Increasegreen.com

Don't keep up with the Jones' anymore........

2009-04-29T21:35:00.007-04:00

Hi all,
Some of the best sources of sustainability are part of our own family. Parents and grandparents that have lived through Depressions and World Wars, they learned to re-cycle, re-use and they had very little garbage. They were 'environmentalists' they just didn't now it. If you want to be 'green' but don't know how, there is more to being green than changing light bulbs and adding aerators to faucets. Check out my web site www.gilmetgreen.com or send me an email info@gilmetgreen.com
Instead of us 'keeping up with the Jones', make the Jones' keep up with you.
Our homes and work spaces are highly toxic, mainly because of all the convenient products and materials we bring into our lives, to make our lives less stressful, which give off toxic fumes, sometimes for years.
Some simple, and free, suggestions:
To improve your home environment, move all beds away from electrical outlets, the electric-magnetic field could interfere with your sleep.
Another suggestion if you are expecting a baby, decorate the babys' room at least 6 months before the baby occupies that room, even if you use non or low-VOC paints and other environmental furnishings, leave a window slightly open to allow any gases to escape, if you can.
In your workspace, use rugs, instead of wall to wall carpeting, when it needs cleaning it can be removed and cleaned.
Most environmentalists that I know or have heard speak have the same opening line, "I grew up in post-war (insert any European country) and learned to re-use, re-cycle and be inventive" now known as 're-purposed'.

Environmental, healthy and safe

2009-04-27T22:54:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone,

Being green, environmental, sustainable, non-toxic, planet friendly, eco-conscious, inexpensive, and is a lot easier than you may think. I think we have become accustomed to convenience, regardless of the cost to our health.

Antiques are sustainable, green, when they were originally produced they may or may not have all the chemicals that are used now, but being antique means that the off-gassing has already off-gassed. The antiques are durable and still very usable, classic, desirable and if needed can be brought back to mint condition, non-toxically.
Thinking outside of the box can be exciting, environmental, sustainable, unique, green or even become a new career.......

If you have the opportunity talk to seniors, seniors that remember how they lived before TV, they have a lot of wisdom, and a lot to teach.
Depending on who you talk to, green, sustainable, environmental, eco-friendly, planet friendly,

organic, natural, etc, etc, can have different meanings, there is a lot of 'green-washing' in the advertizing these days, so researching the product and the company might be the only way to know for sure what you are getting.

Green Living Show in Toronto

2009-04-27T22:37:00.004-04:00

Good day,
I went to the Green Living Show on April 24, in Toronto, it was really great to see how much it had grown in only 3 years. Unfortuneately I was looking for something specific, which is very environmental, but is made by small-ish companies. The show fees are perhaps too cost prohibitive to the small companies.
Being there just re-energized my imagination.
I was at the morning forum also, there were some very interesting Q and As, which made me think of questions I'd like answered, they ran out of time before I could ask them.
I think I'll write to my MP. If I do get any answers I'll let you know what my questions were.

Gilmet Green photo Gallery

2009-03-25T13:46:00.006-04:00

Increasegreen.com

2009-03-24T20:30:00.001-04:00

Green furnishings are

The familiar home furnishings that we already have in our homes, but made differently, without obnoxious, possibly dangerous odours and off-gassing?
We become so accustomed to the odours and off-gassing that we don’t even recognize them anymore.
We can still live with comfortable surroundings, we just need to adjust our thinking.
Local (the best - if possible). Bio-degradable. Re-usable. Re-cycleable. Non-toxic. Healthy. Energy efficient. Sustainable. Non-allergenic. Re-manufactured, Re-purposed. Natural.

**The Federal, Provincial, and Local governments offer financial incentives in the form of refunds, or charitable receipts for some enviro-friendly changes.

GREEN:- Is Preferably Local.

Is Colourful:-
Red Yellow Blue Black
Orange Brown White Even Green
And all tones and shades in-between.

Is Stylish;-
Country Modern French Victorian
Italian Early American Traditional Eclectic
Contemporary Any style you like.

Feels:-
Comfortable Relaxing Cozy Elegant
Playful Warm Masculine Feminine
Sexy Cool Dramatic Organized
Spacious Fresh Unique Inviting
Breathable However you want it to feel.

Green furnishings are:

Re-cycled - Tires = carpets, play areas, non-slip areas
- Glass = vases, coffee tables, screens, icestone
- Plastic = floor lamps, picnic utensils, park benches
- Paper = wallpaper, screens, decorations, paperstone
- Cardboard = furniture, cupboards, walls
- Tiles = mosaic, counter tops,

Re-used = antiques
= vintage
= retro
= salvaged

Re-claimed = old woods, salvaged
= re-purposed (re-manufactured)

Sustainable = managed forests
= fast growing

Non-toxic = production processes without harmful chemicals, pesticides, additives, preservatives.
Naturals
Stones - marble, granite, slate, ceramic, sandstone, limestone,
- polished concrete,
Cork - straw, rubber, sea-grass, linoleum, rattan, reeds, coir
Fabric - cotton, hemp, linen, silk, sisal, bamboo, tencel

Off the power grid = solar, wind, water, geo-thermal,
= natural gas

Some questions to ask before you buy;-
Is it local? What is it made of?
Where was it manufactured or constructed?
Do the glues, fabrics, paint, stains, binders, fillers, contain harmful chemicals?
Are there any chemicals added to it – for durability, stain resistance, fire retardant, shape?
How was it processed? How is it cleaned?
Is there a more enviro-friendly, or natural alternative?

Chris Gilmet, cell 647-869-1810 or
info@gilmetgreen.com http://www.gilmetgreen.com/

Bio of my Business

2009-03-24T20:29:00.000-04:00

My bio is as follows;I grew up in post-war England, in the industrial north-west, not too far from Manchester. My family was used to rationing and therefore was very careful not to waste anything. I have carried this attitude with me when I came to Canada, and didn’t realize that I was being ‘green’. It was only when I started to hear about being enviro-friendly that I realized that what I used to do, and still do, was a good thing after all.I had always wanted a career in the interior decorating field, and was too busy working in another job to actually go to school to get the education. I eventually decided that I can still do this, and I took a correspondence course to get formal training. I completed the course, with honours, and decided that I would establish myself in this field. Because of re-cycling, being energy efficient and my imagination ‘thinking outside the box’ comes easy to me. I don’t buy things if I can make them myself, or learn to make them myself. Some of my favourite shopping venues are garage sales, used furniture stores and thrift stores.My hobbies include; - furniture re-finishing, trompe l’oiel (although I am not as good as I would like to be), air brushing, crocheting, making and/or baking Christmas gifts. I have had a knack of making apartments, homes look professionally decorated, and I can see the potential of spaces, perhaps others can’t.The first home I worked on was a handyman’s special, which I renovated with a little help from my friends. When the house sold there was a 63% profit.The next house was also a ‘handyman’s special’, my new husband and I, tripled the equity in the home. Together we decorate our friends’ homes, and offer advice, when requested.I want to not limit myself to environmentally decorating homes, I also intend to be involved in small commercial properties, B&Bs, cottages, lodges, hotels, motels, offices, retreats, etc, etc. I know I will not have a new client every week, therefore I decided a natural expansion would be home staging, where it is not always necessary to purchase ‘new’ furnishings, and all that is really needed is a re-positioning, or re-purposing of items already in the home, maybe a little touch-up or cleaning.People have been re-cycling for many years; they just call it collecting ‘antiques’ ‘retro’‘Remember whens’. Just like a song they haven’t heard for a while, or the smell of fresh baked bread, so too can furniture pieces bring back warm memories.