Impact Tip - Green Diva jewelry giveaway contest

I have talked about Green Diva jewelry many times in their quality and commitment to being eco-friendly and I am excited to announce an opportunity to get free jewelry!! It's simple, give feedback and be entered to win! Click on the photo below to get right to the contest and good luck!! Contest ends March 31, 2010.

Impact Tip - Creative Pitch

Thanks so much to Jewel for sharing this week's Impact tip info. We love sharing about people in the area who are working hard to make a difference. This one hits me on several levels...art and teaching. Of course Art class was always one of my favs and my sister and brother are teachers and they are always short on funds so I sympathize with this need.

Check out this link and see if you can help this organization with items you may be throwing out or recycling. Why not see if your stuff can help make art for kids in need!! As spring approaches, you may be cleaning out drawers and closets and find many of the items in need...can't hurt to check it out!

Impact Tip - Vday fun

First I want to mention that we are going to give ourselves a couple extra days for blog posts this year so we can have MORE PICTURES PER POST!! After all, that is why you stop by the blog right!?!? So from now on, more photos!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and if you procrastinate like me it might be too late to do a big surprise but little things are always nice to say I am thinking of you and I care about you! So treehugger.com has put together some green ideas for this day of love. Common gift ideas but in an eco-friendly twist. Check it out!

Haiti Mentor Marathon

To all you photographers out there or just aspiring photographers, there is going to be a mentor marathon on Wednesday where you can possibly get your images critiqued or just listen in and ask questions as some of the most notable photographers in the wedding business critique other photographers. This is THE best way to learn and improve in my opinion so sign up as it is closed after the 75 participants due to the technology of dimdim.

One session is $100 and 100% of proceeds go to Haiti relief efforts. This is too great to miss! Click on the picture below to find out more info on facebook. Or if the link isn't working just look for Mentoring Marathon 4 Haiti

Impact Tip - Spilled Ink Press

Every now and then I like to spotlight a vendor that I have met that has great style and a desire to make an impact through their business. These are the kind of people I get excited to share with my clients and anyone out there looking for great people to work with on their wedding day.

I recently had the pleasure to meet Amanda and Tony of Spilled Ink Press and photograph several of their amazing designs. They are trained designers and architects which is evident in their great style. They love to get to know their clients so that each invitation is a original piece that reflects their clients style and personality. Much the same as how I like my photos to be so of course we hit it off great! Check them out and there are many more samples on the Vrai fan page.

Happy 2010 and time for some resolutions!

I have a very specific memory as a middle-schooler of my mom telling me the importance of goals...followed by me rolling my eyes in typical teenage fashion thinking that somehow at 13 I knew more than her! Well despite my need to do it my own way, I filed that information in the back of my brain and put it into practice a short while later and she was right, setting goals is such a great way to stay on track or make changes to your life or routine.

So every year I sit down and think of all my goals in life, health, business, whatever category I can think of and when then I get to work. Sadly my goal list was the least checked off it's ever been for 2009 but I have an excuse...I had a baby! And clearly no idea just how much work it is to be a mom. So this year I will make my list, cut it in half and then maybe it will be a little more realistic :)

So I encourage all my readers to start the new year by making just 12 changes (that's only 1 a month!) to help the planet, your community or even just yourself to be a healthy, happy place/you!

Here are 12 ideas to start you off:
1. Terrapass (probably the easiest way to make an impact) and carbon offset your life!

2. Green City Market: Still open at the Peggy Notebart Museum all winter, help local farmers!

3. Volunteer: Your local Nature Conservancy Chapter is always looking for volunteers and of course hundreds of volunteer opportunities around.

4. Plan an eco-friendly party to show others that you care. Don't we all have at least one party to throw this year (bday, baby shower, bridal shower)? There are tons of tips just on this blog.

5. Start keeping reusable bags in the trunk or carry with you so you don't have to use the plastic ones from the store.

6. Of course we can all stand to drive less so take public transportation at least 10% more than you do now and see how it makes a difference or just carpool!

7. Start a compost (I know this is hard if you live in the city and you already have litter boxes stinking up your apartment! haha but if you can, do!)

8. Dispose of all your electronics and batteries properly and recycle them including your ink cartridges. I always see that car in the burbs driving around that does this for you so take advantage. These people will pay you for them!

9. Aaron's contribution: shorter showers!

10. Turn your thermostat down (I know I hate this one, I like to be warm and cozy in a t-shirt but that's no good!)

11. Avoid farm-raised salmon and eat less meat (also hard but good).

12. Saving the best for last, take a class with I Want to Walk the Talk and support a local non-profit designed to get you active in your community.

Impact Tip - eco-fun stockings

I found these on etsy while looking for stockings for us for Christmas. Of course I wanted something eco-friendly and cute and found the perfect thing! I can't wait to get mine in the mail. It's too late to get some this year but buy early and have them ready for next year. They also have a great blog full of interesting hand made goodies. Check out the wall tree on the blog, love it!

