Charlotte has a new upscale used clothing store, as Clothes Mentor is opening on South Kings Drive, in a shopping center near the intersection with Morehead Street.
The store is currently only open for buying women's apparel. They'll buy "gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, and perfume" for cash. According to the store's FAQ, they're looking for: "Women's clothing sizes 0-26, maternity, shoes, handbags, accessories, & designer perfumes. We look at purchasing tops, blazers, coats, dresses, skirts, shorts, capris, jeans, pants, shoes, jewelry, & belts. We are looking for items that are in great condition and that are current to stores in the last 1-2 years."
Clothes Mentor (main corporate website) has 54 locations in 22 states. Their only other North Carolina store is in Wilmington. The business was founded by Lynn and Dennis Blum, the Columbus, Ohio, couple that also founded Plato's Closet.
Clothes Mentor needs about six weeks to build up its inventory, and expects to open to the public for sales sometime in July. Expect more to come, and hopefully an interview with the local couple that owns the Charlotte Clothes Mentor, as we get closer to the opening date.
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30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Clothes Mentor opens on Kings Drive
Nesting on a Budget

In this economy, many are spending more time at home and less time out in restaurants, shopping, and engaging in leisure activities (although by the looks of mall parking lots that does not seem to be the case). But who wants to be stuck in a home that is not welcoming and makes you take every opportunity to leave? An attractive interior environment can change your mood and make for some quality family time. When your own dining room is a restaurant, the bedroom - a quaint inn, the family room - a movie theater, and the kids room like the science museum, who needs to go out?
Starting with the basics, a cluttered home is never an attractive home. The first step is to get rid of all things seldom used or just taking up space (sell on craigslist perhaps). Try to look at your home as a potential buyer would. If you do have a lot of 'stuff' that you think you need to keep, organize some adequate storage whether it is a built-in or bins in the basement - everything has to have its own place. Once you have that squared away decide what you want each room to be or feel like. You don't have to take on the whole house at once, take your time.
Once you have the 'mood' established for each room, start with color - what color facilitates that mood in your mind? If you don't want to or don't have the budget to repaint every room - work with what you have and instead use wall art and textiles (pillows, curtains, upholstery covers) to change the decor. Lighting can be an inexpensive way to completely change the mood of a room.
Here are some fun products that can help you with your interior redecorating:
blik surface graphics
PerlaAnne - hand block printed designs
reclaimed t-shirt spaghetti rugGeorge Kovacs Counter Weight Chandelier
Design Public window film
Windrush wall sconce
Some unique wall art suggestions:
Caveland USA: Not Your Average Dwelling

Anyone interested in a cave home? It is up for sale on eBay. This amazing dwelling was built by an entire family as a primary residence and took five years! This 15,000 square foot cave jewel in Festus, Missouri, is a passive house that requires no heating or cooling and stays at a comfortable 67 to 75 degrees year round, with utility bills equal to an average 800 sq. foot home. The cave was a concert venue between 1960 and 1985. Ted Nugent, Bob Segar and Tina Turner are just a few of the groups that have performed there. Talk about unique!See the eBay listing here
Earth Hour March 28th!

More than 1,000 cities in 80 countries are expected to participate in Earth Hour on March 28, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Boston will shut off the lights of the Citgo sign, Zakim Bridge, Prudential Center, John Hancock Tower, and other local landmarks will "go dark" for one hour as the city joins others across the world in a climate-change campaign.
That's a great idea and everything, kudos to all those cities. But give me a break, what is one hour a year going to do?! Stop global warming, save the wales, etc...? People are finally grasping the concept but unfortunately with a 'greenwash' approach. What happens the other 364 days a year? Those city lights are on 24/7. For this to have any significant impact the lights should be off one hour every day.
Would be fun though to see that satellite image of earth at night to see how much dimmer the cities actually get in that hour, one time zone at a time.
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The Age of Stupid Premier
"The Age of Stupid is a 90-minute film about climate change, set in the future, which will have its world premiere in London on March 15th 2009 and then be released in UK cinemas on March 20th 2009, followed by other countries.
Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name of the Father, Brassed Off) stars as a man living alone in the devasted world of 2055, looking back at “archive” footage from 2007 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?"
The movie premiers in the US in April if it does well in its initial weeks in the UK. It is shot on site in America, UK, India, Nigeria, Iraq, Jordan, and The Alps. The whole movie was funded by selling shares to individuals and groups, therefore being completely independent.Here are some quotes from the movie:
“How the heck are we meant to persuade people in India and China to develop in a more sustainable way when we’re not even prepared to accept the odd windfarm in the landscape?”
“Throughout our history, the deal was we left the world in a slightly better place than we found it. That was progress. The wheel, the rule of law, penicillin. It was our covenant with our children and grandchildren.”
“It’s strange, watching these film fragments [looking at 2007 footage in 2055]. It’s like looking through binoculars observing people on a far off beach. Running around in circles, fixated on the small area of sand beneath their feet, as a tsunami races towards them."
Since it is dubbed as "The first successful dramatization of climate change to reach the big screen," it should be on every Eco-conscious individual's 'to watch' list.
The Age of Stupid: final trailer Feb 2009, (bleeped) from Age of Stupid on Vimeo.
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23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Babcock Ranch: Solar and Green Design of the Future

