Tuesday Series- Eco-Friendly candles

I apologize that I have not been blogging as much as I used to. It has been a very busy summer. Fortunately, we received 2 mentions in Lucky Magazine for their July and August issues and on their website and we've received a ton of traffic and orders. Also, I have 2 young children and we took a "break" with camp for the last 2 weeks making it ever so challenging to write blog entries. But we are back in camp again, (thankfully) giving me some much-needed free time.

Welcome to the Tuesday Eco-Elitist series where I talk about easy things that you can do to "green" your life. Do note, I use the term Eco-Elitist with tongue-in-cheek, I'm really not perfect- far from it. I've even thought about changing the name as I really don't want to turn people off to being open minded. There are certain things I won't budge on like recycling and using canvas bags instead of plastic ones. I've been enjoying writing this blog because it is something that interests me and I'm also learning along the way. I realize how hard it is today with all this information coming at you about global warming and BPA in plastic, chlorine in place mats and toxic chemicals in our food and please save the polar bears!!! It is absolutely exhausting! I also know that being green can sometimes be more expensive. I have to be extra careful when shopping in Whole Foods. I love the store and what they stand for and I want my family to be eating good, clean, natural, pesticide and chemical free, wholesome food but I can't spend $300 on groceries every week. The positive is that new research and important information is now available and we are lucky to even have choices. Learn as much as you can handle absorbing. You'll be surprised that you'll start to form new and better habits for you, your family and our precious earth.

Today, I'm going to talk about candles but first let me mention a really terrific book to have on hand. It's called the Green Book and it is written by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen and published by Three Rivers Press in New York. It is a handy dandy green reference guide, one that you can read daily in order to learn about a new tip or idea that will help you easily make eco-friendly changes in your life "one simple step at a time."

Candles- some candles are made of paraffin wax and paraffin is made from petroleum (oil) which when burned contributes to global warming. It is best to use beeswax or soy candles as they are renewable substances and burn cleaner (approximately 90% cleaner) and 50% longer than paraffin candles. According to the Green Book, the crude oil used to make just one 16 ounce paraffin candle contains enough energy to power a 60 watt light bulb for 100 hours." This fun little book loves hypotheticals- but it does really put things in perspective-"If just one hundred households replaced an 8 ounce petroleum-based candle with a soy or beeswax candle, the energy saved could keep the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center lit 24/7 from Thanksgiving to the fourth of July!" Wow, let's make that happen!

We carry soy candles from Kobo and beeswax candles from Soap and Paper Factory. And our Claus Porto candles are a soy blend. Our Dayna Decker candles is a translucent wax made of natural oils and resin.

The Eco-Elitist Tuesday Series- Cool Green Design

Short and sweet this week- check out the cool green design I've come across recently. The top is a really fun bowl or objet d'art made out of recycled glass by Phuze. They are called "goops" and they come in an array of awesome colors. Moving clockwise, the tray is made out of recycled paper by a company called Engage Green and for $14- I'm sure you can find a use for it. The baskets and lacquer bowls are made by Bambu- one of our favorite companies; although, we currently do not sell them in our store - we plan to in the near future. They are beautifully made out of 100% bamboo - fully sustainably, so useful and come in a multitude of fabulous colors!

Tuesday Series- The Eco-Elitist- What's up with the Polar Bear?

Polar bears. Simply beautiful animals. And huge. Adult males can weigh 880-1500 lbs with females weighing in at approximately half that size. They are, in fact, the largest carnivorous land animal on earth and live primarily on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean. They are ferocious hunters despite their oh-so-cute and cuddly appearance, feasting on a diet of mostly seals. But, polar bears' existence is severely threatened. According to the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), "Scientific evidence is overwhelming that the polar bear is in mortal danger as the Arctic sea ice it depends on for survival melts away." We need to protect this amazing animal. Researchers are predicting that by 2050, polar bears will be gone from Alaska along with roughly 67% of the world's total polar bear population. During the last 30 years, a chunk of Arctic sea ice, the size of approximately six Californias, has disappeared. As the world gets hotter due to global warming, the ice in these areas melt and it is melting fast! Some scientists say that the sea ice that the polar bears live on could be gone by 2040; some even say it will vanish by 2012!

