MEM: Eco-Shopping for the Girlie-Girl

This week's My Earth Monday installment is a bit of a departure from the usual. I guess I haven't yet shaken off the after-effects of yesterday's Mother's Day, and still feel the desire to spoil and indulge myself. :)

So, this week, I'm shopping! Ok, not really buying anything, just doing a little online window shopping. I found some really sweet stuff from Ecoist I just had to share with you today.

I just love Ecoist! They take things destined for the landfill, and through Grupedsac (Group for the Promotion of Education and Sustainable Development), a non-profit organization in Mexico that helps underprivileged citizens earn a fair living on projects that preserve the environment, they hire skilled artisans to create things from jewelry to laptop cases to tote bags.
And for every item Ecoist sells, they plant a tree.

Right now, I'm lusting after their $15 card wallet made from billboards for the movie '300'. :)

Here are some other cool things...

Bracelets by Ecoist - The official "Stop Global Warming" Ecoist bracelets. Adjustable for kids and adults. We plant a tree for every bracelet sold. Help spread the word. Handmade from recycled candy wrappers, soda labels, and food packages.


Rice Bags - These one-of-a-kind bags are made from recycled feed and rice bags from Southeast Asian fishing villages. Each bag is manually woven and lined with cotton. Convenient compartments and zippers add great functionality to these unique bags.
The purchase of these bags provides employment to disabled and disadvantaged artisans and ensures they are paid fair wages and have safe working environments.
Brought to you by Gecko Traders.


Movie Billboard Laptop Cases & Bags - Ecoist collects outdoor movie billboards that were headed for a landfill and produces unique pieces, such as laptop cases, tote bags, messenger bags, and wallets. Colourful and abstract, as well as, sturdy, durable, and waterproof.

MEM: Going Organic... Again

Image: "Organic Tomatoes" by val'sphotos

Welcome to another My Earth Monday!
This week's installment is not about starting something new but reintroducing a good green habit that I dropped, idiot that I can be sometimes. I will be going organic again.

Now, my real life friends (and maybe some of my online friends as well) might be surprised that I fell off the organic wagon in the first place.
But I did, around January after my short detox, when we all got sick and making the trip to my favourite organic store became difficult. Besides, we're on a rather strict budget, and I thought that a break from the more expensive organics would ease our finances a little.

Well, you truly cannot put a price on health. Over a period of 4 months, I've steadily felt more lethargic, developed worsening monthly cycles, had increasing insomnia, gained stubborn weight, and increased my bodyfat primarily in my middle.

The only thing I've changed is the origin of my food.
My average calorie intake has stayed the same, and I've even exercised more. Unless any of you have any other ideas, I'm willing to bet it's the organic thing.

And I'm not surprised. It's all over the news that North America has the most genetically-modified, hormone-injected, and pesticide-poisoned products in the world... and we also have the highest percentage of obesity.

And, of course, as we're poisoning ourselves, we're poisoning our planet.
By going organic, we're saying no to harmful pesticides and giving our thumbs up to healthier farming practices and local producers.

Two years ago when I started going organic, I lost a lot of weight, gained a lot of energy, and felt really good, and I maintained that until recently. So, I'm hoping I can replicate those results by going back.

If you think your health could use a kick in the right direction, I suggest you try going organic. And let me know how it goes!

MEM: The Great Home Purge of 2008

Image: "Power Poufs!" by decor8

I mentioned a while back that my sister-in-law and her husband are staying with us for a week. Well, they've confirmed that they'll be here on May 8th, giving me 2.5 weeks to get this place decluttered and in tip-top shape for guests.

They'll be staying in the kids' toy room, so we have to move some old toys out and move the futon from the family room there. One of the couches from the living room will go into the family room where the futon was, leaving room for shelves to be moved around in the living room. And yes, it's as complicated as it sounds!

Add to that the fact that we still have Roomie's old stuff from his Mom's house as well as boxes of unknown content strewn about that were rescued from last summer's water heater crash-and-burn in the basement.

Writing it all out now makes me just want to pitch all our stuff in the nearest BFI dumpster. But that's just not earth-friendly now, is it?!

