Bunny Ear Napkins

Step 1. Fold starched napkin into thirds to form a rectangle. (If you’re using a square napkin, you’ll need to fold in half, and then fold in half again to get a long rectangular shape.)

Step 2. Crease in half to create a center line for reference; fold top corners down along this line.

Step 3. Fold up from bottom corners along dotted lines.

Step 4. Bring left and right edges together on center line.

Step 5. Flip upside down and over. Turn up bottom point.

Step 6. To fasten: Fold left and right corners back; tuck one corner into the pocket of the other. Pull out bunny ears first; open up base. – Images and Ideas from Martha Stewart.

Golden Lentil Stew

Meatless Monday is back and today I am going to share with you a recipe I made last night.

Lentils are a good source of protein, fiber, folic acid and low in fat! A healthy substitute for meat. Effective in lowering cholesterol and managing blood sugar disorders. The high fiber in lentils prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up - not out! Purchase dry beans, not canned! Unlike other beans lentils require no pre-soaking, they are quick, easy, inexpensive and good for you.

Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight
8 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought vegetable stock
4 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped
3 teaspoons coarse salt
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup yellow lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
5 ounces orzo or vermicelli, broken into pieces
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, stock, and water, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.
Mash garlic, finely chopped cilantro, and salt into a paste. Add garlic paste, celery, tomatoes, lentils, tomato paste, lemon juice, and spices to pot. Simmer until lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Add pasta and dates, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in coarsely chopped cilantro and parsley. Garnish with parsley leaves, and serve with lemon wedges.

Sweet Dreams

On occasion, I like to sit and dream about what I’d have in my dream bedroom. I have a folder on my computer filled with inspiring photos. They’re the types of pieces that stay with you for a lifetime, with a healthy dose of versatility mixed in so I could change them up slightly throughout the years. And in the folder for my dream bedroom is the Rowan upholstered bed.

I have a mild obsession with upholstered, tufted headboards, and this also comes with an upholstered frame. You could cover this with everything from linen to organic cotton, hemp and more. With most upholstered furniture these days, you’re lucky to have even one sustainable choice. And trust me when I say that EVERY part of the construction of this bed is sustainable.

I could only imagine I would have sweet dreams in a bed like this!

Why It’s Green:

Wood frames made from sustainably grown Alder from well-managed American forests

Legs are constructed from reclaimed wood

Non-toxic, water based adhesives used

A combination of hemp webbing, jute, and hemp burlap are used to finish out the frame.

Uses organic wool batting and 100% natural latex padding and foam from the rubber tree

Upholstered in sustainable fabrics that are laundered in chemical-free, vegetable-based laundry detergent and are either certified organic or have been produced using chemical-free base cloth and vegetable or low impact dyes

Hot and Sweaty

Bikram Yoga, if you haven't tried it you really should. Don't let the heat scare you, it does get easier. I am on my second week and I am in LOVE with it.

Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 postures conducted over 90 minutes, beginning with one warming up breathing exercise, progressing through 24 asanas or postures and finishing with one toxin eliminating breathing posture. This series of postures systematically and scientifically works through the entire body.

Each posture is completed twice, each leads on from the next, preparing the body. The room is mirrored to allow for greater body awareness and to refine and deepen our postures with easy self-correction.

Classes are held in a heated room. The warm room allows for greater flexibility, it minimises muscle strain, lactic acid build up and reduces the chance of injury, allows for greater cleansing of the body and helps build tremendous stamina and endurance.

There is much evidence both scientific and anecdotal to support the benefits of Bikram Yoga when practiced regularly. Problems of alignment, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, insomnia, high and low blood pressure, and so many other medical problems have shown much improvement for so many with regular practice.

