Author: Jennifer Chait

If you have a living Christmas tree this holiday season that’s cool because it’s a green choice. However, if it’s your first living tree you may be wondering how to plant it once the holiday is over.

Below is a video and some tips that can help.

Other tips…

• If you are still considering a living tree for this year or next, make sure to choose a healthy tree if you want a healthy later planting. This means when you buy a tree it should have a healthy and full not droopy look to it, also any living Christmas tree you buy should come with its roots intact and be wrapped in burlap with a ball of earth. The ball of earth should not be frozen at time of purchase. Fir, spruce, and pine holiday trees all are good choices for replanting after the season. Hemlocks are not recommended.
• BEFORE bringing your Christmas tree indoors, transition it first in a cool spot – one that’s warmer than outside, but cooler than insider. Your garage or a solid shed is a good transition spot. Leave your tree there for a few days before you bring it inside to decorate.
• To keep your tree healthy enough to later replant don’t have it inside too long. While some people love having a tree up for a month or more, this is not how to manage a living Christmas tree. Only have it up and decorated inside for about two weeks at most and of course do all the normal things you should to keep a Christmas tree healthy – water regularly, keep it away from heat sources, and use the minimum amount of lights. Christmas lights can dry out the needles.

Do you have a living Christmas tree this year? How is that working out for you?

Post from: Blisstree

How to Replant a Living Christmas Tree

I just heard about this attack of the killer tomatoes issue and it’s really interesting. Some new research has emerged that has found garden variety vegetables (literally) like tomatoes and potatoes are just as capable of killing insects as the Venus fly trap.

According to the Telegraph, botanists recently discovered for the first time that some plants are carnivorous predators who can kill insects in order to “self-fertilize.”

The new research shows that plants such as some species of petunia, ornamental tobacco plants, some varieties of potatoes and tomatoes, and shepherd’s purse can capture and kill small insects via the sticky hairs on their stems. When the insects decay and fall to the ground the plants absorb their nutrients through their roots. So when you’re eating a nice tomato you may also being getting some bug nutrients. I’m wondering what Peta will have to say…

According to scientists working on this research it’s assumed that plants developed this technique while in the wild because soil quality can be lacking in vital nutrients. However, this may not totally be the case because they also found that domestic variety plants, in healthy garden soil, do this as well. The research was done at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, and scientists there note that there may be hundreds more killer plants than previously realized.

The study researchers note, “We are accustomed to think of plants as being immobile and harmless, and there is something deeply unnerving about the thought of carnivorous plants.” I don’t know though. Maybe a HUGE science fiction plant would be unnerving, but otherwise it’s kind of cool to know that some plants can take care of their needs when necessary.

Maybe we’ll all be a little nicer to our tomatoes now though; just in case

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Attack of the killer tomatoes

The fact that Sony Ericsson is releasing two new greener cell phones is great news for me because I LOVE Sony Ericsson phones. When I first got a cell, hmmm, maybe 6-7 years ago (yeah, I jumped on that bandwagon late) I had no clue which phone to choose. I checked out CNET, as I always do when muddled about tech, and one of the good phone reviews in my preferred price range was the Sony Ericsson. I went with it and the darn thing lasted and lasted for years. When I got another about two years ago I went straight for a another Sony Ericsson.

However, this November some freakshow of a human busted through my car windows and stole my phone and I couldn’t find a Sony Ericsson through my carrier so I went with another brand, which I’m not happy with at all. Long story short, I really liked and miss my good old long-lasting Sony Ericsson.

So it may be time for me to make the move back to Sony Ericsson and not just because I can’t stand my new phone. Yesterday Sony Ericsson announced the release of two new slick GreenHeart phones along with the first Bluetooth Noise Shield Handsfree VH700 headeset. This move accents the sustainability practices the company is already working on (yay).

Fortuné Alexander, Global Marketing Director at Sony Ericsson, notes that just because these are “greener” phones though, consumers shouldn’t expect fewer features. Alexander says, “These mobile phones also give consumers a better voice quality experience, with Noise Shield, Clear Voice and Intelligent Volume Adaptation. Both phones offer an easy-to-use social networking experience featuring the Widget Manager application, which allows users access to their social networking page via the stand-by screen and quickly switch between different social networks.”

Both of the fresh new phones, the Sony Ericsson Elm and Sony Ericsson Hazel, have many excellent eco-friendly features that benefit the environment and help reduce CO2 emissions such as…

• Recycled plastics
• E-manual in phone
• Free from hazardous chemicals
• Low power consumption charger (EP300 GreenHeart)
• Walk Mate eco application
• Green calculator
• Minimized packaging

Both phones will be shipped with a GreenHeart personal handsfree; the Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-60J, which is a step towards reaching the 100 per cent GreenHeart accessories goal. PLUS OMG the new phones are so good looking. My favorite is the Sony Ericsson Elm (shown above) which comes in Metal Black or a dreamy Pearly Rose (the pink is way tooooo cute)! The Sony Ericsson Hazel (shown below) is cool too but I’m not sure I’m into slider phones, so I’d go with the Elm – also I like the pink. Hazel comes in Superior Black and Passionate Red.

