GREENCulture blog We put the “green” in greenyness!

After 40 years, has Earth Day lost its sentimental value since corporate companies have greedily utilized its idea as a manufacturing mechanism? Are they only seeing green in Washingtons, Jacksons, and Benjamins?

When Earth Day was essentially about planting a Cherry Blossom tree, and hanging your laundry outside versus the dryer, now many companies are using it to their benefit. Earth Day was utilized for James Cameron’s box-office blowout film, Avatar to be released, while other businesses exploited that day for an extra 30 percent off their products.

It’s a capitalistic country, and people stay hungry. But are those environmentally-minded folks and environmental organization advocates offended over companies taking advantage of their own passion and way of living?

A New York Times article mentions how 40 years ago, eco-barons were taking their purest belief in nature and enlightening other individuals at no cost. Now that money, business, and marketing have been a prime factor with going green, some may feel Earth Day or being environmentally-friendly is slowly losing its initial intentions.

Denis Hayes, the national coordinator of the first Earth Day believe it’s tragic. He said, “This ridiculous perverted marketing has cheapened the concept of what is really green,” according to the New York Times Article.

In our present society we see environmentally products everywhere, and apparently it is the trend now days. From purses to clothing, eco-products have hit the market and are in demand. Green is the new Black.

But a child proudly owning a green printed stuff animal made from soy fibers completely justifies that they are green? Are they aware of what becoming environmentally-friendly is? Or has corporate gluttony arose and found one of their prime victims to scrutinize and take in part of their business.

Apart from how pleasant it is to own an eco friendly handbag or have your bathroom constructed with recycled bottle glass flooring and sustained wooden accents, it leads consumers in the right direction of preserving planet Earth. We are a fast growing nation. As we try to keep up with technology and culture, I guess forgetting about Earth Day’s initial systematic approach had to start happening. We are talking realistically. We aren’t talking typewriters or Analog television. We are talking about PCs and LCD Hi-Def flat screens. If businesses are luring along consumers to go green as they get the pot of gold, consumers should never forget they purchased an eco-friendly dinner table, and had saved a Redwood Tree.

Every April 22nd, in celebration of Earth Day, we’re making a small and simple list of things that we all can do for the day that make our lives just a little greener. We hope to show and reiterate that “going green” will not affect a person’s lifestyle. In fact, most probably won’t realize that they’ve changed their habit once the routine starts to become a natural and daily habit. All our good and bad habits are just that — routines, convenient or not. Hoping that this little guide may spark a green revolution (hey, we can dream!), here are a few simple things to ease you into the green routine:

To celebrate the special occasion, GREENCulture is featuring some wonderful value bundles on the Rain Catcher rain barrel and Verme Tower Worm Bin (including a free pound of red wiggler worms) at Composters. Over at Eco-Lights, Eco-Furniture, and GCRugs include an additional 5% off orders on top of the 50% off everything sale.

Happy Earth Day!

Dating outside your race shouldn’t be the problem, but dating someone Green should be? There are many who may feel indifferent about preserving the wildlife and conserving our natural resources. But how might a passionate Green single endure a one-on-one engagement with a simple minded, tunnel-visioned individual who believes Doug Tompkins didn’t need to reign on Chile’s parade with his egotistical mindset, (in this case ‘eco-tistical’) preserving Chile wild lands for the greater cause? It’s a likely chance three words will slither out of the Green single’s mouth–and it’s not ‘I Love You;’ more like, “Um, check please.”

Evidently, believe it or not, there are occurrences where couples may have a change of heart, when one might not be greener than the other. According to a New York Times article, Leslie Kaufman writes that arguments amongst couples and family members are at rise, as they change themselves to save planet earth. A Portland psychologist who argues with her sister over her eco-habits becomes a prime example. The Times states that “she cannot resist bugging her about not recycling her plastic and cardboard, even though she knows she will be perceived as ‘bossy,’” according to Kaufman.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day everyday to those who can wear their green heart on their sleeve.  USA Today introduces Green singles to a whole new era.  Jessica Durando, a writer,  welcomes Green singles to a few Green dating web sites like Green Singles, Earth Wise Singles, and Veggie Romance. Okay, that’s cute, but what if you might have already spotted your potential Green babe? Plan an environmental trip with them on Meet Market Adventures!  So she’s pretty and it’s enough her green eyes reflect her persona. Where do I take her out to eat?  Green singles can treat their date out with the help of Dinegreen.com.

