what's in your toiletry bag?

ever wonder what, exactly, is in your favvy shampoo, antisperspirant, lotion or other toiletries? ever wonder if there’s something in there that might (gasp!) not be in your best interest? while you're probably not surprised by ingredients such as petroleum – what about lead; mercury; or my personal gag-o-rama, cow and/or human placenta? (you think i kid?)

Enter skin deep, the environmental working group’s database of cosmetic safety.

according the website, “major gaps in public health laws allow cosmetics companies to use almost any ingredient they choose in everything from sunscreen and mascara to deodorant and baby shampoo, with no restrictions and no requirement for safety testing….”

skin deep allows you to search by company and product type and/or name and gives a 0-10 score (with 0 being best and a 10 meaning you might as well be drinking the run-off water from a nuclear plant). in addition, entries include other information such as packaging ingredients, ingredient concerns, ingredient breakdowns, and disease and toxicity concerns.

one of the best features is the “what not to buy” button at the top right. if nothing else, steer clear of these nasties. some are just flippin’ scary, not to mention downtown ewww-sville.

and, take note! just because it’s organic or natural doesn’t mean its all that safe (believe me, i have a few beloved cosmetics that will be making a quick exit from my daily routine… pout).

check it out… unless, of course, you really love the way cow after-birth makes your hair shine.

moooooooo....

lohas

so i spent a few days attending lohas (lifestyles of health and sustainability) conference this week. even though lou reed was a no-show at his meditation session (bummer!), there were a lot of great sessions going on.

one of my favs was a panel discussion regarding the sustainability of, well, sustainability with the fab-u-lous danny seo; mother jones publisher jay harris; food activist and author deborah madison; and david barber, founder of the blue hill restaurants (which emphasize the use of local, seasonal ingredients) in new york state.

i also really enjoyed john rooks' (dwell creative) perspectives regarding marketing in this space (sorry, it’s, you know, my job). and jan bruce of body+soul magazine was interesting (when she finally started getting down to the nitty-gritty).

and gary hirshberg, ceo of stonyfield farm, was just wonderful. not only was his discussion on the future enlightening, but stonyfield is a perfect example of how eco-effectiveness and economy can go hand in hand. and their marketing tactics are just way cool!

then there was joel makower, author of greenbiz.com, among other things. i liked his session on the future of green business, but walked out of it with more questions than answers. and, perhaps, that was the point.

last one, and this was just for poops and giggles, was a session on reaching the next generation through entertainment – specifically, through live music events. while the folks from reverb were interesting and its great to see so many bands that are greening their tours, i’ll be honest and say it felt a tad too promotional to be of any great value. tom feeqel, from live earth, was fascinating. while I didn’t walk away with information i can directly use, it was cool to see all that they’re doing to prep for this worldwide concert (which will include a spinal tap reunion… great promo video).

a few of the major talking points throughout the conference was the need for transparency and authenticity. companies must be open about what they’re not doing, as much as being open about they they are – lest they lose credibility (this lohas population is smart… it does its research… and it calls “foul” when necessary). and “green” is becoming such a generic term that it is quickly losing its meaning (if it hasn't already). I mean, if wal-mart can be considered green, then who can’t? and how “green” is green enough? lots of questions that made my head spin (then again, perhaps it was the organic wine and acai liqueur tastings :)

anyhoo, all in all, it was a really enjoyable conference… hippie, without too much dippie. just how i like it.

well hung

as a follow-up to my post a few weeks ago regarding saving energy, not to mention moolah, by giving your clothes dryer a break, well, i finally have my outdoor clothes dryer up and -- even though we ran into a few snafus (the web site never mentioned anything about pouring concrete!) -- it's now up and it's gllllooorrrioussss!

i can get a entire load up in one hanging, it can easily be taken out and put away, and (well, thanks to the recent warm, windy days) it didn't take any longer for the clothes to dry than if i'd tossed em in the dryer (we'll see if/how that changes come winter).

if you don't have a back yard (or don't feel like pouring concrete -- sheesh!), there are smaller and more compact versions of my dryer...

