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Welcome to Bluedot Living’s BuyBetter Marketplace, a biweekly newsletter that navigates the confusing world of stuff.
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Bluedot Living’s BuyBetter Marketplace newsletter includes affiliate links, including to Amazon. If you purchase a product through one of our links, we may earn a commission. These commissions help us fund the great journalism that you see on Bluedot. Thank you for supporting us! |
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Dear Readers,
It was the summer of 2020, and I was lucky enough to be in Connecticut, living in the nearly empty lakefront home that my husband had grown up in and his sister had moved out of in March. I’d lost my consulting gig and had a fair amount of existential dread. But I also had a grand time. I baked sourdough, foraged for wild blueberries by kayak, candied violets that grew between the pavers, gardened endlessly, wrote over a thousand get-out-the-vote letters, and actually read The New Yorker each week. I even came to enjoy mowing the lawn, which stayed green with daily spinklings of lake water delivered by a cleverly designed pump. I hadn’t spent so much time outside in years, and recognized just how privileged I was. |
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♫ Summer sun, something's begun, But uh, oh those summer nights ♫
(Allstar Picture Library Limited / Alamy Stock Photo) |
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I now live in Midtown Manhattan, and my roof terrace and balcony keep me sane. Bird feeders ensure a constant twitter, even here, and the sounds of the magpies and finches and LBBs (little brown birds whose names I don’t know) remind me that there’s at least a little nature almost everywhere. The truth is that simply being outside is a gift: it doesn’t take much to make it special.
But, you can always enhance your surroundings. In this week's newsletter, you’ll find an eclectic assortment of items to help you do just that, ranging from ancient (pollinating bees and clay ollas) to modern (electric mowers and neat pizza ovens). Also in this edition: terrific tips for a drought-resistant garden and the most eco-friendly way to grill. Just keep reading.
Happy summer and happy shopping!
– Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor |
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Beautiful Irrigation
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Satisfyingly low-tech clay ollas reduce water waste and help you water less. Simply bury the vessels, fill them with water, and cover; your plants will drink as needed. We love these beauties from Wisconsin ceramics studio One Wintry Night. Read our review. |
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Pollinator Power
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Raising bees can be much easier than you think. Crown Bees specializes in solitary bees, which are non-aggressive bee species that spread much more pollen than honeybees — and sting less. My Cabana Kit with bees comes soon, and I can’t wait to see my plants get a boost. Read our review. |
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A Solar Backup
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It’s pretty common to lose power during summer storms, occasionally for days. If you’re at risk, consider a solar-powered Nature’s Generator. They cost less to run in the long term, plus they’re quieter and don’t spew pollution. Save 10% on full-priced items with code BLUEDOT10. Read our review. |
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A Gardener’s Best Friend
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Tough jobs — pruning hydrangeas, deadheading roses, arranging flowering branches, and the like — call for tough tools. That’s why I adore my Felco 2 Shears. This absolute workhorse will be with you for life and is a must-have for those who love flowers. Read our review. |
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Custom Lawn Care
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The most sustainable lawn is the one that you rewild. But, if you’re committed to your lawn, consider Sunday, which offers eco-friendly lawn care products, including grass seed, glyphosate-free fertilizers, and products to boost drought resistance. Read our review. |
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Cordless Outdoor Tools
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Gas-powered outdoor power tools like mowers and leaf blowers account for up to 5% of air pollution in the U.S. Consider switching to Ego’s all-electric lineup. Their extensive range is known for reliability and performance. Plus, no more inhaling nasty fumes! Read our review. |
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Sleek Furnishings
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Made Trade offers a gorgeous assortment of essentials for outdoor living. We’re particularly fond of the outdoor furniture and planters from Loll Designs, which are all made in the U.S. with recycled plastic milk cartons. Save 10% with code BLUEDOT10. Read our review. |
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Perfect Pizza
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Ooni, a Scottish B Corp, makes outstanding portable outdoor pizza ovens that work with a variety of fuel types. The ovens get so hot that the pizzas cook in just a minute, so you can have epic make-your-own-pie parties in the backyard. Read our review. |
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For Birds Only
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I love watching birds, but don’t appreciate it when squirrels and other rodents visit. This cute little “feeder” comes with soft shorn alpaca fur, which appeals to nesting birds but doesn’t interest pests. If you already have a suet-style feeder, you can also just buy the alpaca fluff. Read our review. |
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Foolproof Farmstands
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Lettuce Grow’s hydroponic Farmstands make gardening simple, even for folks who think they have black thumbs. Optional LED lights mean you can bring the Farmstand indoors come winter. Lettuce Grow makes its farmstands in the U.S. with recycled materials. Read our review. |
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Ten Gardening Tips to Conserve Water |
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Laura McLean, a garden expert and frequent contributor to Bluedot Living San Diego, has deep roots in Southern California, but the advice she offers on water conservation is universal — even Washington state declared a drought last year! I got some great tips from this article, and I bet you will, too. I’ll also add one of my own: If you have a ventless dryer, as I do, use the water that collects in the reservoir for your plants.
Discover great ways to conserve water, cut your bills, and help the Earth.
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Dear Dot: How Bad Is It to Use My Barbecue? |
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Dear Dot,
How bad is it to use my barbecue? Are there good alternatives?
–Lee
Dear Lee,
…While I’m delighted you’re carbon-curious about your grill habits, the fact is that outdoor cooking in North America makes up just a teensy-tiny part of carbon emissions. In other words, don’t sweat your outdoor cooking method too much.
Nonetheless, Lee, when we know better, we do better, as the saying goes, so let’s consider the ways we can put the sustainable in our sizzle. Let’s begin with what we’re grilling.
Dig in for all the deets on sustainable grilling — as well as a couple of special BuyBetter picks.
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Sign up now for daily musings and advice from Dear Dot. |
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Have you seen our previous BuyBetter newsletters? |
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If not, visit our site for round-ups of linen clothing, underwear, green tech, items for better sleep, gifts for dads, gifts for moms, gifts for hosts, pantry staples, cookware and appliances, cold-weather clothes, clean beauty, laundry and food storage solutions, back-to-school favorites, picks for pups, baby showers, the beach, and summer clothes, products for picnicking and renovating, kitchen favorites, white sneakers we love, and household cleaning products. |
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Want to get in touch? I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about your favorite sustainable products, topics you’d like to see covered, or anything else that’s on your mind — email marketplace@bluedotliving.com.
I’ll see you again in two weeks.
– Elizabeth |
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Elizabeth Weinstein, Bluedot’s Marketplace Editor, lives in Manhattan with her husband; her papillon, Finley; and her cats, SanDeE* and Modell. When she’s not asking the folks at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to try on all of their sustainable sneakers in a size 9½, she can be found at the Union Square Greenmarket or gardening on her rooftop terrace. |
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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The BuyBetter Marketplace and bluedotliving.com are published by Bluedot, Inc.
Find more simple, smart, sustainable stories at bluedotliving.com, our Martha's Vineyard website, our Brooklyn website, our San Diego website, our Santa Barbara website, our Boston website, our Toronto website, and our Los Angeles website. Subscribe to this newsletter here.
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