-responsible choices. Fair trade coffee helps the coffee bean farmers receive fair prices for their products instead of being subjected to large corporations who may pay low prices for the product. Fair trade ensures that farmers receive a minimum base price and also promotes using eco-friendly farming practices. Organic coffee production is similar because it ensures that the coffee beans are not grown with harmful pesticides.

Coffee drinkers can unite and promote the well-being of the environment and coffee bean farmers every morning. Ask Starbucks for a cup of fair trade coffee. There is an interesting article on TreeHugger that clarifies some of the misnomers surrounding Starbucks and fair trade coffee.

Green Living: She’s Having a Baby!

Kristin — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:28:11 +0000

A few months ago my sister and her husband surprised my family with the news that they were expecting their first baby. We couldn’t be happier! I must admit that since then I have been a little baby crazy! One thing I’m especially excited about is the great selection of “green” baby products out there. I had no idea there were so many options for new parents! Here are some of my favorites…

BornFree™ Baby Bottles ~ Visit newbornfree.com. They have a great selection of Bisphenol-A Free Bottles and so much more for your little one. This is a great gift for any expectant mother.
Organic Crib Bedding ~ I found this bedding on bunnyburybaby.com. Their bedding is made from 100% organic cotton and is offered in adorable contemporary designs.
Chlorine-Free Baby Diapers ~ Check out seventhgeneration.com. This site offers so many great baby products besides diapers. I also learned that if you sign up for a free account you have access to money-saving coupons. What a deal!
Beaba Babycook ~ If you like to spend time in the kitchen, be sure to check this out at williams-sonoma.com. This little gadget helps parents prepare fresh meals for baby. It is also super easy to use! A cookbook and mini spatulas are also available.
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day baby cleaning products ~ Take a look at mrsmeyers.com. It’s full of great environmentally-friendly cleaning products for the baby’s nursery.
EllaRoo 100% Organic Baby Sling ~ Visit betterforbabies.com to see the entire selection of baby slings. These slings are very comfortable for babies and mothers too!

So there you have it, a list of my favorites. But I know there are so many more. If any of you know of any great “green” baby products, feel free to comment below. I would love to pass your suggestions on to my sis.

Scooters: Green Living or just plain smart

admin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:03:36 +0000

A few weeks ago my wife and I acquired a scooter from her grandpa. This 80cc Honda Scooter is 25 years old and still runs great! There are three main reasons we like it:

1. Easy, Fun way to get around town
2. Gas Mileage
3. It looks like the picture, except ours is gray (hot, huh)

It’s reason #2 that really got me thinking, so i did a bit of research and found a website that has done the math for us and done a Break-Even Analysis for purchasing a new scooter of varying engine sizes, mpg and costs. You can input your work commute the cost of gas and your current vehicle’s mpg to get a more accurate picture of your savings. They’ve really done a great job taking in to account as many of the important variables as possible.

It is important to this blogger to note that going this route is not just a green solution but it is also a economically responsible decision with proven stats. Here’s the site. So go ahead and get that cool Lime-Green Scooter and rock the scooter revolution.

Green Living: It’s Easy Being Green

Kristin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:16:01 +0000

I guess all of my talk at the office about recycling and monthly trips to Whole Foods Market has really paid off. I was recently asked to do “Green Living” posts on a regular basis and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

My interest to become more environmentally-conscious began a couple of years ago. I started recycling, buying organic food and using energy-efficient light bulbs. It may not sound like much, but I think it is a great start. I can’t wait to find new “green” ideas and when I do, I’ll be sure to share them with you. You may love some and dislike others, but I’m confident that you’ll learn something new that will make you feel as good as I do. And most importantly, Mother Earth will thank you.

Lime Green is the New Black

admin — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:37:35 +0000

Around our office we have an ongoing discussion that lime green is the new black. You seem to always hear that gray or brown or whatever is the new black (or the color that can go with anything) for the year. Well we’re taking it to the extreme and saying that this year’s black is…Lime Green because it goes with anything. Why, well because you see it everywhere, just look at this blog that we’ve redesigned, and it seems like everybody, company and group is putting on green this year. Look at the direct mail you get, the websites you check…they all use green in their design. Obviously, a lot of it is related to our cultural shift towards a more eco-friendly society and the use of the color green re-inforces this ideology (ie, “going green”).

As a result of these changing times, we have been adding “green” products to our websites and will shortly be introducing you all to a couple of new authors on this blog that will guide you through this world of “Green Living” and “Green Tech”.

So dust off those lime green wingtips and sea foam headband…