Fobots are “found object robots” made by my dear friend, and very accomplished artist, Amy Flynn.

You may have seen the ‘bots in an Anthropologie catalog or on Ugly Betty (3/10/10).  Other than Green in BKLYN, you’d have to be in a small shop in Raleigh NC to lay hands or eyes on the sweet ‘bots.  But I digress…

Amy’s whimsical Fobots are made with all kinds of recycled bits: antique tins, watch parts, old pool balls & all manner of plumbing pieces.  And are named according to their hardware & her whim.

For instance, at Green in BKLYN, Mr. October has a baseball head.  Robama has big ears, holds the word HOPE & has a half & half tin for a body.  We also have Prance-O-Matic, Bro-bot & Dougie Goes Walkies (Dougie’s the dog half of a boy & dog duo).

Basically, the Fobots are fabulous, Amy’s story is intriguing & you can read more about it at the News Observer.  Or, simply stop in at Green in BKLYN & visit the ‘bots yourself…

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!

I use their facial cleanser & cream every day as well as their scrub, toner & body lotion when I’ve got time, need or am just in the mood.  It works great & helps me look & feel better.

This week, Pangea’s Education Coordinator – Linda Driscoll – will be stopping by Green in BKLYN.  She has all the answers regarding skin care & Pangea’s products.  And she’ll be sharing that info, answering questions & giving out goodie bags with Pangea samples in them…

So how do you get in on a visit with Linda?  See below…

• Who: Pangea’s Education Coordinator – Linda Driscoll
• What: Q&A +  Pangea Samples!
• Where: Green in BKLYN (432 Myrtle Avenue)
• When: Tuesday, March 2nd @ 5pm
• How:  Just stop by! Tell Linda, “I love Pangea Organics.”

Pangea’s mission is to make body & skincare that’s good for you & your body.  That’s why they use only plant-based ingredients that nurture you & nourish your skin. Everything they put in their stuff is in there ’cause it’s good for you.  As they say, their products are:

ALWAYS

• nurturing
• handcrafted
• organic & fair trade
• cruelty-free

NEVER

• petroleum-based ingredients
• sulfates or detergents
• synthetic preservatives
• artificial colors or fragrances

But, one of my favorite resources, the Council on the Environment of New York City, has even more recycling info on their site.  Below is their condensed version…  I suggest you visit their site & sign up for all kinds of great environmental info!  Enjoy & happy recycling…

NYC has an extensive recycling program, and there are many ways to recycle additional materials. Here are just a few resources. Check out www.NYC.gov/nycwasteless for a comprehensive collection of recycling information and resources.

Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are prohibited from household garbage and can be recycled at stores that sell batteries of that type. For more info on this law, visit www.nyc.gov/nycwasteless or call 311. Select Greenmarkets have collection bins for cell phones and rechargeable batteries or you can visit www.RBRC.org to get a bin for your building.

Single-use alkaline batteries can be recycled at Interstate Batteries on Berrian Blvd in Astoria and at the NYC Department of Sanitation’s Special Waste Drop-Off Site in your borough. (Note: Whole Foods and 3RLiving have suspended their in-store battery collections).

For more information on disposing of batteries in NYC visit NYCWasteLe$$.

Business Recycling

All businesses must recycle in NYC. Visit the NYCWasteLe$$ page dedicated to businesses, which provides tips and resources for setting up a recycling program. Looking to get rid of reusable items without loading up a landfill, or trying to save money by acquiring used goods? Check out NY WasteMatch – a free match-making service for used and surplus goods. This commercial materials exchange helps businesses save money on purchases and/or disposal, while also helping the environment.

Bicycles

Tired of your old bicycle? Donate it to Recycle a Bicycle or Time’s UP! and make someone’s day!

Building Materials

Save money on renovations by buying from and donating to NYC’s building materials reuse centers, Build It Green! and Rebuilders Source. Visit their websites to view their inventories of cabinets, doors, appliances, paint and more.