btw... the clothes smell great and -- even better -- there's something wonderfully peaceful about taking a few minutes, out in the sunshine, to listen to the birds while hanging laundry...

granted, i feel like my grandmother but at least my skirt isn't pulled up under my armpits so i've got that goin' for me, which is nice...

gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga

meatless mondays

i know... i know... some of you will jump all over me about this... but - really - this is not a animal-hugging concept... actually, meatless monday is a national health campaign that's working to help americans prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer -- four of the leading causes of preventable death in this country.

in association with johns hopkins school of public health, meatless monday's goal is to help americans reduce consumption of saturated fat 15% by 2010, which works out to elimnating saturated fat from the diet once a week. this is consistent with recommendations from the US dept. of health and human services, the US dept. of agriculture, and the american heart association.

really, it's not as tough as most people have convinced themselves it is... and, to top it off, the website also has some pretty tasty-looking recipes and menu suggestions -- making it even easier to take better care of yourself!

of course, an nationwide reduction in the amount of meat raised and transported also has a great effect on our environment, too... so everybody wins!

seriously, it's only one day a week... try it for a month, and let me know how it goes for you!

yes... i'm a lush...

a lush cosmetics lush, that is.

anyone who knows me is well aware that i've been a borderline fanatic for this company's products for about eight years (and, believe me, when lush stores started popping up here in the U.S., i swear i heard angels singing :).

anyhoo, not only does lush, for the most part, use all natural (with recent expansion into organic and free-trade) ingredients, it has never been involved in animal testing (hooray!)... AND the stuff just plain rocks!

while long soaks in the tub used to be par for my daily course, i've reduced them dramatically (saving water, you know). but, when i DO partake, one of lush's delicious bath bombs is always in the mix. the company also has some amazing hair and skin care products, not to mention my favvy perfume in the whole entirely world -- karma. yum!

as if that weren't enough to earn my unwavering devotion, the company also donates about 2 percent of its profits to small (at this point, u.k.-based) charities and has unveiled a hand lotion, charity pot. all proceeds from the sale of this new product goes to other small community groups, such as the sumatran orangutan society. pretty darn cool... only downside is that i don't see it for sale on the company's U.S. site - but, hopefully, that'll change.

c'mon.. be a lush, too!

hanging out

this is one of those ideas i've been tossing around for a while, but haven't acted upon... looks like now is the time!

april 19 is national hanging out day, a celebration of the clothesline as an alternative to the dryer. besides being kinder to the earth and saving oodles of energy, clothes dried on lines last longer AND smell better!

a couple of tips i've run across regarding clothelines... plastic ropes won't sag like over time like regular ropes, and plastic clothespins last much longer than their wooden equivalents... also, tossing your towels in the dryer for a few minutes after taking them down from the line will help make them softer and less stiff.

if you can, give this a shot!

Photo: Sara Remington for The New York Times

my name is kristen... and i'm a book-a-holic...

i confess... i spend way too much time (not to mention money) on books that are read and do nothing but collect dust afterward... believe me, i love the library (remember those?)... problem is that it can be tough to get recent releases...

ta-da! along comes paperbackswap.com to solve both those problems! this is just an awesome idea!

basically, you just need to register and list nine books you're ready to blow the dust off of and get out of your house... that gets you three credits and then you can start trading away. all it costs is the postage to send a requested book to another member. and every time you do that, you get another credit.

btw... there's a related site to swap cds, too.

sweet!

scrub-a-dub

sometimes, all it takes is a friendly reminder (or seven), at the point of usage, to nudge us into the habit of water consciousness.

so let's start with shower time. yes, the day finally comes when you’re little ones are old enough to shower on their own. problem is, once they’re in, it can be tough to get them out. and, let’s be honest, haven’t we all lost track of time once or twice while lingering in the warmth of a nice, hot shower?

while, at first, this may seem a little militant, this is a great place for a timer! but - like i said - sometimes we all need reminders that it’s time to “wrap it up.” besides, this is a great opportunity for a family contest, and we all know how motivating those can be.