The other, more deliberate threat, is the desire to drill in the Arctic. Bulldozers, oil rigs and inevitable oil spills will kill these amazing creatures. Certainly I would like to lessen our dependence on foreign oil but I'd prefer to do that by lowering consumption, not by drilling in the Arctic. Arctic drilling is not the answer. It would take approximately 10 years to extract the oil and refine it for use. Furthermore, the amount that we can obtain would only represent 3% of our daily consumption- not enough to warrant destroying precious ecosystems and wildlife. Besides, our addiction to oil is the heart of the problem and by fixing that - by changing habits, buying smaller cars or hybrid cars, and using more clean energy, we CAN reduce our consumption and that will eventually reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Recently, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar adopted a Bush-era policy that that allows for pro-polluter loopholes, further preventing the government from using the Endangered Species act to protect the polar bears. The NRDC is currently in court fighting to get the Interior Secretary to use the Endangered Species Act to help protect the polar bears from the melting ice AND the Arctic Oil Rush.

What can you do? First, try to reduce your "carbon footprint" to help slow the warming of the earth. There are some great, very easy suggestions at www.stopglobalwarming.org (Laurie David's site).

Second, go to the NRDC website, read more, learn more, sign their petition and donate money- they are fighting the tough fight and need everyone's support. We donate 1% of all our revenues to the NRDC every quarter. We believe that they are strongest organization that is actively fighting to make this world a better and healthier place with 1.2 million members, 400 attorneys, scientists and other professionals that advocate, support and help fight their causes. Take action!

Tuesday Series- The Eco-Elitist- my 5 favorite eco-friendly toys and gifts

Birthday parties. What's not too love? Balloons, junk food, cake, bouncy castles, magicians, goody bags - a child's dream. We have been invited to several recently so I always feel like I'm shopping for a gift. I have a few friends in my area with children's clothing businesses so I try to patronize them (like www.chickiddie.com) or I go to the local book store. Yesterday, I was in my favorite toy store in my area called the Darien Toy Box, started by Bill Jensen in an effort to offer well made, unique, educational and of course fun toys and he has a really terrific selection including some great eco-friendly toys. So of course, it gave me an idea for a blog entry. Here are my top 5 favorite eco-friendly toys for ages 2 and up.

1. Charlie and Lola- We are Extremely Very Good Recyclers



Charlie and Lola was created by Lauren Child in 2001 about two siblings- Charlie is the patient, helpful older brother and Lola is the energetic and very inquisitive little girl. These books are fun creative, humorous and great to look at and to read. This one is about recycling. It's a great starter for young children to teach them about the importance of reusing and not just throwing everything in the trash (or on the floor- which is where it all ends up in my house). There is even a great picture of them climbing up a huge heap of garbage bags (my nightmare). Check it out. Call the Darien Toy Box to order: 203-202-2992.

2. The E Racer made by Hape International is a beautifully made toy constructed out of bamboo and water-based paint and let me tell you these things go fast. Both boys and girls loves these cars. It is also very well priced - it ranges from $13.00-$19.00. You can call the Darien Toy Box for this one also, 203-202-2992.

3. The Trapecolo, also made by Hape is a creative play set that includes 180 colorful bamboo pieces that the child can arrange in a multitude of designs. It encourages imaginative skills, planning, understanding of basic geometry and symmetry. It is a great "quiet time" activity for 4 year olds and up (and it's quite beautiful to look at it also). It's also a nicely priced at approximately $27.00.


