Habits

Just thought I'd share a habit I'm trying to change and my observation of how long it can take to change a habit.

I have a vanity in our room right under a window where I put my make-up on every morning. I have a lighted make-up mirror. About a month back I decided to open the blinds instead of turn on the light (what a concept). Even after a month, just about every morning I put my hand on the knob, stop myself, get up and open the blinds. Someday soon, I'm sure, I'll start opening the blinds BEFORE I sit down, and not even think about it.

I've now gone through the process of changing enough habits that when I notice myself going through it again, I just chuckle to myself and think, "I wonder how long it will take me this time!"

Just for laughs...

Slightly Green related and definitely funny!! Commercial

Solar and Wind Energy Boost

Information obtained from moveon.org:

Congress is voting this week on H.R. 969, a bill that will dramatically boost solar and wind energy. If it passes, it'll be like taking 37 million cars off the road. Along with the rest of the energy package, it'll be the biggest step in two decades toward a clean planet and affordable energy. Right now the US gets only 2% of our electricity from clean energy sources like solar and wind.

Big oil and coal are fighting the bill hard, because it would undercut their stranglehold on our economy. That's why Congress needs to hear from the public that clean energy is a priority.

The bill requires utilities to increase the percentage of electricity produced from wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar energy sources. If it passes, utilities nationwide will produce 20% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. This bill alone will reduce 511 million tons of global warming pollution.

Already, over twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have adopted similar requirements. It's a tested and proven solution. And because the bill allows utilities around the country to buy and sell extra renewable energy they produce, that means more competition and lower prices.

Investing in renewable energy sources would not only curb global warming and protect the environment—the bill is projected to create over 185,000 new jobs, save consumers over $31.8 billion on their energy bills, and provide almost $67 billion in new capital investments in the next couple decades.

So if you are interested in writing a letter to your congressperson, it would be great to write a letter today and send in the mail or (second best option) sign a petition I will be forwarding to you shortly.

Paperbacks Unlimited

My absolute favorite hobby is reading and this can be an expensive and wasteful hobby when buying books new. So I've decided to only get mostly used books and to often frequent my favorite used books store, Paperbacks Unlimited. I used to go there as a kid and I loved it.

I know the library is another option, but I like to keep my books and loan them out to people who are interested. Any books that I don't want to keep, I take in for store credit.

If a book comes out that I really don't want to wait for it to be 1) in paperback and 2) available at Paperbacks Unlimited, I'll buy new, but then I'll either pass it around or trade it in for store credit.

http://paperbks.com/

Adding to the Family

If you find yourself wanting to add a furry four legged member to your family, a kind thing to do is to adopt a rescue rather than buy from a breeder.

Here's a plug for Wine Country Greyhound Adoption, the group we adopted Halley from (actually at the time it was another group- but close enough). The people who run the group are great. If you click on the link you'll see her pretty little face. :)

Of course a Greyhound is not for everyone, so check out some of the sweeties at the Sonoma County Animal Shelter. I was surprised at some of the non-cat-or-dog animals they adopt!

Simplify

The more I green my life, the more I simplify.

Here are two recent examples:

- I've started using aluminum foil in place of plastic wrap and baggies as much as possible. I even found the brand "If You Care" that is made out of 100% recycled aluminum. This simplifies because now I just pull off the right size foil and I'm not looking for the right size bag. And using plastic wrap just always frustated me when it would get all stuck on it's self, so I'm glad to use a lot less of that!

- The other product I'm using a lot more of these days is baking soda. You can check out www.armhammer.com for all kinds of uses around the house. I'm working on using very simple ingredients for cleaning. When I get better at this, I'll do a post on it. But for now, I'm loving baking soda!