get yourself a digital timer, and track everyone’s shower time for the week. the person with the lowest time for the week is rewarded. of course, there need to be some ground rules: your 11-year-old son managing to fly below the radar and not shower for a few days and your 9-year-old daughter emerging from the bathroom with conditioner caked in her hair doesn’t qualify… in fact, these are automatic DQs! also, showers must include silly things like… oh… i don't know... soap, maybe?

seriously, though, you'll be amazed at how much more efficient shower time becomes in your house, not to mention how much water you'll save.

can you live without your computer for a day?

seems like a simple enough question, don't it? being the electronically addicted gal that i am, the answer isn't quite so simple. what if there's an email that just can't wait (as if!)? how will i go a day without seeing what's up at lime and treehugger... ? what if my laptop gets lonely?

ok... breathe... i can do this... i can do this...

and so can you... can't you?

music to my ears...

how many of us have cracked, mucked-up, UNRECYCLABLE plastic cd cases clogging up our desks? yours truly has oodles... but what can one do?

enter RESLEEVE, a cd sleeve that's made of rigid chip board, which consists of 100% recycled fibers (56% post-consumer/44 post-industrial). This cool idea comes from sustainable group, which makes all sorts of environmentally responsible office supplies, including binders and folders.

rumors are flying that a major record label is planning to replace its jewel cases with these puppies. what a nifty way to save space (not to mention the landfills)!

DIG it!

junk mail *this*!

i've had it with all the junk mail crud that fills my mailbox every day... and i bet you have, too! i don't need another credit card, i'm happy with my car insurance, and i already get enough catalogs from companies i actally order from... not to mention how much paper is used to try to sell me things i don't want... (4 million tons of junk mail are produced yearly -- 100 million trees destroyed- and $320 million of local taxes are used to dispose of this unsolicited mail each year.)... enough already!

to the rescue comes 41pounds.org, an organization that -- for just $41 -- contacts 20 to 30 direct mailers on your behalf to stop 80 to 95 percent of the bulk mail that comes to your home every day. In addition, 41pounds.org donates over 50 percent of its profits to support environmental organizations, schools and other not for profit groups... so everyone wins.

i LIKE it!

it's in the jeans...

man, i've been looking all over the place for *affordable* organic cotton jeans (sorry, edun, i'm a mom and maybe i'm cheap, but i don't consider $150 a realistic price for jeans... period...)

anyhoo... levi's has come out with a line of organic jeans, some of which are well priced... so i took a gamble and ordered a pair... LOVE THEM! besides lacking all those nasty chemicals, these jeans are soft and super comfy... and the fit is great!

you can find loomstate jeans at some reasonable prices on sites like bluefly, so if you're not a levi's fan, you can look around for some good deals.

world of good...

ok... i've been eye-ing world of good's fair-trade products at my local natural food store for months... and, on an impulse, bought a set of organic cotton socks... and i DIG 'em... so i poked around and found out these folks have all sorts of great items... from great handbags (yes, they carry the same style of monk bag that oodles of you asked "where did you get that?" a few years ago) to *gorgeous* handmade jewelry to really cool and unique housewares and gifts.

yeah, while there are all sorts of companies that make cool stuff, world of good is offering the creative work of international artisans with an emphasis on fair trade and economic viability by putting 10% of its proceeds directly back into the artisans' communities.

according to its website...

"In our first full year of business last year, World of Good sold over 100,000 handmade items crafted by 133 artisan groups in 31 countries - all of which helped make actual, concrete improvements in the lives of over 2,500 artisans and their families.

"We created employment for the disabled in Cambodia, and for HIV positive women in Swaziland. We promoted anti-child-labor activism in India, provided Tsunami relief in Sri Lanka and supported educational programs in Guatemala and Nepal."

pretty cool, eh? check em out!

a beautiful smile... naturally

while we all want a pretty smile when we face the world each day, many of our choices for toothpaste are chock full of chemicals like parabens, titanium dioxide for whitening, and high levels of fluoride.

