the story of stuff

mail enhancement

Be a tree’s BFF when you say bye bye to snail mail and start using Seattle-based start-up Earth Class Mail’s cyber mail services. Here’s how it works: Sign up for an online P.O. box and total control of your mail at the click of a mouse. Every unopened piece of mail is scanned both front and back, bar-coded, and tracked at the stadium-sized Beaverton, OR sorting facility before it arrives digitally in the customer’s online mailbox. Recipients are directed towards a secure website, where they can decide to have their mail opened and scanned, or forwarded, recycled, or archived without ever touching a hard copy. Skeptical of your confidentiality? Employees are screened via a patent-pending security system that called upon the safety smarts of the FBI Cybercrimes Division, among other leading experts. The mail handling facility bans all recording devices like mobile phones, computers or any device that could record or send information. Perfect for jet-setters, business travelers and expatriates who want a consistent mailing address, or those who wish they called a specific zip code home, like Seattle.




Wanna Try?
Earth Class Mail, 93 S Jackson St., Seattle; (206-905-2400). Plans start at $9.95 month plus a $25 set-up fee, with options for singles, couples and small business. Available in 19 major U.S. cities, including Seattle.

luck of the drew

Drew Stone launched AGS Custom Interiors in 2007 as a crafty solution for remodeling waste. Starting with waste-paint, Stone rethinks the traditional artist’s palette with repurposed interior and trim paint, packing paper and recycled Jute, hemp and burlap coffee bags from Caffé Vita.

Stone typically juggles between 10 paintings at a time, describing his style as abstract, “in an emotive way.” He enjoys doing landscapes in watercolor and carving Valentine cards out of linoleum. Other favorite recycled items that find their way into Stone’s work are: nautical charts, bus transfers, words and passages from discarded books and pamphlets, and discarded raffle tickets. He looks forward to doing a project with a beloved or nostalgic wallpaper design that is going to be removed for a remodel. “The piece would end up as a memento of how the house had been originally. I'm just waiting for some client to give me those conditions,” shares Stone.

He can accept donations of paint that is low or zero-VOC, but specifically seeks bright and unusual colors. Murals are a no no – “Traveling back and forth to a client's work site is not environmentally sensitive. I do work that can be hung and moved along with redecorating and changes to furniture placement,” says Stone.

Wanna Try?
AGS Custom Interiors, 802 6th Avenue South, Suite 8, Seattle; (206-310-2523). Small paintings starts at $50-70, custom work starts at a base rate of 4200 for a 1’x1’ piece. Gift certificates are available from $50-2000.

Stone’s work is also on display at:
Home Body, Eco-Luxe Living, 416 1/2 Washington Street SE, Olympia
thinkspace, 8201 164th Ave NE, Redmond
Roche Bobois, 1015 Western Avenue, Seattle
William Factory Small Business Incubator, 1423 East 29th Street, Tacoma
Juice It, 725 Pike Street, 16 A, Seattle, WA

sage of aquarius

Does your kitchen sink runneth over with après-party dishes? Your bathroom tile looking a bit dingy and brown? It’s officially time to put out an A.P.B. to the green gals at Sage Clean for the great post-holiday tidy-up. While attending University of Washington Business School, owner Stephanie Toller was called upon to help a housecleaning friend. She was shocked to see the toxic effects of typical under-the-sink staples, such as drying skin and burning eyes, and knew there had to be a better way. Her solution: Sage Clean, a local, earth-friendly cleaning service. Toller and her team use a range of products from baking soda and vinegar to Pink Solution (a product sourced from Canada) and Citrus Magic to make homes sparkle. Every product is natural and biodegradable and family and pet friendly. From bathrooms and kitchens to laundry, dishes and common living areas, no task is too daunting for these cleaning dynamos. Prices are on par with non-eco minded services – Toller tells me that a well-maintained home of up to 1200 sq ft typically that takes about 2 hours every 2 weeks to keep up will run approximately $70 per visit. Sage Clean typically needs 2 weeks notice to book services, but houses in need of immediate TLC can be placed on a waiting list for last minute cancellations.

Wanna try?
Sage Clean, (206-327-2255).

Small Changes Add Up
If 10,000 Seattleites used Dryerballs instead of liquid fabric softener for one year, it would keep the weight of 1757 washing machines out of our wastewater treatment facilities and ultimately our local rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

Photo courtesy of sinkdd

something old, something new, something borrowed…

…Something from Blue Sky Bridal. Couples who’ve adopted a “something old, nothing new” mantra, might consider snagging a secondhand dress for their big day. The idea stemmed from a few friends kvetching about the huge amount of waste that goes into a worn-once gown. Jen Akin scoured Craigslist for her own wedding dress, but was uninspired by the lack of choices, so she set up shop. Dresses are sold on consignment and are typically priced at 50% or less than what they’d cost new. Prices vary from $250 to $2500, although most hover around $750. Gowns must be less than 5 years old (with the exception of a few vintage keepers) so styles are pretty up-to-date. The store tries to stock at least 100 selections at any given time, and designers have run the gamut from David’s Bridal to Vera Wang. They also carry a wide assortment of veils, as well as shoes, wraps, ring pillows, and jewelry. Blue Sky Bridal aims to make the whole operation as green as possible, using bamboo hangers, tree-free tags, carrying organic hemp/silk gowns by Conscious Clothing, and offering a 5% discount with a metro pass. Akin advises, “Don’t buy a used gown without seeing it and trying it on. “Like new” can mean a lot of different things and every dress fits differently.”


