a green city girl: easy tips for an eco-friendly life and more

Keep calm...and carry on.

2011-11-30T08:29:00.000-05:00

I have this print hanging in my apartment. I find it humorous in the sense that this was supposed to reassure citizens of the UK during WWII, when this was originally released in 1939. It's a very British concept in the midst of an outbreak of war. My family roots are a mix of British, Welsh and Irish, so I feel some sense of propriety on poking fun at the 'calming intention' of this media

greening the holidays: tips for parties to presents

2011-11-28T10:27:00.002-05:00

How do you keep the holidays green? I posed this question on twitter the other day. I've been thinking about this lately and thought I would scour my brain and the Internet for some creative ways to keep it simple, and green. Dinner parties & fetes: In the past, I've blogged about some of the ways I've been able to keep a party green including using real plates, silverware, glassware and

hats off! vintage hats on etsy

2011-11-23T07:02:00.000-05:00

A good reason to live in a Northern, colder climate...you can indulge in wearing hats! I don't foresee wearing some of these favorites on the Beach anytime soon, but I am taking a trip soon!!! Just a few favorite finds at etsy.

one purse is never enough - a vice for vintage sale

2011-11-22T22:26:00.000-05:00

I've always lugged around a purse, about the size of the suitcase I carry today, but I was five at the time. I would take my purse with me everywhere. And I would promptly leave it laying behind in department stores, dressing rooms, restaurants. My purse was a nuisance to my mother. The one I remember repeatedly losing was a wooden framed purse with a white eyelet cover secured with pearlized

getting the goods online

2011-11-17T21:51:00.001-05:00

I'm rushing to post all these vintage jewels that are just waiting for a new owner. Here are a few new items I've finally posted on a vince for vintage: Coro Enamel Southwestern ring, Whiting & Davis Glass Rhinestone ring, Vendome Smokey Topaz ring, vintage Emerald Rhinestone ring, a Sarah Coventry Yellow Topaz Rhinestone ring and a Coro gold tone necklace.

a vice for vintage: a few of my favorite things

2011-11-14T13:32:00.001-05:00

Just a few of my favorite things from a vice for vintage.... okay so everything is my favorite! And each piece has a story of how I got it, and where it came from. -agcg

Etsy - Small Business Saturday

2011-11-14T13:12:00.000-05:00

The holidays are here. No sooner was it evident that Halloween decorations were for sale, that Christmas decorations followed. Stores piping holiday 'cheerful' music on continuous play are all signs that the madness is here. When I worked in retail at the mall, I did not really enjoy the crowds, the music, and the hours smiling while standing on my feet making pennies (ok so dollars). Regardless

introducing: a vice for vintage by agcg on Etsy

2011-11-01T13:23:00.002-04:00

I have a confession. I have a vice for vintage. Specifically vintage purses and costume jewelry. In order to indulge my vice, and in an attempt to stay solvent during my never ending pursuit of higher education, I've started selling some of my finds at Etsy. I've been a huge Etsy fan ever since my friend AN introduced it to me and bought me some really cool stuff from various artisians. Alas, I

to replace the whole or a part: obsolescence strikes again

2011-11-01T13:10:00.002-04:00

One huge eye opener for me was learning more about planned obsolescence, which I've written about before. I am reminded of this again as I looked into replacing my beloved Mr. Coffee thermal carafe for my very much used programmable coffee maker. I love this appliance! I've owned it for just over four years. All is working fine, with the exception of the carafe has lost its seal. So I search

the little green car that could: 94+k miles

2011-09-27T22:43:00.001-04:00

I like to drive, long road trips with just me and the road. Oh, and an audio book or three. And yes, gas prices are higher. And yes, driving is polluting. But not as much as flying. And I drive a Honda, which I am happy to say is reaching its 95,000 mile marker! I am rather looking forward to reaching 100,000 miles. But I couldn't keep my little Galapagos Green Civic going if it wasn't for the

8 months later: doors closing and opening

2011-09-24T20:15:00.002-04:00

* Editorial Note: I just posted this on my other blog, but since the same information applies, for now, here it is too. more soon -agcg * I just realized the title of my blog post made me think of the gestation period for pregnancy...and no I have not been gestating these past months. Well, at least not in this sense. I have continued to intellectually develop and received my Masters of Science

time missed in review: 10 months bad blogger

2011-01-23T22:11:00.002-05:00

Wow, that old age over used saying 'time flies' is sure true. Here I am ten months later and a list of reasons (excuses) why I haven't blogged. 1. I cooked a lot of farm share food. (Veggie Cheese Soufflés, Lasagnas, Kale chips, Cauliflower Cream Soup, the best Chicken Noodle soup, etc.) I ate and shared said food. Farm share carrots inspired me and I made a disastorous Coq au Vin. Chicken is

the yogurt experiment

2010-03-01T12:28:00.006-05:00

I picked up this lovely little yogurt maker at the thrift store for I think about $5 bucks! It was practically brand new and came with the original instruction booklet. I just washed and sterilized the 7 glass containers and hard plastic tops. I was tired of buying (and recycling) all those individual plastic yogurt containers. After, I located a recipe to use for my first try it took me

wasteful--bad blogger

2010-02-07T18:38:00.002-05:00

I've been a delinquent, bad blogger. I could easily blame it on my coursework, surgery recovery, my cat getting sick, the holidays, company and dreadful work. But really it all, sort of, boils down to one thing, me being wasteful of my time. I'm an expert at this, time wastefulness. I am doing it right now. Well, yes and no. I've had blog on my to do list for over a month now, but I also have a

