There’s a really easy way to help save our country from tossing 16 billion paper cups a year: Bring your own mug. I’ve decided to join the growing revolution that coffee houses across the country are starting to honor because I’ve made it a habit—just like my morning caffeine fix—and because it keeps my drink nice and hot.

Once you have your insulated mug of choice, a few quick tips: know the size of your mug (12 oz = small at most coffee shops; 16 oz = medium; 20 oz = large), and make sure to add your own sugar or milk ahead of time so that your hot drink doesn’t overflow.

The bonus? Some coffee shops, like Dunn Bros. (where this Vlog was filmed), offer a little kickback for people who remember to BYOM. All you have to do is remember to leave your coffee cup in a spot you’ll remember (car cup holder, work desk, diaper bag) for the next time you fill up.

The gold medal hockey game geared me up to get on the ice before it was all gone. So a few weekends ago I ended up at Centennial Lakes 10-acre outdoor rink; love the old-fashioned ice sled rentals for pushing around the little ones.

But now that CL is closed for the season, I’m planning to head to The Depot, which is open until March 21. This historic Minneapolis train shed has floor-to-ceiling glass walls so you can view downtown as you glide around.

The moon was high. One of the most amazing female vocalists was in town. And the excitement in the audience at this cinema treasure was palpable. It was Rickie Lee Jones performing at the Fitzgerald, St. Paul’s oldest surviving theater, famously home to Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. My dad was my date; he’s the one who introduced me to RLJ’s beautiful-eccentric pop-jazz-folk style.

Parents can teach us so much about what to place value in. Here, Ricky Lee Jones performing a lullaby her dad wrote for her called the Moon Is Made of Gold.

Is it the weighing machine that intimidates? Or the fact that you have to put the price tag on a grocery item yourself? Whatever it is that prevents you from buying in bulk, you’re in good company (I wasn’t so sure myself until recently). But let me make the case for pulling the lever.

According to the Bulk is Green Council, bulk foods provide a savings to the consumer of 30% to 60% (think about how much packaging and promotion costs + do the math). You can choose exactly what you need, like a smidgen of a random spice or the right amount of oats for your granola—as opposed to excess you’ll never use. And you can be sure no wasteful packaging ends up in a landfill (where millions of tons of waste is generated annually from discarded packages and containers).

Plus, I personally think pulling those levers for rice, sugar, granola, chocolate peanut butter drops (our office favorite), etc, is fun! Just watch me.

For more information on the benefits of bulk buying, CLICK on this great article from Linden Hills Co-op.

Sprout was on the scene at this year’s Minneapolis Home and Garden Show at the Convention Center. Highlights included hearing Metro Hippie Josh Foss talk about how we can overcome “eco-villians” like pollution and ineffiency in 2010; and chatting up the vendors who are aiming to turn your homes + gardens into eco-paradises. I was also a little starstruck meeting Sasha Andreev, the host of Curb Appeal on HGTV who just became a Twin Cities homeowner himself!

I have to thank my creative Aunt for making me this awesome hand-knit bag. Isn’t it great? She told me that when she shops for projects like this she heads to Darn.Knit.{Anyway}, a new craft boutique in Stillwater, which recently opened for business last fall. Owned by two crafty cousins, it has a nice selection of fabric and yarn (including natural, hand-spun and locally manufactured) + lots of handmade items from local artists.

I now stow my laptop and wallet in here, along with other knick-knacks that seem to pile up in a purse. I’ve never felt so stylish showing off a handmade tote on my hip!

Who in their right mind would run a ceiling fan in winter, you ask? Why that would be me, thank you very much. I recently learned that flipping the switch on my fans so that they run clockwise helps distribute heat that gets trapped near the ceiling, which in turn means no more need to run the heater at full blast. {In the warmer months, fans should run counterclockwise for the opposite effect.} Sources say doing this might cut my energy use by as much as 10%. Such a brilliant reinvention of a traditional home fixture: A fan for all seasons!

For more info on installing and using ceiling fans, and generally cutting your energy bills, CLICK HERE.

Okay, so it is more blue with pink flowers, but you get the picture. In place of those tossable brown bags we used to tote to school, a couple of little girls I know take this reusable lunchbox equipped with BPA-free containers from PBKids. I like how the boxes are insulated + can be monogrammed, but there are lots of cute versions out on the market + just about any divided containers you like will do. I’m all for less waste, less cost, + less smooshed food.

On my way out of Ikea the other day, I grabbed a frozen yogurt cone + noticed the option to toss my leftovers and napkin into a dedicated organics recycling bin. The directions alongside made it super easy for your average Joe—who might not know the ABC’s of composting—to sort and go. If only picking out the right lighting were so easy…

After months of neglecting my damaged hair, I decided it was time for a new look. Wanting a little more “organic” in my styling, I found an all-natural Mpls. salon to trim my locks: Kasia Organic Salon. I was lucky to spend some time with Kassie, the founder of the salon + a natural health and beauty care expert, who shared some of her wisdom.