I’ve spent the past two days holed up at Awakened Aesthetic HQ – a.k.a. my house.  Why?  Because it’s snowing!

It’s snowing a lot, actually…especially for Seattle.  It’s also sleeting, and freezing raining, and snowing some more.  My non-blog office has been closed for the past two days, and when I step outside I’m met with a layer of snow over a layer of ice over another layer of snow.  My boyfriend, dog and I went on A Trek Through The Park near our house earlier this evening, until we realized how unenthused Ned was with the idea of sometimes treading on top of, and sometimes falling through, that first layer of ice into a pile of snow.  Sorry, mister.

I’m writing this post on Thursday night, so who knows if I’ll be back at the office by the time you all read this…but either way, I thought I’d show you some of my favorite snow pictures from the past couple of days.  (These were originally posted at the West Seattle Blog – my ‘hood! – unless otherwise noted.)

We’ll start with a pretty photo of Longfellow Creek.

An Anna’s Hummingbird (they winter here).

Snow chicken!

I think I know which tree this is, and it’s a mere block and a half from my house.  The ice that encircled the branches of the trees grew throughout the evening – I wish I’d snapped a photo of the ice-encased rose hips I saw!

This photo of blooming witch hazel and a pair of Steller’s Jays, on the other hand, I couldn’t place if I tried.  It  must have been taken yesterday, before the hard freeze.

The above two photos were quickly snapped by my boyfriend as we walked through our neighborhood, sizing up the damage the snow and ice had done.  Take a close look at the stones in the first photo: they’re covered with a solid half-inch of ice!

It seems that everyone in this area hates crows, but I don’t mind them.  Don’t get me wrong: the first time I saw a raven I fell madly in love.  Still, these little guys aren’t so bad.

Looking out toward downtown.  Can you see the Space Needle?

Image via Fortaguada

Animal rights supporters will be excited to hear that the West Hollywood City Council has voted to ban the sale of fur within its city limits. The ban was adopted on September 20 and was supposed to be enacted on June 12, but there was a little problem: the fur industry’s main trade group is based in West Hollywood. From Mother Nature Network:

“The ban was tentatively adopted by the council on September 20 and had been expected to win easy enactment two weeks later.

But it ran into stiff opposition from the local Chamber of Commerce and the fur industry, whose main trade group, the Fur Information Council of America, happens to be based in West Hollywood.

Opponents say nearly half of the 200 apparel stores in town sell at least some fur items, and that merchandise made with animal pelts is estimated to account for up to $2 million in revenues for those businesses each year.”

Oops.

Despite the opposition, the city is moving forward with the ban, choosing to enact it in September 2013 so they can conduct a study of how it will affect local businesses. Good on ya, West Hollywood – and good luck!

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This guest post is written by Haley Mitchell, who I visited earlier this year in her home state of Mississippi. Living in rural Mississippi, in the heart of the Delta, is one of the easiest excuses I can think of for someone to ignore the ethics of shopping, but Haley finds a way. Choosing to work and eat at local, liberal-minded restaurants, supporting her local schools and making purchases that are handmade in the US are just a few ways that Haley follows her conscious consumption code. We hope to feature Haley more and more at Awakened Aesthetic, so if you like what you see, please comment and let us know!

Everywhere I go, things seem to be under construction. The Mississippi Delta isn’t an aesthetically-pleasing place to begin with, but because of the tornado, now every turn is littered with tar kettles and caution tape and orange plastic lattice and sheet-rock dust. My office building took a heavy hit in the storm and flooded inside due to a leak in our roof (the roof has been under construction for months, but is now probably looking at months longer, due to the damage) that claimed about a third of our ceiling tiles and is causing our carpets to ripple as they peel away from their adhesive backing. Everything inside is coated with a film of moisture and dust from the air, so there are dehumidifiers and fans blowing against the walls so (more) mold doesn’t grow within the sheet-rock. The carpets will have to be replaced. When everything’s new, these days won’t matter, but right now, they’re making me restless.

Right now, I keep thinking about how all of my clothes are old and how sometimes I don’t realize that I’m actually kind of poor–not as in the “I can’t go on vacation whenever I want” poor, but the “I work so much and still have very little money to spend on things that are solely for me and aren’t related to bills or gas or work or food.” I’ve been thinking about how I would dress if I had the money to invest in the things I would like to wear. So many of my things are so old, so tired. If I had the time, the will, and the money to replace them…

My favorites from this shop:

Cenobite: A warm, spicy, infernal scent, with notes of cinnamon, clove, allspice, French vanilla, and leather.

Bon Temps: A dark, distinctively southern scent for the vampire, fairy, or fangbanger with taste. Includes notes of magnolia, sweet iced tea, wisteria, bougainvillea, and a good dose of peach.

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Look at this face.

How can you not love this face?

