Green is the new Black!

If you haven't heard Green is the new black! From your clothes to your home decor you just can't go wrong with the colour Green. Yes, this is a 2009 trend colour but a colour that you want to show off. With the Green movement becoming popular then ever, people are showing off how Green they are, plastering hybrid on their cars, showing off their Green appliances, drinking out of steel or hard plastic water bottles, and now even eating Green. I love that people are becoming passionate about this movement and trend, but as we all know trends fade. Is being Green a trend that will go out of style?
This Green movement has cost millions, with companies changing how their clothes are made, changing the materials that are used in furniture and even the packaging on products has been reevaluated. Now you are thinking oh big deal companies changed some of their ingredients which goes into their products, but what you don't understand is the time and energy spent on testing these products to prove that they are Green or more eco-friendly. The man power and studies it took to be able to label a product or process as Green certified, is over whelming to me. Discovering that wood manufactures have to store FSC approved woods (an eco-friendly process) in a different location then the rest of the woods due to off-gassing lurking in the air and contaminating the FSC approved woods. This is just one example on how companies have had to adjust and accommodate this so called trend, however to the companies that have spent money on this would not call it a 2009 trend but believe that this is the way of the world now. Which I am very happy to hear. This is one trend that we don't want to go out of style. As the days go by I find there is even more Green products arriving and with that said I think we are going to have this Green trend around for a while! Maybe Kermit the Frog isn't the only one that can say it isn't easy being green!

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Have you heard about this 100mile Diet?!

In 2005, Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon performed a one-year experiment of only eating locally grown produce. This 100-Mile diet experiment became bigger then they ever could have predicted, inspiring thousands! From individuals to entire communities. This 100 mile diet made people aware of what they were buying and where it was from, getting to know the seasons and understanding the risk to our health and to the environment. "Locally raised and produced food has been called “the new organic" — better tasting, better for the environment, better for local economies, and better for your health. From reviving the family farm to reconnecting." The 100 mile diet creates a whole new meaning to buying locally, because you only eat food which has be produced or grown in a 100-mile radius.

Now that must of be hard to find what to eat?
"We walked into the diet cold turkey for a full year, and it was hard. For example, we live on the West Coast, so it took us seven months to find a rogue local farmer who actually grows wheat. Meanwhile, we ate an unbelievable number of potatoes. Doing the diet the hard way taught us a lot about the current food system, but it is not for everybody. A more realistic approach is to plan a single, totally 100-mile meal with friends or family, and see where you want to go from there."

What do you eat then because I am sure it would become boring? "At first, yes. As we found more and more local food sources, though, our meals became more interesting than ever before. Farmers and farmers’ markets introduced us to foods and flavors we’d never tried before. We discovered the seasons, and the micro-seasons, and the micro-micro-seasons. What’s available is always changing."

What did you miss the most? "Every region has foods that are hard - or impossible - to find. We went without wheat for seven months. We missed pasta. We missed bread. We missed pancakes. Then we found our wheat farmer, and we pigged out."

The 100 mile diet is about eating locally for Global change. This lowers the carbon footprint, supports our local economics and frankly makes you a healthier/smarter person due to no pesticides in your foods and the knowledge you have to obtain to stick to this diet. I don't think this would be an easy process but even if all of us try to have one meal a day using the 100 mile radius rule, just think how quick a wave would begin and a powerful movement will be born and awakened! Let me know if anyone has done this and how they did, spread the word this is a fabulous concept!

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

H&H favourite Canadian Design Blogs!

Check it out! House & Home magazine shared with us their favourite Canadian Design Blogs!

http://www.desiretoinspire.net/

Kim Johnson, Ottawa. "Total looks from the world's top designers."

http://www.lakejane.blogspot.com/

Marie-Eve Best, Montreal. "Tips and trends for dressing, dining and decorating."

http://www.arrenwilliams.com/

Arren Williams, Toronto. " An insider's look at the Canadian design scene."

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http://www.poppytalk.blogspot.com/

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Jan Halvarson, B.C. " A mostly Canadian marketplace of fine design."

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Blogs are becoming a huge part of peoples lives and daily routine. Such a huge part that newspapers and other print material companies are suffering. Due to readers now turning to the web as a quick resource for great information on any specific topic of interest. The web allows them to collect information whenever they want and on whatever they want. There is so much information out there and it seems that print material just isn't cutting it anymore for our busy lives. Blogs are becoming more popular then ever due to this trend. There are new Blogs popping up every where, and I would love to know the Blogs that you are checking out??

