Today most people will examine their personal “footprint” on Earth, looking for ways to become more sustainable. But why limit our efforts to just one day? This planet is ours to enjoy, but we’re responsible for protecting it as well. That’s why we love the green slogan Earth Day is Everyday: it reminds us to cultivate concern for “the environment” (you know, that things we’re all living in) every single day.

Mable’s has green gifts all year in our Eco-Friendly Gifts category. We are consistently looking for new green gifts to add to these categories as all of our products are hand picked.

• Eco Living
• Eco Home
• Recycled Gifts
• Organic Clothes
• Plants & Gardening

Mable’s looks for gifts that use sustainable materials, recycled materials, organically grown materials, were fairly traded, reusable, and hopefully come from a factory that uses sustainable energy.

We also just added some BioDiesel Kits to easily convert your diesel engine to run off a more sustainable and cleaner burning fuel, vegetable oil. I’d be all over this kit, but I haven’t found a diesel powered scooter… yet. I guess my 80 MPG gas scooter will do until then.

Posted by Sean in Unique, Green Living
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We’ve mentioned personal gardens before; AeroGarden, Miniature Garden, Organic Dwarf Lemon Tree, Garden Fort, etc., but none were soooo eco-friendly they came in a biodegradable pot! Ha!

These 100% biodegradable pots are made from renewable grain husks, are certified organic, and will hold their shape and size for about 5 years. That’s a long time to grow some delicious herbs. As an added Green bonus, by growing plants indoors they will convert the CO2 you expel into Oxygen for your lungs. Yay for synergy!

Order yours today and choose between Lemon Basil, Lavender, Oregano or Parsley. Remember you can always pick up your own seeds from somewhere else and use those in these organic biodegradable pots. These make great green gifts for teachers, and families with kids to help show us all what goes into growing food.

$15.95

Find more green growing gifts in our Plants and Gardening gifts section.

Posted by Sean in Kids, Household, Green Living
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Many of us think of everyday items like a car, clothes, electrical devices, etc. when we think of a green gift. Mable’s wants to expand your thinking to notice the things that are eco-friendly without the added manufacturing and marketing.

This blog post we are featuring Back to Basics Toys because, they carry a vast amount of wooden toys and games that aren’t just fun, but also educational and award winning. But, how is a wood toy more green?

Reasons why Wood is Good: Longevity of items (say no to planned obsolescence) , Perfect for your child’s development, Non toxic material, and many are American made, which avoids the need for shipping overseas.

Mable’s wants to remind you that everyday is Earth day and every decision we make has an effect, so let’s do the best we can everyday.

Spread the Green love in the form of books! Books have always made an easy gift, and sometimes all it takes is one book to open someone’s eyes to a world of change. So give a green gift to someone to help spread awareness from the Buy.com Green Book Store.

Posted by Sean in Kids, Fun, Green Living
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Travelocity has just made the option available to offset your carbon footprint while traveling buy making a contribution to The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program. Just book your trip, add your contribution to offset your travel, then relax and enjoy your trip guilt free.

Your contribution will negate the carbon emissions created by your trip by planting a native tree on protected lands.

How much are we talking here?
$10 offsets an average trip including air travel, a one-night hotel stay, and rental car for one person.
$25 negates air travel, four-night hotel stay, and rental car for two people.

You can measure and offset a specific trip, as well as your personal daily carbon footprint, plus learn more about The Conservation Fund and Go ZeroSM at GoCarbonZero.org.

Posted by Sean in Green Living
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Lucky Magazine just put together a feature called Eco-Friendly Fashion Sourcebook, which introduced me to some new stores and designers. Two of my finds I just have to share. First is Nimli, an online boutique that is “devoted to providing natural, organic, and sustainable lifestyle products while embracing style and aesthetic“. While the fusion of beauty and environmental care is finally becoming the norm in green fashion, Nimli is the first site I’ve seen that does so seamlessly and without making “green” a novelty. The first time I saw the site, it looked so similar to other designer fashion sites that I thought I had clicked the wrong link! Everything looks polished and stylish, but the ubiquitous color green and images of nature are notably absent from their design and graphics. The message seems clear: Nimli does fashion, and being green is just their default. I look forward to the day when environmentally-friendly “options” are presented as the norm and not just a gimmick. Another aspect that helps them stand out among eco-minded retailers is their practice of having each item shipped directly from designer to customer, greatly reducing their carbon footprint, in addition to already buying carbon offset credits.

