Sunday, May 22, 2011

New Blog Coming!

Hey everyone!

After a month-long hiatus, I've made the decision to scrap this site and start fresh. As my first blog, "A Little Bit of Boho" was not everything I wanted it to be and I'm craving big changes.

I've had a lot of fun experimenting and learning about the blogging world. My appreciation goes out to those who took the time to read my entries, especially my wonderful mother and friends. I cannot thank you enough for the support.

After countless days of brainstorming, I finally came up with a new name... but it's a secret! I'm really happy and excited to design a layout and get this show on the road.

So stick around to see all of the green goodness to come! I promise it will be soon :)

Much love,
Kristine

Friday, April 22, 2011

Ten Simple Guidelines to Living Green

I've been a bit of a slacker lately so I really apologize for the lack of new posts. But today is Earth Day and it's my personal mission to encourage eco friendliness in any way I can.



Our society acts as if our planet is replaceable, as if we'll get a new one once we've trashed it up enough. It's saddening to see how many people just don't care about their actions.

This planet is a gift and the laws protecting her are so weak (especially in the US). We really need to stand up and change things, take action. Why have children if you're going to leave them the horrible consequences of our choices? Everyone should want to leave this Earth better than you found it.

Here are some very easy actions that you can take. Right now. Show this planet that you care.

Go Vegetarian (at least once a week!): This is hands down the best way you can help our planet. Our appetite for meat consumes an abundant amount of resources (farming, refrigeration, transportation, etc.). It's just plain wasteful. I made the choice to go vegetarian this year and I feel great. It's the best choice I've ever made. You don't even have to convert completely (Meatless Mondays, anyone?). Every little bit helps!

Break Out Those Canvas Bags: Seriously, people. Stop using plastic bags! It's just ridiculous how people still use them! From simple 99 cent ones, to chic and super cute ones, re-useable bags are everywhere. Stock up on a few."But I always forget to bring them!" Wah, wah, wah. Store them in your car! Throw them in your purse! I use Flip&Tumble bags that fold up into a portable ball (see below). Or here's an idea: how about you carry the two or three items you get from convenience store?! Just a thought...



Shorten Your Showers: Water is an extremely valuable resource and we need to start treating it like one. Hoping you don't take baths (30-50 gallons of water?! No thanks), shorten your shower to five minutes, tops. I use a timer on my iPhone so I get an annoying ringtone when my time's up. Take it a step further and install a low flow shower head. Where else can you save water? Hang your laundry and skip the dryer. Turn that damn faucet off when you're brushing your teeth! Load the dishwasher to the max and don't you dare water your lawn.

Recycle!@#$% I'm not even going to explain this. It's a no brainer. If you don't do it, you're a lazy moron.

Re-vamp Your Beauty Routine: I can't stress this enough. What you put onto your skin goes into your bloodstream. Do you have any idea what's in your shampoo? Your face wash? Your foundation? It's straight garbage. Cancer-causing garbage. Worst of all, these chemicals run right down the drain in your shower and into your water system. Not so pretty, huh?

Afraid to fully commit? Take it one step at a time. Finish what you've got and vow to buy better from now on. Swap out the stuff you use the most and take it from there. Opt for samples to see what works for you. Spirt Beauty Lounge, an amazing natural beauty boutique, offers 12 deluxe samples of your choice for $25 (plus a 10% coupon for next purchase).

Click here for Spirt Beauty Lounge's customized sample kit.


Clean Green: This is similar to re-vamping your beauty routine. Conventional cleaning products are filled with awful chemicals that we breathe in and run down the drain on a daily basis. Switch to brands like Seventh Generation or Mrs. Meyers. If you must use paper towels, choose recycled paper (same for toilet paper). And please, pretty please, stop using those air fresheners. They are not as safe as you think they are.

Bring Your Own Container: If you're a take-out kind of person, stop supporting styrofoam and plastic. Ask to get food in your own re-useable container. It may seem dorky, but you'll be surprised at how many people do it (I work at a restaurant). Plus, it'll cut back on your garbage tremendously. Who likes taking that out?

Step Away From The Vehicle: Gas prices are flat out robbing us blind. It should be obvious that we need to limit our car usage for financial and environmental reasons. Walk or bike whenever you can. Stop being lazy! If you can't, look into public transportation. Want to do more? Invest in a hybrid car or better yet, an electric one. There are other fuel options out there. Definitely look into them!

