MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Dear Friends & Family,

A pre-holiday mega-bug got the best of me this week, but I mustered up just enough energy to decorate our miniature artificial tree and make Christmas cookies for all the neighbors with my son Ryder. He begged for a "real" tree but ultimately bestowed his love on our little tree-in-a-box and announced that the only "early Christmas present" he wanted before heading off to his father's was that I feel better. True Christmas spirit, I'd say.

I am creating this Christmas morning post to wish all of our dear friends and families a merry, joyous holiday and to share a few of my favorite "alternative" trees, not to take anything away from the real cut trees that a majority of you have standing proudly in your living rooms, but to celebrate a year of slow but strong environmental changes, the true Christmas spirit that is measured in our hearts, not in decorations, and a beautiful, bright future ahead.

With all my love,

Amanda

It's a wrap.

The holiday season seems to sneak up out of nowhere each year. Weren't my son and I tumbling around in the Long Island surf not so very long ago? In an effort to sooth my denial/shock/resistance/astonishment and because a bunch of fellow parents have suggested I do so, I am embracing the season by posting a variety of green holiday tips over the coming weeks. No grinch in this house (although if I do recall correctly, he was a lively shade of green himself!).

With Chanukkah already underway and Santa Wish Lists in final draft stage, gift giving season is no doubt upon us. I am personally anti-gift wrap, favoring discarded newspapers, magazines and fabric scraps when an outer wrapping is a must. More often than not, I just hand over a gift with a smile. This year, however, I bought some recycled paper from a fundraiser at my son's school that was even printed with non-toxic inks. Friends and relatives will certainly be shocked to receive wrapped gifts from me! This inspired me to post my Top 3 favorite earth-friendly holiday gift wrap finds, giving us all a chance to green this wasteful tradition at long last!




http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?prod_name=Recyled+Paper+Gift+Wrap&pf_id=WNW&dept_id=42200&s_id=0&




http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&categoryID=19&productID=220&cartID=1039357330




http://www.containerstore.com/shop/giftWrapWonderland/holidayGiftPackaging/giftWrap?utm_medium=feed&productId=10026364&utm_source=google_products&sku=10050497

(Belated) Thanksgiving Post

Hello all,

Recently, busy days have amassed into busy weeks and before I knew it, the numbers 12/01/10 were screaming at me from my brightly lit blackberry screen this morning. Really, how is it December already?!? Barring the fact that I haven't posted anything here for weeks, I had the best intentions of composing a Thanksgiving post full of appropriate gratitude and sentiment. But I was too busy enjoying Thanksgiving, and all the family and events that went along with it!! My son and I played, ate, rested and bonded for a sweet four-day stretch in LaPorte, Pennsylvania with more than a dozen other members of my sizable family.

The holiday highlights included:
my mother's corn pudding and turkey soup
my brothers rescuing me from the mud
never having to spend a minute worrying about my son
a woman who gave me $20 that God told her to give me at a gas station on the way to PA
the outpouring of remote help from my parents, friends and family when Ryder and I blew a tire on the way home on Sunday (not a good time or day to seek automotive help in rural Pennsylvania)
long walks in the brisk mountain air (when I wasn't sinking into mud!)
very restful nights of sleep
an "Oh Hell" victory
a constant feeling of gratitude for my family

To me, Thanksgiving is rooted in a story from our history books that I don't believe 100%. But regardless of my opinion on the conventional account of what happened on these shores centuries ago, I still cherish the time to stop and be present to all that I am thankful for, filling up on just as much gratitude as I do turkey.

I hope everyone had an equally beautiful, gratitude-filled holiday. I will resume Baby Green posts soon. Till then, I leave you with a few images of the big rescue efforts: my brothers pulling me out of the mud, my son comforting me as we both laughed it off and my brothers pulling my sneakers out of the mud (I was prepared to leave them behind forever!!).

xx,
Amanda

Stand Up. (A few of the cutest children's bookends out there)

I was recently faced with the task of sourcing several pairs of unique, fun, modern bookends for a kids' room I'm designing, an endeavor that was more fun and challenging than I had expected. While I have a few pairs of bookends myself that I depend on to support a few groupings of prized tomes, I can't recall specifically seeking them out. Perhaps good bookends just happen to good people?