Learn more about these new green phones and all their features at Sony Ericsson.

[image via Sony Ericsson]

Post from: Blisstree

Sony Ericsson Releasing Two Green Phones

Jonäno and Sami Baby are making it easy to give back to those in need this holiday season with their Get One, Gift One deal. For every Sami Baby eco-friendly baby piece you purchase until December 23rd, Jonäno and Sami Baby will donate a brand new item of baby clothes to the good folks at Dignity U Wear.

Sami Baby organic baby clothing separates and collections feature quality eco fabrics made from organic bamboo and organic cotton crops with sweatshop-free practices. Plus they have the cutest designs. Shown above are some sweet pieces all made with soft viscose of organic bamboo blended with organic cotton. …

• Sami Lap Tee Panda Tan
• Sami Hat Buttercup Yellow
• Sami Sleeper Counting Sheep Petal Pink

Dignity U Wear was founded in April of 2000 by philanthropist and Holocaust survivor, Henri Landwirth. Henri, knowing what it was like to be without the basics, including clothing, founded the program in hopes to create real change in the lives of children and adults in need. Change that restores broken spirits and restores hope, dignity and self-esteem which is why Dignity U Wear distributes only brand new clothes to families in need.

There are many more adorable Sami Baby pieces available including socks, pants, and onesies. Visit Jonäno to see all their goods, plus pick up one of their well-priced items before December 23rd to gift one to a baby in need.

Post from: Blisstree

Get One, Gift One Eco-Baby Clothing

Raising a kid who love the earth isn’t complicated. It’s pretty darn easy except for the very top step which is all about you…

YOU (the parent) has to love nature. Actually love is pushing it, but you should at least like nature, talk about nature, get out into nature yourself, and be invested in keeping the earth healthy. This is the hard part for may parents. Especially busy parents who find it difficult to find the time to get outside. Still, difficult or not, your child will mimic you as he grows, both the good and bad so keep this in mind.

Jump in puddles. Playing outside is not just a sunny day activity. Get your child the gear he needs to tackle the outdoors no matter the weather. Let him jump in puddles, slide in the snow, stomp through hot beach sand and more. Experience nature in all seasons.

Observe and discuss. When outside observe the surroundings. Is there nature? If so what’s good about it? Is there mostly concrete and buildings near you? If so what sucks about that. Your observations help form your child’s opinion about nature so speak up.

Add to the fun. Nature alone is pretty darn fun – just ask an eight-year old skipping rocks in the lake or a toddler with a stick and a daisy. Still you can add to the fun with items like an outdoor tent, a skateboard, some garden seeds, and more. Make being outside just as much fun or more so as sitting inside.

Your house your rules! I rarely pull rank as a parent when it comes to activity. I believe I should respect my son’s decisions about what he wants to play and learn about. That said, nature time is not up for discussion. Kids who get outside regularly are healthier, more fit, and green-minded. I know parents who allow their kids to whine about, “Having to go outside” and then worse let the kids win so no one gets outside and it’s annoying. Most of these kids are overweight and addicted to sitting activities like TV and video games which yeah have their place but not at the expense of your child’s health. If you want a healthy kid, this is one issue you should pull rank on. Kids DO need to get outside and the more you push the issue from an early age the more they’ll learn to enjoy it.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Five simple ways to raise a nature kid

If you’re looking for a totally unique garden gift this year for a fellow gardener, I’d check out Uncommon Goods. They have some traditional garden goods, but also some clever items you may not have seen such as…

The Gnome-Be-Gone is one of my favorite garden structures – it’s amusing, unique and sure to be a garden eye catcher. The set comes with one gnome and two Gnome-Be-Gones.

Vibrant ceramic Shroomies are handmade and each is brilliantly colored and one-of-a-kind. These are not frost-proof though so you’ll have to use them in indoor plants during the winter.

Apple Bird Feeder – A sweet minimalist sustainable bamboo birdfeeder with three perches, a loop for hanging and a skewer to secure an apple.

In the right garden setting this wrecking ball garden sculpture is the perfect cure for boring lawn sculptures.

Recycled Milk Glass Hummingbird Feeder – I love this pretty recycled milk glass feeder which is handmade and good for high-traffic areas as the feeder holds 20 oz. A decanter-style top allows you to refill and clean it easily. Includes instructions and hanging hook.

The one of a kind Reclaimed Army Helmet Planter is an interesting way to reuse an item that has little use plus it’ll last and last. The base is also reclaimed, made with transmission gears.

