Green is Her New Blog

Go Green: Go Eco Beauty

2011-04-26T03:47:00.015-04:00

Hellooooooooooooooo bloggers!!

Long time no see! Sorry I've been SO out of touch lately!! But I have been doing a LOT OF RESEARCH and testing a lot of different kinds of beauty products. And would love to share a few thoughts.

I'm aiming to go organic with my skin care routine - I've already started off with investing Burt's Bees, Aesop (an australian high end beauty line but I recently discovered that they use Denatured alcohol in their produce, which is toxic, so it's going off my list now), Becca (my recent discovery of this great australian beauty line and I'm still loving it). I'm actively trying to clean out all the chemical products and samples that I constantly get from friends and family.

Here's my list of organic skincare products:

Burt's Bees
Becca
Jurlique (though it's a bit too mild for me)
The UN-petroleum Jelly
L'Occitane (and have fun with their "find your ballerina look" online tool!)

They're awesome. I will vouch for them.

Of course there are a lot more organic products - click here and here. I haven't had a chance to try any of those yet.

While we're on the topic of beauty products, I've discovered a NEW nail polish that is organic and vegan!! The product line is called SpaRitual and it doesn't have the horrid chemical smell, and it's so gentle that you can wear it if you're pregnant! They also come in amazin gorgeous colours! I just tried on the shade called "Dreams Become Reality". And I'm totally in love it! I've also tried an orange red at my beauty nail salon. It's just wonderful to pamper yourself with the best and finest - the organics!

As for skin care routines, I've been watching a lot of different youtube videos on best ways to do makeup on my own at home. And I fell in love with Kandee Johnson, a celebrity make-up artist in L.A. and her generous tips on how-tos. She's a mother of four children, and she looks AMAZING. So I really appreciate her insightful know-hows, down-to-earth practical tips, and adorable upbeat personality.

Honestly, I had no idea women worldwide spend so much time, money, thoughts, and efforts into taking care of their skin. It's a LOT of work, but truly - we are worth it. I'm following skincare routines according to the products available to me (and there are A LOT of products I'm just getting familiar to).

I am now on a rampage trying to update my skincare regime with PETROLEUM-FREE products.

For a few months now, everyday I wake up and I get into doing a quick "natural" makeup routine. It takes me about 10 to 15 minutes (took me a while to get used to it, and I was wearing too much makeup at one point - almost stage-makeup look, so I had to tone down.) Now in 15 minutes, my makeup includes 1. primer, foundation/concealer, setting powder, 2. eyeshadow techniques with highlighting, and 3. lipgloss... Sometimes I wear eyeliners. I'm really enjoying looking my finest. And here in Hong Kong, I'm always on the run, and I hate it when my makeup just slide off by mid-day, and look terrible with melted makeup on. This routine really allows my makeup to stick to my face for over 12 hours. It's like wearing a beautiful mask to protect my face from the intense pollutants.

I really like Michelle Phan's tips on "Tightline" eye-lining. It's very natural to the point where it's no eye-liner look.

Now that's natural.

So another reason to be green, is not just for love of our earth, but love for ourselves.

xoxo
CK

A Green TV Show for Kids

2010-04-20T23:39:00.000-04:00

One of Little One's favourite TV shows is dirtgirlworld. I have to admit, that when we first started watching the show a few months ago, Dirtgirl really annoyed me. However, the music and lessons in each episode have kind of grown on me. My 17 ,month old really loves the show.

In one episode (entitled "SLUGS"), Dirt Girl teaches kids how to discourage slugs from eating the lettuce in her garden...naturally. She calls upon all the "green thumbs"/viewers to practice using crushed egg shells, onion water, hay, Nasturtiums, or a sandpaper doughnut (sandpaper cut into a circle and to be put around the plants) to ward off slugs. She also says, if all else fails, give the slugs their own lettuce patch to feast on so that they leave your lettuce alone!

What a great way to teach young children about gardening, the environment, animals, and even insects!

"My best worst bug is still the slug."

Brown Baggin' It For Lunch

2010-02-07T23:38:00.006-05:00

Thinking of an eco-friendly way to have lunch? Tired of all those disposable dishes and cutlery from fast food joints on your lunch break? Not happy with all the wasteful packaging in your kids' packed lunches?

Here's a great way to bring homemade lunches to fill hungry tummies AND tread lightly on the earth at the same time.Laptop Lunches: A cool, fashionable, waste-free way to bring lunch to work or school. Available in several different colours and designs.

From the Garden to the Table

2009-04-06T14:28:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone! Spring is here and I'm so excited! Spring brings on the beautiful weather, flowers, birds...and it's also time to start thinking of what you're going to plant in your garden. Having your own garden (and even some of my best friends in the city have patio or rooftop gardens since some of them live in apartments or condos) is a fantastic way to enjoy your own fruits and veggies, save a bit of money, and be green :) Just thought I'd share some recipes you can try:

Because we try to be as "green" as we can, we try to grow a lot of our own produce and we try to buy locally whenever we can. We are fortunate to a) live on a farm where we can grow most of our veggies and fruits, and b) live on an island where there are lots of farmers' markets and local growers.

Buying locally is so important because we not only support local farmers, but we also cut shipping and fuel costs, and reduce our carbon footprint. There is a long list of reasons why buying locally has its benefits. I may ask Hubby to blog about it on here when he gets a chance.

Here are two things that I made "from the garden to the table" (or perhaps I should say "from the garden to freezer to table!"):

Asparagus and Zucchini Ribbons Salad
We have lots and lots of asparagus in our garden(s) and my MIL and my Dad both grow zucchini (so I didn't bother planting any zucchini last year). This recipe is an adaptation of FoodNetworks' Giada De Laurentiis' Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi. I didn't have any shaved Pecorino Romano, so I just omitted it. I'm sure it would have added a lovely zip to the dish, but it tasted just as delicious without it.

Raspberry-Apple-Rhubarb Pie Because we have an abundance of raspberries, apples and rhubarb on our farm, I had to figure out as many ways of using them in recipes.

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cup shortening

6-7 tablespoons of cold water

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

4 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

1 medium cooking apple, peeled and shredded (about 3/4 cup)

1-2 tablespoon of milk
2-3 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Directions
1. In a medium bowl stir together the 2 cups all-purpose flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the shortening until pieces are pea-size.

2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to sides of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, until all of the dough is moistened.

3. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball.

4.On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the pastry into a 12-inch circle, line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry.

5. Trim pastry 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry.

6. Line pastry with double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack. On a lightly floured surface, roll remaining pastry into a 12-inch circle.

8. Using a 2- to 3-inch cutter, cut pastry into desired shapes(leaves are a nice choice), cover cutouts loosely; set aside. I used snowflake cutters from Watkins, but Hubby said they looked more like stars when they came out.

9. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons flour and stir in rhubarb, raspberries, and apple.

10. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until fruit begins to juice out then increase heat to medium and cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

11. Transfer to the baked pie shell. Brush edge of pie with milk and place pastry cutouts over fruit filling and around the edge of the pie.

12. Brush pastry cutouts with milk and, if desired, sprinkle with sugar.

13. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown, cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

Save the Earth. Drink Beer.

2009-03-14T11:19:00.008-04:00

Well, not really. I don't advocate drinking and gardening (drinking while relaxing in your garden is all together different though!), but did you know that by leaving a dish of beer in your garden, you can save the earth?

Okay. Once again, not really. BUT, beer is a natural solution to warding off slugs and snails! Yes, my friends! Beer! Slugs and other garden invaders can do serious damage to any garden. Instead of going straight for that bottle of commercial slug killer/pesticide, opt for a friendlier alternative. BEER.Icky!

