Tag: earth day

Three Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Published on by steve mckenzie'sLeave a comment

Earth Day is fast approaching on April 21st and 22nd.  How will you celebrate this fabulous yet fragile planet which sustains us? Here are three fun ways get outside and celebrate our Earth and Mother Nature.

nature green family
Happy Earth Day!

First and most obvious, but we often miss this opportunity, enjoy the tonic of fresh air, and companionship with nature! Walk through the woods in search of emerging wildflowers and green moss. Go outside, no matter the weather!

Next eat seasonally and locally with this special offer for Georgia Grown Farm Basket from the ever-popular site Hand-Picked Atlanta.  Delight your family and friends by discovering  new herbs and vegetables to add to your entertaining menus, plus you’ll be helping local farmers with your support.

farm csa Georgia
Georgia Grown Farm Basket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember our blog post about favorite kitchen helper, Unpaper towels?  By using these washable workhorse towels from our Georgia pals Dot and Army, there’s another way to help our environment and earth, right in your own home, all year long.  More points for you and Mother Nature!

And finally, another chance to explore outside at this Atlanta treasure, Blue Heron Nature Preserve. All kinds of activities are planned for April 21, see there website for all the details and year round volunteer opportunities.

nature earth day
Blue Heron Nature Preserve in Atlanta

Can’t wait to take shop dog, Duke, for a long walk along the Chattahoochee River soon!  Let us know how you will celebrate Earth Day and use #inspiredtailoredauthentic #earthdayatl

 

Have a very stylish Earth Day!

Published on by steve mckenzie's1 Comment

Living a “green” lifestyle doesn’t have to be obvious and in-your-face… You can enjoy a more Earth-friendly lifestyle in a very stylish way – take it from us! Here are a couple quick tips and products we think are very stylish, and that also happen to be Earth friendly:

Correspond in Green

We’re not talking green ink, but rather use eco-friendly paper products, such as this collection we’re currently offering in the steve mckenzie’s showroom that’s made in Nepal from sustainable materials. It’s a beautiful and stylish as it is “green!”

Stay True to Textiles

A selection of some of the fabric napkins available at the steve mckenzie’s showroom.

We’ve shared this tip before, and we’ll surely share it again, as it’s one of our favorite tips, but use fabric napkins in place of paper!! This creates less waste and offers a more stylish place setting (no matter if it’s the dining room table, or cuddled next to a loved one on the sofa).

Neutral cloth napkin selection at steve mckenzie’s.

Make your use of cloth napkins even more eco-friendly by opting not to wash after every use – typically adults, and even older children, won’t soil their napkin after every use. Save on the water and energy used to clean the cloths by washing only when necessary. After each meal, ask family members to simply leave their cloth napkins in their seat, that way, when setting the table for the next meal, they’ll use “their” same napkin again.

Colorful cloth napkins at steve mckenzie’s.

When your cloth napkins have become soiled, toss them in the wash with your other laundry, so you don’t devote an entire load (and the resources) to only cleansing cloth napkins. Use eco-friendly detergent, wash in cold water, and when the weather’s nice, line dry. Nothing’s better than linens dried in the sun on a warm day!

Are you inspired to become more “green” on this Earth Day?! We sure hope so! We hope you all enjoy a lovely Earth Day, today and everyday!!

How to Make Earth Day Count

Published on by steve mckenzie'sLeave a comment

Each year we celebrate Earth Day and use this day to recognize all we can do to protect our Earth and its natural resources. This day may also bring about overwhelming thoughts of how much there is to be done to ensure we leave our Earth a better place for future generations.

bigstock-Earth-Day-Poster-44148016

Although it’s easy to get lost in the big picture, there are small things you and your family can begin doing today to make a more positive impact on the Earth. As one person, you may not be able to save the rain forests, but you can work to share small changes with those around you and together, you can make this Earth Day count!

A few of our favorite, simple, “green” practices are:

Use Cloth Napkins

A selection of some of the fabric napkins available at the steve mckenzie's showroom.
A selection of some of the fabric napkins available at the steve mckenzie’s showroom.

We’ve talked about the benefits of cloth napkins before, but could always use a refresher! Not only are cloth napkins a more eco-friendly option, versus paper napkins, they’re also beautiful.

Neutral cloth napkin selection at steve mckenzie's.
Neutral cloth napkin selection at steve mckenzie’s.

Many times, you won’t need to wash your cloth napkins after every use – each family member leaves their napkin at their place at the table – which increases the eco-friendliness of these napkins. When you’re ready to launder them, don’t devote an entire load to napkins, simply toss them in with another laundry load, and line dry, if it’s a nice day out.

Colorful cloth napkins at steve mckenzie's.
Colorful cloth napkins at steve mckenzie’s.

Consider Natural Solutions Using Lemons

Sparkle-Glass-Coffee-Pots-and-Pitchers

Recently, Limoneira shared some excellent tips, reminding us of all the wonderful uses for lemons around the house. Some of those uses include…

Clean-Copper
Cleaning Copper with Lemons

Cleaning copper – make a paste with lemon juice and salt. Rub copper using a rough cloth, rinse and dry to see shine.

Natural-Insect-Repellent-For-Stored-Clothing

Insect repellent for stored clothes – take a lemon and use a knife or nail to make small holes all over. Push cloves in those piercings. Hang the lemon outside in the sun to dry. It may take 4 days or a week to dry, depending on the weather conditions. When it is completely dried, it becomes a natural insect repellent. It works the best when kept in the wardrobes, cupboards, and suitcases containing clothing. This does not only repels the insects but also takes away the stale odor from the stored clothing.

All-Purpose-Cleaner

All purpose cleaner – add an equal amount of lemon juice and water to a spray bottle is an effective kitchen and bathroom cleanser.

So many of these natural lemon solutions take the place of chemical cleansers and other not-so-Earth-friendly options. If you could incorporate only one or two of these ideas into your lifestyle, you’ll be well on your way to becoming more “green!”

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These ideas can help you live every day as if it were Earth Day, and will hopefully inspire those around you to do all they can do become more eco-friendly. Happy Earth Day to all!