Post from: Blisstree

Fun & Unique Garden Gifts

The last step in weed control should be chemical herbicides, which are technically pesticides; not healthy for humans or the planet. Better choices for long-term weed control include:

Wrap your mind around management not eradication. Weed elimination in total usually involves chemical weed killers. A better choice is to visit your local extension or talk with a local landscaping expert so that you can learn the difference between actual noxious and harmful weeds vs. non-problematic weeds. Aim to get rid of the noxious weeds, but be realistic about weeds in general – allowing some weeds will not harm your garden but trying to get rid of all weeds with a nasty chemical can harm your health.

Improve your soil. Healthy soil means healthy plants that grow proficiently, leaving less room for weeds. Weeds are more easily pulled out of healthy non-compacted soil as well.

Mulch often. Once you clear weeds out of a specific area of soil, mulching can help prevent weeds from popping up as new plants get established.

Design a weed-control minded garden. Landscaping plans that include multi-layered ground covers crowd out weeds and allow healthy plants to thrive.

In the vegetable garden – Veggie gardens need special weed control because most vegetable gardens have larger spaces of undisturbed soil. Try shallowly cultivating the soil frequently which helps to kill weeds before they pop up.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Plan for long-term weed control

With the holiday shipping time frame running down and your budget probably crunched as well, you may be looking for some last minute green gifts that won’t cost too much (all $25 or under) AND that will still arrive in time for a green Christmas. Following are some excellent choices…

Five Great Green Gifts for Kids

1. $9.35 – The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth: This is an excellent book for kids with few cons. Part of the book was written with help from actual kids and the book is printed on recycled paper with soy inks too! Read my full review.
2. $20.00 – Eco Playdough: All natural art medium for crafty kids made with plant, fruit and veggie extracts. No chemicals, artificial dyes or metals and the containers are made from cornstarch and are 100% compostable. I saw this dough recently at the PDX green fair and it comes in totally brilliant and lovely colors of orange, yellow, green, and pink plus the containers are adorable. Note – the Bamboo Rolling Pin is sold separately.
3. $24.99 – idbids:  These soft toys come in three different styles – Scout the Cloud, Lola the Flower or Waverly the bright blue water drop. Each is handcrafted with 100% organic Egyptian cotton and colored with natural organic dyes. With the purchase of each kit, a child can enter an online code that will help protect the habitats of animal friends through The Nature Conservancy’s Plant A Billion Trees campaign, Adopt an Acre, or Rescue the Reef programs. Each kit comes with an organic cinch sack for the child to wear, a storybook printed on recycled paper with eco-friendly inks and a field guide.
4. $25.00 Wooden Giraffe Block Set: Adorable 16 piece block set in a giraffe drawn wagon. This toy is eco-cute, made with sustainably harvested wood, and finished with non-toxic linseed oil.
5. About $25 or less – Green Toys are made of eco-friendly recycled milk cartons, packaged in recycled cardboard, and provide hours of fun for both boys and girls. Most come in at under $25 a pop too, such as the Eco-Friendly Tea Set (shown above), Tool Kit, Dish Set, Chef Set and Recycling Truck.

Five Lovely Green Gifts for the Ladies

1. $16.00 – Lavender Caramel (6-piece)! Chocolate and lavender; way too girly and neat. Pretty little gift box of organic lavender infused caramels with Fleur du Sel salt.
2. $16.95 – My most favorite lovely reusable water bottles – Earthlust Water Bottles – oh so pretty 20 oz stainless steel bottles that won’t leach chemicals into water and cut down on plastic waste.
3. $24.00 – I’m totally obsessed with the Recycled Glass Pendants by Fanisong. In fact I blog about these often because they’re not only pretty but so unique and eco-friendly. Each handcrafted piece is made from 100% RECYCLED glass and a nature photo. The original photo is fused into the glass, then finished with sterling silver plated bail & ribbon cord. Amazing. The piece shown above is Look up to the Sky but there are many other cool designs available; another good one is Infinite Sphere.
4. $24.99 – Mini-Blossom Hummingbird Feeders: Pretty little feeder made with recycled blown-glass vessels with Flower Feeding Tubes in red glass. These look great in the garden and attract adorable hummingbirds with 4 oz of space for hummingbird nectar. Stakes included for mounting. Plus this purchase helps to support the National Wildlife Federation.
5. $12.21 –Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World: Great book covering lots of juicy green topics that matter to women. Teaches women how their actions, and how they spend their cash can make an eco-difference. Printed on recycled paper. I like this book a lot, but haven’t written a full review. My friend Peggy however has – read her review.