If everything goes according to plan, soon Babcock Ranch in Florida will be the archetype for solar and green design of the present. In essence it will incorporate everything I write about on this blog in regard to sustainability, including photovoltaics, water conservation, daylighting, and energy savings. It sets a precedent for Eco-friendly urban design, one that will not be easy to live up to. It will take about 25 years to complete and will probably be the greenest city around - literally, over half of the 17,608 acre city is alotted to greenspace such as parks, trails, and nature preserves. Even city rooftops will be 'green roofs' with vegetation to minimize cooling costs.
The city will be powered entirely by renewable solar energy. It will have the largest on-site solar plant in the world that will cost over $300 million. Electric vehicles will be charged at stations powered by the sun, and traffic will be eliminated thanks to the extensive system of pathways for alternative transportation, i.e. walking, biking, rollerblading, etc. No existing city would ever be able to retrofit to such high standards because the design is completed from the ground up taking into consideration all minute details before the site plan is even done.
While in my opinion 'green' and 'city' is an oxymoron, I've got to give them some credit for making a city - the epitome of consumerism and over spending, more sustainable. I still think it is 'greener' to live off-grid (solar and/or wind) in a rural area, raise and grow your own food, and collect rain water. Babcock Ranch is just a great attempt at taking the comfortable consumerism lifestyle and subtracting the guilt that some don't even feel while living like billions of others in the average city. It will be a great place for those who like city life but want to go 'green', which is impossible in any of today's cities.
To appreciate everything this city will have to offer you have to visit their outstanding website, the in-depth interactive presentation will answer all your questions and will leave just one - how can I get a place there?
House OKs 6.4 Billion to Make Schools Greener

Here is an article that was reprinted by USGBC about the greening of public schools (originally published on May 14, 2009, CNNPolitics.com, Ed Hornick author). Finally, something good for the schools:
Rachel Gutter, of the U.S. Green Building Council, says the benefits of an eco-friendly school will pay off economically.
"The typical green school saves $100,000 a year on direct operating expenses. In school terms, that's enough to hire two new teachers, purchase 200 new computers or 5,000 textbooks," Gutter said.
"So these are major savings. And that's just one year. The typical school lasts 40 years. And when you do the math, it starts to become some serious savings. ... It pays for itself after a few years of operation."
The council, on its Web site, lists several benefits of green buildings, such as improving air and water quality, conserving natural resources, reducing operating costs and improving employee productivity.
But Gutter says that part of the concern over green schools is the fear over construction costs.
"The research shows the greatest barrier to getting more green schools built is the perception that they cost more up front to build," she said. "The fact of the matter is that they don't. ... Building green doesn't have to cost more, and then everything else, all the savings over the lifetime, are just savings you get to put back in your community's pocket."
The legislation, if signed into law, would also help to create new jobs -- around 136,000 positions, according to calculations by the Economic Policy Institute.
But much more is at stake, Gutter says.
"It's about raising a new generation of leaders who inevitably are going to inherit the problems we will leave behind," she said. "So when you're actually able to use the school itself as a teaching tool, as an opportunity for learning, that's when the connections with curriculum really start to happen."
Read entire article here.
Ergonomics at Your Desk
One of these devices stands apart from the rest, it is not really a chair, the BalanceBall chair is a revolution in office and home furniture. The patented design combines fitness with comfort and ergonomic back support, all at an affordable price. With chiropractic pioneer Dr. Randy Weinzoff, Gaiam developed the BalanceBall Chair as an effective tool for strengthening core muscles and improving spinal alignment - both at home and at the office. Removable 52 centimeter BalanceBall can be used for exercises on or off the chair. The BalanceBall Chair is on sale at Gaiam at the price of $79.98, plus get free shipping on orders of $49 or more - just use code AFSHP6 (expires 6.30.09)!
If you are looking for some back support in your well loved office chair, this vibrating back support might be just the thing you are looking for:
Solar Revolutionizes the Camping Experience

The new Orange Solar Concept Tent will someday make your camping trip a lot more comfortable. Although the unknown price tag might make it inaccessible to the average camper, it is a great idea nonetheless. By weaving solar threads into conventional fabric, the solar tent will gather energy throughout the day and provide a variety of ways to use that energy. How about some heat from the tent's groundsheet? A charging pouch for mobile phones and other devices? Care for some light in the evening hours of camping? A modern camping experience to say the least.
Another camping convenience that is already available on the market is the Hot Pot Simple Solar Cooker. With some help from the sun, cook or heat your favorite meals without the need for electricity. All you need to do is set it up in full sunlight and within an hour you'll have an oven to use for up to 6 hours. Hey, who needs to go camping, you can do this right in your backyard! It comes with a 5.3 quart enameled steel pot for all your cooking needs. At a temperature of 350 - 400 degrees you can make stews, bake anything to your liking, or heat up previously cooked food. Great news for those of you living off grid - such a handy invention!On a side note, if you are going camping, I highly recommend investing a few bucks in Bug Bam, read my full review of it here!
Ditch Your Plastic and Go Stainless

