Author Interview: Elizabeth Henderson-Sharing The Harvest, A Citizen's Guide To Community Supported Agriculture

I had the opportunity to do an e-mail interview with Elizabeth Henderson, author of Sharing the Harvest, A Citizen's Guide To Community Service Agriculture. Elizabeth started one of the first CSAs in 1988 and has been an organic farmer for 25 years.

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Celeste: What are the health benefits of eating organic produce?

Elizabeth: There are clear health benefits to eating organically grown foods. Recent studies show that organic foods are much less likely to contain residues of chemical pesticides and are denser in essential vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidents. Interested readers can find the research studies on the Organic Center website – www.organiccenter.org.

The food from local, family-scale organic farms is fresher, richer in nutrients, and grown with greater care than the industrialized organic food shipped from California or elsewhere that appears in supermarkets. Knowing your farmer is the best way to assure the safety of your food.

Celeste: If a consumer can afford a limited number of organic items, what fruits and veggies should they start with?

Elizabeth: The fruits and veggies with the highest level of chemical residues are peaches, strawberries, potatoes, lettuce, and spinach.

Celeste: How is the consumer helping the environment when buying organic?

Elizabeth: One’s own health is very important, but many people also want to contribute to reducing the likelihood of severe climate change. Eating organic:

• Uses less energy.
• Is good for the health of the planet.
• Organic farms use 30 to 60% less energy than conventional farms.
• By using cover crops and composting, organic farmers stock carbon in the soil, which helps to reduce the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
• Buying from local farms cuts out the huge energy expenses for transporting food from distant places.
• And when you buy directly from farms at farmers' markets, farm stands or through community supported agriculture, you cut out the middlemen and spend less money on your food.

Celeste: Do organic farmers use botanical pestides? Chemical residues on soil and crops? How about sodium nitrate?

Elizabeth: Organic farmers sometimes use botanical pesticides, but these break down very quickly and have not been found to leave residues on the food. Organic food is not guaranteed to be free of all chemical residues since these are so pervasive in our environment that even mothers’ milk has residues. But organic farmers do not make things worse by using synthetic, toxic materials in growing food. Sodium nitrate is allowed in limited amounts in organic production. Personally, I have never used any in 27 years of organic farming.

Celeste: What are some important things a person needs to consider when choosing a CSA?

Elizabeth: Every CSA is different! You should select the CSA that offers what you are looking for. Some CSAs give you the opportunity to participate in growing the food or helping with distribution. Others simply deliver the food to a convenient place near where you live. Every CSA provides information about how your food is grown, shares recipes and gives you the chance to connect with a special piece of the earth and to share the risks and benefits with farmers whom you get to know.

Be A Green Giant today! Q&A with Brad Doan from Steelcase,Inc.

www.BeAGreenGiant.com

Q&A with Brad Doan
Manager,North American Brand Communications & Advertising
Organization: Steelcase, Inc. (www.steelcase.com)

CELESTE: Tell me about www.BeAGreenGiant.com.

BRAD: In February 2008 we decided to kick off a U.S. campaign that we called, “GreenGiants”. It consisted of a series of events and initiatives that culminated in a website: www.BeAGreenGiant.com. This campaign (one of the largest in recent Steelcase history) intentionally put our own marketing messages on the back burner. From the onset, this campaign wasn’t going to be centered around us. Our approach to advertising sustainability, had to mirror our approach to sustainability.

• We wanted to elevate the conversation beyond simply being “green”.
  
• The campaign says, “Sustainable environments begin with sustainable communities” – that’s been our company’s approach to sustainability since the beginning – a holistic approach that considers people and the planet.
  
• We believe that the social component (helping people) is critical when talking about and doing sustainable initiatives. We believe that social component is the difference between just being “green” and being a “GreenGiant”.
  

So GreenGiants don’t really need to be “giants” at all… it’s anyone that believes in or is practicing a broader approach to sustainability – one that considers people and the planet. And we believe that’s a message that resonated with people – as far away as India and other guests to the site from 116 countries.

CELESTE: What were the goals of the campaign?

BRAD: The campaign had three goals:

1) To educate others by providing comprehensive resources and information on sustainability,

2) Inspire others through stories of great works of sustainability and

3) Provide a platform for others to celebrate sustainable acts that have inspired them (friends, themselves, organizations, companies, projects, etc.) – elevating their visibility and giving them a global stage from which to share.

GreenGiants has been a rally cry within the corporation and has taken on deeper cultural significance than we could have imagined. Employees have committed to being GreenGiants and are looking for ways (big and small) that they can personally make a difference.

CELESTE: What does Steelcase specialize in?

BRAD: Steelcase, the global leader in the office furniture industry, helps people have a better work experience by providing products, services and insights into the ways people work. The company designs and manufactures architecture, furniture and technology products. Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steelcase (NYSE:SCS) serves customers through a network of over 600 independent dealers and approximately 13,500 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2008 revenue was $3.4 billion.