Just put a bit of beer in a shallow jar and bury it in the soil with only the neck exposed. Use the lid to partially cover the jar opening (so that when it rains, you won't dilute the beer). You can prop the lid up with sticks or soil...or whatever works best. The slugs are attracted to the beer and will go straight for it instead of your lovely veggies! The poor things will just drink themselves into oblivion...or just drown.

Personally, I'm not a beer drinker. I'm a girlie girl and like girlie drinks. It's good to know that beer has its purpose though! :) Okay, if you are a beer lover, I don't recommend using your best ale on the slugs. I don't think they're discriminating in their beer preferences.

Have a great day! Remember to try to do at least one green thing a day!
C XOXO

Bamboo Fibre Baby Blanket

2009-02-27T14:52:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone!
C here with Little One, who wants to say that
"Even the tiniest of people can be green" :)

Little One has received lots of amazing presents from our friends and family, but the latest gift that has got me excited is the Perlimpinpin bamboo fibre blanket she received.

The blanket is made of ecological bamboo and it is the softest material I have ever laid my hands on.

Bamboo fibres are excellent for babies (okay, and adults too!) because:

Protects against ultraviolet radiation

Hypoallergenic, even after being washed several times

Naturally antibacterial

Extra-soft and satiny fabric

Easy to clean

Absorbs and evaporates sweat in a split second

Assures baby's comfort, no matter the temperature

What I love even more is that the bamboo fibre is grown without pesticides or fertilizers and is 100% biodegradable.

Check out the Perlimpinpin site for great green gift ideas for the little ones in your life. Make sure to enter their contests for some very cool prizes too!

How COOL is this???

2008-08-25T11:39:00.004-04:00

Hi! It's C again! I know we seem to go for ages without a post, and then all of a sudden we hit you with a couple in the same week :)

I recently wrote a post on the Green is Her New Blog site about "Green Gadgets for Summer Fun". Randy from Algonquin Outfitters left a comment and mentioned other "green gadgets" that are available at Algonquin Outfitters. One of the gadgets that caught my attention was the ball that makes ice cream! How cool is that?Although summer is coming to a close, who says you can't have ice cream year-round? I'm not sure if this is the same ice cream ball that Algonquin Outfitters has, but I found this one online. The Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker is portable and compact, so you can make ice cream anywhere. This is great for picnics, family BBQ parties, and camping! There is no electricity required (except for a little human power). All that is required is rock salt and ice in one compartment and in the other compartment, cream, sugar and vanilla (or whatever ice cream mix you prefer).To make your ice cream, all you need to do is shake or roll the ball. Have a blast and toss or pass the ball around with the family. After a little fun, you can enjoy some homemade ice cream!

Thanks for sharing this product with us, Randy!

(This post is cross-posted here)

Green Gadgets for Summer Fun

2008-08-19T19:55:00.007-04:00

Hi, everyone! C here. Fancy, Curiosity Killer, Farmer John and I have been really busy this summer, that it's been a while since any of us have posted anything new here.

Camping has always been something that I looked forward to every summer as a child. My parents used to take us camping at Algonquin Park, Gatineau Park, and even as far as New Brunswick and Virginia!

We always used a kerosene lamp, flashlights (those darn batteries would always die so quickly!), candles, and a portable stove. I was thinking of alternatives to those trusty old gadgets. Farmer John and I have a few LED flashlights that work really well. We also have outdoor solar lights that line our walkway to our house.

NOMA's 1W Luxeon LED Flashlight is surprisingly bright, powerful and very durable.

$34.99 CAD

Our outdoor solar lights are not like the one shown in the following photo. The concept is similar with the panel at the top, but ours is a simpler design. The lights charge during the day (thanks to the sun!) and at night you are left with some pretty good lighting. It's not a blinding kind of light, but good to guide your way so that you don't trip or fall (or can't find the keyhole to your front door)!

You can check out details for these lights here. Emerald Solar Lights, 10 pack = $59.99 CAD.

Finally, in my Mom's country, there's a great treat to eat when it's hot out. It's called halo-halo. It's basically shaved ice with whatever toppings and other ingredients you wish. Traditional halo-halo includes sweet beans, fruit, milk, shaved ice, and leche flan (custard). The ice is shaved with a "machine" that looks like this: I call this a great "green gadget" because it requires no use of batteries or electricity. All you need is some good 'ol elbow grease to crank this baby up. If you wish to forgo the halo-halo, you can definitely use this ice shaver to make snow cones for the kiddies or even some nice cold beverages for yourself! ;)

Hope you're all having a wonderful summer!

Something not so new and different

2008-07-04T07:31:00.001-04:00

First off, I know it's been ages since CK, Fancy, Farmer John and I have posted anything new on the blog. Things have been crazy busy, I guess!

Anyway, I was talking to a friend the other day about something that is not so new and different. The topic of our ~~conversation~~ debate was...cloth diapers!

(Image from Parenting By Nature via Google Images)

Now, I try to be as green as possible whenever I can. I think Hubby and I do a pretty good job at being environmentally conscious. I was telling a friend that I am seriously thinking of going the route of cloth diapers (as much as I can and when I can) when our little one arrives.

First, the reaction was more like "ICK!" and then a debate ensued. I was merely stating that I didn't want to fill up landfill space with my future baby's disposable diapers. My friend argued that the energy and water used from all the extra laundry would be worse (I think she said "more wasteful") than throwing the diapers in the dump. I see her point and it's sort of a "catch 22" situation. I can see arguments for both.

I was concerned about all that landfill space used for disposable diapers and the volume of trees and plastics used to make disposables. My thinking was that by reusing and recycling (by way of cotton diapers), we wouldn't be using up more of the earth's resources. We would, however be consuming more water and energy to wash the diapers. The question remains, what is worse for the environment?

Whichever diaper practice one opts for, it will no doubt leave a mark on the earth. But if you think of it, even by just existing, we are using up the earth's resources. We can try to reduce our consumption of resources, reuse and recycle. I'm not saying that I'd never use disposables because I probably will (like when traveling or when not at home). I just think that people should do what they feel is best for them and their families, while trying to tread lightly on the earth.

What do you think is more environmentally friendly? Cloth or Disposable? Which would you choose?

Pet peeves from a greeny...

2008-05-24T18:38:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

I know, it's been a while. Deal with it. I am tired and grumpy. More about that in a few days, maybe...

Today I was thinking about some pet peeves that really bug me, from an environmentalist point of view. I thought I'd share since these are all things that I have seen and have bugged me recently. Beware, some of these things have been touched on before:

1) Plastic water bottles. Today (and last week) they were on sale at the supermarket. People were stocking up on cases like water was going out of style, instead of practically free from a tap at home. We are so lucky to live somewhere that water is safe to drink, and it drives me crazy that everyone prefers their water in plastic. It takes a lot of energy, and fuel, to make plastic. It takes a lot of energy to recycle plastic. Most people don't even bother to recycle water bottles anyways. Just last week a saw a young woman at the gas station throw a bunch (like, at least 10) of them out in the gas station garbage can...like it woulda killed her to wait until she got home to her blue box (we all have them here)?! A great article about bottled water can be found here.