Indigenous Designs, Inc

I found out about this Santa Rosa based company by reading the Wall St Journal last week (Tues 7-17) in an article called "Green Clothing Maker Indigenous Designs Puts Fashion First". The article basically discussed the growing market for eco friendly clothing and the beginning saturation in the market of these types of businesses lately as environmentally friendly products become more popular. The author interviewed many eco friendly companies who basically said that you cant beat people over the head with the green theme to get them to buy the products but instead should put fashion first (to get peoples attn) and then the green-ness of the product will be an added bonus.

This statement I got from Indigenous designs web site:
"Indigenous Designs is a 10 year old natural fiber wholesale clothing company located in Santa Rosa, California. Our product designs are eco-oriented in terms of using only organic cotton, alpaca, merino, tencel, and blends of these natural fibers, in addition to using no dyes or low impact dyes. Our products are only produced with fair trade standards by artisans and cooperatives around the world, mainly in Ecuador, Peru, and India. We are currently starting up a project in Guatemala including the growing of organic cotton, spinning the yarn, weaving the fabric, and sewing the garments with a cooperative of local farmers and artisans supported by a NGO."

Other cool facts about this company are:
20% of employees drive hybrids or cars that run on biodiesel
They highlight and help other companies that are using green business tactics
They used recycled materials for fashion shows aisles carpet and booths
They have doubled their profit in one year
They do business with over 300 retailers nationwide including Dillards, whole foods, Eileen Fisher......

Crabgrass

I have discovered crabgrass growing inside our house. We had this same problem 2 years ago.
It has some how found it's way inbetween the cement foundation and the side of the house. The last time this happened, the owners sent a guy out who came and cleaned the area of the crabgrass and put down dirt, a new plastic tarp, and then bark ontop of it. Plus, he sprayed industrial strength grass killer. That seemed to do the trick for the 2 summers, until now. I was not "green" back then. Now that I'm somewhat "green" and have a kid to worry about playing in the area (even though she doesn't play in the back yard yet) I want to use more natural stuff to get rid of it, but at the owners cost since it is coming into the house again. I did some research and found this site: http://landscaping.about.com/od/weedsdiseases/qt/kill_crab_grass.htm I like how at the bottom of the article it says, "A great organic "weed and feed" product is corn gluten. It will suppress crabgrass germination, while fertilizing your lawn." Now to find corn gluten, and a whole bunch of it!

Wilderness protection

This is a cut and paste from the (NRDC) National Resources Defense Council's website:

The Bush administration is poised to approve a plan for 60 newgas wells -- and a maze of roads and pipelines -- in thespectacular White River wilderness in northeastern Utah.We need your immediate online action to block this attack. Thedeadline to register your opposition to this destructiveproposal is Monday! Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/redrock/takeaction and tell theBureau of Land Management to study the full potential impacts onthe White River wilderness and adjacent wildlands beforeconsidering this reckless scheme.The towering sandstone cliffs and deep canyons of the WhiteRiver region -- part of our Redrock Wilderness BioGem -- are arefuge for deer, elk, antelope, waterfowl and golden eagles.According to the BLM, "The spectacular scenery of the WhiteRiver provides a dramatic backdrop for the hiker, rafter,canoeist, for fishing enthusiasts who visit this unique area."Over the past few years, the BLM has approved the constructionof roads, pipelines and compressor stations to the north, eastand west of the White River wilderness. But it has neverexamined the cumulative impacts of this development on theregion's natural values.Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/redrock/takeactionand urge the BLM not to rush headlong into approving thisdestructive drilling plan.

Breathtaking (and Horrifying) Art

This guys art is a reminder of why we are all doing what we are doing!! Just wanted to pass it on, have a great weekend :) Chris Jordan: Running the Numbers

Green traveling

I found over our vacation that traveling green is hard! Something simple like recycling is difficult when you aren't near a recycling bin, so you have to tote garbage as well as four people's worth of stuff around the country.

I planned on making our vacation as green as possible. What happened was almost the exact opposite!

