gifts that go the extra mile

When you get down to it, most of us are lucky and have pretty much everything we could want (or at the very least, we have what we need). Every year, it seems like most of the people I’m shopping for seem to have everything, and I always feel that it’s a little pointless to buy them just another knickknack or something that will end up stuffed in a closet. At the same time, we are growing more conscious about our world and the people on it, and there are more ways to shop responsibly, and more gifts with some real meaning and heart behind them. Since Christmas is about kindness, giving and caring, it is the perfect time to buy gifts that benefit everyone. So here are a few places to shop if you’re looking for a gift that has plenty of good to go around.

Check out Heifer International (www.heifer.org) or Oxfam’s (http://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/home.php) websites. They let you pick a gift (such as a flock of chicks, a trio of rabbits, a desk and chair for a school…or manure!) which is sent to families, villages or schools in need. These gifts can provide lasting resources, income, protein, and many of them multiply…so your single gift could eventually end up providing for an entire town.

Ten Thousand Villages (www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php) sells beautiful handmade goods (jewelry, textiles, toys and instruments) from around the world. Purchasing items from this company provides people in third-world countries with jobs and income, and ensures that the craftspeople are paid fair wages for their work. Plus you get to give a unique gift with some real culture.

Even the mainstream markets are going green…you can shop Ebay World of Good for just about anything on your list and you can be assured that your gift will be either “people positive,” “eco positive,” or “animal friendly.” Find them at, http://worldofgood.ebay.com/

If you’d like to do some good, but want your recipient to be able to physically enjoy a donation, consider an annual pass to a national park near them. This could let them explore the outdoors that they might not have otherwise, and also helps fund our National Parks. http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

If you want to give the gift of charity, but can’t decide on one, you can let your recipient do the deciding. With Tisbest, you purchase a gift card, and your giftee gets to pick from over 250 organizations to donate to. What a cool way to get the recipient involved! https://www.tisbest.org/Default.aspx

You may know someone who is trying to reduce their carbon footprint, you can help them by giving them the gift of carbon offset. http://www.carbonfund.org/ Your donation will support carbon offset projects that will help with global climate change, and push for alternate forms of energy...you even get to specify if you’d like to support a specific project (for example you could choose to support, renewable energy like landfill methane or hydroelectric projects).

There are so many choices when it comes to charitable gifts; you can adopt specific animals like elephants, polar bears or leopards, or you could support local charities by donating your time at a homeless shelter or battered women’s shelter. Whatever you choose, you can be glad that you will be giving a gift to your friend or family, and gift to the world.

rethinking the way we wash

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of labels on the backs of my soap, lotion and cosmetics…pure chemicals. Maybe these chemicals are harmful and we should be avoiding them; maybe they’re in such low concentrations, they are perfectly safe. Either way, I crave simplicity and feel an urge to get back to the basics, which is why I’m loving using the homemade soaps my aunt makes and have also had fun making my own salt and sugar body scrubs. These homemade wonders work great and contain earth-friendly, ingredients that don’t harm your skin.

There are tons of additives that many people try to avoid, such as propylene glycol, parabens, perfumes and dyes, alcohol…the list goes on and on.

One chemical that is particularly prevalent is sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate. SLS is a surfactant, used to make bubbles, suds and foam. It’s in almost all liquid dish soap, hand soap, toothpaste, detergent, shampoo and shaving cream.
The reason to try to use less of it: It’s a skin and eye irritant, and it is currently debated that it is causing sensitive skin after prolonged use (Dr. Oz also included it on his list of “top agers” since it is harsh and strips the skin of natural oils…thanks Shannon). My husband can speak from personal experience that after switching to an SLS-free toothpaste, he gets fewer canker sores. And another big reason…it’s usually derived from palm oil.