2) Idling cars. Now, I am not saying a car should never idle. I live in Toronto, and reality is there are days that if I don't idle my car for 5-10 minutes with the defrost on high, I am not getting off the driveway. Since I need my car for my job, that is not an option. So idling on a cold winter's day in order to get the ice off one's car I can accept (though using transit or the garage is better of course; a personal pet peeve of mine is the car that has not moved in 3 years that DH will not get out of our single car garage!). It is useless idling I hate. People idling outside the bank door while waiting for someone at the ATM, or idling outside the supermarket while waiting for their spouses, or idling outside the daycare while they run in to pick up or drop off thier kids, or idling their car to make it warm or cool before they go out on a day that is not even very hot or cold in the first place. Idling causes pollution, and wastes precious (and expensive) fuel. If you are already at daycare or the bank or the supermarket, you car is warm or cool enough that turning it off for the few minutes you are waiting for someone or running your kid in our out is not going to make your car unbearable hot or cold. If you really need to be out of or waiting in your car long enough that it will get freezing or boiling if you don't leave it idling, perhaps you need to re-think your scheduling!

3) Littering. I really have nothing to add to this. Littering says it all.

4) SUVS and Minivans. Not for everyone. For people that really need the trunk space, seating or off-road capacity, I don't mind them at all and I get it-ya need what ya need! I, however, know plenty of single people that never travel father than the airport that feel the need to drive trendy SUVs. I also know a lot of families that buy Minivans or SUVs the second they have 1 (not even 2 or 3) child. As if a car seat cannot fit in a sedan and a stroller cannot fit in a sedan's trunk! I have had 1 child for 5 years now, and we have done just fine with a sedan, and with a 2 door sporty car the first 2 years! We have gone to the airport for vacations, and gone on driving trips with the sedan and even the 2 door. If we were big campers, I imagine it would not do as I am not sure it would carry camping gear...but for regular day to day city life and travelling, it is more than enough space. Since our second child will add little more than a second car seat to our car, and we can easily fit 2 car seats in our sedan's back seat, we have no plans to buy a SUV or mini-van (though we would like DH's car to be a gas-friendly sedan as well, right now it is the old 2 door that does not do well with rear-facing car seats). Even if we were a camping family, it would probably be like once or twice a summer...and I'd rather rent a mini-van or SUV for two weekends than spend the money on gas and use more than our fair share of fuel for the whole year round. Of course...some people, even though with small families, put their SUVs and minivans to good use, for example car pooling with other families when they go places often. But for the typical 1-2 child family, there is no reason for it except that it is now the trendy choice. It is a pet peeve of mine because of the gas it wastes, the fact that it brings up gas prices for us all, and also that it is difficult for us small car drivers to share the road with all the SUVs and Minivans. More about my feelings on this here (not that you likely need to hear more!).

5) Plastic bags. Even more than plastic bags, this scenario: My local mall has a Lululemon, which is a trendy yoga shop where they use reusable bags for all one's purchases. All the Yummy mummys and college kids shop there. It never ceases to amaze me how often I see people with Lululemon bags that I can tell only have one or two items at the of the bag...and a handful of plastic shopping bags with all their other purchases. Does the thought "Hmm, Lululemon gave me a big reusable bag that is empty except for my $150 worth of yoga pants and head-band foled up at the botton...perhaps I should put this t-shirt from Roots in the bag to and use it for it's proper purpose instead of taking a plastic bag"? Guess not. Grrr...

Got any pet environmental pet peeves you wanna get off your chest? Vent here. Are you one of my pet peeves? Deal with it! I bet I am one of yours too in some way...

Edible Wilds

2008-05-16T17:43:00.003-04:00

My Dad is a very wise man. When I was a little girl, my parents used to take our family on annual camping trips. We lived in the city, so they wanted to expose us to nature and just spend some quality time with us kids. We used to camp in Gatineau, Algonquin, New Brunswick, and even Virginia Beach!

My brothers were far more interested in fishing and catching frogs and snakes than they were in identifying the different flora and fauna. Dad taught the boys how to fish, but he took me on a walking tour through the woods and showed me all sorts of wonderful edible plants! My Dad once told me "if you're out in the wilderness you will never starve". He's right! If you are stuck in the wild and you know what to look for, you will not go hungry.

When I was in the bush moving the cattle with Hubby yesterday, I thought of my childhood camping trips and my walks with Dad. I am really thankful for the times that Dad took me on those walks and taught me about edible wilds. On our property, Hubby's got a few hundred acres of forest.

In our forest, I've seen:
*Fiddle heads
*Mushrooms
*Mint
*Raspberries
*Strawberries
*Hawberries
*Leeks
*ASA from poplar bark (medicinal)
*Chamomile
*Blackberry
*Elderberry
*Dandelion
*Mustard
*Chives
*Crabapple

I know there are many more edible wilds on our property, but these are the ones I can identify. The number one rule for edibility is KNOW BEFORE YOU EAT!

Looking for edible wilds is such a fun activity. When Hubby and I have kids of our own, I'd really like to take them for walks through the bush to identify and sample some of the wonderful treasures Mother Nature has to offer us. The hiking part is fun, but finding wild raspberries is the part that is the most fun!!!

If you're ever over for a visit, we'll take a walk in the woods and look for edible wilds :)

(Cross-posted at Random Thoughts and Musings on the Island)

Volunteer Travels - Responsible Travel Ideas

2008-05-01T13:28:00.011-04:00

I just returned from visiting my friends in Japan - and I already started thinking about my next trip.

A friend of mine jokingly reprimanded me for being self-indulgent with my travels, right after Japan - and I'm planning to go to Thailand?! He said.

Then I thought - "Maybe he's right, maybe I am being a tad self-indulgent."

Next thing I know - I started looking into different sorts of travels - not simply for sight-seeing and pleasure, but something more...

Then discovered Lonely Planet's "Volunteering Travels", also tagged as responsible travels. They provide fantastic resources for people to travel to different parts of the world and be more in touch with the locals and real life - not just cocoon ourselves in the resorts and marinate our livers in alchohol.

I really like the Scotland retreat where travelers get to help establish stands of aspen trees to help provide the habitat for a range of rare insects, mosses, lichens and fungi that are dependent on these trees.

But I'm really eyeing the sessions where volunteers can help restore an old village in the French Providence. Cause that just sounds like fun.

What kind of responsible travel ideas do you have? Do share!

********************
I found more incredible Eco-tours in Asia, each one sounds like quite an adventure on its own:

1. Bangladesh ecotour http://www.bangladeshecotours.com/ (home stays with local tribes) ranging from beach and offshore to hill tract and tribal and rainforest to suburbia. US$75 - $120 per person per day. +88-001-8931-8345
2. Borneo Eco Tour @ http://www.borneoecotours.com/ - based in Sabah, Malaysia, offering nature-based tours with botanical and bird watching, jungle trekking and journeys through tropical rainforest. Vary from 3 hours to 14 days, operating a 20-room eco-lodge supported by sustainable energy sources like rainwater and solar energy. +60-88-438300
3. Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia - trekking, horseback riding, bicyle riding in mountainous setting. http://www.ecotour.kg/
4. Kerala, Kashmir, or Goa of India on preserving the natural resources http://www.natureboundindia.com/
5. PaddleAsia specilizes eco-tours at Phuket, Thailand http://www.thaiwildorchids.com/ involving paddling a canoe to experience the waters, islands and hidden lagoons at Phang Nga Bay and Khao Sak national Park. Cycling, mountain biking, wild-ilfe-spotting, mountain climbing and rafting activities available.
6. Rainforest retreat is located in Karnataka, India's rainforest - visit the tropical evergreen forest, an organic spice plantation and trip to sacred Cavery River. Customized tours are also available. http://www.rainforesttours.com/
7. Tree Top Jungle Lodge in Weliara, Sri Lanka http://www.treetopsjunglelodge.com/, offers true jungle experience with treehouses and wood huts blend into the forest - home to wild elephants and 161 bird species. Travelers will bathe in freshwater well, with no electricity and all meals are cooked on wood fire in native style.

Think you can be that green?