His name (her name?) is Nyctibatrachus gavi, or the Gavi night frog, and he’s one of the dozen new frog species recently found in India. I think he’s pretty excited to make his debut, don’t you?

“Night frogs are a group endemic to India and require either fast moving rivers or moist forest floor for breeding. The researchers write that half of the newly discovered species reproduce without any physical contact between the sexes, with the female depositing her eggs on a leaf and the males later fertilizing them. Despite their chaste procreation, both parents are active guardians for the eggs, bringing them water to prevent drying out and warding off predators.

“All the frogs were spotted in a region known as the Western Ghats, a mountain range than runs along the western coast of India that has been identified as one of the ten hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world. Because of the small area they occupy, at least six of the new species are sensitive to habitat loss and will require immediate steps toward conservation.”

The researchers who found Gavi, along with the twelve other previously-undiscovered species and three species that were thought to be extinct, are affiliated with the University of Delhi, Global Wildlife Conservation and the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group. The images are from FrogIndia.com via Wired, and I’m pretty sure you should go to both of those websites and find your own favorite frog to use as your desktop background.

Because that’s what I did, and now every time I log on I’m as excited about life as he is.

(I’m such a nerd.)

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The Awakened Aesthetic team is absolutely exhausted. We spent yesterday evening occupying Seattle.

As Occupy Wall Street issues its first official declaration and Occupy Seattle finds its footing, we choose to support the movement that was inspired by the Arab Spring, a movement that is growing in every city, all over the country – even the world.

Lindsay and I spent the evening talking with protesters, participating in work groups, and marching in the downtown business district of the city.

Someone decided to create an Occupy Seattle library. He has a few books, but could use more. Send books (along with warm, rainproof items for those occupying the park overnight) to the Occupy Seattle PO Box:

Occupy Seattle
815 1st Ave. #115
Seattle, WA 98104.

It’s media versus media at the General Assembly.

For those local to Seattle, there’s a march today at 4:30pm and a huge rally scheduled for noon on Saturday.

As supporters of small businesses, natural products, conscious living and putting people and the earth ahead of monetary gains, we support the Occupy movement. We have hope that this movement only grows, and that it does more than just start a conversation. We hope that it forever changes the way our government runs, and the way that banks, large corporations and Wall Street do business.

How do you feel about the USA’s version of the Arab Spring – this “American Autumn”? Will you support the protesters?

These photos were taken by Lindsay Ginn on October 6, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. Please reproduce with credit.

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Some ethical shopping decisions are easy: buying organic produce is easily better than the GMO, pesticide-filled stuff, and taking the bus to work is better for the earth than driving your car every day.

Other ethical decisions are harder. The hardest, for me, is deciding what percentage of my purchases should be local, and what percentage should be fair trade. Fair trade supports struggling communities worldwide, but buying local supports my immediate surroundings ecologically by using less fuel. Buying fair trade means abuses and ending economic hardships for those living in underprivileged environments, but buying locally means supporting my own economy, immediately, at home. What’s a girl to do?

Ethical Ocean, an eco-friendly retailer we’ve featured in the past (because they totally “get it”), created an infographic to help people like me (and maybe you?) decide what kind of sustainable purchases to make, and in which cases. Check out the graphic below:

via Ethical Ocean – eco friendly products, fair trade and vegan shopping.

(Click to make it larger.)

This graphic may focus on produce, but when I first saw it I immediately started to think about fashion and beauty. Local designers are amazing…but so are brands like Mata Traders, who work to build economic communities outside the US. We all know to buy from major chains as little as possible…but who do we choose when it comes between a local boutique and a fair trade online store?

The truth is that neither of these options is inherently better than the other, and both support the effort to make the world a sociologically, economically and ecologically better place. It’s just a matter of choice: if you can get your chocolate locally and fair trade (like I can) it’s not a big deal, but if you had to choose between a local chocolate manufacturer and a major chain that uses fair trade sources, which is more important to you?

Thank you, Ethical Ocean, for helping to make the benefits of local and fair trade shopping more easily understood. Readers, please share this graphic on Twitter and Facebook (there are share buttons below) to help others make smart decisions too!

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We do a lot of talking about gorgeous clothes, gorgeous shoes, and gorgeous beauty products that don’t harm the planet. In fact, that’s damn near all we talk about.

But it occurs to me that we are missing something – something important: caring for these items. This is an entire industry away from fashion & style. You could have the most ethical, glamorous wardrobe in all the land, but if you’re using super-harmful products to care for them, what good are you doing? Less. The answer is less. A very vague less because this blogger didn’t do the research and doesn’t really wanna.

It’s been many years since I bought a big-name laundry detergent. I am creeped out and frightened by the number of weird ingredients and dangers associated with simply handling mass-produced, chemical-laden soaps, and it’s driven me right into the warm, sudsy arms of natural and ethical detergents.

I’ve tried so, so many brands and methods that I’ve been able to narrow down my experience into a list of The Top Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents! If you’ve got a recommendation that isn’t on this list, please leave it in the comments!