As far as soap goes, another chemical that we are bombarded with is Triclosan. This anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent is found in numerous products such as, anti-bacterial soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, and even plastics.
The reason to try to use less of it: Triclosan is also an irritant, and can cause sensitivity and allergies. It has been established that it enters the blood stream and can accumulate in fatty tissue, and studies are currently being done to see how this anti-bacterial affects endocrine function (so far, thyroid levels have been impacted by triclosan in bullfrogs and rats). It has been found that washing your hands (washing well, for at least 20 seconds) with regular soap is just as effective in eliminating bacteria as using soap with triclosan. So not only is triclosan unnecessary for daily use, it may also be a factor in bacterial resistance, which can cause bacterial strains that are stronger and harder to treat, and may also increase allergies and asthma by having an environment that is “too clean.”
Here are some links for more information:
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticides/factsheets/Triclosan%20cited.pdf (this site also has a list of products that contain triclosan)
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm

So that’s just two of the many chemicals that we put on our skin every day. Personally, after I began reading labels on my soap and cosmetics, I just wanted the product with the fewest ingredients. So if the list of words you can’t pronounce on the back of your daily hygiene products is starting to freak you out, some alternative brands that I’ve tried so far and love are, Burt’s Bees, Alba, LUSH, Tom’s of Maine, and Trader Joes’ (a bonus to purchasing a more natural product is that usually these companies are more committed to the environment and will have sustainable business practices).

You can even venture into making your own soap (I’m hoping to try this some time). Making your own sugar or salt scrubs is cheap and easy. I’ve had luck mixing grapeseed oil with Turbinado sugar or kosher salt and adding essential oils, and even ingredients from my pantry, like pumpkin, lemon peel, and oatmeal. There are a billion recipes online. I’ll write a separate post in the future after I’ve tried and perfected a few recipes.

Weather you make your own or not, there are a growing number of natural choices for skin care. If we just put our blinders on to weed out the “big brand” products that we see every day, they are easy to find. A local health-food market is a great place to start.

New Clothes!!

It's been a busy week, so it's taken me a while to post. I've been researching about a lot of chemicals that go into personal products that we use everyday (like soap, lotion, makeup, deodorant, etc). BUT...there's so much still to research, and I just haven't gotten it all together yet.
Fortunately, something else came up yesterday and I'm SO excited about it! So I'll write about my new find instead...

I've been searching high and low for clothes, shoes, and apparel that is either made in the U.S. and/or made fairly. It's astounding to read how prevalent sweatshops and unfair labor practices are (and there are even garment manufacturers in the U.S. who operate as sweatshops...more to come on this in a later post).
I know this seems like a huge, daunting problem that no one will be able to fix, and that is absolutely true, no one person will be able to fix this. But we as consumers have a huge advantage; we create demand. If more of us decide to buy responsibly made clothing, manufacturers will begin to see that they need to offer products that people will want to buy. It may mean putting a little more money and effort into purchasing clothes, but in doing this, you'll know that resources and people weren't exploited in the name of saving a few bucks.

So far there aren't a ton of clothing suppliers who can guarantee that their clothes are made fairly, but there are a few. I just found and purchased a few things from the company Fair Indigo, and they are absolutely awesome!! www.fairindigo.com Their clothes are stylish and reasonably priced (plus they're having a HUGE sale right now; which is why I wanted to post this now), everything is very well made, they have the best return policy, and they donate a portion of all of their profits to education in the countries where their clothes are made. (they sell more than just clothes too. You can buy purses, grocery bags, coffee and tea, bath products etc).

So please check out their site, and if you're in a shoppin' mood, maybe you could give them some business! Also, you can check out their "about" page to see what they're actually doing to make a difference... www.fairindigo.com/about/ If we support companies like Fair Indigo, similar companies will start popping up.

I'm in love!