Brad Pitt with New Orleans --- and "Plant Some Trees, Please!" video

2008-04-17T02:45:00.010-04:00

I've been wrapped up with the finer spring weather in Hong Kong and catching up on personal day to day living - so I haven't been blogging much... but thanks to C and Farmer John and Fancy all contributed to this green blog community and keeping this green lifestyle alive. I greatly appreciate everyone's enthusiasm and support.

Whenever I have a moment, I go over to Ecorazzi and check up on the fabulously green celebrities news. The most note-worthy is Brad Pitt's lead on assisting Global Green’s Holy Cross campaign in building five single-family homes as well as an 18 unit apartment complex all built green to a wonderful new green start for the residents of New Orleans. These homes are built to save an estimated $1200 to $2400 a year in utility bills.

Not to mention they are stylish and chic.

Also - here's a funny and cute youtube vid making a poignant statement -- squirrel without a home is a sad, sad thing.

Green at blogging, but not green at being green.

2008-04-02T14:20:00.011-04:00

After my slow start at blogging, here's another post.

North Americans have been slow to adopt alternative small energy. For example, solar and wind generated energy.

On our recent travel to the Dominican Republic, where hydro costs are high and many of the people are less economically advantaged, we spotted many small solar panels and windmills. It was very encouraging to see so much advertising for the use of solar and wind systems.

We saw many black tanks on the roofs of houses and condos. Basically, the water in the tanks is heated by the sun. What an ingenious idea. It's a very simple and primitive idea, yet at the same time it is something we do not practice much of in North America.

I would like to see more of us adopt small energy systems in our own daily lives. If taking the plunge with experimenting with alternative energy is too big a step for you, why not try taking baby steps? For example, try one of these solar backpacks.

Eclipse Solar Gear bags enable you to recharge your batteries with the help of solar energy. You won't have to worry about your batteries dying out on you. Just let the sun work its magic and your ipod, cell phone, digital camera, MP3, PDA, GPS, and whatever other gadget you have will get charged by the sun's energy.
Reviews for these new bags are mixed. According to some, the price is a bit hefty and charging time is long. It's still a great step in the way of using natural energy though!

Stop!!! Don't Throw That Away!!!

2008-03-23T11:04:00.007-04:00

Hi! It's Chrissy...again!
I realize I just posted the other day and don't mean to be such a blog hog, but I just thought of something interesting to share! I also figured that if I didn't post about it now, I'd forget what it was that I wanted to say! ;)

A few years ago, I was reading an article in a green magazine (the name now escapes me) that the average North American household should have very little garbage due to recycling and composting. Since many cities have recycling, most of our glass, plastics, papers and tins can be recycled. Since organic matter can be composted, that leaves very little "actual" garbage to fill the landfills. Right?

Most people I know have been quite diligent about their recycling habits. Some cities even have "wet garbage" collection and when I lived in Toronto, our municipality also offered composters to its residents! They were these big drum-like contraptions where you put all your organic waste in and it turned it into rich, healthy compost for your garden.When I lived in Montreal, I practiced vermicomomposting. It wasn't too difficult to do and the worms were surprisingly not icky at all! I'm a big wuss when it comes to creepy crawly things, but I had no problems with these wormies! The worms I used were called red wigglers. They were extremely efficient at converting household waste into nutrient rich fertilizer. Under the right conditions, the worms pretty much take care of themselves! Of course, you need to maintain the bins, but you will be happy to know that there are no stinky odours if you manage your vermiculture properly.

I gave up my vermicomposting when I moved from Montreal to Toronto. I discovered that my dad had used my red wigglers to feed his fancy goldfish (Japanese Ryukins and Orandas) and to go fishing! He used me $30/1 lb worms for bait!!!

If you are a bit uncomfortable handling worms, then there are other ways to compost. My grandfather always kept a handmade compost bin by his garden and he and my grandmother were very diligent at composting their fruits and veggie scraps every day.

Here on the Island, I just put my fruit & veggie scraps on the far side of my garden, where I have a compost heap. However, if you live in the city and don't have any place or room to compost in your backyard, you can try something like this:
You can compost in your own kitchen! This can be done year-round and it's good for the environment! This particular composter is called the Nature Mill PRO Indoor Composter. Even though I already compost in my garden, I'm almost tempted to get one of these babies!

The company even has a Pet-Friendly Nature Mill to dispose of pet waste. This is something I am looking into because I've been trying to find an earth-friendly way to dispose of the waste from our beloved feline and canine babies! This may just be it! The price is a bit steep, but I haven't had much luck in finding many green ways of disposing of that nasty cat and dog poop!

Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me...

2008-03-19T23:11:00.008-04:00

Hello, friends!
It's been a while! Hubby (Farmer John) and I just returned from our belated honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. I realize it's been ages since I last posted, but CK and Fancy Pantsy do such a great job at keeping the blog going that I knew you'd have lots of interesting things to read about and that you wouldn't miss us at all!

While we were in the Dominican Republic, Hubby and I both noticed that we had not seen a single mosquito while we were there! Granted, it was not mosquito season, but in the back of my mind I always think about these things. Trust me, I love traveling, but when in the Caribbean or South America, I often think about Malaria, Hepatitis, travelers' diarrhea, etc.
Hubby noticed that early one morning, the gardeners at the resort sprayed the shrubs, plants and trees with insecticide. Living in the countryside, I know how pesky some insects can be. We have a few weeks in June when mosquitoes and blackflies are out. We also grow our own produce and I used to struggle with grubs and other insects eating our fruits and veggies.

I don't like to use chemicals if I can avoid using them. Here are a few things that naturally lessen the annoyance of those persistent little bugs!

Flies:

A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbant cloth will deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem.
Use mint as a fly repellent. Small sachets of crushed mint can be placed around the home to discourage flies.
Bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus wrapped in small cheesecloth squares can be hung by open windows or doors.

Mosquitoes:

If you're using the barbeque, throw a bit of sage or rosemary on the coals to repel mosquitos.
An effective natural bug repellent, mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 - 6 hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized deterrent.
Planting marigolds around your yard works as a natural bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs and flying insects do not like.

Ants:

Keep a small spray bottle handy, and spray the ants with a bit of soapy water.
Set out cucumber peels or slices in the kitchen or at the ants' point of entry. Many ants have a natural aversion to cucumber. Bitter cucumbers work best.
Leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants seem most active. Dry, crushed mint leaves or cloves also work as ant deterrents.
Trace the ant column back to their point of entry. Set any of the following items at the entry area in a small line, which ants will not cross: cayenne pepper, citrus oil (can be soaked into a piece of string), lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds.

Fruit flies:
A few months ago, we had a fruit fly problem and I tried this trick. It really works! A girlfriend of mine told me that her mom puts a bit of cider vinegar or red wine (I suppose anything fruity will do) into a glass and then makes a funnel out of a piece of paper and snips off the end so that the funnel fits snugly into the glass. The fruit flies are drawn to the sweet liquid and enter via the paper funnel, but are not able to find a point of escape. They eventually get tired from struggling and just drown. Keep the cider vinegar solution out for a few days and your fruit fly problem should be gone in no time.

Now that Spring has sprung here and the weather is getting milder, soon the bugs will be out. Hopefully some of these tips will prove useful ;)

Green IS Her New Blog just joined the Party!

2008-03-10T14:56:00.006-04:00

Hello there! Welcome to Green is Her New Blog! This is a communal blog - I'm C.K., and we have Fancymama, Chrissy, and her husband Farmer John. Together we blog about everything green -- everything we can, and what we know to live green, frugally and fabulously - in or outside of the big cities. This is an international blog! We're always interested to know more people, and even get more writers to write about green issues and how to be green and fun! Have a seat in this eco-friendly chair by inhabitat.com.

