6 STYLISH WAYS TO SAVE THE PLANET

The Baggu holds three times more than a traditional grocery bag, comes in a variety of colors and folds into a flat pouch. $12. baggu.com.

Bee’s Wrap reusable food wraps are handmade in Vermont of cotton with beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin. $18-$21. beeswrap.com.

Purchase a glass water bottle from Soma and a donation will be made to Charity: Water, a nonprofit that supports safe drinking water projects globally. $30. drinksoma.com.

To-Go Ware’s bamboo utensil set. $13; earthhero.

StrawGrace glass straws are handmade, break-resistant, dishwasher-safe and come with a cleaning brush. $13.57 for a set of 5. amazon.

Being eco-friendly is always in style.

Recycling is important but it’s not the only solution - just 14 percent of plastic is collected for reuse according to a recent article in Parade magazine by writer Megan O’Neill.

One of the best things we can do is rethink our single-use plastic habit including plastic drink bottles and sandwich bags.

Megan compiled a list of tips for being part of the solution. Small steps can make a big impact over time. So pick one of these to focus on first, then add others later as you become more mindful of how day-to-day habits affect the Earth:

1. Bring your own bags anywhere you shop, especially the grocery. Try the Standard Baggu. It holds three times more than a traditional grocery bag, comes in a variety of colors and folds into a flat pouch. Don’t forget to take them with you even on vacation. $12. baggu.com.

2. Instead of plastic wrap, try Bee’s Wrap. These reusable food wraps come in different prints. They’re handmade in Vermont of cotton with beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin. The warm of your hands softens the wrap and creates a seal. $18-$21. beeswrap.com.

3. Purchase a glass water bottle from Soma and a donation will be made to Charity: Water, a nonprofit that supports safe drinking water projects globally. $30. drinksoma.com.

4. If you drink coffee in a to-go top, skip the lid. It’s not recyclable.

5. Have To-Go Ware’s bamboo utensil set on hand so you can turn down the plastic cutlery that comes with takeout. $13; earthhero.

6. StrawGrace glass straws are handmade, break-resistant, dishwasher-safe and come with a cleaning brush. $13.57 for a set of 5. amazon.

INTERLUXE: A MODERN WAY TO SELL LUXURY REAL ESTATE

Stacy Kirk, Director of Development for Interluxe Real Estate Auction Marketplace, at Interluxe’s New Trends in Luxury & Real Estate Summit..

Interluxe Real Estate Auction Marketplace is a modern way to bring together sellers, agents and qualified buyers in the luxury home market to sell properties quickly and profitably. Founded in 2013, Interluxe has represented properties in 27 states and territories throughout the U.S. and abroad and continues to expand internationally.

The key to this innovative new way of doing business is motivated sellers who agree to put their homes up for auction internationally on Interluxe’s online platform with the understanding their homes will receive multiple offers to purchase and can sell in as little as 45 days. For some that can be a scary prospect. But for those who have seen luxury homes languish on the market for months - sometimes years - following traditional tactics, Interluxe’s way of doing business is becoming a viable new option in the real estate industry.

“The average age of our demographic is 63 because people around that age are empty nesters in a multimillion dollar primary residence but now they want a home that reflects their lifestyle whether it’s the mountains, the beach or Palm Springs,” says Stacy Kirk, Interluxe’s Director of Client Development. “They may still want a townhouse in Myers Park but they want to live mainly at the beach where all the grandkids can come and visit.”

“We only work with properties priced at $1.5 million or more,” Stacy says. “We collaborate and support the listing agent, for example Hanes Walker of Premier Sotheby’s. Instead of the property being on the market for years, the agent has chosen to expand upon the marketing plan and create a call to action by using Interluxe as a resource. The result is multiple offers achieved within 60 days.”

To educate top brokers in the Charlotte luxury market about the process, Interluxe recently hosted its inaugural New Trends in Luxury & Real Estate Summit. The invitation-only event for brokers, agents and influencers was presented by Movement Bank.

Stacy Kirk with speaker Johnatan Romero of Movement Bank and Movement Mortgage.

Speakers included Taiwo Jaiyeoba, City of Charlotte Planning Director; Richard Buttimer, director of the UNCC Childress Klein Center for Real Estate; Maren Brisson-Kuester, NC REALTORS® Association 2019 President-Elect; Scott Kirk, Interluxe Founder & President; and Johnatan Romero of Movement Bank and Movement Mortgage.

Keynote speaker was Tony Giordano, a renowned motivational coach who spoke about evolving digital trends in real estate.

For more details about Interluxe, go to interluxe.com.

Here’s a video from the Summit: