Celery Street Blog

Green Is Not Always What It Seems...

2011-06-21T14:36:00.003-04:00

Lady Gaga Arrived in Japan today...headlines read, Lady Gaga goes Green! What???

ONLY Fair Trade Chocolate will do!

2011-06-13T22:29:00.012-04:00

On June 8th, filling up both sides of Broadway in Times Square in 97 degree weather people showed up for "Raise the Bar, Hershey" ...activism at its best. Right in front of the Hershey headquarters!

These were students from all across New York and across the country saying "What do we want? Fair Trade! When do we want it? NOW!" Calls, responses, and posters up and down the streets letting everyone know what Hershey needs to do.

You know what a supporter of fair trade chocolate I am! I take my chocolate very seriously!

Get involved along with Green America and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Help us keep the heat on Hershey by taking action this summer:

1. Take part in our We Want More from our S'mores action
2. Host a movie night and show the Dark Side of Chocolate
3. Collect petition signatures in your community

Now I think I will go eat some more fair trade chocolate.

e.

RECYCLED BOTTLES = GRADUATION GIFTS!

2011-05-10T15:58:00.041-04:00

Celery Street has some brilliant and useful graduation gifts made of recycled bottles, recycled paper, gum wrappers, potato chip bags.....

Messenger Bags

Shoulder Travel Bags

Eco Friendly Wallets

Unique Journals

HAPPY GRADUATION TO ALL OF YOU!
-e

RECYCLED BOTTLES = GRADUATION GOWNS

2011-05-10T14:16:00.020-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES OF 2011 GOWNS

Graduates of high schools and Universities are sharp, ready for their future, AND looking out for mother earth! According to the Huffington Post bamboo graduation gowns get wrinkled easily but the gowns made of 23 recycled soda bottles are the "green" gown that makes the statement and looks great!

For more on this you can go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/green-graduation-gowns-non560579.html

Also, Fox News spoke with a Sierra Club spokesperson, who loved the green gowns but also encouraged those entrepreneurs out there to launch a loan or rental business to reuse graduation gowns with an eco friendly dry cleaning process. Unlike wedding gowns that live in the attic, graduation gowns usually slum it in the landfills.

Earth Day Savings

2011-04-18T12:11:00.016-04:00

In Honor of Earth Day, Celery Street is celebrating the work done by the Jane Goodall Institute by donating 5% of all sales April 17-24, 2011.

Founded renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, The Jane Goodall institute is a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. The Jane Goodall Institute's work extends to many areas including, the best known, Gombe Stream Research Center that is a hub of scientific inquiry for researcher from all over the world.

Jane also started the TACARE program in Kigoma which is helping communties create sustainable livelihoods while promoting conservation goals.

Jane's work especially apeals to young people. They respond not only to her passion for animals but to her courage and steadfast hope for a better world. with her Roots and Shoots Youth Global Program, Jane is helping to create the leaders of tomorrow. Every day Roots and Shoots groups are taking action to improve their local environments, and making the world a better place for people and animals.

So lets do our part this Earth Day and try and make our world a better place for everyone! So for all Celery Street shoppers with all orders of $100 or more, you will receive this FREE 16 0z eco-usable water bottle while supplies last. (through April 24th).

USE CODE: EARTH2011

Spring Break Adventures!

2011-03-12T13:49:00.012-05:00

It's that time of year again where many sojourners head to grandma and grandpas, aunts and uncles, the beach, the mountains, the sea, the highway, the golf course, the airport, the outlet mall, local museums, another continent or just curl up on the couch with a good book.

Where are you going??? ~ What is Green about your spring break???

National Geographic has some entertaining and educational quizzes to find out how green you are when you travel.....

a road trip quiz...
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/quizzes/road-trip/

and a green travel quiz....
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/quizzes/travel/

I didn't score so well! i need to green up a little!!

the Go Green Travel Green website http://www.gogreentravelgreen.com/ also has clever ideas to be more earthwise while traveling. I love thoughts entitled: Everything I needed to know about wildlife I learned in Kindergarten...Keep your hands to yourself....don't feed the animals...be mindful of personal space.....

http://gogreentravelgreen.com/green-recreation/everything-i-need-to-know-about-watching-wildlife-i-learned-in-kindergarten-25-days-to-green-travel-day-21/

These little guys didn't catch the part about "personal space"!!!!!

So, wherever your spring break takes you, enjoy and remember to stay "Green"!

-e.

Spring Break Savings!

2011-03-10T14:07:00.074-05:00

To all you looking forward to Spring Break and fun in the sun!!! we have a great 20% savings for some must have items to take along with you! see below for the code to get your savings and have a great spring break! -e

Cute Overnight Bags

Shoulder Travel Bags

Large Eco Tote Bag

Insulated Lunch Totes

Cute Rain Umbrella

The Promotion Code is: SPRINGB20
(customer is required to enter the code during checkout to receive the discount)
* Code is good until 3/21/11
* Code is only one use per person
* Code is only for the items listed above

The Perfect Gift for Your Eco Conscious Valentine!

2011-02-02T13:37:00.009-05:00

This Valentines Day spread your love even farther. Give to the Jane Goodall Institute, women and children in Nepal, small farm fair trade cocoa producers, chimpanzees, organic farming communities…it is a complete rippling effect Valentine with a rattan bow! What wife, mother, grandmother, girlfriend, sister, or best friend wouldn’t be touched by this perfect gift that gives back so much!

Four different gift options are available with Organic, Free Trade Milk or Dark Chocolate that gives to the Jane Goodall Institute partnered with either a Nepalese girl felt cosmetic or coin purse made free trade in Nepal supporting communities in Central Asia. Each option is ribboned with a rattan bow and backed with stamped recycled cardboard for support.

"12 Days of Christmas"

2010-12-07T21:24:00.006-05:00

Starting December 8th we will be celebrating the "12 Days of Christmas" with special offers every day through December 19th. Check our website or "like" us on facebook to get your daily does of partridges, turtle doves, and geese a laying!

We've got green stationary, recycled purses, recycled silver jewelry, and a lot more surprises.

So what did your true love give to you? Or better yet...what are you giving your true love on the first day of Christmas?

Green Pumpkins!

2010-10-07T11:01:00.011-04:00

Did you know that green pumpkins are mirlitons? These green vegetables are also called vegetable pears, chayote squash, and in New Orleans they call it a mella-ton. The Bywater neighborhood association in New Orleans has an annual Mirliton Festival on November 7th, 2010. Lots of bands with quirky names and delicious original Cajun cooking. Consider it an eco friendly version of the orange celebration called Halloween.

The mirliton recipe below got the best reviews on the web. Unfortunately, the ingredients don’t include celery.

If you really need some orange check out our Eco Friendly Accessories at Celerystreet.com and get an orange/rust recycled billboard ad bag to show off your Halloween spirit OR fill with candy.

Photo thanks to Eugenia Photography and is the cover of the Bywater Cookbook

Ma Ma's Mirliton, Shrimp and Crabmeat Casserole
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003
Serves: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
7 pounds mirliton, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices or 1 (7 pound green pumpkin) *Cooks note:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
11/4 cups finely chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound Gruyere, or mozzarella, finely grated

*Cooks note: any type of bland squash can be substituted for the mirliton or green pumpkin in this recipe (merlitons, yellow squash, or zucchini) Long green Italian squashes would work great too. Regular pumpkins can also be used (not the kind for pie, but the big, bland ones more often used for Jack o'lanterns). Butternut or acorn squash does not work with this recipe. The original recipe uses 1 (7 pound) green pumpkin.

Directions
Place the mirlitons in a large pot and add enough water to come 1-inch up the sides of the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the mirliton is very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Strain in a large colander. Using the back of the spoon, press on the pumpkin to release as much liquid as possible. Discard any liquid.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mirliton, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mirliton is very thick and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 to 40 minutes. (Be careful near the end of the cooking time that the mirliton does not burn on the bottom of the pot.)

