Posts from — March 2009

Being a mother of 2 boys, I look forward to those nights where I can hang out with my gals, put back a few drinks, and forget about all my responsibilities.  Whenever I receive an invite to go to the Spa, watch chick flicks, play cards, or crafts with the gals, I am there.  Perhaps my favorite of all is the clothing swap.  There is nothing new about this concept – a group of women gather together and swap out their clothes with one another.  It is a great marriage between entertaining and recycling.  Plus it saves everyone money by trading their unused clothes rather than buying new ones. Here are some tips to get you started on hosting your own eco-chic clothing swap.

1. Set Guidelines – Invite your friends to bring 10 or more quality clothing items and accessories.  These items should be stain-free, well-made, and still in style.  I think the overall goal of the swap is for people to clean out their homes and recycle clothing items.  If you happen to find a few fantastic items along the way, it makes the swap that much better!
2. Atmosphere – Turn your living room into a clothing boutique. Set up a clothing rack with hangers and tables to place accessories and shoes.  This will create an inviting place to browse.  Not everyone is comfortable with just stripping down and trying on clothes, so you may want to set aside a place in your house for a private changing area.  Consider having your clothing swap in a room with lots of natural light.  Not only do things look better in natural light but you will also save energy by not using as many lights.
3. Food and Drink – Keep it simple and light.  Plan for some appetizers and one signature drink and/or wine.  To form your menu, go to the local farmer’s market and see what items are in season.  Planning a menu that is made with items that are local and in season is easier on the wallet, saves gas, and frankly taste better. To learn more about sustainable cooking and find some delicious recipes for your clothing swap, visit Sustainable Table – http://www.sustainabletable.org/home.php
4. Giving Back – Donate any items left over from the clothing swap to Goodwill, Dress for Success or another local charity of your choice.  You will aid these organizations in raising much needed funds for their programs.  Another idea is to plan your Clothing Swap as a fundraiser for an environmental organization.  Ask your guests for a small donation ($20 or so) to attend your Clothing Swap.  Solicit grocery stores and local markets to donate food for your recipes.  For a little more effort, you can turn your fabulously fun clothing swap into an event that will leave a positive footprint on this earth!

I love staying in luxury hotels. In general, they are cleaner than my house, the beds are fluffy, and the interior designs are up-to-date and functional. I have been keeping my eye on the new Hyatt hotel in Seattle – Olive 8. If approved, the Olive 8 will be the first hotel/condo building in the city of Seattle to be LEED Silver certified. Besides the usual luxuries you can expect from a Hyatt hotel, the Olive 8 features

• One of the largest green roofs in downtown Seattle at 8,355 square feet.
• Plumbing infrastructures which will result in water savings estimated at 2.4 million gallons per year, or 32% less water usage than a conventional building of this size and occupancy.
• A comprehensive recycling/re-use program including food composting.
• Green housekeeping and Green dry cleaning services
• “Watt Stopper” light switches powered by hotel room keycard. If you are not in the room, the lights will not be on!
• Preferred parking spaces for highly fuel-efficient vehicles as well as outlets for electric cars.
• An Interactive Green Touchscreen in the hotel lobby to educate visitors and owners about the green systems in place, and shows the reduction in water and power usage. This is the first of its kind downtown Seattle.

I think I need to figure out a reason why I would need to stay at a hotel 5 miles from my house !

Olive 8 - Green Roof

Urbane - eat local and sustainable at Olive 8

Spend a day at the Olive 8 spa featuring green and organic treatments

I try hard to live a life that is eco-friendly. While there is room for improvement, I make a daily effort and ask myself if there are ways I can make any activity better for the environment. I bring my own bags to the grocery, walk to errands when possible, and save my food scraps for the food and yard waste. That being said, I also like beautiful things and sometimes being eco-friendly and wanting things that are beautiful can be a touch combo. Does buying eco-friendly always mean hemp and patchouli? If I am decorating my house, does this mean everything will be used and battered in order to be eco-friendly? I don’t think it does and so started my quest for eco-chic products, real estate, home design, and more.

What is eco-chic? Simply put – it is the combination of environment and modern beauty. It is things that serve a practical need and consider the environment when being produced while allowing one to show their personal style. I have seen it defined more along the lines of trendiness and environment but I beg to differ. I don’t think it is shallow or self-indulgent to want to things to be well-made and beautiful. I don’t want eco-chic things because it affects my social status or because I am looking for personal validation or acceptance. I just believe that I shouldn’t have to sacrifice my personal style or the look of my surroundings in order to be more eco-friendly. I hope you will join me on my quest for all things eco-chic. Please send me you suggestions and comments!

Warmest Regards,
Tracy