Earth Day is here and it’s time to honor Mother Earth by living in an eco-friendly way! With the “green” movement on the rise, there are plenty of eco-friendly products you can go out and buy these days; but there are also lots of fun projects to do at home using recycled materials! Green living expert and architect Michelle Kaufmann offers some fun do-it-yourself projects on her blog that can get us all in the Earth Day spirit!

Waterwall

This project is perfect for the pragmatist who appreciates the beautiful things in life. Learn how to create a “wall” of water bottles that drastically reduces heat gain within your home and cuts your need for artificial cooling systems during warmer months. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy a naturally comfortable temperature, lower energy costs AND the sunbeams reflecting through the water that dance across your walls. See how to do this project here.

Eco-birdfeeder

This is the perfect Earth Day project for the animal lover meets treehugger; or anyone with a ton of disposable chopsticks lying around. We’ll show you how to turn those old (hopefully washed!) chopsticks into beautiful birdfeeders that are also eco-friendly since you’ll be reusing materials that would otherwise just get tossed out. See how to do this project here.

Plantable Paper

When people call you a treehugger, are they speaking literally? You don’t need to feel ashamed to admit it - we know why you’re out there giving that tree in your backyard a big squeeze: you planted it and you’re darn proud! Well, we love you for that. Your devotion to all things sustainable as well as the act of gardening combine to make yours the greenest thumb around town. If that’s true for you, then you’re going to love this project. We’ll show you how to make beautiful and plantable paper that you can then turn into thoughtful Earth Day cards for all your friends and family! See how to do this project here.

Get more tips on Green Living here

Happy Earth Day!

Pick up these products that some of our favorite Divas love!

Sandra Bullock has a new line of soy-based wax candles that are clean-burning.  The Bessence line of candles have eco-friendly 100% lead-free paper wicks and are hand-poured and packaged in recycled materials.  These delicious candles come in four fragrant blends:  Black Cassis, Herbes avec Lagniappe, Midnight Garden and Wild Bloomers. $39.95 for 4 votives

Cheeky Monkey Jewelry makes necklaces from recycled silver and gold, and donates 10% of the proceeds to the World Wildlife Fund. Drew Barrymore is a huge fan of the recycled Polar Bear pendant. This courageous carnivore is literally treading on thin ice. As polar pack ice recedes further each year due to global warming, its ability to hunt for food for it's young becomes increasingly difficult. Designed with a fair–trade sapphire for its eye. $219.99 in silver

Eberjey is now offering a 100% organic cotton sleepwear set that we love!  Who else loves it? Keira Knightley!  This camisole by Eberjey is styled in organic cotton to reduce the impact of its manufacture on the environment. It is elasticated at the bust for definition and trimmed with scalloped lace and a frill at the hem.  For more organic items, visit the Greenleaves area of Figleaves.com! $55.00

An Eco-Friendly Wash that Will Preserve your Denim!

Nothing can come between you and your favorite pair of jeans except perhaps the repeated washings that ruin them!  Now, thanks to Bluwash™ you can preserve the lifespan of your denim by preventing wear and fade. Bluwash™ is an evolutionary new patents pending laundry agent developed exclusively for all shades of premium denim. It’s specially formulated with Eco-friendly agents that neutralize chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water to reduce, and even eliminate, fading while keeping your jeans super soft.

With four times the power of other laundry agents, each bottle of Bluwash™ Clean (laundry agent) and Bluwash™ Soft (fabric softener) packs enough punch to clean and soften 58 pairs of jeans. DEA-free and made from a blend of naturally derived and biodegradable surfactants, Bluwash™ is never tested on animals making it denim and environment friendly.

So, whether you’ve paid $50 or $750 for your jeans, treat them like you paid a million!

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Priced at $15 for Bluwash™ Soft and $22 for Bluwash™ Clean, it’s a small price to pay for the jeans you can’t do without!  Bluwash™ is safe for low suds machines and is available in top and front load formulas at fine retailers everywhere, or online at www.bluwash.com or www.shopintuition.com.

The production and shipping of a box of chocolates, the electricity at your favorite restaurant, and travel to and from a romantic dinner can have the same environmental impact as driving over 3,000 miles. This Valentine’s Day, consider doing something special for Mother Earth as well as that special someone – after all, what’s more romantic than making the world a nicer place to live for the ones you love? With a few simple tips from green-living expert Michelle Kaufmann, everyone can enjoy a greener Valentine’s Day:

• Seek out locally-produced, organic roses, chocolates or other gifts: Reduce your carbon footprint, support your local economy, and give something unique that represents your neighborhood

• Neutralize your Valentine’s consumption: Purchase carbon offsets to match your output (especially if shopping local isn’t an option) – one metric ton will cover most traditional Valentine’s celebrations. More details about carbon offsets and an easy-to-use carbon calculator can be found at http://blog.michellekaufmann.com/carbon-calc.html

• Give back together: Find a place to volunteer with that special someone, or make a joint contribution to a local charity – you’ll have a rewarding experience with each other, and reap the joy of helping others

More easy ideas for greener, healthier living can be found on Michelle’s blog at http://blog.michellekaufmann.com

Michelle Kaufmann is the founder of mkStudios, a collection of media properties, lifestyle products, and local events designed to inspire individuals, families and communities to create and enjoy healthy, Earth-friendly lifestyles. In 2002, Michelle created mkDesigns, an award-winning leader in prefabricated housing, and established herself as a tireless advocate and knowledgeable source for conscious living. Six years later, Michelle founded mkStudios after watching clients, friends, and family struggle to find tangible, realistic ways to improve their relationships with the environment.

The designers of Littlearth seek to design and make fashionable, unique and trendsetting purses and belts by reusing and recycling materials that would otherwise be overlooked or thrown away. Due to popularity, they now have distributors all over the United States as well as in Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom!

Check out some of the adorable eco-friendly purses we found on shop.littlearth.com!

Lace Wallpaper Fender

This handbag is sure to bring a flash of inspiration to any outfit. The sides of the bag are actually recycled aluminum, printed with a wallpaper pattern using a special dye-sublimation process that fuses the raphic right into the metal.

Macassar Ebony-Deluxe Fender Purse

These wood fenders now feature retro-automotive inspired chrome emblems. Made from real sustainably-harvested wood and accented with Swarovski crystals.

Zebra Fender Purse

The fabulous Fender Shape is wrapped with fashionable faux fur and lined with velvet.

Raspberry Martini Mini Flair

The Littlearth MiniFlair Purse is the Perfect Companion to Take on the Town.