Preheat the oven broiler.

Add the shrimp, crabmeat, green onions, and parsley to the pumpkin mixture and gently stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Transfer hot pumpkin mixture to the prepared dish and spread the grated cheese evenly over the top. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

*Cooks note: any type of bland squash can be substituted for the mirliton or green pumpkin in this recipe (merlitons, yellow squash, or zucchini) Long green Italian squashes would work great too. Regular pumpkins can also be used (not the kind for pie, but the big, bland ones more often used for Jack o'lanterns). Butternut or acorn squash does not work with this recipe. The original recipe uses 1 (7 pound) green pumpkin.

© 2010 Television Food Network, G.P

Romanticly Green!

2010-08-13T07:38:00.006-04:00

The September Issue of Romantic Homes featured our adorable little nostalgic zippered coin purse! They say “We love, love this” Boss Lady, Mood Swings, and Coffee design have a retro feel. With a price of $3.99 a piece customers are buying them by the dozen and stuff them with gift cards or bobbles to give as gifts.

Perfect for your spare change, receipts, credit cards, or beauty accessories. Romantic Homes says “This is not your granny’s change purse!”

- e.

Netbook on the Range!

2010-07-19T12:37:00.008-04:00

Our Women’s Purses/Shoulder Bags by Blue Q, made of recycled plastic, have been selling like ice cream on a hot summer day…sorry, hot cakes weren’t appropriate this time!

Seems the Boss Lady Eco Shoulder Bag that looks like a saddle bag is the perfect size for your Netbook or iPad! The bag measures 13 x 14 and is also available in our stylish shoulder bag for women Flowers and our eco friendly shoulder bag Bird Nest design. Light weight, adjustable wide strap, and an interior cell phone pocket too. Our Eco Totes from Blue Q are made from 95% recycled material that is tough and ready to handle your technology!

- e.

Just Married with Extra Aluminum Cans Behind the Car!

2010-06-30T14:13:00.005-04:00

June is the beginning of the big wedding season! Pete and Andrea in Spokane, Washington, know the value of aluminum recycling. It’s not just about being green. It’s about making your dreams come true in a very green way…

To pay for their wedding they needed to recycle 400,000 aluminum cans. It’s not a big fancy wedding. It’s a celebration of family, friends, home-brewed beer and cake. They started on December 7th, 2009 and are getting married on July 31st this year. (Check out their web site at www.weddingcans.com) If you wanted to donate your cans and you lived in the Spokane area, they would even come pick them up for you. Others who wanted to give to their cause and lived farther away were encouraged to bring cans to a local recycling center and send the cash, or donate via the pay pal link on their website.

Being environmentally responsible is a big part of Pete and Andrea’s lives. They planned this crazy scheme to make their dream wedding come true and educate people about aluminum recycling. And boy did they do that! Aluminum recycling is one of the most sustainable and useful forms of recycling.

So, with their cash donations and donated cans, they've met their goals and are getting married! To date, they've collected 280,806 cans, with cash donations equivalent to 119,194 cans...and they are still getting donations.

Congrats and best wishes to you both!

- e.

Bake It Forward with Fair Trade Chocolate!

2010-06-01T08:31:00.008-04:00

I’m sure many of you have heard about the child slave labor at the cocoa farms in West Africa. The corporate chocolate giants are not doing much about it as they continue to fill our insatiable need for chocolate and make billions of dollars doing it. I won’t give up chocolate, but I can start buying fair trade and ethical chocolate. What else can you do about it? Emily at Bake it Forward has a yummy educational idea that I am going to try tonight.

How to Bake it Forward

Buy some fair trade chocolate in a store near you, or purchase it directly from a company online. If you’re not sure where to shop, check out the links to the left.
Bake something to share with 5-10 friends, family, and co-workers. Click here for recipe ideas.
Download the 8-per-sheet bake it forward tags or the 4×6 photo-sized postcards to print out and attach to your baked goods.
Give them away!

Share the story of slave labor and BUY fair trade chocolate. Divine Chocolate is not only fair trade, the West African farmers own 45% of the business! In addition, Endangered Species Chocolate (left), a local Indianapolis chocolate company, makes ethical chocolate that is non-GMO verified. Plus, 10% of their proceeds go to save endangered species! Endangered Species Chocolate partners with the Rainforest Alliance, the African Wildlife Foundation, and the , to name a few.

- e

A Nostalgic Earth Day!

2010-05-11T19:31:00.015-04:00

Earth Day Indiana presented itself as a cloudy, rainy day and we came prepared with our eco friendly umbrellas to help keep our green friends covered, but the rain held off and we saw a different trend. Nostalgia!

The big hits for the day were our Dick and Jane drinking water bottles from Blue Q and our Dick and Jane recycled plastic zipper pouches. Not everyone knows who Dick and Jane are anymore…it shows our age!

The other adorable blast from the past were our Fun Eco Diaper Bags with pastel Winnie the Pooh made from actual recycled old Winnie the Pooh books. I still like the softer side of Winnie, with the original sketches mixed with watercolor. Somehow those drawings fit the quirky characters that live in the 100-acre woods.

All three of these vintage gifts would make perfect gifts for your eco mom, grandma or even great-grandma. The stories they can tell! You could always slip a gift certificate for a spa treatment inside the Dick and Jane Zippered Pouch to let mom know you understand her modern needs!

- e.

Fox 59 Morning Green...

2010-04-21T18:22:00.011-04:00

Last week it was WTHR Channel 13 with Tim "Tree Boy" Bush and then this morning JD was checking out our new eco friendly products with Ray Cortopassi on Fox Morning News (video below). Celery Street eco friendly finds are popular these days! Ray really liked our men’s super thin wallet made of vintage ties. Did you see our new fashionable lunch bags for adults? And of course, our Maggie Bag Seatbelt purses are always a hit.

Of course these days everything leads into the many wonderful Earth Day activities around the country. Don’t forget to visit us at Earth Day Indiana at the White River State Park on Saturday the 24th from 11:00am to 4:00pm AND 5% of sales go to the Jane Goodall Institute. Our booth will be under a tent in case it rains and we sell those classic eco friendly umbrellas to keep you dry all day!

If you can’t make it out to Earth Day, you can order on line to give Jane Goodall her 5%, plus you can use the code EARTH15 at check out in the promotion code field and get your 15% off your order (valid until April 25th)!

- e.

A GREEN Musical Cincy Day!

2010-04-19T12:33:00.007-04:00

We had great weather and a wonderful crowd at the Cincinnati Earth Day celebration on Saturday. Celery Street had a booth filled with a lot of our regular products and some of our great new finds.

We also loved the live music! Who was that singing group? Wild Carrot? We have just become fans! This is not just a “local” band. Kentucky Music Weekend says it's "one of the top folk groups around today."

We also enjoyed the young composers who wrote and performed their music about Mother Earth. It’s nice to know the next generations are concerned about taking good care of the Earth.

The Cincinnati crowd really liked our women’s purses….and we have lots of new ones to choose from! They also snapped up our zippered coin purse selection made of eco friendly materials. The kids gravitated toward our Shaineswear, eco friendly kids wristbands. People like to make a statement and wear it!

Cincinnati hosted a great event and we thank you!

- e.

Spring/Summer Eco Purses & Totes: Celery Street on WTHR!

2010-04-14T07:24:00.004-04:00

When the Lights Go Out Everything Will Be Green!

2010-03-24T13:16:00.011-04:00

Earth Hour is March 27th, 2010 from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. This internationally observed event aims to reduce energy consumption (CO2 emissions) simply by switching off lights for ONE hour. Sounds very basic and effortless…but it’s very powerful!

Last year one billion people turned off their lights for one hour. City governments, the Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Las Vegas Strip, and Eiffel Tower all went dark.

Watch the video and see everything go dark! Sign up and make your pledge on the official Earth Hour web site.

