Groovy Green Livin

There are so many exciting things happening in the green blogosphere. The news ranges from the new USDA nutrition standards for school lunches to a study showing drinking red wine in moderation could reduce your risk of breast cancer.

I’ve been jet setting around the web over the past few weeks and wanted to share a few of the places I’ve landed.

Climate Change

Climate change is a growing concern throughout the world.  In an effort to take action and inspire others to join in, the mighty women of the Green Moms Carnival collectively joined voices to speak out and share what we’re doing to fight climate change.  My post, Four Resolutions to Fight Climate Change, is included among the many other suggestions for fighting climate change.

Wintery Weather

Snow and ice has made an appearance in many parts of the world.  Many conventional snow and ice removal products contain toxic chemicals. These nasty chemicals could end up tracked into our homes on the bottom of shoes and boots. They could also end up in our yards, on our sidewalks and in our waterways once the snow and ice begin to melt.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to keep your driveways and sidewalks clear of snow and ice without using toxic chemicals.  Click HERE to read more.

Ready to Abandon Those Resolutions?

If you need that little extra push to help your resolutions stick, hop on over to the J.R. Watkins Clear Conscience Blog for a few tips to keep you motivated and on track for 2012 and beyond.

Reuse and Repurpose

The saying goes: “One person’s trash may be another person’s treasure.” We live in a use-and-toss society where most of the time we don’t give a second thought to using an item once and then tossing it. If we stopped before tossing we might realize that some of those items that seem ripe for the trash can be repurposed into something completely different for our own use. That trash could become our own treasure.

There are so many creative ways to reuse and repurpose everyday items we find in our homes. Head on over to Healthy Child Healthy World for this week’s round-up of posts on repurposing and reusing. I’m honored that my post, 3 Creative Ideas for Reusing and Repurposing, was selected as the Blog of the Week.

Have yourselves a very groovy green weekend! Any big plans?

[Photo used under Creative Commons from Luis Argerich/Flickr]

Looking for a simple way to improve your indoor air quality? House plants are the answer.  It’s such an easy way to make a difference in your air quality. So often we forget that the environment has the natural ability to clean itself. Many common houseplants act as an air filter, removing toxins from the air we breathe. They are known to produce oxygen from CO2 and they absorb toxins including benzene (gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber), formaldehyde and/or trichloroethylene (printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, and adhesives).

Peace Lily

A few years back NASA scientists studied nineteen different plants over a two year span to see which did the best job cleaning the air. They found that some house plants were better than others. The NASA studies recommend that you use 15 to 18 good-sized houseplants in 6 to 8-inch diameter containers to improve air quality in an average 1,800 square foot house. The more they grow the better job they’ll do for you.

My slightly brown thumb has been working hard to keep 7 indoor plants alive for a few years. I wish I could tell you that I always remember to water them and that I talk to them when I’m bored, but I don’t. My 7 plants are low maintenance and thriving.

If you’re like me and your thumb isn’t the slightest bit green,  it’s still worth investing in a few house plants to help remove the toxins from your indoor air. Take this list with you and add a few plants to the spaces you spend the most time indoors- your office and/or your home. When it’s time to buy a gift for your children’s caregivers, a plant makes the perfect present.

Top 10 Houseplants that Clean the Air from the NASA Studies

1. Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii
2. Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema Modestum
3. English Ivy Hedera Helix
4. Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
5. Janet Craig – Dracaena “Janet Craig”
6. Marginata -Dracaena Marginata
7. Mass cane/Corn Plant – Dracaena Massangeana
8. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
9. Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
10. Peace Lily – Spathiphyllum

I have a peace lily and I’ll be investing in a few more plants from the list. Do you have indoor houseplants?

[Day lily photo used under Creative Commons from Koshy Koshy/Flickr]

The saying goes: “One person’s trash may be another person’s treasure.”  We live in a use-and-toss society where most of the time we don’t give a second thought to using an item once and then tossing it. If we stopped before tossing we might realize that some of those items that seem ripe for the trash  can be repurposed into something completely different for our own use. That trash could become our own treasure.

Why repurpose or reuse?

Repurposing something is different than recycling. Recycling is the process  by which old goods are re-manufactured, allowing them to be turned into new products. Reusing or repurposing is taking a product that’s already in existence and lengthening its life by using it for something new.

Reusing can help keep our earth healthy and green.

• Reusing something keeps it out of an overflowing landfill.
• Reusing conserves natural resources.
• When you reuse a product you consume less. This will ultimately save you money over time.
• Reusing a product reduces your health risks. In most cases, an item already in circulation has  off-gassed its harmful VOCs (that “new” smell).

Many of us are already in the habit of using reusable bags when we head out to the market. This is a fantastic step in the reusable direction. There are many other ways to reuse a product. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Toilet paper rolls for planting seedlings

No need to buy peat pots when you can make your own biodegradable pots out of something you already have in your home — toilet paper rolls. Cut the rolls in half and fold in the bottom of the roll as shown above. Add soil and seeds and you have your very own peat pot.

Wooden clementine box for stuffed animal or doll bed

We go through a lot of clementines in our house and they usually come in a wooden crate to prevent the fruit from being crushed. If you have a few of these crates lying around they can be repurposed into an adorable little stuffed animal or doll bed.

Empty glass jars repurposed for storage

Empty glass jars can be repurposed into storage containers for nails, screws, bolts and other hardware. Different sized jars can also work well for food and spice storage.

What have you repurposed?