Five Handy Green Gifts for Guys

1. $20.00 – Vintage Record Coasters for the hipster guy in your life. Made with real recycled vinyl records but sealed so moisture won’t seep through to the surface. Comes in a set of six.
2. $19.79 – Whole Green Catalog: 1000 Best Things for You and the Earth: One of the best green living guides I’ve read in a LONG time. Packed with facts for everyone, but especially cool is the focus on green living for both genders. Many of the green books I read are geared toward women. Women will like this book too, but this one has facts for the guys as well. Read my full review.
3. $20.00 – Stonees All Natural Building Blocks: These rocks are meant to be a child’s building toy, but they’re also fun stress relief for adults when placed in a workspace. Build peaceful structures with these rock blocks made from crushed North American rocks and all-natural non-toxic pigments. Stonees are organic and smooth, and come in fun stacking shapes – square, triangular and cylindrical. Great for a workday break and good conversation starter too.
4. $14.99 – Wilson Rebound Fade-Green Basketball: This ball is Wilson’s first “green” product made from 40% Recycled Rubber and comes in a box made with 80% pre and post consumer board. Not bad on the eco scale and gets your guy outside and keeps him in shape.
5. $12.50 each – Green Family Kitchen Tools: A fun set of kitchen tools for a guy who loves to cook. All of these green family tools are made with a recycled plastic and wood blend for an attractive, functional, and eco-friendly design. At the end of a tool’s life-cycle, it can be recycled too. Way more fun than typical kitchen tools.

Five Cool Green Gifts for Co-Workers, Pals, or Family

1. $5.72 – NRDC: Simple Steps Deck: A Healthy Home. A Healthy Planet. 50 Easy Actions:  This handy little deck of green living cards fits perfectly into a stocking and is printed on recycled paper. Great for folks new to green living. Read my full review.
2. $8.75 – Down To Earth Cookie Cutter Set – Celestial: Great hostess gift or last minute gift for a baker. BPA-free set of ten cute planetary-inspired foodgrade stainless steel cookie cutters that can be used for kid’s playdough or for real cookie dough. Sturdy and log-lasting plus comes in a compact storage tin.
3. $18.95 – “I Am Not A Paper Cup” – Thermal Porcelain Mug: Funny  and the perfect green gift for a co-worker or pal who loves organic coffee.
4. $24.00 – Beeswax Holiday Glass Gift Set: Pretty little candles made with natural beeswax and essential oils. three 3 oz votive glass candles included in the set (each burns for 24 hours) in holiday scents of Spice (Sweet Orange, Cinnamon & Clove Bud), Pine (Rosewood, Spruce & Fir) and Mint (Peppermint & Birch).
5. $25.00 – Plantable Seed Calendar 2010: This is the perfect green co-worker gift; handmade pages embedded with wildflower seeds so after each month the recipient can plant away with no paper waste. Comes in a reusable tin as well.

Post from: Blisstree

20 Last Minute Green Gifts Under $25!

The November/December/January 2009-2010 issue of Organic Gardening magazine is running a special feature with award-winning author Michael Pollan. In the special exclusive interview, Pollan speaks candidly about what’s truly organic, First Lady Michelle Obama, what he sees for the future beyond organic, what’s missing from our food chain, and discusses the question, “Can organic feed the world?.”

If you haven’t checked out the issue yet here are some cool select quotes from Michael Pollan’s interview. with Organic Gardening:

Pollan on what’s truly organic…

“Organic is in danger of being co-opted. I’ve been on organic factory farms, and if most organic consumers went to those places, they would feel they were getting ripped off. I think organic risks a real crisis of perception if the values that they’re selling don’t accurately reflect the practices they’re engaging in. They’re organic by the letter, not organic in spirit.”

Pollan on First Lady Michelle Obama…

“The future is [people] really making the connections between food and energy and climate change, and food and health care. Watch what Michelle Obama is doing. That’s really important stuff: her emphasis on fresh food. She talks about organic, but she [also] talks about fresh. Basically, getting away from processed food is key. And if you’re eating produce, and it’s not organic, it’s a big step up from eating processed food. All these partial steps are very important.”

Pollan on the question: Can organic feed the world?

“…Even if you can’t feed the world organically, and I don’t know that you can’t—there are very good arguments that you can—even if you just feed half the world organically, you’d be doing so much for the land, so much for our health, so much for the atmosphere, that it’s well worth doing. So the fact that you might not be able to get all the way does not damn the effort to try. And so I don’t think people should be discouraged by that.”

“But ‘can organic feed the world?’ is a question really up for grabs. The honest answer is, we don’t know. I’ve seen research that suggests with really smart rotations and cover cropping there is enough nitrogen to do it. I also think that if we changed our relationship to meat, we probably could.”

Pollan on if he prefers local foods to organic foods…

“No, I don’t. I support local, because in my experience here in California, local is organic…But if I were a supermarket shopper I would, because you can’t meet farmers face to face and you don’t really know what they’re doing, so to the extent people depend on the supermarket and are not interested in the farmers’ market, we need organic. If people are willing to put in more time and like the farmers’ market experience—because it is more than food that’s on offer there—[then] local, definitely.”