Possibly what may sound like a genuinely absurd and comical idea to many, may actually be a convenient date-operation for the minority of mother-nurturing eco-barons. There is a considerable amount of people with different understandings. You have countless touchy subjects that create controversy, primarily with religion or philosophical outlooks, sexual orientation, ‘Nsynce versus Backstreet Boys…and then you have finding the right green partner. Sure, they might recycle yet drive a Ford 350 lifted truck, but maybe they’re a tad bit Kelly Green or pushing Teal. Maybe second-doubt buying that Toyota Hybrid, because after going Green, the world offers you more chances in finding love on the fast lane.

Ireland’s famous festive and culturally secular holiday is here, and we at GreenCulture shan’t remind people to wear their green loud and proud on St. Patrick’s Day. On the day when everyone’s Irish and for the rest of the week, GreenCulture is offering an extra lucky 7% off total orders made on all our popular furniture, lighting, composter, and rug items. Simply enter coupon code “clover” (without quotes) to receive the discount.

And what exactly is popular these days on our sites you might ask? Here are just a few of my personal favorites:

One of the newest and most popular additions to Eco-Furniture is the finely-crafted and elegantly delightful Madagascar Ballad Platform Bed. Its dominating features of warm cognac-colored Mozambique and Prima Vera veneers complement the black smoke finish to create a stylish and modern bed.

Over at Eco-Lights, pendant lights are the fixtures of choice, and the featured pendant of the moment is the lovely Belvedere 3 Light Pendant is a striking light fixture with a sturdy canopy and straight extensions of black brass that provide a sleek contrast between the shade and arm. The Belvedere Light Pendant is made from recyclable materials.

Made from 100% recycled plastic, the Easy Max Compost Bin is a perennial favorite of Composters.com due to the perfect balance between the bin’s discreet design and functionality. The easy to assemble bin features removable access doors and well-placed air slots on all sides for composting throughout the year.

This one just seemed too obvious. It’s a green rug. Ahh, but it’s not just any green rug. Named the Bharat, this casual area rug actually comes in 15 different colors. This hand-tufted rug is made from 100% virgin wool and handmade in India.

This St. Patrick’s Day, think green.

Choosing a metal bed is not always easy, especially once you realize how many there are and how different they are from one another. Before you decide on which to purchase from all the metal beds on sale, it may help to understand the different types.

Some beds are very simple in appearance. These are made with a variety of different kinds of metals, including iron and steel. The simplest kind will not have any posts. They may not even have a headboard. The simpler beds are usually the cheapest and may be good for guest rooms.

You can also get a poster bed made from metal. These posts will vary in length and width. Some posts will be very simple. Others may have designs on them or be shaped in interesting ways. They may even incorporate twisted or braided metal.

Metal beds are raised up from the ground. These come in a variety of styles and sizes. Some of these feature a headboard as well as a foot board. The headboards and foot boards can either be quite plain or very interesting. The more interesting designs incorporate patterns, like twists or interesting shapes.

The way a metal bed looks will also depend on how the metal has been treated. Some appear distressed and will suit a vintage room style. These are sometimes referred to as being shabby chic. Distressed metal may appear to be dull, but in an uneven manner, and may even include dents.

Some beds look more whimsical. This is especially true for wrought iron beds. These come in a variety of colors and black is extremely popular. The wrought iron types sometimes have complex designs that feature leaves, trees, and other noticeable shapes and objects.

There are many types of metal beds. Choose a bed that suits your room and is also comfortable to sleep on.

Looking for a wide selection of metal beds, living room furniture or just furniture in general? Be sure to check out Eco-Furniture.com!