We're very excited to be at the Ultimate Blog Party! Sorry we're a little late in joining, but we promise next year, we'll come up with gift ideas to give away!!

But I won't let you leave empty-handed!! Oh no - that just won't do! I figured, why don't we make some vegan Shepherd's Pie? It's one of my classics, and always a big hit at parties (they don't have to know it's vegan!)

Shepherd's Pie (Vegan)

I never thought I can be long-term vegetarian because I love Sherpherd's Pie too much. This is challenged when I ate at a vegan buffet in Toronto. I ran home and made one for myself, and it's my regular since. Of course it's not the same as the meaty shepherd's pie, but it's still very good!

Ingredients:

6 red-skin Potatoes, smashed
2 cup of Green Giant's Peaches and cream sweet corn
1 package firm tofu
2 tomatoes, skinned
3 shallots (or 1 onion), minced
1 clove of garlic, minced

Directions:

To skin tomatoes, boil them in hot water. Once floating, take out and place in cold water. Then peel.
Boil potatoes for 30 minutes until cooked. Cool, and smash (I like the skin so I leave them on).
Heat oil in pan, add garlic, onions, and tofu cubes until slightly golden and fragrant. Add into chunk tomatoes.
Place tofu mixture into baking pan.
Place smash potatoes over tofu mixture.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes till top is golden.

And Of course - what goes well with vegan Shepherd's Pies?

Vegan Chocolate cake!!

INGREDIENTS

The key is fantastically quality dark chocolate.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 bananas, chopped
1 bar of quality dark chocolate
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup cold water or brewed coffee
2 tsps vanilla
2 Tbsps vinegar

Preheat oven to 350c.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar into an ungreased 8 inch square or 9 inch round baking pan. In a 2 cup measuring cup, measure and mix together the oil, apple sauce, water or coffee, and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the baking pan and mix the batter with a fork or a small whisk. When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls in the batter where the baking soda and the vinegar are reacting. Stir just until the vinegar is is evenly distributed throughout the batter. Add bananas, chocolate chunks, and bake for 45 minutes. Let the cake cool.

That and a good cup of soy Chai.

I hope you like the food and drinks. I'll be blog hopping and hope to see you soon!

Stella McCartney and LeSportsac

2008-03-03T09:52:00.008-05:00

I've been such a huge fan of the wonderful, fabulous, and innovative Stella McCartney. A few months ago, I heard from news about her new partnership with LeSportsac, since then I've been keeping in touch with the store waiting for the best and truly eco-friendly bag line ever. It wouldn't come out till September 2008 over here in Hong Kong, but it's available through pre-order if you can't wait that long. For the modern traveling or mom on the go, with top priorities on form, function and sustainability, Stella's Sportsac's in the bag.

Stella's got it all figured out. From the cutest cute to the coolest chic. From left to the right, 1. Bunny Rucksack, $120, 2. Bowling Bag Tote with all the zippings ($350), and 3. the hobo bag ($350).

I know, I suck

2008-02-28T20:48:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

I have been an awful green blogger lately...sorry...some personal stuff has sucked all the creative juices out of me, but I'll be back and better than ever soon.

I will leave you all with a pet peeve of mine-Idling cars!!! Grrr. Okay, because we have been pummeled with snow lately, I have been telling my car idle while I clear it off, but only to run the defrost so that I actually can clear it off, and it is the only time it ever idles.

One place I notice the most idling cars is my daughter's daycare. Parent leave the cars idling while they drop their kids off or pick them up. I just don't get it. If they were in the car long enough to get to daycare it is probably already warm anyways. My car is, and I live less than a kilometer from the place! So they are idling it just to keep it warm for the 5-10 minutes that they are gone from it, failing to recognize that if it is already warm, it will rewarm really quickly. Like, the second they start it. So unnecessary. Or course, 5 minutes or so may not seem like minutes that long...but it all daycares in the city are like mine, that adds up to a heck of a carbon footprint. Kudos to my city for making idling more than 5 minutes illegal (too bad the other daycare parents haven't noticed!

More green and girly

2008-02-09T00:32:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

Boys, you may want to look away!

So, by now you all know that I use the Diva Cup...not even for the environment, but for me (even thought the environmental aspects of it really appeal to me). In addition to the cup I use panty-liners. Not just for back-up, but also often at other non-menstrual times of the months when I feel like I need something extra for...um...moisture.

About 6 months ago, I started to feel very guilty aobut the waste my liners were causing, so I began to look into reusable liners. I know, a lot of you may be thinking "gross", but remember this is for back-up and everday protection, not full on menses (not that I think that is gross either, but it is a little beyond my laundry abilities, I am a big fan of Avoiding Laundry Creation).

So, I got me a nice little collection of cloth liners, and have never turned back...I am now proud to announce that my cycles are waste free. Using cloth liners is really easy, since they are not for heavy flow (though I have started to use them instead of fiddling with my cup on very light flow days at the end of my period) they do not get very soiled at all. No need to pre-wash or pre-soak them, I just toss them in the laundry bin, and wash them right along with my normal load. They go in the washer and dryer ,and since no folding or hanging is required, they really don't add to my work at all! Also, they are soft and comfy, can be used for a long time, and no more last-minute runs to the drugstore!!

There are two types of liners, winged and not. I find that the winged to tend to be heavier (except the tuition ones, see below), so I use those for days when I atually need protection, as back up for the Diva on heavy flow days, or on their own on lighter days. They do great and are very comfy, but definately bulkier than your typical lighdays and more like a pad.

As for wingless, these are more like you're average panti-liner. They come in some different sizes so I have some that are verysmall and light (for every day) and some that are a bit more heavy-duty. The only problem with these is they can fall out when you pee, so make sure to grab it when you pull down your dainties, or you may lose it in the potty (yes, I have done this...at a wedding no less!)

Anyway, I will share some of my favorite site with our faithful green readers:

Vaj-Pads (I know, gross name, but great liners, shop the in stock shop for deals!)

LunaPads (Pricey, but every size, style and design you could want...and Canadian!)

Tuition on Etsy (these are small and comfy, but with wings, so they don't go plop. Also, very very cheap!)

Other Etsy Sellers (Etsy is a great place to get home-made cloth pads for a good price!)

Pretty, yes:

Make Your House Smell Good Without Air Freshener Sprays

2008-02-07T16:14:00.002-05:00

Hi, everyone! Chrissy here! I was hoping Hubby would get around to posting today. Since he hasn't, you're stuck with me!

I have to admit that I am guilty of using air fresheners sometimes. We've got two kittens and a doggy that don't always smell that great! Okay, they can sometimes be a little stinky! Oh, and sometimes...just sometimes the bathroom can use some nice citrus fresh fragrance after it has been occupied. I'm trying to be polite here, people!

Since I don't really like using those sprays from the stores, I try the natural and earth friendly route. Since I eat a lot of oranges (especially Clementines), instead of tossing out the peels with the rest of our compost, I make a little aromatherapy concoction. Orange and other citrus fruits are known to have therapeutic qualities if you have headaches. I'm the type of person who gets migraines from very strong fragrances and perfumes. I have tried the scented candles, but many of them give me a headache. I have found that this all-natural citrus infusion seems to work well for me.

You can make your entire house smell nice by infusing the orange scent. To do this, you will need:
-Orange peels. The amount depends on you. Just break them up into pieces.
-a small cooking pot filled halfway with water.
-cloves or cinnamon, if you wish. Again, the amount depends on you.

Bring the above ingredients to a light boil. The fragrance permeates the air and makes your house smell warm, inviting, and fresh for hours.