I read an article how Motel 6 is going a tad greener, so I went to book a room for when we stayed in Eureka. Accidentally I booked Super 8 (those hotels with numbers confused me I guess).

I found great places for Ashland and Portland though. We stayed in a granny unit of a local family in Ashland. They didn't have regular hotel amenities like cleaning service and I noticed Seventh Generation under the sink, so hopefully they are green themselves :) But nothing beat Portland... McMenamins! If you all are ever around Portland, you HAVE TO stay at Kennedy School! It's an old school that was closed in the 70s and McMenamins reopened it as a hotel with a movie theatre (you can drink beer in), a restaurant that had the best food ever and a soaking pool. They have their own brewery and coffee roasting company. I could have stayed at the hotel for the full two days and been perfectly happy. Each room looked like an old classroom with chalkboards and all! I loved it's quirkiness. Plus they had recycling bins in each room and they didn't change bedding unless requested.

We had planned on driving the hybrid, but it was totally impossible once we tried to cram everything in there. I planned on eating local in each place, but sometimes fast food prevailed. We ended up buying more packaged food things since we had little space and needed the convenience.

I only bought a couple souvenirs and I really like them: an organic onesie from a local Ashland coffee shop we went to several times, some natural, organic bath soaps that smelled good made by a local in Ashland and a book for Emma made by a local in Ashland.

Overall, I was disappointed in my resolve to stay green over that ten days. From now on, when we travel I will put more effort into making the entire trip as eco-friendly as possible. We did well but not as good as I had hoped. Live and learn...

Ecofabulous!

That's how I like to think of us... :-)

Anyway, making up for missing my last two posts days...

I recently discovered the blog site "ecofabulous". It's a look and feel I can see for Green Mommy in the future (I think it's the use of pictures that does it - and once we get that logo going....). It has some interesting posts, done very professionally and sleek. And considering who is doing it, and who her friends are, it's not surprising. (and I love her name)

http://ecofabulous.blogs.com/ecofabulous/

Moth invasion

I don't know about any of you, but we are seeing those little moths in our house. I believe them to be the clothes eating kind. (I lost my one and only cashmere sweater to them one year) I have been doing some green research on what to do about repelling them as I do not want to use chemicals. I thought I'd share some sites that sell products, as well as offer recipes for the do-it-yourselfer. Anyone with tips to share, I am all ears!

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/packing-those-sweaters-away-safely.html

http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org/history/herbs3.htm

http://www.flowerdepotstore.com/bcoco.html?gclid=CIP13v_yso0CFSkjhgodYlxRtQ

Shopping green

A few things I have encountered recently while shopping that I thought would be of interest:

Positively Fourth in downtown Santa Rosa is Green Mommy friendly - from what I saw. I bought a couple of shirts from a company called "Green Label Organic - sustainable threads". Nice shirts, but I was most intrigued by the tag and label. The tag reads: "Certified 100% organic cotton, garment dyed with low impact dyes, printed with Rehance (c) - absolutely no plastics or harsh resins used, sweatshop free, and made in the USA." The tag on the shirt (which is one of the tagless kind) reads: "sustainable threads, please use non-toxic, biodegradable detergents, save energy - line dry (use dryer if you must), okay to iron - printed with Rehance (c) technology - there is no plastic on this shirt (do people really iron t-shirts?)"

Cute. And there was no plastic - the tag was attached with a pin and twine.

I went shopping at Pacific Market today and noticed an alternative to 7th Generation feminine products. Natracare is 100% organic, unbleached cotton. The liners are not indiviually wrapped like 7th Generation are. They had a large offering of products. The market also carries Glad Rags, Diva Cups (2 sizes) and the Diva cleaner.

On that note, I have tried the Luna Pads and find it okay (a little bulky). I am happy about the lack of landfill I contribute now. Anyone else trying it?

There is a big empty space in a shopping center on the east side in Petaluma where a JCPenney used to be. I am hoping the 4th Pacific Market opens there. (don't know there will be a 4th - but I am hoping!)