So I set out to match my wonderful, charming client with equally wonderful, charming bookends. Google was no help, turning up 100's of bookends.com type sites, with one bookend more blah than the next. But etsy (and ebay of course) were very fruitful and below are a few of the cutest from my search, mostly handmade or environmentally responsible in some way (but it's enough that they just support a love for reading in our little ones):



http://www.etsy.com/listing/60672172/personality-metal-bookends-book-stand?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=metal+bookend&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade



http://www.etsy.com/listing/58647368/softi-bookends-blue-ellies?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=softi+bookend&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade



http://www.etsy.com/listing/61320308/natural-persimmons-tree-bookends-read-me?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=persimmon+bookend&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade



http://www.etsy.com/listing/54402812/bird-on-a-branch-petit-feed-sack-pillow?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=bird+on+a+branch+bookend&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade



http://www.etsy.com/listing/55592936/1-woodland-bird-stack-forest-animal?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=bookends+wood+birds&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade

Bedroom Liberation

As daylight-saving time ushers in colder, shorter days and the inevitable long winter ahead, I know I'll be spending more time daydreaming about warm tropical escapes and more decorating dollars creating such a respite in my own home - sans the flight time and baggage fees - infusing little feelings of vacation into the spaces that surround me every day. With my desktop's wallpaper set to a scene of cerulean waves lapping a white sand beach, I hit the internet for some inspiration and landed on these island-inspired master and guest bedrooms all featuring exotic, whimsical or serene ways to bring tropical living to your home. Aaaaaahhhh.....



Photo credit: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
For more info: http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/cozy-spaces-00400000027791/page29.html



Photo credit: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
For more info: http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/our-fifteen-prettiest-island-rooms-00400000062990/



Photo credit: Jean Allsop
For more info: http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/beach-style-beachy-boho-interiors-00400000048816/



Photo credit: Troy Campbell
For more info: http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/beach-style-restort-glam-interiors-00400000048772/page2.html



Photo credit: Amanda Moore
New York City loft designed by yours truly



Photo credit: Chad Lukaszewski
Water Mill, NY beach home designed by Laura Newton & Amanda Moore

Gnaw in peace....

Attention parents of teething babies!!

This is the cutest wooden teething ring set I've ever seen, made of sustainably harvested cherry and finished in nontoxic beeswax. Plus, it's made in the USA and comes in a biodegradable drawstring jute bag. If you have a child growing in her first chompers, please send me your mailing address so I have an excuse to buy a set!

Peace, Love, Drool set available from Land of Nod; click below for their rather impressive assortment (for a big box retailer) of eco-friendly children's products (I'm also especially fond of all the art supplies they carry from Clementine Art).

http://www.landofnod.com/eco-friendly/toys-gifts/1

Rest Assured

(My little angel, now 5 years old, sleeping in organic pureness since Day One.)

I have watched my son buzzing around the playground countless times, daydreaming of ways to bottle his energy. I would certainly be rich if I could. If there are other parents out there working on this, email me and perhaps we can partner up. ;)

I know his vitality is partly contributed to the rock solid sleep he gets each night, his uninterrupted sweaty slumber that reinvigorates him to meet each new day of toddlerhood full of zest (sleep he gets while I'm up finishing the dishes, paying bills, or preparing for the next day or the hours I rise before him to get a half day's work in...all leaving me with about the same amount of total energy that he possesses in his elbow alone).

But during the hours that I do sleep, I rest a lot more soundly knowing how safe, pure, and natural the bed is that stages his dreamtime renewal, from the all-natural mattress to the organic cotton bedding. Since he was a tiny newborn, he has rarely slept on anything but the purest cotton, wool or bamboo. And not only do I believe these conscious choices are better for him, greatly contributing to his peaceful rest, but they are also for the health of the planet that he will spend his all his waking and sleeping hours on.

A few scary facts: the world's conventional cotton crops, grown in over 80 countries, consume roughly 25% of the insecticides used on our planet and are responsible for roughly 10% of the pesticides released into our air. Many insecticides and pesticides are highly toxic and 5 of the top 9 types used contain probable carcinogens. It is believed that in the 1990's, nearly 50% of Egyptian Cotton workers suffered from chronic pesticide poisoning, including neurological and vision disorders.