4. Now isn't this truly a 21st century toy? A recycling truck made by Green toys. These beautifully designed toys are actually made out of recycled plastic milk jugs and they are extremely durable. The packaging is all recycled cardboard and really easy to open. Who has struggled to open that awful toy packaging, cursing under your breathe, as you dig into the thick plastic and zip ties with dull scissors- all while a really anxious child watching you- it's terrible? Green Toys is simply a great company.


5. This Little Piggy's House- There are many great cardboard box houses out there but this one recently caught my eye because it has the chimney, mailbox, window box and dormer. It is quite fun and can be decorated by the child. It is definitely a more expensive toy at $49.99 but one that will be enjoyed! This company also gives 5% of their profits to feeding hungry children.

Tuesday Series- The Eco-Elitist- 5 very easy tips

Welcome to the Tuesday Eco-Elitist series. Today, I have 5 very easy tips that will help you do your part towards producing less trash and consequently creating a better, cleaner environment!

1. Try the un-paper towel- check out Athena Create's shop on Etsy. She offers these wonderful fabric clothes that are absorbent and dry quickly. She explains that paper towels are terrible because trees are cut down and the pulp is then bleached (with nasty chemicals) to make something that you will use once and discard. The chemicals then leach into our ground water in the landfill. This is a habit that I also need to break. I do use many paper towels so I'm looking forward to receiving these and changing my bad habit also. You can also save money by adopting the un-paper towel into your lifestyle. See the towels here:

2. Switch to reusable coffee cup sleeves-Starbucks sometimes puts the corrugated cardboard sleeve on your coffee without asking. Give it back to them, send a message and use a reusable one. I just try to have one in my purse for when I get a coffee. There are so many fun ones on Etsy. Try Jenny Wanson's Shop, fabric one below:



Or, I love the "burlappy" ones from A Green Sleeve, also on Etsy.



3. Cut the picnic waste by: bringing reusable plates, cloth napkins, casual utensils and melamine cups to your outdoor picnic or concert at the park or day at the beach. There are so many fun melamine plates and cups that go straight in the dishwasher that there is really no need for paper / plastic utensils for a small gathering. We just received a bold and colorful picnic set from French Bull which has everything you need. See picture above. We also sell great melamine plates from Thomas Paul. We get compliments on these every time we use them. They are chic, useful and great for kids as they are shatterproof and quite durable. They clean in the dishwasher beautifully!



4. Use reusable bags for your produce: I've talked about why plastic bags are so bad in other Eco-Elitist posts. Click on this link here if you missed it. Reusable Bags is a great website that provides excellent information on how you can do your part to help the environment and they sell wonderful products at great prices. This is an image from their site for produce bags. They are stronger and won't create moisture- they let the produce "breathe." Have you noticed the moisture that is created in your plastic bag of corn if you let it sit in the bag for a day- it's not nice. Give these bags a try! Just click on the photo.



5. Extra Credit- use a reusable coffee mug: I know I just proclaimed the benefits of the coffee sleeve or cozy but if you are really ambitious and get your coffee at the same place everyday- then bring your own mug. You can buy travel coffee mugs in most coffee stores and grocery stores these days. Often corporations hand them out as gifts. This one below by DCI is fun. It is a porcelain coffee cup made to look like a paper one. Quite clever! Just tell them to fill it up!

Tuesday Series- The Eco-Elitist- Amazing Subaru

With so much negative news about GM and Chrysler and American car companies in general, I thought it was time in my Eco-Elitist series to talk about Subaru- a car company that does amazing things. I rarely hear or read about them in the news. Yes, a car company that does good things. It shocked me too when I heard about it but the story is incredible. For those of you who are frustrated that so many people are just too set in their ways to change or say that it just cost too much money or it is just too difficult, go this link, scroll down to the middle of the page and click on link that says "Video: Learn more about the Subaru Plant." It's a comprehensive overview of why the American Subaru plant is so incredible. It will bring tears to your eyes- I know I'm a bit weird. But really, check it out. When I hear about truly innovative ideas that encourages change to tired, old systems that also saves resources, creates less waste AND saves money- it just about makes me cry. What is so cool about the video is how excited, positive and more importantly proud the workers at Subaru are to be a part of such a terrific initiative.