Cell Phones

Any store that sells cell phones in New York State has to take them back. You can also recycle your old phone for a cause through Collective Good, which will refurbish it for reuse if possible.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) save energy and last much longer, but still require disposal eventually. These items, which contain trace amounts of mercury, are permissible in household garbage but can be recycled at several sites in the City. Get more info on light bulb recycling and CENYC’s CFL recycling pilot program at www.cenyc.org/CFL.

Compost

Why let your food scraps go to waste? Many NYC community gardens offer composting to turn your coffee grounds, vegetable trimmings and other organic waste into “black gold” to fertilize flowers, vegetables and trees. Find out where at www.nyccompost.org or drop it off at the Union Square Greenmarket with the Lower East Side Ecology Center or at the Ft. Greene Greenmarket for composting at local community gardens. Check out the Manhattan Compost Map from Green Map for more local compost resources.

Clothing & Textiles

Materials such as old clothing and linens represent 6% of NYC’s waste but are 100% recyclable at our weekly Greenmarket textile recycling collections: Fridays at 97thSt. (8a-2p); Saturdays at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn (8a-4p), Ft Greene (8a-3p), McCarren Park (8a-2p), Inwood (8a-3p); Sundays at Tompkins Sq. (8a-2p) and Jackson Hts (8a-3p)JUL-NOV only; and Mondays & Saturdays at Union Square (8a-6p). Items in wearable condition can also find a new home through Freecycle™ New York City or local charities. Contact Wearable Collections for information on setting up a collection in your very own apartment building!

Computers & Electronics

Although they are a small portion of the waste stream by volume, computers and electronics contribute about 70% of the toxicity to landfills. There are many recycling opportunities for these items. Find upcoming collection days on our Recycling Events page, visit Take It Back NYC for info on manufacturer recycling or click here for info on free computer recycling at local Goodwill stores.

Food

Food that is still edible need not go to waste. Find a soup kitchen or food pantry near you with this handy interactive map from the NYC Coalition Against Hunger. Large volumes of canned food can be donated through the Food Bank for NYC. Contact City Harvest for information on donating large amounts of fresh, perishable and prepared foods.

Furniture

Goodwill Industries, The Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, Housing Works, Everything Goes, Furnish-a-Future and other non-profit organizations provide good homes for old furniture. You can also look for takers through Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org

Ink Cartridges

Refilling ink cartridges reduces the amount of plastic that goes into the landfill. See Fine Star Imaging, Cartridge World, and Staples. Prepaid return labels or envelopes are available on all brands of toner and ink cartridges so you can return them for free recycling.

Junk Mail

Take your name off of mass mailing lists with the Direct Mail Marketing Association and reduce catalog waste with Catalog Choice. Opt out of offers for credit cards and insurance through the Consumer Credit Reporting Industry. Stop unsolicited telephone books with the new Yellow Pages Opt Out.

Plastic Bags & Plastic Film

They make up 7.5% of our waste, and they never degrade. The key is to reduce your use of plastic bags. If you need to recycle your “stash” you can do so at many stores around the city, thanks to a recent local law that requires recycling of plastic film such as shopping bags, dry cleaning bags and newspaper bags.

Tubs, Cups & Other Plastics

Though not collected for recycling by the city, plastic tubs such as margarine and yogurt cups can be recycled at the Park Slope Food Coop. Bring #5 containers and Brita pitcher filters to most Whole Foods locations, mail to Preserve Gimme 5, 823 NYS Rte 13, Cortland, NY 13045. Click here to find drop-off sites in NYC.  NOTE: You can drop them off at Green in BKLYN, too!

Shoe Repair & Recycling

Don’t throw them out, resole them. An artifact of the past in many cities; the shoe repair business in New York City is thriving. These shops offer great value by extending the life of good shoes. If your running shoes are worn completely, you can recycle them through the Reuse-a-Shoe program, which makes them into athletic surfaces. You can drop off any brand of rubber-soled shoes at Niketown, 6 East 57th Street (212.891.6453) or mail them to the Nike Recycling Center, c/o Reuse-A-Shoe, 26755 SW 95th Ave., Wilsonville, OR 97070.

