Why not buy the real thing? The cost is often similar and the real thing is just so much more… REAL! Umm, that’s better usually.

Here’s a decorating scene in my living room. Everything was purchased from eBay except for the little bowl you see on the far right. I got that at a thrift shop.

The antique ceiling tile from the 1890s came from an old movie theater and performing arts building called the Bijou Theatre in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin. The rusty fleur de lis finials came from an estate sale in Connecticut. The other white finials came from an estate sale at an old barn on the coast of Oregon.

No, I didn’t have to travel to these estate sales, but was able to buy all the stuff on eBay from sellers who had lots of positive feedback from previous buyers. If you want to know the story behind an item you’re thinking of buying on eBay, it never hurts to ask. Sometimes you’ll find out.

For the vintage tiles, try to work with a seller who will add the wooden frame and hanger around the back for you and maybe a clear coat over the top too. Know that it’s possible that these old tiles could contain lead paint. Don’t try to strip the paint yourself unless you really know what you’re doing. The possibility of lead paint is the only downside to buying a vintage item like this versus a replica. Just use some common sense: don’t buy one with excessive peeling paint or put in a location where children can reach, and don’t sand it down yourself.

Benefits of buying a vintage item are many. For example, you are supporting people who salvage items rather than throwing them all in a landfill. Many of the people selling items like vintage building materials tear them down themselves from buildings that are going to be destroyed. And you aren’t settling on some cheap-looking thing that was produced in China and made to look old. Your antique decorating items may increase in value, whereas a mass-produced item with no real charm isn’t going to get you your money back.

Have you shopped for vintage decorating items at a thrift store or eBay?

Yep. Coke has found an “unapproved fungicide” in its orange juice, and the orange juice of its competitors. So, there’s an approved fungicide for orange juice? I guess so.

The problem came from Brazilian growers who sprayed their trees with the “unapproved fungicide.”

I don’t drink OJ often, but I was craving some recently. I don’t like buying large containers of OJ since it ends up being wasted. Just yesterday, I saw a small container of Simply Orange, and decided to put in it my cart. But guess what? Simply Orange has juice from Brazil. I don’t know if this is the juice that’s contaminated, but I’ve learned my lesson anyway.

I’m annoyed that the FDA and Coke aren’t yet naming the affected or suspect orange juice brands. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that shipments of orange juice will be stopped at ports for testing. Coke makes Simply Orange and Minute Maid.

Simply Orange is going back to the store, and I’m never buying conventional orange juice again. I don’t need any fungicides, approved or not. The EPA says that we shouldn’t worry over fungicides at such low levels, but I think that’s ridiculous.

Oranges aren’t even on the dirty dozen list, so these fungicide findings are making me wonder whether any conventionally grown fruits are safe.

Please call Coke to demand better quality control: 1-800-GET-COKE (438-2653). I doubt that the problem is isolated to Coke, but they’re one of the largest makers of orange juice, so it’s a good place to start. Again, I don’t buy OJ often, but now I’m looking for a safe option for the few times I do purchase it.

Do you have a favorite organic orange juice brand?

UPDATE 1/12/12: I just called Minute Maid/Coke. I wouldn’t tell you to do something I wouldn’t do myself!

The person I talked with, Tommy, was very friendly and had plenty of information about this issue. He explained that Coke quickly notified regulators about the problem when they discovered it. They were the whistle blowers.

I pointed out that it took a few weeks between them blowing that whistle and the news story coming out. He pointed out that with Simply Orange sometimes all the oranges used do come from the U.S., but it’s not always possible. He also said that the low levels of fungicides detected were deemed safe, so there’s no recall. There was no offer of refund.

I pointed out that I’d like to see an organic option from the company. He said that was great feedback to give to their executives and he got my ZIP code.

The really cool thing you’ll learn is what compares to chocolate for a baby sloth. Plus, you can hear those cute wee-one sloth sounds.

Sloths, weighing up to 19 pounds, live in Central to South America. Their conservation status is vulnerable.

Even if you really like lions already, you’ll have a new respect after watching the true story shown in “The Last Lions” from National Geographic.

Watch the trailer below, and learn more about big cat conservation at Cause An Uproar.

Parents with young children may wish to view “The Last Lions” before showing to children. The movie presents lions as they are, complete with love and violence.

ASPCA has teamed up with WebThriftStore to offer an online thrift store where you can shop or donate to your heart’s desire.

When a donated item is sold at the ASPCA WebThriftStore, the animals served by ASPCA reap the rewards. ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.

How it Works

After the item is listed online and sold, the donor ships to the buyer using a prepaid label available online. Shipping supplies are available free of charge. Plus, the sales price is tax-deductible for the donor.

Buyers pay the shipping costs, but they also have 30 days to return the item to WebThriftStore if it’s not as described or is defective. It’s called the 30-Day Buyer Assurance Guarantee.

Check out this FAQ to answer pretty much any question you may have about the process.

Are you going to shop or donate at the ASPCA WebThriftStore?

(Image via Kevin Dooley flickr)

If it’s one thing I can assume about Kroger it’s that they can definitely afford to give customers bag credits. They’ve almost totally taken over my local grocery store scene. In fact, they’re the only  large grocery chain in my area. I’m guessing here, but something tells me that stopping the bag credit has nothing to do with money.

