Small steps to a “Brighter” Future

Starting August 1st Ikea will begin to phase out Incandescent light bulbs in an effort to encourage the use of more energy efficient lighting alternatives. Brazil, Venezuela, the European Union, Switzerland, and Australia have already begun this phase out and the United States is not far behind.  The federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 which requires all general purpose light bulbs that produce 310-2600 lumens of light be 30% more efficient than current incandescent light bulbs by 2010.

Ikea, the multipurpose home retailer, has become an active participant in this “lighting revolution”. They offer a wide range of alternatives such as Compact Florescent bulbs (Which have become the most popular bulb), a range of LED lamps which are 70% more efficient than incandescent, Halogen lamps which are great for “White lighting” and consume 30% less energy, and even a halogen bulb which can be used in a standard light socket (the retro-fit halogen bulb).
These new lighting options have a longer lifetime and use a significant amount less energy than the commonly accepted incandescent.

I see this phase out as a huge step towards a greener future. While in retrospect it seems small, what with this massive oil spill in the Gulf, or the millions of tons of pollution being leaked into our atmosphere by mega factories, but if you think about how many incandescent light bulbs are being used all day long all around the world, we are not talking about a small scale change. This is HUGE!!!! Become apart of it. Switch out your incandescent bulbs and replace them with CFL’s. You will not only decrease the amount of money spent on lighting your home, but you will be responsible for creating a greener earth.

2 Hot 2 Handle?

I don’t know about you guys, but I am DYING in this heat!!! This past weekend it was a record high of 104 degrees in Manhattan. Talk about Heat Island Effect*!!!! While    sitting in AC seems like the ONLY way to stay cool, that is not necessarily the case. I did some research on other options to lose the heat and I found some interesting tips. Simple things anyone can do to stay a little more comfortable. Here is the List:

Wear Lightweight cotton and linen. this way your not in heavy cloths. plus its summer, linens “hot” (not by degrees) in the summer. Go out and grab yourself a cute linen dress or a seersucker button up. Stay trendy and fresh! Opt for Ralph Laurens Classic Seersucker Sport shirt or J. Crews Tailored linen Patrice Dress.

Run cold water over your wrist for one minute every hour. This really does cool you down. Its simple, its quick and IT WORKS!! While your at it, fill up a cup for drinking. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!

Eat numerous little meals. (Also a weight loss trick) Big meals can make you feel hot. Choose to have multiple smaller meals throughout the day. Don’t starve yourself though.

Make those little meals spicy. That’s right you heard me. Spicy foods make you sweat without raising body temperature. Once your skin is damp you feel cooler. Some of the hottest places in the world have the spiciest food. Coincidence? I think not.

Stay cool under the covers. For me, it is extremely difficult to sleep in this kind of heat. A  suggested trick is to stick your sheets in the freezer. I know it sounds odd. But it works. An hour before you head to bed pop those Portico GOTS* Certified Organic Cotton Sheets ;)  in the freezer, you will be amazed by the difference it makes.  Try using Cotton pillowcases, These are cool and absorbent. Cooling your head cools your entire body!!

Of course, if you have AC you are most likely going to be using it. But consider these options to reduce your dependence on the energy guzzler and acknowledge your responsibility to the environment.

*GOTS: Global Organic Textiles Standards

*Heat Island Effect (EPA definition): The term “heat island” describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas.

FAN MAIL

As you may or may not know, Portico was featured as an earth day giveaway on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Well, since then we have been receiving emails with details of sizes, addresses, etc. Some of these emails are more enthusiastic then others. Below are Portico’s favorite emails including three woman who were lucky enough to receive
the voucher on their birthdays!!! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

“It was a nice surprise because I never won anything in my life and yesterday was my birthday!!” - Linda, PA

“Thank you very much this made my day especially that today is my birthday.” -Kathleen, NY

“Your email gave me another TEXAS SIZED SMILE! My face is even doing the Happy Dance, smiling, I feel so honored to have won this Portico Paisley Bedding Collection.
I will always treasure. Amazing Grace and Hallelujah… Thanks y’all…”-Alice, TX—-  THIS WAS OUR FAVORITE!!*

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS…

NO NO NO its not what you think! While Vegas is known for its eh… Forgetfulness! Portico was there for a totally different reason. On May 19th Portico premiered its
first essential bedding collection for hospitality at the HD expo in Las Vegas. We have teamed up with United Feather and Down to create luxury products for commercial
use with the same quality and integrity as our home collection! Well-being as a true lifestyle thanks to beneficial innovation! Check out the picture from the show!