One of the lines carried at Nimli was also mentioned in the Lucky feature, and they offer classy, simple, contemporary women’s styles. ecoSkin is Los Angeles-based, and Spring 2008 marks their debut line. The designer says “I wanted to give women a hip, sophisticated collection, as well as a sustainable product that would not leave a footprint on the environment. My vision is to continually raise women’s awareness of their options. We can combine eco-friendly fabrics with a high design aesthetic.”

$106-$190

RELATED: For more lovely eco-friendly fashion, be sure to check out our Organic Clothes section.

Posted by Lauren in Clothing and Accessories, Green Living
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This St. Patrick’s Day, why not keep it green without resorting to the green beer? Mallory at Miss Malaprop organized a 2 day “Go Green and Save” sale that includes 6 Etsy stores that “feature recycled materials predominantly in their work”. Awesome! The discounts will vary by store so check out the full list of participating artisans and get to browsing…

Sunday and Monday, March 16 & 17, 2008

Posted by Lauren in Sale, Indie, Green Living
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Putting off your Valentine’s Day purchase until the last minute? Well, it’s down to the wire so don’t wait any longer! The folks at Organic Bouquet told us about a limited time offer where you can get 2 dozen organic roses for $49.95. That’s the normal price for 1 dozen, but until February 14th, you can get the 2nd dozen for free. What a steal!

Shipped fresh direct from the grower via FedEx Next Day, these beautiful roses are guaranteed to last at least 7 days from the time of delivery. Your sweetie will also appreciate that they were grown using “Veriflora” so they were “produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner”.

Posted by Lauren in Sale, Green Living
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You heard it phrased a million different ways last year: green is the new black. 2007 was definitely an amazing year for advances in the “green” lifestyle. Information, organizations, and products that help us reduce our global footprint popped up everywhere! Whether you switched to a hybrid vehicle or didn’t have a chance to “go green” last year, there are lots of ways to easily transition to a more eco-friendly way of life. Here are a few of the biggest, yet easiest and most affordable green ideas;

Food
Surprisingly, what we eat has more impact on the environment than the kind of vehicle we drive! The 100 Mile Diet blew up in 2007, bringing much needed attention to the effects of transporting food rather than buying locally. Combine this knowledge with A Few More Inconvenient Truths and we’ve got a recipe for the most eco-friendly diet possible. According to an article from Earth Save called 100 Mile Diet Not Quite Right (PDF file):

“Take the intentions of the 100 Mile Diet authors to heart, but be careful about it. Make sure that the foods you choose are plant-based, seasonal and organic. Don’t drive great distances to get it. And, like Smith and MacKinnon, grow what you can yourself. In the long run, the whole world will be much the better for it.”

Clothes
Here’s a fun way to make a stylish and eco-friendly change: update your closet. When the time comes to replace any part of your wardrobe- from shoes to jeans to accessories- look for sustainable style. According to the Organic Consumers Association, “Cotton accounts for 50% of the world’s fiber needs, 24% of the world’s insecticide market and 11% of sale of global pesticides, making cotton the most pesticide-intensive crop grown on the planet.”
Because of their selection, The Green Loop is my favorite source for sustainable, sweatshop-free clothing and accessories. Their prices are a little out of reach for some, but they are fantastic for inspiration and for a few key splurge items. Amazon actually has a growing selection of more affordable organic clothes, as does eBay and even Zappos. Want more purchasing options? Check out Of The Earth’s awesome retailer links page.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Upcycle?
This is a broader concept that challenges us to integrate green ideals into every area of our lives. You’re probably familiar with the first 3 concepts, but “upcycling” is quickly gaining momentum in the handmade community. Etsy has a great article that discusses how everyone can learn to “repurpose” trash-bound items into something useful. Not only can you upcycle your own goods, but you can also purchase products that are made of upcycled or recycled material. Definitely check out Neurasthenia’s Recycled Wearables, epositive, and EtsyTrashion.

