Websites I Read Everyday

So besides Merida Home and Examiner ....and of course Facebook, there are 5 or 6 other websites that I check every day so that I know what is going on in the world (or to get inspired, or just to have a few laughs).

1. Ecouterre - As you've probably already noticed if you read this blog, I love Ecouterre. It is the perfect balance of fashion and environmental sustainability. It makes me excited about eco-fashion and gives me great ideas for my writing.

2. Global Post - I'm kind of a news geek. I like to know whats going on. I listen to NPR and I watch Fox News so that I have a reasonably well-rounded view, but I also like to check Global Post everyday because they have wonderful international stories that you might not hear about otherwise.

3. Habitually Chic - I love this blog because its very photo-heavy (aka: easy to read) and helps my continuing effort to learn about interior design so that I can become a better and more informed writer for Merida.

4. Treehugger - Like many environmentalists, I check Treehugger quite a bit. While many of their articles are a bit politically oriented for my taste, I do like their design & architecture articles and they have some great how-to and DIY pages.

5. BroBible - Yep, I may be a girly girl, but everyone (especially if you went to small liberal arts college in the north east like I did) has a little Lax bro in them. There is always something on this website that will make me laugh, even if I don't like to admit it. Oh, and if you are a fan of BroBible, you should check out Nervous Circle which is another hilarious lax bro blog that is written by a SLU alum. I miss St. Lawrence so much, haha, I think that is the main reason I read BroBible...just to get a taste of that SLU culture that I know and love.

Its Not Whether You Win or Lose

Its What You Do With Your Dancing Shoes!

I know a lot of my recent posts have been about shoes, but this time, I really couldn't help myself. I was browsing on Ecouterre, as usual, and I found these:

No, you are not dreaming right now, that is really a VENDING MACHINE that sells shoes! The vending machines are designed to go in bars and dance clubs so that partiers can ditch their uncomfortable stilettos for some comfy flats. These ballet-shoe flats can fit inside of a cigarette box! Best of all, they are waterproof, so your walk home will be comfortable. So, how did these shoes make it onto my SUSTAINABILITY themed blog? They are biodegradable! They break down at the same rate as oak leaves!

Top 10 Places I would like to see these vending machines:
1. The Harp, Boston
2. Johnny Westsides, Boston
3. The Tick Tock Inn, Canton, NY
4. Anywhere in the entire city of Montreal
5. Club Cato, Copenhagen
6. La Hacienda, Copenhagen
7. Every bar in NYC
9. Butterfields, Stamford, CT
10. An Tains, Boston (No, I would never consider wearing heels to this bar, but on my way home from another bar it would be nice to stop in grab a pair of shoes and a $1 miller lite!)

Wish List: Fall Boots

I am in the market for a new pair of boots for the fall/winter season. Last winter was pretty mild and I made it through the whole season without boots, and my pair before that got completely destroyed after a few winters of college in Upstate NY. My dilemma is that leather boots would be the most practical, but, as we all know, leather is much more carbon-intensive than vegetarian or vegan materials. So I am going to compromise. I am considering purchasing a pair of leather boots - but very high quality boots that will last me a long time, that way I won't have to get a new pair and throw out old ones every year. Conclusion: Frye boots. Frye boots are gorgeous and extremely high quality. Frye is the oldest continuously running shoe company in the United States. Soldiers wore Frye boots during the Civil War!

So while, leather may not be the most eco-friendly choice, I am still aware of the Reduce, Reuse Recycle aspect of purchasing quality, long-lasting items. Besides, who can resist these:

Power Walking

Just stumbled accross these while blog surfing: rain boots that use the heat from your feet to power your cell phone! Kinda strange, but wow, that would be handy, especially during a rainy week like this! European cell phone provider Orange designed these boots called Power Wellies. I am not surprised that these boots were designed in oh-so-rainy England, but I want a pair too, so let me know if you hear of Verizon coming out with a pair in the U.S.!

Latest Articles

Yes, a whole month has gone by, and so here are all of the articles I posted on MeridaHome and Examiner over the month of September. Enjoy!

Most Recent Articles on MeridaHome:
Bike Helmet Design Contest Promotes Green Fashion and Travel
Be Your Own Energy with nPower Peg
ECOstructures for Green Building in Massachusetts
A New Spin on Synthetics: Bamboo Rayon
Paper-free Magazines on Issuu
Upcycling Waste through TerraCycle
From Hotel Rooms to Refugee Camps: The Global Soap Project

Most Recent Articles on Examiner:
9 Twitter Feeds for Eco-conscious Homeowners
Green Drinks Schedule
Pure Green Living Magazine
Homeowners Invited to Howell Green Building Series
Rose Kennedy Greenway Annual Meeting 2010

Prismera ECO Earrings

I love these recycled stainless steel earrings by Prismera (http://www.prismeradesign.com/). They are beautiful and made from 60-80% recycled material. I am particularly drawn to this pair because the design reminds me of some of Henri Matisse's late work --- his cutouts (example pictured below). Gorgeous!