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In keeping with our focus on green building, like that being done in New Orleans, we thought we’d highlight our own green-building retailers in this short shopping blog about home improvement. We hope they will excite and inspire you with respect to your own household projects and be a helpful resource overall. While we’re highlighting four retailers below, don’t forget that we have Home Depot listed under the Shop Green, Home Improvement category. Home Depot has come a long way over the years from being targeted by many environmental organizations to now having a very impressive Eco Options department committed to the environment and to transitioning the general building industry toward sustainable practices and products. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, then check the BuyGreen.com site. They are an excellent resource for all things green, from building supplies to organizations and information to media and events. So take a lesson from the Holy Cross project and start making changes to your living by taking your building cues from our featured retailers below…

Greenandmore.com wants you to succeed in your efforts at ‘green’ home improvement. To do so, they’ve put together six dedicated categories designed to aid in the selection and education process when building green: Air Purifiers, Garden, Energy Efficiency, Solar, Lighting and Green Gifts. Both the long time eco-aware set and the ‘newbie’s’ will be impressed by the innovative products Greenandmore.com has to offer. I consider myself in the former group but was pleased to find new green solutions for my home that I’d been unfamiliar with to date. For instance their selection of air purifiers, rated both for performance and eco-friendliness, are recyclable, have biodegradable components that filter allergens, chemicals and pet dander while filling your living space with clean air. Another product I especially liked, for both its simplicity and ingenuity, is the Smart Strip energy saving power strip. Don’t hesitate just buy three of four of these little gadgets! They are the easiest and most affordable way to save energy (and money) around the house. And while you’re at it, take another small step and add the Indoor Kitchen Composter (small enough for apartments and condos) that will turn your kitchen scraps headed for the landfill into rich soil for your patio garden. Now that you have the basics covered, when you’re ready for some additional green-improvements, you’ll know where to go!

If a full-blown renovation is the task at hand then you’ll want to become acquainted with Green Nest. They have a wonderful site that provides all of the resources you’ll need to renovate, furnish and clean your home in an eco-friendly way. They pride themselves on creating healthy homes, free of pollutants and chemical toxins. Their non-toxic building supplies include paints, sealants, adhesives, carpets and other products that are designed to keep toxic chemicals out of your home while still providing unsurpassed quality and value. From all-natural carpeting and rugs to organic, plant-based sealers, Green Nest takes the hazard out of your home and improves the health of your family at the same time. A few must-haves for your renovation project include the Safe Coat 3-in-1 Adhesive that gives an equivalent performance to the hazardous and chlorinated solvent adhesives but without the toxicity. Additionally, it makes an excellent carpet adhesive, which can be used with the Bio-Floor Collection Custom Carpeting, the only truly nontoxic, all natural carpet made in North America. Add the beautiful finishing touches of this reclaimed, sustainable and organic Betula chair and then sit down and relax, job well done!

Whether you’re greening your house all-at-once or step-by-step, eventually you’ll come face-to-face with your wasteful water heater. Water heaters are a staple in everyone’s home, making the gas & electric bill something to be dreaded on a month-to-month basis. Low Energy Systems offers a variety of tankless water heaters to ease your gas & electric bill while being energy efficient at the same time. Tankless water heaters never run out of hot water because they only use energy when hot water is being consumed. These water heaters will likely save you more money, over their expected lifespan of 20 years, than they will cost you to purchase initially. Besides energy efficiency, tankless water heaters take up less space, are easy to maintain, and are more convenient to operate. Taking a short, hot shower just got a heck of a lot CHEAPER! And we can attest to their efficiency because we have one in our own home…

Now that we’ve sparked your green building interest, it’s off to the drawing board! Become your own architect with PUNCH! - the home design software that acts as your guide for home improvement projects of all sorts. From the initial design phase through the final landscape layout, PUNCH! is at your fingertips every step of the way. Their software is designed to incorporate 3-D graphics and cutting edge technology to assist in making the best design and home improvement decisions possible, offering multiple options and styles that give you solid visual ideas before you invest any time or money into the project. PUNCH! Software creates a virtual reality of personalized home design ranging from: Home Design, Architectural Design, Landscape Deck & Patio Design to Interior Design. A perfect product to help you design your dream home from the comfort of your current home!

From planning a trip to reliving your memories through the photos taken while away, we‘ve got everything you’ll need to get you where you want to go in both comfort and style. Kick it all off with a few clicks at Expedia.com and jump on a summer special to somewhere spectacular. Before you start packing, stop by Magellan’s for some new luggage and innovative travel gear. Once you’ve reached your destination, hop a train and see the countryside by getting those tickets on Railpass.com and finally, prove you were there with any one of the fine cameras carried at RitzCamera.com. We love to travel here at nonprofitshoppingmall.com and hope you’ll enjoy our Summer Fun retailers and product picks in completing your vacation plans. Bon Voyage!

With Expedia.com, everything you need for planning a trip is at your fingertips. The site features airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruises, and many other in- destination services from a broad selection of partners. Through its North American Web site, the entire world is just a click away. A great resource for finding family vacation deals or arranging quick weekend getaways, Expedia.com makes it easy. With constant deals and summer discounts you have no more excuses, it’s vacation time!

