Shwas

It is nearing the end of the year and I have decided it is time to set a new goal. Continuing on our main focus of promoting girls in STEM, I would like to support an underprivileged girl's education. Shwas is an organization in India that provides the necessary funds for underprivileged children to go to good schools and receive a good education. Their goal is to educate the children of this generation so that they can make a better tomorrow. Starting next school year, we will hopefully be sponsoring Gauri, a 9 year old girl. With the help from us, she will be getting a good education, something we take for granted. 

Donated $50!

           Recently, I donated $50 to The Thirst Project, an organization that provides clean drinking water to those in need, indefinitely. Just $25 can provide one person with clean, drinking water for the rest of their life. This could make a HUGE difference in someones life. I had first heard of The Thirst Project from Connor Franta, a youtuber. He wanted to make a difference in our community by raising money using his internet platform. He asked us to join him in donating  230,000 to build wells in third world countries. I thought it was a noble cause to support and so I donated while knowing that at least 2 people were going to get clean water for the rest of their life!

Featured in the AAUW Newsletter

After donating to the Sunnyvale-Cupertino Branch of AAUW for Tech Trek, I had the honor of going in their monthly newsletter. I took screenshots of their article of me and To Green and Beyond in which you can read below!

Tech Trek Donation

I recently donated $850 to Tech Trek, the science and math camp for girls. The grand total of $850 will be the entire cost of a scholarship to sponsor one girl. I really hope that this girl gets to experience all the great things Tech Trek offers. Just like I did, I want her to be able to build a better confidence of her skills, connect with other people that have the same interests, and learn all the ways science and math can benefit our world. Hopefully she will greatly benefit from the Tech Trek experience just as I have.

Aluminum...?

               Aluminum is scientifically known as the 13 element on the periodic table, but to the public, it is commonly known as trash. However, aluminum products should actually be recycled! Unfortunately, only 65% of all aluminum used in America is currently being recycled. It's proven that one year of recycling aluminum cans can bring 6 years worth of energy. The cans can be reprocessed over and over again and it also only takes 60 days for a can to be remade into a whole new and different can. Additionally, making beverage cans from recycled aluminum cuts air pollution by about 95% according to statistics. With these advantages toward our society, who wouldn't want to recycle? As an added benefit, there are recycling centers around your city which give you money in exchange for your cans and bottles. Now there's a deal you can't miss! Recycling helps our environment in many ways and because aluminum is such a large part of our industry, it's important to remember to recycle those as well!

New Earrings

            

Maker Faire 2014

            This year, I had the honor of being accepted into the Maker Faire, a large showcase of people who create anything from crafts to 3D printers. To Green and Beyond had a booth from which I sold earrings, talked to people about our cause, and had the opportunity to meet other makers. I had heard that thousands of people were expected to attend but I never grasped that idea until I saw it in person. When I first walked through the gates on Saturday morning, there was already a large line forming an hour before the event started. It surprised me that so many people were so enthusiastic about the endless possibilities of making. Later, when I was standing behind my booth, I observed the endless stream of individuals looking around and absorbing all the information they had just learned. I realized how privileged I was to be a part of this experience. I not only got to spread my thoughts on recycling and helping the world one step at a time, but I also got to see new ideas and projects done by other makers. I learned how to become a "salesperson" by talking to customers about the same things over and over again. I got to explain to them what I believed in and why buying even one set of earrings could make a huge difference. I was also touched by the generosity and encouragement that I received from the people. By the end of the weekend, I raised more than $800 and talked to people that gave me insights into making this non-profit better and more efficient. I will always remember that weekend for being highly influential and inspirational, and I hope to aspire from that and do many great things in the future. 

Springtime Imagination

I've Been Experimenting with Spring...

Check us out at our Instagram page for more: @togreenandbeyond

Follow our account for pictures of gorgeous earrings and updates!

Earth Day

Today is a day that is spent in honor of preserving the fragile planet we live on. It's a day to be thankful that our Earth was made to sustain something beautiful called life. Earth Day is a day to show we care about the world and that we will fight to maintain its wonders. Take a moment to do something that shows you care about protecting our environment and keeping our planet clean and healthy. Go ahead and pick up some trash on the sidewalk or even take shorter showers (however hard that might seem. trust me, I would know). As for me, I tried to help in little ways such as turning off the water while I'm brushing my teeth and only washing my laundry if it's a full load. Join the cause by doing your part.