If you prefer not to infuse the orange fragrance, you can make little sachets of the above ingredients (minus the water, obviously). Just dry the orange peels on a dry, flat surface. When dry, take some breathable material (like gauze or organza) and put some dried orange peel, cinnamon and cloves (if you wish), close it up and tie it with a ribbon.

A friend of mine has really bad headaches and she keeps one of these sachets under her pillow. She claims it really helps her. Another friend keeps a sachet in her underwear drawer. She says it just makes her clothing smell fresh.

Though citrus and orange scents appeal to many people, it has the opposite effect on some people. If you are someone who doesn't like the smell of citrus fruits, do not try this at home.

Think Water

2008-02-01T21:26:00.002-05:00

Hi! It's Chrissy. Just thought I'd say hi and see how everyone's doing. I'd also like to tell you about a neat website I found. If you live in Ontario, you've probably seen the ads on TV for the ThinkWater.Ca website. More on that later though! I want to tell you a quick story first.

A few months ago, I was at my mother-in-law's for dinner. After our meal, I proceeded to wash the dishes, as I always do. My mother-in-law politely told me to leave them...because she felt that I waste water. Now, I was really shocked because I always thought my method of washing dishes was pretty efficient and not wasteful.

After observing her, I noticed some of the differences in the way we wash dishes. Though I still don't think my way is very wasteful, I have grown to understand her thinking and her methods of doing things. She has always lived in the countryside and has always known just how precious water is. Her way did save more water than the way I did things.

Though I have known since very young that water is important and that it is not in abundance, many people are unaware of this.

There are quite a few things you can do in your own home to conserve water.
1) Don't leave the water running while you're brushing your teeth.
2) Use soapy dish water (after you've washed your dishes) and water your plants in your garden instead of letting it go down the drain. The soapy water will also help control the bugs and will help prevent them from eating your plants. I just wouldn't do this if your water is greasy.
3) Purchase high-efficiency washers instead of the conventional washers. We don't have one yet, but I am waiting to buy myself a high-efficiency front-loading washer!
4) Save your rain water and use it to water plants, wash your car, bathe your dog...whatever.
5) Use earth-friendly soaps and detergents.

I checked out the ThinkWater.Ca site and it says that in the City of Toronto, residents are offered a $60 or $75 cash incentive to replace their "water-guzzling" toilets with a City-selected-water-efficient model. Isn't that cool? Help save the environment and save money! Brilliant!

The City of Toronto also offers a $60 cash back on the purchase of the front-loading energy efficient washers that I mentioned earlier. Wow! I'd LOVE to live in Toronto again, if only to receive cash back for something that I already want in the first place! The new washers use 40% less water and 60% less energy.

Check out the website to find out other things you can do to help improve water quality and tread lightly on the earth.

Kiss me all over!

2008-01-29T21:51:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

Kiss My Face is one of my very favorite organic eco-friendly lines. Kiss My Face offers body and facial products, with no animal testing, as many natural ingredients and as few chemicals as possible, all packaged in recyclable plastic. The products are available at health food stores, on their website (www.kissmyface.com) and drugstore.com. They are not low priced, but lower priced than, say, Burt’s Bee’s.

One of my staple KMF products is their Oil-Free Aloe Vanilla Moisturizer . This yummy lotion comes in a 4oz tube (3.99USD) or 16oz bottle (9.99USD).

The first thing I love about this is the smell. It is lovely. I love vanilla smells, and this lotion meets my expectations well, with it’s light and fresh cakey vanilla scent. It smells wonderful and I love to sniff myself when I use this lotion. The smell is not overwhelming and no one but you will notice it!

Next, the feel. A nice, thick white lotion. It absorbs easily and quickly, leaving my skin feeling very smooth. After it absorbs my skin feels soft and in good condition for at least a day.

Then, the effect. The lotion does a good job of moisturizing, and the Alpha Hydroxy Acids also exfoliate. A few years ago I noticed I was getting some of those dry bumps on the back of my arms after a summer without using much lotion, and after a few days with Kiss my Face they were gone. I cannot see exfoliating happening, but my skin feels so soft I am sure it is!

I have even tried this lotion on my face a few times. It absorbs quickly on my face and has not irritated my skin or caused breakouts at all, nor did it interfere with cosmetic application or leave my face greasy. I am not using it on my face now, as I have another face lotion I prefer, but if I ran out of face lotion and had some Kiss my Face left, I would not hesitate to use it. Give it a try!!

This is about YOUR BEAUTY

2008-01-25T16:11:00.003-05:00

Do you know that in our lifetime, an average woman absorbs two kilograms of chemicals from conventional beauty products? That's a tub full of antifreeze and petroleum oil poured all over your face and body. And you wonder why you just look worse after you start using makeup? It's not just the aging.

Our skin is our largest organ - and once you pay attention to the ingredients in these skincare and cosmetic products that you use on your face - you'll realize the short term gratification doesn't justify ruining your health, your beauty, and spending all your hard earned money.

This post is not about being a tree-hugger. This post is about you, your beauty and the necessary steps we need to take in order to protect yourself. And it is only common sense that our nature has provided us the best for our skin all along.

Years ago, I finally found my perfect RED LIPS in an AVEDA store. I tried the lipstick and right away - bought the lipstick and lipgloss that creates the most gorgeous red pouts I've always dreamt of since I was a little girl. I wasn't thinking about the green message that Aveda was carrying. I was simply amazed at how natural and incredible the colours come about. It was perfect... and to me, it was icing on the cake that the packaging is environmentally sound. It was wonderful to learn the ingredients are natural and actually good for me, but the most important thing was, I got the beautiful red lips that I wanted for so long.

That got my attention on Aveda, and other organic and natural beauty products.

Gone is the old era where the words "organic skin care" is the home-made lumpy oatmeals and sticky honey on your face and mayonaisse in your hair (not that there's anything wrong with it! If you are a natural natural girl, bravo!)

But like most city girls, I'm hooked on luxury products that includes all the fancy ingredients that we're convinced are necessary. Besides, there's nothing like unwrapping the beautiful packagings and conveniently glossy face powders and lipsticks. When I see matching set of pretty bottles in my bathroom, it makes me wanna spend more time to treat my face.

Recently, more and more doctors, researchers, and women are questioning and testing the over the counter skincare and beauty products - for the efficiencies, the ingredients, and whether there had been any false marketing. Intelligent women from all the world are recognizing a lot of the skincare may not necessarily be good for us.

Sure, quite alot of these over-the-counter products smell great and feels nice... but how would you feel when you find out they were all just marketing schemes to get your cash? The chemicals in these products are actually hurting you and destroying your natural beauty!

To make sure we are all investing in the right products, I employ you to join me in your future visits to the cosmetics counter. Invest in yourself, and invest in your future - by investing a range of loving products that are good for you, and is beautiful inside and out.

With these products, we can't lose.

Care by Stella McCartney - 100% organic active ingredients - it has taken YSL Beaute 3 years to develop an organic skincare range. This brand really knows about luxury.
Green People - natural hair and skincare products for men, women, children, and babies
Aveda - the largest brand (funded by Estee Lauder) for natural skin care, cosmetics, haircare - organic when possible.
Origins - full line of plant-based skin care, makeup, and body care products. It is wellness based beauty brand. It now has a very first organic line of skin care products that carries 95% organic USDA certification seal.

If you have any suggestions or ideas, please feel free to leave a comment or email C.K. at find.curiosity@gmail.com.