Cancel That Gym Membership: You don't need a treadmill to stay fit. Gyms are energy guzzlers. Hundreds of machines are always plugged in, sucking up electricity. People fail to realize how bad they really are for our environment. Look into yoga or Pilates. Walk, run, or bike outside (it's a much better view than a TV). There are tons of ways to exercise sustainably.

Think About Your Purchases: It sounds easy enough, but it's an important action to take. Think about what goes into making something. Where does it come from? What is it made out of? Where will it go? Most importantly: Do I really need it? If every person truly understood the impact of their purchases, we'd have a much cleaner Earth.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Element's Conscious By Nature Collection

I absolutely love seeing major clothing stores and brands making an effort to go green. Whether it's a small change or a total makeover, every little bit makes me happy (and makes a difference). Eco friendly clothing should be accessible to everyone. It shouldn't be limited to online stores or crazy expensive boutiques.

I'm really excited for H&M's Conscious Collection that's in stores today (check it out here). Definitely taking a trip to see it tomorrow! In the meantime, I wanted to spotlight another eco clothing collection that I stumbled upon.


Conscious By Nature is a spring collection by Element Eden. Hand crafted in the USA, the clothing is made with sustainable blends of bamboo and organic cotton. There's a little something for every girl and guy. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from the women's. Sale prices make them even sweeter.

Reverie - $38.00 (on sale for $19.99 at Swell)

Kayleigh - $38.00 (on sale for $24.95 at Tactics)

Maren - $38.00

Serene - $59.50 (on sale for $39.99 at Swell)

I took a peek at the men's collection and I'm jealous that they have a bigger selection. Here's some stuff I would totally love my boyfriend in.

Eugene - $58.00

Marsh - $24.00

Hartford - $42.00



Want to see the rest? Here's the girls and the guys. What are your favorites? Any major stores or brands that you're happy to see going green?

Monday, April 11, 2011

Eco Friendly Earrings by ShopRuche

In search for eco friendly jewelry, I came across these adorable earrings at ShopRuche. Their made out of wood and dyed naturally. They're light as a feather, making them the most comfortable earrings I've ever worn. I'm a sucker for indie style so I had to order these right away.


This is me, wearing the "key to the past" ones. 


I also bought the "topsy turvy tulips" ones. Love them!


Check out the other styles here. All of them are priced at $12.99. But be warned: these have sold out before! I was happy to see them restocked, but who knows if it'll happen again.

Happy shopping everyone :)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Green Your Routine: Mother Approved

Hello there! It's been a little while, but I'm back in action, ready to blog :)



Green living has been my passion for over a year now. It all started with an environmental class and I was hooked. My beauty routine was the first thing to go green and I've become obsessed with eco-friendly cosmetics (oh, and fashion, can't forget about fashion).

Now that I've cleaned up my body lotions and such, I'm ready to move onto greener pastures (pun intended). Lucky for my mom, I've been dragging her along the way. Phrases like, "No, Mom! You can't buy that!" have turned me into the eco police of our household.

My mother is a coupon-clipping, sale-searching kind of woman and I love that about her. She's all for making better choices, but not so crazy about the price of eco-friendliness. Slowly but surely, I'm helping her green up the household.

Seventh Generation products are a good start. Chances are, you've heard of their wide array of products (from cleaners to baby products). Prices are reasonable and most stores carry them, making it a simple switch. We use their dishwashing detergent and it works just as well as any other one.


Oh and coupon clippers, rejoice: sign up for an account on their website and you'll be printing savings in no time. It seriously takes one minute to sign up.

Garbage bags are another necessary household switch. Plastic bags make me cringe so I was elated to have found Green Genius bags. Instead of sitting in a landfill forever, these bags will be there for just two years.



I found them right in ShopRite and guess what? There's a coupon for it! Click here for $2.00 off.


I am so sick of hearing the "green is too expensive" excuse. People are just lazy, that's the real excuse. The internet has so many coupons for green products, you just have to look for them! To be green and save tons of money? Nothing makes me happier :)

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Coming Soon!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of recent posts. I've been working a lot lately and just haven't had the time. But no need to worry! I've got some days off soon and tons of ideas on the drawing board. Here's what you can look forward to:

Eco-Friendly Foundations (the good, the bad, and the ugly)
Shower Goodies (ones that are earth friendly and smell delicious!)
Green Reads: Magazine Edition
Affordable Finds: Jewelry
Safe Pedicures