Some of the benefits of Bikram Yoga:

Works every organ, gland, nerve, tendon, ligament and muscle in the whole body every Bikram Yoga session
Expands your capacity to breathe deeply and fully
Prevents injury and may prevent or improve chronic illness
Promotes better sleep, you may even need to sleep less
Fabulous body toning effects
Weight loss or gain depending on your body's needs
Improvement in posture and body awareness
Improve the healing and regenerative powers of your body
Improvement in T-cell function and your immune system
Improvement in your lymphatic system
Lengthening and strengthening of muscles
Increased flexibility
Improvement in peripheral circulation
Improvement in metabolism / digestion
Gives the body a cardiovascular workout without negative impacting forces
Nervous system is exercised
Endocrine and exocrine glands are massaged and stimulated to better function
Muscular and skeletal network are enhanced
Weight bearing exercise will help prevent osteoporosis
Improves heart and lung function
Improves back conditions of pain and misalignment
Improves flexibility of your spine in its range of motion in all directions allowing the improvement in function of your central nervous system. Better nervous system communication means a better functioning body and mind
Helps cultivate a sense of well being and a more peaceful mind
Integration of both sides of the brain to improve memory, learning, body coordination and balance
Builds mental strength and teaches you to hold your mind in a focused and meditative state

Illuminating Art

These luminous pieces would look great in any room. The canvas is made from 100% cotton (from sustainable sources); the frame, from FSC-certified wood; and the print is illuminated by long-lasting low-energy fluorescent bulbs. So, while art can be pricey, at least it doesn’t come at a high cost to the environment.

Savory Squash Soup

OK...here we go, the start of Meatless Mondays. Every Monday I will be posting a new recipe, please send me your favorite recipe to share. This is one of my signature dishes, I get asked to make this soup all the time, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. For those of you that don't want to use cream, leave it out...but we all know a little cream makes everything taste better!

Serves 4

* use organic and local when possible

Ingredients

• 3-3/4 pounds Pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1 each (1-3/4 pounds) Acorn squash
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) Unsalted butter
• 1 each (4 ounces) White onion peeled, trimmed, and finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon White Pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon Ginger, ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon Cardamom, ground
• ¹/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 cups Organic Chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 sprig Rosemary, fresh

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut each squash in half and discard the seeds. Brush cut sides with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Arrange squash cut side down on rack placed in baking tray, bake until tender, 1 1/2 hours. Cool, scoop out insides of the squash, and puree the flesh in a food processor. Reserve. (Yield 4 cups)
3. In a medium stockpot, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Over low heat, sweat the onion. Do not allow it to brown. Add the pureed squash and cook over very low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Do not allow it to bubble up. Season with the salt, pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, brown sugar and lemon juice.
4. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, still over low heat, stir often. Cook 20 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the rosemary sprig. Remove the rosemary and pour the cream into the soup. Transfer to a blender or food processor and process, in batches, for 2 or 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
6. To serve, ladle the soup into heated bowls and enjoy!

Power Of One

The power of one: If every home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star bulb, we'd save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year.

Biodegradable Dinnerware

I thought that BBQ days were long ahead of us but the past few days have been gorgeous so my husband and I are having a BBQ and my mum called me to see if I had any disposable flatware. We had bought some great compostable products last year from an Eco expo but unfortunately we ran out! I was searching online trying to find this local company and ran across this. I would prefer to buy these products locally but I just love the chic design of WASARA products.

Sheer beauty is only half the story, though: WASARA is also an earth-conscious product. Made from tree-free renewable materials (sugar cane fiber, bamboo, and reed pulp), and fully biodegradable and compostable, WASARA is as good to the earth as it is to your culinary creations.

Organic forms that can be handled comfortable, and the textures that give a handcrafted feel are the bases of the Japanese custom of holding dishes as we eat. Perfect for picnics, BBQ's or really any occasion!

Toxic shower curtain

Choose a natural fabric, such as cotton (organic if you can find it) or bamboo, for your next shower curtain and liner.

Know that familiar smell when you open the package and unfold a new vinyl shower curtain? That's the off-gassing of chemicals from polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC). One of the chemical additives, DEHP, a phthalate, is a suspected carcinogen and has been linked to hormonal disruption in humans. An EPA study found that vinyl shower curtains can elevate air toxins in your home for more than a month.

The environment doesn't need more plastics and neither do you. In fact, these days more people are asking is their showing curtain toxic?