I think that Kroger stores would have appreciated saving a few bags, so I’m puzzled by their actions. I hope the reusable bag credit at Kroger hasn’t died because the employees didn’t like dealing with consumers taking their own bags. No one ever complained to me though. And even if they didn’t like it, they’re stuck with me and my reusable bags.

Maybe Kroger’s excuse is lack of participation from customers. If that’s the problem, why not advertise the bag credit? I never saw a sign, or anything encouraging customers to use their own bags. Perhaps Kroger folks should have a chat with the Whole Foods people.

Luckily, Target stores in my area still offer a reusable bag credit, and they’re very consistent about giving it to me when I shop there. Some Target stores also offer groceries, including organic options.

While receiving a credit for taking your own bags is nice, there are many other reasons to develop and continue the reusable bag habit.

• Most plastic bags are made with oil! We’re addicted enough to petro already. Let’s take plastic bags out of the equation.

• Plastic bags are dangerous to wildlife.

• Plastic bags are junking up our oceans.

• These lightweight bags have a nasty habit of becoming litter. You’ve seen them in treetops, right? How are they getting there? They float out of landfills.

• Plastic bags are puny. It takes more of them to do the job of one good reusable bag. Plus, I’ve still never had a reusable bag break on me.

• A plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.

No, paper bags aren’t a good alternative. They require even more energy to produce. Next time you fill out a survey for Kroger or talk to a manger, let them know you’d like to see their reusable bag credit reinstated.

The goal is to donate $100,000 worth of new toys to Toys for Tots. As of Wednesday night, $25,250 worth of toys were donated. You have until Friday, December 23 to donate.

After you fill the virtual Prius v with a new toy, help spread the word using #moreprius on Twitter or Facebook.

Xanadu Gallery, located on 140 Maiden Lane, is housed in the beautiful building that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. If you’re walking by (it’s just off Union Square), be sure to also check out Wright’s signature in red just to the left of the entry. And, yes you should visit this art gallery to see the lovely stairs inside.

This kitty nook, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is currently being used for storage. I suppose the current occupants of the building aren’t really set up for cat keeping. After all, a roaming kitty can really mess with expensive art!

Why aren’t we designing houses with built-in spaces for pets?

It would save space and cash that’s spent on cat houses or condos that only last a few years. A nicely built, permanent kitty nook would be greener than stuff offered at most pet stores.

What do you think of designing houses with pets in mind?

Imperial Cat offers 100 percent post-consumer recycled cardboard scratchers in many unique designs, including some festive ones to help you celebrate the holidays.

Scratch ‘n Shapes holiday patternsinclude snowflakes, Christmas treesand several red and green seasonal designs.

More Eco Features

Scratch ‘n Shapes are made in the U.S., and come with certified organic catnip! You can also recycle them when the time comes. My cat Choco (not pictured here) loves his Imperial Cat scratcher.

The offenders may be your mortgage company or your airline. For some reason, people I do business with think I want to open a special credit card with them. No thanks, United Airlines. I can’t remember flying with you anyhow.

I’ve been lazy about calling up these people recently. I’ve been shredding the personal info on these offers then recycling those messy shreds. I throw the non-personal stuff, like those pages-long terms and conditions, in the recycling container. Like you may imagine, I’m growing more annoyed with wasting my time and with the waste of paper.

I’ve opted out of receiving direct mail in the past, but that was a few addresses and years ago. They catch up with you when they can.

You can opt out from receiving all prescreened credit card or insurance offers. Visit the FTC consumer alert on how to stop receiving unsolicited mail.

Just today, I called the credit card offer numbers on both my mortgage company mailings and an airline. Both of these companies have been sending me, I kid you not, at least four offers a month. They mail the same offers to my husband.

I’m ashamed that it’s taken me months to opt out of these two companies. I suppose I get complacent with recycling them. However, it was extremely easy to talk with these people. One of them even apologized for the inconvenience.

You don’t have to stain your eyes looking for an opt-out phone number. Just call the main number on the offer. They’ll take special care of you! After you tell the person who answers very quickly that you want to opt-out, they may be able to take care of you.

One person immediately took me off the list. The other person had to transfer me, but altogether it only took about five minutes to get off both lists.

Here are some tips for opting out of credit card offers:

Get off all mailings for five years or permanently. Read more at the FTC. If you don’t want to opt out of everything, keep reading for tips on contacting individual companies.

Keep the mailing handy. If you call an individual company, they’ll want to know exactly how your name appears on the mailing, even if your name isn’t spelled correctly. In some cases, you may need to provide different versions of how your name appears on the mailings (with middle initial, etc.). While this may seem annoying, you’ll get it all knocked out in one phone call versus having to call back.

Call companies together if possible. Most companies won’t let you opt out your spouse, but they will let you hand the phone over to talk with the spouse to get his or her name off the list as well.

Expect a wait. It may take up to 90 days to stop receiving mailings from some of these companies. Write down the date you called, and by all means call as soon as possible!

How many credit card offers do you receive each month?