"IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN", or is it?

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The other day as my husband and I were out driving through our fair city, we saw the car in front of us throw some form of litter out their car window. Disgust was my immediate reaction! As we pulled into our store's parking lot, we noticed some adults lingering outside the back entry of a neighboring business smoking and flicking their butts to the ground. Are they mindless? Who in our society these days, with the knowledge of our human impact on earth, can do such a thing?

Well, fortunately, once into work, my first opened e-mail was Rapid Growth Media (an e-publication that keeps me up to date on current Grand Rapids' events) and there, countering the ugliness of the human spirit I had just seen, was a wonderful and inspiring article on Eden Environments. For those of you who don't know yet (and I can hardly believe there are many) Denise Hopkins, founder of this sustainable building design center, cares! From what she does, what she sells, who she is....this woman cares about making our environments healthy and our earth whole! I have been impressed with her genuine quest for the best sustainable solutions for her clients and have enjoyed thoroughly working with her on various projects. Denise also had an article in May's Women's Lifestyle (another media piece I love to read cover to cover) and I hope she continues her focus on educating each one of us on the alternatives in design that are at our fingertips.

She has recently moved her business to a renovated warehouse on Grand Rapids' south side which, as author Deb Johnson Wood of Rapid Growth stated perfectly, "exemplifies the eco-friendly mindset that she and her business are all about". "Hats off, Denise! Well done!" say I.

You can find her link to the right under My Favorite Things and I dare you to peek. Her enthusiam is contagious...so beware! You might find yourself unable to settle for anything less than green.

Before I knew it, I began searching our window covering products for Green stylish solutions. They were there all the time but just not in the fore front of my mind! Hunter Douglas has an alternative wood blind called First Edition which is PVC free, certified Greenguard (indoor air quality safe) and stills performs well in heat and sun with quality construction and all backed by Hunter Douglas' Lifetime Guarantee! Who knew?

We are all aware as well (if not, please call me!) that the Duette Architella cellular shade does qualify for a possible $1500 tax credit for 2010. These shades are well known for being top of the line in energy efficiency and void of off-gassing (for you air quality control green police out there). The patented honeycomb within a honeycomb construction form three air pockets for superior insulation between the window and the room.

This season, Hunter Douglas, has also produced a new cellular shade in their Applause line (in their spectacular new sample book) called Vintage. This fabric is 40% post-consumer recycled materials! I love it! You can have fashion choices, pricing options and be earth friendly!

Opportunities are there for us to present more earth friendly and people friendly products to our clients. It doesn't take much effort these days as these products are making such a loud impact in our marketplace. Consumers are becoming more educated and are demanding smarter products as well. Don't hesitate to stop by our Hunter Douglas Gallery showroom or Eden Environments' new showroom to learn more. We're all in this (and on this earth) together!