Dry Brushing

If you're interested in a natural pick-me-up that rivals a morning cup of jo, you've got to try dry brushing. The largest organ of the body is our skin. Not only is it an organ, but it is a major area for the elimination of toxic wastes from our systems. The bowel, lungs, kidneys and skin are our four channels of elimination. Each of these organs ideally should release two pounds of toxins per day. In addition to eating healthfully, that means no fast food! We must also get plenty of exercise in the fresh air and wear natural fiber clothing to keep our skin well. Never use soaps, cosmetics or lotions are are full of chemicals. Don't use deodorants that contain aluminum. Choose soaps, oils, locations and deodorants that are made with natural ingredients. the skin can become very toxic from years of rubbing or spraying chemicals into it or wearing synthetic fibers.

Skin brushing is one of the finest ways to detoxify the skin and promote good circulation. Brush your skin with a natural vegetable fiber brush before you take your shower or bath. Brushing the skin when it is dry rather than wet is very important because dry brushing removes more dead skin cells and toxins. Brushing the skin allows the pores to stay open, so metabolic wastes can be released. Always brush towards the heart. When brushing the face use a smaller softer brush.

Benefits of skin brushing:

1. Helps prevent wrinkles by tightening the skin.

2. Release uric acid crystals that can cause gout or kidney stones.

3. Cleanses and purifies the kidney's.

4. Removes dead skin cells and opens the pores sop toxins may be released.

5. Helps to break down cellulite after 30 days of consistent brushing (3-5 minutes).

6. Improves blood circulation to the skin and all parts of the body.

7. Cleanses the lymph and improves immunity.

So, for the greater overall health, take care of your skin!

Meatless Mondays

Meatless Mondays is a non-profit initiative that is part of an international campaign to encourage people to cut out meat on Mondays to improve their health and the health of the planet. Although I'm not vegetarian anymore I love what this campaign supports and am excited to join the cause.

Reducing meat consumption by 15% (the equivalent of one day a week) not only lessens the risk of chronic preventable illness but also helps slow climate change. On average Americans consume 8 ounces of meat per day, 45% more than the USDA recommends. Meat typically contains higher levels of saturated fat than plant based foods. Saturated fat intake has been linked to multiple preventable illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and various cancers. by removing meat once a week, the average American reduces saturated fat intake by 15%, diminishing the risk of these diseases. Chronic preventable illnesses -- including those associated with excessive saturated fat intake—cause 70% of all deaths in the United States. In 2007 alone Americans spent 1.7 trillion dollars on health care related to preventable illnesses.

Internationally, Meatless Monday/Meat Free Monday is currently represented in seven countries (USA, Britain, Brazil, Holland, Canada, Finland, Taiwan) with wide reach and support from campaigners such as Sir Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Moby, Yoko Ono, Bryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Michael Pollan, just to name a few.

By having at least one Meatless Day a week we can make a real difference in the world. The more people who join in, the bigger the impact we can have on the planet.

Environmental Benefits

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization the meat industry generates nearly one fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that lead to climate change. Geophysicists at the Bard Center and the University of Chicago estimate that curbing meat consumption by 20% (which could be achieved through Meatless Mondays) would lower greenhouse gas emissions as dramatically as every American switching to an ultra-efficient hybrid vehicle.

The U.N. also found that current meat production methods cause nearly half of all stream and river pollution. Meat also requires a great deal of fresh water to manufacture. The production of a pound of beef takes approximately 2,500 gallons of water.

As of 2006, forty calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of U.S. feed lot beef (manufacture, transport and storage included). By comparison, a calorie of plant-based protein only requires 2.2 calories of fossil fuel. If the population of the United States went meatless every Monday for a year, 12 billion gallons of gasoline would be saved.

Philosophy

Meatless Monday focuses its initiative on Mondays for multiple reasons. Monday is typically the beginning of the work week, the day when individuals settle back into their weekly routine. Unhealthy habits that prevailed over the weekend can be forgotten and replaced by positive choices. Its kind of why many of us prefer to workout in the morning, its a good start to our day. If Monday doesn’t work then choose a day that works for you. If everybody in America did Meatless Monday, that would be equivalent of taking 20 million mid-size sedans off the road.