Food labeling issues

The variety of food scares of late just got creepier/scarier in my book after what I heard a senator from Michigan (Rep. Bart Stupak -D) say on the radio today. One, he was talking about how the FDA is closing 7 of the 13 remaining laboratories for food safety testing. Nice timing, guys. Smart decision. (can anyone say spinach? antifreeze in toothpaste and cough syrup?? E coli???)

Then he and the radio host were discussing labels of origins for meat in our grocery stores. Apparently in 2002 a bill was passed authorizing meat producers to label the meat with country of origin. Since then, no implementation has been made on this requirement. Hopefully, the change in balance in Congress will get that up and running. The things that bother me about it is not knowing where the meat comes from. Am I feeding my family meat from China?

To make things even worse, there is a common practice of adding carbon monoxide (the stuff that can kill you) and carbon dioxide to meats to prolonge their appealing color so people want to buy it. It is apparently been documented (but NOT reported!) that China has shipped fish and other meats pumped up with this mixture... get this... knowing the meat was NO GOOD. A test was done with one meat product having had the treatment and one not. The meat was left unrefridgerated for 27 hours. The meat treated looked fresh as if it has just been "processed", while the other looked (and smelled) putried as would be expected.

I did a little research on this and did find articles talking about this practice, but none really saying it wasn't a good idea. The senator talked about the huge grocer and meat packer lobbies that keep a tight hold on governmental action that would hurt their business. He mentioned Safeway and WalMart among those who regularly practice this. I quit buying chicken at Albertson's because every time it smelled so bad when I opened the package. It looked fine, but once I opened it - whoo wee! Even since I started to faithfully buy from the local market, I know I am getting local, free range product. And more importantly, fresh.

Okay, while re-reading through what I typed, I found this article below on the food labeling bill. Currently it's voluntary (like that works) but is moving to mandatory in late 2008. I have a feeling that Repubicans will try to stop it - of course in favor of the lobbies mentioned above. I would think that I little extra headache and cost is worth the health and safety of the citizens.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1240937220070712?feedType=RSS

In my research I also ran across an article from the UK about a bill that recently passed there calling for a carbon imprint labeling on all food to show consumers exactly how environmentally friendly their food purchase is. How refreshingly forward thinking they are. How archaic we seem in how we deal with so many issues that affect us all. (and of course the "we" is mostly this corrupt administration we are forced to endure) (sorry, don't have that link saved)

I will keep trying to find out more about this issue. I am also trying to figure out how to learn more about where ingredients on other products come from. For example, when something with fruit in it says "from concentrate" - that could mean fruit from anywhere in the world, even if the product itself is made in USA. I am sure hoping they get something passed on clear and complete labeling for all products - food, body care, etc. My shopping trip for 3 things today was so long because I got so paranoid on what was in all this stuff! I am worried that the few things I really love - Morningstar Farms products for one - are going to have to go off my shopping list because they contain ingredients I don't trust.

For those of you who still would like to eat meat now and then, I have included a few links to local, organic and humane ranches and chicken farms. I know that I have unsuccessfully tried to be a vegetarian four times in my life, and now with dad-in-law living with us, I don't see it getting any easier. So, as I try to reduce the frequency we eat meat (mostly chicken), I do want to do it the healthiest way I can - for us and the animals.

http://www.petalumapoultry.com/faq.php

http://www.organicpicks.com/php2/local_meat_beef.php

http://www.kqed.org/weblog/food/2007/04/eating-locally-on-budget.jsp

U.S. Farm Bill

This week I will call my representative and senators and urge broad reform of the U.S. farm bill. Anyone interested in doing the same can call 1-800-826-3688.

