With questions (& answers) about Green in BKLYN, our neighborhood & customers, it’s a lovely slice of what makes being here such a joy.

You can check out the article at skinnyskinny’s blog.

Thank you, skinnyskinny, for organic & eco savvy products that rock.  And a wonderful shout out to Green in BKLYN!

Early in the day, Carolyn Leonhart & Jay Leonhart joined us for some glorious jazz – on upright bass & vocals.  And, at the end of the day, Claire “Raji” Rodriguez stopped by with vocals & some classic Broadway tunes & folk music.

Lady & a Tramp’s Bloglife describes a moment with the Leonharts “as the sound of Jay’s combination upright bass & scat playing style peek(s) from under the warm blanket of sound (in which) his daughter Carolyn’s incredibly mesmerizing & soulful voice covers you.”  They also captured some great footage of the duo.  You can see & hear “Sometimes I Think” by clicking here or “The Bass Lesson” here.

Ones who’ve lived here all their lives or for many years.  And those who’ve just made it into the neighborhood – visiting from out of town (including the other boroughs) or finally making the move into Clinton Hill/Ft. Greene/Bed-Stuy.

When they’re the latter (new neighbors), we have the unofficial welcome to the ‘hood package including:

• Our Green Book: Linking the Green Community
• BrooklynNow Guide: Extraordinary Businesses in the near-city neighborhoods of Brooklyn
• Plenty: The Ultimate Guide to Life & Leisure in Clinton Hill/Fort Greene
• The Hill: Journal of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill & Wallabout

I consider these four resources to be some of the best in covering much of Green in BKLYN’s focus areas… Eco-friendly information, the Borough of Brooklyn & the neighborhoods of Clinton Hill & Fort Greene.

So, if you’re in the shop, ask for copies of their paper versions.  If you’re on-line, check them out there (simply click on their names above).

Either way, enjoy the ‘hood!  We’re in one of the best in the City!

As we head toward Green in BKLYN’s one year anniversary (tomorrow!), I’ve been reminiscing about our first days open & so many events along the way.  But what’s truly blowing my mind is the gift of what’s occured here at 432 Myrtle…

When Green in BKLYN first began, I had a dream & the hope that, if I was lucky & worked really hard, I might be able to open an eco-friendly shop in BKLYN, serve my community & help our planet in some tiny way.

Small business owners take a leap of faith when starting, trusting that the dream is, indeed, a possibility.  It’s exciting & terrifying at the same time.  With an outcome that’s never a sure thing.

People ask all the time how we’re doing.  And I respond, truthfully, that folks keep coming back & I keep paying the bills, so I think I’m doing okay.  But I know I’m better than okay.

Because folks don’t just come back.  They mention Green in BKLYN to their friends, write about us in their blogs* & become friends.  They come in with their babies & pups & send us photos for our Myrtle Mutts & Brooklyn Babies photo albums.  They thank us for filling a need, taking a risk & adding to the neighborhood.  They confirm that the dream was, & is, a reality.

And for that I am so blessed.  Eternally grateful & highly blessed.  And for that, I thank you…  Our customers, our Brooklyn Babies, our Myrtle Mutts… our friends.

* See our friends’ recent blogs at:

• A Child Grows in Brooklyn: Top of the Shop: Green in BKLYN
  

• Go Green Baby Go: Going Green? Go to Green in BKLYN

It’s been a busy week in all kinds of ways… new products, various events & tons of press.

On Monday (3/1/10), Green in BKLYN was featured in am New York’s “Going Green Gets Easier” & this week we were added to ZTrend New York, the NYC City Shopping site.

Green in BKLYN was also included in am New York’s February 4th article on “Fort Green’e Big Revival” (p. 28).

Both of the am New York articles can be downloaded at their Archive site.

• “Going Green Gets Easier” (Monday, March 1, 2010 – page 7)
• “Fort Green’e Big Revival” (Thursday, February 4, 2010 – page 28)

Plenty, the Ultimate Guide to Life & Leisure in Clinton Hill/Ft. Greene, also posted a link to Monday’s am New York article.

Life is sweet & we are grateful! Thank you again & always to our friends, customers & supporters!  We couldn’t do what we do or be where we are without you!

Thank you, Grace.  It’s lovely to be included with a stellar crew of women.

And for all you Fab Chicks, check out Grace’s website: StricklyChicks.com – A Guilty Pleasure for Chicks.

Love this one! We put out the call to local merchants to submit gift ideas for our new $25-and-under series, and look what came back: a lightweight stainless steel coffee mug to latch onto your backpack, belt loop, dog leash, pierced eyebrow… whatevs. The cup, which weighs 5 oz., holds 12 oz. of liquid and only costs $12.95 from a store called Green in BKLYN. We like it because we went to a hippie college with people who put those clips on everything just to show how mountainy they were. While we don’t climb rocks (they probably didn’t either), we do love coffee and hate paper cups. The mug, which has a stainless steel double wall (for great insulation) is available at Green in BKLYN, a homey little eco-everything shop in Clinton Hill/Ft. Greene (432 Myrtle Ave., 718-855-4383) that opened this past Earth Day.

Brian Lehrer, the popular host of WNYC’s “Brian Lehrer Show,” hosts New York television’s only live ‘open phones’ call-in on CUNY TV, Wednesday nights on cable and online.

“Just like my WNYC show, we’ll be trying to get at the truth about life and politics in New York City, and give regular New Yorkers a voice through live call-ins and e-mail,” says Lehrer.  “We’ll also invite people to send in photos and original videos that say something meaningful about life in New York today.  And, as on the radio, we’ll find our ways to sneak in some fun!”

Hopefully you’ll think we’re part of the fun!

Oh, and if you want to call in, Brian’s number for the show is 212-251-0801

LifeStyler is a New York City-centric guide offering tips promoting financial responsibility & fiscally responsible lifestyle choices including where to find the cheapest beers in NYC, how to set up a retirement account & cool eco-friendly shops that aren’t ridiculously priced (that’s us!).

It’s a great site & a very lovely mention… Enjoy!

Green in BKLYN is featured in an article titled Green Your Neighborhood Store on the One Million Acts of Green website.  The article beautifully explains why opening Green in BKLYN was so important to me, what it means for us to be a part of the Brooklyn & green communities & how we are part of the One Million Acts…

In October 2008, Cisco launched One Million Acts of Green in Canada to show that individual, organizational & community acts of green add up to something significant.  Today, they’re asking everyone in the United States for an act of green.  It can be small: take public transportation instead of driving, use a refillable coffee cup or a CFL light bulb.  Or something bigger, like covering your roof in solar panels.

One Million Acts of Green asks you to form a community, record your acts of green & share your ideas to encourage others.  It shows the power of people coming together & working toward meaningful goals—the power of the human network.

So, you can start at the One Million Acts of Green website & register your acts of green.  Their calculator on the site, designed by GreenNexxus, shows how our acts create a positive impact.  Very cool.