Subaru of America is a "wholly-owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd." of Japan. They are headquartered in Cherry Hill, NJ. The American subsidiary markets and distributes all-wheel drive Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories.

The Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana (SIA) is a zero-landfill waste facility. Zero. Yes, I said Zero. The trash that you put in your garbage this morning after breakfast is more than they send to a landfill in a year. Nothing from this manufacturing facility goes into a landfill. If they cannot recycle it, they reuse- again and again. Watch the video- it's incredible. You see them discussing what to do with their kitchen grease and shredding tires for the "flooring" of playgrounds. Every year, SIA recycles 99.3% of excess or leftover steel, plastic, wood, paper, glass and other materials. What's left is shipped to Indianapolis and incinerated to help generate steam. In 2006, SIA recycled:

• 11,411 tons of scrap metal (13,142 tons in 2007)
  
• 1537 tons of cardboard and paper
• 963 tons of wood

They calculated that these savings are equal to conserving 31,040 mature trees, 31,572 cubic yards of landfill space, 711,631 gallons of oil and 10,759,000 gallons of water! Whew!

In the video they mention that by being smarter about they way they cut and use steel, they have reduced the number of steel coils they purchases by 425 coils. Of course, steel producers consume a lot of energy (while emitting harmful CO2). They calculate that by reducing their steel consumption, they saved enough energy to power 2233 homes! In the video, they also talk about packaging and ways that they can reduce or reuse it (styrofoam and plastic packaging is one of my biggest pet-peeves). They have organized a system that allows them to separate and organize all the styrofoam pieces in bins to then be returned to Japan to be used over and over again. Pretty smart, huh?

Now, if a $1.2 billion dollar facility that will produce roughly 165,000 cars this year, with over 2700 employees can achieve these amazing goals. We can send our cans, paper, glass and plastic to the curb to recycle, can't we?

Another note, since 2003, Subaru has been producing Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (PZEV) which meets California's Super-Ultra-Low-Emission vehicle exhaust standard. "Gasoline vehicles meeting these standards can have even lower emissions than hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles." Subaru cars are also U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified SmartWay Vehicles and are honored in the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide located at www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/Index.do"


And, they also ran a "Share the Love" campaign from November 24th to January 2nd that allowed consumers to donate $250 of their car purchase to one of 5 charities. They handed over checks that totaled $4.6 million dollars to these 5 charities that included: the National Wildlife Federation, Meals on Wheels Association of America, Boys and Girls Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity and the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Yes, we just bought a Subaru Outback (in Jan 09) and chose the National Wildlife Federation. I must admit I made fun of my husband's choice at first since I know he has a secret desire to live in Vermont to hike in the summer and ski all day in the winter (Subaru is the car of Vermont). An outdoor Vermont life is certainly not a bad life of course (and maybe he'll fulfill that dream one day) but the more I learned about Subaru, the more I loved what they stand for and what they've accomplished. In America, we have so many choices when we purchase something, it feels so good to know that one's money is supporting an excellent company.

Tuesday Series- The Eco-Elitist- Getting Rid of Stuff

As the weather gets warmer, we all start to take a hard look at our messy garages and packed basements in an effort to to organize and "purge". This is certainly a great exercise and much needed in most houses as we all have way too much stuff. The first thought is to rent a dumpster and send all your unwanted things to the landfill. I suggest you take a little extra time to try to find new homes for those things or to dispose of them properly. You'll be surprised at how many options you can find. My suggestions are as follows:

