Column for CBS Local

I have some exciting news: I'm now a contributor to the CBS Local Boston blog. I'll be focusing on green living in Boston (duh!). The posts will include how-to tips, news, and best of Boston lists. Click here to see my posts so far and to follow the column.

Thanks for your support!

Huffpost Goes Green

I've always been impressed with the Huffington Post's coverage of "green" issues. They are a must-follow on twitter and a great resource for breaking eco news. They recently featured a great piece (including a video) about water scarcity on their main site. This week, Huff Post announced it would continue this type of content under the expertise of Jem Joaquin of Ecofabulous! I am so excited about this collaboration, and look forward to seeing how the Huff Post Ecofabulous page develops. 

Review Wednesday Becomes Spotlight Wednesday

After reviewing the results of the Boston Green Blog content survey, I am turning "product review Wednesday" into "Spotlight Wednesday" during which I will explore Boston's many green organizations, businesses, and government agencies! I look forward to learning how these entities interact and collaborate to make our city one of the most sustainable in the world! Check back next Wednesday for the first profile!

Green Tip Tuesday: Apartment Therapy's Guide to Socially Responsible Shopping

Apartment Therapy  is one of my all-time favorite blogs. Its full of both aspirational and practical decor ideas. And as you may have guessed, I get really excited when my favorite design, decor, and shopping blogs feature sustainability tips! In June, Apartment Therapy came out with its 6 Steps to Socially Responsible Shopping. It is a great read - I highly suggest checking it out.

BGB Featured in La Belle Vie Magazine!

La Belle Vie just released its big spring green living issue. And check out pages 59 - 65 for a piece by yours truly on the importance of leading a sustainable lifestyle!

Thanks to the ladies of La Belle Vie for including me!

Green Blog Spotlight: The Green Life Online

The Green Life Online is one of my favorite Boston-based green living websites because it has a long-established history of bringing sustainability awareness to the masses. I first heard about the site after meeting their coordinator, Jeff, at Boston Green Drinks a few months ago. The Green Life was founded in 1990 and its mission is to "help the growing number of environmentally aware, health conscious Americans make informed lifestyle decisions. Through education, outreach and advocacy, we support a consumer-driven movement toward sustainable consumption, while guarding against corporate greenwashing." The blog focuses on consumer knowledge and informs people about scams that are associated with some "green" products. The blog also features some great editorial material, with current articles about eating locally in the winter months, organic cosmetics, and of course a guest post by yours truly about pina fiber. Definitely add The Green Life to your list of eco must-reads!

Climatide: Dead blog with content that lives on

I am a huge fan of WBUR. Listening for even a few minutes a day leaves me feeling informed and inspired. This morning, there was a great story about wind turbines in Gloucester, and I was searching for a copy of the piece online when I stumbled across an old WGBH blog called Climatide.

Climatide included many informative, easy-to-read articles about the impacts of climate change on Cape Cod and Massachusetts' coastline. The blog project ended in March 2012, but I am now going back and trying to read as many of the articles as possible. Some subjects include declining fish stocks, impacts of the Japanese earthquake, a look back at Thoreau's journals ...and other diverse, yet relevant stories. I highly suggest taking a look if you are interested in climate change or oceanography!

image courtesy of http://climatide.wgbh.org/

Christmas & Consumption

I don't think anyone considers their Christmas to be all about presents, but gift-giving remains a time-honored tradition that people around the world look forward to each year. I love giving (and receiving!) Christmas gifts too, but the article below is a great reminder to give only things that the recipient will actually use - don't just give for the sake of giving.

The article entitled The Gift of Death by George Monbiot is pessimistic, but enlightening:

"But many of the products we buy, especially for Christmas, cannot become obsolescent. The term implies a loss of utility, but they had no utility in the first place. An electronic drum-machine t-shirt; a Darth Vader talking piggy bank; an ear-shaped i-phone case; an individual beer can chiller; an electronic wine breather; a sonic screwdriver remote control; bacon toothpaste; a dancing dog: no one is expected to use them, or even look at them, after Christmas Day. They are designed to elicit thanks, perhaps a snigger or two, and then be thrown away."

 So, in the words of Monbiot, this Christmas try something more long-lasting, homemade, or meaningful:

"Bake them a cake, write them a poem, give them a kiss, tell them a joke, but for god’s sake stop trashing the planet to tell someone you care. All it shows is that you don’t."

image courtesy of eandt.org

Ozoshare: Facebook for the Eco-Savvy

Yesterday I created an Ozoshare account for Boston Green Blog, and I am very excited to start using it. Ozoshare is a social networking site that is set up like facebook, but it is specifically for green-minded people and organizations. It is a great way to network and share articles and information. Each individual/organization has a profile or "bio" page on which they can post photos, videos, links, and status updates (all relating to environmental issues of course). Instead of "friends", Ozoshare calls connections "partners" because it implies everyone working together for the same goal. Partners can see each other's posts and comment on them. Boston Green Blog has 17 partners so far!