- e

Dresses That Transform People and Fashion

2010-03-10T20:46:00.013-05:00

This eco friendly world I am part of never ceases to amaze me! In searching for the perfect dress for the Indiana Green Business Awards dinner, I checked out my favorite haunt, Leslie Jane’s, and found not only the perfect dress but discovered another green spirited designer with so much talent.

Liz Alig creates fashion forward dresses that are eco-friendly and give back to the community…in the case of Liz, a much larger community.

She studied clothing and textiles at Lipscomb University in Nashville Tennessee, but her wandering nature brought her to thrift stores, Africa, Asia and Honduras. This combination of travels and Liz’s need to give back has inspired her 2010 Spring Vintage Collection. For this collection she partnered with Mi Esperanza, a nonprofit who provide skills training and assistance to the women of Honduras. The Village Collection was sewn by women who have graduated from this program and 10% of the sales from my dress will go back to Mi Esperanza which furthers opportunities for these women.

The dress I purchased is one-of-a-kind made from thrift store dresses repurposed by women in Honduras. I love my dress for more reasons than it just looks good….it does good.

- e.

Receiving a Green Trophy in March?

2010-02-28T12:53:00.019-05:00

It looks like Celerystreet.com is getting noticed again…or at least half of the founders have been noticed. That would be me, “e”.

I am a finalist in the Indiana Green Business Awards in the category of “Enterprising Woman of the Year”. This would be someone who juggles a home, family, community involvement, and has started a successful green, sustainable, and eco-friendly business.

I get to meet Sara Snow, the author and TV host of Discovery Network’s "Get Fresh with Sara Snow”! And if I win or am the runner-up, will I get a recycled trophy? Picture a previously championed baseball league trophy with someone else’s name on it…like Jimmy Jones, 1985 Centerfield Regional Championship. That trophy will have a beautiful sash of recycled fabric that says "IGBA, Enterprising Woman of the Year, 2010." I think that would be pretty green and comical too! Actually, I have no idea what the winner receives - the title alone is plenty and I just know it is going to be a great evening.

I am really looking forward to meeting all these amazing finalists and hearing about their “green projects” in categories like sustainable transport, natural habitats and wildlife, sustainable water…14 all together. It will be a very enlightening awards ceremony gala dinner on March 24th.

Oh, and if you haven’t noticed we have been featured on quite a few blogs lately. I discovered a new website/blog, http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2010/02/27/eco-deal-of-the-day-celery-street/, that has loads of green info...I really like all the green fashion videos! Visit the site and read the Celery Street review they featured some of our great eco friendly products.

- e

The Green Police!

2010-02-11T11:33:00.006-05:00

Super Bowl Commercials this year were inspired, funny, and some a little annoying but my favorite of all were those Green Police! Audi A3 TDI Clean diesel with the help of Cheap Trick did a hilarious job of reminding us that it is all about eco choices and lending a hand to Mother Nature. And buying an Audi A3 TDI clean diesel. Betty White with a Snickers bar in hand, driving off in an Audi A3 TDI after her football with the boys would have been really inspired. She washes off the Snickers wrapper and puts it into the recycle bin. Is that even possible??

Cheap Trick actually went back to the studio to rescore the famous “Dream Police” song.

Another Green Police PSA came out, thanks to this Green Police song by Cheap Trick. These Green Police are about protecting and conserving the earth, one napkin at a time. More than one billion pounds of napkins could be kept out of our landfills if we use the correct amount of napkins for our food. Follow this simple formula. 1 = 1. 1 piece of pizza = 1 napkin. 1 hamburger = 1 napkin. See for yourself!

You heard him. These Green Police will be hitting the streets after February 7th. They are out there…Napkin Abuse. It’s no Joke.

- e

As Lovely as a Tree!

2010-01-20T09:27:00.020-05:00

Have you ever thought about how a tree must feel knowing that in our culture a “tree hugger” is a joke, a negative connotation, or a non conformist in society? Don’t dare hug a tree…you could get cooties! Or you might get that liberal disease. So, let me ask....what did trees ever do to you? Trees have no political agenda. Trees provide us air to breath, shade to rest, shelter and homes for animals, beauty to this earth…I’m not a big science fiction or fantasy fan but the scene in Lord of the Rings where those giant old trees (below) rise up from their roots to save and revenge their own - gives me goose bumps. Okay, enough about trees today. But, think about it. Go hug a tree today…for real. And tell that tree how important he (or she!) is to your world.

Make some tree friends….

- e.

Those Green Girl Scouts!

2009-12-29T19:15:00.009-05:00

A few days before Christmas I got a phone call from a friend who has a small but mighty 7th grade Girl Scout Troop. Seems these young entrepreneurs have been sewing and scraping together re-giftable gift bags hoping to save trees and make some “green” on the side.

They came over and gave me a full presentation showing me the variety of sizes/dimensions and different patterns. I chose the Christmas fabrics and plan to reuse them every year under the tree. Birthday and Hostess fabrics can also be collected from scraps at Goodwill, grandma’s attic, or the remnant section at the fabric store. Such a great idea! You sew up three sides and run a ribbon through the top binding seam. The gift cards attached were hole punched old greeting card fronts.

Great green thinking Caroline, Jenna, and Ally! I know that the spirit of one old tree friend is very proud of you right now.

- e.

Our favorite addictions are becoming fair trade!

2009-12-11T18:34:00.011-05:00

I don’t know about you, but right now I am tempted daily by all the chocolate holiday treats and need my latte just to keep up with all this Christmas Spirit!

Starbucks is already the world’s largest purchaser of Fair Trade coffee and now they also switched their European espresso to 100% fair-trade. What started out in UK and Ireland covers all of the Europe. That is an estimated $2,800,000.00 annual payment to small scale coffee farmers around the world. To learn more about Starbucks commitment visit www.starbuck.com/sharedplane t

Now on to Chocolate...

Kraft Foods has come out with a new line of premium dark chocolate called Cote d’ Or which is Rainforest Alliance Certified. Not an easy task. Nestle is also in talks to source and certify the Kit Kat bar as fair-trade. Can you believe that this is the bestselling brand of chocolate bar in Britain? This new bar will initially be rolled out in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Find out more information or to read the press release.

So not only have the scientists proven that coffee and chocolate are actually good for you but now these large companies are making us feel even better about consuming that Mocha Latte!

And just for giggles…check out the award-winning Gamling911.com writer Jenny Woo who was dipped in chocolate at a fundraising event to support the positive benefits of plastic surgery.

She admitted that although Cocoa butter is good for your skin…she had the bugs following her for days after the dip.

- e.

JUST IN: Fabulous New Womens Purses and Totes From Engage Green!

2009-11-25T13:14:00.011-05:00

Wow.Wow. And Wow. I absolutely love these new purses and cosmetic totes! I want one of each for myself! Or better yet, I think I'll add these to my holiday wish list.

In order to create the paper fabric, a narrow strip of paper is evenly cut and twisted to create strength. At the same time, yarn is used for weaving the fabric and sometimes organic cotton fibers are added for extra durability. The handles may look and feel like leather, but are made of recycled plastic (PETE). The plastic comes from recycled used soda and water bottles from your curbside recycling programs!

Earth Friendly Woven Purse (pink/brown) - This purse is beautifully lined in a brown cotton lining with a zip pocket and mobile phone holder. Zip closure. The brown with pink highlights is so chic…and the bag is so green!

Earth Friendly Cosmetic Bag (green/brown) - This cute cosmetic bags is made from recycled paper has a zipper closure and green cotton lining. Looks too nice to be recycled paper! It is "green", biodegradable, durable, water resistant, light weight, and the list goes on! Simply wipe it clean with a wet cloth.

Eco Woven Handbag (beige) - This purse is beautifully lined in a brown and beige cotton lining with a zip pocket and mobile phone holder. Zip closure and recycled plastic corners for protection. Not only is thiseco handbag beautiful…you will feel so proud of yourself using it!

FREE SHIPPING - Black Friday thru Cyber Monday!