Swaps & Exchanges

Items that are no longer useful to you can still be helpful to others. Try catch-all resources like Craigslist.org or Freecycle.org or search NYC Stuff Exchange for a wide array of reuse options. And don’t miss CENYC’s Stop N’ Swaps!

Technotrash

Recycle CDs, floppy disks, VHS tapes, etc. by purchasing a Technotrash bin from Green Disk.

It seems we’ve been moving back & forth between Winter & hints of Spring amidst many, many falling snowflakes.  And it’s gotten me thinking about the Spring that will, inevitably, come.

The change of season always welcomes new joys, challenges &, at Green in BKLYN, new products & events.  I’ll catch you up on the events in the next few days.  In the meantime, here’s some info on the latest & greatest items at the shop now…

• Reusable Brooklyn Wine Totes
• Felted Wool Dinosaurs, Easter Eggs & Hearts
• Clear Plastic Recycling Trash Bags
• Grosgrain Ribbon (from 100% post-consumer recycled bottles)
• Wax Paper Bags

• Organic Cotton Brooklyn Onesies (for babies)
• Insulated Klean Kanteens (12 oz & 16 oz)
• SodaStream Jet & Penguin Seltzer Makers
• Nellie’s Scented Dryerball Fragrance Stix
• More Essential Oils (eucalyptus, neem, lavender & more)
• Books, Books & More Books
• Even More Sassy Magnets & Snarky Cards

Reprinted from LOHAS, the following information by Patty James includes small suggestions for big change…  Fifty-two simple ways to be healthier… One a week?  Sounds doable…  Here’s to our health – salud, y’all!

According to an annual survey, over 100 million people at the beginning of each year vow to make improvements to their life, most dealing with various aspects of their health.  Whether it is to lose those pesky ten pounds, cut out the junk food or quit a nasty habit, four out of every five people who try to make those changes fail to keep at them.

Big changes are often daunting & hard to fold into your everyday life; they are simply not sustainable.  Try a new healthy habit a week.  These are small changes that can make a big impact on not only your health but the environment’s health as well.