You can never have to much information :)

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Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

2009 Home Improvement Tax Break- How does it Work?

Canadian Budget offers a tax break for Home Improvements in the year of 2009. So get your cheque book out, the tax man is helping with the bill!! If you have been thinking about refurbishing your kitchen or putting in an extra bathroom, etc and etc, this may be the year to achieve those home improvement projects that you have always wanted to tackle, because the tax man is helping out. Now how does this credit work? how to I apply? what items fall under this home improvement credit? So many questions regarding this program and so many of us can't seem to get answers. Well I found the information you need to get started and to educate yourself on this program. This is a program that you don't want to miss out on, lets be real its not very often that the Government actually gives back to us, so lets take advantage of it if we can!
The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) is a non-refundable tax credit for work performed or goods acquired in respect of an eligible dwelling.
What does that mean, eligible dwelling?
"An eligible dwelling is a housing unit that is eligible to be an individuals principal residence or that of one or more of their family members, at any time between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010. In general, a housing unit is considered eligible to be an individuals principal residence where it is owned by the individual and ordinarily inhabited by the individual, the individuals spouse or common-law partner, or their children. This means that any dwelling that you own and use personally could qualify, including your home or your cottage. "
What is the eligibility period?
"The credit will be based on eligible expenditures for work performed or goods acquired after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010. Expenditures incurred pursuant to an agreement that was entered into before January 28, 2009, will not be eligible for the credit."
Who will be eligible for the credit?
"Eligibility for the HRTC will be family based. A family will generally be considered to consist of an individual or an individual and his or her spouse or common-law partner, including children who will be under 18 years of age, at the end of 2009. A family will be allowed a single credit that may be shared within the family.
If two or more families share the ownership of an eligible dwelling, each family will be eligible for their own separate credit (i.e. each up to $1,350) that will be calculated on their respective eligible expenditures. "
How will the credit be calculated?
"The credit will only be available for the 2009 tax year and applies to eligible expenditures of more than $1,000, but not more than $10,000, resulting in a maximum credit of $1,350 ($9,000 x 15%)."
What are eligible expenditures?
"To be eligible, expenditures incurred in relation to a renovation or alteration to an eligible dwelling (or the land that forms part of the eligible dwelling) must be of an enduring nature and integral to the dwelling, and includes the cost of labour and professional services, building materials, fixtures, rentals, and permits. Eligible expenditures must be supported by acceptable documentation."
Renovating a kitchen, bathroom or basement
New carpet or hardwood floors
Building an addition, garage, deck, garden/storage shed, fence
Re-shingling a roof
A new furnace, woodstove, boiler, fireplace, water softener or water heater
A new driveway or resurfacing a driveway
Painting of interior or exterior of a house
Window coverings directly attached to the window frame and whose removal would alter the nature of the dwelling
Laying new sod
Swimming Pools (Permanent - in ground and above ground)
Fixtures – lights, fans, etc.
Associated costs such as permits, professional services, equipment rentals and incidental expenses.
How will I claim the HRTC?
"A new line will be incorporated in the 2009 personal income tax return to allow you to claim the credit."
For more information on this Tax Credit please visit : http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/bdgt/2009/fqhmrnvtn-eng.html#q1

If anyone has more information on this topic please let us know!


Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Hybrid, Electric or a Mixture of both!! Barack Obama?

How many times have we heard about Hybrid Cars and the importance they have on our environment, does anyone truly know what Hybrid even means though? Definitions of Hybrid car on the Hybrid Car Information and Resources site: "A hybrid car, also known as an HEV or hybrid electric vehicle, is an automobile that is powered by two sources; an internal combustion engine, and an electric motor. Hybrid cars have no use for plugs, as they are amply charged by the movement of the wheels, and storing the kinetic energy that is generated through a process called regenerative braking. Hybrid cars have many environmental benefits (see Emissions and Pollution,) and economical benefits (see Facts, Why Buy a Hybrid, and Tax Breaks and Rebates.)" Ev World has a ton of information on both electric and hybrid electric vehicles. It is rated as one of the best places to obtain and read up on electric vehicle news. http://www.evworld.com/index.cfm