2009-11-19T19:40:00.009-05:00

ENJOY FREE SHIPPING!
Black Friday thru Cyber Monday

Shop early this Holiday season and take
advantage of FREE SHIPPING from
November 27th - 30th.
(Valid on orders $50 or more)

Enter code
FREESHIP at checkout.

Coming Soon: December Daily Specials!
The Holidays are quickly approaching! But no need to worry because we've got lots of fun new eco friendly products for everyone on your gift list - including fantastic teacher gifts!

Also, keep an eye out for our December daily specials - featured during the first two weeks of the month of December! Follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@celerystreet) to get details and deals as they come!

Celery Street Giveaway on Prissy Green!

2009-10-15T19:55:00.011-04:00

We've partnered with Prissy Green to host a giveaway! Visit the blog and find out how to win our Sonoma Spa Pillow and our gorgeous eco-friendly Handmade Embroidered journal

To enter, all you have to do is chose something from our site (like, one of our Eco Friendly Gifts, a hansome Leather Writing Journal or a Unique Eco Tote Bag) that you would love to have given to YOU as GIFT and post it on the Prissy Green blog. Contest winners are chosen by random and the contest ends at 11:59pm EST, on 10/28/09.

Celery is NOT so bad...

2009-10-09T13:36:00.012-04:00

As I pulled up my regular AOL account, I was dismayed to read that the AOL Food Editors asked their readers which foods hit their "yuck button"...can you believe that celery was one of the first ones mentioned?! Check out all of America's Least Favorite Foods as reported by the AOL Food Editors...interesting choices, people!

They were mostly overwhelmed by the huge response….over 78,000 people voted in the SplashFood Poll for America's most hated foods. Spam, mayonnaise, blue cheese, sardines, and even peanut butter were all likely suspects. Quotes about celery included, “Nothing is as horrible as celery” and “Celery is disgusting”.

Really? Is celery all that bad? We don't think so...and either do nutritionists, doctors and all you health nuts out there. Celery is high in fiber and is low-cal and low fat. Read about the good in celery in an article posted on Healthmad.com.

Here at Celery Street, we consider celery an icon, if you will. Or, maybe even our mascot? Although we certainly don’t own a celery suit (um, yes, there is actually a suit of celery you can buy!) we do have to admit, we love our celery! We do, however, prefer our celery in chicken salad, with peanut butter (pardon us peanut butter haters), or of course, in our bloody marys.

Eat that celery haters.

- e.

A Green Transition Leads to a Local Sale on Housewares & Home Decor!

2009-09-17T07:17:00.017-04:00

We are excited to announce that will soon make the transition to sell primarily green gifts and accessories to our customers. In addition to the many gifts and accessories currently found on our site, we are thrilled to keep expanding our selection of eco womens purses, unique writing journals, eco friendly jewelry, stainless steel water bottles, and more.

We’ve learned that these items are exactly what you - our customer - are looking for when you come shopping on our site, so why not give you an even bigger and better selection of the things you love?

In this transition, we will eventually no longer offer our larger items like house wares, home décor and bath products. That's great news for local shoppers because we're hosting a three-day sale (get 50-70% off!) on several items we'll no longer be available on our web site. More info about the Indianapolis sale is below.

Celery Street Warehouse Sale
September 17th thru 18th, 9:00am - 6:00pm
September 19th, 10:00am - 5:00pm
8575 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268

The warehouse is located at the corner of 86th an Zionsville Road, in Prologis Building 1 directly behind the Speedway Gas Station.

In the end, we are very exited to make this change! This gives us the opportunity to focus on offering you a much larger variety of the products you're looking for! Be sure to keep an eye out for our expanding selection of fun, unique eco-friendly gifts and green-accessories!

The ONE water bottle for the pool, the jungle, the outback and the office…

2009-09-03T08:50:00.017-04:00

These new Ech2O water bottles with filters are a fabulous way to become plastic water bottle-free...and faucet water free! You ask me, why would I want to do that?

Does your office water have a metallic after taste from all the chemicals used to CLEAN it? Are you planning a camping trip to the mountains and don’t want to carry a water supply? Is your office or home using well water in an area known for pesticide and insecticide mushroom clouds? Some of you who visited our booth on Earth Day bought this filtered water bottle to take along on third world mission trips.

My husband first tried out this stainless steel bottle on our spring Break in Florida where he scooped chlorinated water out of a turquoise, L-shaped swimming pool. Everyone at the pool that afternoon got a filtered H2O cocktail from the Ech2o and it tasted like plain old water. Although I thought I was getting Vodka.

Last week we had the Ech2o water bottle with filter with us in the Snowy Range of Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. He scooped water out of every stream, lake, and puddle. Again, it tasted like fresh, clean, clear drinking water. It’s proven itself to be a great camping water bottle. The exclusive straw filter removes up to 99.99% of pollutants, and a lot of the biologicals, chemicals and dissolved solids. You can read the nasty list on the description for the Ech2o. We shot a video of our field test actually dipping the water bottle into the lake and drinking it.

Here’s JD photographing the speckled blankets of wildflowers, the nubby trees that have fallen and the babbling brook from which he just filled his Ech2o filtered water bottle! He got some beautiful shots for the website. The Ech2o water bottles along with other great water bottles can be found at Celery Street.

Something good about SUGAR!? Yes, as a matter of fact there is.

2009-07-15T13:17:00.027-04:00

Yes, sugar can be good for you! In it's sugarcane pulp form, it's actually green and great for making sugarcane paper.

So instead of downing that double-chocolate chip cookie, triple chocolate chip brownie, and three layer cake (need I go on?), why not try writing about it in one of our O’Bon writing journals made with sugarcane paper. Even if you still eat the cookie, brownie, and the cake while you are writing in that sugar journal, you CAN feel good about not chopping down a large old oak tree to provide the paper.

Sugarcane paper is made of Bagasse or sugarcane pulp…not trees and recycled card stock. Discarded sugarcane produces high quality, low cost paper. These O'Bon spiral bound writing journals use ink which is soy based and non toxic. They are also very reasonably priced.

Writing Journals - Spiral Bound Bird Series by O'Bon

The crimson feather image represents the birds who’s habitats will not be destroyed by using this notebook/writing journal. Now you have saved a tree and a bird! Write another page on how good your second cookie tasted.

Check out our entire selection of unique writing journals - and while your at it, why not use our green animal pencils made from recycled newspapers? The perfect compliment to your eco-friendly writing experience.

- e.

One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Recycled Art

2009-06-08T19:45:00.005-04:00

If one picture is worth one thousand words than how many words does it take to describe a picture of something recycled? For you mathematicians out there I ask you…is there such a formula? Seems to me that the second or third life of an object does not preclude its earlier lives…therefore recycled art is worth more words and is worth taking note of.

Above are some examples of furniture made from recycled materials found on the weburbanist blog (check out the grocery cart chair - genius!). Below is a recycled dog made from a sundry of colorful toys, created by contemporary London artist, Robert Bradford.

I want this dog! I think my pooches would enjoy playing with him!

- e.

Green Beauty Products (literally)!

2009-05-28T20:39:00.020-04:00

Is beauty only skin deep? The ingredients sometimes aren’t! I’m trying to be more eco-friendly with my hair care, creams, lipstick and that green nail polish. It is not always easy.

Then I found a website - www.cosmeticdatabase.com. I can research all these strange unpronounceable words on the back of my makeup, lotions, and shampoo bottles and determine if they are poisonous or not. The best part is that I can look them up by product brand and type…it's so easy!

Now the next question is…of all these healthy eco-friendly new products, which actually work and are affordable? I’ve got a few favorites like Zoya nail polish that's and 365 Herbal Mint Shampoo found at Whole Foods on their private label.

Would love to hear about your favorites! Let us know what eco-friendly products you love and we'll be sure to give them a test.

- e.

New Chatter About Celery Street!