The whole “Can organic feed the world question” is a big deal right now with recent slams on organic by the media and Michael Mack, chief executive of Syngenta, a Swiss agribusiness giant that makes pesticides and seeds. Mack noted, “Organic food is not only not better for the planet… it is categorically worse.”  The piece on Mack was run in the New York Times and one of his issues was that organic can’t feed the world, which may have some truth to it, but is not 100% by any means and the theory hasn’t been tested. I like Pollan’s take on that – the whole we haven’t tried, and if we did it would so much better in the long run for the planet and our health and so on. Very cool.

Find the full article “A Conversation with Michael Pollen” in the November-January 2010 issue of Organic Gardening Magazine.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Author Michael Pollan on Organic Food

The 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) is a week in and so far there have been hundreds of protesters arrested during violent demonstrations and in better news actually some progress made with UN climate conference, Connie Hedegaard giving a midway conference status update on Saturday, saying that “We have made considerable progress over the course of the first week“.

Since we’re halfway in, now is a great time to catch up on the event and make sure you don’t miss what’s coming next. Check out the following Climate Change Conference resources for week 2.

Visit the official 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) website and view a calender of events, conference FAQ, climate facts, blogs and more. You can also view their webcast, follow what others are saying and blogging about via COP15 Twitter or catch the action on Facebook.

The New York Times, as you might have expected, has excellent conference web coverage dedicated to news from the Climate Talks. There’s a round-up of events, a multimedia section, and a whole lot more. Best of all you can submit your questions about the conference to Times’s reporters Andy Revkin and Tom Zeller Jr., both of whom are on the ground covering the talks, the protests, so fourth. If you submit your questions now there’s a chance the reporters will answer your question in a video feature early next week.

Read the first six days round-up.

Visit One Climate to see live-streaming news of the event.

Learn about the 5 issues you should be watching for at the conference plus see how the first week went.

Shea Gunther over at MNN discusses one of the most pertinent questions of the conference – “Do nations who have enjoyed the economic benefits of centuries of polluting owe a debt to now-developing countries they’re asking to grow greener?” A short but nice piece.

Which media have you been frequenting while following COP15 news?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Stay up to date on Copenhagen week two

Pretty green home goods are all around us and many are hyper useful for your green home too. Some excellent looking (and useful for cleaning) green home goods include…

Composting is awesome; composting eliminates waste from the garbage can, saves you cash on your garbage bill, and allows you to grow a lovely garden full of flowers and yummy veggies. However, if you live in a smaller place or just don’t like the typical large and usually unattractive compost bins on the market than this Bamboo Compost Pail is a nice change. Features include a generous 1 gallon capacity, dishwasher-safe removable liner and comes with a set of charcoal filters that help contain odors.

For hand soap that looks as good as it works while staying free of harmful chemicals try Method Hand Washes. Tear drop bottles and lively colors make this soap more fun to use and look great even in a stylish kitchen. Available in cucumber, french lavender, pink grapefruit, sweet water and sea minerals.

SKOY is an absorbent, biodegradable and natural multi-use cloth that you can use to clean all areas of the home with, BUT it’s also attractive. Unlike paper towels SKOY saves trees being made of a natural cotton and wood-based cellulose pulp that’s chlorine free and 100% biodegradable in five weeks. Colored SKOY cloths are made with water-based inks. SKOY cloths, also unlike paper towels, are reusable and just one SKOY cloth replaces the use of an amazing 15 rolls of paper towels in an average home.

While maybe not “pretty” the green-minded Bissell’s Little Green can surely be categorized as one of themore adorable vacuums on the market. This eco-friendly vacuum features PVC free tanks and hose, a carton that contains a minimum of 75% recycled materials, and formulas for use in the Bissell Green contain biodegradable detergents and have no phosphates, dyes, optical brighteners or heavy metals plus carry the EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) certification, which is recognized for safer chemistry. Also on a pretty note the Little Green’s small size means you can tuck it away out of sight, and we all know hidden cleaning goods is better for the home on an attractiveness level.

Post from: Blisstree

Green Cleaning Products Go Pretty!

Technically there are a lot more than 12 chemicals you should aim to avoid but if you’re new to green living or just need a good place to focus, choosing 12 baddies is a smart way to start being more green with your personal care products.

Skin Deep notes that eight excellent toxic baddies in cosmetics and personal care items to avoid include:

1. DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea – linked to allergies, toxic contaminants and more
2. Fragrance and dyes – Skin Deep notes that allergies, cancer, and nervous system issues can arise with use of these, but my major problem is that the terms are so vague. If a company just writes, “Fragrance” on a bottle it could mean anything. Not cool.
3. Methylchloroisothiazolinone – allergies, problems with nervous system.
4. Parabens or “-paraben” – all of the paraben family has been shown to mimic female hormones, and linked to endocrine disruption, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), possibly cancer, and more
5. “PEG” and “-eth” – cancer, organ system toxicity, and more.
6. Sodium lauryl or laureth – Developmental/reproductive toxicity, cancer, and yup, more.
7. Triclosan and triclocarban – lots o’ issues.
8. Triethanolamine (TEA)

The ingredients above may be found in items like shampoo; conditioner; moisturizer; exfoliating scrubs; body wash/cleanser; styling gel/lotion; facial moisturizer/treatment; lip gloss; facial cleanser; anti-aging products; liquid hand soap; hair coloring products; bubble bath; shaving cream; mascara and oh so much more.

