In our little paint world, it’s easy to think about the products we work with every day and forget about the bigger picture. Why are we driven to offer healthier products to our customers? There are a lot of reasons. In this entry, we share a lecture given by Alex Steffen during the 2005 TED conference. What is TED? TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Their annual conference now brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

In this lecture, Alex Steffen challenges us to look at our world through a broad lens. The small choices we make each day, including using healthy materials in our homes, can make a big difference…

When considering new additions to your home decor, consider supporting a local artist:

Last year during a trip to local coffee shop Stir Crazy, I was awestruck by an art installation featuring mobiles made out of (among other things) recycled teabags, candle wax, and bamboo. Since then, I’ve been a huge fan of the artist, Dale Keator. It turns out that she’s featured again this month in the same location. Do yourself a favor — Take some time to visit Stir Crazy, grab a tasty beverage (I recommend the ginseng peppermint tea), pull up a comfy chair and admire the beauty of her work. Dale’s pieces vary in size from just a few inches to spanning an entire wall. Here is a statement from Dale about her teabag collages to give you a sense of the energy behind her work:

My artwork is a collaborative effort. The teabags; having had a previous life from perhaps an endearing conversation, a thoughtful quiet moment, or a relaxing sigh of relief from a hectic day, help to create the calming charm that is intended for my pieces. All of the teabags are saved and “gifted” to me, by friends. It is friends that started the momentum on this “project”, which actually started as a result 9/11 and realizing the importance of friendships. Every teabag paper is different, much the way people and relationships are.

I would like the viewer to enjoy the experience of the teabags by watching the movement, smelling the tea particles left on the papers, listening to the sounds as the sewn strands of teabags gently touch each other.

The tea, the tags, the string, the staples, and of course the papers…all are used in making my pieces. And all are used to evoke compassion.

Dale Keator is a sculptural collage artist whose work is created from recycled tea bags. Her work has a zen like quality that inspires it’s viewers to “slow down” and experience its gentle movements. She holds a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, has worked with the Children’s Museum of Richmond and taught for the Neighborhood School of the Arts. She has had two recent shows at Lift Coffee Shop and Stir Crazy Café. Dale says that her work is absolutely a “labor of love” and continues to enjoy collecting tea bags from very loyal tea drinkers.

To learn more about this great local artist’s work, feel free to contact her at sewsart@yahoo.com.

Perhaps you don’t need the paint anymore, or maybe it’s gone bad. If the can hasn’t been stored in a temperature controlled area, and has been left unattended for a long period of time, you may not be able to donate it. In that case, it’s time to dispose of the paint.

If it’s unable to be salvaged, here’s the proper method for paint disposal:

If the can is nearly empty, open the can and let the remaining paint dry completely. You can then throw it away with your trash.

If there’s a lot of paint left in the can, pour cat litter or sand in with the paint (add until it absorbs most of the liquid), then allow it to dry. Then, dispose of it with your trash.

Paint must be dry in order to be disposed of in a traditional manner. Stay tuned for some creative uses for old paint. It’s always better to recycle.

Feel free to call us if we can help!

Now in its 38th year, Earth Day is a special time set aside to recognize ways we can actively improve and care for our environment. By now, we’ve all heard the magic words to live by when it comes to healthier living: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

When it comes to truly understanding the impact of your lifestyle on the environment, though, do you know where to turn for resources? The Low Impact Living website is a great place to start. The Low Impact Living Calculator will ask you about such things as the square footage of your home, the type of heating and cooling systems you use, and will ask how much you recycle. You can calculate your environmental footprint here in less than 5 minutes.

My score is a 40. What’s yours? More importantly, what do you plan to do about it?

Feel free to contact us if you’d like to know about local resources for eco-friendly living. We’re happy to help!