2020: The Year of More or The Year of Less?
More or less? Which word do you find yourself using in your new year’s resolutions? While I was making goals for 2020 I realized that every goal I wanted to achieve contained the words more or less. I’ll show you what I mean: Goals for 2020: Write more blog posts. Spend more time with friends and family. Spend less time worrying about the small things that may be out of my control. Buy less altogether, but buy more green products. Travel more. Spend less time at work and doing work at home (teaching can be all consuming!) Spend less time on social media and read more. Learn more about fair…
Minimizing Stress for the Holidays and Adding a New Family Member
Many words come to mind when I think of the holidays. Merriment. Joy. Family. Food. Presents. I doubt I am alone when I also think of another word: stress. I come from a divorced household which doesn’t make the holidays difficult necessarily, but it does make the holidays…different. Instead of picturing my family gathered around the table I plan out how I’m going to attempt to split up my time evenly between two houses. In contrast my husband’s parents have been together for 40 years, so it’s hard for him to relate. Now my brothers and I all live in separate states and I have in-laws to visit as well.…
Trades of Hope Cyber Monday!
While I chose to skip Black Friday sales this year, there is something about Cyber Monday I find hard to resist. There’s no crowds or lines- just me in my pajamas browsing my favorite sites. It’s especially rewarding when you know your purchase helps women living in poverty and/or previous sex trafficking victims have dignified jobs and provide for their families. The Fair trade company Trades of Hope is offering some of my favorite pieces for up to 70% off through December 3rd. Here are some of my favorite pieces: To view all Cyber Monday sales and shop my Trades of Hope store click here!
FALLing for Ethical Boots
Forget diamonds– shoes are a woman’s best friend. Why do we love shoes so much? My theory is that it’s because shoes are versatile and body type doesn’t matter when it comes to rocking a pair of shoes. As I’ve learned more about ethics of the garment industry I’ve especially focused on what I put on my feet. Over the years shoe companies have become exposed and known for bad labor and environmental practices. In the 90s Nike and other sports shoe brands were exposed for their use of child labor and sweatshops. However, it’s not just sneakers that are made unethically. When it comes to boots, many consumers are…
Easy Steps to Make Your Next Party More Sustainable
Every day I become more aware of the choices I make and my environmental impact. I’ve been able to change many of my daily routines to embrace a greener lifestyle. I found myself wondering, how can I make changes on less frequent occasions, like holidays and parties? First, let me say that I love hosting a party. I love a good theme and all the choices that go with hosting. What music do I play? What decorations should I get? What food should we have? This fall my husband and I threw a party to celebrate the last day of summer, with an “End of Summer Blues” theme where almost…
Earth Friendly Educational Giveaway!
I have been thinking a lot recently about the importance of educating young ones about climate change, global warming, and the environmental crisis. As a teacher, I try to emphasize good habits in my classroom, like saving electricity, recycling, and not wasting food. However,with so many great eco-friendly friendly products out there I think it’s time to take it a step further. With this in mind I created a giveaway basket with an assortment of items to teach young ones to care for the future of our planet in fun and creative ways! Here’s a peek at what’s inside: Hello Treehouse Goods Recycled Hangers The idea for a giveaway came…
My First Foray Into Fair Trade Fashion
How that’s for an alliteration? Fair Trade was a term I was vaguely familiar with for years after stepping foot in a Ten Thousand Villages store in Cambridge, Massachussetts. I recognized it as goods made by artisans in other countries and were made using traditional craftsmanship of those countries. It wasn’t until I created my wedding registry in 2016 at The Little Market that I discovered the full extent of fair trade decor and how buying fair trade certified products supports artisans in other countries by providing them with fair wages and safe working conditions. My enthusiasm for fair trade grew and I started working with a fair trade jewelry…
Trades of Hope Savanna Collection
“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.” -John Hemingway Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed about Africa, especially the animals of the African savanna. I preferred playing with figurines of cheetahs and giraffes over dolls, and my bedroom had an African safari theme. As an adult my childhood dreams of traveling to Africa came true and I was able to visit Ethiopia and Ghana. I also fell in love with the people, the traditions, the beautiful designs they incorporate into their clothing and crafts. As a first grade teacher I teach about the savanna habitat every year, and I love sharing my…
Patriotic Finds You Can Wear Past July 4th
If I’m going to be completely honest, I had every intention of writing a post for Fourth of July, but my husband and I planned a hiking and camping trip for the long weekend and time escaped me. At the weekend’s conclusion, with the work already half done I found myself sitting in front of the computer wondering how I could salvage the blog post. I found inspiration in my husband’s over-the-top patriotic shirt- a muscle tee with an American flag covering his whole torso and an American eagle busting through the middle of the flag. The kind of shirt that certainly inspires an “America- fuck yea” or two. Admittedly…
How to Shop Sustainably at Target
“The big boys are coming, the big corporations, the big brands. They may be late to the party, but they are now aware that they have a big problem.” -Andrea Reyes, founder of NYC Fair Trade Coalition Although I try to support mostly small businesses, there is a certain allure to Target that is hard to ignore. My friend and fellow teacher, Andrea is a Target enthusiast and frequents the store weekly. We often joke that if she put on a red shirt people would think she worked there. So what is it it about Target? When I asked her she responded that the convenience is a huge seller. It’s…