Impact Tip - Green Diva finally here!!!

I have mentioned the Green Diva website in the past but Kathy has relaunched and it is better than ever. She is now featuring eco-couture bridal line, truly one of a kind. Worthy of a double posting Impact Tip day and too awesome to wait until next week to share :) Go there NOW!

And special thanks to Jewel, Adam, Nicole and Kristin, Vrai friends and featured models on the site!

Impact Tip - interesting gift idea

My friend Kathy, who just launched the green diva website, just told me about these give-a-ways. I had no idea billboards took up so much landfill space but its cool to see how people are finding ways to reuse and avoid the landfills and still make things that are stylish and functional. Check it out, enter and maybe win!

Click here

or here

Impact Tip - Thanksgiving eco tips

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I don't know where this year has gone...again! :) Here are some pretty good tips actually for making your thanksgiving experience a little more eco-friendly from MercuryNews.com

1. Break out the fancy fabric napkins this year. Or, if you're using disposable napkins, try ones made from recycled materials.

2. Serve at least one local food. Root vegetables and squash are in season, so make your mashed potatoes, your sweet potato casserole or your pumpkin pie from a local source.

3. Starting today, save plastic containers and lids from products like sour cream to send home leftovers with your guests.

4. If you're going to someone else's house and you know you'll be sent home with leftovers, take your own reusable containers so your host doesn't have to use plastic bags or other disposable items.

5. Delete one item from your menu. There's always too much food anyway, right?

6. Carpool to dinner with someone close by.

7. If you're hosting dinner, turn your thermostat down 2 degrees. The heat from the kitchen and your guests will help warm your home.

8. Serve organic or locally made wine or beer.

9. Compost your food scraps.

10. Don't buy any new decorations. No one will notice. Really, they won't. (this one is for my mom! haha)

Most importantly, travel safe and enjoy your time together!

Impact Tip - ideas for your bouquet

If you are looking for a way to preserve your bouquet but don't want to use the chemicals to have it preserved just to have it sit on a shelf, check out this idea. Baubles by Maclyn in Naperville provides the service of taking pieces of your bouquet and putting it into jewelry. Just another way to recycle :)

We've been spotted!

Check us out on jb made, a fun blog filled with tips for hand made and fair trade! Did you know it was fair trade month? Thanks Jill!

Impact Tip - Green Bride Guide

Just wanted to share a website that has some great tips, real weddings, and eco-strategies for planning! Check it out!

Impact Tip - Green Diva

Green Diva is an eco-friendly custom jewelry store started by my long time friend Kathy. I am so excited for her as she continues to use and support earth friendly practices for gems, recycled metals, and organic seeds and stones into her jewelry. She will be launching a new bridal line soon that is sure to be amazing (more on the story soon!)

I am lucky enough to receive one of these pieces to wear, that uses coconut!! I LOVE coconut and now I have a new use for it :) Also, exciting, is her mention as one of Emily's favorites of Emily Deschanel from the hit show Bones. Check it out!

Impact Tip - Ecofont

I got this great tip from an Impact Tip follower Christina Brosnan about a new font that uses 20% less ink called ecofont. In the photo below, you can see how they used circles missing from the letters to save on ink. In a smaller font size, it would be significantly less noticeable.

I am excited to download and try the new font on our printed media.

Impact Tip - It's all about who you know

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a green networking event that brought together many of the city's finest green businesses. For those who missed it, you were missed! It was a huge success, the place (Pivot Boutique) was packed. I had intended on taking more pictures but with Ayla in my arms and all the fun people to talk to, I only have a few of the food...always a fav part of networking socials :)

My good friend Shannon of Pivotal Productions (who I featured on my last impact tip) planned it all with her awesome staff. I am excited to continue to find more and more resources to connect my clients, friends, and family with eco-friendly options for events and life.


Without further adieu I would like to mention all the other amazing vendors that helped put this event together.

Jessa from Pivot was our gracious and fashion expert host
City Provisions provided the delicious food
Bacardi Mojito provided the make your own margarita bar...awesome!
Consolidated Printing
Neil Dixon Smith on the guitar
Aesthetic Engineer
Distant Village Packaging
Tablescapes

And some of the great people I met or already knew there:
Elizabeth Miranda of Mercury Organizing Professionals & Design
Lidia Varesco of Lidia Varesco Design
Aaron and Jennifer Woodbury of Woodbury Photography
Jen Khatchatrian writer and organizer of Chicago Green Families and Eco Chic Organizer
Katherine Anne of Katherine Anne Confections (those yummy caramels I sent out)

And so many more...

Next Shannon and I will be planning a truly awesome event...stay tuned!