Also, by purchasing our earrings, you are promoting recycled items used in everday life. It's a great way to get started in creating a better life for us all.

Have a happy, green Earth Day!

There is More to "Pretty"

I was making a couple of beads from magazines and I stumbled upon a great quote that I thought represented me and the earrings I create for our cause:

Great design is not about making something pretty. Great design is about making something well. Making it by hand. Making it affordable and livable. Making it custom or on demand. Making it in ways that sustain the planet we all share and bring style to the corner of it that you call home. 

- Ethan Allen

I think it's great how it says that making something, like our jewelry, is not only about the outside, but also the depth within the item that makes it special. It's the thought put into it and the values it holds that makes it unique. I think the quote is exactly what our earrings are; made by hand, custom, affordable, and stylish. Great design is our passion and priority, because it is the difference between something nice and truly beautiful. It can be classic, contemporary, formal, or funky. But most importantly, it helps our planet by making it a better place one step at a time.

Kids & Art

Kids & Art is an organization that supports and encourages kids with cancer and their families to create works of art with professional artists. Then some of the art is auctioned off to raise money for the leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I had the opportunity recently to participate in an art workshop where I taught kids my passion, making earrings. We made gorgeous and striking earrings made of recycled aluminum beer bottle caps. Some of the bottle caps were even decorated with small glass beads and glitter. Many kids that worked at our station wanted to create masterpieces for their moms to wear which showed how much love they have even with all the hardships they have gone through. It was amazing to bond with them over a passion for art. As it was also my first teaching experience, I think it went as a success. I had lots of fun and I am proud to be a part of such an amazing event.

Here is the link to Kids & Art for more information: http://www.kidsandart.org/

Paper bags VS Plastic Bags?

In my city, plastic bags have been banned from all stores, and if a means to carry groceries or other items were necessary, a consumer would have to purchase a paper bag or bring a reusable one from home. Obviously, whoever created and passed the law agreed that plastic bags were worse for the environment compared to biodegradable paper bags. But is that a fact, or really just a popular opinion? The United States alone cuts down 14 million trees to simply supply the demand for paper bags. Paper bags also tend to weigh more than 10 times as much as plastic bags. When all the weight adds up, it takes much more fuel to ship these monstrosities. In landfills, paper bags produce more than twice as much atmospheric waste as plastic ones. But hold on. That doesn't in any way mean plastic bags are good for our environment either. According to the Wall Street Journal, only 1% of all plastic bags are recycled. The rest, are shipped to live in landfills. One plastic shopping bag can take up to 1000 years to decompose. That's like watching a snail circling around the entire Earth. 10% of the trash and debris on the US coastline are plastic bags. I can confidently conclude that both types of bags are equally as terrible as the other. Next time you go on a shopping trip, whether it is to Safeway or Macy's, make sure you bring something that won't hurt the already wounded planet we live on. 

Created an Etsy Account!

I've had a very busy week, but one good thing did come out of it! I was searching for ways to make our products easier to look at and sell and I realized I could open an Etsy account. Etsy is a website that gathers all creators and sellers of handmade, vintage, or unique items. The products that get sold range from art to jewelry to craft supplies. I opened my own account togreenandbeyond and I got started with just placing one pink Valentine's Day earring set (it is still available to purchase, so place orders quickly!). Help us out by letting others know about our cause! 

Visit us on Etsy @: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ToGreenandBeyond

Thank you so much for your support!

Another $100 Donated!

Last year, over the summer I attended a camp called Tech Trek for girls in the 7th grade. The camp is designed to inspire girls into pursuing a career or interest in math and science. It instead inspired me to do something with my life when I started this organization. So when I raised an additional $100, I decided I wanted to donate it to the Stanford branch of Tech Trek, the one I went to, so that other girls like myself would get the opportunity I did.

New Collection Coming Soon!

New collection coming up! Watch out for it and order soon!

Hint: The theme is based on a special holiday coming up next month!