Don't know any Egyptian Cotton workers personally? Well, a significant number of crops are dusted domestically affecting our air, national water supplies and ecosystems, even those that are nowhere near a cotton field. The toxic growing process permeates every single production stage, no doubt winding up in the end product: the actual pillowcase you rest your head on every night.

While conventional cotton still undoubtedly dominates the bedding market, there are more non-toxic, organic choices than ever for your little one's room, a remarkable improvement from the sleepless nights of my 3rd trimester when I surfed the internet finding little more than boring, solid natural, baby pink, and powder blue organic cotton crib sheets. Now what's best for our children and the earth can now also be the focal point of a pretty stylish boudoir.

The folks at Q Collection Junior have been leaders in the organic baby market for years now and their Animal Crib Set (available in Sweet Lime, shown, or Cardamom) is the perfect marriage of adorable design and truly authentic eco-friendliness.

http://www.qcollectionjunior.com/product/6011-ANSW/Animali-Crib-Set---Sweet-Lime.html

To ensure a restful night's sleep for your littlest night owl, Honeyami's Night Owl Organic Crib Set is free of toxins as well as frilly design: clean, serene, yet playful pale blue owls and blue-on-white patterns are a unique eco-friendly design statement.

http://www.modernnursery.com/itemsDetail.cfm/NightOwlOrganicCribSet/0/item_num/HNY-CS-OWl/pcid/9/cid/216

I love the ease of purchasing a crib set, but as a decorator I tended to mix and match, a la carte, when purchasing my son's bedding. This was also a result of budget, the fact that I didn't use a cribskirt and paired all the sheeting up with a solid white bumper cover over an organic cotton bumper insert. So I stocked my son's dresser drawers full of fitted sheets; with diaper leaks and drool, we needed back-ups for the back-ups. Nowadays, there are just as many bedding 'separates' as there are cute sets. Here are a few of my favorites, miles away from the boring organic cotton solids of yesteryear.....

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Giggle's Better Basics Line would have saved me many nights of sleepless prenatal web surfing. This simple, crisp stripe (available in blue, shown, as well as pink and orange) could be incorporated into virtually any color palette and design style.

http://www.giggle.com/p/24230/Fitted-Stripe-Crib-Sheet---Blue-Organic-Cotton.aspx?s=1&keyword=organic+stripe+sheet

As a longtime fan of Serena & Lily's bedding, I am thrilled to see an infusion of organic cotton crib bedding and textiles-by-the-yard into their line, all in the design-friendly patterns and colors their collections are infamous for.

http://www.laylagrayce.com/Products/Serena-and-Lily-Nursery-Basics-Crib-Sheet-Spring-Green-Florentine__SL1234.aspx?affid=GP

Geometric lines of chocolate and a lighter mocha hue live in contemporary harmony on the DwellStudio Zig Zag Chocolate Organic Fitted Crib Sheet.

http://www.modernnursery.com/itemsDetail.cfm/item_num/DW-OCS-ZZC

As children grow into energetic tots, safe and restful sleep remains just as vital, so I'm pleased to find adorable modern options in the eco-friendly twin size bedding category too.....

Pixel Organics adhere to relentless organic standards for children's apparel, which they have carried over into these cheery, abstract Stalk of Wheat sheet coordinates.

http://www.pixelorganics.com/catalog/10/43

The gender-neutral design and vibrant color palette of the De-Vine Collection is a versatile, organic choice from mass market retailer Pottery Barn.

http://www.pbteen.com/products/de-vine-organic-sheet-set/?catalogId=77&bnrid=3780801&cm_ven=Shopping&cm_cat=Google%20Base&cm_pla=Feed&cm_ite=Google%20Base

My son knows that sunsets are my favorite things; I'll pull over the car and pause in their beauty on a regular basis. What better way to end your child's day than by snuggling under this beautiful abstract sunset print from Amenity Home?

http://www.amenityhome.com/kids/bedding/sunset-kids-organic-bedding-orage.html

Yellow Fever

After testing nearly a dozen paint colors for the front door of my beach house last summer, my son, Ryder, and I decided on a bright acid yellow to contrast our house's crisp white exterior. I thought this was a big surprise for me because I typically don't like yellow. There's not a stitch of it in my closet and its interior application conjures up images in my mind of a buttery hue on the walls of a country style family room.  Blah. 