2009-04-15T20:26:00.013-04:00

Exciting news from Celery Street! We found out that we've been featured in two great places!

Nuvo, Indianapolis' #1 alternative newspaper-magazine recently interviewed us and we were featured in their annual Green Guide. We were so thrilled after reading the article, which gives information on how why we began our business, what inspires them us to "go green" and how we research the eco-friendly items on our website. The writer did such a great job telling our story in a fun, yet informative way. Be sure to check out the article and more green news in the latest on Nuvo.com, or if you live in Indy, simply pick up Nuvo's Green Guide at your local coffee shop or grocery store.

In other news, Celery Street was also featured in the Cool Mom Picks M oth er 's Day Gift Guide. Our beautiful, handmade, unique writing journals were listed as a top pick for Moms this holiday. We're no stranger to Cool Mom Picks, a fun, fabulous, and informative website for moms offering daily reviews and recommendations on cool, hip, and unique products for mom, kids, & baby. We've been lucky to have our products featured twice before! Check out the Cool Mom Pick's Mother's Day Gift Guide for fun ideas on unique gifts for Mom! Plus, get special discount codes for most companies featured (including us!).

Our Fun Feature in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine!

2009-04-07T19:37:00.008-04:00

Hey Moms! Next time you're at the bookstore or local grocery store, be sure pick up the April issue of Pregnancy & Newborn magazine to find our green umbrella featured. You'll also find smart ideas for green living and a number of other great eco-friendly products for mom, baby and the rest of the family.

Green Fundraising!

2009-03-20T10:35:00.006-04:00

I could probably wall paper my house in wrapping paper, open up a bakery with all the cookie dough, and gain 50 pounds with my life of Girl Scout Cookie orders…all supporting wonderful causes, but it's time to put a green twist on local and school fundraising.

Do we really need more stuff? Nothing tastes as good as raw cookie dough…and I did not give up Girl Scout Cookies this year…not yet. Our preferred gift wrap is the Sunday Comics, which not only looks fun but supplies some humor after the present is opened.

What are the options? For those of you who are local, contact me at Celery Street and I’ll connect you with Paragon Promotions, a great local school fundraising organization where I can buy energy efficient light bulbs, shopping bags, eco-friendly cleaning products, soy candles, and flower bulbs AND a percent of the proceeds goes back to the school PTO!

Nationally, I recommend www.ecolabelfundraising.com. All green products including coffee, chocolate, stationary, totes, water bottles, and much more. Items can be purchased online or by using their catalog. Between 25 to 40 percent of your proceeds go back to your school or organization.

So, continue to save the planet and support your children’s causes at the same time…use green fundraising!

- e.

It's ALL About Celery!

2009-03-10T15:46:00.046-04:00

Trying to come up with a creative website name that screams green was not easy. Every vegetable and fruit is already taken, or a squatter is waiting for the right offer to sell his off! So, we decided to involve all our friends and had phone calls at all hours with “eureka, I’ve got it!” ideas for this eco-friendly business, now known as Celery Street. I like the name.

Of course, some customers contact us looking for groceries…celery in particular. Others laughingly break out in a rendition of the famous Sesame Street theme song. It’s a fun name.

Then I stumbled across h ttp://www.celeryfree.blogspot.c o m / and laughed so hard I almost peed in my pants! Check out the February 25th, 2009 blog post. They mention us! The blog spot is written by the League For The Suppression of Celery. They asked “What is it with eco-friendly companies naming themselves after celery? Is celery the only green vegetable that these people can think of when starting their companies?” The answer is, no, it's not, but it's fun and upon reading this "celeryfree" blog our name proved again to be very entertaining!

Did you know that John Kerry apparently hates celery and they want to make him their spokesperson?! Re ad more and find other delicious facts about celery haters.

- e.

*Eddie's new job image courtesy of Violent Veg

*Celery Picker image courtesy of Flickr.com

I LIKE green eggs and ham in a boat and on a goat and across the ocean…

2009-02-09T18:58:00.028-05:00

Many and most tossed books in this country are shredded and reduced to pulp. These are the books that survived the garage sales, the Goodwills, and the used book stores. No one wants them. But, like the Velveteen Rabbit, every book needs to be read and appreciated. In reality, the destructive chemical processes used to destroy the books also release harmful environmental pollutants. Contrary to what you may think, these discarded books are usually in good condition. They are simply weeded out because of publication dates, space constraints, or minor imperfections.

That’s where Hands Across the Water comes in. Around the world, communities often have to ration their few tattered books. Students in schools don’t have their own copies and libraries are afraid to let their inadequate collections circulate. A typical child growing up in the more stable countries of sub-Saharan Africa rarely, if ever, have the chance to borrow a book, even if he can read. Hands Across the Water seeks to correct this imbalance of reading material. They redistribute rescued books to needy schools, libraries, and other community based nonprofit organizations. The Velveteen Rabbit Book finds a second home.

Only a few States are involved at this point. Drop offs are listed on the website. Does your community, school, or church have a sister city or a mission partner overseas that would appreciate used text books, Sunday School/VBS materials, or any literature? Why not start your own “recirculation of books” group?!

Visit surplusbooksforcharity.org to find out more information and pass on your Green Eggs and Ham across the ocean to more people who LIKE them.

- e.

This is a Test…How Blue (or Green) Are You?

2009-01-27T16:17:00.019-05:00

If you are having a great day, then don’t try this test. If you want to take another step into the green zone…actually the aqua blue zone, then take this test.

How much water does your household use up on average? You will be so surprised. www.h2oconserve.org has an amazing little calculated quiz with questions that are rather difficult (I had to get out my calculator on a few of them) and it's educational. Educational in that you get to find out what this means: Do the people in your household let it mellow? The answer will have you saying “yuk!"

Did you know that we flush away 3.5 to 6 gallons of water with every toilet stop?

I found out that our household was not as green as I liked to perceive. We are a pathetic shade of metallic lime….

I dare you to try it. Have a clear cool glass of aqua while you are typing out your water sins…a good visual…a healthy reminder of how important our water is.

- e.

Mi Casa es Su Casa at CasaSugar.com!

2009-01-22T21:12:00.019-05:00

CasaSugar.com is part of the ever-so-trendy Sugar Family Network and Celery Street was lucky to be featured in a great review of our website and a handful of our eco-friendly products for home!

Offering design ideas (many of them green!) and inspiration, CasaSugar is the "place to indulge all of your home-related hankerings, from decorating trends and gardening tips to strategies for getting organized." Check out CasaSugar's favorites and see the review for yourself!

A few of CasaSugar favorites included our wine glass made from recycled glass, trug tubs made from recycled tires, and our fantastic recycled plastic rugs!

It's Cold Outside for some of us...

2009-01-12T10:04:00.022-05:00

For those of us living out our January in the colder portion of this US of A, I have some suggestions. These suggestions are not just about warming you up physically, but, warm you up to being more eco-friendly and thinking “green”!

Did you know that if you set your thermostat one degree lower for heat this winter, you could save $100.00 per year on your utility bill?! If everybody in every house in this country did the same thing, we could save more than $10 billion per year in energy costs. That is enough to provide a year’s worth of gasoline, electricity, and natural gas to every person in Iowa! Not bad, considering our shrinking pocket books and our shrinking planet.

So, now comes the part about staying warm and cozy. Check out Celery Street’s eco-friendly blankets. Our Global Mamas beautiful soft patchwork batik quilt is handcrafted from the leftover 100% cotton fabric scraps used in clothing production. The colorful collection of patchwork squares is backed by recycled 100% cotton flour sacks. Each quilt has a tag telling the Global Mamas story about women in Africa attaining economic independence producing this and other products. These blankets are so soft and such a conversation piece. I just love mine!

If half of the polyester fabric made in the United States each year were produced with recycled materials, it would be enough to cover the entire state of New York. That fact reminds me of the visual impact of the 1,293,300 square foot AIDS memorial quilt that covered the front lawn of the White House. Compare that to the size of the State of New York and realize what a small difference we can all make by reusing fabrics or buying recycled fabrics.