Don’t worry, if you can’t remember all these chemical names off the top of your head, Skin Deep offers a shopping guide (pdf) you can download for free then take along in your wallet.

Four more icky ingredients to avoid include…

• Talc – seems harmless enough but is a proven carcinogen (even the cosmetic grade talc). It’s been linked to ovarian cancer, possibly tumors in the lungs, and has caused tumors in research animals.
• BHA
• Formaldehyde
• Petrolatum – comes from nonrenewable crude oil – do you really want that on your body?

Sigh. The cosmetic and beauty care companies really don’t care about your health. Of that I can assure you. To see what I mean take the “How do your baby products stack up challenge“  – it’ll work for adult products too.

Learn more about safe products and habits:

• Eco-friendly makeup brushes & accessories
• Color your hair green!
• How To Choose Greener Body Products
• Less expensive organic beauty products

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

12 cosmetic ingredients to avoid

Yesterday we looked at how to expose your kids to gardening early. Today as promised some pint-sized tools that will help grow your child’s love of gardening.

Why invest in kid-sized gardening tools?

• Kids love having their own gear for tasks and hobbies.
• Personal garden gear is a super way to entice your child into participating in the garden.
• Kid-sized tools are smaller and easier for little ones to handle than adult sized tools.
• Kid tools and gear tend to be brightly colored which translates to “easy to find” when your tot half buries his shovel or puts his gloves down to go chase a butterfly.

One of the best places ever to score adorable kids garden gear is at the New York Botanical Garden’s Shop. They’ve got it all from cool Kids’ Watering Cans to a complete Kids’ Garden Gear Set to brightly colored Kids’ Garden Hand Tools and so much more.

Rain boots or garden shoes – Hatley has many cute styles of rainy day / muddy garden boots just for kids such as Dinosaur Rubber Boots, Stars Kids Rain Boots, Strawberry Picnic Kids Rain Boots and more.

Kid’s Garden Apron.

Kid sized garden gloves.

Learn how kids can make a garden journal.

Let your kids get started with gardening indoors now with the very cool Green Toys Indoor Gardening Kit by Green Toys – made with recycled milk containers. Good for younger kids.

Grab a good garden book or two that are especially for little ones such as Green Thumbs: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening, Kids’ Container Gardening: Year-Round Projects for Inside and Out, or Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children.

Kids’ gardening gifts are perfect for the upcoming holidays or anytime of year to inspire participation in the garden. Are you planning on any holiday garden gifts for your kids?

Post from: Blisstree

The best kid-sized gardening tools

Your oven is not the same sort of energy hog as your dryer or fridge but it can use more energy than it should. Here are some reasons why your oven may be increasing both your energy use and your electricity bill…

You’re a food checker – and not the kind in the store. Peeking in on baking goods is a great way to allow perfectly good energy to escape. In fact the NRDC notes that opening the oven door to look at cooking food can waste as much as 25% of the heat inside an oven. That’s a lot and it adds up. Don’t peek, instead use the oven light. If you don’t have on, open the door very rarely.

You always preheat and cook until the timer says stop. Unless I’m making baked goods I rarely preheat. Most ovens heat super speed nowadays so preheating is wasted energy in my opinion. I usually put the food in, cook, then turn the oven off about 5-10 minutes early. If you leave the door shut your food will continue to cook.

You’re a clean freak. Cleaning your oven is smart, because clean appliances run better. However, if you’re so clean-minded that you cover your oven racks with foil you’re one, wasting foil and two food doesn’t cook as fast when heat is blocked by foil. Ovens are easy to clean without chemicals even if you skip the foil. Simply sprinkle a little salt on a hot oven spill, let it cool, then wipe it up with a wet cloth.

You cook one little thing. One potato to bake is no reason to turn on an oven. A microwave or toaster oven is a better bet for single items when it comes to energy savings.

Your gaskets are too loose. Gaskets are located between the panels on the oven door (or on the frame). If you can feel heat escaping from the oven door then you need to tighten or replace your gaskets. This is a DIY project BUT make sure you unplug the oven before fixing them.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Reduce oven energy loss

Vaska herbatergent is making a switch to greener packaging which is a smart move in my opinion as it will help convince eco-savvy shoppers to use their laundry detergent. I actually like Vaska a lot. It’s one of my two current favorite green laundry detergents.

