There’s A New Depot In Town…
Have you guys heard of Green Depot? We’ve been checking out their stuff for a few months and it suddenly dawned on us that we should post about them to spread the word since we’re so often directing people their way via comments and email when they’re asking where to find low-VOC primer or eco friendly polyurethane. Basically they’re the green version of Lowe’s or Home Depot and they even have eco friendly home accessories like rugs, table lamps and baby stuff. Plus they have a little key below every item that explains exactly “what makes it green” so you can immediately see if something is free of harsh chemicals, made from renewable resources, or 100% recycled. Good to know, eh?
And of course while some of their products are a bit pricier than other big box home improvement stores (which is usually par for the eco/green course) they still have some pretty great sales and definitely have their share of under $7 items, like these charming wood scrubbing brushes for example (many of which have bamboo handles and recycled bristles):
They also carry the Safecoat line of products, which means they have the polyurethane-ish Safecoat Acrylacq (which happens to be low-VOC and 100% non-toxic) that we used to seal our bathroom vanity along with our refinished nursery dresser. We love it because not only is it less fumey, it doesn’t cause the yellowing and other annoying discoloration that normal polyurethane topcoats can. Check it out here on the bottom left:
And because we know some people don’t get as excited by cans of eco sealant as we do, we whipped up a quick little mood board of sorts full of other Green Depot items that we’re loving:
1. For anyone who dreams of a green kitchen renovation, this recycled glass countertop material just might seal the deal. It’s extremely durable, VOC free and made right in Brooklyn, NY.
2. This fantastically sleek chalkboard pendant lamp is not only made from 95% recycled steel and manufactured right here in the US, it’s an awesome DIY idea for anyone who’s feeling inspired to create a message that hangs from the ceiling.
3. Have you ever seen a bathroom mold cleaning kit that looks so posh? The amazing thing is that it’s just $5.95 and doesn’t require any chemicals or cleaning products at all to get rid of mold. Just rub these textured pads over the green stuff and it’s gone. Plus it not only keeps bleach and other harsh stuff out of your house, it keeps it out of the water too (which is always a plus).
4. If you’re like us you’re probably always on the hunt for a good soy candle, and although the ones from Method at Target are great, we also love the luxe vibe that we get from these guys (which come packaged in chlorine free recycled paper and even have natural hemp wicks).
5. This designer dust pan and broom is beyond chic, and at $24.95 it would make a sweet little housewarming present (or a cute I-deserve-it gift for yourself).
6. Here’s where we get into the fun kids stuff. And it can actually be argued that adults could also enjoy this eco finger paint made from all natural ingredients like cornstarch, flour, and fruit & vegetable extracts.
7. These eco-friendly wooden rattles are a safe BPA-free alternative to plastic toys for babies, and they can even double as musical instruments (heck, they’d make for some pretty elegant looking paperweights on a grown up’s desk too).
Oh and they even have registries available. Funny right? And possibly convenient if you’re getting hitched and moving into a new house that you’re thinking of transforming with mother nature in mind. So that’s the deal on Green Depot. What do you guys think? Has anyone shopped there already? Do you know of other great online eco-related shops? Share and share alike.
Note: We haven’t been paid or perk’d in any way to mention Green Depot- we just like their concept and many of their offerings so we wanted to share the deets.
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Ooh! That looks like a wonderful place. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve never heard of them, but I am checking them out for sure! I only buy non-toxic and natural cleaners, so this sounds like the place for me. Thanks for sharing!!
What a great find. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for spreading the good news!
As a fellow Virginian, I wish that they had a location closeby, but I suppose, I will settle with online shopping :)
Once again thanks for the post and I look forward to future ones as I love reading your blog!
Oh my… I NEED that lamp… and somewhere to put it. I think I’m becoming obsessed with all things covered in chalkboard paint.
What a helpful post! Great to know about – thanks for sharing this! :)
…and this
http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?s%5Fid=0&pf%5Fid=TRBEDFAN
I took an intensive course on interior design in NYC a few years ago and they showed us the recycled glass countertops you mention from Brooklyn – they looked AMAZING!! Way better than any corian or silestone I’ve seen. I wish they would have something similar here, and that I could afford them..
I wish we had one of those in Southern California! :(
Thank you SO much for posting this. I was actually checking back on your site today to look up some eco friendly natural cleaning methods because I remember you did a whole post about them. I threw away all of my cleaning products last night. We just moved into a new house, and I cleaned our bathroom counter with some disinfecting bleach spray and then cleaned the mirror with windex. Needless to say, it was not a good idea. I wasnt thinking. So no more dyes, perfumes, bleach, or amonia in my house. I have been wanting to make the switch for some time. Thanks for the posts about cleaning products and this new site. I will be bookmarking it for sure!
How exciting, I had no idea about Green Depot! Will definitely have to check them out.
How interesting! I’m sure there won’t be one up here for a while (we always seem to be the last to get things, lol), but I’d like to check it out.
Hey everyone,
Sorry to be unclear! This is an online store- at least for us since we don’t have one here in Richmond. But it’s definitely a good option if you just can’t find something (like low-VOC primer or sealant) in your area. They do have some brick & mortar stores in these areas though:
* Manhattan, NY (Flagship)
* Newark, DE
* Chicago, IL
* Stoneham, MA
* Manchester, NH
* Newark, NJ
* Albany, NY
* Brooklyn, NY
* Greenport, NY
* Philadelphia, PA
Here’s a link to their store locator page: http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/dept.asp?dept_id=20&s_id=0
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
That looks like a great site – thanks for sharing!
