Time Piece - Product Review: EARTH Wood Goods Watch

Let's get down to Earth for a minute. A while back I posted a review of a watch that I own and now I've acquired a second watch by the same manufacturer, EARTH Wood Goods, so I thought I would offer a more in-depth review of this fine timepiece. The company's website, http://earthwoodgoods.com, shows the vast array of beautiful products that they offer, from watches to sunglasses to bags and wallets made from cork and these products all exhibit honestly incredible craftsmanship and they are all made from sustainable materials. This particular watch that I'll be discussing is the Earth Ew1205 Rhizomes Watch.

I've been wearing this watch for nearly a month now and have gotten many compliments on it. Friends and strangers both remark and comment positively on this watch; it's a hit. Indeed, it is quite a beautiful timepiece, and I've happily shared the EARTH brand with dozens of people already. To me, though, the fact that it is so comfortable to wear and lightweight is really the most appealing aspect of this watch.



First off, when this watch arrived, the wrist band was far too large so I had to remove a few links. Using tools from a kit I bought off Amazon for about ten bucks, I carefully popped the pins out and resized it to my wrist.



Sadly, I did end up destroying one of the removed links in the process, which is exactly why the company's instructions state that they recommend you take it to a watch repair shop or jeweler; however, some jewelers will refuse to work on wood watches for just this reason. Certainly sometimes the links can break, wood is inherently more fragile than metal of course and it certainly takes a delicate touch and patience to resize these watches.Luckily it was only one that cracked.



Doing it yourself, with the ten dollar kit, will save you some money, but you'll have both control over the outcome as well as full responsibility if things go awry. Use your judgement.

 
The wood links are smooth and feel great on my wrist; the fit of the watch after my adjustment has it fitting slightly loosely on my wrist, almost like a bracelet, but the overall balance is still there, so that with just a swift little movement, I can bring the face to the ideal position to tell the time. Another thing I love about the wood links is that they don't pinch in any way; I've had watches in the past with metal links that would, from time to time, painfully pluck a hair from my wrist. Never had that issue with EARTH watches. The links are very sensibly shaped so this isn't an issue.



This watch would look even more epic and outstanding on anyone with thick, meaty, burly wrists. I do my best with what I've got, and honestly, while at first I was concerned that the face would look too big on my skinny wrists, I've truly grown to like the look of this watch on me.

Timekeeping has been solid with this watch over the course of the month I've been wearing it. Time will tell, of course, if the ticking begins to slow or fade; however, the other EARTH watch I own has never given me any issues. It's ticked true for about three years now, so I expect this watch to hold up in much the same manner.

One aspect of this watch that I feel might serve a design revisit is the chrome dashes that indicate the hours, the reflective chrome blends a tad too much into this busy, but beautiful, face, sometimes making it difficult to tell the time. My thought was that perhaps white or black dashes might provide more contrast, although, the watch does also have a border which provides reference as well, really, it's just a matter of personal preference or getting used to the style.

Additional bonus points, the hands are phosphorescent, they glow in the dark, which is a nice added feature on a watch. 

All in all, this is a wonderful watch, by far my favorite watch to wear because of the comfort factor as well as the conversation starter that it provides, the fashionable aspect of a natural wood finish watch, truly can be worn in any setting or with any attire, plus it's a solid and reliable timepiece. Love the very idea of wearing products crafted from wood; that grounded, earthy feel, reminder of nature just feels so good.

It pains me to sound too much like a commercial, but seriously, when I find a product that I love, not just on a personal use level, but also on a level of respect for the company itself, I want to share that. EARTH Wood Goods is an American company using sustainable manufacturing practices, sourcing sustainable materials, that's the kind of company I'm happy to promote.

EARTH Wood Goods Twitter
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Thanks for reading this review of this EARTH Wood Goods watch! Peace!
 

 

 

Honey-Do List: Five Things We Can Do to Help Bees

The rusty patched bumble bee was recently listed as an endangered species, the first of its kind to gain such federal protection. Bumble bees are crucial pollinators of wildflowers as well as nearly one third of all crops in the US.


Image Courtesy of picturesflowers.net Source: http://www.picturesflowers.net/free_flowers_pictures/honeybee_on_a_thistle_flower_collecting_pollen_0001-0408-3110-3930.html

Threats seem to be coming at these essential and beautiful creatures from all sides. From diseases spread by commercially-reared bees, to climate change by disrupting and altering floral bloom times, and habitat loss caused by human expansion, to pesticide use--primarily a toxic agent known as a neonicotinoid, the threats that bees are currently facing are enormous, devastating and challenging. Things look pretty dire and this should concern all of us, that's why I felt the need to take the time to write up my plan of action and share it with those who happen to read this here little blog.

These are some small acts that we can all take to do our part to try to save the bees.

1. Plant bee-friendly flowers, flowering herbs in your pesticide-free garden.
Not only does this help bees, but planting flowers alongside your veggies will benefit your yield. Pesticides are not the only way to eliminate unwanted insects from a garden. If you're out watering your garden every day, take a moment to inspect your plants, unwanted pests, just pluck them off, kill or relocate. Do you have broken terra cotta pottery? Place pieces around your garden to create spaces, homes for toads, lizards, spiders to set up shop, better yet, if you find toads in your yard, relocate them to your garden, same with spiders, especially golden orb weavers.

For a list of plants that bees love, check out this link: http://www.themelissagarden.com/

2. Let your yard run wild.
Who wants a yard that is uniform, populated by a single species of grass, with no variation or diversity whatsoever? Well, HOA's tend to demand it of your front yard, but I say, do as you please in the backyard! Let the clover grow, let the henbit, deadnettle and dandelions and whatever else pops up flourish. I love the diversity of nature, seeing the various random plants pop up in my backyard is a treat for me with the added bonuses of lending to a more healthy backyard ecosystem, reduced herbicide use, and occasional edible plants to pluck from time to time. Henbit, deadnettle and dandelions are all edible, if your yard is thick with them, at a certain point, the entire yard becomes one big garden. Whomever decided to call these wonderful plants "weeds" needs to truly rethink their perspective.

3. Water the bees.
Bees are thirsty. Birdbaths aren't just for birds. Bees have been known to frequent fresh water set out in birdbaths and this helps them to keep on flying at full force. Set a few stones in the water so that the bees have something to land on and crawl around on as they get a drink.

4. Buy local, organic produce.
Supporting local farmers who produce crops using sustainable, pesticide-free practices ensures that there is that much less pesticide in the environment. 5. Buy local, raw honey.

5. Support your local beekeepers, keep them in business, keep their hives profitable. Added benefit of local honey is that eating local honey has been shown to reduce allergies. By eating local honey, your body takes in and acclimates to the region's pollen and is better able to tolerate that pollen when it starts blowing around in full.

Thanks for reading, thanks for caring about the bee situation. As an added treat, below is a label that's decades old, it's from when my grandparents up in Platteville Wisconsin had their farm operation going strong. They kept some bees and sold the honey around town and this is one of the labels that they had on the product. 

For more information on bees and details of the protection of honeybees and bumble bees, please visit Scientific American article US Lists a Bumble Bee Species as Endangered for First Time and Xerces.org.

Other resources to save the bees:
sos-bees.org/
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/save-the-bees/
https://savebees.org/

Sign this petition and this petition at Xerces.org.

Thanks for reading. Peace.