The other day, on a mission to find my mom the perfect birthday gift, I went into one of my favorite shops in Carrboro, Nested. While there, I recognized some art by 64 colors on an awesome shopping bag.

The company that makes them is Blue Q and they have a wide and varied range of products. Some I really dig and others… not so much. I picked up a tote bag and a water bottle. The water bottle is BPA free and is stainless steel and decorated with lead-free inks! Huzzah, what a find! It’s also pretty awesome that their bags are made from 95% recycled woven polypropylene aaaand that 1% of the sale of their bags and water bottles go to support the work of The Nature Conservancy.

I ended up buying my mom a lovely dish towel, which was hand-woven in India and screenprinted with water-based, non-toxic inks. Lovin’ it. Good job, Blue Q.

NOW FOR SOME AMAZING MUSIC. If you can go to a live show of King Khan and the Shrines, do it.

Andrew Bell’s O-No Sushi – I love this toy. Pretty well made and fun. Very fun to play around with for photographing!

Jon Burgerman – He makes art, vinyl toys (these are still art too, just in 3d form) and music. I’m sure he does other things too. Check out his Flickr – there are doodles and pictures of food. He looks fun to hang out with.

I Heart Cool Stuff – Who doesn’t? Count on Saki-Waki to show you some amazing things in the world of art and art toys! Woohoo! Also see her Flickr for some sweet toy photos.

Sarah + Bendrix (via the decor8 blog) – Handmade little hearts arranged carefully. Very pretty. Too pricey for me but gives me inspiration to try it myself.

The Slow Food Movement - Their mission: “Slow Food works to defend biodiversity in our food supply, spread taste education and connect producers of excellent foods with co-producers through events and initiatives.”

Still love this eco-graffiti

Always lovin’ Kristiana Parn

New Dunny Series – Dunny Fatale – What do we think of it? I really want the Aya Kakeda crazy cat lady dunny! Also see Aya as one of the — MOUSTACHE SISTERS! oh my!

Over the past few years, I’ve experienced little bouts of eco-anxiety. These consist of me worrying about where the planet is heading and how much I am doing (or moreover am not doing) to help fight against the earth’s demise. Oftentimes, I get into a bit of a panic, and sometimes I annoy others around me in the process. But what am I to do with this pent up anxiety? A quick google search lets me know that I am not alone in my worry but I have yet to find an eco-anxiety support group nearby, so for now it’s up to me to figure this out.

I am still learning how to cope with my environmental worries. Just this morning, I rang my mother to tell her I’d been searching the internet for ways to be a greener person. After spouting off a handful of things I could do to be a more eco-conscious individual, I had to take a breath and realize that all this worrying won’t actually solve anything. I need solid, actionable steps… and maybe a willing and ready ear to listen to me a few times a year.

So, where do I begin? I already have a pretty thorough recycling routine down. When I can afford it, I buy eco-friendly cleaners, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. I make sure to bring my reusable shopping bags to the supermarket… but I know there is so much more to do and the commitment is a bit daunting.

When I look online there is a mountain of information and to be frank it is ridiculously overwhelming; it leaves me looking like a deer in headlights. So, I’ve realized slowly that I have to break it into bits.

If you’re looking to start somewhere or to do more, start with these websites:

Treehugger

Planet Green

They have a long list of guides on just about everything to help you go green. The long list of lists they provide are a bit scary at first, making you feel like you’ve done nothing to help, but like I said, take them in chunks. I’ve decided to start by greening my new apartment. Pick one subject area and then take a look at it. Don’t go through all of the lists, otherwise you’ll end up in a coma.

Make checklists in your own home with the steps you’re taking. I’ve started one and so far it lists shorter showers, making my own cleaners at home, switching over all my light bulbs and turning off/unplugging my computer and other electronic devices. Having the list around reminds me in a friendly, and step-oriented way of what I am focussing on.

Get inspired by looking at what other people are up to:

Check out Sleeping Naked is Green, a funny look at one woman’s year in green

and

The 100 Mile Diet – two peoples’ adventure in local eating

Go to a  green drinks and meet other people who are interested in the environment. These informal meet-ups are meant for people working in green industries but even if you aren’t involved directly, I am sure people wouldn’t be opposed to enthusiastic individuals dropping by.

If you’re looking to make a big purchase, check out the green buying guides at Treehugger.

Remember to breath. No one knows how all this is going to pan out, so just do the best you can and stay informed. And now we dance!

French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand just released a free film, Home – made entirely from aerial shots, featuring footage from every continent. Starting in 1994, Arthus-Bertrand has worked on a picture inventory of the world’s most amazing landscapes for the UN’s world heritage body, Unesco. The result of the project was a book, which sold over three million copies and was translated into 24 languages.

I’ve only seen a few stills from the film so far, but will be watching it in it’s entirety tonight. No doubt it will be sobering and beautiful at the same time as it features breathtaking images of Earth and the marks that humans leave behind. The main message I gather will be – every one action we take has a consequence on this planet and, shit… looks like we’re screwing things up! … to be eloquent. Ahem.

Watch it on youtube

Let me know how you feel after watching it and how you deal with eco-anxiety.