Has anyone seen the documentary "who killed the electric car" fascinating film and it truly demonstrates how the government killed this design due to them not being able to make money off the concept. Years later the same way of green travel was recreated however in a fashion so that the Government and large Corporations could make some money. Recreating this resource has made everyone happy even the Government and if they are happy everyone is happy! This is a very powerful technology that is going to change our planet immensely! Look Obama is already jumping on the band wagon! "March 19, 2009 When President Barack Obama walked into Southern California Edison’s electric-vehicle test facility here today, he visited what may be the highest concentration of electric vehicles in North America. The president’s goal, says White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, was to highlight the role of plug-in cars in creating “clean energy jobs” that will spur economic growth." This electric car movement has been an ongoing battle for years however their persistence and drive to make our environment cleaner is paying off. “These cars of tomorrow require the batteries of tomorrow, I am announcing that the Department of Energy is launching a $2 billion competitive grant program under the Recovery Act that will spark the manufacturing of the batteries and parts that run these cars, build or upgrade the factories that will produce them, and in the process, create thousands of jobs right here in America. Show us that your idea or your company is best-suited to meet America’s challenges, and we will give you a chance to prove it. ”
President Barack Obama Speaking today at the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/realities-behind-obama-electric-car-photo-op-25662.html

This should be an influential story to all of us trying to make a different; persistence and small steps do pay off in the end. So don't give up fighting!!

Hybrid Car Facts
"Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius produce 90% less pollutants than comparable non-hybrid cars. By putting less harmful chemicals in the environment, the harmful effects of pollution can be halted or even reversed."

We might seem small and our actions might even seem smaller, but that one movement and change in the way you think helped create this electric car phenomena! Without you this green movement would not be possible and the demand for a cleaner greener environment would not be influencing Corporate America and the Government to make a change to the production of what goes on within this planet.

Stay Green!

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

How to Dress Eco-Friendly!

Okay so we are becoming more eco-friendly in our home decor and functionality of our houses, but have we thought about what we are putting on our bodies everyday? Our skin absorbs everything, from the pollution in the air to the creams we put on our skin, so are we aware of what our bodies are absorbing from the clothes we wear? There are more and more companies transforming their clothes to be more eco-friendly, right down to your footwear. "El Naturalista's Recyclus line uses recycled materials to create beautiful, sustainable footwear. According to Students for Sustainability (a partnership between The David Suzuki Foundation, The Sierra Youth Coalition and the Canadian Federation of Students) the environmental footprint of the shoe industry is sizable: North Americans throws out millions of pairs of shoes every year. Many of the adhesives used in shoe production contain the solvent toluene, highly toxic to the environment and the health of workers. And, the tanning process also uses several concerning chemicals including arsenic, mercury, lead and hexavalent chromium. (Not to mention the greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock and international shipping) "

Did you know? "On average, North Americans throw away about 30 kilograms of clothing and textiles per year." So if we reduce the waste that we produce, our wardrobes are a great place to start. How do you create a environmentally friendly wardrobe? 1. "Buy local whenever possible Keep your carbon footprint in check by seeking out pieces that are locally designed and produced, that way your clothes don’t have to travel the globe to reach you." 2. "Watch for labels that are marked with a third-party certification to provide you with assurance that the garment was not produced in a sweatshop-free and safe environment, and with sustainable materials."
3. Asking stores to show you their lines of clothing and textiles made with organic cotton, bamboo or other sustainable fabrics." This might seem small but this will help send a message, , consumers are in demand for a more eco product. " Always ask whether the dye used as colouring was vegetable-based and non-toxic."

http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/green-living-online-article.aspx?cp-documentid=812885

Also don't forget about the cleaners you are using to wash your clothes in, make sure you read the labels of your detergents and protect your skin and your new eco-friendly wardrobe! Reading the labels on your clothes is very important and should be become a habit to make sure that we get the message across, we are here to save and protect our bodies and environment!

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Whats new with W&C!!

We are very proud to announce that we have changed and added new fabric's to our furniture collection, which makes the pieces even more GREEN! All fabrics have been certified as eco-friendly, under the logo of Oeko-Tex Standard 100. Which assures that textiles have been tested and awarded a certificate that state they are free of harmful substance. Textiles bearing this label are good for your well-being, using recycled or other environmentally friendly components. Also our new eco-friendly sofa line should be out soon! So there are some exciting times ahead for w&c! We are constantly learning about new eco-friendly materials and processes that we are adding to our pieces to make sure we can deliver a pure GREEN product. We are also excited to come out with our first catalogue which should be out at the end of April, displaying all of our pieces and more. So make sure to check us out and see what is happening in the stylish GREEN furniture industry. "Environmentally friendly furniture designed on the principle of quality" http://www.shop.whitewashco.ca/

Just thought I would give you a quick update on what is happening with w&c.

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!