1.     Drink 8 glasses of pure water a day.
2.     Get rid of any junk food in your house.  If it’s not there, don’t go get it.
3.     Limit your caffeine intake: 1-2 cups of coffee a day.
4.     Plan your weekly meals on your day off.
5.     Spend 30 minutes twice a week cutting up fresh veggies to have them ready at all times.
6.     Keep seasonal fruit at home & eat it when you’re hungry or when a sweet tooth strikes.
7.     Substitute raw nuts & seeds for processed granola bars.
8.     Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach; it’s hard on your stomach & burns up B vitamins.
9.     Eat raw vegetables every day.  Raw veggies contain important enzymes that can be lost when they’re cooked.
10.   Purchase as much of your food organic as you can.  Your body will appreciate it as will our planet.
11.   Next time you make cookies or cake, substitute half of the butter with applesauce, pumpkin or prune puree.  Less fat; more nutrients.
12.   Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
13.   Vary your food; if you eat it today, don’t eat it for 4 days.
14.   Different colored food has different nutrients, so eat from the rainbow.  Red peppers, orange carrots, green kale, etc.
15.   Thicken soups with pureed beans.  Delicious & added nutrition.
16.   Don’t drink water from plastic bottles.  Polycarbonate water bottles (labeled #7) contain bisphenol A (BPA), which leaches from the plastic & has been linked to chromosome damage & hormone disruption.
17.   Start your day with a glass of fresh lemon water – 1/2 to 1 juiced lemon in water. Your liver loves it.
18.   De-stress.  Find out what works for you.  Warm baths?  Exercise?  Reading?  Yoga?  Walks in the woods?  Find out what calms & soothes you & practice daily.
19.   Move daily.  Find the movement that moves your body & eases your mind & make it a part of who you are.  If you enjoy it, you will do it.
20.   Eat at a table, cloth napkin on your lap & chew well.  Be thankful.
21.   Next time you want scrambled eggs (or tofu), sauté some veggies first, then add eggs.  Try eating your veggies all day!
22.   Dry brush your skin before you shower in the morning.  It’s good for your lymphatic system & your skin will be so much softer & healthier.
23.   Have at least one day a week without meat.  Meatless Monday perhaps.
24.   Eat more beans!  They’re high in protein, dietary fiber & taste so good.
25.   Use whole grain flour in your baking instead of white flour.  Whole-wheat pastry flour is a fine grind &  much healthier than the white stuff.
26.   Remove white sugar from your diet or at least limit it.  Use maple syrup, honey, agave or stevia instead.
27.   Don’t eat fake food! No artificial anything!
28.   Don’t eat out as much. Cook more.
29.   Exercise your mind!  Learn a new dance, read a good book.  Learn a new language.  Keep your mind moving as well as your body.
30.   Learn to communicate better.  Speak your mind, kindly & be done with it.  Don’t hold grudges.  Forgive yourself & others.
31.   Make your own vinaigrette for your salads.  Olive &/or flax oil, lemon juice or vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, a minced garlic clove & a little salt and pepper.
32.   Use sea salt instead of the highly processed salt you find in many grocery stores.
33.   Reduce salt intake.  Use fresh herbs & lemon juice to boost flavor.
34.   Try to stay off computers & away from anything electronic two hours before bed for a better night’s sleep.
35.   Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
36.   Switch to whole wheat, corn or quinoa pasta (there are many selections) instead of pasta that uses refined flour.
37.   Don’t eat or drink any food with trans-fat.  Watch those non-dairy creamers!
38.   Add more leafy greens to your life-kale, chard, spinach, radicchio, etc.  They are wonder foods!  Steam the greens for a couple minutes, drain & set aside.  In a pan sauté some onions, garlic & shitake mushrooms in olive oil for a few minutes.  Add the kale back in, stir & serve.  Yum.
39.   Use less cheese in casseroles that call for cheese.  Instead sprinkle grated cheese on top.
40.   Begin each day with a good stretch & some deep breaths.
41.   Try new ingredients.  Buy a kohlrabi or something you’ve never tried before & go from there.  Keep yourself inspired.
42.   Don’t reward yourself or your family with food.
43.   Try to eat whatever food is in season; it’s more nutritious & tastes better.
44.   Don’t go hungry.  Eat healthy snacks so you don’t overeat later.
45.   Watch what you put on your skin.  Many products are loaded with chemicals that you shouldn’t rub into your skin.
46.   Bake instead of frying your meats & fish.
47.   Increase Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.  Sources include walnuts, flax seeds & oil & cold water fish such as salmon.  Healthy fats are important to good health.
48.   Increase your intake of legumes: lentil, beans & peas. They are good sources of protein, dietary fiber & blood sugar regulators.  Try split pea or lentil soup for breakfast!  Think outside the box.
49.   Take supplements.  Begin with a good multivitamin & speak with your health practitioner about others that may be needed for your optimum health.
50.   Watch your portion sizes as well as your plate & utensil sizes.  Some forks & spoons look like garden utensils.  Try chopsticks & eat slowly.
51.   Shop in the outside aisles of the grocery store.  Most of the more processed foods are located in the middle isles.
52.   Play!  Everyone needs to have fun!

1.  Make Your Own Card. Valentine’s Day ranks right up there with Christmas for card giving.  This year, how about trying something new?  Make your own cards using recycled paper!  It’s easy, fun, reduces wasted paper & gives a card an extra special touch!  Visit www.wikihow.com/Make-Paper for directions.

2.  Buy a Plant instead of giving cut flowers. Instead of cut flowers that get thrown away after a week, give the whole plant!  It’s a gift that keep on giving.  For an easier to care for option, ask for plants local to your region.

