Today is the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day. With all of the emphasis on being green, I thought I’d revisit a couple of my “It’s Easy Being Green” posts from the past.
Tops on my list is shopping at antique stores, charity shops and salvage businesses. I love poking around these places seeing what treasures I can unearth.
Many churches, hospitals and other non-profits have shops on their premises, and you can find great items at wonderful prices. 
I can’t guarantee you will find a cache of Hermès scarves, but you can find great treasures there.
Many churches, hospitals and other non-profits have shops on their premises, and you can find great items at wonderful prices. I can’t guarantee you will find a cache of Hermès scarves, but you can find great treasures there. Yard/garage/stoop/tag sales are another great way to be green. As the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. 
Spring and fall weekends are the prime time for these sales, both because the weather’s generally good and because people are cleaning out their houses in preparation for a change of seasons. My best deal was finding a steel barristers’ bookcase for $25.00… 
oh, and the Victorian brass bed I bought for $25 and sold for $300!
Spring and fall weekends are the prime time for these sales, both because the weather’s generally good and because people are cleaning out their houses in preparation for a change of seasons. My best deal was finding a steel barristers’ bookcase for $25.00… 
oh, and the Victorian brass bed I bought for $25 and sold for $300! Next, use linen or cotton towels instead of paper towels. Although they are a little hard to find, once you get a couple of linen towels, they will last forever! One good place to look is museum shops and historic house museums. I’ve got towels from Windsor Castle and Bermuda, which has a recipe for conch chowder on it. 
Linen is amazingly durable (think mummies). The more you use the towels, the softer they become, and linen does not leave lint on china and glassware.
Linen is amazingly durable (think mummies). The more you use the towels, the softer they become, and linen does not leave lint on china and glassware. Get your pet from your local animal shelter or animal welfare organization. There are so many pets without homes, that you can pretty much find the breed you want from a rescue league or shelter. I have had two rescue dogs, Frank, (he was an angel for Halloween, right before he died)
and now Connor, and feel like these guys have enriched my life in so many ways. 
Clearly, the take-away message from this is that you don’t have to dress in sack-cloth and ashes to be green. You can surround yourself with elegance and gorgeous things and live a green lifestyle. What are your easy and elegant ideas for being green?
and now Connor, and feel like these guys have enriched my life in so many ways. 
Clearly, the take-away message from this is that you don’t have to dress in sack-cloth and ashes to be green. You can surround yourself with elegance and gorgeous things and live a green lifestyle. What are your easy and elegant ideas for being green?
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