So where are your vacation plans going to take you — on an African safari, a trip to the Coliseum, swimming with dolphins or hiking in Yosemite? If you love to travel, then you should know Magellan’s – a one-stop shop for travelers and their needs! Magellan’s is the worlds most trusted source of travel supplies. They offer a superior selection of products designed to make your trip comfortable, safe and rewarding. Products range from luggage to clothing, electronic translators to toiletry kits. Some of my summer travel favorites include the Wrinkle-Free 100% Cotton Shirt, the Baggallini Uptown Bagg (chic enough for any big city yet fully equipped to handle all your important in-transit gear) and the Tarmac 22″ luggage from Eagle Creek. All of which are designed with organization, function and style in mind. Now that you’re ready to hit the road…don’t forget to write!

Is it just my perception or does traveling by train still hint at a bit of romanticism and adventure? Riding the rails is still my personal preference for traveling around Europe – love the great views of the countryside, the sleek look of the trains and speed at which they travel. It’s like watching the Travel Channel but a whole lot better because you know that at the end of the ride, you’ll be someplace fabulous. Railpass.com – the largest single railpass outlet in the U.S, has over 60 types of rail-passes available, making them the ideal choice for destinations the world over. So sit back, relax, and drink in the gorgeous European countryside, the mountains of Japan or the Australian Outback. Railpass.com can make those railway fantasies a reality – check ‘em out for more info.

Aim, click and start capturing your memories with a fantastic range of electronics, offered at amazing prices from Ritzcamera.com. Ritzcamera.com is an interactive site that offers all things visual — from camcorders, digital cameras, GPS systems, binoculars, and more. This retailer stocks the products you need to capture life’s memories on whichever medium suits your needs. If you are the serious vacation photographer type, looking for the function of a manual film camera with the convenience of digital technology, the Canon EOS Rebel is the camera for you (I own one myself and am a huge fan). If stealth, light and easy are better words to describe how you view photography while traveling then perhaps the Nikon Coolpix S600 will be along for the ride in your knapsack. If you want it all — great pics, video, lightweight, travel friendly and easy-to-use then you might want to take a look at the water, shock and dustproof Panasonic SDR-SW20 Compact SD Camcorder. Whatever your preferences may be, RitzCamera.com has the electronics to bring your vacation memories to life.

We hope you’ll take a look at our entire PETS category, as each of our vendors has specialty items that our furry family members have come to rely upon for their welfare and comfort. In addition to our featured retailers, be sure to check out Pets United (dog.com) with its unique links to horse.com, ferret.com, bird.com and fish.com. Don’t know why they don’t have cat.com but perhaps it’s in the works. Not to worry tho, you’ll find plenty of fun stuff to please even the most finicky of felines in our other PET category brands.

Though ‘modern lifestyle’ has become something of a generic term, Feel More Human makes it clear that progressive, functional design can be as beautiful and relevant as ever. They promote a lifestyle that encourages the constant re-examination of commerce and philosophy by engaging in socially responsible business practices and by arguing the point that art should meet the needs of society without a distinction between form and function. A perfect example of this can be found in Feel More Human’s Dogs and Cats category. Simple, eye-catching, functional designs turn those “problem” areas in your home into artful pieces you will be eager to show off. My personal favorite being the eco-friendly Buddha Cat Habitat that literally turns your self-important cat into wall décor. However, my cat sized, self-important Chihuahua would vote for the retro looking Wowo Dog Pod or Wowo Single Feeder — the dog has exquisite taste, what can I say?

UnCommon Goods is one of our favorite retailers for its clever products and interesting designs. They have a vast assortment of unique must-have items from a range of categories, but what really caught my attention was their extensive collection of birdhouses and feeders. Truly different and broad in aesthetic, every type of bird lover out there will be able to find something that will match their style, sensibility and yard, porch or garden. Here are three of Uncommon Good’s radically different designs that give the birds in town great reason for stopping by or moving in. The Glass Donut feeder is an incredibly sleek and modern establishment for your feathered friends to dine while the Vintage Radio Birdhouse couldn’t be a more charming place to call home. If those two choices are too posh for you and your sparrows, you may prefer the 5th Wheel Birdhouse — this miniature 1950’s trailer home is retro-fabulous and after Astroturf makes the best accent to any tattoo, Elvis and apple pie lover’s patio.

I think we are all in agreement when I say it doesn’t get much better then being a pampered pet! With Organic Style’s pet products, you will have no problem providing your best friend with a lavish, over-the-top, yet conscientious life of luxury. Whether it’s with eco-beds, made from recycled soda pop bottles or in bathtubs filled with gentle, earth-friendly and invigorating Travel Dog Spa Set bubbles, it’s clear that Organic Style knows how to help you pamper a much loved pet. This is especially illustrated with the Welcome Home Puppy Gift Set. This adorable assortment comes with mini treat bones made of yummy organic ingredients, a cuddly monkey blanket and matching plush squeaky toy – both made with organic plush cotton and filled with all-natural cotton that is durable enough to withstand the teething habits of a pup, yet soft enough to be gentle on their baby teeth. From the newest family addition to old faithful, your dog will feel nothing but love, peace and pampering from anything Organic Style.

Only Natural Pet Store offers natural dog and cat products of the highest quality, consistent with a holistic approach to pet health. They strongly believe our animal companions benefit from natural living in the same way that humans do. They continuously add healthy, natural and organic products to their inventory, keeping things fresh and current with holistic formulas. With their products they give us the tools to improve the health, happiness, and longevity of our pets lives. A useful aspect of their website enables pet owners to research particular health conditions or concerns and then offers products and supplements to help sort it out. Separation anxiety, skin/coat problems, digestive issues, etc, can all be addressed holistically. Only Natural Pet Store is a warehouse of pet products you never knew existed, ranging from vitamins and supplements to food, toys, grooming, beds and all things PETS!