So, for the next two weeks (actually, I started last week already!), the My Earth Monday assignment is to declutter responsibly, with as little as possible going into the landfill. I'll be recycling, reducing, and re-purposing. Here's how:

- old toys: non-cloth toys go to the Children's Hospital, stuffies go to Goodwill.
- kids' clothes: to friends with small kids, the consignment shop, and Goodwill.
- adult clothes: to Goodwill.
- kids' furniture: to consignment shop.
- everything else: to Goodwill.

If you can suggest any other place where this stuff is much more needed, please let me know!

When all is said and done, I'll be monitoring what comes into this house much more carefully to avoid any new clutter catastrophes!

It takes a lot more work than the easy grab-and-dump I was tempted to do, but isn't our Earth worth it?

My Earth Monday: Celebrating Earth Day

Image: Atlas, it's time for your bath by woodleywonderworks

Tomorrow is April 22nd, the 39th Earth Day!

If you're an old pro at doing the green thing, you probably already have plans to celebrate in a big way. But if you're a novice but want to do something quick and easy for the day, try these:

1: Walk, cycle, or take public transit to work, instead of taking the car.

2: Buy nothing, or if you need to buy something, head over to your nearest health food store or organic grocer, and purchase the eco-friendly version.

3: Plant a tree.

4: Make your meals using only locally grown produce.

5: Go vegetarian for the day.

6: Have an Earth Hour.

7: Wear earthy colours such as green, brown, rusty reds, terra cotta oranges, and deep sea blues.

8: Collect all of your raw vegetable waste (ie. banana peels, onion skins, apple cores, etc.), and give them to a friend who has a compost bin.

9: Change one or more of your light bulbs into energy efficient bulbs.

10: Go to one of the many Earth Day celebrations in your city. Check online for festivities near you. In Canada, go to Earth Day Canada.

11: Recycle everything!

So, what are you doing to celebrate Earth Day? Do you have any ideas you can add to our list?

My Earth Monday: The Done List

Image: Its Future is in our Hands by aussiegal

You may have noticed when I announced the launch of My Earth Mondays that I gave no end date. My Earth Monday is forever.
Plus, it's not just tasks for us to complete. It's green gadgets, eco stories, and earthy photos I find to share with you to help raise awareness of the world around us.

The "My" part of the title is not just for me. I named it that way so you can all take ownership of this planet and to encourage you to feel you can take part.
This is why I'm so pleased at the comments and emails saying "okay, I'll try that too!" and "hey, have you done this?" Your participation means a lot.

This week, instead of a task, I'm sharing with you the list of green things I already do. I've sent several replies to visitors saying "I already do that. Do you have any other suggestions?", so this should help if you want me to try something out that I've never done before. And maybe this list can give you ideas to add to your list.

So, do you do any of this stuff already? What is on your green list?

Here's my green list:

1. Use a programmable thermostat to automatically turn down the heat at night.
2. Compost.
3. Made all my bills electronic. (I tried to do my phone bill, but they still snail mail me my bill - must call them today.)
4. No smoking.
5. Use wind-up flashlights.
6. Use rechargeable batteries for digital camera.
7. Use cold water for laundry.
8. Use a natural laundry detergent.
9. Enforce a shoes-off-at-the-door policy.
10. Recycle everything that can be recycled.
11. Use reusable bags instead of plastic grocery bags.
12. Use towels at least 5 times before changing them.
13. Growing indoor plants.
14. Use Method dishwashing liquid.
15. Use Norwex cleaning cloths and water for everyday cleaning (diluted dishwashing liquid for heavier dirt).
16. Properly dispose of my used batteries at a local hazard waste depot.
17. "If it's yellow, let it mellow..."
18. Pick up litter when I spot it.
19. Continue to reuse our ugly fake Christmas Tree and reuse our favourite ornaments, instead of buying new Christmas decorations.
20. Have occasional "inside days" when we don't go out and spend money.
21. Drive a fuel efficient vehicle.
22. Own one vehicle for family use.
23. Live centrally where every convenience is in walking distance.
24. Xeriscaping the front yard.

That's all I can think of...Okay, now you!


Results of Last Week's My Earth Monday: Switch to Natural Bath Products...