However, one of my issues with them when I first tried it was their packaging. The packaging wasn’t actually terrible before. The bottles of Vaska are made with from up to 50 percent post-consumer content, and can be recycled in most major cities. Both the bottle and lid carry a recycling reminder which is awesome (and rarer than you might think among green companies). That said, I think people are more likely to recycle cardboard so I noted that it’d be nice if a box option was offered.

Now though they’re offering newly packaged detergent at Sam’s Club Stores in California and Nevada. The new greener package called, Jerribox, consists of a plastic bag contained within a 50% post-consumer recycled paperboard exterior. The Jerribox saves approximately 62%* plastic usage compared to the plastic bottles that are currently the industry standard.

In addition to the Jerribox, Vaska’s laundry line includes 48 oz and 96 oz lavender scented and unscented herbatergent, oxybleach (non-chlorine), herbasoft fabric softener and spotoff spot remover. Many of Vaska’s products carry the EPA’s DfE seal and all are biodegradable and gray water safe.

I’d be WAY more likely to buy Vaska in the new packaging since it cuts down on even more waste. Also cool to note, back when I first reviewed this detergent, the company told me that they’re working on a powder too. Right now the only downside is that the new packaging seems to only be available at Sam’s Club, but Vaska does plan to make the Jerribox available to other retailers in 2010.

Visit Vaska to learn more.

Post from: Blisstree

Vaska detergent moves to greener packaging

The other day I was talking about my ability to kill off houseplants with ease by forgetting to water them and some ideas I came up with that might help me beat this issue. Then I told an offline pal about this and they mentioned another solution – a terrarium. I’ve seen terrariums but never tried them and had no clue that they’re almost maintenance free because they look involved. However, after a little research I found out that they’re not THAT involved and better yet, if set up correctly, a terrarium can go months without you remembering to water it.

Basically, in case you’re new to the idea, a terrarium is it’s own little ecosystem inside a glass container with plants or a single plant, rocks, pebbles, potting mix, and other nature items. The closed glass system is why it’s low water. Condensation from the water you add when you make it builds up on the glass and cycles back (a little like rain) into the soil over and over so you won’t have to water again for a good long while.

You can make your own homemade terrarium or buy one – see some examples of store-bought ones below…

• Anchor Hocking 1-Gallon Terrarium
• Small Wardian Case
• Glass Dome Bell Jar Cloche Terrarium with Terra Cotta Base
• Coventry Terrarium

Terrarium.com has a bunch of good info about terrariums to get you started. From this site I learned that there are open and closed options plus they’ve got a list of plants that do well in a terrarium; for example Miniature African Violets, Moss, Creeping Charlie, Ardesia and many others.

I looked around for a book about the topic and the most recommended I found is The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature. I haven’t read this book yet, but it looks really nice. There are tons of chapters on all things terrarium and the pictures are lovely.

If you’re interested in creating your own terrarium but don’t want to get a whole book on the topic check out Real Simple’s guide How to Create a No-Fuss Garden which covers various terrarium projects from start to finish and offers care tips and beautiful images.

I think my son might like to make one; since he’s on holiday vacation soon it might be a great holiday project. Have you ever planted a terrarium? How did it turn out?

Post from: Blisstree

The low-water indoor garden

Leftover holiday goods from last year (or even this year) can easily be turned into fun holiday decor for the season. You save an item from the landfill and crafting items from recycled goodies saves money.

This month you’ve probably got some large tin cans hanging around – especially if you’ve been making pies in bulk with canned goods. This is the perfect opportunity to make lovely homemade Recycled Holiday Luminaries.

You’ve got lots of choices about how to reuse scrap gift wrap from last year. I was thinking you could make some adorable recycled cereal box houses, then dress them up for the holidays. Not only a cute idea, but something the kids could totally help with. You can make beautiful recycled gift wrap scrap cards. You can also create paper Christmas trees with recycled construction then cover them with ornaments made from recycled gift wrap.

Lastly you can use small scraps of recycled gift wrap around drink glasses at your holiday party or gathering. People can write their names on their cup without marking the glass and more easily tell them apart.

One of my favorite craft ideas is the Illuminated Wreath (shown above) that I saw at Real Simple. Grab a wire wreath frame and an old set of lights and you’re good to go. I realize the downside is the energy use, but you can limit that by unplugging this wreath at night when everyone heads off to bed.

A great useful reuse craft is to turn old holiday greeting cards into brand new gift boxes – seriously these are awesome and gift boxes can be expensive so this solves two issues.

What holiday reuse ideas do you have?

[Wreath Image via Real Simple; Homemade luminary image via:http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckmann/ / CC BY 2.0]

Post from: Blisstree

Recycle Holiday Goods Into New Decor

If you’re looking for a rocking horse for the holidays that’s outside of the rocking horse box then why not go with a more cheery holiday moose!