Another Way To Recycle Paper

2008-01-21T19:11:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! It's C again. Don't you just love CK's and Fancy's new green blog? I sure can't get enough of it! ;)

I was just looking at the heaps of paper (newspapers, flyers, handouts, brochures, etc) that are in our office. Though I am a firm believer in recycling, I also believe that recycling should be the last "R" out of the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). As Fancy had mentioned in her last post, it takes energy to recycle (plastic bottles, paper, glass, and aluminum cans). Not only do recycling plants require the usage of energy, but there are by-products from the process of recycling as well. It's a good option, but in my opinion, not our first option.

Of course, you can be smart like my mother-in-law, and request that the post office not send you any flyers, catalogues or "junk mail". I have to admit, I am terrible that way. I actually love perusing the flyers to see what's on special or just for the sake of looking at things I may or may not be interested in purchasing.

When I was 13, I began to get worried about our environment. I visited a recycling plant with my school and saw mountains and mountains of paper to be recycled. What alarmed me the most was the sheer volume of paper! I decided that I would try to make my own paper to cut down on the amount of paper waste in our household. Of course, my little effort would only be a drop in the bucket in terms of reducing paper waste. In our house, we also reused paper. We had a bin of "scrap paper" that was used for notes, working out math problems, etc.

Anyway, my thought was...Why not turn this:

into this?
To make your own paper, all you need is:
-paper of all sorts (computer paper, newspaper, flyers, even bits of magazines can work...just watch out of the ink used on the paper because they can bleed or make your paper look grey if you choose newsprint)
-a screen, framed by wood would be ideal (if you can get an old window screen, that works well)
-water
-a blender
-liquid starch (optional...and I've used cornstarch before)
-a basin or tub

First, tear up little shreds of paper and put about a handful into your blender. You need to fill the blender with WARM water and then start to blend on low. You can go on a higher/faster speed later on when the paper pulp looks like it has started to blend well (when it's no longer "lumpy"). To make things even more unique or to add your own personal touch to your paper, you can add in some flower petals or leaves. A little greenery is always pretty. If you are using liquid starch, add it in next. Mix well.

Next, pour your pulp over your screen and press so that the water drains from your paper. When you've gotten the excess water out, remove your handmade paper from the screen and lay it to dry on something that will absorb the water. I've used newspaper or a towel. Some people hang the sheets on a clothesline or use a hairdryer to dry them faster.

The end result is beautiful handmade paper. It's a fun activity to do with your kids (or in my case, with my students). Not only will you be creating something beautiful that can in turn be reused (they make pretty cards and are great for scrapbooking), you will be teaching your kids about reusing, recycling and how to tread lightly on the earth we live on.

(Images borrowed from Google Images)

A great green site..and some super bottles

2008-01-19T21:25:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

Looking for some help to greenify your life in bite sized pieces? Check out The Ideal Bite. This website sends you daily tips to help greenify and simplify your lives in ways that are small yet significant. The website it self is easy to use, and hip as could be. No preaching, just great tips that can easily be fit into anyone's life! Check it out...you wont be sorry!

Now for the Bottles:
I am a big fan of water. It is so good for you!! I am not, however, a fan of disposable plastic water bottles. They cause a lot of waste (yes, I know they are recyclable. But, recycling still takes a lot of energy and in my opinion should be saved for essentials. Unless you are somewhere that the water in unsafe-not Toronto-bottled water is not essential. As well, I know a lot of people don't recycle them all, as they carry them around and toss them wherever is convenient when they are done).

So, I use a Aluminum water bottle and refill it with tap water all day long! Mine is from SIGG, and I just love it. It looks great, and the water doesn't get a plasticky taste. I do believe that Hard plastic reusable water bottles like Nalgene are also reasonably safe (though I prefer metal). Here are some super cute bottles for you to check out. Wanna buy? Click them to find out where:

P.S. The last one is mine. Purty, isn't it?

Milk Bags!!!

2008-01-17T14:28:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone! Chrissy here.

I'd like to talk to you today about milk bags! Now, before you say anything, I'd like you get kindly get our mind out of the gutter! :) I was actually looking for photos of "milk bags" on Google images and you'd be surprised at some of the photographs that popped up!

I don't know what format of containers you purchase your milk in. In the local grocery stores here they come in cartons, plastic jugs, and in plastic bags.We've all learned that in order to help preserve our planet, we need to practice the 3 R's: Reduce (the amount of consumption of material goods, energy, etc), Re-use and Recycle as much as we can and when we can. Bearing this in mind, I've started doing what my mother-in-law does. For the past two years, I've been re-using our plastic milk bags. I used to buy milk in the cartons, but found it more economical and practical to buy them in the bags. We bought milk in the jugs, but often forgot to take them back to the grocery store for recycling and refunding. I think it was 5 cents returned to you per jug.

What my mother-in-law and I do is simply wash the plastic milk bags and dry them so we can re-use them for other things. The milk bags are exceptionally durable and are wonderful for freezing your produce. When I harvest our beans, raspberries, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, and other veggies from our garden, I prepare them and put them into the plastic baggies. Come winter time, we have lots of produce from the garden ready to use for cooking.

I know there are plenty of debates on re-using plastic bags. We've found that there are no problems with it and it works out quite well for us. It's also way better than throwing out the plastic milk bags. At least we have found a purpose for the bags. Nothing gets wasted.

Other than recycling the other types of milk containers, I suppose you can reuse them too. Instead of putting your cartons in the recycling bin, you and your kids can cut them and decorate them and make a bird feeder out of them. You can also cut them and start your seeds in them (for starting seedlings for planting in your garden).

What do you think? Do you buy your milk in the carton, plastic jug or bags? What do you do with the container afterward?

Energy Conservation

2008-01-15T12:56:00.001-05:00

Greetings! John here!

This is my very first blog post ever! I was recently asked by Curiosity Killer to guest post on occasion. My wife, C has been trying to get me to blog for months, but to no avail. Why did I agree to blog for CK? Finding "green" alternatives has always been an interest of mine. I'm a farmer that has been on the leading edge of environmentally friendly agriculture since I was a kid.

For my first post, I'd like to talk about saving as much energy as you can at home. Before you can start saving energy, you need to know what you're using it on and one way is to use a monitor such as the PowerCostMonitor. You might find it surprising what uses the most power in your home. By doing your daily routine, you can see how much power you're using by the hour. Even when you think you have everything off, you may still be consuming energy. For example, your TV is in "warm" mode, meaning it comes on faster. Your computer, if you do not unplug it, is on "stand by" mode. Even your phone (if yours is one with extra features that plugs into the wall like our fax/phone) consumes energy.

The biggest energy users are things that "heat" or have a motor. Your oven, when turned on uses a lot of energy. Electric hot water heaters and clothes dryers, heated waterbeds, hot tubs or even your electric blanket (if you use one) consume quite a bit of energy.

Some Tips for Saving Energy:
-For a hot water heater, put a hot water blanket around it for insulation. This will give you less heat loss.

-For clothes dryers, maybe hang your clothes outside. You can do this year-round, but in the winter it's a little harder because the clothes freeze dry.

-If you must use your electric blanket (if you have one), turn it to a lower setting and turn it off when not in use.

-For heating your house, lower the thermostat at night or when you're not in the house. If you have trouble remembering to lower the heat, get a programmable thermostat.

-Lighting: go to compact fluorescents. You don't have to have all your lights on. Light only what you need. Turn your lights off when you're not in the room. You get the idea.

There are many more things such as insulating your home properly or using better quality windows that can help conserve energy use. These are just a few ideas to start with.

Back to the Power Cost Monitor, when you know how much power you're using, most people can make a few changes that can save you a lot of energy and money.