My new favourite body wash is Desert Essence Organics' Green Apple & Ginger Body Wash. It was not drying, lathered nicely, and had a scent that was vaguely reminiscent of the watered down martinis my friends and I used to down every Payday Friday in the late '90s. I should get harmzie or myrtle to smell my arm... maybe they'll recognize it! :)
They contain "NO parabens, NO Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfates, NO Phthalates, NO Artificial Fragrances or Colors, NO Silicones, NO EDTA, NO Glycols and NO Petroleum based ingredients". They are cruelty free and are completely biodegradable. Very nice.
$8.99 for a 237ml tube.

I LOVE my new hair products! I went to my local VitaHealth market and bought the Rejuvenating Shampoo and Conditioner by Green Beaver Company. I even used it on the kids when I gave them their bath last night. My (and the kids') hair is so bouncy! I am more than pleased. They were about $8.99 each for the 325ml bottles. It's not drugstore prices, but it's worth it... oh, and it's a Canadian company using wild and organic Canadian ingredients.

My Earth Monday: Switch to Natural Bath Products

Image: Light Showers by jurvetson

Welcome to another My Earth Monday! Yippy!
As you can see from the title of this post, this week's challenge is to switch to natural bath/shower products.

This is strictly stuff in your bathroom. I'll be tackling cosmetics and other grooming products in a future My Earth Monday.

We're running out of shampoo and conditioner in this house, plus I need some bath wash - which I prefer over bar soap - so, if I'm going to go out and get new stuff, I might as well get the good stuff!

It's no secret that many of today's drugstore bath and shower products are loaded with harmful chemicals that are known carcinogens, irritants, hormone disruptors, and poisons. Some examples of those found in personal care products include:

Sodium lauryl sulfate -
This stuff, found in shampoos, conditioners, bath and body washes, and kids' bubble bath, actually cleans by corrosion. It interferes with the skin's ability to self-moisturize, and has been linked to cataracts in adults and eye development in kids under 6.

Propylene Glycol -
This stuff, found in shampoos, lotions and deodorants, is known to cause musculo-skeletal damage, liver damage, and thickening of the skin.

Diethanolamine (DEA) -
Used as an emulsifier in shampoos and conditioners, it is a known carcinogen.

And that's just 3 ingredients! For more, check out the list at Healthy Living International .
Be sure to check out the ingredients in the shampoos, conditioners, and soaps you have at home right now!

Don't forget, the harmful chemicals that don't get absorbed into our bodies get washed down the drain and into our rivers and lakes causing harm to other living things!

So, this week, I'll be shopping around for a natural alternative to shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. If you want to join me, you can:
1) swap these items in your shower too.
2) choose one shower item to change... maybe the one that you're running out of right now.
3) do all that and swap out even more stuff like your body lotion and deodorant too.

Let me know if you're in!

Wanna Try?

The natural store at drugstore.com [aff]

Bath Petals

The House of Aromaticz

Results of Last Week's My Earth Monday: No More Plastic Water Bottles...

I went to Aviva St.Vital to get my SIGG bottle, and it's perfect and beautiful. See?

It's lightweight and has a wonderful leakproof cap. We didn't go out again after that shopping trip, because Lam got sick the rest of the week, so I didn't get to test drive away from home, but I foresee a flood-free bag in my future!

Hope you did well too. :)

My Earth Monday: No More Plastic Water Bottles

Image: Water bottles by saaby

Welcome to the very first My Earth Monday! I'm stoked - are you?! :)

Before I even announced this project, I'd spent weeks coming up with ideas and ways to clean up my little footprint, and with the help of Green as a Thistle and Simply Green Living, I've come up with a pretty good list.

Now, when starting a new project, you want to start off right with something relatively easy, so for the first task, I perused my list and decided on what I thought was a no-fail activity: No more plastic water bottles.

It's just not enough for me to recycle the plastic water/juice bottles I buy at the local corner store anymore. Why spend money on these scams convenient water transportation devices when you don't have to?

I must confess that I'm not a newbie at this one. Last year, I bought a cute pink reusable plastic water bottle at Starbucks. It ended up not being very convenient - the bottle leaked, and due to its shape and size, it didn't fit in my bag. What a pain!