Going meatless just once a week (it doesn’t have to be Monday) is a very easy way to improve your health and support the health of the environment. Please send me your favourite recipe for Meatless Monday that you would like to share with others.

Flick the switch

It sounds almost too simple, but don't forget that you can save a lot of energy, and therefore money, by making sure to turn off the lights when you leave a room.

Lighting is responsible for about 11 percent of a home's energy bills, and those continue to march up across most of the country, at a time when home prices are falling and job growth is soft. It's true that a compact florescent bulb uses about 75 percent less electricity than an incandescent, but the most energy-saving bulb of all is one that's turned off.

So get in the habit of flipping those switches when you leave a room. Kids can easily get in on the action, and it's an environmental value that will last a lifetime, and carry over into other areas.

Tap Water Bottle

Its crazy that a bottle of water costs more per litre than gasoline, and ever crazier that water is free and yet we still buy those plastic water bottles. How about those fancy bottles from France, do you know in most cases its just tap water, but from France. The one thing everyone loves about the water bottles is the convenience of having water on the go. There are lots of environmentally friendly, health-conscious options to make your H20 portable, like the Klean Kanteens but when I saw these glass jugs I thought this is exactly what Ive been wanting. I love the sleek design of these bottles by Tap Water Bottle. Water bottles are expensive, bad for the environment and bad for your health. Fill these up with filtered tap water, place in your fridge, drink and refill! You can use any glass bottle for this but these would look really good on the table.

DIY Cleaners

Why pay more for Earth-friendly cleaning products when natural solutions can be created at home? My girlfriend was telling me about her frustration with having to throw away cleaning bottles, regardless if they are biodegradable they are still ending up in the landfill, my thoughts were instead of throwing those bottles away every month why not make your own cleaners. Not only does it reuse the bottles and keeps them out of the landfill but it will also save you lots of money. The ideas in this easy-to-use card deck describe how to make all-purpose cleaners, tub and tile soft scrubs, spot removers, laundry deodorizers, insect repellents, and more in an eco-clean way.

Dry Clean Green

Scope out your local area for organic dry cleaners. But before you give them your business, make sure they are using the carbon dioxide cleaning process. In this method, CO₂ is put under high pressure to convert it into a liquid. As a liquid, it acts as a carrier of biodegradable soaps in much the same way as water does in a washing machine. Once the cycle is done, it turns back into a gas and is mostly reused.

Some dry cleaners advertise themselves as organic when they actually use a hydro-carbon solvent called DF-2000. While it's not as toxic as PERC, which the EPA lists as a neurotoxin and a skin and eye irritant to workers who are exposed to it, it is petroleum-based and thus contributes to global warming. (Meanwhile, don't forget to recycle those hangers back to the shop.)

Amazing Cause: Falling Whistles

Watch the Video above for an Introduction into Falling Whistles Movement.

(Above, Falling Whistles Founder, Sean Carasso)

Falling Whistles began as a small story exposing our world’s largest war. A little more than a year ago two Americans traveled into the Democratic Republic of the Congo on what was meant to be a short learning expedition. By the weeks end, they had discovered an illegal prison holding escaped child soldiers. There they heard of the whistle blowers; boys too small to carry a gun, sent to the front lines of war, armed with only a whistle. That night Sean wrote in his journal “With Falling whistles. they only chance is to feign death or face it”

A friend welcomed Sean home with a fierce embrace and an unusual gift – a whistle. Hanging just over his heart, everywhere they went the whistle would cause conversation and provide an opportunity to speak up for these children. And thus The Falling Whistles campaign was launched with a simple plan – make their weapon your voice and be a whistle blower for peace in Congo.

Falling Whistles has sold over 5,000 whistles and is continuing to rapidly expand. Proceeds go to restoring the lives of war affected children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while U.S. whistle blowers build a coalition to fight for their freedom.The Falling Whistles campaign launched with a simple response - make their weapon your voice and be a whistleblower for peace in Congo. Read the story and buy the whistle. Proceeds go to rehabilitate and advocate for war-affected children. Share their story and speak up for them.