Wanna Try?
4556 University Way NE, Suite 203, Seattle; (206-783-8700)
Stop by Tuesday – Thursday, 3 – 7 p.m. or schedule a private viewing Friday – Sunday by appointment.

Small Changes Add Up
If 10,000 Seattleites offset the greenhouse emissions from their wedding (based on an 80 person event) it would save an amount of CO2 that would fill 1.1 billion garbage cans.

Photo courtesy of killrbeez

for whom the bella tolls - mother's day is may 9

Nothing quite says you’re the world’s best mama quite like a bouquet of fresh cut flowers. At Terra Bella Flowers in Phinney Ridge, the majority of stems are organic, and many sourced locally including tulips from Alm Hill Garden in Bellingham, peonies, berries, dahlias, and chocolate cosmos from Jello Mold Farm in Mount Vernon. Owner Melissa Feveyear also buys from local farmers’ markets and from The Children’s Garden in Carnation. Roses come from Portland, California, and Ecuador, although Melissa suggests buying local tulips and hyacinths for Mother's Day if you want to be as green as possible. Wrap ‘em in willow with a couple sprays of hot pink roses and cymbidium orchids from Portland's Peterkort Roses and you have a beautiful European garden mix of sustainably grown blooms to drool over. By buying flowers grown here in the Northwest instead of sourcing buds grown around the globe, we support out own economy and reduce the need for mass transportation. TerraBella Flowers also rents and reuses its props and containers and is more than happy to set up a carbon offset program for your wedding or other event.

Wanna Try?
TerraBella Flowers & Mercantile, 8417 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle; (206-783-0205)

Small Changes Add Up
If 10,000 Seattleites bought roses sourced from Portland, OR instead of Ecuador, it would keep the weight of 385 Liberty Bells out of the landfill.

new backer reward: two night all inclusive stay at hacienda tres rios resort, spa & nature park, riviera maya, méxico

ON SALE! Now $695. Hacienda Tres Rios has generously thrown in (2) one hour massages for the person who pledges this reward! I've stayed at HTR - this is one heckuva deal!

Pledge $750 to The Global Citizen Project for a two night, Endless Luxury all inclusive stay at Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, Spa & Nature Park, Riviera Maya, México ($1440 value)

Live the Endless Luxury experience in a unique eco-friendly resort with superb accommodations and exclusive access to Tres Ríos Nature Park in the Riviera Maya. Come enjoy tranquil beaches, natural rivers and cenotes, regional flora and fauna, ecological tours, bicycles, snorkeling, kayaks, and experiences unlike any other.

I have stayed at this property, highly recommend it and would be more than happy to share my experiences with you. In the meantime, please check out the pictures from my stay.

Good for: Two night, Endless Luxury all inclusive stay at Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, Spa & Nature Park, Riviera Maya, México
Disclaimer: No redeemable cash value; based on availability, certain blackout dates may apply.

All-Inclusive Plan Description:
•Unlimited meals and snacks in any of our bars & restaurants
•Premium, domestic and imported alcoholic beverages in our bars & restaurants
•Complimentary in-room wireless internet access
•Pillows menu
•Mini bar restocked daily
•24-hour room service
•Exit Lounge –private area to relax while waiting for airport pick up
•Video library
•Full-service concierge
•Evening entertainment
•Kid’s Club
•Access to our Caribbean Sea white sand beaches
•Access to our two swimming pools
•Access to our full-service gym and fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment
•Yoga classes
•Spinning classes
•Sauna, steam room and jacuzzi at the Spa
•Exclusive Access to our 150-acre Nature Park
•Tres Ríos Nature Park – daily activities for kids, teens and adults
•Swim & kayak in the rivers and cenotes (snorkel included)
•Bicycle Tours
•Sense Adventure tour
•Guided tours of the plant nursery
•Includes tips and taxes on all services

Exclusive Tours & Activities Included:
Coati Tour: Expedition toward Cenote Aguila. This basic excursion, specifically designed for beginners, includes a visit to our Botanical Garden & Nursery.
Tigrillo Tour: An exploratory excursion toward Cenote Aguila for participants at the intermediate level. The trip includes a visit to the Botanical Garden & Nursery, followed by a thrilling kayak journey through the Jaguar Tour: This exciting tour for visitors at an advanced level, starts with a visit to our Botanical Garden & Nursery, continues with a kayak cruise through the Jungle River and concludes with an amazing snorkeling experience in our spectacular Cenote Tortuga.
Aqua Relax: We invite you to enjoy a relaxing and refreshing day. Just bring your bathing suit...we will take care of the rest.
Cocktail Lessons: Learn the techniques of our skillful bartenders so you can prepare our exquisite and exotic drinks at home.
Towel Decoration: Watch in amazement as our amiable housekeeping team creates wonderful figures and incredible decorations with towels!
Cocina Natura: The surprises never end while watching our Chef as he uses natural resources and techniques to prepare delicious cuisine.
Sushi Lessons: Learn practical tips and valuable secrets of sushi preparation and discover its enticing flavors and unique essences.