More than Just an “Eco” Card

While I like to send free Care2 e-cards, there are occasions that call for a tangible greeting. The eco solution: Grow-A-Note cards. These "tree-free" 100% post consumer waste paper cards are handmade in the USA and embedded with wildflower seeds. The recipient can plant their card to grow a bouquet of flowers! The eco-friendly qualities don’t end there: the water used to make the cards is reclaimed and recycled back into the next batch and Green Field Paper--a company with a conscience and a commitment to sowing the seeds of recycling to all who receive their greetings-- offsets 100% of their electricity use via wind energy credits.

From the Dumpster to Elegant Décor!

I still can’t get over these amazing pieces by one eighty design. Founder Tammy Roy’s true love is dumpster diving, spending hours searching and plucking pieces of rebar and rusted machinery, never knowing what the pieces will ultimately transform into. She finds the process and results intoxicating. The nut bowl (shown here) is one of my favorites—it’s made of, well, reclaimed nuts. Ideal for… oh, say, nuts?! There are bowls made from tools, washers, even discarded chain links! Made in the USA.

A Tote with Sea Legs

Who knew that sails had a second life? I didn’t until I stumbled across reiterate (pronounced reiterate), an innovative company that rescues old sailboat sails from the landfill and breathes new life into them as totes. The bold graphics and clean lines cast a modern vibe on each handmade item, which you can even find at New York's Museum of Arts and Design! Made in the USA!

About Lynn
Lynn is the founder of myEARTH360.com and the I Count for myEARTH360 blog. She also contributes to a number of online publications. You can follow her on twitter and find her on facebook. She lives in the Chicago surburbs with her husband, son and two feisty cats.