1. Ebay, Craig's List, local Consignment shops and Tag Sales- Why not make some extra cash on your collection of LPs, beer signs and costume jewelry? There are plenty of people who like to collect what you don't want anymore. I've never tried Craig's List but Ebay is very easy to set up and Tag Sales can be fun, especially for children.
2. Good Will, Salvation Army, etc.- Donations are almost always welcome at places who need good quality home products, furniture and clothes. Call first before you schlep the couch because they might not want it. Unfortunately many of them don't take toys anymore.
3. Children's Agencies such as the FCA (Family Children Agencies)- they will be happy to take your car seat, breast pump, crib, high chair, etc for their new mothers who really need gear. 4. Charities that look for very specific used items such as (I was thrilled to find some of these suggestions in the new issue of O The Oprah Magazine):
sportsgift.org- they will take your unwanted athletic clothes, basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, baseballs, cleats, shinguards, running shoes and jerseys
rebounces.com- they will take your old tennis balls (yeah- we have so many!) and restores their bounce so that they can be resold at a discount for practice balls. Landfills get over 20,000 tons of tennis balls a year.
joniaandfriends.org-they want your gently used orthotics such a wheel chair, crutches, canes, ankle splints, knee braces, etc.
playitagainsports.com- they'd love to have your used dumbells, in-line skates, treadmills, skis, etc. They are a retail chain with more than 360 locations in the U.S and Canada. They resell these items at a great deal.
dressforsuccess.org- This one of my favorite organizations. They take your gently used work clothes and pass them on to disadvantaged women who are trying to take "charge of their lives" in finding a new job. Your clothes and their support team will give these women the self-esteem and much need confidence to get them back on the road to self-sufficiency.
freecycle.org- I love this concept- they help organize local groups that get together and exhange things (clothes, housewares, children's toys, electronics, etc) all for free and fun!
5. Old Electronics and Hazardous Waste- Check your town's website for information on the proper way to dispose of old electronics (eg. tvs, monitors, vacuums, outdoor equipment, etc) and oil pant, turpentine, bleach, oil, etc. There should be designated days to drop these items off for free. They will also take your old batteries. It is very easy once you find out the date. Store your unwanted items until the day, bring it to the site and drop it off and drive away knowing that you did the right thing! Please don't send these items to the landfill! Thanks!

Tuesday Series- The Eco-Elitist- Packing Lunches

For those of you who are new to the blog, I'm doing a Tuesday series discussing easy ways to make changes in your life to be a bit more friendly to our earth either by reducing the garbage that you send to the curb, your carbon dioxide output or by just reducing your use of our precious natural resources. I practice as much eco-friendly tips as I can- but I'm in no way perfect and I call myself an eco-elitist with "tongue in cheek."

Today, I'm into packing lunches. Maybe because I'm writing this post close to lunch time, who knows? The food industry has done so much to make our crazy busy lives (mine included) easier and more convenient (and of course more sterile). But, by doing this they have encouraged us to create more waste. I've done a post on reusable water bottles. There are so many great options out there, from Kleen Kanteen to Camelbak and Sigg. Check out this article: http://orangeandpear.blogspot.com/2009/04/im-not-trying-to-be-eco-elitist-part-1.html. There is simply no need to use juice boxes. They are made with paper, coating, metal and plastic and just cannot be recycled properly. I have found a great lunch box from Pottery Barn that allows you to stand up a sippy cup. There are so many lunch boxes or bags that will allow for this.


1. Sandwich bags- the plastic ziploc kind - try not to use them. They just sit in a landfill for thousands of years or get eaten by a poor whale or fish. No need. They are so many cute, fun reusable bag options that will add a little pizzazz to your lunch or your child's lunch. By doing this, you might even encourage someone else to follow suit. I'm going to first reccomend you check out www.reusablebags.com- one of my favorite sites for eco-friendly shopping and for great information. Below is an image of a great set of sandwich sacks called Happy Sacks. They come in fun colors and are velcro and very easy to clean and use:



Etsy is another great resource for sandwich, snack and lunch bags. Etsy is a website that allows millions of crafters, artists and collectors to sell their designs, creations and wares. Many of the crafters have created (wow, that's a mouthful) many fun options for just this thing. I love Julie Meyer. She makes sandwich and lunch bags in oil cloth which is quite easy to clean and wipe off. They are perfect for small sandwiches or snacks. Just click on the picture to go to her shop on Etsy. Below is her gingham and polka dot prints in yellow but she has many more prints.



