Three Ways to Go Green This Spring!

Spring is a time of renewal…new plants are bursting from the ground, animals are giving birth to their young, and the fresh air and sunshine add a little extra bounce to our steps. That’s why this time of year is a great time to think of ways to bring spring into your life year round. Here are three ways to “go green” this season and throughout the year:

1) Use all natural body products: When shopping for personal care items, choose items that are made from natural plant-based ingredients. Look for these certifications – The Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), Ecocert, BDIH, USDA Certified Organic, the Natural Products Association and the Leaping Bunny label – to ensure quality, all-natural products.

2) Trade in your current toilet for a water-saving model with the EPA’s WaterSense Label on it. These toilets use no more than 1.28 gallons of water per flush, dramatically reducing your home’s water usage each year.

3) Replace your table linens with organic fabric table cloths. Conventionally-grown cotton often contains pesticides which can be harmful. Instead, exchange your old cotton linens for organic table linens. You’ll find that they are not only healthier to use, but they are just as attractive as traditional fabrics.

With a little creativity and ingenuity, you can transform your life into a “green one.” You can feel good about your choices. Your neighbors and the environment will thank you.

Go green this spring!

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Great Green Careers - Jobs for a Greener World

Visit Great Green Careers. We have green jobs in every area – from solar installers to ecologists! Post your resume and get in front of green employers now. Set up job alerts to have updates about job openings mailed directly to your inbox. Track and save your job applications and much more. Despite the current recession, there are more green job opportunities now than ever before, including hot careers in wind power, HVAC, environmental engineering, transportation, facilities retrofitting and more. You can find the opportunity you want today at Great Green Careers. Great Green Careers was created by Natural Home to help you find meaningful work in the new green economy. All job seeker services are absolutely free. And remember, if you post your resume in the next 30 days, we’ll send you a complimentary copy of Finding a Green Collar Job, our new e-book! So what are you waiting for? Go to Great Green Careers today and start your green career!

Earth Day is April 22: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

In celebration of Earth Day, April 22, let's Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Practice the three R's: first reduce how much you use, then reuse what you can, and then recycle the rest. Then, dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way. Read the tips below and explore the Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste.

Reduce

Buy permanent items instead of disposables.
Buy and use only what you need.
Buy products with less packaging.
Buy products that use less toxic chemicals.

Reuse

Repair items as much as possible.
Use durable coffee mugs.
Use cloth napkins or towels.
Clean out juice bottles and use them for water.
Use empty jars to hold leftover food.
Reuse boxes.
Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
Participate in a paint collection and reuse program. For information on handling household solid waste, visit Wastes, What You Can Do (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/citizens.htm).
Donate extras to people you know or to charity instead of throwing them away.
Reuse grocery bags as trash bags.

Recycle

Recycle paper (printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If your community doesn't collect at the curb, take them to a collection center.
Recycle electronics. (http://www.epa.gov/ecycling/index.htm)
Collecting Used Oil for Recycling / Reuse.
Compost food scraps, grass and other yard clippings, and dead plants.
Close the loop - buy recycled products and products that use recycled packaging (PDF) (13 pp, 1.6 MB). That's what makes recycling economically possible.


Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Mark Your Calendars: Wine, Women, Wow - May 8

Join Cypriana and other local businesses like Mary Kay, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Silpada, Holland America & Catalyst Travel, Arbonne, Earthworks Gem Design Studio and more at the ShoWare Center on Friday, May 8, 2009 (6 to 10 pm) for the fourth annual Wine, Women, Wow. This fun event features wine sampling, complimentary appetizers, shopping, pampering and more.

Tickets are available now for $21 each, or $26 at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Kent Downtown Partnership and the YWCA's Domestic Violence Program. Mark your calendars - you don't want to miss this great "girls only" event!

For more info. or to purchase your tickets, visit Wine, Women, Wow online or call the Kent Downtown Partnership at 253-813-6976. We hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Organic Products Help Protect Against the Dangers of Pesticides

Have you ever stood in the grocery store and wondered if there really is a difference between the organic and non-organic produce? The strawberries in the organic section look about the same and yet their non-organic siblings are exiled to a different section of the store.

The truth is, that while on the surface non-organic fruits and vegetables appear to be the same, they are usually harboring hidden pesticides. The danger is real and the U.S. government, along with international government agencies, has acknowledged that various pesticides can cause damage to the nervous system, carcinogenic effects, hormone system effects, and irritation to the skin, eyes and lungs.

The Environmental Working Group has tested 47 popular fruits and vegetables to determine those fruits and vegetables which contain the most contaminants. This suggests that those fruits and vegetables at the top of the list, and therefore with the highest pesticide content, should be purchased exclusively from the organic section of the store in order to protect your health.

