Bettery

Yes, I realized it's odd to be obsessed with a reusable battery, but these are great and can't help but telling people. Friends in Seattle & Portland: consider this a public service announcement to better your life.

I just discovered Bettery a few weeks ago in a Redbox-like vending machine at my local Whole Foods. As photographers, we go through TONS of AA batteries for our flashes, and I'd yet to find a reusable one that packed enough kick. These last longer than regular batteries in our flashes AND I no longer have to feel like a guilty mother nature killer each time I drop batteries in the trash. 

Basically, you get them from the machine, use them and return them when they are dead. No remembering to charge things, yay!

Seriously, I could go on and on, but for all my photographer friends out there, and anyone else who uses a lot of batteries, you should give these a whirl. They're about the same cost as disposable ones. 

PS. I feel like I should mention that I really am just a huge fan of these, this is totally my own opinion and I wasn't compensated in any way for this post. I just really like these batteries. A lot. 

Earth Facts for Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! Just for fun, here are a few facts about the planet we all call home & how we are using it...

• The Earth isn't round! It's technically an oblate spheroid. Basically that means it’s slightly flattened on the top and bottom poles. (source)
• Earth means "the ground." This name, which comes from an English/German word, has been used to describe our planet for at least 1,000 years. (source)
• You are one in 7 billion. The Earth's population is estimated at 7,078,000,000. (source)
• Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. (source) 
• Energy saved from recycling one glass bottle is enough to keep a lightbulb lit or four hours. (source)
• The average American uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water a day. (source)

Photo of kids sweeping Union Square as a part of the first Earth Day celebration via National Geographic.

Reusable Grocery Totes

Starting on July 1st, the city of Seattle banned plastic shopping bags and is instituting a five cent fee on paper bags as a measure to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags and lessen unnecessary waste. I say way to go Seattle!

Maybe I'm super weird with this but, I always feel bad having Trader Joe's bag my groceries in a tote that says Whole Foods on it and vice versa. I think it feels a bit like bringing your own food to a restaurant. Anyone agree or am I the only one? Here are some great bag options I'd be happy to take to any store!

This one from Amazon folds into a cute panda!

These market tote bags can be thrown in the washing machine. 

"Recycle" tote from Ten Thousand Villages (fair trade!)

Vintage Camera Tote from Invisible Wings Design on Etsy

Take reusable bags one step further with reusable produce bags.  

Light a Candle for Earth Month

My sister Laura works at Aveda and recently filled me in on a great product they have for sale for the month of April to support Earth Month. Earth Day is April 22nd, but in 1989 Aveda started the idea of Earth MONTH to keep the awareness and celebration going for the entire month of April. 


There are tons of ways to get involved with healing our earth, but one simple way is purchasing Aveda's the Light the Way Candle for $12. The candles are soy based, slow burning AND you can dip you fingers and use it as a body moisturizer or massage oil (so fun!). 100% of profits go Global Greengrants water projects that train people in sustainable agriculture methods, help communities implement local water resource management plans, and enable communities to take action against toxic industrial pollution.