The EKORRE Rocking Moose from Ikea is made of eco-friendly rubberwood and birch but at just $$39.99, this toy costs much less than most rubberwood toys. Of course rocking is one of those great developmental skills for kids – working both their sense of balance and allows them to sort out sensory impressions. Plus rocking is soothing for many kids.

This toy is not available online though. If you’d like this cheerful red moose for the holidays check at your local Ikea store.

Post from: Blisstree

Eco-friendly EKORRE Rocking Moose

It’s December, a month when people start thinking about their New Year’s resolutions. This year you might want to cut out all the losing weight, eating better, and saving money resolutions and just choose one good resolution that takes care of all of these issues – grow a garden.

Gardens are healthy, encourage smart eating habits, and can save you money. For example…

A study (pdf) done at Texas A & M University shows that patients in hospitals with gardens gain major benefits simply from looking at the garden. The study points out that simply “Viewing nature settings can produce significant restoration within less than five minutes as indicated by positive changes, for instance, in blood pressure, heart activity, muscle tension, and brain electrical activity.” Furthermore people exposed to exposed to plants and nature settings experience ower levels of fear and anger, and report far higher levels of positive feelings.

Gardening is an active task and when done correctly can be a workout but it’s also been shown to be a relaxing active activity that can significantly lower blood pressure in people with hypertension and prehypertension and even fights osteoporosis.

Other experts note that fresh produce is superior to frozen or non-local because over time, vitamin stability decreases. Temperature changes, air and artificial light exposure all rob fruits and vegetables of nutrients which is why your homegrown garden produce is going to be a healthier bet than the stuff sitting around at the supermarket.

Youth who garden grow stronger nature appreciation skills which can lead to smarted green living. Youth also gain hands on skills, gain engaging connections to academics, introduces them to healthful foods, plus research has shwon that kids who spend time in green spaces have reduced symptoms of attention-deficit disorder, obesity and ADHD. Community gardens provide a great way for kids to  improve and give back to the community.

Based on the above it makes sense to put a stop to all the other resolutions and just have one simple garden resolution. If you’ve got a little bit of land why not plan on growing a garden this spring?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Your New Year’s Garden Resolution

Today I’ve got a book review for you. This is a eco-minded, nature focused book that would make a nice gift for little ones who are too entrenched in the digital era.

BOOK: The Looking Book by P.K. Hallinan, published by Ideals Children’s Books (October 2009)

COST: Hardcover, $16.99 list price but you can find a sweeter deal at Amazon.

AGES: 4-8

ABOUT THE BOOK: From the publishers, “A delightful story that encourages children to put down the TV remotes and video-game controllers and take a look at the wonder of the world around them… author P.K. Hallinan uses lively rhyming verse to entice children to delight in the wonders of the world around them. Given a pair of ‘lookers’ by their mom, two boys soon realize that the lookers aren’t needed at all. They just need to take the time to step outside, and they will see how much fun they can have.”

Excerpt below:

WHAT I THINK:

Reviewers included my son Cedar and me. There were things to love about this book and a few cons. First the pros. The book does have lovely rhyming text (think A LOT like Dr. Seuss) that little kids will find appealing and parents will find fun to read aloud. The book has a major focus on enjoying nature vs. sitting around inside watching TV or playing video games which I like. There was also an adventure feeling to the book with the main characters hunting down all sorts of cool new nature things to see.

The children characters in the book, Mikey and Kenny, were cute and likable, although I would have liked to see a girl character as well vs. two boys. Boys, in my experience, are more likely to play outside without coaxing and studies show that girls really benefit from green spaces.

The artwork was charming and full of cool nature shots. Plus, for art in a book it was actually very mobile – i.e. active. I liked the busy aspect and the fact that all the pages had numerious nature items to look at and discover.

The age target is right on I think. Cedar is eight years old but closer to nine. He liked the book because he’s a nature fan but he would have liked this book more last year I’m guessing. I’d say this book is good for kids 8 and under.

The cons:

• The book is not printed on recycled paper – which would have been an organic thing to do with a book of this nature.
• The mama in the book stays inside instead of heading out with the kids. I’m not sure why this irked me, but it did. In my opinion nature loving parents raise nature loving kids. For me the impact would have been better had the whole family gone out outside exploring together. I think that one small change would help encouraged parents in the right direction.

OVERALL SCORE:

3.5 little trees. The book automatically loses one point for not being printed on recycled paper, and another half point because I felt a girl character and more parent interaction would have been cool. Overall though, this is a nice book about kids in nature and would be especially good for a kid who is not very interested in heading outside. This book might help encourage them in that direction.

I’d check it out at the library or if you do want to purchase The Looking Book for the holidays without guilt about the non-recycled pages visit Eco-Libris where you can offset the books you buy.

Other opinions – Sierra Club listed the Looking Book in their nature books for kids round-up and the Celebrate Green gals, who I adore actually gave The Looking Book a similar review to mine.

*See my green product review criteria.

Post from: Blisstree

Ignite Nature Love with The Looking Book