How Plastics, Planned Obsolescence and Mad Men Go Together

2009-10-20T16:56:00.011-04:00

This morning as I lugged my trash and recycling to the condo dumpster I felt sad that this black plastic bag would sit in the earth contaminating it for decades to come. (I know I have bizarre thoughts, okay.) Yes, whatever organic material I actually disposed of, that which did not make it to my compost, would decompose, but the rest? The rest would just sit there in the artificial hills of

you, me and climate change

2009-10-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

What is the real cost of climate change to you or me? What are the economics of this all? What will it take to make a change, a real change? I don't know, that's why I'm asking you. I can ramble on about what I feel is the real cost of climate change...a livable environment or not a very hospitable environment. But when it boils down to it, my opinion is just one of many different voices in the

The Jane Hotel: efficient hotel rooms

2009-09-24T11:30:00.001-04:00

This past July I took a little vacation to New York City. For the most part I stayed in a lovely hotel, Hotel East Houston, on the edge of SOHO near the LES. It was perfect for me. I was close to shopping and live music events I attended; there was even a Whole Foods market a block away. I saw an amazing show, Next to Normal. I even made some new friends (thanks again Jon & Ana Sofie) my first

pens: disposable or refillable?

2009-09-11T13:55:00.005-04:00

This morning, as one of my bosses droned on about numbers, a thought occurred to me, pens. I sat there staring at and rolling my favorite blue uni-ball pen between my fingers when I realized the pen was such a waste of resources. Again, a product that was reusable and refillable, fountain pens, made near extinct by convenience and disposability. This was not news to me, but I haven't been very

Belated CSA rave review

2009-09-01T21:24:00.007-04:00

My first CSA season ended in April, but due to a mad grad school schedule, work and the desire to have a life (damn me I know)..I never finished blogging about my wonderful CSA experience. I loved it. It sounds silly and sad that going to pick up my half farm share every Saturday at the lovely host house on Miami Beach could incite happiness and just a cheesy good feeling. But it did just that.

lost and found furniture

2009-08-18T13:18:00.009-04:00

So have you ever saved, rescued or repurposed furniture left, discarded, on the side of the road? Almost every day I commute to work, I see various pieces of perfectly good furniture put out by the wealthy inhabitants of the large houses on this very busy street in Miami Beach. I wonder, why just leave it on the side of the street instead of calling a charity to pick it up? Is it laziness or just

2 years old: lazy blogger, busy agreencitygirl

2009-08-12T15:20:00.003-04:00

This Friday marks the two year anniversary of agreencitygirl. When I started out on this little venture I had high hopes and great ideas for spreading the use of green bags across the mainstream stores. Even though I had no part in it, not really at all, I have seen a tremendous increase in my neighborhood use of reusable shopping bags. Also, a lot more mainstream stores now readily offer bags

h20 sans plastic: its all the same people...

2009-08-05T11:15:00.004-04:00

Just sent this to my friends and now to my readers, friends, fans and frenemies...because I wouldn't be me, your loving friend if I didn't...Warn you...!!!From Grist.orgDon't Drink the WaterWatch the trailer for the new movie Tapped at Grist the link above and go to the film’s website:http://www.tappedthemovie.com/(Buy a reusable bottle for the love of yourself if not the earth!! and a filter,

green travel: is it possible?

2009-07-21T18:36:00.004-04:00

I love to travel, but due to life, work, school, time and, to be honest, money..I don't get to do as much as I like. But then if I could do all the traveling I wanted to, would I feel guilty for the fuel, the consumption of resources every take off and landing a plane makes for me? Yes, because I am that crazy and guided by deep-seated catholic bred guilt. So I'm traveling this weekend, this is a

mnn: great website check it out

2009-06-29T11:33:00.004-04:00

Just stumbled upon this great website, Mother Nature Network, with a compendium of abfab information, things I could only hope to blog about in a very distant future. Especially love the Lazy Environmentalist by Josh Dorfman, who I've heard of before and since I fight the disease of lazy it really speaks to me! check it out!- agcg

water savings

2009-06-29T09:55:00.000-04:00

Ever since I was a kid my mother would yell loudly from the bottom of the staircase so that you could hear her bellowing to get out the shower in the bathroom. If one did not promptly comply and finish up she would pound up the wooden staircase and bang on the door, even opening it to yell inside, get out the shower! Mother was raised in post-WWII England where boiling water for a bath was a