Thanks for posting this info – what a great resource.
I’m in love with the chalkboard pendant light. I have to find a place for that in my house.
they need to open more of these!!!!!!! i’ll have to check out their shipping rates to socal….
Oh wow!!! I am so excited that they have one in Chicago! My husband is very much NOT thrilled, but tough for him! With a new house purchase coming up and a baby in the house, I had been wondering about how to handle these hurdles.
This is so fabulous! Thanks for sharing! <3
Really cool! Thanks :)Also, not a big-box store, which I always feel guilty about supporting
Thanks for posting Green Depot info. I just went on their site and ordered granite cleaner and will be ordering some sealers etc later. I love your blog! You guys have some great ideas. Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I don’t care for green products if they don’t perform as well or better as the normal products, or if they cause other non-green activities.
1-IceStone counter tops require more maintenance than marble or granite. Yearly sealing and regular waxing. It will react to acids (remember citric acid will be on you kitchen counter)
http://www.countertopspecialty.com/sealing-icestone-countertops.html
2-You would have to design a room around that fixture. It looks weird. Black and minimalist. Some colored chalk would help, but you would have to redo it occasionally.
3-I know Clorox is not ‘green’, but you’re trying to kill the mold, not make it feel welcome. A single spray will clean up any mold and a few minutes of avoiding your bathroom is better than having mold (that you can’t see) in it for weeks. Cleaning products aren’t suppose to be pretty, if they are, they are selling you the pretty, not the function.
4-they’re candles. They’re a luxury item already. Bad idea in an all green flammable house.
5-dustpans are cheap and they don’t wear out unless you do something to it. This one has a design flaw, the lack of side make it difficult to catch the dirt. Better off using a spare piece of paper.
6-I googled for homemade fingerpainting recipes and found four without any problem. Same or similar ingredient list.
7-Link was broken. looked at others. Don’t really have an opinion on these. They’re baby toys though. What if you’re baby is allergic to maple trees? Yeah, I’m reaching.
Thanks for telling us about Green Depot. It sounds great. Your mood board link to the recycled glass and concrete countertops reminds me of a countertop I recently fell in love with. Near where I live in North Carolina, there’s a kitchen designer and builder who have a showroom. They had these tumbled river rock and concrete countertops on display and they’re gorgeous: http://www.newriverconcretecountertops.com/
The countertop company is based on the border of Virginia and North Carolina, so they’re even sort of local. However, at $90 a square foot installed, they’re definitely not inexpensive (although they are on par with buying granite which is not a green product).
I’m fascinated by the scrubbing cloths, but do they work as well as regular sheet cloths? If anyone can provide a good review, I’d be willing to give them a whirl. Thanks!
I really appreciate when you say openly that you either are or are not affiliated with the company you feature on your blog.
Thanks.
Once they see you have written a glowing review of their site, think they are going to offer your readers a free shipping code? ‘Cause that would really make me buy, buy, buy! I need the Safecoat for a project I am working on and can’t find it in St. Louis and I would LOVE to try that Bedfan Cooling System that Liz posted the link to, as we have no central air. Ick. But I hate paying shipping fees. *pout*
That would be pretty cool, wouldn’t it? Fingers crossed.
xo,
s
Sounds like you are trying to drum up more paid advertising business.
Nope, just sharing a green resource since when it comes to home stuff they’re few and far between! Writing a free and unsolicited post about a business isn’t the best way to get them to pay for exposure on your site (kind of like being a cow and giving the milk away for free). Although we would welcome a fun giveaway for our readers…
xo,
s
I think I read about them in, “Body and Soul” magazine. Glad to hear you checked them out. =) I was curious about it.
I sell icestone for a living and want to address a comment from above…icestone is nowhere near as durable as granite but is more durable than marble. Just to be safe, treat it like marble and you should be good to go.
Wow, there’s one near me in Delaware! How exciting! I can’t wait to check it out. On a sort of related note, I have a question… How do you keep your beautiful new tub/shower tile bright and sparkling? We are about to buy a house and want to make sure the tile and caulk don’t get grimy and moldy. This topic came up in the comments of another post a while back, but I can’t seem to find it. Would you mind sharing? Thanks so much!
Hey Kim,
We just use a very mild eco cleaner like watered down Mrs. Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaner, but the key is really to seal the tile and grout regularly, which does most of the work for you. A few months into our new bathroom and we haven’t seen a smidge of that gross pink mildew (or anything else that requires “scrubbing”). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Pretty. I like the wooden brushes. Although $20 for the finger paint is a rip off considering you could make it at home for $1 or less.
I’ve always LOVED those recycled glass countertops! Too bad they are extremely pricey!
Wow, there’s one in NH?? My sister lives there! I’ll check out this store when we visit her in a few weeks. Thanks for the info! Those countertops are amazing.
Is this where you guys would recommend getting Acrylacq from? I need some to seal some shelves my husband is staining. I looked at Lowes, and they didn’t carry it. Did you get yours in a local store, or online? We live in the triangle area in NC.
We got it at a local eco store but if you can’t find it locally online works too!
xo,
s