Ten Things You Should Never Buy Again

1. Styrofoam cups - Also go to the coffee shops, restaurants, etc. you frequent and ask the manager to consider alternatives to styrofoam use.

2. Paper Towels - Invest in some dishtowels you love & re-use over and over.

3. Bleached coffee filters (or anything bleached, with bleach or BLEACH!)

4. Overpackaged foods & other products - make single servings yourself.

5. Teak and mahogany - look for FSC certified wood.

6. Chemical pesticides and herbicides.

7. Conventional household cleaners - safer alternatives available CHEAPER at http://budurl.com/egtq

8. Higher octane gas than you need.

9. Toys made with PVC plastic.

10. Plastic forks, spoons, etc.

Celebrate a "green" Valentine's Day!

Here are some great ideas I found at www.greenlivingtips.com to help you "green" your Valentine's Day!

- Purchase cards made from recycled or tree-free paper.

- Consider sending an e-card instead using one of the many quality services around.

- Look for fair trade and/or organic chocolate.

- Choose organic and/or locally grown flowers.

- Make a donation to an environmental organization on behalf of your loved one.

- If you wish to give jewelry, consider pre-owned or purchasing from jewelers who are certified to be sourcing precious metals and gemstones in an ecologically responsible way.

- For clutter-free gifts, buy the person a gift certificate for a massage, naturopath, or spa.

- Arrange dinner at a local restaurant specializing in organic or locally grown food. Eating locally cuts down on food miles.

- Go for a hike, visit a park or book a weekend retreat in a wildlife reserve, park or natural area. Your business will help support the running of such establishments.

- Give natural perfumes and fragrances, or essential oils. Popular mainstream fragrances are chemical cocktails. By buying natural fragrances, you'll be showing you not only care for the environment, but the person's health.

Here's a good one for the guys - instead of buying a card, make one using recycled or natural materials :). It's pretty unique when you think about it; after all, how many guys would go to that trouble? I reckon you'll score incredible points with that one as long as your wife/girlfriend has a green streak ;).

~ "Green" Your Holiday ~

Between Thanksgiving & Christmas Americans create over 2 BILLION tons of trash. Reduce your impact with these tips:

• Decrease or eliminate wrapping paper - use reusable gift bags or get creative & use things you already have around the house (Remember the comics as wrapping paper? How about maps, brown paper bags the kids decorate with stickers or stamps, or cloth remnants?)
• Decrease the number of gifts you give or give gifts that require no packaging, like a donation through www.heifer.org or your local charity.
• Use the nice china & crystal for your meals & eliminate disposables. Make washing the dishes part of the party!
• Use reusable bags whenever you can. I like this website www.reusablebags.com. They have tons of great reusable products, not just bags!
• No waste greeting card options include sending e-cards, or check out www.reproduct.net. (I know it's a little late for Christmas cards, so how about Happy New Year's cards?)
  
• Recycle everything you possibly can!

Happy Holidays & best wishes for an amazing New Year!

~Environmentally Responsible "Keen" Giveaway~

Enter to win a brand new pair of Keen shoes at Absolutely Bananas:

http://www.absolutelybananas.com/2008/12/giveaway-have-your-way-with-keen.html

Make sure to visit the Keen website for more about how they are working to protect the planet!

~ Plastics: Know The Code ~

"4, 5, 1, 2. All the rest aren't good for you."

We've all heard various reports about what plastics are safe for what. Because plastic is used so much in our society, it's important to know how and when to use it, and what is recyclable.

Remember just because it has the little triangular "recycle" symbol on the bottom does not necessarily mean it can be recycled in your community, or even at all. Check with your local trash hauler or recycling center about what they take, and if they truly recycle it or just dump it.

The biggest concerns right now are with Phthalates. Phthalates are used in PVC plastic, which is used to make the #3 plastics. They have been linked with genital abnormalities in animals that are now among THE MOST COMMON BIRTH DEFECTS IN AMERICAN MALE BABIES.

Another concern is with #7 plastics, Polycarbonate. A substance called "Bisphenol A" seeps out of the #7 plastics when it is heated or exposed to acids. It mimics the effect of estrogen and has been linked to prostate cancer and pre-cancerous tissue in animal studies. Low doses can cause chromosomal abnormalities in human uterine cells. The European Union has banned 3 kinds of phthalates from products for children. Some are also banned in the city of San Francisco. Many manufacturers in the US have voluntarily removed phthalates from their products, including Mattel & Nalgene.

But you do need to watch because they are still out there, and may be lurking in your kitchen cabinets. "Today there are no babies born without measurable levels of phthalates," according to Dr. Shanna Swan of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.

Here is a guide to the plastic numbers, examples of what they are used for, and if they are safe for food:

#1 PET, PETE Soft drink, water, juice, peanut butter, pickle jars Safe for food
#2 HDPE Milk, water, juice, shampoo, detergent, plastic bags Safe for food
#3 PVC Hard packaging, various containers, PHTHALATES NO FOR FOOD
#4 LDPE Squeeze bottles, garbage bags; shrink wrap Safe for food
#5 PP Yogurt, margarine tubs; take out containers Safe for food
#6 Polystyrene Styrofoam Cups, plates; polystyrene is a neurotoxin NO FOR FOOD
#7 Other Polycarbonate w/Bisphenol A; bottles, sippy cups NO FOR FOOD

Be informed. This is recent research. Keep in mind that plastics are man-made chemicals that are fairly new in the big scheme of things. Use with caution!

Some great alternatives are glass and stainless steel containers. A website I have found immensely helpful is http://www.reusablebags.com.

More to come soon!

Weekly Eco-Tip: Reduce Your Impact!

Quick & easy things you can do today to reduce your impact on Mother Earth!

1. Use reusable bags when you shop, or reuse your plastic/paper bags: you only need to reuse a bag 11 times before you've helped reduce the environmental impact of disposable bags. (I like http://www.reusablebags.com)

2. Use cold water on 2 loads that you would have used hot water on this week. You'll reduce your emissions by 550 pounds. (My company researched & developed a patent-pending laundry detergent that is biodegradable, safe for everyone in your family AND saves you money. Contact me & I'll let you know how you can get some! www.MommyJob.com)

3. Recycle aluminum cans. Have your kids do it as a way to make a little cash! Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV set for three hours, or the energy equivalent of a half gallon of gasoline.

(Do you have a great tip? Let me know & I may include it in my next post!)

Weekly Eco-Tip: Saving Plastic!

Weekly Eco-Tip: Did you know that if you took all the Gatorade bottles sold in the last 6 years, they would stretch around the Earth 143 times?

And the fuel spent hauling around that water & plastic equals about 340,000,000 gallons, enough to fuel almost 1 million households for an entire year?

Choose healthier, more environmentally friendly options (ask me about our company's sports drink that mixes easily, tastes great, has fewer calories & more nutrition, & costs less) PLUS re-use your own containers!