...more info about sweatshops and fair labor practices to come...

be prudent with palm

Palm oil is the most used, edible oil in the world. It is used in countless products (both food and non-food items) around the globe and is extremely popular in large, developed nations such as America, China and India. Palm oil is produced in a small, concentrated number of tropical regions; Indonesia and Malaysia produce 83% of the palm oil that is globally exported. America further increased the demand for palm oil when, in 2003, the FDA required all nutrition labels to list trans fats. This caused many manufacturers to revamp their recipes, and trans fats (in the form of partially hydrogenated oils) were replaced with palm oil.

There seems to be a debate over the nutrition of palm oil. Some groups tout palm oil as a healthy oil, that it is high in vitamin E and beta-carotene, contains antioxidants and even some anti-cancer properties. They also claim that it does not contribute to heart disease or raise cholesterol levels. Opposing groups state that it does cause heart disease and raise cholesterol due to its high content of saturated fat (especially with regards to palm kernel oil, which is even higher in saturated fat).

Nutritional debates aside, there are, without a doubt, some very serious consequences to our reliance on this wonder oil. In order to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand, thousands of acres of rainforests and peatlands are cleared (usually burned) to make room for palm plantations. This is producing more greenhouse gas, uprooting local communities, polluting air, water and soil, and putting already endangered species, such as the Sumatran tiger, the orangutan, and the Asian elephant further in danger. So, while our Oreos and candy bars may be a little healthier, we need to decide if it is worth exploiting our resources.

There’s the doom and gloom, how about a solution? To start at the simplest level, we can cut back on the number of palm oil products we purchase. This can be done as simply as making your own cookies or buying peanut butter that has to be stirred and refrigerated. And there's a bonus…in avoiding packaged foods with unnaturally long shelf lives, you’ll probably consume fewer preservatives and chemicals and less sodium. These additives and palm oil usually go hand-in-hand. Also, you can use the strategy of mainly shopping the perimeter of the grocery store; this helps narrow choices to fresher, healthier foods.

If you want to take more action, a good place to start is the website for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) http://www.rspo.org/ The RSPO is a non-profit organization working with planters, traders, investors and retailers to ensure that we use this cash crop responsibly. They are doing this by creating certification programs that ensure rainforests aren’t destroyed, spent palms are recycled rather than burned, ecosystems and wildlife remain balanced and diverse, and workers receive fair compensation. You can see a video made by RSPO here: http://www.rspo.org/What_is_RSPO@.aspx it kinds of sums up the problem and what they're doing to try to solve it.

As scarcely as we seem to do it anymore, a good, old fashioned, hand-written letter can actually help. If there's a product that you like to use, but wish they would change their ways, try writing the CEO...you might acutally get a response, and see results! The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) is a great site and often has letter-writing campaigns. You can see templates there, and find other ways to help. They also have a page about "the problem with palm oil." www.RAN.org

I do not believe that the solution to this palm problem is to completely boycott palm products. It is an important product that is used daily, it is good for the global economy, and can be beneficial for its producing region’s economies, such as Indonesia and Malaysia…as long as it is produced responsibly. One of the most important things we can do is spread the word. We should be aware of what goes into the products that we buy and how they affect the rest of the globe.

Clean Green

I've heard and read about this over and over again; I guess its always just gone in one ear and out the other, but I finally decided to try making my own home cleaning products. Like we've been hearing for years, you can clean almost anything with a little vinegar. Maybe I just thought homemade stuff wouldn't clean as well, or maybe we are so bombarded with the endless new products and the convenience promised by commercial products, we don't even think twice about an alternative. So far, I'm very pleasantly surprised!! The solutions work wonderfully, are cheap and easy to make and are super convenient (since you really only need one bottle of cleaner made to clean almost everything).

The first, most basic cleaner: In a 32oz spray bottle mix 15oz distilled white vinegar, 15oz distilled water, and about 12 drops of melaleuca/tea tree oil (you can use tap water, the distilled just prolongs the life of the oil).