This time, instead of buying another plastic bottle, I'll be looking for a stainless steel water bottle, to avoid having any plastic chemicals leaching into my water. These babies are lightweight and claim to be easy to clean. Well, we'll see about that.
They are available at my local organic food store, so I'll be heading there this week.

You can do this too! You don't have to go as far as the stainless steel water bottle, but you can certainly get a reusable bottle and stop sinking your money into bottles and bottles of water.

So, who's in?!

Earth Hour: Family Fun By Candelight

Before I post the very first My Earth Monday task, I just had to tell you all how much of a success Earth Hour was in our home!

Roomie and I first thought that the kids would freak out - they're not too keen on darkness like most kids - so, at first, we had the tv on with their favourite video game, Mario Sunshine, playing. I then lit some candles, turned off all the lights, and settled myself at the diningroom table to do some writing.

Remarkably, as soon as the lights went out, the tv suddenly sounded really loud, you know, like that annoying, obnoxious uncle at your family Thanksgiving dinner you wish you could uninvite or yell at to shut up.

Soon bored by the game, Lam and Mini grabbed their crayon box, paper and colouring book from the crafts drawer and hunkered down with me at the table. Finding himself alone at the game, Roomie saved the game, turned off the tv, and joined us with his own writing material. I gathered up some snacks and drinks for us to enjoy together.

The next hour was spent with us talking, eating, laughing and just being a family around the candlelight. It was a rare and special treat.

After the timer signaled the end of our Earth Hour, we decided to keep the lights off a little longer, and Roomie and I extended bedtime.

The kids have asked that we do Earth Hour again. This may just become a regular family activity, and that's just fine with us. Good for the family, and good for the environment.

Earth Hour: What will You Be Doing in the Dark?

Today, March 29, 2008 at 8pm (local time), people all over the world will be turning their lights out for Earth Hour to take their stand against climate change.

It started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia and has now spread the world over, growing into a global movement. My fellow Canadians are participating in a big way with major landmarks going dark for the hour. And you can get involved too!

But how much good will this do?
Supercool math brain, Burton MacKenZie pounded out some approximate numbers on his trusty calculator and came up with a noticeable savings of $39.6K for the US and Canada alone as a result of Earth Hour. Even with his modest assumptions and his area's cheap electricity rate, Burton's result is still significant.
"It won't save the world," Burton says, "but [it] shows how we can make a difference in our world power requirements if we are simply slightly more frugal. Every Watt counts."

So, yes, it's worth it for you to get involved.

What can you do?
Go to sleep early, go to bed early (which is different from the previous... teehee), enjoy some family storytelling, have a late dinner by candlelight, read a book, join others who are also participating in Earth Hour.

Enjoy your darkest hour, and bask in the knowledge that you're doing the world some good.

"My Earth" Mondays: A New LifeCandy Project

Image: LIVE EARTH by *L*u*z*a*

Inspired by Vanessa's 365-days of green and Shai's weekly community projects, I now embark on my own weekly odyssey ... and I'm taking you with me!

I like to think I'm a pretty "green" girl. I recycle, compost, and try to be a conscious and responsible consumer. But no, I haven't gone anywhere near as green as I could go - as we should all go.

So...

Every Monday, I'll be posting a task, a challenge, to further greenify my own little corner of the globe. This task I'll try to incorporate into my daily life, enforce on my poor unsuspecting family, and see if it's something I can do for the rest of my life.

And then...

I'll let you know the following week if it was easy, difficult, made my skin glow, or caused my Roomie to leave me for a Hummer-driving, fur-wearing, silicon babe.

Oh, can I join too?

Yes, anyone is welcome to join! When you visit here on a "My Earth" Monday and want to participate in the challenge that week, just let me know via comment or via email.
The following week, I'll list all participants (unless you don't want me to) with a link back to you.

Can I challenge you?

Yes, if you have a green idea or product you want me to try, I may just agree to be your guinea pig. :) Just email me.

Anything else?

I'll also use "My Earth" Mondays to share cool pictures of this wonderful world we call home (until we get off our big, fat bums and colonize the Moon and Mars), the cultural stories of our fellow earthlings, and other green treats I find.