If you're interested in using social media to learn more about green living, you should definitely check out Ozoshare. If you make an account, be sure to become partners with Boston Green Blog! See my Ozoshare profile here. 

Eco Friendly Guide to Smooth Summer Legs!

My Eco Friendly Guide to Smooth Summer Legs was recently published on Pocketchange.become.com. They have a fabulous green living section on their website. I highly suggest checking it out!

Three Different Eco-Friendly Flooring Options

Today's post comes from Ambient Bamboo. Thanks for the guest post and all of your great work in the green building industry! 

"People today are understandably concerned about the impact of various building materials on the health of Mother Earth. If you’re planning to install a new floor, here are three options to help you do that in a sustainable fashion.

Cork Flooring

This unique flooring choice is considered “green” for one important reason: No plants are ever harmed in its production. Cork is bark from the cork oak tree. The bark grows back after harvest, and the tree itself remains healthy.

Among the many items made from cork, flooring is perhaps the most beautiful. Its gentle variations in color and shading allow cork to blend easily with any decor, and its soft, sound-muffling resilience is as easy on the ears as it is on the feet. Although its acoustic benefits and under-foot softness are made possible by millions of tiny air pockets, cork resists permanent denting, and it is never spongy.

Cork possesses a unique ability to repel such allergens as bugs and mites. It is also resistant to rotting. Cork can, however, be cut by sharp objects, and while it possesses some moisture-resistant properties, it will require waterproofing when installed in a kitchen or bathroom.

example of cork flooring - image courtesy of texturesflooring.com

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo is probably the closest a sustainable material can get to ordinary hardwood. The increasing popularity of bamboo for the manufacture of such items as cutting boards, place mats and bedding serves as a testament to its beauty, versatility and durability. Its strength is its pliability: Bamboo plants will normally bend in winds that cause trees to break.

Because bamboo is actually a grass, it grows very quickly and can be harvested as often as every five years. Considering the beauty of the flooring it produces, the benefits of bamboo become increasingly obvious. Many people are unaware of the differences in color, pattern and finish that bamboo flooring can provide. These variations allow a bamboo floor to look as good in a casual, country setting as it does in a fancy drawing room.

example of bamboo flooring, courtesy of interiordesign-newyork.com

Rammed Earth Flooring

This may sound like something new and different, but earthen floors have been around since prehistoric times. What’s changed today is the way in which they’re constructed.

A rammed earth floor consists of a mixture of clay, fiber and sand that has been spread in successive thin layers over a base of tamped gravel. It is normally sealed and protected with a finishing coat of linseed oil, but in high-traffic areas, it can be treated additionally with a coat of perilla oil and finished off with a waxen sealer.

Although it seems implausible, earthen floors can be laid in a variety of colors and textures, and they can even accept in-floor tubing for radiant heat. Of course, it should go without saying that earth is the least expensive flooring option available today.

example of rammed earth flooring, courtesy of planetgreen.com

While they may seem a bit out of the ordinary, any one of these three flooring options can offer a viable, eco-friendly and equally beautiful alternative to an ordinary hardwood floor."

Author Bio: Jared Sanders is a flooring expert at Ambient Bamboo, a leader in the alternative flooring industry. Ambient Bamboo carries a variety of styles and colors, offering you an inexpensive green flooring option.

We're Eating Less Meat

Apparently I'm not the only one with the New Years Resolution to be a weekday vegetarian. According to a New York Times Blog article  fexitarianism is the next big trend for 2012!

"Some are choosing to eat less meat for all the right reasons. The Values Institute at DGWB Advertising and Communications just named the rise of “flexitarianism” — an eating style that reduces the amount of meat without “going vegetarian” — as one of its top five consumer health trends for 2012. In an Allrecipes.com survey of 1,400 members, more than one-third of home cooks said they ate less meat in 2011 than in 2010. Back in June, a survey found that 50 percent of American adults said they were aware of the Meatless Monday campaign, with 27 percent of those aware reporting that they were actively reducing their meat consumption."

image courtesy of FineCooking.com

Behind the Scenes

It is sometimes hard to come up with fresh content every day, which is why I keep an inspiration book - clippings of articles and images along with my own drawings and notes. When I'm stumped for post ideas, I look back through the book and usually have an idea within 15 seconds! Its also helped me define my personal taste and style.

So where did I get all of these fun clippings? EVERYWHERE - Elle, TIME, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Improper Bostonian, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Stuff, Anthropologie Catalog, Urban Outfitters Catalog, various alumni magazines, North Shore, and, yes, Maxim. I'm a magazine fiend - but no worries - they never go to waste!

Latest Articles

Catch up on all of my latest green writing!