"but isn't flouride good?" you ask? well, in proper amounts, sure... but, considering the fact that our drinking water contains more than enough flouride already (and the debate over the risks vs. benefits of flouridated water rages on), adding even more can be poisonous... ick!

for many years, choices for natural toothpaste was seemingly limited... but that is no longer the case... peruse the aisles at your local natural market and you're faced with almost too many choices... anyhoo, i've been trying out a few alternatives and here's what i've found so far...

tom's of maine... tom's is a long-standing brand with a wide variety of flavors and such (they also have a good paste for kids!). i like it, but some feel the baking soda flavor/feel is a bit too much.




kiss my face... this organic aloe vera-based paste is pretty good, with lots of options. the flavor is fine but i've never been one to ponder the taste of aloe vera and, despite the company's attempts to mask the aloe-ness, it's still there.

my latest attempt is desert essence, and - so far - i'm diggin it! the wintergreen flavor of the tea tree oil and need paste is great, and i've read nothing but good things about the effects of neem oil.

i'll update as i try more... in the meantime, try one of these brands or some other kind yourself and let me know what you think!

make a diff with a click

ooooh... i'm diggin' this...

care about the environment? endangered species? human rights? tired of junk mail and credit card rip-offs? venture over to theactionblog , and i bet even the most skeptical can find *something* they care about...

this kick-butt blog connects you with NPOs and progressive organizations that are rallying support for a broad spectrum of issues... let those "in power" know how you feel... and with a slew of elections less than two years away, who knows? someone might actually listen!

nice day for a... green wedding...

prompted by an article in yesterday's new york times, both lime and treehugger
addressed/updated their thoughts on the topic of green weddings. it's too late for me (but does the fact that we made most of the food and/or used a local caterer, like "chicken in a box," count? you think i'm kidding?)... but, darn, i wish i'd been better educated about this stuff!)... but there's hope for you... my matrimony-minded friends (you know who you are!).

while some couples go all green, even one or two of these ideas can help offset your wedding footprint... perhaps a free-trade, organic, cruelty-free dress is for you... or, maybe, tree-free invites tickle the climate-lover in you?

do a little research... it won't hurt... i promise. :)

rock the climate

UK's financial times reports today that a major concert event, aimed at bringing even more attention to the issue of climate change, is in the works. The FT reports that al gore, the (other) love of my life, will announce the event tomorrow in london.

“The event, scheduled for July 7, will feature co-ordinated film, music and television events in seven cities including London, Washington DC, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town and Kyoto, with major broadcasters and media owners aiming to extend the reach of public awareness of global warming."

event reps are promising that the line-up of artists will "dwarf" that of the live aid concerts. we'll see..

btw... rumors are flying that gore supporters are really rallying to try and get him to reconsider his decision not to run in 2008. i'm not holding my breath... just hoping...

quote of the day

from salon.com's War Room by Tim Grieve

"New York Democratic Rep. Gary Ackerman, arguing that if Condoleezza Rice wants to complain about the lack of foreign-language speakers available for Iraq, perhaps the administration ought to do something about the dozens of linguists who have been fired under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "For some reason, the military seems more afraid of gay people than they are [of] terrorists, but they're very brave with the terrorists ... If the terrorists ever got a hold of this information, they'd get a platoon of lesbians to chase us out of Baghdad."

anyone else cracking up over the visual?

shower your valentine with... pesticides?

so... you plan to shower your valentine with roses this year? if so, you may have to give her a hazmat suit, as well.

according to consumer report's greenerchoices.org, "In an effort to grow aesthetically perfect flowers, growers depend on the intensive use of pesticides. In fact, more pesticides are used on a per-acre basis to grow flowers than any other agricultural product. There is also an incentive for growers in international countries—where the majority of imported roses originate—to increase pesticide use as shipments into the U.S. can be rejected due to infestations. Since non-edible products imported into the U.S. are not regulated for pesticide residues, any type or amount can be present on flowers sold here. Hazardous pesticides used on roses include possible carcinogens, such as paraquat, and neurotoxins, such as chlorpyrifos."