Background:

You can’t pick up a magazine or a newspaper these days and not see a company touting how “green” they are or celebrating their environmental achievements. And that’s a good thing, because it’s a sign that companies are starting to recognize the importance of being more environmentally conscious. The bad thing, is that a lot of companies don’t take the time or make the investment to do the things that really matter – choosing, instead, to celebrate small achievements for self-promotion.

At Steelcase, you could say sustainability is in our DNA, dating all the way back to our founding family members. We’ve been helping the environment and the people that live in that environment for many, many years. We’ve done that and continue to do it, because it was important to us… it’s one of our company’s core values.

www.BeAGreenGiant.com

Popular Homemade Skin Care Recipes You Can Enjoy

Author: Ray A. Rubio

Homemade skin care can be as easy as mixing up a small amount of oatmeal and milk and making a body scrub that costs you pennies on the dollar compared to comparable products at the grocery store. Plus, they are fun to make, you know exactly what went in them and if you have any form of allergic reaction, you don't have to make any more than what you need at a time. Sometimes store bought items lose their potency before you can use it at all. By making your own products, you can have as little or as much as you need. Here are some popular homemade skin care recipes you can enjoy.

Before you can make your own skin care products, you need a few recipes. Let's start by making our own lip balm. Most people forget to include their lips in their skin care regimen, but the skin on them can get as chapped and dry as the rest of the skin on our face. By keeping a lip balm on them, they stay moisturized and soft. This citrus based lip balm uses the following ingredients:

1 teaspoon of natural beeswax
1 teaspoon of calendula oil
1 teaspoon of apricot kernel oil
A few drops of orange, lemon, or lime essential oil

Start by melting the beeswax and adding the apricot and calendula oils to the pot. Continually stir the mixture until it is well blended and the wax mass has the same consistency throughout. Keep stirring the wax as you remove it from the heat and let it cool. Add the essential oil and stir it into the wax well, then store it in a plastic container or jar and use everyday to keep your lips soft and smooth.

Chocoholics can rejoice because we've been saying for years that chocolate is good for you. It's a great way to make your skin feel silky and luxurious and it's also great to protect your skin from free radicals. This chocolate facial mask is not only decadent, but it will exfoliate the dead skin from your face. To make it, combine 1/3 cup cocoa (chocolate powder), ¼ cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of heavy or sour cream, and 3 teaspoons of oatmeal powder in a large bowl until consistent. Apply it to your face and gently massage it into your skin to exfoliate the dead cells from it. Leave the mixture on your face for about 20 minutes and then rinse off with warm water. You'll notice the difference in your skin right away.

Our hands are the most used and most seen parts of our body. We subject them to the torture of dirt, harsh chemicals, and over washing. We tend to forget to treat them to the same care that we give the rest of our body. By using a hand soak or masque, we can help make our hands soft and pliable with little to no work. The easiest way to do this is by soaking your hands in a ½ cup of warm olive oil. This helps moisturize not only your hands, but also your nails. Another way is by using a masque. Cook and mash two potatoes, mix in a little butter or olive oil and one capsule of Vitamin E to make the masque. Cover your hands with the potatoes, let it dry and then rinse with warm water.

Homemade skin care products are very cost effective in this time of economic crisis. You can save not only money, but the gas it costs to go and buy new products. And, if you find that you enjoy making these recipes, why not share them and introduce your friends to the joy of homemade skin care products. They will thank you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/anti-aging-articles/popular-homemade-skin-care-recipes-you-can-enjoy-506272.html

About the Author:
Click here to get free advice on how you can enhance the look of your skin. Ray A. Rubio is a skin care specialist providing advice on choosing the best wrinkle cream for you. Visit http://www.clear-and-clean-skin.com for more details.

Shea Butter, The African Wonder

Author: Donatien Ahoua

Shea butter is an extract from the shea nut seed of the tree called shea or karite tree. This tree matures in twenty years, but its full production doesn't come until it is forty-five years old. The shea tree can produce harvestable nuts for 100% shea butter even if it is already two hundred years old. The natural ingredients in shea butter are the reason for its effectiveness.

Shea butter is currently available in an organic, unrefined form and refined form. Despite both being pure shea butter, the difference lies in the way they are produced. The refined shea butter has no natural fragrance and natural color. On the other hand, the organic, unrefined form of shea butter is in its natural state. Research has concluded that the refined form of shea butter is not as effective as the organic, unrefined one.

Major Uses
The primary use of pure shea butter is as a moisturizer and as an emollient. Many products carry shea butter but not pure shea butter due to its expensive cost. Many cosmetics mix other ingredients to the shea butter to cut expenses. Pure shea butter has been found to be very effective in fading scars and stretch marks. This in itself is one reason why so many women buy 100% shea butter. Other benefits of shea butter are keeping the skin elastic and supple.