The vinegar degreases, deodorizes, removes soap scum and hard water deposits. The tea tree oil kills bacteria and fungus. I use this spray for cleaning almost any surface (anywhere I'd use 409); disinfecting the kitchen table, my son's highchair, cleaning the stove, and sink fixtures, etc.

This mix also cleaned my shower better than anything I've ever bought in the store. Just spray on the walls, sprinkle some baking soda on a sponge and wipe the walls down. Same thing for the toilet bowl (you can use a pumice stone for tougher stains).

...oh, and as you may have witnessed while stopped at a traffic light in a busy city, nothing cleans glass better than vinegar and newspaper!

Daily shower spray: In another 32oz spray bottle, combine 3oz rubbing alcohol, 5oz hydrogen peroxide, 5 oz of vinegar (some recipes called for a teaspoon of jet dry instead), about 4 drops of Dawn dish detergent (the original blue kind), and fill to the top with distilled water.

Mist the shower after the last shower of the day to prevent soap scum and hard water deposits.

Furniture duster: I normally do the bulk of my dusting with the brush attachment on the vacuum, but when I want to clean and brighten the wood, I've found that this works and smells great... mix 2 Tbs of lemon juice (either from a bottle or from the real thing) with about 6 drops of lemon oil and a couple drops of olive oil. It also works well diluted with a little water. If you want to mix up a generous amount in a spray bottle, just be sure to store it in the fridge so it doesn't go rancid.

Just dampen a soft cloth. Wax on. Wax off. (Steve said I should clarify...you don't really have to wax on, wax off. Just wipe it like you normally would)

Things to remember.
-Tea tree/melaleuca oil can be toxic to pets and people if ingested. Keep out of reach of curious ones.
-Vinegar is acidic and can eventually eat through finishes. Use sparingly on delicate surfaces such as hardwood floors and be sure to dilute.
-If you don't like the smell of the tea tree oil, I've read that a lot of people will add lavender or another scent to mellow it out a little (haven't tried this yet).
-When buying the essential oils, look for ones in dark brown glass. These last longer. Also keep them out of the sun and at room temp.
-When buying melaleuca oil, check label to make sure it contains terpinen (this is what gives the oil it's disinfecting quality).

These are definitely worth a try, and I hope that if you do try, you have as much fun with it as I do (sounds crazy, I know. But it is actually pretty satisfying). You'll be saving money, clearing your cleaning pantry of clutter, reducing packaging waste, and improving your environment...the environment in your home will be healthier and you will be reducing the number of harmful chemicals used to produce most household cleaners.

And please share if you have other homemade wonders that you like to use!

Against my better judgment

I swore I wasn't going to start a blog (not because they're evil or anything), just because I already feel like I spend too much time on the computer. But, because of all this time I've spent on the computer, I think I've found a lot of useful information and I've wanted to make a change to the way I live. I think people (me included) are not living responsibly (by living responsibly, I mean realizing that everything we do impacts our planet and impacts those who enjoy our planet). The more reading I've done, I've learned that it's not completely impossible to live responsibly, it just takes a little bit of an attitude adjustment.


I thought I'd start this so that I don't constantly bombard people on the streets/family members/co-workers with information they don't want to hear...I don't want to be annoying and drive people away by indoctrinating my views onto them. I figured this way, if people are interested in making a change, they can check the blog for a weekly tip or some new information. Hopefully this blog will be a fun tool for anyone who wants to hear about (and maybe try) my new green-living experiences, various organizations who try to use their money and power for good and not evil, and just other little random factoids that I come across that could help us take care of what's important. Also, I want to know more, so if you come across something, or have something you want to share, please do!! The more people that hear about it, the better. There's power in numbers.


So I guess the best way to kick this off is to give a little credit to the ones who started this new goal in my life...I recently read two books that completely changed the way I view our society and the way we live. They are, Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawford, and The Secret History of the American Empire by John Perkins. These are both wonderful, eye-opening books. If you read them, you'll probably get an idea of where I'm coming from.