Earth Day is just a few days away and this year our Earth Day resolution is to plant more.
We’re teaming up with our Better to Give partners at American Forests to help them plant more trees. And we’re talking to our friends Maya and Michael about their wildflower eed bombs— a revolutionary way to grow flowers in your community. Learn more about their work to green the world, and how you can win a seed bomb pouch of your own!
Seed bombs planted by Victoria in San Francisco
Last night we went to see our coworkers, Laura Frost and Norma Medina, who were part of a product of What My Momma Told Me (and other things I’ve learned.)
Jen & Heather were shocked and amazed.
Niles was contemplative while Emma was delighted.
Cassie, Billy and Paul were just filled with emotions.
Laura and Norma, both in our customer service team, but on a great show at The Tank with their group SHOP, a nonprofit group for performing artists in New York City.
Wish we could bring you pics of them on stage, but alas, no flash photography was permitted!
You’ll just have to take our word for it. The show was uncommonly awesome.
Earth Month is in full swing, and we’re excited to see so many of our readers pledging to make positive changes!
The response to our Compost Crock Giveaway was fantastic, and we want to thank everyone who entered. Congratulations to our winners:
Jennifer, who won the Simplify crock with her Facebook pledge, says that she “Just started composting!!”
Candra posted her comment, “I already compost, and pledge to continue! I am really getting interested in vermiculture, and plan to start later this year, too” and won the Grow crock.
Speaking of vermiculture, take a look at our Worm Factory, and check out FindWorms.com to learn more!
Or go worm hunting on a rainy day with the help of the Blunt Umbrella. Not able to venture outdoors at the moment? Read up on some of the talented UncommonGoods artists helping to keep the planet green, like Beth Mueller, creator of the compost crocks, and Marty Stevens-Heebner, who’s recycled paper handbags are environmentally friendly and fashionable!
Composting is a great way to prevent organic waste from ending up in landfills; it also provides a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers for your lawn, garden or houseplants.
Of course, not everyone has the space for a big outdoor compost bin. Fortunately, composting doesn’t always have to start outside.
In honor of Earth Month, we’re giving away Beth Mueller’s Ceramic Countertop Compost Container. These handmade crocks don’t take up too much space, so they’re perfect for apartments, trailer homes and other small living quarters. Once your small container is full, take it to a larger bin in your yard, or community compost center.
Entering to win is easy; just leave a comment sharing your pledge to compost. We’ll choose one winner to receive a “Grow” crock and one to receive a “Simplify” crock.
Already compost? You can:
1.) Pledge to advocate composting to your friends, family and community.
2.) Start a composting program at school or work.
3.) Promise to take home your organic scraps for composting after dining out—don’t forget to bring a reusable container and skip the doggie bag!
Congratulations to the winners of our first Earth Month 2011 Giveaway! These six Earth-loving readers vowed to step-up and make positive changes to make every day Earth Day.
Here’s how the winners of our Recycled Pelican Night Lights are making a difference:
Debbie:
“I will continue to 1.) Recycle, even though my condos don’t, and try to get more neighbors to as well. 2.) Buy less plastic. 3.) Stop using zip lock bags. 4.) Recycle batteries. 4.) Remember to take to go containers into restaurants 5.) Ride my bike more, building up courage to ride on the streets! Memphis is adding lots of biking lanes and trails! 6.) Continue teaching my 6th grade students to reuse, reduce and recycle 7.) Keep my windows open whenever possible, love fresh air!”
Joe:
“I pledge to: Use reusable bags for shopping. Compost. Buy local (farmer’s market). Grow own produce. Not consume bottled water. Try and be as least wasteful as possible. Reduce, re-use, recycle.”
Kristal:
“I pledge to look at the packaging more often and to not forget my fabric grocery bags at home so that I cut down on the plastic bags at the store!”
In the wake of the devastating earthquake that shook Miyagi, Japan on March 11, members of the UncommonGoods family are reaching out to lend support to the families of nearly 11,000 who lost their lives and the hundreds of thousands who were left injured and homeless by the massive quake and the subsequent tsunami, which struck Japan’s eastern coastline.
AmeriCares, our Better to Give partner, is working to help those affected by this catastrophic natural disaster. Within hours of these events, AmeriCares began sending relief workers, organizing donations and contacting doctors to provide aid.
“Working with a local partner, AmeriCares distributed hundreds of cases of hygiene items—including soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and paste, diapers, baby wipes and bottled water—to shelters in the hard-hit cities of Iwanuma, Watari and Yamamoto in northeast Japan,” their online newsletter explains.
With thousands of individuals and families displaced, and more than 16,000 people still missing, AmeriCares continues to provide support to those in need.
Thomas Mann is known for his “Techno.Romantic” style and his fresh, funky jewelry designs.
But his signature jewelry is not the only medium through which he works. His sculptures, found art pieces and other works can be seen across New Orleans through his Storm Cycle series as part of the PBS series “Ruin & Revival.”
Check out the slideshow with images and video from PBS Arts here.
We just unrolled some new changes around here, and I think you’ll notice a big improvement to your shopping experience.
Now you can manage your profile– updating your password, email address and billing info, all from any page on our website.
Here’s how:
1.
Click login in the top right corner of your screen.
2.
Either create a login, or use the same email address and password you’ve used in the past.
3.
From here you can change your password, update your email address, and keep track of your orders.
Pretty handy, right? Once you’re logged in, you can modify your account at any time, just by clicking “My Account” in the footer of our site.
Let us know if there are more features you’re looking for to make your shopping experience unforgettable!