But that's just denial talking, Amanda.  Used in a fresh way, it's a jolt of sunshine, can be modern and even serene, is timeless and of course fun.....and is finally getting my recognition.

The walls of my son's first room were a pale greenish yellow.  How could I overlook that? Search google images for "yellow baby room" and the very first query result is a room I designed over four years ago for a client featuring a bold combination of magenta and yellow (bottom image above).

Oh, Yellow, I've been using you all along....I'm sorry I never gave you enough credit.  

And now, upon arrival home every day, even on a gloomy winter afternoon, my own front door makes me smile from the inside out and so do the other inspiring nursery images featured here.  

Infinite Bliss

Although I'm not a practicing Buddhist myself, I have always been inspired by the religion's wisdoms, practices and symbols. And now, apparently, so is the home decor industry. One common Buddhist symbol - and also my favorite - known as the Endless Knot, Eternal Knot, or Infinity Knot is popping up on everything from bed sheets to wallpaper, enforcing the idea that everything is indeed connected.

"The endless knot (Skt. shrivatsa; Tib. dpal be'u) is a closed, graphic ornament composed of right-angled, intertwined lines. It overlaps without a beginning or an end, symbolising the Buddha's endless wisdom and compassion. It indicates continuity as the underlying reality of existence. It is conjectured that it may have evolved from an ancient naga symbol with two stylized snakes

The intertwining of lines represents how all phenomena are conjoined and yoked together as a closed cycle of cause and effect. Thus the whole composition is a pattern that is closed on in itself with no gaps, leading to a representational form of great simplicity and fully balanced harmony." (excerpt from www.religionfacts.com)

To bring harmony into your home, check out a few of my favorite interior treasures that feature this poignant symbolism:

A Madeline Weinrib cotton rug in a pale celedon holds a special place in the front room of my Long Beach cottage, giving me a daily visual reminder of the universal interconnectedness that the Infinity Knot represents. It came in a rainbow of colors for a modern twist on the ancient imagery, but unfortunately appears to be discontinued (glad I got mine when I did!).

Even though I purged most of my jewelry in recent years, the simplicity of the turqoise and silver pendant above has given it a high-ranking spot on my birthday wish list.
http://www.overstock.com/Worldstock/Sterling-Silver-Endless-Knot-Turquoise-Pendant-Nepal/3703426/product.html

The raw patina of hand-crafted copper medicine plates in 8", 10" or 14" squares is an appropriate medium for enduring Buddhist wisdom.
http://www.interiormall.com/cat/nsample.asp?ID=159352&t=3391


The printed grasscloth above from Stark Wallcoverings (available through designers) marries the beautiful raw texture of natural grasses and the geometric lines of the symbol. This paper could adorn four walls or perhaps just the back surface of an open shelf.

The classic embroidery of Serena & Lily's new Gobi sheeting collection is an elegant representation of the Knot.
www.serenaandlily.com

Years before getting a tattoo of my son's name, the only other body art I've ever considered was an ethereal representation of this very symbol. My eventual rug purchase was much less painful and far more representative of the simple ways I like to bring spirituality into my home decor, but no less reverent of the truth embodied by the Infinity Knot. Next, I want the necklace and the sheets. Understanding that the very concept of desire is anti-Buddhist, I guess I'll have to work on that in another life!

Mom Magazine - "Your $1000 Nursery" by Amanda Moore

Hello, I'm Amanda and I'm a writer.

Dear Friends, Family, and Others,

Following some practical advice a fellow professional writer and good friend gave me, I'm finally uploading my writing samples onto this blog so that you all can see what I've been up to and so future employers can get a snapshot of my writing experience in one place.

I've been tiptoeing down this path for several years, having planted seeds for my career as a writer as far back as my college days at NYU and in the creative department of Ogilvy & Mather thereafter. Now I am finally taking larger, more intentional strides toward my dreams.

