They are sentimental keepsakes, family heirlooms, priceless memories – they are Grandma’s jewelry. As women, at some point in our lives, we will inevitably be recipients of our Grandmother’s favorite jeweled accessories. The question is…how do we incorporate these antiquated pieces into our modern styles?

Today’s Green Thought Thursday is all about how to answer this question. Dana, our resident jewelry maker, has found a simple way to turn some of her old, inherited jewelry into fun, stylish accessories all while reducing, reusing and recycling. One of the predicaments encountered when trying to update these vintage baubles, especially when it comes to earrings, is the old-fashioned clip-on style. While this type of earring definitely served its purpose at one time, it is simply outdated and uncomfortable. Armed with all of her jewelry crafting knowledge, Dana was able to switch out the tired old clip-ons for modern French wire style posts on a pair of her great grandmother’s earrings.

Dana, along with jewelry stores like Joint Venture Jewelry in Cary and Good Girls Studio in Raleigh, are revamping precious metals and helping to further the green effort all in the name of fashion. If you don’t want to alter the original design or style of your jewelry, there are still others ways to modernize your adornments that are just as eco-friendly. Try pairing just one of your vintage pieces with a current fashion trend or something timeless like a blazer or shift dress. Another idea is to wear your bijou against a blank canvas such as a simple black dress or plain shirt so that your jewelry really makes a statement. You can find really awesome antique jewelry here in Raleigh at the Antiques Emporium, but we also love websites like Etsy where you can find vintage jewelry of all shapes and sizes (and eras).

Grandma passed down her pearls because she knew a true classic never goes out of style. But making a classic style all your own? Now that is great fashion!

For our next installment of Green Thought Thursday, we wanted to fill everyone in on our client Briar Chapel’s upcoming Earth Day event. Briar Chapel is the largest green community in the Triangle and hopes to inspire folks to get out and go green this weekend.

The big event is THIS Saturday, and activities will span the entire day, beginning at 9:00 a.m. with the 3rd Annual Briar Chapel 5K Run. Not only will participants have a chance to enjoy the community’s scenic trails, but they will also feel good knowing that all proceeds benefit the Abundance Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to educating the community about local food and renewable energy. Those who register early will receive a locally made organic t-shirt from our friends at TS Designs. Feeling motivated? Register here!

Other activities will kick off at 1:00 p.m. Perhaps your first stop should be with local chefs Colin Bedford, Jimmy Reale, Greg Hamm and Kelly Taylor as they showcase dishes created for the Chatham County Chef Challenge. Each dish was prepared in hopes of encouraging healthier choices in the Chatham County Schools lunch program. The result? They taste delicious! You’ll have the chance to see for yourself Saturday, as the chefs hand out samples to the public. Check out our recent blog to learn more about the Chef Challenge.

Other events you won’t want to miss – the Hunt for Green, a scavenger hunt where participants will capture each QR code clue with their smart phones and have a chance to tour the model homes, and environmental education demonstrations on topics such as community gardening and vermiculture by Briar Chapel residents, local farmers and other non-profit organizations. Find out more about these special Earth Day events here.

Also, be sure to drop in at 2:00 for a question and answer session with local author Jonathan Bloom, where he will be sharing what he discovered while working on his latest book, American Wasteland, a chronicle of the waste of food from “farm to fork.” He will also give tips on how you can reduce waste in your own home. We can’t wait to hear what he has to say, and we’ll be sure to share some of his ideas in an upcoming Green Thought Thursday.

As if these weren’t all reasons enough, you’ll also enjoy treats from local spots like Angelina’s Kitchen, Bean and Barrel, Busy Bee Café, Fullsteam Brewery and Saxapahaw General Store.

We hope to see you at Briar Chapel Saturday!

Today’s Green Thought Thursday was inspired by my recent stop at West Craven High School while en route to Merchant’s Millpond for a camping trip. It was there that one of my closest childhood friends, Mr. William “Moose” Shaw, allowed me aboard a very special bus – the From Farm to Fuel Tank.

It is on this bus that William travels around the state to tell students about the ‘Farm to Fuels’ program, where local farmers and community members are coming together to provide hands-on training to high school students in Craven County, teaching them about the benefits of biofuels, especially on a local scale.

Did you know that vegetable oil from your local McDonalds can be converted into a biofuel? And all of those winter cover crops that farmers use just for soil cover during the colder months? They can, too! William has used both to brew up his very own biofuels aboard this magic school bus. And the best part? He simply runs a hose out of the bus window and into the tank for instant refueling! Talk about being self-sufficient…

So what about biofuels? The Biofuels Center of North Carolina makes a good case.

• It’s a renewable, domestic energy resource
• It’s more than 300 percent fossil-fuel energy efficient than diesel
• It can be used in most diesel engines
• It can reduce global warming and tailpipe emissions
• It’s nontoxic and biodegradable
• It’s a good solvent for fuel line and tank sediments

And what’s the larger picture? “Biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions better than gasoline, ethanol, and conventional diesel, and can help shift your energy use to renewable,” writes Andrew Korfhage for Green America.

So whether you’re driving a car with a diesel engine or a great big yellow (and in William’s case, green) school bus, consider making the switch from regular diesel to biodiesel. It’s cleaner, greener and downright awesome.