Archive for March, 2008
Monday, March 31st, 2008
Here is a preview of the FIVE Wednesday evening workshops we’ll be offering at All Shades of Green in honor of Earth Month. The best news? We’re offering them on a donation basis (20.00 suggested).
Here’s the line-up:
The Sustainable Kitchen
Wednesday, April 2nd
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Non-Toxic Home
Wednesday, April 9th
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saving Energy Saves Money: A Guide to Green Home Energy and Rebates
Wednesday, April 16th
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
How to Live Water-Wise in L.A.
Wednesday, April 23rd
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Composting and Recycling
Taught by John Lyons of The Woven Garden
Wednesday, April 30th
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
All Shades is also hosting its signature Saturday workshop:
Passion for the Planet! A Complete Guide to Going Green in L.A.
Saturday, April 19th
10:00 a.m. to noon
Price: $20.00
Teachers: $15.00
Students: $10.00
To pre-register or for more information on any of the workshops, please call (323) 665-7454 or email creativegreen@hotmail.com
Posted in april workshops, earth day | No Comments »
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
All Shades has a great selection of spring clothing on its racks, including
Simple shoes.
One employee favorite is the women’s Toe Stir (82.00).
Simple is making a real difference by producing shoes that leave a much smaller footprint.
Let us demonstrate:
the Toe Stir is made without any animal byproducts. Instead, it contains natural, good stuff like hemp, bamboo, latex (rubber) and coconut. Not only that, this shoe practices the second R (reuse)–it’s got 100% post-consumer paper pulp and the outsole is made from recycled tires. If only we could all trade in our tires for a good pair of walking shoes!
We hope you’ll come in and check out our selection of shoes that will put some spring in your step, without the environmental footprint. (We also have last season’s women’s Campers for sale.)
Posted in simple shoes | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008
CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) have gotten a lot of attention over the last couple of years as a simple way to save yourself from emitting more than your share of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. And, while it is absolutely true that they are much more efficient than conventional incandescent bulbs, the real superstar of light bulbs just may be the LED (light emitting diode).
We’ve all seen them on digital clocks and large, outdoor screens, but LEDs are now popular options for strands of colored holiday lights as well as regular, run of the mill light bulbs for your home.
Whole cities are making the switch to LEDs to save 40 – 70 % of the energy a city uses for lighting street lamps, parking lots and the like through the LED City program.
How does this work?
LED technology is totally unique in that it doesn’t waste energy creating heat like other bulbs. All its energy goes to the main attraction—light. (If you want to read about the science behind LEDs, refer to this article at How Stuff Works.)
These facts might help:
• A 60 watt incandescent bulb lasts 1500 hours; a CFL lasts 10,000; and a 2 watt LED finishes in first place lasting 60,000 hours!
• LEDs do not contain mercury like CFLs, making end of life disposal safer.
• LEDs contain no filament so they’re extremely durable and will last for years upon years.
• LEDs can save you 80% on your energy bill.
• Batteries powering an LED gadget will last 10-15 times longer than if run on an incandescent bulb.
(
from Eartheasy.com)
Put another way, to get 60,000 hours out of a 60 watt incandescent bulb, you’d have to replace it over and over again at a cost of $40.21. To save those replacements, you can use just one 2 watt LED that could cost you less, at $34.95.
So, while LEDS are a significant investment up front, they are energy powerhouses over the long haul.
Come into All Shades to learn more and to get an LED bulb that works for you (from 31.99-55.00).
Posted in LEDs versus CFLs, energy efficient lighting | No Comments »
Monday, March 24th, 2008
All Shades has the pleasure of hosting a workshop led by Rick Risemberg of Bicycle Fixation this Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m.
Come and learn how easy it is to get around your city on your own power or with the help of public transit–even if your city is as vast and busy as Los Angeles!
The workshop will cover equipment, clothing, techniques and attitudes that make all-weather bicycling not only practical, but pleasurable. Free yourself from obesity, stress, high fuel prices and boredom, and the planet from sprawl and pollution.
If you’ve been considering commuting one day a week to work or ditching your four wheel drive altogether, this one evening can put you on the road in a totally new, earth and life-friendly way.
Sustainable Transportation Using Bicycles and Public Transportation with Rick Risemberg
Wednesday, March 26th.
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
General: $15.00
Teachers: 25% off
Students: 50% off.
3038 Rowena Avenue
Los Angeles 90039
To pre-register or for more information, please call (323) 665 - 7454 or email creativegreen@hotmail.com.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, March 21st, 2008
In honor of the official start of spring, the All Shades of Green staff thought we’d tell you about a product we’re nuts about:
What are soap nuts? They’re the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. Each nut contains saponin, a natural cleanser released when the nut gets wet. People in South East Asia used to clean their clothes with soap nuts for thousands of years, long before Tide hit the scene.
The beauty of Maggie’s Soap Nuts is that they’re totally natural, sans artificial fragrances and chemicals that can irritate our skin and airways and eventually wash out to sea, polluting waterways and the ocean. And, one tree produces literally hundreds of kilos of nuts every year that fall to the ground, begging to be collected and put to good use.
All you do is put some soap nuts in the cotton sack provided, throw it in your washing machine, and go about laundry business as usual, naturally.
And, stop by the store and pick up some soap nuts for truly fresh spring laundry (11.00 for 16-20 loads; 19.99 for 36 loads; 36.00 for 200 loads).
Happy spring!
Posted in natural laundry, soap nuts | No Comments »
All Shades has the pleasure of hosting a workshop led by Rick Risemberg of Bicycle Fixation this Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m.