Have you decided to go green in 2008? We’d love to hear your experiences and tips; please leave us a comment!

Posted by Lauren in Green Living
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Organic is one of our passions at Mable’s, and we’re always on the lookout on how we can help spread the word. I don’t want to play the fear card, but just stating the statistics is a scary thought. We’ve brought these up before, but it’s worth mentioning again. Did you know that about 1/3 pound of chemicals are used to grow and manufacture just 1 pound of cotton? And did you know that conventionally grown cotton is the most chemically treated crop in the world, using 1/4 of all toxic chemical pesticides produced each year?

We lay our bodies on our sheets about a third of our lives, which, from my point of view, is too much time spent with the most chemical-laden crop in the world. Thanks to the many online retailers soft organic sheets are an affordable nightly luxury that we should all enjoy.

Right now Gaiam is having an Organic Sheet Sale with prices as low as $40 per sheet. They also carry attractive printed organic sheets vs the standard solid white most retailers carry.

Viva Terra carries organic Pima cotton sheet sets in queen and king, as well as organic Duvet Covers. If you are in need of other sizes I’d head over to Design Public for their organic full fitted and flat sheets.

For the little ones, who probably benefit most from chemical-free sheets, Kee-Ka carries organic cotton baby bedding in solid colors and delicious cupcake patterns. Pair the sheets together with an organic blanket and your baby should be all set.

Posted by Sean in Household, Green Living
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I’m really in awe of these picture frames made by Rebekah. Big, wide frames can give fantastic contrast to your favorite pictures or art; if they’re also covered in imagery or words, frames can actually be just as expressive as what they’re framing. They become part of the art. She uses a variety of ephemera to decorate with, such as children’s books, street maps and art/design magazines. Each one is handmade and totally one of a kind.

But what’s especially noteworthy about these frames is that they’re made with 100% recycled materials. If you’ve ever tried your hand at repurposing an item, you know it can take some ingenuity to avoid using new materials. Rebekah has done a commendable job and made a bit of home decor that’s not just stylish, but totally green. Under the pretty reused paper and behind the frame is cardboard that is embarking on it’s second use. Now that’s a commitment to being eco-friendly!

Since good picture frames are like the Type O blood of gift giving (they’re good for all occasions), scoop up a couple from Rebekah’s Etsy store, or contact her to get a custom frame.

COUPON: Get 10% off your order. Enter coupon MABLE in the “notes to seller” section during checkout.

Posted by Lauren in Indie, Green Living
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Are there any fellow foodies out there? As a lover of baking, I’ve done some experimenting with and researching of the available cookware materials: aluminum, glass, silicone, stone, steel, cast iron, and clay. Each has it’s own specialties and downsides, including possible health risks. Non-stick Teflon coatings, silicone, and lead containing glazes are a few of the materials that raise the biggest concerns about bakeware safety. So what options does that leave us with? So glad you asked!

I was recently introduced to La Chamba Ware, which seems to be ideal in just about every way. The pottery is handmade under Fair Trade standards in Columbia. Created from only mica clay, it is not glazed and contains no toxins. Instead, the clay is polished with river rocks; how cool is that? The pieces are then finished in wood kilns that turn them a lustrous and striking black. These stylish dishes are also very versatile and can be used on a gas stove (and electric stovetop using a heat diffuser) cleaned in the dishwasher, and even used in a microwave if that’s your thing. The only downside is that they don’t tolerate drastic changes in temperature, and thus need to pre-heat along with the oven. No biggie. Along with Viva Terra, you can often find discount La Chamba cookware on eBay. Happy (and safe) cooking!

$48-69

Found via Road Less Traveled
Also: Creative Clay Cooking Blog

Posted by Lauren in Household, Green Living
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It’s difficult in today’s world to find useful products at decent prices that are recyclable, animal friendly, sweatshop-free, environmentally friendly, and from a store you’d actually want to give your money to. Reason #3774 the Internet is great is that people can create stores like The Stanley Family Lodge. They encompass all those beliefs while supporting independent artists so we know where our money is going.

The Stanley Family Lodge is a type of online shop we’d like to see more of; where you can find useful and creative items from artists around the world all in one place. Keep up the good work!