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Are-the-Different-Kinds-of-Metal-Beds?&id=3809734

When you set out to decorate your new home or your bedroom you can have a lot of fun in the process of designing the perfect room to suit you. It is funny, however, to see how many people will go about decorating their homes without really being able to remember one of the most important, yet subtle aspects that will give it a homely feel - the lighting. There are many ways of going about lighting up your home but one of the best is by using a floor lamp.

By using floor lamps you are easily able to create a very warm and comfortable home with a lovely atmosphere to it. They also have lots of different uses and can simply be used a decorative little items to be stuck in the corner of the room, or more specifically to be used when you are reading the papers or a book.

It is certainly important to remember what you are using the lamps for when you go out and get them. Some will be simply, as said decorative and will therefore give off more of a dull glow that can be used in order to maintain a lovely look to the room. For those that are meant to be used for reading, the light that is given off will be a lot brighter allowing you to see the words and pages clearly and not be forced to strain your eyes.

One of the key things to think about with the design of any floor lamp will be their height. If you have quite a small house with low ceilings then you may find that having tall lamps will make the room feel lopsided. There is such a range on offer, however, that you should be able to find some ideal lamps to totally compliment your house.

One last thing to consider will be the energy that your lamp uses. We are now waking up the problems that the world is facing and we are being asked to try to conserve energy as much as we can. When getting your bulbs then it will therefore be a good idea to get a lower watt that will not waste energy, or cost you as much at the same time.

For a limited time only, use the coupon code ecolights5 during checkout to receive 5% off your total purchase.

With every beautiful bedroom, complete with curtains and an accent wall and a big amazing rug, there’s an even more beautiful bed that sets everything off. The frame, the posts, the headboards, all of it makes a bed what it is.

Bedding sets can immediately accentuate the colors, scheme, and the décor of a bed to make the bedroom a place of luxury and class. Ecohousewares.com shares your vision for the perfect room, and shares your passion for the ideal bedding set.

Made from only the finest materials, and made to be of the utmost in environmental friendliness, the bedding sets from ecohousewares.com are the best combination of style, comfort, quality, and responsibility to be found anywhere.

As a leading retailer in Green home-products, ecohousewares.com has the best products made from 100% Italian wood fiber, 100% Egyptian cotton, and 100% organic cotton, all of which can make you rest easy that you’re helping the environment, rest easy.

With contemporary styles like the Legna Classic, or more romantic sensual styles like the Legna Lucca Stripe Colletion, there is sure to be something to your liking. The accent stripes on the Lucca give the collection a very provocative, yet classy, look that will not go unnoticed.

For more extravagant looks the luxuriously styled Seville Collection, the Hydrangea, or the Jasmine, all add an attention-grabbing dimension to a room. The Hydrangea and the Jasmine, made from Egyptian cotton, are available in a variety of colors and are designed with earthy accents and floral arrangements so the aesthetics of the room are brought out by the beauty of the collections.

For those that want a more modern look then ecohousewares.com offers the Classic Sateen Organic Collection. A natural and luxurious necessity to have in the bedroom, the set is made from 100% organic cotton, and was meticulously finished inside and out for long-term durability. The Sateen is perfect for adding a contemporary edge to your classically styled bedroom.

With 11 sets to choose from, and numerous color combinations, ecohousewares.com offers the best of the eco-friendly bedding world. All sets are made from the highest quality materials and give a look elegance, beauty, and sophistication.

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It has been estimated that the average American household disposes of more than two hundred pounds of kitchen scrap waste yearly. This is waste that is going into our landfills when it could be enriching our gardens. Composting is a lot easier to achieve than most people realize. If you have an organized system, it will take no more time to compost than it does to trash your scraps.

There are many variations of compost bins available for purchase on the market ranging from simple to extravagant and expensive. You may choose this route, or you may like to build your own. This is a relatively simple task; you must just ensure that your bin or box is covered to keep animals away yet still allows for drainage and aeration. Many install a screen on the bottom of the bin to help with this problem.