Wrap up and stay warm…and green!

- e.

*The above facts are from one of my favorite resources: the green book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen, AIDS quilt picture courtesy of Flickr.com.

Reorganize, reuse, and regive in 2009!

2009-01-03T15:44:00.040-05:00

Does one of your new year’s resolutions have something to do with organizing? For some of us, that may mean “I REALLY need to organize my life” or... “I need to organize the kid’s toys” or...“I need to organize my collection of cooking utensils." Whatever your project is, why not make it interesting and green?!

If your life needs a major overhaul, there are professionals available for hire. These people actually get paid to come into your house, take stock in your life, your stuff, and teach you how to be a neat nick! Check your yellow pages for organization professionals.

So while you are rummaging through all those personal belongings, think of those organizations that need donations - abuse shelters, children’s homes, senior centers. Did you know that all those old magazines can live a second life in a nursing home? Those toys get loved all over again at a children’s home or by the children in the shelters. Green people have great hearts!

Below are some eco friendly product ideas from Celery Street to help you get your life organized in 2009!

Above: Our fun, bright, organizational baskets (trug tubs!) to divide and conquer the things you keep!

How about cooking utensils storage...or a silly doggie writing journals to list all those places you're going to donate and recycle your old stuff?

Happy 2009 and we hope to see you soon at Celery Street!

- e

Trading, Swapping, Contests, and Winnings!

2008-12-16T13:02:00.006-05:00

Getting what you want without using money is a very green technique and so cool. Kami from Illinois who entered the Props and Pans blog spot contest and won one of our “All Nighter” Dirt Candles! Congrats Kami!

How about trading services with a friend? Don’t pay for a babysitter. Bring your kids to a friend’s house and offer to watch her kids next time she goes out. Or how about asking your electrician neighbor to fix that light switch in the basement that never worked and you, being a dentist, clean all his kids teeth in exchange….okay, something like that anyway.

A green economy is a community of people meeting each others’ needs---and there are many creative ways to connect and prosper without using money. Personal connections are made…and the bargaining begins! How about swapping books, toys, clothes…. Remember the days of grandma’s classic recipe exchange?! This concept has been around for a long time.
Check out http://www.freecycle.org/ for more information on swaps.

- e

Dirt Candle Giveaway with Props & Pans!

2008-12-04T12:44:00.033-05:00

Let me explain, Dirt Candles are not dirty or made out of dirt...many people have asked me that very question! They're just as natural as good old fashioned dirt that gets under your finger nails when you are gardening…okay, I guess that didn’t help!

Anyways, the best part about Dirt Candles (besides the fact that they are all soy, recycled glass and recycled cardboard, etc.) is that they smell SO good. I love the natural smelling aromas as they drift through the entire house and actually improve my mood on a day that stinks (pun intended).

In honor of our review today on Props and Pans, we're giving away a Dirt Candle of your choice to one lucky reader! Read the 11 fragrance descriptions on Celery Street and comment on our blog to tell us which fragrance best matches your personality! We will announce one random winner on Tuesday, December 9^th.

The Best Friends Dirt Candle, with scents of hibiscus, tulips, hyacinth, lily of the valley, jasmine, gardenia rose, lemon, and lavender essential oil, perfectly reflects my kitchen where those four legged fuzzy members of the family hang out, waiting for a morsel to fall.

We look forward to seeing your favorites and reading your comments!

- e.

Storybooks to go!

2008-12-03T08:19:00.023-05:00

First off, I wanted to congratulate Jennifer again on winning the Sheriff Daisy Bag from Mielie at our Open House. And I needed a reason to post this cute picture...smile Jen!

In other Celery Street news, we got more cool bags in! Our new Recycled Storybook Purses from Repurposed 4 You have such great character (no pun intended)! Each purse is handmade from the pages of recycled children’s books and stitched to vinyl, keeping the pages looking fresh and fun. Great care has been taken to salvage the perfect original preloved books, place them with the best recycled textiles and sew them with love. Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham, Richard Scarry Cars and Trucks or Sendak’s Wild Things will have people stopping you in the streets to recite a favorite line from their favorite book. It is amazing how those stories are ingrained in our memories from our own childhood or from reading the story 440 times to our own children!

Where The Wild Things Are is one of my favorites. “No, no, please don’t go, I’ll eat you up I love you so!” I still like saying that to my now 12-year-old son who no longer appreciates it! Here is Maurice Sendak reading with some of his little fans at the Manhattan Museum.

-e.

picture of Maurice Sendak courtesy of Getty Images

Another Great Way to Recycle Plastic Bags!

2008-11-24T15:16:00.018-05:00

Yesterday my family had the opportunity to help feed a hot lunch to homeless people at Roberts Park Church in Downtown Indianapolis. It's a huge operation that takes lots of planning and caring people to make it a tremendous success.

Our “green” moment was when we were given hundreds of used plastic grocery sacks to fill up with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, donated granola bars, chips, etc. that each visitors took with them to eat for dinner or breakfast. People had collected these plastic bags from their grocery trips and donated them to the church for exactly this purpose. Okay, now this is one of those pale shade of green areas. Yes, they should not be using plastic bags in the first place but yes, these plastic bags are lovingly being collected and reused - to feed someone.

Green comes in many shades and until the plastic companies quit making the plastic bags and stores quit using them…these bags are special. I decided not to think “green” for that day and think with my heart.
On another note, if you are still using plastic grocery bags, our fun Eco Tote Bags from Malia Designs are perfect to cart around your groceries! These small totes are made from recycled Vietnamese rice bags and increase economic opportunity for women in developing countries. You're not only "buying green", you'll be helping a great cause as well!

- e.

On the Green Home Front...

2008-11-12T19:44:00.015-05:00

We hosted our first Green Open House and I have to say, we were busy, busy, busy and pleased as punch (green punch that is)! We invited friends and local "green people" to our warehouse/showroom for some organic wine and delectable’s, along with the opportunity to shop on the green home front without paying for shipping. Great green combination!

My friend Cathy walked straight out with all her purchases including the Sonoma Lavender Recycled Cotton Spa Neck Pillow heated up in the microwave for a relaxing drive home!

A few thanks that I want to give...

My friend Jan who was busy in the warehouse washing wine glasses since she noticed the crowd growing and the glasses getting low… thanks Jan. Thanks to our friends at Endangered Species Chocolate who have a warehouse down the street, we had a huge bowl of yummy organic chocolate to offer each guest…thanks Renee! Thank you Lynn Jenkins from Indiana Living Green, Jeff Miller with the Indiana Recycling Coalition, the folks from Traders Point Creamery and all of you Green Piece Indy subscribers for celebrating our day with us. Jennifer was a lucky winner of a purse of her choice. Her pick? The Mielie Bag.

It felt good to be embraced by friends and the “green” central Indiana community… to know there are others who are trying to live green and still enjoy shopping!

Also want to thank my mom in law for coming in town to help out….for an “old lady” (pardon me Grandma Kay!) ….she is pretty swift with computer technology and has taught me a few things!
Back to shipping…

e.

Green Party Preparations!

2008-11-03T20:35:00.005-05:00

I’ve been busy planning for our green Open House event this Thursday. Lucky for the local Indianapolis people…they will get an opportunity to touch and feel all the green goodies at celerystreet.com!

My open house preparations have left me with many choices. Recycled paper plates cannot be recycled again…but they are biodegradable once tossed out the second time in their sad lives. Plates made out of recycled plastics are reusable, but they also have a short sad life depending on how many times they survive the DISHWASHER! We could daintily balance our organic appetizers on the recycled paper napkins, although that would mean return trips for seconds and thirds…. I could bring a collection of china dishes and some dish soap….but then I would miss all the fun! All I want is easy, cheap, chic, and green! Sometimes harder than you think. I’ll ponder more on this tomorrow.

