The great thing about outdoor teak furniture is that it is so easy to maintain and it lasts and lasts.

Teak stands up to the elements so well that it is extensively used in building boats. It doesn't rot or decay and requires very little care beyond occasional cleaning. While you can certainly choose to keep your outdoor teak furniture looking its original honey brown, I rather like the silvery gray tone it acquires when left out in the sun for a long time. That gray can look really beautiful in some gardens, and it can also look really great with wrought iron and glass if you like to mix and match your patio furniture instead of having everything match.

Buying used furniture is one of the easiest ways of going green. What is especially great about buying used furniture is that is generally more affordable also.

When you buy used furniture, you save it from landfills.The fact that you're buying used furniture practically assures that it won't be off-gassing, so keep it that way by using Low-VOC cleaners, paints, glues and varnishes.

Another great thing about going green this way is that while you might have qualms about playing around with a brand new piece of furniture, you can freely re-purpose used furniture to create your own personalized decor.

Take a look at some more tips for going green:

Demystifying Green - Make Tiny Changes

Demystifying Green – Buy Local

How to Tell if You’re Buying Green

As you head over to your local Starbucks for your daily dose of caffeine, you can feel happier knowing that the company has decided to mend its errant, wasteful ways and go green.

Not only will Starbucks change its offerings to reflect the more ethical and healthier choices that many desire, it is also changing how its stores are built, furnished and operate. For instance, beginning this year all the incandescent bulbs will be replaced by more energy efficient bulbs. And that is just the first step.

Starbucks is also going for LEED certification at all new, company-operated stores using energy conservation, recycling, and green construction with reused, recycled and local materials and focus on local craftsmanship. Starbucks will also begin posting plaques in stores to explain green construction and decor elements to customers to educate and motivate them to make more environmentally responsible choices.

Art Van Furniture, the venerable furniture store from Michigan is turning 50. If you have made it to 50 years as a furniture retailer, it is really time to celebrate, and Art Van, Michigan’s largest furniture store (30 stores in 29 communities throughout Michigan) is celebrating. As part of the celebration, it is giving away a fully restored 1959 Chevrolet Corvette convertible.

If you’ve always wanted to own a little red Corvette, and you live in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana, now’s your chance to enter. No purchase required. Visit Art Van Furniture’s website to see the contest rules, enter to win, and when you do win, come back here and share the good news with all of us. The contest runs through October 31, 2009 and the winner will be announced by November 12.