Raw shea butter in shampoos and conditioners also help brittle hair regain its softness and elasticity. It can revitalize and prevent further breakage of the hair. Pure shea butter is also used for tribal ceremonies in Africa where the trees are common to. Other uses for raw and pure shea butter are as cooking oil and conditioner for leather and wood. 100% shea butter is claimed to have anti-inflammatory properties, and has a reputation of helping lessen irritation from psoriasis, rashes and other skin disorders.

The Cost
The unrefined version of shea butter is more expensive than the refined version. This is because organic products take more time to process and produce compared to those products that are refined and process without any regard for safety. The price for 100% shea butter usually depends on the demand and the supply of the product. The uniqueness of the product means that it will always have a high demand and lesser supply since it takes seasons to grow the nuts and prepare the cream.

Wholesale
If you need large quantities of shea butter for your cosmetics business, you need to find a wholesale shea butter source. Today's consumers are very demanding about how the products they buy not only affect their bodies, but the world. When buying your wholesale shea butter, make sure the suppliers offer only fair trade unrefined shea butter. By insisting on fair trade wholesale sheabutter, you not only make your company look good to concerned customers, but you are investing in making the crops of shea nuts you depend on more reliable, since the workers have more of an incentive to keep working.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/shea-butter-the-african-wonder-244249.html

About the Author:
Donatien Ahoua. http://www.shea-butter-and-olein.com
Organic Shea Butter should be the first choice for you when it comes to taking care of your delicate skin.

Going Green is not Just for Big Business-You Can Grow Eco-profits, Too!

Author: Ruth Klein

The world of big business is making daily headlines by "going green" after discovering that what's good for the planet is also proving good for business.

IBM recently announced "Project Big Green," a $1 billion initiative to reduce energy consumption by offering new lines of energy-efficient IT products.

Wal-Mart is adding solar power to more than 20 stores.

PepsiCo is buying renewable energy certificates to offset its carbon footprint. Even major banks and energy firms are being asked by shareholders to prove that they, too, are going green.

It's not just the biggest businesses that are attracting new customers and shareholders and reaping huge profits by "going green." Small businesses also are growing eco-profits by embracing surprisingly inexpensive strategies to add value to their products, services and brand.

Consider these innovative examples:

- Bob Smith of Mad River Brewing Company in Blue Lake, California, has attracted positive publicity (and new customers) by promoting his efforts to reduce his small firm's waste output and take other environmentally conscious steps. In turn, he has received welcome positive publicity from the press. "What PR budget? That is our PR budget," he told the Albuquerque Tribune about "going green" to market his business.

-In Florida, Natalie Kelly formed Home Therapy Cleaning Services, which uses only nontoxic, all-natural cleaning products for her home cleaning business. She used to sell aromatherapy candles from her home, she told the St. Petersburg Times, but today uses an aromatherapy baking soda blend to freshen carpets.

Here's what you can do:

- Two inexpensive ways any small business or solo entrepreneur can go green are to change light bulbs to energy-efficient bulbs and use biodegradable cleaning products.

- With that done, tell your customers and the media about these simple ways to go green. You will have just earned instant credibility as a green business, and also as a media resource for simple, effective ways to "go green."

- Many communities online and offline are forming networks to exchange energy-saving ideas for home and business. Form your own energy network, enlisting neighborhood businesses that will welcome another opportunity to show they're going green, too. The plus for you is that you will have just positioned yourself and your business as a community environmental leader.

- Copy what the New York Times called "Phase 2" of the corporate response to global warming. Partner with an environmental group. Travelocity invites customers to donate an extra $10 to $40, which goes to the Conservation Fund to plant trees to offset the carbon used by a client to take a trip. Whole Foods invites customers to buy a $5 "wind power card" that goes to Renewable Choice Energy to build wind farms. What local environmental group can you partner with to promote on your Web site (and vice versa), to set aside a day that a percentage of profits will go to that organization or to make their fliers available at your business?

- Make use of readily available, free information to hand out with your business literature or to make available in your office. For example, create a one-page flier on your letterhead inviting clients to calculate their own carbon footprint by visiting http://multimedia.wri.org/safeclimate_calculator.cfm.

- Go deeper green! Attend a "green" conference in your community or region, and promote your attendance. (Go to Google.com and type in "green" and "conference" and your area to find out when and where they are scheduled.) Write a "green" article on simple ways you are going green and submit it to one of the dozens of "green" Web sites and blogs that invite reader contributions. It's a great way to market your smart ideas and your business!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/going-green-is-not-just-for-big-businessyou-can-grow-ecoprofits-too-268998.html

About the Author:
Ruth Klein, the De-Stress Diva (tm) and Branding Guru, is the proverbial Woman About Town. Holding a Master's in Clinical Psychology, consulting with renowned businesses - small and large. Ruth is a consultant, author, speaker, radio show host, branding strategist and productivity coach. http://www.ruthklein.com .