The top 12 “dirty” or pesticide-ridden fruits and vegetables, according to the Environmental Working Group are:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (Imported)
11. Carrots
12. Pears

For a complete listing and for the source of this material, visit the Environmental Working Group’s website.

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

April is National "Donate Life" Month

Ways to help save a life: What you can do in April

National "Donate Life" Month was established in 2003. Every day in April, people across the U.S. make a special effort to celebrate the tremendous generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors and to encourage more Americans to follow their fine example.

Make it known that YOU want to be a donor

• Register with your State Donor Registry, if available.
• Say YES to donation on your driver's license.
• Tell your family, friends, physician, and faith leader that you want to be a donor.
• Fill out and sign a donor card, have it witnessed, carry it with you.

Tell someone the need is great and growing

• More than 98,000 people are in need of an organ for transplant.
• Each day, about 77 people get the organ transplant that gives them a second chance, but 17 to 19 others die because they did not receive an organ transplant.
• More than half the people on the waiting list for a donated organ are racial or ethnic minorities. Chances of getting a transplant increase if donor and recipient share the same racial/ethnic background.

Get involved: become a donation advocate

• Encourage your company, association, union, or other organizations to which you may belong to join the Workplace Partnership for Life.
• Promote and support work site donation campaigns.
• Tell your local high school about Decision Donation, a school program that educates students about donation.
• Participate in local National "Donate Life" Month events sponsored by your local organ procurement organization.

For more information about donating your organs, please visit OrganDonor.gov.


Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Cypriana Brings a “Green” Twist to Downtown Kent

Frustrated with trying to find natural and organic products, Susan Thomas created her own solution. She opened Cypriana ~ the natural home store at 205 First Avenue South in downtown Kent last fall. At Cypriana, Susan offers local shoppers an alternative to traditional products which often contain harmful chemicals and artificial ingredients. Instead, the environment-savvy shopper can find an array of natural and/or certified organic products for the home, including:

- DreamSacks bedding – luxuriously soft bedding made from bamboo
- Nandina towels – plush bath linens that are hypoallergenic, anti-microbial and eco-friendly
- Organics for baby – Under the Nile, EcoBaby Organics, Mother-ease diapers, and more
- Running Wild Spirit soaps and lotions – handmade in Washington

In addition to these and other natural products, Susan makes custom slipcovers in traditional and organic fabrics, as well as personalized embroidery. If you’re looking for a way to update your home’s look without replacing your furniture, stop by Cypriana to see all of the custom decorating options available.


Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Staging a Home on a Budget

Whether you are selling a home or are a Realtor getting ready to list a client’s home, Cypriana can help you stage a home quickly and affordably with custom slipcovers. With your furniture and our collection of fabrics, including organics, we can transform any piece into a masterpiece that will appeal to any buyer.

Do you need a settee or ottoman recovered in a traditional fabric in a hard-to-match color? No problem. Want to recover a set of dining room chairs to modernize a room on a budget? We can do that too. At Cypriana, we have more than 40 years of sewing experience. No project is too big, too small or too challenging. Stop in today to see how we can help you stage your home beautifully!


Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Baby bath products – safe or not?

In this tight economy, many mothers and mothers-to-be are trying to stretch their dollars by using secondhand baby items, including everything from cribs and strollers to clothing and bath items. Here are a few quick tips on choosing baby bath products that are safe for your child.

If you plan to re-use a baby bath tub that belonged to someone else, check it closely for mold or mildew. If the bath tub has either of these odors, the tub should be tossed.

Check used bath toys, seats, rings and inflatable tubs for scratches or other signs of wear and tear. Scratches can harbor bacteria which might be harmful to your baby.

A baby’s skin can be very sensitive, particularly when exposed to dyes and other chemicals. Until you know how your baby will react to a new product, try testing it on a small patch of his or her skin first. Better yet, go for organic or all-natural products that will be ideal even on the most sensitive skin.

If you have a baby on the way or a friend or family member who is expecting, sign up for our Gift Registry or shop Cypriana to see our line of organic baby products for your baby including soaps, lotions, diaper cream, clothing, bedding, toys and more.

A safe baby is a happy one!

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Freshen your guest room with custom bedding

Do you have a guest room that needs freshened up? Maybe it has old bedding, faded pillows or just doesn’t match your home’s current décor? If so, Cypriana can help. We can design and create custom bedding to turn your old dusty guest room into a cozy sanctuary. Using contemporary or traditional styles and everything in between, Cypriana can create duvet covers, accent pillows, pillow shams, bed skirts and more.

We have hundreds of fabrics to choose from including a selection of organic fabrics. We have something to fit every style and budget. Stop by Cypriana today and see how easily we can revive your guest room!

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store