These are from Green Street (also on Etsy).



Then, I saw these on Decor8. They are just so chic and fun and perfect for an adult or a child. They are designed by DownhomeAmy - also on Etsy.



2. Try to buy bulk snacks (in one large box) and transfer it to plastic containers (or metals ones) that are reusable. Of course look for plastic ones that are BPA free like the ones above from Pottery Barn Kids. I'm not perfect here. I am definitely guilty of throwing the mini gold fish bags in their lunch or for a car trip but I try to do the "transfer thing." It is so much better. Sigg makes a great aluminum set for snacks (and sandwiches also).



As for utensils, why use disposable? It's pretty easy to throw the silverware in the dishwasher when you get home. The idea is that your lunch box or bag comes home with only the containers or bags that held your food to be washed or wiped down. You should not have to throw out anything!

For more info on waste-free lunches. Check out:

http://www.wastefreelunches.org/

Thanks!

I'm not trying to be eco-elitist . . .new Tuesday Series

My first "eco-post" was inspired by the term "eco-elitist" that I had just read about. It's true some people can take this whole green thing quite seriously and I'm sure it upsets people to let go of their comforts and habits. I get it. But being more aware of your impact on the environment is a good thing and rewarding those who have fully embraced it (eg. parking spaces for hybrid cars only) is also a good thing. So, in my opinion being a eco-conscience is also a good thing and if that makes me an eco-elitist and if that is meant to be a derogatory word than so be it- sign me up! Every Tuesday, I'm going to post more tips in my newly created "The Eco-elitist" series. It should be fun and hopefully helpful (for me too). Only 2 tips this week but big ones.

1. Buy local- this is the best time to bring this up as it is nearing Farmer's Market season on the East Coast. When you buy local you are- supporting local farmers in your area (that's a good thing, right?), you are saving on the gas that is used (and the carbon dioxide that is released) when food is trucked or flown to the place where it is sold. And even better- you are buying food that is in season which tastes better and is better for you. Taking a child to a Farmer's Market is a great way to teach children about where our food comes from (it's not just from a store) and to appreciate good, healthy food. The best way to demonstrate this is to create a vegetable garden and let your children be involved in the maintenance of it. I know this isn't possible for everyone especially if you live in a city. I don't live in the city I know it's hard to find the time for such a big project! Look, I'm not perfect - I still buy bananas and avocados which cannot be purchased where I live and I buy berries out of season because they are a staple in our house but when I can I try to buy locally. Here are some other good reasons:

http://www.sconnect.org/thinklocal/why/

Also, if you don't know where the local Farmer's Markets are, you can try this site, simply type in your address and they will give you a list.

http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/2009/03/culinate-farmers-market-finder-tool.html

Lastly, if you really love to cook and love fresh food, join a Farmer's co-op. For a yearly fee, they will deliver their "harvest" of fruit, vegetables and sometimes their meat and dairy. Check out this site:

http://www.localharvest.org/food-coops/

The importance of this way of eating really became evident to me when I traveled to Italy. In almost all of the regions of Italy, it is customary to eat what's in season. You just don't have fresh fruit in the winter. You have dried fruit. You don't order a Caprese salad (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil) in the winter- it's just not good and they are so right! Read Francis Mayes, Bella Tuscany. She talks about this also.