eww.

thankfully, there is a growing number of companies/farmers providing safe, beauitful options, "green roses," if you will. You can find a them, as well as what labels to look for at your local florist, here.

love in the air is a good thing... pesticides... not so much.

i just...

love him... since the 1988 primaries, i have adored al gore... and, now, it appears many throughout the world do, too...

even though it seems he will never again take a shot at being called "mr. president" (damn!)... being called a nobel-prize winner wouldn't suck... let's just hope the committee has a more concise electoral system than we do...

oh, and to all of you who like to make fun of my unwavering love for this man.... "PPHHHHBBBTTTT!!!!"

try ruling the world sometime

our friends across the pond at the bbc have created a nifty flash piece that puts the reins of europe in your hands. your task, should you choose to accept it, is to control the economy, slow global warming, AND keep your constiuents happy. "easy, cheesy," you say? go for it!

climate challenge

compost-o-rama

ok. i know i'm a dork... but i finally broke down and ordered a *real* composter. (i've been using a homemade composter for about a year and figured it's finally something i'm going to stick to ... no pun intended!)

these tumblers are great! they don't take up a lot of space and they certainly alleviate the HASSLE of turning your compost yourself. just give it a spin and -- VOILA --compost!

try it. you'll be amazed at how easy it is and how much less garbage you create!

throw-away fashion

interesting story in yesterday's new york times about "fast fashion"... you know, the cheap-o t-shirts, pants and such that line the shelves at target, old navy and other retailers... these clothes are pretty much designed to fall apart, which -- with the chemicals and emissions involved in manufacturing, transporting and washing these items -- puts a heavy burden on the environment.

and, as much as i hate to admit it, i'm guilty as hell... not necessarily with my own wardrobe (ask my hubby, i never throw anything away! :)... but, like oodles of other parents out there, i don't want to spend a bunch of money on something my daughter will grow out of in a few months... so i hit target, etc for her school uniforms and play clothes and donate them (if they're pass-on-able, which they usually aren't) after one of her many growth spurts...

i'm not sure what the takeaway is for this, other than hoping that the textile industry, as well as retailers, really are looking into alternatives to "fast fashions"... and, when/if they do, i need to be willing to spend a little more...

quit rubbin' your butt with our forests

ok... so it's not breaking news that our forests have long been under seige so that our tender tushies and button noses have something soft to rub up against... what is new(ish) is the expanding choices we have that can make our forests safe(r) and our heinies happy!

if you're feeling like this is a lost cause, think of it this way...

facial tissue
if every household in the United States replaced just one box of virgin fiber facial tissues (175 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 163,000 trees.

toilet paper
if every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper (500 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 423,900 trees.

paper towels
if every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 544,000 trees.

napkins
if every household in the United States replaced just one package of virgin fiber napkins (250 count) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 1 million trees.

so what can you do? i'm so glad you asked!

the natural resources defense council has a few suggestions...

1. buy paper products with recycled content -- especially post-consumer fibers.
2. buy paper products made with clean, safe processes.
3. tell tissue manufacturers to stop using virgin wood for throwaway products. (you can send kimberly clark a shout-out on the subject!)

while the nrdc site has full lists of the best (and worst) paper products, it also has a handy wallet card that provides an on-the-go guide.

bush to go green tonight?

in what might possibly be the most pathetic, last-minute attempt to raise his DISMAL approval rating, G-dumb is "reportedly" going to emphasize domestic issues in tonight's state of the union address... including a sudden emphasis on climate change.

does he truly think we'll be distracted from the snafus he's created abroad and at home with some empty promises regarding a move to biofuels? as if! no doubt he's assured his "interested parties" that it's all just the ill-formed ruse we know it is.

is he hoping this new congress will stand up and cheer and sing his praises? hot damn, even in the name of presidential courtesy, i hope not...

i'd love to finally find out what one hand clapping sounds like...