The products pictured above include reclaimed fabric turned into a beautiful retro style apron and a trixiedelicious abandoned plate given new life with some artwork and heat bonded so it’s ready for daily use.

Posted by Sean in Indie, Unique, Clothing and Accessories, Green Living
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Oh, have I got a couple awesome coupons for you today. I’ve been close to running out of my daily skincare products, so when I woke up to these sweet deals in my inbox I promptly ordered my usual stash. Without LUSH and Skinvac, I don’t even want to remember what my skin was like. They’re the only brands that I use, and my skin has improved by leaps and bounds since I started using them. If you haven’t tried the amazing products from either of these companies, now you can do so on the cheap.

At LUSH, receive a FREE facial cleanser with the purchase of any item of equal or greater value. Choose Angels on Bare Skin, Aqua Marina, Herbaslism, Coal Face (my favorite) or Fresh Farmacy (also amazing).

COUPON: Use code SpringFreshSkin during checkout to select your free cleanser.

At Skinvac, receive 15% off when you purchase a 3 cloth complete set. You’ll get the Deep Daily Cleansing cloth, Microdermabrasion cloth, and Pore Gripper cloth. All 3 are part of my skincare arsenal and absolutely rule.

COUPON: Use code setdiscount to get 15% off. Enter the code on the main page of the site. You might miss it, so here’s an image that shows where to enter the code.

RELATED: LUSH Fresh Face contest, and natural acne treatment

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Green Living
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I got an e-mail yesterday about the new “Environmentally Friendly Products” section at Stacks and Stacks, and after I checked it out I was simultaneously hopeful and disappointed. Hopeful, because whenever a retailer puts focus on green products and technologies it means that the green “trend” has a better chance of sticking around and affecting some permanent change. Disappointed, because their small selection is kind of padded with items like clothespins and dish drainboards. However, those little items did give me an idea for some products to write about: namely, clotheslines.

If you haven’t been able to afford a new Energy Star compliant washer and dryer (or even if you have one and want to further reduce your environmental footprint), a clothesline can help you save water and energy. If you’re a city dweller like me who has to use the laundrymat and has ZERO yard with which to dry your wet clothes, then an indoor clothesline will do the trick. This is a quandary that I’ve been thinking about in the back of my mind for months now, and I just had no idea that so many indoor clothes drying options existed! There are models that fit over your bath tub (seen above at left), retractable clotheslines that mount on any indoor or outdoor wall (seen at right), collapsible racks that can fit anywhere and even a cute wooden collapsible wall mounted rack (seen below at left). The more familiar outdoor “rotary” clothes dryers and clotheslines are available, too. With the sun being a free and renewable resource, and the first days of summer finally upon us, now would be an ideal time to give line drying your clothes a try !

$9.99-$79.99 for indoor models

Posted by Lauren in Household, Green Living
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Art and products that feature recycled/reclaimed objects are a Mable’s favorite. In our disposable world, it’s refreshing to see people who find creative ways to reinvent castoff goods, and Trixie has made an art of it. At trixiedelicious you’ll find her delightfully twisted take on pretty vintage New Zealand tableware. Pairing dainty prints with bold, black text or images, Trixie creates a unique hybrid that could be equally at home displayed on a wall or at a dinner party. Imagine the reactions of your guests when they eat their way to the bottom of their “Dirty” plate! The tongue-in-cheek designs range from cute and coy to racy and smirk-inducing. Trixie’s “hairdo” illustrations (featured to the right) also regularly make appearances, with saucy retro hairstyles and featureless faces.

Since these “vandalized vintage” pieces are recycled and hand painted, each item is totally one of a kind. You can even customize any plate and add the word of your choice. So if finding words like “filthy”, “deadbeat” or “pest” at the bottom of your plate isn’t your cup of tea, then you can add something more personal or sweet. There are also pieces with themes like sexy (”wink”, “tease”, “pout” plate set), and love (”kiss” and “tell” plate set or the “lovesick” cup and saucer set), which would make fun gifts for a loved one with a cheeky sene of humor. Letter plates (at left) are universally cool for all occasions, and would liven up any wall or dinner table.

Related: Subversive Cross Stitch

Posted by Lauren in So Pretty, Indie, Green Living
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