Points to make:

The status quo on farm policy is not good enough.
Please ensure that the farm bill that comes to the House and Senate floors includes:
Reform of commodity policies that hurt U.S. farmers of modest means and make it harder for farmers in poor countries to feed their families.
Increased food stamp benefits so that U.S. families can afford a healthy diet.
More investment in rural development, especially resources targeted to the U.S. communities in greatest need.
If your representative or senators are not on the Agriculture Committee (find out which committees they are on), encourage them to talk with their colleagues on the Agriculture Committee, and with House or Senate leadership, to see that these changes are made.

Letters can also be written in lieu of a phone call. Addresses for Senators and Rep. are listed on blog post labeled "handwriting letters to......" from last week.

Windshield wiper fluid

I did not know until today that windshield wiper fluid contains anitfreeze (which is poisonous). I read that unless you need the antifreeze (for freezing cold weather) which we don't have in CA for the most part, you can make your own wiper fluid by mixing 3 parts white vinegar and 1 part water as a non toxic alternative.
I plan to make this simple change next time I need to refill our cars' wiper fluid....

No More Dollar Store

This week our Godson is staying with us, as he has the last few summers. During previous visits as a treat I would take him to the Dollar Store and let him pick out a few toys. This visit we will not be going to the Dollar Store. A big part of going Green for me has been drastically changing my buying habits. I now do everything I can to either buy used or buy from socially responsible sources. I would still like to take him to get a toy or two that he can have fun with during his visit here and then have to take home with him. I think we will either do a trip to the second hand store down the street, or, go the Kindred, the fair trade store in downtown Santa Rosa that I love. Or heck, maybe both. He's nine and a very smart boy. I'll explain why we are not going to the Dollar Store this year, and why we are going somewhere else instead. I have a feeling that whatever he picks out will mean a lot more to him than another cheep toy from the Dollar Store.

Recent Decisions

Today is my post day and I couldn't think of anything overly exciting to post about. I decided to just write about the recent decisions and changes I have made in my shopping habits. Some or all of you may have already made theses changes but I'm moving pretty slowly on some of these...

After reading the articles and discussions on plastics this week, I have decided that I will try and buy as many products as possible in glass. If the product I need is not in glass then I move on to plastics but look for those labeled as either 1's or 2's, since those are the ones that are most likely to be recycled. If the product I need is not either in glass, or in a 1 or 2 type plastic, then I am going to skip it! I just did major grocery shopping and I made it through with only these types of packaging. (Besides cardboard of course).

I have also decided ( again a lot of you are doing this already) to begin to by organic dairy products. I wasn't doing this yet because of financial reasons (double the price for a gallon of organic vs. non-organic milk), but I think I can manage with a few small changes. I have repeatedly read that organic grains aren't as big of an issue as say organic produce or dairy. I have decided to skip the organic bread and snack foods(crackers, chips, cookies) and instead save that money by buying mainstream grains (still whole wheat!) and putting those savings towards dairy instead. Did that make sense?

So thats it for this week, a few changes that I can finally make in this green journey...

Local or Organic?

Well here's another perspective on the question on wither to buy local or organic. This jist was organic is better if forced to choose between the two. A different perspective, interesting article...

www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/2007/07/conservation-tip-prioritize-organic-over-local-for-a-capres.html

TV

Lately David's "obsession" with TV has worried me. He did not watch any TV or movies until he was around 2 and a half. At first it was just every couple days and gradually it came to be an expected part of his day.

You may wonder,"how is this a Green issue?"

I am very conscious of the fact that I do not want to raise "little consumers". I think that a habit of TV watching directly feeds into this. Even though at present, we only let them watch videos and pre-recorded shows without commercials, there are teasers for other shows/videos. I found myself even falling for it, "oh, that looks like a cute show..."

I AM NOT 100% against TV. I just think it is a very powerful force, and I want to be very careful with it from the beginning.

After reading This post on No Impact Man's Blog last night, here's what I did today...

This morning I sat David down and told him that Daddy and I were concerned that we were watching too much TV and that there are a lot of other fun things to do. I got him to agree that TV can be fun, but that there are A LOT of other fun things to do too. We made a list of fun-things-for-David-to- do.