1. SOAK

I was first introduced to SOAK when I was new to Chicago and dirt poor. I had a ton of hand-wash/knit clothing that I couldn’t bear to put into the laundry with harsh detergents and out-of-my-control wash cycles. The last thing I needed to start off in a new city was busted clothes, you know? Jacqueline, the founder of SOAK, was kind enough to send over some samples and I fell in love. It’s three years later, and I’m happy to continue using this biodegradable, phosphate-free, beautiful smelling detergent on my delicates. (Check out the tutorial we did on Broke & Beautiful: How To Use SOAK)

2. Meyer’s Clean Day in Basil

I had no idea how badly I wanted my clothes to smell like basil until I bought this. Aside from the A+ packaging and product design, the smell of this stuff is heavenly. It does a fabulous job in the cleaning department, and the ingredients are either a) things you can find in a grocery store or b) biodegradable, recognizable products (like cotton extract and parsley).

3. Soap Nuts / Soap Berries

This is such an interesting idea! Soap nuts, or soap berries, are actually in the lychee family, and have long been used as a detergent (for thousands of years!). They contain components called saponins which are natural surfactants, or foaming/cleaning agents. This set is only $3 and comes with an all natural muslin bag. You throw them into you wash, and don’t even need extra soap!

What’s your favorite natural way to wash? Tell us in the comments!

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My city’s a ghost town, and so is the internet. Everyone in the US seems to be out celebrating their three-day weekend, and I’ve spent most of my weekend lounging around the house. For those of you at home (or out!) looking for a bit of brain entertainment (braintertainment?) I’ve compiled a few news articles and posts to get you thinking, shopping and DIYing. Enjoy!

Awakened Appetite. That’s right – Lindsay and I are spreading ourselves even thinner! We took our love of ethical consumption and our absolute need to eat delicious foods, and combined them. Check out our first week of posts, including information on a recent California raw food raid, a delicious recipe for home-made crepes, a vegan kickstart program and the eating habits of the world’s healthiest people.

DIY: How to Make a Corkboard Jewelry Frame. Ash is a fun, kitschy beast, she is. I love how she paired something totally funky – a sort of gaudy, very gilded jewelry frame – with sturdy corkboard to make a gorgeous jewelry frame. (It would also be perfect for notes, or inspiration board!)

Like Porcelain. The photos Araks Yeramyan posts on her blog are always stunning, but this set of Frances Bean Cobain, taken by Hedi Silmane,  is especially poignant.

Eat the Damn Cake: Couple’s Massage. There’s a reason my partner and I get our massages separately, and Kate explains every reason why. (She also almost gets set on fire.)

Smashing Darling’s Indie Fashion Finds. Buying directly from an independent designer is infinitely better than going through a middle man, and Smashing Darling’s lists of “fashion finds” from their site is an easy way to do it. (The above Dreams of Paris dress is on sale for only $56!

What did you do over Labor Day weekend?

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Sometimes, when it’s early in the morning and I’m playing on Etsy, half asleep, I get really confused by some of the things people sell…and how those things manage to make it into Treasuries.

*yawns, sips coffee*

“…is that…wood for sale? Maybe it’s a photograph of wood. Like, an artistic photograph…”

*clicks image, reads description*

“…Lake Michigan…great for any DIY project…various sizes of beach drift wood…the exact pieces in the picture…wait, what? Drift wood? Someone’s selling…and are those rocks? Is someone selling rocks?“

And then I remember that not everyone lives by the ocean, with drift wood and flat, wave-washed stones at their disposal.

What natural beauties are abundant in your neck of the woods (or sea, or desert…)?

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All right, stop,
Collaborate and listen
Jen is back with a brand new…

Link love post?

Photo by Matthew Piatt

Robin Shreeves talks Fiestaware at Mother Nature Network. I love Fiestaware, and am glad to see that it is conscious about conservation, and that Robin found options to purchase much of her “new” dinnerware second-hand. This is a great example of taking something not-so-eco-friendly and making it better!

Treehugger just released a slideshow of sustainable back to school items for the K-12 crowd…but I could use almost everything on their list (please see EDIBLE CRAYONS!), so I think this is more appropriately titled, “Green Gift Guide For Back to Whatever It Is You Should Be Doing in September.”

South Beach Swim Week hosted Linda Loudermilk’s compostable bathing suit, the first of its kind ever created. The suit is made of plant starch and will completely decompose within 180 days (under soil, of course). I think it’s pretty gorgeous…do you?

Everyone knows biking is more eco-friendly than driving…but did you know you can buy a more eco-friendly (aka non-metallic) bike? (The best part of this article is how refreshingly honest it is about whether these bikes are actually sustainable.)

Our Story from LovebeginswithL on Vimeo

Speaking of eco-friendly, ahem, movements…how about some eco-friendly, natural latex condoms?

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