I love the color of recycled wine glasses we just got in. The heavenly venetian red really dresses up a glass of wine, the table it sits on, and the entire room! The color reminds me of the old stain glass windows in churches. I’m looking forward to using these for our holiday, valentines, or any festive occasion.

Now the next question for this soiree….Organic Lemonade? Organic wine? Organic Vodka with Lemonade? Could be an interesting day!

Big Weekend at Celery Street!

2008-10-27T13:26:00.018-04:00

We’ve been featured on www.coolmompicks.com! It's a great site for moms looking to find hip, new, and unusual stuff. We just added a little “green” to their fun website! We included a 15% code for Cool Mom Pick readers. (Check it out to receive the discount code!). Liz especially liked the Metal Pointus jewelry, the Scrappies, and our eco-friendly writing journals and cute rain umbrellas!

Another exciting thing that happened this weekend...

Did you get a chance to see High School Musical 3?! I went with my daughter and our friends. We were THRILLED to see Gabrielle (Vanessa Hudgens) toting our Mielie Bag! Gabrielle (Vanessa's character) is going green! I carried this bag myself for several months this summer and was stopped on the streets for “where did you get that purse?!” requests. I always had my Celery Street business card ready! - e.

picture courtesy of disney.com

Scrappies and scraps of recycled mess!

2008-10-23T21:38:00.015-04:00

This is an ugly scrappy mess of recycled goods collecting in my garage. I try to recycle everything. Those clever green magazines and books explain how to design your ideal recycle station. I cringe. Recyclable materials are still trash and trash comes in many different shapes, textures, sizes and smells. The curbside program picks up all my #1 and #2 plastics, glass, aluminum and newspaper. But the rest I designate to my garage collection (pictured above!). Lovely, eh?

Now can’t you just see these little Scrappies skinny or triangle cats hanging out on your couch, your window seat, a book shelf, or adorning a loved one’s bed? Those are cute scraps!! Scrappies wooly pins are also available. All are one of a kind and handmade. Designer Sarah Steedman has been sewing her entire life. Her Scrappynation products are made using recycled sweaters, clothes, and accessories as much as possible. The polyfil stuffing is made in Chicago by workers at CARC, an employment facility for adults with developmental disabilities. Each cat and pin is unique dependent on the fabric scrap colors used.

Here’s to the messy and the cute side of scraps!

Time to pick up Acorns!

2008-10-13T12:00:00.002-04:00

It’s fall! Time for raking leaves, eating caramel apples and carving pumpkins!

How about this organic cotton acorn hat for your precious little nut?! Hand crocheted, using only natural colors and no dyes, the softness and quality are undeniable. Just try not to laugh or at least smile at your little one wearing this hat!

I love the thought felt story behind the hat too. Linda Day, of DayLee Designs has put a 1920 photo of her mother in a classic hat, age 2, on the tag with this message, “Crochet is an artistic tradition that is handed from woman to woman. In each piece I design you will find a small bead worked into the pattern, in honor of my Mother, who taught me to crochet and helped me develop my creative spirit.”

I am such a softy for stories like that.

e.

Our blog is live, green, and growing bloggets!

2008-10-10T09:15:00.010-04:00

We’ve got lots of things going on at Celery Street right now! We have completed the move to our cool new office/warehouse and things are looking very eclectic and 70s ish around here with all the auction and Goodwill finds!

Also…
Celery Street was selected and WE are honored to participate in California First Lady Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference! They selected one of leather writing journals.

We'll soon kick off our Orange Sale, so watch for announcements. Also, keep checking in with us - I’d love some of your comments too!

Eco-friendly, Used Up and Loved

2008-10-05T09:29:00.005-04:00

One word. Auction. We had a tremendous day at Christy’s Auction House in Indianapolis. You can preview products to be auctioned on their website ahead of time at www.christys.com Many auction houses operate this way now. Register with a credit card, get your number and then wander through the four buildings where several auctions are going on simultaneously.

The auctioneers have a great sense of humor and calmed my fears immediately on bidding on a nineteenth century hat stand just because I was itching a mosquito bite on my nose… If you look lost, they ask you if you are lost…and they explain. JD had patience with me and we had a very productive day. We purchased two large heavy 1970’s style desks with solid wood tops and turquoise medal drawers and trim and four- five drawer file cabinets in turquoise and gold to match the desks. That lovely 70’s gold color! Two wooden doctor’s office reception room type chairs with orange and two with blue upholstered seats and backs will seat guests of Celery Street. For my recycled art wall an antique framed sketch of a Victorian era couple playing chess and knocking the board over as they pause for a quick kiss. All of these items combined for… $162.00! More desks needed, but it was a great start. Being eco-friendly is not only good for the earth it is good for your pocket book.

Yesterday, my son and I visited Goodwill and the Salvation Army to find more recycled art. We also found a couple of laundry baskets and large Rubbermaid containers for the office recycle program.

We arrived at the office last night to join JD and my daughter who were painting the main room a beautiful shade of orange to suit our new décor. The eco friendly paint was available at Lowes Hardware.Eight coffee mugs from the Salvation Army also good for tea… are that same puce gold and left over from a convention in Orlando Florida in 2006…each mug has three palm trees on it.

We are green! We are trying. It is fun (and a little scary) to save money, decorate the office, and plow ahead as the Dow Jones took a dive this week. We are optimistic. After all, Maria Shriver picked a leather writing journal from our eco friendly selecton…anything is possible! More on that later…

A Word or Two on Paperboard

2008-09-11T09:27:00.002-04:00

My good friend Gigi just accomplished a very green beautiful thing. Our little community will now have a paperboard recycling bin behind city hall. The closest drop off available to us before this momentous green Gigi moment was downtown Indianapolis…about 10 miles away... very difficult to travel with paperboard boxes tied to your back while peddling your bicycle. Personally I just drive my fuel burning automobile downtown to deliver the paperboard…also a very difficult thing to do, difficult on my conscience anyway.

So what is paperboard? Paperboard is flat, not corrugated like cardboard. We are talking about cereal boxes, granola bar boxes, 6 pack beverage cartons, etc. Not the waxy finished products like milk cartons.

Over 57% of Americans have easy access to paperboard recycling, up from 46% in 2000. Additionally, the number of communities collecting paperboard for recycling increased to 41% in 2005. Paperboard is circling back around.

Paperboard is rather green since it is 100% recyclable. The extended list of brands using recycled paperboard is as obvious as Tom’s of Maine all the way to giants aka Xerox Corporation. See www.rpa100.com.

Better than plastic? Paperboard Materials are made of sustainable materials using specially-raised crop trees, waste products like sawdust and wood chips, and recycled paper/paperboard fibers. Sustainable wood fibers from farm-raised trees are the primary raw material in paperboard packaging. The forest products industry plants 1.7 million trees a day – which exceeds the number of trees harvested.

I have to mention the reuse factor of paperboard too…those school projects…the mock up cereal box villages with double-decker buses created out of animal cracker cartons and Creamette Thin Spaghetti smoke stacks.

When will a generation of children consider the smoke stack a relic synonymous to a phone booth? I don’t have the answer to that question…yet.

UBS (United Bicycle Service)…We Don’t Do Brown

2008-09-05T18:22:00.002-04:00

UPS discovered that waiting for left-hand turns cost its delivery truck drivers huge amounts of fuel and time (idling). By creating routes that led to an average of four right-hand turns for every left, the company saved 51,000 gallons of fuel and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 558 tons over 18 months. UPS tested this strategy with everyday people running a series of errands, and it still worked (excerpt from National Geographic).

Burning a gallon of gas produces about 25 pounds of CO2, right? Right.