So, that's it. I'm charged and ready to go! Hey, I can feel my eco footprint shrinking already. :)

I'm on the Cover of Cosmo!

But first...

Isn't this cool?!!! I love gadgets like this... cool, modern and green.

A solar powered shaver... I think it would be perfect for traveling, no? It's only 10 x 5.5 x 1.5cm so you can just stuff it in your toilet bag, briefcase or even in your pocket. And you don't have to bring a whole charging unit or go searching for an outlet. Throw it on the dash of your car, and you're good to go. It's £34.99 @ ecotopia.co.uk

Meant for men, it may not be something women can use. If you try it, let me know... I'm curious... :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check it out!!! This is me on the cover of Cosmo! Yes, the editors have finally come to their senses and called me to be their next cover model...

Yeah, I wish... :)

If you want to see yourself as a Cosmo Girl, now's your chance! Just go here, like I did:

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/fun/cover/

Goods 4 Girls

You all probably know about the new Always and Tampax initiatives to supply menstrual hygiene products to African school girls. These young ladies would typically stay at home from school during their periods, and with these products, they don't have to miss a single day or fall behind.

Unfortunately, the garbage produced by the plastic applicators, bleached cottons, and synthetic fibres of these disposable products just create an added burden on communities that burn their solid waste.

And burning plastic is not nice... try inhaling them fumes!

Fortunately, there's Goods 4 Girls, a greener initiative that works with aid and relief organizations to bring new, reusable cloth menstrual pads to areas of Africa with adequate water supply for washing.

Not only is this a more environmentally friendly alternative, it also eliminates the dependence on outside aid organizations for a continual supply of menstrual products. Super sweet, eh?!

Want to show your support? You can donate new pads that you make, buy at your local store, or buy online (just set the delivery address to Goods 4 Girls).
And if you have a blog or website, you can help promote Goods 4 Girls by putting up one of their banners.

Addendum:
I'm really excited about this initiative... so much so that I've even bought my own first set of new, reusable products at sckoon.com... yeah, yeah, TMI... but it's my blog, so... too bad. :)

Recommended Reading:

Chrunchy Chicken (the blog of Deanna - organizer of Goods 4 Girls)

Green as a Thistle (a cool blog with more green ideas)

Cute Fuzzy Animal Testing...

I was reading Jami's blog the other day, and I was really happy to see that her newest entry that day had a link to Caringconsumer.com's Companies That Do/That Don't Test on Animals.

This came at a good time as I was planning to do a makeup case audit again... part of my 100 Things Challenge... and my mascara was due to be pitched again.

I was so surprised to still see so many big names on the Do Test list, but I'm also very happy to see so many more names on the Don't Test list. At any rate, I'm just glad to know which to support and which to boycott.

Question for my readers: Is testing on animals a factor in your cosmetics/grooming product purchases?

Dreaming of a Greener, White Christmas...

Photo: reindeers following the white elephant by Carolyn Coles

For me, the designing and writing of greeting cards marks the official start of the Holiday Season. Only when they're done and sent out can I decorate the tree and start my baking with the true Spirit of the Season in my heart.

I arrange these cards myself complete with a picture of the family and a personal message from us. The design isn't fancy, much like my blog. A lot of white space. A font sans serif. More substance than flash.

In the past, I also included an update letter - our light-hearted look back at the notable events of the past year.

But, for me, these missives, as wonderful as they are, truly are poor use of paper - especially when you consider the number of cards I send out each year. So, this year and ever more, our cards will be sent without one (and I'm thinking of cutting down on the number of cards I'll send out too).

Oh, I love sharing my experiences with my family & friends - and apparently the rest of the world too, as evidenced by this blog - but these slips of paper will inevitably end up in a recycling bin, as someone's clutter, or in, heaven forbid, a landfill!

I try to be a green girl... I recycle, I compost, and I go organic wherever I can. I take the car only when I have many errands to run, and there are always at least 2 people in it. I reuse gift wrapping, and our tree's lights are on only from sundown till bedtime.
So, the decision to go paper missive-free feels right.

But family and friends who look forward to getting our updates will not go without. I'll be adding something new to the design of our Holiday Cards: the URL to our family blog where our annual missives will be posted from this year on.