Today he only asked to watch TV about 15 times (ha, ha!) and it was pretty easy to convince him to do something on his list. So I didn't get an extra 20 minutes while they spaced out watching something- so what?! I enjoyed the time I spent with them discovering new activities so much more.

My goal is for TV to be like just another toy. Not every toy is played with everyday. Every few days a toy gets rediscovered, and then the child moves onto something else. I'm ok with that. What I'm not ok with is it being a set part of everyday.

If anyone has suggestions for reading material on the subject of kids/consumerism/media, I'd welcome it. This is a subject that is important to me and I want to learn more.

The 11th Hour

This is a link to the trailer for the documentary "The 11th Hour" The trailer alone has re inspired my Green commitment, and I can't wait to see it! Maybe our next Green Mommy's night out?

A Wonder Material You Cant Get Rid Of

Here are some excerpts from a news segment called "A Wonder Material You Can't Get Rid Of" from CBS Sunday Morning (aired 7-24-07).
You can view the program on their website.


"Each of us generates more than 1,600 pounds of garbage every year. That's more trash per person than any other nation on Earth. Much of it comes from plastic bags, plastic water bottles and plastic packaging. As some see it, our love affair with plastic has turned us into a throwaway society. The plastic heads straight to landfills, where it stays for years and years and years.

It wasn't always like this.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, when it came to trash, practically nothing went to waste. Everything from rags to scrap metal to manure found a second use. Recycling was truly the American way, says Heather Rogers, author of "Gone Tomorrow: The Hidden Life of Garbage."

"Disposability and the way that we dispose is learned — a learned behavior," she said. "We've had to be taught how to do that."

Rogers argues that today's attitudes towards trash took root in the postwar boom, when plastics were promoted as a new wonder-material: cheap, versatile and disposable.

"One of the first disposable plastic items was a rigid plastic cup that was dispensed in vending machines that sold coffee and hot chocolate," she said. "And after people consumed their drink, they had this cup left over that they clearly recognized could be re-used. And a discussion erupted in the plastics industry trade press about, 'How do we convince consumers that this product that clearly can be re-used is garbage?'"

Recently, the plastics industry has come under pressure to boost the relatively low percentage of plastic recycling. While close to three-quarters of cardboard boxes and nearly half of aluminum cans find new uses, only about a quarter of plastic bottles — and just 5 percent of plastic bags — get recycled...................................

"One out of every three servings of water now comes from a bottle in the United States. And this is apparently how we're increasingly hydrating ourselves — with these big packs of petroleum-wrapped water," author Dan Imhoff said.

Imhoff believes far too many things come wrapped in plastic. His book "Paper of Plastic" takes aim at what he considers over-packaging.

Used Clothes

I am just loving shopping at consignment shops! I found two more this weekend. I'm not a big shopper and while at one I overhead a woman telling the clerk, "I don't like to shop, but I love to come here! The prices are cheep and it's so much more relaxed." I wanted to run over and say, "I know what you mean! I totally agree! And we're recycling!". But I didn't, I just smiled and kept shopping.

In Sebastopol:
Launch
Right next to the Troy Michael Aveda salon,
707 829-3312
www.myspace.com/launchyourself
(Doesn't tell you much about the store, but what the heck, check it out if you're bored and feel like getting sucked into the myspace void.)

and on Main Street...
I think it's called the Redwood General Store. It has more of a thrift store feel but organized a little better and stuff for the whole family. I'm going to bring in a bag of our stuff tomorrow and I'm hoping to do the majority of our shopping there and with the credits I get- I'm hoping to spend almost nothing on clothes (of course I'll have to keep bringing in bags of clothes- I'm envisioning a bag for a bag kind of thing).

reusable car air filters

Heard this ad on NPR yesterday so I looked it up and it sounds good.

