Green Thinking Blog

Happy Thursday everyone! I’m feeling very festive today, and I’m looking forward to a great 4th of July weekend. To feed my appetite for fun, I found some great green products to share with you. Maybe you’ve been looking for a gift for a friend, or maybe you just need a little something for you. Either way, I hope you enjoy my eco-friendly finds.

I Am Not A Cup - Say goodbye to disposable cups at work. This porcelain coffee or tea cup has built-in insulation and a silicone lid that keeps your drinks warm.

Egglings - These ceramic egg look-a-likes actually sprout plants when you crack them open and water them (check out the 10 pictures on the site). Choose from basil, petunia, mint, chrysanthemum, spicy red pepper, wild strawberry, or prickly cactus. After three months, the plants can be replanted in soil.

Euro Cloths - The happy medium between a sponge and a paper towel. These dishwasher-safe cloths come in a three pack for $4.00. I’m definitely getting some of these so I can finally knock my paper towel habit.

SunNight BOGO Solar Task Light - This flashlight is powered by rechargeable batteries and sunlight. Take it out in the sun (even with clouds) for 8 hours and its ready to go! I’m sure Kate would love to sport this one on her next camping trip.

PLENTY Magazine - Grist.org recently named Plenty the best green lifestyle magazine. It’s winning over readers with recycled paper, bold design, and a mix of reading material including political matters, green lifestyle, tip sheets, and beautiful images. I’ll be subscribing to this one fa ’sho.

Also, check out this article to find out what chemists are doing to make fireworks more eco-friendly!

I originally posted this information on my health food and nutrition blog: Laurel On Health Food.

Women’s Health Magazine says grass-fed beef is where it’s at. Did you know that the majority of U.S. bovines feed on a mix of grains (mostly corn) instead of grass? Forcing cattle to eat a diet full of grains allows ranchers to fatten them up quicker and get the meat to our stores faster and cheaper. But, the quality of life for the bovines suffers as does the quality of our meat. Compared with a serving of grain-fed beef, healthier grass-fed beef has 1/3 less fat, almost twice the amount of omega-3s, twice the amount of conjugated linoleic acid (CLAs), and fewer cases of E. coli. (Ref: Women’s Health Magazine, July/August, p. 86-93)

Women’s Health says to look for black and white labels on your meat that say “GRASS-FED AND USDA PROCESS VERIFIED.” Also reach for labels that say “organic,” “antibiotic-free,” and “hormone-free.” The healthiest cuts of beef are: top sirloin, 95% lean ground beef, top round roast, sirloin tip steak side, bottom round roast, and eye round roast.

Grass-fed beef is also significantly better for the environment. Growing corn for feed produces a ton of greenhouse gases and also adds more chemical fertilizers to the soil. Every year, the U.S. grows 1.5 billion bushels of corn strictly for cow feed. Yikes! It takes 50% less fossil fuel energy to produce grass-fed beef as it does grain-fed.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, grass-fed beef is considerably more expensive. But, consider that the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that you eat less than 18 ounces per week. Save that steak dinner for special occasions or when you’re really having a craving. When you do, go ahead and splurge on the top-quality grass-fed kind. It tastes better too!

Yeah that’s right…I can’t get that Britney Spears song out of my head! Today, I’ve got toxins on the brain. One of the things I’m learning in my green thinking and nutritional studies is that we are flooded with toxins on a daily basis. Take a minute and think about how many unnatural things are entering your body, through your mouth or skin, on the regular. Are you eating lots of pre-packaged foods? Do you work in a “sick” building? Is the air in your city heavily polluted? Do most of your beauty products contain a lot of chemicals? Do you eat non-organic meat and dairy products? Do you consume a lot of artificial sugar?

If you answered yes to most of these, you are probably pretty toxic. But, the truth is that it’s incredibly hard to avoid a lot of this stuff considering how busy our lives are in 2008. So what can you do? Well, there’s not much you can do about a sick work building, but you can try to be more aware of the toxins around you and make the switch to natural and organic products when you can. It’s good for you and for Mother Nature.

If you’re up for a little self-pampering, try this four-step, at-home natural purification process that I found in The Body Shop’s Spa book. It’s really relaxing too!

Step 1: Sea Salt Scrub

Take a 3-5 minute hot shower to open your pores and improve your body’s circulation. Turn the water off, and then exfoliate your skin (everywhere except your face) with a sea salt scrub in circular motions (see below for my homemade salt scrub recipe!). Rinse with warm water (no soap) and then towel dry.

Step 2: Seaweed Mask

Mix seaweed powder with hot water to create a paste (you can find seaweed powder at health food stores or buy it cheap online). Thinly slather the paste all over your skin including your feet (avoid the face). Let the paste begin to dry while you prepare the next step.

Step 3: Body Wrap

Spread out two heavy blankets on a bed and lay a sheet on top of the blankets. You can spray the sheets with a lavender aromatherapy spray if you want, or just leave the sheets dry. Lay on top of the sheets and wrap the blankets around you (snugly). Rest or take a snooze for a half hour. Then rinse off in a hot shower and use your hands to help rub off the paste.

Step 4: Drink Water

Drinks lots of water throughout the rest of the day to help your body flush out impurities.

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Laurel’s Homemade Salt Scrub

• 1 ½ cups coarse sea salt
• ½ cup almond or grape seed oil
• 5-10 drops of essential oils

Take out a medium to large bowl. Put in three cups of coarse sea salt. Add one cup of almond or grape seed oil to the salt. Mix until blended. Add 5-10 drops of essential oils for fragrance (or as much as you want). You can choose whatever scent you want, but some of my favorites are peach, lavender, and grapefruit.

Here’s a little video of me making the homemade salt scrub. I tried to set it up the best I could, but I think I’ll have Miss Kate film me next time so I can get better angles. Well, enjoy it friends and I hope you take some time out to pamper yourself!

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A week into summer, I am all the wiser for what activities can be done that won’t contribute to the destruction of the world, but may actually enhance it.

I have listed some activities below that may give you some exercise and are sure to give you enjoyment.  Please, we are encouraging you to try these at home!

1.  Bike ride!  Whether you have a destination like your favorite neighborhood hang-out,  are just roaming to check out the architechtural beauty of your neighbors’ homes, or trekking down a trail, a bike ride is an excellent activity.  You are working-out, you don’t know it, and you aren’t putting polluntants in the air by taking an afternoon drive to see the scenery.

Here is a picture of my pride & joy:

This gift has made me very aware of safety features that bikes come with and their importance.  Please notice, a pedal-powered generator on the back wheel illuminates the front headlight, so I am not riding in the dark.  I have ample space in my basket and on my back rack to carry bags, freeing extra weight from my back.  A built in tire pump on the rack is there for emergency situations of a flat tire. It’s most unique feature, as you may have guessed, is the lowered bar that allows to me ride in a skirt/dress without as much risk of it getting entangled in my chain…  Enough about that :)  But, please wear reflective clothing and follow street signs accordingly: Safety first.

2.  Kayak/Canoe. Pick up trash as you go.  Orlando has an excellent non-profit organization called ECO-Action that sponsors weekly canoe clean-ups.  They have recently completed their 500th clean up! Whoo Hoo! This promotes a pride in your lakes and waterways, camaraderie, and of course - a great arm work-out!  Do some research to see if one of these organizations is in your area, or create your own and tell us about it.

3.  Visit your local botanical garden.  Laurel and I are lucky we have one in our backyard.  This is a great date spot *wink *wink, and the first Friday of the month, they feature a movie under the stars.  Again, an inexpensive afternoon or evening that supports the preservation of b-e-a-utiful flowers, plants, and insects, and could get anyone to appreciate what we have in this world.

4. Volunteer.  Whether it be at a nursing home, an animal shelter, your neighbor’s garden - wherever!  Just do it.  You are making someone, something, anything feel better, and trust - it will come back to you 10x over.  To make this tip associate with the summer:  Bring that person some lemonade to enjoy while you play checkers on the porch.  Take that puppy to a dog park to enjoy the beautiful day too and make new friends.  Plant a tomato plant for that neighbor to promote sustainable living.

5. Take a Pickinic aka Picnic lunch.  Not just any picnic.  First, you must visit your local organic grocer/farmers’ market/co-op for the freshest, mostest bestest choices of cuisine that support your community. Check out some recipes at ChefMD or Epicurious to be conscious of what you putting into your bod.  Done.  Second, you must pick the location.  While your backyard is a perfectly acceptable choice, try to get a little more creative.  Maybe placing that lunch in your bike basket and taking it to #2,  #3, or #4.

As I was enjoying the salon shampoo at my hair stylist this past Friday (isn’t that the best part about going for a haircut or color?), I started thinking about my own shampoo. While I’ve given lots of thought to greening other routines, products, and waste in my life, I hadn’t really considered my shampoo or conditioner. As you may or may not know, you hair and scalp are very absorbent just like your skin. Whether we like it or not, we are surely absorbing some ingredients that we put in our hair and on our scalp.