The Jonas Brothers Going Green:Joe, Nick, Kevin Jonas, Concert Photos, Chevy Video

*the Jonas Brothers go green*

Check out the video (Part 1 of a 3-part series for Chevy Rock The Road)
at the bottom of this posting..

These original concert pics of the Jonas Brothers
were taken by yours truly at one of
their sold out venues.

Go Green With Vegan Bath & Body Products! Bubble and Bee, Terressentials, Perfect Organics, karma~naturals

Here are some products worth checking out.

Looking for a safe and healthy vegan lip balm?
Need a natural deodorant?
Or how about a natural shea butter moisturizer?

With the cold weather here, it's time to stock up on balms and moisturizers!

• Bubble and Bee Organic Bath & Body
• Lip balms, bath gel, deodorant
  

• Terressentials Organic Body Care
• Lip Balm, Bath Gel, Body Lotion, Hand Soap
  

• Perfect Organics Shea Butter Lip Balms
• 100% Natural Shea Butter (one ingredient! Pure Certified Organic Shea Butter!)
  

• karma~naturals vegan lip balms--lots of flavors!

Go Green With The Mother Of Temporary Tattoos: Mother Ink

Q&A
Laura Silverthorn/President

Mother Ink

CELESTE: How did you come up with the name Mother Ink?

LAURA: I wanted something all-encompassing and that everyone would remember. We all know Mother Goose, so I imagined what a Mother Goose figure would look like if she was also a tattoo enthusiast. Hip. modern, edgy, but still classically feminine. She embodies the attitude that tattoos may now be mainstream, but still a little naughty. Above all, the "Mother of Temporary Ink" is just that, a mother, and I love her for that!


LOVEBIRDS

CELESTE: What makes your temporary tattoos eco-friendly?

LAURA: The packaging. I really worked hard to find a way other than using plastic wrapped tattoo sheets. When I see this kind in the store, I just cringe. A thin plastic film is necessary for protection, but the outer wrapper is completely reusable as a colorful paper cd/dvd sleeve. I make all the tattoos a special size to accomplish this so that when you are finished with your tattoo, you now have a pretty little Mother Ink media sleeve...and no guilt! And of course, we only use paper to ship, even with our wholesale accounts. Peanuts are for elephants, not geese!

FOOTPRINTS

CELESTE: Ingredients in your tattoos?

LAURA: Wow, there are a lot! It's actually intimidating to look at the long names, but the tattoo inks are vegetable based and FDA approved for skin use (unlike Henna). Adhesive is added to make the inks stick to the skin, similar to an adhesive bandage. All ingredients are listed on the Mother Ink website "How to Apply" page.



CELESTE: What is the most outrageous tattoo you've ever designed?

LAURA: The real one on my lower back, but I'll never tell!

CELESTE: If someone asked you to design a tattoo for them, would you and how long would it take?

LAURA: I have had so many requests for custom tattoos, and even heard of someone getting a permanent Mother Ink "Peace" tattoo. I guess that's sort of stealing, but I was excited! If I were really quick at doing them, I would take custom orders, but unfortunately I'm a total slowpoke. My passion for design means I probably spend way too much time on each one. Believe it or not, I was actually going to hire out the design aspect when I first started the business. It was serendipity that I couldn't afford it!

PEACE

CELESTE: How long do the tattoos last on your skin?

LAURA: That's a tough question. It varies so much from person to person (due to activity level and skin type), but the range is anywhere from one to seven days. The best way to make them last is to cleanse the skin well before applying and not to place them where friction from clothing will be an issue.



PEACOCK

CELESTE: Laura-what inspired you to start designing tattoos?

LAURA: I got pregnant! Then I searched all over to find beautiful, hip temporary tattoos with which to decorate my growing belly, only to find the usual "clip art" varieties. I had heard about the dangers of Henna (not to mention many women can't afford this option), and decided to make them myself. Mother Ink was born!

CELESTE: Would you like to add anything else, Laura?


LAURA: Yes. As much as I love real tattoos, I think that (like most people) I'm fickle. I urge young people, as well as adults, to try temporary tattoos as a way to express themselves...temporarily. I will always be wearing a fresh, new, creative design that I love today. Will you?

LAURA'S BIO: Laura Silverthorn is a former nurse, foreign aid worker, and art school drop out. She conceptualized the Mother Ink Brand in early 2007 while pregnant with her first child and brought it to market in 2008. She currently lives in Philadelphia with her son Sean Patrick.

See all of Laura's designs at
Mother Ink now!

Dr. Bronner's Organic Magic Soaps Really Are Magic: Save on iHerb.com

Here are some of my favorite Dr. