Bioswale? More Like BioSWELL.

Every morning, on our way into the studio, we walk by a beautiful streetside tumble of native plants. Some are bristly, others green, with blossoms punctuating the landscape.

Along Cermak, on each block, there is a post, with an informative sign, and a small vertical wind mill, and a solar panel. (See above for the video we captured on the way in this morning.)

Our neighborhood is fairly industrial, so the green, as it grows throughout this hot and wet season, makes us smile. 

But where did it come from?

In 2012, Chicago's Sustainability Office set out to make Cermak -- a main east-west artery that hosts everything from family restaurants and schools, to artists studios, and factories, even a food truck parking lot -- the "Greenest Street in Chicago." Awesome eco-sustainable-nature/people-loving things they did to make this happen include:

• recycled and reused construction materials
• energy-saving reflective paving
• concrete that includes titanium dioxide to break down pollutants on the surface and up to 8 feet in the air (smog eaters!) 
• environment-responsive lights, powered by solar and wind collection
• diversion of 80% of rainwater to sustainable landscaping (bioswales*)
• use of native and/or drought-resistant plants 
• ADA-welcoming streetscapes
• more bike racks
• educational signage (like the one in the video above!) 

*Bioswales involve grading the land and choosing sustainable plants in order to direct, filter, and make better use of rainwater.

up-close of a bioswale, via Dwell

One day while waiting for the bus, we watched a man pick up litter and throw it away. We followed suit. It definitely takes a community to support a sustainability plan; infrastructure can only go so far. Doing good together feels great. 

We love that our environment matches up with our own SWR mission to make life better for people and the planet at the same time!

FOR MORE INFO: You can access a pdf of the original plan here, and a great Dwell interview with "Complete Streets" program director Janet Attarian here.

Woke up this morning and Chicago Fire was filming right outside my front door. How cool! I heard some Michael Jackson playing and thought there was a block party, but it turned out to just be the crew setting up for the big shoot. I took this quick photo and thought I would share it with all of you guys.

His and Hers

In these rings we incorporated customer provided Mulberry wood and Cedar from Lebanon! The grandfather of the customer planted a mulberry tree when he was born in Lebanon. The grandfather had always been a great inspiration because of his great perseverance and determination so it was a very special opportunity to incorporate wood from a tree that had grown with him since birth.

His: Cedar Liner with Rosewood, Inlays of mulberry wood, Padauk and Lapis lazuli. 
Hers: Cedar liner with Rosewood, Inlays of mulberry wood and Mother of Pearl and Sapphire set in white gold. 

A Conscious Wood Company

We are so excited about our new eco-conscious wood source! Horigan Lumber is a local supplier and their philosophy of preserving the planet's resources closely parallels our own. The Horigan Lumber Website states, 

"We are committed to the environment by reducing the number of trees removed from the forest, the amount of fuel consumed for transportation, and the amount of carbon that is released into the atmosphere by sequestering it as hardwood lumber."

The folks at Horigan save wood that is destined to be chopped up as firewood and mulch and turn it into usable hardwood. Allison and Gus visited their warehouse last week! Check out the photos! 

They picked up some awesome hackberry (which we've never used) and willow! All this wood was once trees that existed in the Chicagoland area. So we can follow our supply chain to the exact address! How cool!? 

We are so happy to have found this wonderful company and look forward to working with them again soon! Thanks Horigan! 

http://horiganufp.com/

An Ocean of Love!

We heard that Method Soaps began an initiative to recycle discarded plastics. 

Cool! 

But guess what? We've already done it! 

This ring, fondly named "An Ocean of Love" was created for a Marine Biologist from San Diego. She was studying the effects of plastic on marine life. She and her husband were so passionate about the research they were doing that she decided to incorporate plastic samples, collected from the Pacific Ocean, into her crushed inlay. The result was this beautiful ring that is a constant reminder of the passion that drives her. 

Great minds think alike! If more companies collected plastic to house their products maybe we could reduce the giant Texas-sized Great Pacific Garbage Patch that consists of plastic caught in a convergence of currents. We have so much work to do for our planet! We're doing our best! One ring at a time! 

We really love what Method is doing! Check out their website for more information! 

Carpe Diem, Simply Wood Rings

Info graphic: http://methodhome.com/ocean-plastic/

What Inspires Us

 It is easy to say that nature plays a huge part in what we do. But it is not just wood that keeps us excited here at Simply Wood Rings. It is every element of Nature that inspires us to create something truly beautiful!

It's 9 am and the day begins with a quick peek out the window. There are two Peregrine Falcons that have found a lovely home, with the help of the Field Museum, outside our window. Everyone here has grown quite attached to the falcons, and we have lovingly named them “Mama and Papa Hawk” even though, we now know there is quite a difference between falcons and hawks. Some mornings the falcons will be there to say hello, and some mornings they are not. But, even if we only get to see a quick shadow swoop by, they fill our day with tons of excitement and happiness.

The falcons are a constant reminder to us of how humans and nature can co-exist. This tall brick factory provides us with a great place for a wood shop, and also closely resembles a cliff face to those birds who are seeking a home here in Chicago. We try to remember this every time we are making a ring.

Check out this live stream from one of nests in the Chicago area: http://1130falcon.click2stream.com/

Special thanks to the Field Muesem for the picture and the link

http://fieldmuseum.org/explore/illinois-peregrines