Eco-Friendlies
If you’ve ever been an allergy sufferer or lived with one or witnessed one trying to walk from one side of a park to the other you probably know that the whole thing is just a miserable cross to bear. Although I don’t seem to be allergic to a damned thing, my little sidekick of ten years, Goobie the Cat, was pretty much deathly allergic to it all…
The Dutch really know how to pinch a penny — something I learned over and over from my mother growing up. Sometimes the philosophy doesn’t work (ie. having to sport knock-off Converse All Stars from Payless during the painful years of junior high) but other times hits it on the nose: like these adorable polka dot- and garland-clad vintage plates, pitchers and other kitchenwares by Nina Invorm. The buck doesn’t stop there: check out her brighter-than-a-rainbow blog for eye candy galore!
The sun is doing its thing and from our desk here at Lo’s List we can hear the magpies, bluejay and cardinals in the garden singing up a storm. As a city dweller, the return of these birdsongs is a sure sign that spring is here and, thus, summer around the corner! So, in honor of this warm-weather heraldry: a bright collection of our top ten birdhouses and feeders! Hang your favorite on your fire escape (or sprawling porch) and you’ll be sure to lure some local feathered friends right up to your window — a perfect reminder of the world out there beyond your computer screen / twitter stream / MyFace feed, etc…. (and a great distraction for Goobie the Cat!)
“Skate decks eventually see their life shortened by snapping, cracking and/or wearing out. Purchasing new decks is a never-ending cycle and this was evident by the tower of old decks that were reaching to the ceiling of my room. We can’t throw away these decks because they hold sentimental meanings to us. I looked at these unusable decks every day and thought there must be something I can make with these. I decided to make some accessories with the old decks and this was the birth of Harvest…”
Inspired by the glorious spring weather that we’ve been having in Brooklyn the past few days, I went sleuthing around the interwebs in search of some out-of-the-ordinary bikes and discovered Republic: a Florida-based, online bike boutique that lets you customize your two-wheeler from saddle to skirt!
What’s not to fall for? Knickers that feel good and make you feel good about your impact on Earth. The smarts, style, and social-awareness behind PACT comes as no surprise considering the brainpower fueling the brand: business partners Jason Kibbey & Jeff Denby, self-proclaimed polar-opposites:
A tree-hugging environmentalist toy designer who loves motorcycles, green science and his Pitbull mutt Osa? Found one!! Brussels-born Patrick York Ma, who now stomps around the cities and forests of NoCal’s Bay Area, clearly can’t sit still…
With a planet that is drowning in trash and choked by pollution, any company that makes the effort to be greener gets the “We Are Good People” badge in my book. When that company manages to highlight the “eco” side of their products in a way that sparks the imagination and demonstrates how far one can go with ecologically-forward thinking, well, that warrants a big freaking gold star.
“I looove to collect fascinating objects, to arrange them in different ways and to have them around me. For me these objects have a very personal, intrinsic value and tell a special story.”
These Japanese fabric squares were once used to bundle dirty linens for transport to the sentō (public baths). Furoshiki (風呂敷) have been around for over a thousand years and have been given a 21st century makeover as an out of the box, eco-friendly method of gift wrapping. Some crafty folders even use the cloths as little purses!