The Problem:

1. Children displaced by the war.

2. Children forced to the front lines

Often traumatized, these children are rejected from their homes or return to find their communities disbursed and destroyed. Left with little recourse for action other than continued violence, their behavior often takes the form of street gangs or militia groups.

The Plan:

The Falling Whistles story reveals two urgent needs:
1. Children escaping the war-region.
2. Children forced to the frontlines of war.

The escaped children are often traumatized and have few options for survival. The result is that they are regularly pulled back into the cycle of war. In Congo they are developing partnerships with community leaders who are rehabilitating these children through education, art, sports, music, human rights education, vocational skills training, medical treatment and nutritional services. Each organization is working to give children the tools to be whistleblowers and stand for peace within the war-region.

Because of security concerns, they cannot expose the names of these organizations at this time. They are working toward healthy and sustainable relationships and look forward to the day when they can show you the physical results of your partnership.

To help the children forced to the frontlines of war, the war must end. The first step toward that goal is to change the way we advocate in the West. Sold out of pockets, living rooms, garages, concerts, warehouses and retail stores, the whistle gives you the opportunity to spread the word about Congo and speak up for peace. Wear your protest and elevate the conversation.

It is easy to feel helpless and a little apathetic about an injustice that has been raging away for several years and is hundreds of miles away. But that is why I think Falling Whistles is so incredible. It gives us all the opportunity to engage with the issue. Falling Whistles asks us to be the whistlesblowers on this injustice.

www.FallingWhistles.com

Turn off your computer

Save energy and wear and tear on your hardware by shutting down your computer at night. You'll save an average of $90 of electricity a year. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren't going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you're not going to use it for more than two hours.

Stop Idling

Every moment you spend idling your car's engine means needlessly wasting gas, as well as rougher wear on your vehicle. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed for startup. Overall, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year, worth around $78.2 billion. Next time you are waiting for the train to cross, turn off the engine and save some gas.

How clean is the air you breath?

How you would rate your indoor air quality? What affects your indoor air quality? How can you improve it? The most widely quoted statistic about air quality is this: The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outdoors!

While many sources of indoor air are fairly obvious and well-known -- second-hand smoke (lets hope none of you smoke indoors!), carbon monoxide and radon, to name the most prominent, and deadly -- there are more insidious, secret sources of pollution that any concerned homeowner or partner should consider. I have listed some of the most surprising.

Air Purifiers

Ok, who has one? I know I do. Like most people I was concerned about the quality of the air in my home and spend hundreds of dollars on an airpurifier, believing that it will, kill mold and bacteria.

But wait, theres more! That comes in the form of a highly touted mega-dose of ozone. Companies selling these air purifiers claim thats a good thing. Health officials know better. Ozone is the chief component of smog. If can scar lung tissue, trigger asthma attacks, cause coughing fits and lead to permanent damage that could shorten your life. That’s why the EPA has been cracking down on the sources of ozone outdoors. In other words, high levels of ozone is nothing that you want indoors.

If you have or are planning on getting an air purifier be sure to look for models that use high-efficiency pleated filters, known as HEPA filters, or electrostatic precipitators that do not emit high amounts of ozone.

Paint

So we all know about VOC’s and low VOC paint. Lead paint is a fairly well-known danger, U.S. banned it about 30 years ago. New paints release volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that may have a range of subtle health effects if breathed even in low doses over a long period of time. Ventilation is one key to reduce the harm from off-gassing paints, but the better choice is selecting a low-VOC or non-VOC paint .

Cleaning products

Spray bottles, sponges and the cleaners that break up dirt are supposed to leave your home cleaner, but many can also introduce unhealthy compounds into the air.

Why buy off-the-shelf cleaners that contain powerful and often toxic solvents, and other nasty chemicals when you can make simple recipes with vinegar, baking soda and the like will do just as good a job without any of the risks.

Cabinets and Furniture

Lots of furniture, cabinets, and shelving are made with pressed wood is likely stuck together with glue that contains formaldehyde. As with rugs, the formaldehyde in the glue will “off-gas” over time, releasing small amounts into the air in your home.

To avoid formaldehyde, avoid pressed wood products unless you know they are free from formaldehyde.