My boyfriend recently observed that I walk loudly on my heels. Um....OK. I'll try to lighten my gait a little around the house but, conversely, I hope my steps down my life path are even more heavy, full-footed, and ear-splitting than ever. Some days the path seems clearly marked and other days I'm bushwhacking, but I've never been one to need a map. And these days, I don't really mind who hears me coming!

In addition to the Fit Pregnancy and Kiwi Magazine pieces (please click on the thumbnails in each post to see larger versions), I recently put together a nursery design piece for MOM magazine (to be posted upon publication) and am writing web copy for Donna Karan home products as seen in the following links:

http://www.donnakaranhome.com/pureDKNY-pure-comfort-luxury-robe.html


http://www.donnakaranhome.com/dkny-city-clover-comforter-set.htm


I look forward to the day when I'll stomp loudly over to my computer to post about my first design book or novel. Until then, I'll devour every freelance writing position with passion and continue to pause here and there along the path, breathing in gratitude for everything and everyone that's gotten me this far.

With love,
Amanda

Fit Pregnancy Magazine February/March 2010

Fit Pregnancy Magazine August/September 2009

Kiwi Magazine September/October 2008

Kiwi Magazine November/December 2008

Kiwi Magazine June 2008

Kiwi Magazine August 2008

Kiwi Magazine April 2008

The Green(er) Kitchen

I love food.  Anyone who knows me is aware of my total obsession.  I love eating it, learning about it, sharing it, preparing it, shopping for it, and now in my little backyard containers, I even love trying to grow it (for this black-thumbed ex-urbanite, "trying" is the operative word in that sentence).  My heart races equally fast in Dean & Deluca and Whole Foods as it does in Bloomies.  The farmers at the Green Market are my celebrities. I actually make noises of pleasure after an especially divine bite, it doesn't matter if I'm in public or not.  I read every label. 

Despite my long time obsession fueled by the wealth of amazing restaurants that dot downtown Manhattan where I resided for 14 years, I'm still a beginner foodie.  I'm like a wide-eyed baby on an organic farm, I still use cook books and recipes (I'm years away from the natural culinary improv talents of Martha or my mom), I burn things occasionally, and I have no idea what about 50% of the products at Sur La Table actually do.   So, for part of my training, I recently did a 'green scan' of my kitchen to make sure it aligns with my sustainability and design principles while still having what every kitchen needs, transcending the requirements of mere 'utility' into an authentic extension of me and my passion.  Just like every bed needs great (organic) sheets for the pleasures that the bedroom hosts (I'm talking about sleep of course)......every kitchen needs the right accessories to support a blossoming food passion.  Feast your eyes on the the top 5 eco-friendly culinary products I found in my journey:


1. I absolutely love the bright, vintage-looking mixing bowls, measuring cups, and more made from biodegrable bamboo fibers in the sustainable Melaboo collection (by Reduce) available at www.reduceeveryday.com.


2. Recycled glass is a great step in the right direction, but furthering the mission are these striking reclaimed glasses, that are simply sandblasted into re-use:

http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?s_id=0&pf_id=UMGLASS


3. Yes it's healthier in many parts of the country to drink bottled water, but it's wreaking havoc on our landfills with only about 30% of bottles getting to our recycling plants nationwide. Here is a solution that should be stocked in every US kitchen: the bobble.  It is BPA-free, has a replaceable water filter system inside, and is every bit as cute as its metal, non-filtering counterparts.  Go to www.waterbobble.com to learn more.


4. My dinnerware is beautifully basic, to which I love to add punches of nature through napkin rings, accent plates, and linen napkins.  Nothing matches the earthy, natural appeal of the VerTerra dinnerware collection interspersed with your basic bone china, a collection of plates and trays made from nothing more than fallen leaves and water.  And the best part is that all pieces are microwave and oven safe as well as 100% compostable. To learn more, go to www.verterra.com.