K & N lifetime car air filters (knfilters.com)

They claim over 100 million air filters are thrown out in the US every year which end up in landfills. These filters are made of cotton (renewable resource) instead of paper and are washable and reusable. There are probably many other brands out there but this is the one I heard about....

charitynavigator.org

I like this website when deciding which non-profits to donate money to for certain causes. They give a 1-4 star rating depending on how fiscally responsible the charity is.

You can use their "search engine" to find out how fiscally responsible your favorite charities are (or aren't), how much money their CEO's are paid, how much money is spent on administration costs and how much money is spent on the actual program.

They also have a list of all the 4 star rated charities which you can narrow down by category (i.e. environment, education, animals, etc.)

Some similar sites are:
give.org
charitywatch.org

Plastics Live Forever

“Except for the small amount that’s been incinerated—and it’s a very small amount—every bit of plastic ever made still exists”

Sorry for the sad picture, but I came across an article that, although a long read, is really worth the time. Just wanted to pass it along: Plastic Ocean

hand writing letters to representatives for one week

This week, I am pledging to write at least one hand written letter to my senators/ representative on issues that are important to human rights, social justice and the environment.

If you would like to join me, here is the contact information:

President George W. Bush:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Sen. Barbara Boxer:
Washington, D.C. Address
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0505

Sen. Diane Feinstein:
Washington, D.C. Address
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0505

Use this web address to find your state representative. You will just need your 9 digit zip code.
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

My representative is (California's 6th district)
The Honorable Lynn C. Woolsey
2263 Rayburn
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5161


To get tips on what issues are up for a vote or are being debated, I usually go to one of the following websites (however these are just a few of the hundreds out there that will guide you into writing about issues that are important to you:

nrdc.org (National Resource Defense Council)
amnesty.org (Amnesty International)
sojo.net (Sojourners)
one.org (The ONE Campaign)
moveon.org (MoveOn.org)

TIP:There is usually a link at any of the above websites that will say something like "TAKE ACTION". From there you can decide what issue to write about and then just copy their email letter version into your hand written version and mail. Most everyone is of the opinion that hand written letters get the most attention but emails letters and petitions also make a big difference if you don't have time to hand write.

Live Earth

The big concert going on this weekend- thought I'd post the link if you want to check it out... www.liveearth.org

Aveda Salon

I wanted to give my review of the Aveda salon, Troy Michael Salon in Sebastopol (if you don't live in Sonoma County you can try going to their salon locater to find out if there is one near you). I loved it. I had a hair facial. Did not know such a thing existed, but it was wonderful. It consisted of an essential oil, scalp, neck, and shoulder massage, and a deep conditioning treatment. Then I had my trim. You'd think long straight hair would not be that hard to cut straight but as Erica and I lamented awhile back- it does seem to be a challenge to find someone who can do it well. She was very detail oriented, and I believe it was the straightest cut I have ever gotten.

I noticed an Aveda poster in the salon about Earth Month, April 2007, and I asked her what they did. She told me that every year they pick an environmental issue to focus on and this year it was water. She spouted off some statistics about clean issues world wide, I was impressed that she had learned this from Aveda. As stated on their website; "Aveda has raised more than $6 million for environmental causes since 1999 through our Earth Month campaigns." I love to find a company with a heart.

Oh, by the way I saw Coco and the number for the salon is (707) 829-2100. Also, I got a large size shampoo, and if you ask they will give you a pump. It will last a long time and will be a great bottle to re-use (I love having bottles with pumps in the shower).

Sojourners

Sojourners is a group/magazine/newsletter that welcomes people of all backgrounds and religions to use their faith as a call to action in many areas including the environment, fair trade, war, genocide, racial discrimination, womens rights, poverty, immigration reform, etc.

They provide petitions to sign (online), letters you can write (or just sign via email) regarding issues that are important to you.