The Kitchen Stove

We all ventilate our bathroom so mildew and mold will not sprout. Cooking on the stove can introduce unsafe levels of nitrogen dioxide into the air. Make sure to properly ventilate your stove while cooking.

Houseplants are a very effective way in keeping your household air clean and pure.

Living With Ed

My husband and I love this show! Actor Ed Begley Jr., best known for his roles in "St. Elsewhere," "The West Wing," “Six Feet Down Under,” “Arrested Development,” and "Best in Show". Did you know that hes a passionate environmentalist? Ed is the star of "Living with Ed." It's a reality show that follows him and his wife Rachelle Carson, as they attempt to live the green life on the outskirts of LA, while competing to out-eco neighbor Bill Nye.

The show follows actor Ed Begley, Jr. in his quest to live his life with a small carbon footprint. Unlike other celebrities driving around in their Prius you will find Ed driving his Toyota reconfigured to run purely on electricity. He relies on it when he’s not on his mobile bike, which he uses when not home powering his toaster with energy summoned from a stationary bike. He lives in a modest 2 bedroom home in Studio City, Ca with his less zealous wife Rachelle. Living with Ed and his environmentalist passion isn't always a walk in the park for wife, Rachelle. This first-of-its-kind reality green show chronicles life with an earth-friendly fanatic with humor and heart. Check out this fresh unscripted docu-soap about the lifestyle of a diehard activist who puts his money and his time where his mouth is.

Eco Friendly Dream House

1. Natural fiber fabrics made with safe or no dyes are used for furniture and draperies. Cushions are made with natural latex foam and down.

2. Solar shingles are low profile panels designed to blend with traditional roof shingles. The panels capture light emitted by the sun and convert that energy into electricity.

3. Salvaged stone was taken from a terrace during landscaping and installed on the dinning room walls to add rustic old world character to a previously dressy room.

4. Antique Doors from Italy open to the foyer, with an antique console, mirror and lamps made from 19th century candlesticks.

5. Reclaimed wood planks and beams supplied by California based company, TerraMai, were added to the ceiling, which previously was painted with clouds.

6. Recycled Lumber was used to panel the library and build the fireplace mantel, which displays Emmy awards the Rosenthal’s won for the TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

7. Energy efficient windows and french doors were installed, providing ample natural daylight without taxing heating and cooling systems.

8. Reclaimed Walnut planks were laid for the kitchen floor. New wood floors in other areas were all certified by the Forest Stewardship Council

9. Cork floors in the pool house are practical and sustainable. Cork is harvested by removing the bark from a cork tree without harming the tree.

10. Iron lattice forms a gazebo planted with wisteria and jasmine to create a romantic outdoor dinning spot protected from the sun and wind. The terrace is made of stone.

Images From Traditional Home and Timothy Corrigan

Eco Wallpaper

CLD PURE Wallpaper

CLD PURE wallpaper (Carey Lind Designs, Crown Wallpaper) covers your walls with natural, non-PVC product. These stunning, subtle solids and loud patterns are printed using low-VOC water-based inks without lead cadmium so you can breathe easy in your home. So whether your concern is for the ecological impact on our environment or the visual impact on your interior, CLD PURE offers eco-friendly wallpapers with beautiful images inspired by nature.

Price: $80-$100 per roll Available at: http://www.crownwallpaper.com/

Helpful Medicines

I`m not one to pop pills but if I do I`m gonna do it in style. These helpful medicines are so cute and small and can be tossed into any purse for sper of the moment relief on the go.

While some health problems are large, complicated and frightening, most problems are not the end of the world. A kind word and a little help can get you on your way. Help Remedies was created to make solving simple health issues simple. They find the best solution there is, and take away everything else. By stripping away some of the complexity and fear mongering of the health industry, they hope to make medicine friendlier and more accessible, and in doing so empower people to make their own health decisions, even if it means popping pills. They think a little help, honesty and kindness will go a long way .

Their packaging is made of molded paper pulp and a bio plastic made primarily of corn. They use these materials because they are interesting to look at, and they are compostable—which means one day, they might become part of a large tree!

Help products are medical products and can legally only be shipped to US locations.
Sorry!