Green Girly Thing

2008-01-13T18:34:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

The first "green" change I made was 2 years ago and was probably the most hard-core, and I didn't even originally make it to be green. Men, you may want to avert your eyes. Ladies, I am talking about the one, the only, the amazing...Diva Cup.

See, I started using the Diva Cup not to be green, but because the alternatives were no longer working for me. After having my daughter, I found that tampons...umm...seemed to go south as my day went on. Not very effective, or comfortable, huh? As well, they seemed to irritate my cramps. As for pads, well, I had not used them in over a decade and had no desire to go back.

In researching this problem, I kept coming across an item I had never known existed, menstrual cups, cups made of silicone or rubber that go into the vagina to catch the menstrual flow, and then are cleaned out and re-used. Unlike many women I know, the idea did not ick me out at all. Since I had used OB applicatorless tampons for years, I was accustomed to getting close and personal with my menses. So once I read about how they work, I was eager to try it and bought a Diva Cup (the common one in Canada. The Keeper, The Lunette and The Moon Cup are others you may come across) at Noah's right away, then waited eagerly for my flow to...flow.

It was love at first use, if love for a menstrual product is possible. I will admit it took me a couple cycles to get it in right quickly and easily, but following the directions really helped, and now I have no problems at all with insertions or removal.

The things I love about the cup are that it greatly reduces my cramps, stays in place, needs to be dealt with less than a pad or tampon, is clean, is affordable (about $40, that is less than a year of tampons, and it lasts 10 years!) reduces midnight runs to the drugstore, reduces overflowing toilets once a month (whoever said tampons are flushable lied...but I refused to throw them out!) . Of course, the best thing about the sups are that they are reusable so they reduce the waste that disposable menstrual products lead to, as well as the energy used for producing and transporting and endless supply to meet an endless demand for the disposable products.

To answer a few common questions:

1. Does it hurt?

No, now at all. You don't feel it. Unlike a tampon, it sits at the lower part of your vagina, so it is in the wider area, and does not press against the cervix.

2. Is it messy?

Well, if you fling it around, it may be. But with normal usage, not at all. It sits vertically, so when you remove it it stays vertical, so you can just tip it out into the toilet with no spills or mess.

3. How do you clean it in public bathrooms?

Well, I rarely have to. Most days cleaning it right before I leave the house and first thing when I return is enough. If I do have to though, I just dump some water from a water bottle in my purse into it, swish it around, and dump the water in the toilet. Voila, clean.

4. Does it leak?

Well, like any menstrual product, you have to get a feel for what it can manage and keep and eye on it on heavy days, but I have never found leaking to be a big problem and I definately find it leaks way less than tampons. I do wear panty-liners for back up (cloth ones, but that's for another post!) just in case.

Go ahead, try it! Be a Diva Like me!! Many heath food stores or natural product stores sell them, as wel as Ebay (yes, there are new ones on Ebay!)

Bag it in style

2008-01-09T10:31:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

One of the first big green changes I made was to stop using plastic shopping bags. When I was doing spring cleaning almost a year ago, I realized that plastic bags were taking over my home. They were stuffed in every corner of every closet, sand even though I did use them for garbage and kitty litter, I still had a huge overflow. I ended up throwing out t big black bags full of them, as I did not know where to recycle them. I decided then and there that I would never bring another plastic bag into my home and I haven't.

I went to Supermarket that day and picked up a pile of Green grocery bags. I started using them for groceries, the fruit market, the library and the mall. If I forgot them or ran out, I bought more or did not buy what I had planned to. That got me out of the habit of forgetting them really quickly, and I gave away my surplus!

Since then, I have bought different bags for different purposes. I have some tiny foldable ones I can keep in my purse at all times, as well as some bigger totes that are really cute, and look much nicer when I am walking the malls or streets than a grocery bag would. I still use my original grocery bags for groceries though. I always hang them on the front door right after emptying them, and then take them out to my car the next time I leave the house.

I want to devote this post to showing you some stylin' shopping bags that will not only reduce your plastic and help you do good for the environment (and free up some room under the sink!), but also look great on your arm:

The Anya Hindmarch Shopping Tote, these sold out of stores in the UK and North America faster than you could say "I've got my own bag", and for good reason. They are so cute, not to mention huge and sturdy. Some might say the message is smug, but I say who cares? Real ones can go for about $200 on Ebay. I would not spend that, but I did get mine on Ebay for $30. Now, I am not positive it is real, but I can say that I have looked at some guides to identifying fakes, and mine certainly seems to be real, so I guess I just got lucky. Either way, it is a cute and functional bag that I reach for again and again when I hit the mall.

The rest of these aren't bags I actually own, but ones I'd like to, and you could if you click on the pictures!

A greener way to care for your clothes

2008-01-02T22:20:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

Fabric softener sheets are evil. Really. They are. They are toxic. Check out some of the ingerdients that can be found on a box: alpha-terpineol, benzyl acetate, camphor, benzyl alcohol, limonene, ethyl acetate, pentane, and chloroform. Who wants that on their clothes, next to their skin, in the air they breathe??

They are also very wasteful. They cannot be thrown into the recycling bins or green bins here in Toronto, so into the landfills they go. They can only be used once, so you always need more. That of course means more energy consuming and transportation. In every way, these innocent little sheets are not a good thing for our world, or the people in it.

But, soft static free clothing is so nice. It really is. Ummm....

So, some tips to have softer, static free clothes without the evil sheets:

1) Do not dry your clothes 100%. Clothing only gets static when it is fully dry. If you pull it out of the drier and hang it when there is just a tiny bit of moisture, you should reduce static.

2) Try throwing some tennis balls in the dryer. The bounce around separating and softening clothes, and seem to make clothes dry quicker as well.

3) Give your clothes a good shake before and after you dry them, to soften them up without wrinkling.

4) (My favorite, because I like to buy things...and feel better about my shopping addiction when I use it for good forces!!) Buy some reusable alternatives. I use a combination of Dryer Balls and Static Sheets. The blue nubby balls (I use 2 at a time, and they come in 2 packs for about $20) make my clothing super soft, and also dramatically decrease drying time. They are also fun to watch fly across the laundry room (with my cat chasing after them) when I open the dryer. The sheets do a good job of controlling static. I use 2 of these as well, which put me out about $17. The two combined are perfect!! If you are Toronto, you can get these products at The Big Carrot or Grass Roots , otherwise, try Ebay or the links above.

P.S. The sheets last 500 loads! The balls, about 1000 loads! $40, and your fabric softener needs are met for years!

A perfectly green handbag

2008-01-01T17:51:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Fancy here!

I am so excited about this new blog with the fabulous C.K.!! I started going green about 2 years ago, when I chose to start using the amazing reusable Diva Cup. I did not make this decision for the environment, but the more research I did, the more connected I got to women that did make this change and others, to reduce waste and protect our precious planet. So, I got caught up in the movement, and have never looked back.

I will only do so much though. I am a city girl through and through and will not sacrifice style, comfort or convenience for the environment, so instead I look for ways to do good for the world, and still stay true to my fashionista self. No crunchy granola mamma here!

Handbags are a big passion of mine, and I recently got tuned into a new handbag line that is both gorgeous and eco-friendly. Sparrow Handbags are made from organic cotton, dyed with environmentally safe dyes, and lined with recycled Tetra boxes! That's right, Sparrow uses Tetra boxes to help their handbags keep their structures shape. No animal products are used, of course.

OK, so they sound kinda crunchy, yes?I mean, Tetra boxes? Really! Well, take a look at these beauties:

Not a crunch in sight! I haven't bought one yet, but they are on my list. They are all around the $100CAD price point and available at Eco-handbags online, or these Canadian retail stores.

Bonus points: You'll be supporting a small, privately owned company!