"Go Green" Shopping Guide

Guest Blogger:
Jen from Jenco13.etsy.com

Think about how many places or times today you heard something about Going Green? Was it at the office, the grocery store, your child or a friend who spoke of it? In my house we talk about recycling everyday and I try as hard as I can to clean and recycle everything I can.

With school starting right around the corner the art rooms are in need of supplies. What can you send in or call your local school to donate? Well, lets see… at breakfast you may eat eggs. That egg carton could be used in classrooms to help students learn how to sort items or make a wonderful art project. At lunchtime you may have had a yogurt. Did you know that the schools use these in many different places? In the classrooms they use it for water, paints, and glue so they don’t spill. Other schools have a local charity that may give the school 2 - 5 cents for each (cleaned) container they receive (check your local schools newsletters or websites). Then comes dinner… You’re in a rush and you take that Healthy Choice out of the freezer and pop it into the microwave. Then into the garbage afterward, right?? Wrong. Wash it set it aside and give it to a school!! They are used for science projects or painting. All of these plastics may have the number 7 on it, but we could make a difference in our daily world instead of allowing the schools to go out and buy unnecessary supplies. You can be supporting the arts as well! Don’t want to contact the school… not a problem! Contact a friend you know who does art!

One of the books I have in my house is all about recycling. I haven’t gotten a chance to read all of it yet, but there are some really good steps about becoming green in this book that the Etsy Twitter Team has already done. Check it out!

Paper

With the amount of paper that is wasted on a daily basis, it’s no wonder that we are losing our forest and fresh air bit by bit. ACageyBee.etsy.com makes these adorable cards with paintings of girls on them. The envelopes that come with her cards are 100% recycled material. What a great way to write to a friend about an amazing book you have been reading about! Pick a card that looks like you or your friend to send to him or her. It will show your friends how much you’re thinking of them!!

Or how about a handmade Christmas tree ornament for that very special person from SalonDArte.etsy.com –Hey, it’s never to early to start your holiday shopping and help the earth at the same time!

Want to start a journal or a sketchbook? What about a list of things to do? In Pretty Cheap’s shop I’m sure you will find her journals to be perfect along with the fact that they are upcycled!!

Love beautiful flowers and real pictures on your cards? Check out DeeJayPhotography.etsy.com. They use 100% recycled cards with 100% recycled envelopes.

Jewelry

I don’t know about you, but some of the best jewelry I ever have received was handmade by someone. Many of our team’s shops recycle something that we see every day such as milk caps or dominoes. You also see them taking antique pieces of jewelry and making their own creations or upcycling vintage plastic beads and chains.

Here are some of my favorite shops:

threepeats.etsy.com - vintage

ThatsHeadley.etsy.com - recycles tins into fabulous jewelry

PunkyJane.etsy.com - metal clay silver jewelry that is recycled silver
WellspringCreations.etsy.com - all natural stone jewelry
PrettyWhimsical.etsy.com - recycled pendants
NovaScotiaBeachGlass.etsy.com - a day at the beach jewelry!
LindaB142.etsy.com - love the bottle cap earrings!!
InMyHeadStudios.etsy.com - upcycled domino and Scrabble tile pendants
FirebirdHouse.etsy.com - antique jewelry pieces made new again
EchodAmour.etsy.com - custom item jewelry with recycled metals
BeadsofGlass.etsy.com - uses metal clay that contains recycled silver (99.9% silver)

According to my book, it’s a great way to go for a vintage item such as necklaces, wedding rings, etc. instead of buying something new. Why? Because metal is not being melted down to make new items. What do you need to melt down metal? Fuel. Energy. These things are becoming precious in our world. Buying vintage really helps to save the world in the long run!

Home Decor

Decorating your home can be really hard these days. Too many choices if you ask me! Plus you want everyone to walk into your home and say, “Oooooh, that’s so nice! Where did you find that?” You can make your home one-of-a-kind by checking out these handmade goodies!

KimWhiteCreations.etsy.com – tic tack toe pillows
FirebirdHouse.etsy.com – recycled sweater felted pillows that hide your journals
GeekDetails.etsy.com – uses some upcycled materials in her work
CuriousMess.etsy.com – recycled embroidered olive oil bottles

Now go enjoy a “Go Green” party and show off your green items!!

Go Green Bags

Reuse your grocery bags!! When my great grandmother was around she used to take all of the plastic bags and twist, turn, and knot them until they became a door mat. Yes, a door mat! They lasted a lot longer than you would think and they cleaned her son’s boots off from the farm. (That’s what my grandmother tells me.) Grandma would be proud of me because even though I may not know how to make these amazing door mats, I use a recyclable bag every time I go to the grocery store, the mall, or even that big warehouse I love so much. Here are a few stores on our team that sell these bags!

PinsWithFury.etsy.com
JaybirdDesigns.etsy.com
HandmadeBySandi.etsy.com

Did you know you would also be helping animals not eat these plastics in the sea or fill our landfills? How about helping the super markets save money on plastic bags? Ask their front desk to see if they give a you discount for every reusable bag you use. It could range from 5 to 25 cents each!!

Back to School Must Haves

The last bit of shopping I want to share with you are back to school items… there will be hats, shawls, back packs, cup cozies, and sweaters that are needed for fall fashion. Jump start that fashion with some of our shops:

KnittingGuru.etsy.com - uses eco-friendly yarn
JusShar.etsy.com - shawls and the coolest skirts (with bags to match)
Jenco13.etsy.com - scarves and cup cozies
HuayruroPeru.etsy.com – eco-friendly jewelry
HerbanLifestyle.etsy.com - organic teas and bath items to help you unwind from that long day at school or work
GreenBubble.etsy.com - organic and natural bath items
AquarianBath.etsy.com - no chemical fragrants
AmieVoltaire.etsy.com – adorable eco-friendly back to school outfits for children

I hope you check out some of these amazing shops because becoming a “Go Green” person is easier than you think when you start shopping with the Etsy Twitter Team.

If you would like to know where to buy a certain Go Green item, please post your questions here and we will point you in the right direction!

Happy shopping!

- Jen

Don't forget we're having a huge sale for Go Green with the Etsy Twitter Team until July 27th!! There's a scavenger hunt going on, too, with fabulous "green" prizes for 5 lucky folks!