Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination. – Voltaire

Around Valentine’s Day, love is on everyone’s mind. Whether you’re looking for love or just want to celebrate the love you have, we’ve got some tips on how to keep your romance green. More...

The July EcoMetro Newsletter was delivered in inboxes today. It's a great place to get the skinny on community events, the latest FREE online coupons and info about living well in the Puget Sound. If you don't already get the news, sign up to hear from us once a month right here.

Here's an event that didn't go out in the newsletter.

City Chickens Coop Tour
In this self-guided, mapped tour through Seattle neighborhoods you will see simple coops built in an afternoon and elaborate houses that took weeks of planning and building!  You will enjoy seeing the many different varieties of chicken breeds that people keep and learning about these lovely backyard pets.

This year the tour stops have been grouped into 4 Seattle neighborhood areas - northwest, northeast, southeast/central area and southwest.  Organizers encourage you to visit the coops in your area and see what your neighbors are doing.  A car or strong biking ability is suggested to go from home to home.

Buy your tickets at the following EcoMetro merchants: City People's Mercantile, City People's Garden Store and Next to Nature (West Seattle location only).

July 11, 11am-4pm

Image Credit: sarahemcc/Creative Commons More...

Are you ready for more sun and more fun in the great outdoors? So are we. To launch into summer, we're sending our June newsletter soon with free printable coupons for outdoor recreation and reminders of all the great deals in our book.

If you aren't signed up yet, enter your email in the box at upper right. We only send newsletters monthly.

Here's a sampling to get you interested. This Tizzi bathing suit by Kelly B is 65% bamboo and 25% organic cotton (with 8% spandex), and USA made. Order online ($130) from Nimli.

Image via Nimli. More...

Several years ago, when I first got a call about working here at Celilo Group Media, I had just torn the Zipcar coupon out of the Portland book that very day (there isn't a coupon in Seattle There is a code for $50 in driving time in the ad on page 41, and look for a coupon in the 2010 book). Had I heard of the book? Of course I had! Did I ever redeem the coupon...er, no.

It wasn't just calculating the cost of gas, insurance, and upkeep that finally made me take the leap and sell my car--it was realizing that I drive so infrequently that spiderwebs connected the window to the steering wheel like something out of a cartoon. My bike was carrying me a dozen miles a day for free while I paid for spiders to practice tightrope walking between leather and glass. I sold the car and patted myself on the back (plus bought a pair of new shoes). And then, immediately, I missed an opportunity because I didn't have wheels. More...

Becki Walker writes about food and crafts recipes. In this Fridays series, she examines the culture of farmers markets. Here she explains Certified Naturally Grown, an alternative to USDA Organic, and shopping on a budget using the food chain model and pesticide guides.

Over the course of the next few articles, I’ll be examining the farmers market.  I’ll cover how to get to know your farmer, shop on a budget, and experiment with more “unique” fruits and vegetables. Before heading to the market, though, it’s important to know some of the terminology you’re likely to find there.  Just what does organic certification mean?  Are there alternatives?  Which foods are most important to buy organically?

To be organically certified, a farm must be inspected by an agency approved by the US Department of Agriculture.  Products that are 95 – 100% organic can display the organic seal on them.  Products with at least 70% ingredients may state that they are “made with organic ingredients.”  However, anything less than 70% organic cannot include the seal on its label. More...

Even if you used all your coupons from our book, we know you still need to buy things that we don't cover. Use these three sites to continue saving money while you shop for necessities.

RedPlum.com We found Tylenol, V8 Juice, and Renu contact solution coupons to download and print. Enter your zip code to begin searching.

Smart Source Both printable coupons and online coupons are available here. Right now they have a coupon for $2 off Seventh Generation baby wipes. Mac users will need Safari.

RetailMeNot.com Search here for discount codes from online stores including clothing companies, Walgreens, and Amazon. You can almost always find a free shipping code--search by store. More...

Happy weekend, EcoMetropolitans!

This week on the site:

• March free online coupons are up!
• Green Events March 12-18
• Sarah Gilbert on Hacking Life With Kids, But Without a Car
• Hunting for Rare Bike Racks in 'Wild Creatures of North America' and how to request a rack from the city
• Exchange Business Cards Without Using Paper Using Contxts

From our Twitter

• Twollars for charity? RT @CascadiaCommons How many of you know about Twollars? Check it out because I would like some. http://twollars.com
• Who we're following: @eatsustainable, home of The Sustainable Table and The Meatrix. Good daily tips for eating better with less impact.
• Your neighborhood or business sidewalks can qualify for a free bike rack installed by the city http://budurl.com/dqg4
• Yummy Chipotle Hummus from one of our favorite cooking blogs (mostly vegan, and they do beer reviews), Hot Knives http://budurl.com/c759

Image: Flickr/Powerhouse Museum Collection More...

Are you looking for a green paradise to call home? Are you considering some green remodeling that will help cut your energy costs while reducing your impact? Or maybe you are just looking to escape from reality for a couple of hours. This weekend brings us two green home tours on opposite ends of the city that are sure to inspire and educate. If you can't make either times, consider green remodeling options at EcoMetro merchants like ecohaus, Second Use, and the ReStore.

Check out a couple of additional events happening this week by clicking "More"....and don't forget to take advantage of EcoMetro online coupons from some fantastic local merchants!

Green Home Tour
Tour a 5 Star Built Green & Energy Star home in the Crown Hill neighborhood and learn first hand what makes this homes sustainable, energy efficient, and healthy. Tour groups are small, so reserve your space soon! Check out the website for reservation details.
Mar 14, 12pm-2pm
Crown Hill neighborhood. Call for your reservation!

"Behind the Walls" Green Home Tour  
AIA award winning architect Tony Case will lead this tour of 2 modern green homes under construction in Columbia City. The tour gives attendees an opportunity to explore the latest in green building and energy efficient technology, and see what goes on "behind the walls" of the homes as they are being constructed. Free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Eva Otto at 206-235-6925 or eva@infinitiRED.com
Mar 15, 1pm-4pm
Columbia City neighborhood. RSVP for location details.

 More...