5. Much of my kitchen is stocked with used or vintage finds, which is an inherently green way to serve your favorite meals.  Check to make sure that your feistaware isn't from the lead paint era, but otherwise most re-use is perfectly safe and saves a fortune (I especially covet my melamine owl themed set of trays that I bought for a dollar at a tag sale years ago and some cheery yellow-stripe glasses I picked up at Goodwill). Sign up at estatesales.net to receive notifications of tag sales, estate sales, and auctions in your area.


Happy eating!!  

A Green Nursery Grows in Brooklyn

Ugly Betty star, Ana Ortiz, and her husband engaged my design team and I to create this eco-friendly nest for their expected angel Paloma (which translates to 'dove' in Spanish) last year.  Ana is a native New Yorker with a very warm side, and her hubbie Noah is a true Californian, so combining a modern edge with plenty of nods to nature was key for the couple.  

The design process broke down to the following points of focus:

Make It Green: They wanted everything to be as environmentally friendly as possible reflecting their feeling of responsibility to the planet as well as to the indoor air quality that would surround their daughter.  We accomplished this throughout: from Duc Duc's sustainably-built furniture with non-toxic finishes to Serena & Lily's beautiful zero-VOC paints.

Natural Hues: We took our color scheme cues directly from nature by incorporating only the colors you'd see in the sky above on the sunniest day in the park or at the beach. Soothing pale blue walls are interrupted only by a pop of orange in the open closet (we took the doors off to conserve space in the tiny room) and the orange and yellow accessories throughout.  

One-of-a-kind Bedding: The workroom of Mooredesigns in Cranford, NJ crafted the custom bedding out of Harmony Arts' bright and adorable "Fields of Honey" print.  We didn't want Ana to have an average "bed in a bag" look so we scoured the marketplace for the right organic cotton pattern and had everything made ourselves, including several sets of the softest white organic cotton sateen fitted sheets you've ever felt to balance out the bold print. (Note: much of the press that ran about the nursery mistakenly says that the bedding came from green baby mecca Giggle, but that's not true.  Let's just say that PR spokespeople and tabloid press writers sometimes forget to fact check.)

A Place For Everything: The nursery is a small, windowless room with high ceilings and a good-sized closet.  We ripped out the standard-issue rod and shelf (and the door, as mentioned) and used Elfa storage systems in the closet to maximize the storage capacity and allow Ana to feel organized and at ease as she prepared for her first born.  We placed color-coordinated bins and boxes on every shelf to ensure a place for everything.  Even the ottoman has storage inside. Living into one's space as efficiently as possible is a core, but often overlooked, principle of green living.  Instead of relentlessly upsizing for a growing family, you might want to ask yourself what closets, wall space, corners, or corridors are you under-utilizing?   Getting organized outside the nursery will be an upcoming blog topic, so please check back soon.

Here's a link to Ana's personal tour of Paloma's very green nursery:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/video/335112/ana_ortiz_gives_us_a_peek_into_her.html?cat=2

Day One - Earth Day 2010

I woke up feeling a little more energized than usual this morning knowing that today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and at least for one day, a powerful mass consciousness will be focused on honoring the environmental movement.  Also, having ambiguously declared that I would launch this blog sometime in April, an internal voice told me that today should be the day.  That seemed an appropriate call to follow so here it goes.....

I typed the words "every day is earth day to me" on my facebook status a few hours ago. For those that know me well, you know that the environment is at the forefront of my thoughts when making consumer decisions, when parenting, and when socializing.  Basically I consider how everything I do will affect the planet.  It is not a particular environmental concern or campaign that shapes my lifestyle rather a touch of guilt for how we have ravaged this planet until now and a heart full of hope that I can be a part of making the difference that will improve the planet my son will one day inherit.  It's no more complex than that. I often wonder how any parent out there doesn't feel this same call, maybe not in the reckless days before having children, but certainly afterward when little eyes begin to look up to you for guidance, safety, and care.  Really it boils down to the fact that I do most everything I do for my son, and that includes (or maybe begins with) taking care of our planet and instilling these same values in him.  