I think you can subscribe to their online magazine for free. www.sojo.net

factoid:
Sojourner Truth
c.1797—1883, American abolitionist, a freed slave, originally called Isabella, b. Ulster co., N.Y. Convinced that she heard heavenly voices, she left (1843) domestic employment in New York City, adopted the name Sojourner Truth, and traveled throughout the North preaching emancipation and women's rights. A remarkable personality, she spoke with much effectiveness even though she remained illiterate.

Harmony

Saw this and thought it you would like to know:
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070705/NEWS/70705013/1033/NEWS01

Staying Cool, While Staying Green

Well I thought a post on this subject may be appropriate do to the super hot weather we are having. We all know that A/C isn't the greenest choice when it comes to keeping your house cool so I thought I would post a few ways to beat the heat while staying green. Here are 5 super practical, easy things you can do right now...

1) Fans and Ceiling fans. I discovered that a ceiling fan can make your house 6 to 7 degrees cooler. So if have them turn them on and if you don't, then some oscillating fans may do the trick.

2) Bowl of ice. I know this sounds weird but I tested it out today and it really works! Put a big metal bowl of ice behind one of your oscillating fans. It blows the super cold air around your house. I don't know that it make a giant difference, but I can definitely feel cooler air being pushed around. Then when the ice is melted you can water a plant, give it to your pet or let your kids play in it.

3) Twist your blinds. This may be a "duh" one, but make sure you twist your blinds so that the sun is being reflected outward and not into your house. So that they point up if that make sense. I just read about this and was like" oh thats why they twist 2 ways". There may more reasons why they twist two ways, but apparently this is one of them.

4) Avoid your Oven and Dryer. If you have to use one or the other make sure the appliance fan is on while doing so. Even showering and washing clothes on hot can add to the humidity (and how hot the room feels). And of course, turn off all your lights. The sun will brighten your house enough.

5) Windows. Open them at night ( or early morning when you first wake up) and close them around 9-10 am when the heat starts really blazing. This is the one I do every morning and it makes the late afternoons a lot more bearable. That and some Iced Chai :)

Not very new ideas but like Jennifer said, repetition is good. Anyone else have some tips to share to make it through this summer?

EnviroSax

That sax, not sex.

Anyway, just found these and what a fashionable way to carry your own bags. Also seemed like a fun thing to include in that green starter kit idea. And yes, I stole this from Green as a Thistle.

EnviroSax

Buying hand-made online

My friend Jen introduced me to the site: etsy.com (I am sure this is just one of many sites like this but I really like etsy and have had good experiences with it)
Everything sold is made by hand.
Items range from pottery, to jewelry, to clothing, to kid's toys, to ......you name it!
It's a great way to support "grass-roots" creativity and avoid the "made in china" stuff.
Any creative green mommies out there can also use etsy.com to sell whatever it is you make to earn a little cash on the side (Jennifer, how about selling your organic hand sewn cloth napkins : )
Everything I have purchased from etsy has been beautiful and the service/delivery is great.

We are heading out of town today and time is ticking away so I will summarize my "green journey" next Tuesday. Happy Fourth everyone!

I Made It!

I made it 3 months posting almost every weekday and some weekends about the little things I was doing to make our home more Green. We really have changed a lot in the last few months for the better, and I know a lot of you have too.

Now I'm looking forward to seeing more about what all of you are up too. We decided to have some of the Green Mommies have one day a week to post about a green thing they are doing. We can learn so much from each other.

My day will be Mondays. Maybe everyone for their first post can kind of do an introduction and let everyone know where you are in the green journey. (If that didn't sound too corny!)

For today what I want to write about is Electric Cars. We are really excited about what it seems is just around the bend. We are planning on our next vehicle being electric. And we're starting to see some around town! The other day Calvin saw one and today I did. And we have Zap electric vehicles right in our own backyard! I was just looking at their website. It really gets me excited to see that there are companies out there working to make this an option for us.