After doing a little research, I found out that it’s best to avoid shampoo and conditioners that contain parabens, synthetic fragrances, petroleum products, alcohol, formaldehyde (ew!!), sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates, or any brands that test on animals. TreeHugger warns against using any products that contain palm oil. There is some alarming evidence that palm oil is a huge contributor of global warming. If you want to know what some of those scary chemical ingredients really are, check out TreeHugger’s “Getting Techie” guide found here.

I’m going to try out a couple of the following shampoos listed here (listed from cheapest to most expensive). Have you tried any eco-friendly or natural hair care products that you like? Give me a shout if you have.

• Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value in Herbal Mint, 32 oz, $4
• Burts Bees, Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo, 12 oz, $8
• Surya Henna Restorative Shampoo - Color Fixation, 8.45 oz, $9
• BeeCeuticals Organics, Bee Hair Now Shampoo, 12 oz, $10
• Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Shampoo, 8.8 oz, $15
• Miessence Desert Flower Shampoo, 8.5 oz, $20.95

I know that some of these shampoos are expensive, and hair care may or may not be a priority for you. But, I challenge myself and I challenge you to just take a closer look at what products you’re using and whether or not they could be toxic to you or your family. Just as a note, I don’t claim to be an expert on chemical ingredients, so if you disagree with any of these choices, feel free to leave a comment! Just leave us a suggestion of a better product so we can try it out!

All this talk about shampoo has me thinking about that great ’90s movie Curly Sue. Remember the bathtub scene where they soap up her hair? It’s about 1:20 into the trailer. Anyways, enjoy a little journey into the past! This one’s going on my Netflix queue.

Okay Happy Campers:

Summer is just around the corner & for those of us in the warmer climates - it is already here!  That can only mean one thing for those who love the outdoors…it is CAMPING TIME!  A group of Laurel & I’s friends got together to partake in a little R&R in the best gift you get ever get…the great outdoors.  It got me thinking, green thinking that is, that while I am enjoying the outdoors, some products I use to get me there could have actually harmed it in some way.  Check out the list below for some eco-friendly camping gear to enjoy the environment all the way around.

Essentials:

• Tent - Eureka! Camping gear features a tent that uses solar power.  The Solar Intent will provide electricity during your stay in the great outdoors by using the natural powers of the shining sun. 
• Sleeping Bag -The EcoPro line by Marmot features sleeping bags made from and filled with recycled materials.  These bags are a part of Marmot’s UpCycle products, the shell is made of recycled soda cans and the insulation is made of post-consumer waste.
• Clothes - Need something waterproof?  Check out the water-based waterproofing system of Nikwax
• Bug Spray - GreenYour.com had some excellent homemade remedies to keep those pesky bugs away, but still alive. Another idea: Remember to eat garlic like you will never kiss another soul again - this is a tride & true method to keeping flies & mosquitos away.  Another idea from the Technical Advisor with the American Mosquito Control Association sais to try a concentrated formula of oil of lemon eucalyptus, or purchase Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Spray (Real Simple July 2008 p. 54.) .  Yummy!

Reminders:

• Be sure to pack plenty of biodegradable dishes and utensils (check out Bioplast and our previous post Break it Down, Break it Down Now)  if you don’t bring reusables
• Set up a recycle area
• Use environmentally safe soap
• HAVE FUN!

Yes, I really meant a Compost Potty vs. Compost Party.  While a Compost Party could be a great time, and a long party, this particular post is to send kudos to those Denverites in the great state of Colorado.  I recently headed west from the humid climate of Florida to my happy place, the mountains of Denver. 

While avoiding bears and hiking trails, the call of nature reached my bladder & to my happiness, I found the image you see to your left.

This may look like an ordinary outhouse -  but oh the amenities.

Toilet paper, feminine waste bag, clean, and instructions (for some at eye level).  Instructions are necessary when making waste in the woods and mountains.  For a closer look, see the image below.

It reads:

You are using a recycling toilet by Clivus

1. This toilet uses no water or chemicals.
2. Waste is being composted in the equipment below this building.
3. Do not throw cigarettes, plastics, bottles, or cans into this recycling toilet.

Thank you for helping us preserve the environment.

For states and nature trails and Clivus that have already adopted this technology for public use, we commend you.  This outhouse has provided a haven for my digestive system in the middle of the Lair o’ a Bear,  and assisted my friend Mother Earth.