Blog List for Greenthusiasts, Examiner

Green & Local Holiday Gift Guide, Green Lifestyle Consulting

6 Ways to Green Your Holiday Decor, Examiner

Clean Diesel Policy Hearing, Examiner

Building Strength for Green Purchasing in Education, Green Education Foundation

image courtesy of 1000awesomethings.com

Latest Articles

On MeridaMeridian:
       November is Black and White (and a bit inbetween)
       Ansel Adams: The Master of Art in Black and White

On Examiner:
       Today is America Recycles Day
       Best Websites for Green Holiday Shopping
       Top 6 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes
       Boston Green Drinks Networking Event

Image Courtesy of GulfNews.com

Good Week, Bad Week

Inspired by my fav. weekly blurb in TIME Magazine, I've decided to start doing Good Week, Bad Week (GWBW) Eco-style every Friday!

First off, it has been a great week for Clean Energy in Massachusetts. Tuesday was the Conference on Clean Energy, and the entire week has been packed with energy themed events and educational campaigns. Even though I was not able to attend the conference, I was still able to get some sneak peaks by following live tweets!

NOT such a great week for Reese Witherspoon. The actress was spotted toting a python skin handbag on the 1st, even though the purchase and sale of snake skin is illegal in the state of California. The actress was blasted in the media by PETA and has since apologized. She opted for a leather bag yesterday - a legal choice, but still not the most eco-friendly. tisk tisk

(sorry guys, I have to post this today because I will be hitting the road tomorrow and won't have access to a computer. TGIF!)

Latest Articles

On Merida Home Blog:
-Boston Food Swap and National Food Day
-Blog Spotlight: EcoFabulous
-Merida's Green Tips for Halloween

On Examiner:
-Green Pavilion at the Topsfield Fair
-Ecolissa's Fall Charity Fashion Show
-Matt Damon Works to Provide 1 Billion People with Safe Drinking Water
-Halloween is the Perfect Time to Protect Bats
-As Temperatures Drop Bostonians Turn to Tea 

image courtesy of WeHeartIt.com

About the Author

After last night's Boston Green Drinks event, I realized, not only are people confused about what I do, but that I also have trouble explaining it - AHHH! I am happy to wear many hats (though they are all similar) but I think I need to be more clear about when I'm wearing which hat. Hope that makes sense!

Right now I feel a little bit like my favorite Gauguin painting:

Where Do We Come From? What are We? Where are We Going? by Paul Gauguin

So let me use this post to clear things up. First and foremost, I am a 24 year old St. Lawrence University graduate with a passion for healthy green living, art, policy, fashion, hockey, travel, reading, and socializing. I work full time as a Paralegal for a firm in Cambridge that focuses on pharmaceutical litigation and consumer issues. While I've decided not to go to law school, I enjoy my paralegal job: I have great opportunities to conduct research, draft legal documents, and learn about our justice system. However, outside of my 9 - 5 job, I spend my time researching, reading, and writing about green living. 

Merida Meridian  - I am a contract writer for Merida Meridian's green living blog. Merida is a Boston-based natural fiber area rug company that has been committed to sustainability for over 30 years. I write approximately 5-7 articles per month for their blog and also try do some guest posts for them on other related blogs. 

Boston Green Drinks - I recently began keeping the calendar of local events on the Boston Green Drinks website, under "Green Around Town." I keep my eye out for upcoming sustainability related events and then add them to the calendar so that Bostonians can find a list of all interesting events in one place. 

Examiner - I occasionally write articles on examiner.com/boston. Examiner is a citizen sourced news site. I get paid a (very) small fee for writing on examiner as the North End Green Living expert. 

Boston Green Blog - This is my own blog that I write as a hobby. I use it to notify my readers about upcoming events, write product reviews, share my goals and finds, and basically chronicle my life as a 20-something girl going green in Boston. 

So that is who I am and what I do in a nutshell. Where I am going, I still don't know, haha, but I am always open to content sharing opportunities and networking!

Latest Articles

on MeridaHome:
The Dirty Dozen: A Guide to Eating Clean Greens
A Consumer's Guide to PVC
Sorona: A Renewable Man-made Fiber


on Examiner:
Boston Green Drinks September Meetup
Boston Area Sustainability Group


Other Places Where BGB Was Featured:
Boston Green Blog link featured on Pragmatic Environmentalism Blog
Boston Green Blog featured on Green Seal facebook page


and make sure to check out the Boston Green Drinks event calendar - I am the main contributor! Woohoo!

Latest Articles

   I can't believe how fast the summer is flying by! In case you missed them, here are my articles from the past month:

On MERIDAHOME:

        Can't Hide from Cow Hide: Making the Business of Leather Production Cleaner and Greener

        Boston's Bike Sharing Program - Hubway - Launches

        Coola is the Cooler Way to Have Fun in the Sun

On EXAMINER:

        6 Ways Twitter will Make you Greener

        9 Ways to Green your Vacation