Using magazine images, create a collage your ideal home. Kidding! I kinda hate to "collage through the feelings." I'm sure that works for some people, but flipping through the perfume poisoned pages of magazines in search of the perfect picture mostly makes me want to gag. Plus, I am such a unique creature that what I want doesn't exist yet and it's hardly a physical commodity that I'm really trying to get at so how could a slew of images from corporate produced glossies even begin to visual express my desires?
Instead, I'm going to draw some stuff, maybe paste a spare button from an old favorite shirt or a hunk of clay to the drawing. I don't know. All I know is I'm going to bust out the craft supplies and go ape on some poster board to make a fun piece of art that represents where I want to live and all the awesome stuff that I'll be feeling and doing there. Woo hoo!
Easy eco tips for a green home, natural hair & beauty, sustainable style, and organic healthy cooking.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Create Abundance at Home #1: Appreciation!
Slowing down to recognize and appreciate the awesomeness that surrounds us is an easy way to feel our blessings multiply. Sometimes when the shit hits the fan, it's hard to see all the amazing art that's hanging on our now poop splattered walls. Spend a bit of time in each room of your home and jot down everything you love about it. This could include a beautiful couch, photos, the view from a window, even a memory of something lovely that happened there. If you find yourself particularly at a loss to find anything loving to write, consider including the fact that it's a room you can call your own. Considering there are about 100 million homeless people in the world, that totally counts! How much time you spend on this is up to you-- 1 minute, 15 minutes, 30 seconds, whatever you can spare is great! How many things should go on this list? Whatever it takes to make you feel a little bit better.
Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.
24 Ways to Create Abundance at Home: Preface
In celebration of November and my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, I'll be posting activities we can do to create domestic abundance from Nov 1th through Nov 24th. (Abundance being New-Age lingo for "more awesomeness.")
Why? Because I've been in a funk for the last month or so. My landlord's negligence of the building I rent an apartment in hit what seemed to be at an all-time high on Labor Day Weekend when the ceiling of my bedroom literally fell down.
Why? Because I've been in a funk for the last month or so. My landlord's negligence of the building I rent an apartment in hit what seemed to be at an all-time high on Labor Day Weekend when the ceiling of my bedroom literally fell down.
 |
| "Holy holey" said my neighbor. |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wangari Maathai Memorial in NYC on Nov 14
Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, died of cancer on September 25th. There will be a memorial for her in NYC on Monday, November 14th 4:30 to 6:30pm at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. I hope you will be there with me and hundreds of others!
I was lucky enough to first learn about Maathai and her accomplishments while working at Lantern Books back in the '00s. The company had published her first book and was all abuzz when she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. (You can see a video about Lantern and Wangari Maathai's relationship here.) Since her passing, I'm reminded of what a great source of inspiration her legacy provides. Maathai taught women to plant trees in order to save the environment, build community, and empower women with financial independence (among other things). Talk about a feminist green entrepreneur!
 |
| This great poster from Just Seeds has graced the walls of three of my apartments. |
Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Is there a monster under your bed?
Besides cleaning the bathroom, mopping seems to be everyone's least favorite household chore. Perhaps it has something to do with all the stuff we space deprived New Yorkers cram under our beds, sofas, tables, desks, and- if all else fails- under nothing (just a huge pile-o-stuff in our living space).
I say this not from a pedestal, but from experience. I absolutely love mopping most of my floors, but when I get to my bedroom I often lose steam. Yesterday, I stopped to think about why I feel this way. I realized it's because I have to spend at least 5 minutes pulling under bed storage containers from beneath my bed, another 5 to 10 minutes dusting those damned things, and then another 5 minutes putting them back once I've cleaned under the bed. Ugh! Wouldn't it be nice to just be able to clean under the bed and be done?
Here is how I've attempted to tame the monster under my bed. These steps are based on those outlined in Laura Leist's book, Eliminate chaos : the 10-step process to organize your home & life. (Check out her book for yourself. It's available at the Brooklyn Public Library. Leist makes the home organizing process so easy to do and understand.)
I say this not from a pedestal, but from experience. I absolutely love mopping most of my floors, but when I get to my bedroom I often lose steam. Yesterday, I stopped to think about why I feel this way. I realized it's because I have to spend at least 5 minutes pulling under bed storage containers from beneath my bed, another 5 to 10 minutes dusting those damned things, and then another 5 minutes putting them back once I've cleaned under the bed. Ugh! Wouldn't it be nice to just be able to clean under the bed and be done?
Here is how I've attempted to tame the monster under my bed. These steps are based on those outlined in Laura Leist's book, Eliminate chaos : the 10-step process to organize your home & life. (Check out her book for yourself. It's available at the Brooklyn Public Library. Leist makes the home organizing process so easy to do and understand.)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Richard and I went to the Unsold Supper
Unsold Supper was the highlight of a Labor Day weekend spent in the city. The event was held in Union Square Park last Saturday and organized by OurGoods, a barter network for creatives, and The Greenhorns, a non-profit that supports young farmers. It was wonderful to witness so many people enjoying a free feast prepared by volunteers with unsold Greenmarket goods that were generously donated by the farmers. I was a bit overwhelmed (and confused) by the barter wall, but the display of random offerings of love and energy was beautiful. It was also fun to chat with people I admire but don't see enough of (including Anne Pope of Sustainable Flatbush and Dee-Dee of MoS Collective). Were you there? What did you think of the event?
Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Rainy Day Project: Clean Your Laptop
- Solution of 1 part rubbing alcohol and 1 part filtered water-- about 2 oz of each should be enough, so start with that. This solution is great because alcohol is excellent at cutting stickiness and it dries quickly.
- A lint-free cloth. E-cloth's glass cloth is a good choice.
- Canned/ Compressed Air
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