Through my work in interior design over the past nine years, I've had a chance to take a practical "as green as possible" approach to the design of dozens of clients' homes.  And despite my zeal and parental passion, this is actually the same laidback approach I take in my own life and home.  The eco-friendly options for the home are more abundant than ever, I'm thrilled to say, but sometimes you have to buy a conventional product.  To me, it is most important to simply make as many daily choices as consciously as possible.  Here's my personal list which I know many of you can also claim in your daily lives, and that's how the gradual, sustainable change will manifest:

1. No more shopping bags.  I still get funny looks in a lot of retailers when I decline their bags, but I am unwavering on this one: no purchases unless I bring my bags!
2. Recycle responsibly.  I recall the time in my youth when recycling gained the momentum it now has today.  It was mostly soda cans back then but now you can recycle most of your household waste, especially if you consciously shop for products packaged in recyclable containers.  Recycling responsibly means simply taking a few moments to find out your local recycling regulations to determine whether rinsing, sorting, and removing labels and caps is required.  For someone who has been known to lug an empty drink container all the way home, here is a small piece of positive news on the recycling front from PepsiCola:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703404004575198390481890492.html?mod=WSJ_business_whatsNews                                                                                                     
3. CFL's.  This is just a no-brainer at this point, now that energy efficient bulbs come in most every shape and size and even mimic the warm, low light of incandescent bulbs if desired.  The money savings is great too.  Why are people still buying conventional bulbs?!?
   
4. Detox your cleaning arsenal.  I stumbled upon Seventh Generation's cleaning products several years before having a child and haven't had a single cleaning chemical in the house ever since and now make half of them myself.  A few years ago my superintendent in my Manhattan rental apartment brought in an industrial strength bottle of drain cleaner for the kitchen sink and the stench didn't clear for almost a day.  I never want to know what was in that bottle!  When you wash your clothes, floors, dishes, and even yourself with nontoxic cleaners, you are taking care of your indoor environment and the equally precious one outside.   If you haven't done this yet, please read the ingredient labels (if they even have them) on your conventional products and take a moment to consider if you really know what you are putting on everything you touch, taste, use and wear.  If you need help purging the bad and making a committed change,  I will come and help you.  Seriously.
   
5. Reusable water bottles.  These have reached high popularity recently and I love it.  In my pilates class yesterday, only the teacher had a plastic store-bought bottle of water.  Every student had a reusable stainless vessel for their mid-class hydration.  Awesome!!   If you don't already know about the BPA and waste preventing, health-promoting effects of using such beverage containers, check out these stats:     http://www.filterforgood.com/facts/

All of this is great, of course but on this 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the only internationally recognized non-denominational and non-political holiday, I am called to step it up!! I have integrated the above into my life seamlessly for years now but what else can I do?  Here are a few ideas I have for new changes that are small enough to commit to, but big enough to initiate real change:

1. Power down and/or unplug.  I admit it, I am guilty of leaving my phone charger, juicer, and toaster oven plugged in when I'm not using them.  I mean, who can remember to pull the plug out after every use? However painful, I vow to make this one of my new green daily practices from now on.  I also bought a well-intentioned solar charger for my phone and will break out the instructions today (let's just say that sometimes implementing a new product or habit in my home of rut and routine takes a little while).
2. Low flow toilet.  When I think about the water I could save with every flush, I know I have to make a change in my bathroom routine.  I can't afford to buy and install a new low-flow toilet right now, but I will retrofit my existing one to cut down on 13% of the water consumption in my house with a homemade displacement device (I'll fill a plastic container up with water and add some pebbles to ensure it's heavy enough to stay put and then place it in the back of the toilet - the only trick is to replace the entire device about once a year).  
3. Sustainable fashion.  This is a hot topic for me.  It's nowhere near a daily habit, but I love to shop for clothes and I, like most of you, wear them every day. :)  However I can't seem to replicate the convenience of my Gap basics, the fit of designer jeans, or the thrill of the Barneys Co-Op sales racks with truly green wardrobe options (although there are a sprinkling of options out there, I just haven't fallen in love with very much yet).  Vintage purchases certainly help.  And I buy only organic cotton tanks, Tshirts, PJ's, and undies for my son (mostly from www.hannaanderson.com).  When will Bloomingdale's Green open?!?  How can my simple, classy, and admittedly minimal wardrobe reflect my values more directly without costing more?  I guess this is just something I have to keep researching and hoping for.