In the world of reusable water bottles most are familiar with big names like Sigg and Kleen Kanteen. But there are many companies out there that offer similar, if not identical, alternatives that will not break the bank. New Wave Enviro has quite a few products on the market and thanks to their generosity I gave the 1 liter stainless steel water bottle a test drive.
Read full review at EcoBabyz
17 Mayıs 2012 Perşembe
Former Vice President Al Gore to Keynote Greenbuild Phoenix
"Nobel Laureate, best-selling author, and the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary – the Honorable Al Gore will address thousands of Greenbuild attendees at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. as part of the Greenbuild Opening Keynote & Celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Featuring an opening plenary address by USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi and a closing concert with nine-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow, the event promises to deliver inspiration, excitement, and the unique opportunity to listen in person as Former Vice President Al Gore continues to bring climate change to the forefront of international consciousness.
Along with four terms in Congress, two terms in the Senate, and two terms as Vice President, Gore has written the bestsellers Earth in the Balance, An Inconvenient Truth and the just-released Our Choice. The first 5,000 full-conference attendee registrants will receive a complimentary copy of Gore's latest book and all other attendees will be able to purchase the book on site."
Register for Greenbuild 2009 here!Text from USGBC newsletter
H2O Chlorine Filtering Shower Head Review
You can research it yourself, but I have learned that chlorine in combination with dairy consumption causes clogged arteries in testing on rats. It is also not news that it makes skin dry and hair brittle. I'll just quote from Dr. Mercola's website: "Long-term risks of consuming chlorinated water include excessive free radical formation, which accelerates aging, increases vulnerability to genetic mutation and cancer development, causes difficulty metabolizing cholesterol, and promotes hardening of arteries. Excess free radicals created by chlorinated water also create dangerous toxins in the body. These have been directly linked to liver malfunction, weakening of the immune system and pre-arteriosclerotic changes in arteries."
H2O International were kind enough to send me one of their chlorine filtering shower heads to try. I've been taking chlorinated showers for years and as well have been suffering from dandruff ever since I can remember. I failed to link the two together though until now. Even with just two weeks of using this chlorine filtering shower head I have seen an improvement. Of course it will take longer than that, but I can feel that even my skin is not as dry as it used to be. This will be especially important in the dry New England winters! It is especially enjoyable not to smell the chlorine anymore while showering. My baby loves taking her baths in this chlorine free water and I have the peace of mind knowing I made the best choice for her health. At the pediatricians recommendation, the combination of Fuzzi Bunz and the H2O Chlorine Filtering Shower Head made her rash disappear.
It was pretty simple to install, you just need a wrench. It comes with the filter already in it and it will last you about 6-9 months. I enjoy the five different massage settings, you can get a glimpse of them in this video as well as how easy it is to change the filter cartridge. The shower water pressure droped a little once we installed it, I suspect that is because of the filter action. It isn't anything drastic, just a slight change. Overall I highly recommend this product for making a healthy choice for your body and avoiding all the perils of chlorinated water, especially if you have children or heart health issues.
My readers on EcoBabyz, AnV Design, and Lunch.com get a special 20% discount code for H2O International products, just click the graphic below!
Emerson Creek Pottery Review
What do you bake with? Let me guess... It has a non-stick coating? If you are familiar with how 'responsible' the FDA and EPA are with consumer safety, you have every reason to be concerned about your non-stick cookware and bakeware. PFOA is a chemical used to manufacture non-stick coatings and its fumes, emitted at high temperatures, are actually toxic to living organisms. Studies show that an estimated 95% of the population have PFOA in their blood. In rat studies it was shown to cause cancer with high exposure. Don't take my word for it, do your own research :)With that being said, one of the alternatives to non-stick bakeware is ceramic pottery. It has been used in baking for centuries and is naturally non-toxic. It has great thermal properties and helps in even baking. Emerson Creek Pottery was kind enough to send me the Go Green Loaf Pan to test.
My Homemade Bread in an Emerson Creek Go Green Large Loaf PanEmerson Creek Pottery is located in Virginia and all their pieces are U.S. made. You are also guaranteed that the products are lead-free, non-toxic, made by humans - not machines, packed in Eco-friendly corn starch peanuts and recycled fiber boxes, their catalogs are never mass mailed, and your piece of pottery will last you a lifetime with good care. I made bread in this beautiful loaf pan about 10 times already, comes out perfect every time. Cleaning is a breeze, I just rinse it in warm soapy water. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for healthier baking alternatives for their home and family!
VISIT EMERSON CREEK ONLINE
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Below is a short video of their Virginia store.