[Photo used under Creative Commons from Girl in Gear Studio, How Can I Recycle This/Flickr]

To my parents, in-laws and anyone else who doesn’t want to hear about my menstrual cycle: this post isn’t for you. For the rest of you brave souls, read on…..

A while back I introduced you to the reusable Softcup. Softcup is a flexible cup, worn internally around your cervix that collects rather than absorbs menstrual flow. It replaces the need for tampons and pads if used properly. You can use one reusable softcup throughout an entire cycle…saving you money and helping the environment.

Why make the switch to Softcup from conventional tampons and pads?

• Tampons and pads are wasteful. They are single-use and disposable. They generally come wrapped in plastic or paper which also gets tossed. That’s a lot of waste.
• Conventional tampons are chlorine-bleached and made with synthetic fibers.
• Conventional tampons may contain residues of dioxin, as well as chemicals to aid in absorbency. Think about where you are placing those toxins.
• One of the biggest risks is tampon-induced Toxic-Shock Syndrome (TSS) which is a rare, and potentially fatal, disease.  These risks arise from the synthetic fibers that make tampons and the chemicals used to bleach them.

Not too long ago Kimberly-Clark recalled over 1,400 cartons of tampons, claiming the plastic tubing could contain a bacteria capable of causing “dangerous infections”.

Softcup has never had a reported incidence of Toxic Shock Syndrome. More good news: it doesn’t contain any of the following:

• Bleached cotton
• Pesticides
• Residual fibers
• Dioxins
• Carcinogens
• Latex
• Polycarbonates (PCB)
• Bisphenol-A (BPA)
• Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
• Phthalates

Softcup: the greener option during a workout

I’m a workout-a-holic. I like to be active most days-could be a run, cycling, kickboxing, yoga or skiing (finally there’s snow!). During my workouts I’m moving at a relatively high intensity-jumping around. When it’s that time of the month I used to dread my workouts for fear that my tampon would need to be changed during class or wouldn’t stay where it was supposed to stay. This was especially worrisome when I was a teenager. I have vivid memories of the fear of leakage at an inopportune time. There have been too many times to count when I’ve forgotten my trusty supply of tampons. I’ve had to seek out tampons in some pretty embarrassing situations (haven’t we all?).

I’ve been using Softcup for about 2 months and my learning curve continues. I’m still not perfect at placement (I’m at best awkward), but I’m certainly more comfortable. It’s not easy, but practice will hopefully payoff. One of my favorite Softcup features is that you can wear it for up to 12 hours during any activity. If it’s in properly, you won’t even know it’s there. Softcup is reusable so there’s no need to bring a carton of tampons along. Since I was constantly forgetting them, this was a huge relief.

Ahh-that wasn’t so bad. I think my parents and in-laws could have handled that.  This isn’t the end of my Softcup journey. Thanks to the kind people at Softcup, my Softcup adventures will continue and I will be sharing more not-so-gory menstrual cup details with you.

Have you tried Softcup or any reusable menstrual cup?

[Photo used under Creative Commons from lululemon athletica/Flickr]

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have been hired by Evofem, the parent company for Softcup, in their Softcup Brand Ambassador Program.  This is a “sponsored post.”  Evofem sent me a sample of Softcup and compensated me via a cash payment for this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers and only share my honest opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Have you heard of vegan shoes?  When we say vegan we are generally referring to a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. When its shoes we’re talking about they are shoes made from 100% animal friendly materials (there are no animal byproducts in the shoes).

Jambu™ has been on my radar for a few years, but I’ve never had an opportunity to check them out.  Big thank you to Planet Shoes.com who graciously offered to send me a pair of shoes for review. Now I’m the proud owner of my very first pair of vegan boots: Jambu™ Colorado Vegan boots. Jambu™ doesn’t only make vegan shoes-they have an entire line of non-vegan comfy shoes in addition to their vegan collection.

A few factoids about the company- Jambu™ is eco-friendly

• Jambu™ takes care to protect our environment while producing their shoes.
• Their shoes use partially recycled rubber outsoles.
• The company uses only 100% recycled, recyclable and re-usable packaging.
• The shoes are designed by women for women. Right now they carry shoes for children and women.

I’ve been wearing the boots for a few weeks and here’s the low down:

Comfort

The boots are extremely comfortable. I usually wear my orthotics with all my shoes and boots, but I haven’t felt the need with these boots. I have worn them all day and my feet were very happy.

Appearance

They look pretty stylin’ if I do say so myself. I have been wearing them with skirts, jeans and leggings and love their versatility.

Quality

I have a feeling these boots will be around for a long time. They’ve already endured the winter ice, snow and frigid temperatures and they are holding up quite well.

Vegan

The exterior isn’t as soft as a leather boot (it’s not leather!), but they look fantastic. I had some difficulty with pulling the side zipper up and down. My guess is that will become easier as the boots are broken in. My feet also became a little warm and sweaty in the boots -which doesn’t happen with leather or other breathable materials.

Another pair of Jambu™’s caught my eye. I’ve wanted to invest in a pair of bare foot running shoes. Jambu™ makes Bare Feet Designs, which is a minimalistic approach to footwear for women on the go.  A blend of rice husks and natural rubber make the Bare Feet™ outsoles eco-friendly, lightweight and flexible. Could be next on my list…

Jambu™ has several different styles of shoes to choose from. Some are extremely casual and some a bit more dressy. Head on over to Planet Shoes to check out their entire collection (there are even a few Jambu™ styles on sale!)

Have you tried Jambu™ shoes? What do you think?

Disclosure: I was sent a complimentary pair of Jambu™ Colorado Vegan boots from Planet Shoes.Com for review. The opinions are my very own.