3.  Massage & Body Oils. A gift to share!  Organic body oils calm the nervous system, improve the circulation and tone the skin with great glide for perfect massages.  Have some fun and enjoy silky, smooth, healthy skin to boot!

4.  Find a restaurant that supports locally grown and/or organics foods. At localharvest.org find a restaurant that supports local, seasonal & organic foods.

5.  Reuse an old picture frame. Turn a great picture of you and your sweetie into an eco-conscience gift.  Use an old frame that’s lying around taking up space.  Clean it up & put some new life into it with a new picture.  Or, make your own frame from recycled materials.  Learn How.

6.  Travel the eco-friendly way.  Going away for a romantic weekend?  Find a hotel that’s eco-friendly at www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/. If you’re traveling somewhere to celebrate the occasion, consider offsetting your carbon emissions at Native Energy.

And, since we’ve been sharing sage words on the topic at the shop (on our recycled chalk boards), perhaps you’d enjoy them on-line too.

Romantic, educative, snarky – it’s all about love in the end, isn’t it?

Or, at least, something like love…

• There is no living with thee, nor without thee. - Marcus Valerius Martial
• Your heart is my pinata. - Chuck Palahniuk
• I have been surpised that men could die martyrs to their religion -  I have shuddered at it -  I shudder no more -  I could be martyred for my religion – Love is my religion – And I could die for that – I could die for you. - John Keats
• Love is the delusion that one man or woman differs from another. - H. L. Mencken
• If i has to choose between loving you, and breathing, I would use my last breath to say I LOVE YOU - dani b.
• The best & most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.  They must be felt with the heart. - Hellen Keller
• There is only one happiness in life – to love & be loved. - George Sands
• When you are in Love you can’t fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams. - Dr. Seuss
• I have found men who didn’t know how to kiss.  I’ve always found time to teach them. – Mae West
• To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance. – Oscar Wilde

Since Green in BKLYN has opened, I’ve become obsessed with the Priti nail polishes that we carry in the shop.  Priti is the name of the company.  Very pretty is how said nail polishes appear on one’s fingers & toes.

Priti nail polishes contain no toluene, formaldahyde or BDPs.  Their extraordinary soy polish remover moisturizes nails instead of drying them, smells great & contains no acetone.  All are safe & completely non-toxic!

• What: Priti Manicure Day @ Green in BKLYN
• When: Thursday, February 11th  12-4pm
• Where:  432 Myrtle Avenue (btw. Clinton & Waverly)
• How:  Call 718-855-4383 for reservations

This month Tom Kane’s show – “Look For Hearts” – celebrates love & the fact that it’s all around us.  Literally.  In the streets, on walls, carved in stone & falling from the trees.  I’ll let Tom explain:

Look For Hearts originally started on February 10, 2009.

I’d been trying to think of a Valentine’s present for my girlfriend that took a little more thought than buying one of the sticky-sweet gifts you see around that time.

Suddenly I noticed how many hearts were right under my nose.  And not Valentine’s decorations, either.  All over Brooklyn I saw them scrawled on walls & hiding in gardens, carved in stone, in the work of local street artists.

Four days later I had 200 hearts.  I went to my neighborhood bookstore for a small red Moleskine notebook & pasted a postage stamp-size print on each page.

Everyone knows that once you start noticing something, it’s hard to stop.  So I didn’t.  I’ve been taking heart pictures for a whole year now & my photos include all four seasons.

I’m so pleased Elissa gave me the opportunity to show a few of them at Green in BKLYN.  I hope you enjoy them when you visit the store.

LookForHearts.com will be live on February 11^th – just in time for Green in BKLYN’s Valentine’s celebration!

And the Moleskine’s still on her mantle…

We’ll be holding a reception at Green in BKLYN on Thursday, February 11th from 5-7pm to celebrate Tom’s show, his website going live &, of course, love…

Join us for a glass of organic wine & to warm your heart.