Have you heard about Discovery’s new TV channel called Planet Green? It’s the “first and only 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network” and many providers have already added it to their list of channels. Go here to find out your Planet Green TV channel by typing in your zip code and cable provider.

You can check out the Planet Green website to see what kind of shows are on. I can’t wait to go home and set my DVR to tape some of them! Here are a few of the current on-air shows, a little summary, and a few episodes so you can get the idea.

Alter Eco - Hosted by Adrien Grenier, star of Entourage and green celebrity, Alter Eco is a green lifestyle and makeover show where Grenier and his activist/expert friends help people live green while looking good. Recent and upcoming episodes: “Green Seeds” and “Re-Psyched.”

G Word - MTV’s SuChin Pak and CBS News Correspondent Daniel Sieberg host this show to help you see green living from a fresh, hip perspective. According to the site, “G Word is a little bit Jon Stewart, a little bit Access Hollywood and even a teensy little bit Monty Python.” The show also features Chef Gregory Schaefer, a local and organic food lover who challenges other chefs to eco cook-offs. Recent and upcoming episodes: “Eco Drag Racing,” “Slugging,” and “Make it Rain.”

Mean Green Machines - This fast-paced show tests the latest and most innovative green cars, bikes, aircrafts, and other vehicles. Each half-hour episode challenges an eco-friendly machine against a traditional fuel-injected machine. Recent and upcoming episodes: “Extreme Motorcross,” “Drag Bikes,” and “All Terrain Trample.”

Other Planet Green shows to check out: Greenovate, Hollywood Green, Renovation Nation, Wa$ted, Supper Club, and Stuff Happens.

Has anyone watched Planet Green yet? If you have, let us know what you think. Oh, and if you don’t have cable, you’re in luck. Full episodes from Planet Green are available to view on the website.

Pangea Day was on May 10th. It was “a celebration of the power of film. It featured films that were funny, sad, gorgeous, stark – and powerful. Voices that had never been heard before. Things many had never seen. Scenes from worlds few had visited. A cross-section of our amazing, complicated, noisy, beautiful world” (pangeaday.org). If you didn’t get a chance to watch any of the short films on TV or online that day, the good news is that you can still watch the full program, or any of the videos on their own, at the Pangea Day website.

I’m so glad the films and powerful interview clips are still available for us to watch online. Whenever you get a few minutes, watch some of them and share how they made you feel. Personally, I was really inspired by the films, and I learned so much myself and other people in the world. But, the best thing Pangea Day did for me was remind me of the universal themes among humans. It reminded me of our commonalities instead of the differences that cause so many problems.

Here are a few of my favorite short films from the four-hour program:

Elevator Music, directed by Serdar Ferit, U.K.

Papiroflexia, directed by Joaquin Baldwin, Paraguay (LOVE this one for green thinking!)

Combatants for Peace, directed by Jehane Noujaim, Egypt/U.S.

The Americana Project: Cuba, directed by Topaz Adizes, U.S.

You can also watch Pangea Day by specific segments such as Love, Fear, Universals, Laughter, Tears, Anger, and Reconciliation. Nokia gave several hundred mobile cameras to people all over the world in places such as schools and refuge camps where people don’t have the funds to buy cameras to make their own films. Some amazing footage came back and was featured on Pangea Day. Click here to view the program by segments.

A gift that gives back is the best gift to be given.  My boyfriend recently bought me a flower pot to fill with flower seeds that I got in a business card (a post at a later date).  Yes, a sweet thought, but it gets better.  The flower pot is compostable!  It is made from a rice base and will eventually decompose along with your plant into the ground!  This way, if I happen to abandon it, or it is suddenly stolen from my porch in all its beauty, it can do a disappearing act with no harm to my Mother Earth.

This amazing garden tool is created by Terra Cycle, and upon further research, this company is fabulous.  Their focus is to provide a plant food made from waste, worm poop to be exact, and distribute it in waste, recycled plastic bottles, ie. like the one your soda comes in.  Their product is sold at The Home Depot (You really can do it!), Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, and other retailers. 

Better yet, they will buy your waste from you!  You get paid and save space in a landfill.  Cookie lovers:  Send them your old Oreo wrapper - get $.02.  Caffeine Addicts:  Send them your old soda bottle - get $.05.  Winos:  Send them your old corks - get a good samaritan feeling.  Ah, getting rich by the saving the world has got to be the best feeling you can get.