A few days ago a very dear friend of mine placed an order with CeleryStreet.com. It was Saturday, it was a beautiful sunny day, and I felt like riding my bicycle…and so did my daughter. This friend lives about three miles away. So my daughter suggested United Bicycle Service, the green deliver service. We filled up backpacks with the Celerystreet order, put on our green shorts, shirts, and socks (just kidding) and used peddle power to deliver the order (including a metal water bottle and a blank leather journal). I didn’t have to track percentage of right turns versus left turns. That was one of the best bike rides I have ever had. And the look on my friend's face when we arrived with all her goodies was priceless. We won’t be doing this for all of our orders, but it was a very unique green experience which I hope to try again.

Did I mention the wind in my hair, sun on my face, and bonding with my daughter part of this? Okay, a little corny maybe. But, green is good.

e.

Christie Matheson’s thoughts, my thoughts, cool thoughts… on Cars, CO2, and Fatalities

2008-08-31T18:14:00.000-04:00

Back to the book…green chic by Christie Matheson. Christie points out an interesting fact…for every mile you don’t drive (assuming you’re the typical 21 MPG driver), you keep almost one pound of CO2 out of the atmosphere. You can have fun helping our dear mother earth shed pounds of CO2! I make a game of putting my planet on the “green diet”. Significantly more amusing than that cold, steel scale tracking my pounds and counting my Ben and Jerry’s by the spoonful …at least mother earth is my friend.

I have more good news. Last week the Transportation Research Institute at the University of Michigan reported that because of the high gasoline prices, people are driving less and fatalities will hit the lowest level since 1961. The Federal Highway Administration said Americans drove 12.2 billion fewer miles in June than a year earlier, the biggest monthly decrease in a downward trend that began in November of last year. Mother earth is smiling. Understandable, considering that she didn’t put on another 12.2 billion pounds and more of her little human children are staying alive.

Track pounds with your kids to practice math homework and find interesting new ways to get someplace. A carpool can be a bonding experience (or not), trains can be an adventure, commuter rail systems are great for catching up on work or reading, try biking, or walking, or how about that golf cart? I’ve heard some cities are having issues with golf carts driving down Main Street. I’d be lousy at parallel parking a golf cart but it sure sounds like fun.

Enough thoughts for today Pedestrians. Put mother earth on a green diet. Save lives. Walk.

e.

Some Green Chic Thoughts

2008-08-24T18:06:00.003-04:00

Pedestrians,

Sometimes the newspapers, the scientific studies, evening news, and magazine articles about global warming, miles of garbage piled high, and swirling trash in our ocean…can all get a little depressing and overwhelming. I know that I am selfish and don’t want to give up my nice disposable lifestyle. I should be doing so much more. Well I found someone who shaded me a little “greener” and made me laugh out loud.

While in Chicago meeting green suppliers we were thrilled to meet Christie Matheson, writer of green chic: Saving the Earth in Style.

Her book is the perfect antidote for the newly greens who don’t like taking themselves too seriously. The book has been featured in Glamour Magazine, Boston Globe, and Boston Herald. According to Us Weekly, green chic was being read by Leonardo DiCaprio. I wonder if he gave up his disposable shavers? According to Christie, two billion disposable razors wind up in landfills every year. She suggests the reusable handle types where you change only the blade.

Her section on antiperspirants and deodorants is hilarious. In the end Christie chose not to give up her antiperspirant, but she gives the honest facts and tests all options. One of the options made her smell very manly (according to her husband) and no matter how much slower she walked and tried not to sweat…after three hours with a natural deodorant she was not pleased with the smell. I did learn that if your odor and perspiration levels aren’t too bad, you can go semi-green with aluminum and paraben-free Adidas 24 hour Control. I like semi-green…a new word to use in my blog.

Remember in the old days the party with the most trash in the morning wins. Not anymore. Christie pointed out that 25 percent of the food produced for humans in the United States gets thrown out---that’s almost 50 million tons of food annually. That number made me cringe when I thought of the hungry people lined up at food banks and soup kitchens. This percent does not include all the booze bottles and cans…think about it. She suggests NOT making so much food. Buffet-style set ups are the biggest food wasters since you have to make enough of every single dish for every single person. Personally I pick my way through a buffet and then come back for seconds seeking that one favorite choice. I do recommend plenty of chocolate desserts…they always get eaten.

Christie’s book is printed on recycled paper, with a portion of its proceeds going to a green cause.

Enough semi-green thoughts for you, my green hearted friends. Until next time…

Organic Cotton Showing Up Everywhere

2008-08-18T15:59:00.003-04:00

Pedestrians,

Cotton is King…Scarlet O’Hara thought so, for a while anyway, until she went for the velvet green curtains.

Have you noticed all the top designers and models that are championing “clean cotton”. The Environmental Justice Foundation, a nongovernmental group hopes to call attention to the cotton industries alleged connection to pesticide poisoning, child labor, environmental depletion and thousands of deaths a year. The foundation enlisted the help of designers to create organic cotton t shirts with something to say. Luella Bartley, Betty Jackson, and Katherine Hamnett all showed off their designs at London Fashion Week. I’m sure Scarlet would have been the first to buy one…after daddy started growing organic cotton.

On that note, did you know (according to the associated press) that Wal-Mart is now the biggest seller of organic cotton products world-wide?!

And or course my old friend Barbie. You can always count on her to be on the cutting edge. Her latest t-shirt, “Think Pink Live Green” was shown at the International Toy Fair in New York. Mattel is making an effort to make up for the lead filled toys…so they cleaned up all the plastic scraps off the factory floor and recycled them to created a new line, Bcause Barbie. A recycled plastic t-shirt on Barbie…plastic, dressed in plastic. Okay Pedestrians, let’s give Mattel a hand, they are trying…a plastic hand maybe…did I say that?

Oh, and did you hear about the Duke University’s Basketball fans. They won’t give up their blue shirts, but to show how seriously they are taking the climate change they wore “Bleed Blue. Live Green” t-shirts in an effort to raise awareness around sustainability. Even the mascot was wearing his green t-shirt. Duke University purchased carbon offsets equivalent to the electricity, steam and transportation consumed by the game, working in partnership with the renewable-energy company NativeEnergy.

More on organic t-shirts and King Cotton on another day….

Greenest of the Green Alternative

2008-08-11T13:13:00.000-04:00

Hello Celery Street Pedestrian,

I am so not a crafty person. When I was in a MOPS program (Mothers of Preschoolers) the craft leader always ended up

finishing my craft project, since I was too thrilled enjoying my hour and half of adult

conversation. When Julie handed me the completed project I was amazed and proud by what I had accomplished…thank you Julie. I would carry my prized craft home in Audrey’s diaper bag to become a regular functioning part of my household. Tonight at dinner we used the salad serving set that I had decorated in 2003.

What is my reason for bringing this up? If some of you have not found the greenest of green perfect thing that you were looking for on our web site then I have another suggestion for you. Crafting is another way of going green.

Kathy Cano-Murillo with the Arizona Republic did some research on Recycled projects and came up with a very clever and functional idea. A recycled grocery bag tote… Now promise me you will use those last left over plastic bags on this project. The plastic bags you still had tucked at home before you said “paper please” or started using your styling new shopping bags.

RECYCLED GROCERY BAG TOTE

Take all the those plastic shopping bags from the store or mall, cut them up and sew them together to make sturdy totes that you can use at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Make several of these so you can keep them around for your next food run.

Supplies

About 36 plastic bags (if you are going to be a walking billboard, I would use your favorite and hottest stores’ bags)

Scissors

Sewing machine

Canvas tote (to use as a pattern)

Directions

Flatten the bags into stacks of six. Cut across the top to remove the handle portion. Cut the stacks of six into strips or squares, and sew up all the sides. For a quilted look, sew lines in the center.

Make enough of these thick squares or strips until you have plenty of pieces to create a bag that is the same size as the tote, and sew the pieces together. For handles, cut the thinner strips and sew inside the top panel on both sides.

There you go! As for me, I don’t sew and I don’t do crafts…but I love this idea and wish I were more artsy and not afraid of my mom’s sewing machine.

If any of you attempt this cool green project send me a picture and your comments.

I promise I won’t have any more craft projects on this space for a while.