Almost all forms of kitchen waste can be easily composted. This will make an inexpensive and yet rich fertilizer for your lawn or garden. There are two categories of commonly used composting items: green nitrogen rich substances and brown carbon rich ones:

Green materials that you can compost are: Herbivore animal manure, coffee grounds and filters, fruit trimmings, peeling remnants and cores, vegetable peelings, leaves and remnants, grains, grass clippings, green leaves, hair and fur, shredded newspaper, tea bags, and houseplants.

Brown Materials to be used for composting are: cardboard rolls that are shredded, clean paper that is shredded, dry leaves, straw, newspaper that is shredded, nut shells, pine needles, sawdust, wood ships, wool rags, vegetable stalks, crushed eggshells, and fireplace ash that is not from coal.

Here are items that you should take care not to add to your compost pile: Anything containing chemicals or that has been chemically treated, bird droppings, bones, cat or dog feces, human waste, ashes from coal, colored paper, dairy products, diseased plants, grease in any form, and treated wood or wood products. These substances can be toxic to both plants and humans

You generally want to try to keep a ratio of brown to green material at 25:1. Carbon materials break down very slowly and will keep your compost pile from completely decomposing and being ready to use. On the other hand, if too many nitrogen substances exist, this can create a bad odor that will also attract animals to your bin.

Remember to use coupon code “grcltr5″ to receive an extra 5% off all orders on any GC Family site.

Glass coffee tables have a distinct advantage over other types of tables like wood coffee tables or coffee tables made of marble or granite. The glass coffee tables would easily suit any kind of décor or interior design themes, whether they are traditional or modern. The glass coffee tables would easily blend with any kind of theme and you only have to select a coffee table with the right color to match the theme. Glass coffee tables with colorful swirls are also available to add more liveliness to the room. As centerpieces of living room furniture, the glass coffee tables would add a new dimension to the room, which could not be easily achieved by other types of tables.

The modern glass coffee tables are made out of tempered glass and are quite sturdy. Hence, they would be quite a safe and long-lasting piece of furniture in your living room. Still, if you wish to have variety, then most of the coffee tables manufacturers offer them in two varieties. The first one is coffee tables made completely out of glass. The other type would combine the glass construction with another material, such as wood or metal. A coffee table made completely would generally provide a modern feel, even though it could also blend well with traditional interior design themes.

However, even the so-called all glass coffee tables might sometimes contain hardware like metal in the legs to provide strength and support to the glass coffee tables. Still, the use of such materials would be kept to the minimum, so that the focus would be extensively on glass. These types of tables are highly popular nowadays. The other type of glass coffee tables that combines a metal like wrought iron could be contemporary centerpieces of attraction, if selected with care. Glass coffee tables with wooden legs would fit much better with interior designs that are either based on Victorian, Mission, and other traditional themes.

When purchasing from any site of the GREENCulture family, use coupon code “grcltr5″ (no quotes) to receive an additional 5% off! For some sites, that could run your saving to 55%! Stay GREEN everyone.

For you to get the most of your ceiling lights in an energy efficient way, the first thing to consider is connecting them to dimmer switches. Dimmer switches are sure ways to save electricity and energy for your light fixtures.

The lighting itself serves three purposes. One of those happens to be ambiance. Ambient lighting includes pendants, rise and fall lamps, and recessed cans. They are used as general light. Generally, they are placed at the center of the room to provide lighting to the entire room.

These ambient lights can also include chandeliers. The most important thing you can do is combine various sources of lighting in every room. Furthermore, for those who like to read in bed, a ceiling light may or may not do. For that, you’d probably need some assistance from table lamps.

Halogen lamps and spotlights are also important sources of light. They provide natural looking light and help you perform certain tasks. Task lighting is another type. This should be well-placed for the task in mind.

Finally, accent lights are important in every room of the house as well. For example, they could be placed under shelves to place the focus on something of visual interest. They could also create beautiful pools of light. As for wall artwork, simply accent lights can really play it up.