Impact Tip - Vendor Spotlight on Pivotal Production

This week I want to feature a girl who continues to inspire and always makes me laugh...Shannon of Pivotal Production! We met last year when we were each looking for more people in the business who were trying to make an impact and educate party goers and planners how to use less without sacrificing style and fun. Shannon is an expert in this. Although she hasn't had the wedding bug just yet, she is a fabulous party planner for charities and corporate events in Chicago. She just needs a few of my fabulous brides to get her going :)

A little more about Shannon Downey. She is owner of Chicago's premier Green Event Company, Pivotal Production. After a life altering 8 month backpacking trip around the world, Shannon realized that she needed to take her skills, ideals, passion, and 8 years of experience in marketing and events and focus them into a business that she could be proud of. Two and half years later, she couldn't be happier or prouder of her business, her B Corporation status and Pivotal's ever growing team!

Shannon is committed to changing the way people celebrate and is an avid believer in the importance of collaboration. She is a faculty member at DePaul University and is elated to be a future tenant of the Green Exchange. She is committed to a true triple bottom line and is a passionate supporter of the arts. Shannon is most thankful for all of the important people in her life that helped create and shape Pivotal. To learn more visit www.pivotalchicago.com or the blog http://pivotalproductioneventplanners.blogspot.com/

Just look at her, non-stop fun...so if you are planning a party or know someone who is be sure to look her up. Check out her facebook too, hilarious...at least to me :)
We will be back in two weeks with more tips!

Impact Tip - Our impact

I am making this two impact tip's in one since I missed the last one! As you know, we are continually striving to find new products, helpful hints, and great ideas for living and planning green. This doesn't stop with you. We also are always looking for ways to lessen the impact of our business on the environment!

Two new things we have done recently is restructure our back up system for stored photos and files and get new eco-friendly CD and DVD cases for CD/DVD products.

We are now using hard drives to double back up all data to reduce the use of DVD's which will save us all that plastic and storage space to save them. The drives we found are 40% more energy efficient. Here is what Fantom had to say about them...

"Fantom Drive's GreenDrive yields an average drive power savings of 4-5 watts over competitors' drives while maintaining solid performance. That power savings equates to reducing CO2 emission by up to 60 kilograms per drive per year – the equivalent of taking your car off the road for 14 days each year, and saving up to $14 per year in electricity costs depending on the power-on-hours."

So if you need a hard drive for work or home, look into Fantom!
Our friend Chad Husar found these and passed along the info. Thanks Chad!

Each case is hand made with organic paper, twine and an organic bead. They are shipped in recycled and reused paper too. So each one is unique!

Impact Tip - baby gifts!

Next week I will be in KY with no internet access so I am doing my Impact Tip this week. I just wanted to share some of the great baby gifts we have gotten that are the ideal green baby gifts just in case you are looking for some ideas for a baby shower or a new little one in your life!

We got these great baby socks from our good friend Emilie of Emilie Inc. that are all organic cotton, we wear them all the time! Also, these awesome shoes from my good friend and old college roommate, Clare. She made these!! They are all recycled materials and she has many more designs. I can't wait to get more for the other babies coming soon and more for Ayla too :) Check them out at her etsy site SewSleepy gifts! And she made this little toy that will be great for when Ayla gets a little bigger.

Impact Tip -7 things you can't recycle

Some of you may have noticed the missing Impact Tip last week, I do apologize. I was in Tahoe with no internet, but I am also realizing how challenging it is to have a brand new baby during the peak season so I am going to limit myself to a new impact tip every other week through the fall in order to balance being a new mom, an educator, and photographer! Thank you for your understanding!

For this week, my mom sent me an interesting article that reminded me that sometimes we think recycling is as easy as plastic, glass, and paper, but there are a lot of things that can't be recycled and tossing them into the bins can actually slow down processing at recycling plants or even cause harm to the employees so I want to share those with you.

Seven things you can't recycle:
1. Plastic bags: these can serious slow downs because they have to be removed one by one. However, many grocery stores will not recycle these for you so save them for your trips to the store and keep them out of the recycle bin.

2. Plastic bottle caps: These are a serious hazard to plant employees as the caps trap air in the bottles and they can explode. Be sure to take the caps off before you recycle but don't worry, the little plastic rings are fine.

3. Frozen food boxes: These boxes contain a plastic layer in them which prevents them from being recycled.

4. Soy milk cartons: These containers contain a layer of foil and plastic which is hard to separate and can't be recycled.

5. Random plastic items: I have been guilty of this, thinking if its plastic, its recyclable but you really have to make sure to look for the triangle logo and then be sure that the number corresponds to one that your recycling center accepts.

6. Glass not from containers: If you are recycling vases or glasses during your spring cleaning, think again. These containers are meant to be used over and over so they have glass with a higher melting point. Give them away instead of tossing them in the bins.

7. Shredded paper: Now this seems like something that should be recyclable, after all it is paper. But these little shreds most often fall through the cracks and can clog machines costing valuable time and money to repair. Shred only what you need to and recycle the rest.

I hope that is helpful and for any other questions about recycling, consult Chicago Recycling Coalition.