2. Teach your Children (or nieces, nephews, grandchildren, friend's kids etc.)-
It is amazing- I think the young generation really gets this. It is so natural to them. My daughter will pick up litter at the beach and throw it out. It home, she'll ask me before she throws something out whether it should go in the sink (for recycling) or the garbage. She is in no way a perfect angel but when it comes to being eco-aware, she's further along than most and she's only 5 and believe or not we don't spend that much time talking about it. My two favorite books for kids are below (click on the books to go straight to Amazon):



Laurie David's book is great for any child 4 and up. It is colorful and easy to read and gives you and your children or little friends great ideas and tips. Laurie is the ultimate eco-elitist and proud of it- her website is one of the most well-known sites about fighting Global Warming.

http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/default.asp

Definitely put this site on your radar. It is a great one. Now, Dr. Seuss's The Lorax is simply amazing. Many people don't know about it but let me tell you it is brilliant and will bring you to tears at then end- I swear. It was written in 1971 before being green even became trendy. It is a simple story of a man / creature (who knows?) called "The Once-ler" who discovers a tree called a "Truffula Tree" that once chopped down can be used to create a "Sneed" which of course "everyone needs" and proceeds to chop down all of the Truffala trees to keep "biggering" his "Sneed" company. The Lorax is the defender of the land where these trees grow and tries to stop the "Once-ler" from killing the birds, fish and all the animals that thrive off this habitat but cannot-but the lesson is finally learned in the end. It is a great book that you'll enjoy reading and will learn from!

Look, we all like to have beautiful things for ourselves and to give as gifts. You can buy products from companies that have found ways to make great things with sustainable material (so no resources are being depleted to produce it). Such as Smock Paper (made from bamboo)
Or candles made from soy from Kobo. Or growing your own ingredients like our friends at Soap and Paper Factory who grow their own Verbena to use in their amazing candles, soaps, drawer liners and bath powder. Lastly, purchase good quality so that it lasts. Avoid the desire to buy cheap and then dispose- it is this terrible cycle that we need to stop. Thanks!

I'm not trying to be eco-elitist (Part 1) but. . . here are 5 easy things you can do to be kinder to our earth

I just read an article and the term "eco-elitist" came up; I've never heard that before. I think it's so sad that one's attempt to do something good for the environment can be viewed as something bad. Look, I don't tie myself to oil freighters or trees and I try very hard not to comment when I see a friend throw out a soda can as opposed to recycling it. Nor do I yell at the driver of the "Hummer" as my 5 year old daughter once did saying "Bad for the environment."- just slightly embarrassing. But it certainly doesn't hurt to talk about it. I'm not perfect. I turn up the heat at night when you are supposed to turn it down. I take long hot showers when I can find the time (especially after a tough yoga class) and I've definitely waited in the drive-thru at Dunkin Donuts to get a mid-afternoon coffee just so I don't have to take my kids out of their car seats! And, ok, this is worse, if I have a sleeping child in the back of the car, I've been known to drive 20 minutes out of my way just to go to the Starbuck's drive-thru! But, I have definitely made some easy but very important changes in my life that if everyone did the same, our world could be on the road towards improvement. Here are a few of them:


1. Switch all your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. They are sold everywhere now. It takes a while for them to warm up if they've been off for a while but who cares. They produce less heat and therefore they use less energy and consequently emit less CO2. Touch one- they are not as hot- this is safer for children too. Regular bulbs use 4 times more energy than compact fluorescent bulbs. The cost more initially but you save on your electricity bill. Come on- so easy!

2. Of course - Recycle! Have you ever seen a landfill? I have and I'm seen a garbage barge too- not that I was looking for them, but they are quite daunting. Yes, you may have to wash some things out. Big deal. If it keeps that plastic bottle or container from sitting in a landfill for 1000 years than why not? Plastic is not meant to biodegrade so why throw it out? Yes, you'll have to wash even the peanut butter jar anhd it's pretty gross but really not that bad. I wipe out as much as I can of the peanut butter with a paper towel then I fill it with hot water and soap, shake it a few times and let it sit over night. By the morning, you can just empty it and recycle it. Same goes with aluminum cans - just rinse and recycle. I just keep a recycling bin under my sink so I toss things in it as I'm doing dishes. Not only are you keeping stuff out of the landfill but you are also helping to reduce the use of oil needed to produce that item again. Some great facts from www.Earth911.com:

• Aluminum cans are unique: within 60 days, a can is recycled, turned into a new can and back on store shelves.
• Aluminum is a sustainable metal and can be recycled over and over again.
• In 2007, 54 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy equivalent of 15 million barrels of crude oil—America’s entire gas consumption for one day.

http://earth911.com/metal/aluminum-can/benefits-of-aluminum-can-recycling/

3. Use eco-friendly or natural cleaning products- not only is it bad for our health to breathe or touch many of the cleaning products that are on the market today, it's also not good to dump them down the drain where they can eventually go into our ground water, lakes, ponds and oceans. It is so easy to find great eco-friendly cleaning products now. Yes, some are more expensive than the bad stuff but you can also use inexpensive household ingredients such as lemons, vinegar and baking soda. Some of my favorites are:

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm

http://www.soundearth.com/pages/products/handmade_cleaners/powder_power.htm

I use Seventh Generation's toilet bowl cleaner, free and clear all purpose spray, dish and laundry detergent. Seventh Generation was making these products way before eco-friendly became hip (for over 20 years). As was Dr. Bronner Castille soap which has been around for 60 years. Castille soap is amazing- you can use it on your body and your stove top and let me tell you it really works on the stove top- it cleans it and it smells nice. Sound Earth makes a great scouring powder that is terrific for your porcelain sinks, tubs, and even dishes. I mix it with Castille soap for an even stronger cleaner. Check out this article for more tips:

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/clean-house-naturally-00000000011114/index.html

There are two more to try:

http://www.eco-me.com/_catalog_29525/Home

and of course method which can be found at Target- their glass cleaner is great.

http://www.methodhome.com/

4. Stop using plastic bags!!! Please.

According to one of my favorite sites: www.reusablebags.com at http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php

"Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year." They kill marinelife who ingest them thinking they are food. The don't biodegrade, they photodegrade, releasing even more harmful toxins into the ground, oceans and eventually into our food. I know this is a hard habit to break. I keep a collection of canvas bags in my car. When I need to go to the grocery store, I put them in my cart before I go in. Voila. Then when I empty the groceries, I put my collection (which is quite motley I might add) in the hallway to take back out to the car when I leave. I simplify only because I know the biggest excuse is "I always forget my bags." And I have too, but once you make the effort initially- it really just becomes habit. It is so much easier to carry and unload groceries with cloth bags. They hold more, they are sturdier and you can put some on your shoulders. As for quick trips to CVS and the local deli. I keep a rolled up bag in my purse. I have 2 favorites- Envirosax and Baggu. Both have chic, sturdy nylon bags in fun colors that roll-up and can stay in your purse. Also, do you know how many times, I'm offered a large plastic bag to carry out my tube of mascara or pack of pencils. Just refuse it, pop the item in your purse or pocket and if you are concerned about looking like you are stealing just carry your receipt out.

Their sites are:

http://baggubag.com/
http://www.envirosax.com/



5. Stop buying bottles of water!
Of course if you are in an airport or a train station and incredibly thirsty- then by all means- go for it. Just bring the bottle home and recycle it. We have a water filter in our refridgerator. You can also get them to hook up to your faucet easily. Invest in a couple good water bottles (that are of course BPA free) and fill it with water before you leave the house. Do this for your kids too and there is no reason why you can't put a reusable water bottle in their lunch box. I know the juice boxes are so easy but filling a water bottle does not take that much more time. My favorite is Klean Kanteen, Camelback and Sigg. Klean Kanteen comes in many different sizes with multiple tops (even sippy tops for toddlers). All of these are available at http://www.reusablebags.com/.
Or check out their individual sites:

http://www.kleankanteen.com/
http://www.mysigg.com/index.asp
http://www.camelbak.com/index.cfm




We also have 2 great carafes or water bottles for your home or office that are chic and useful!



Thanks for reading! More on this topic later. Look out for Eco-Elitist Part 2! Don't forget Earth Day is April 22nd, 2009!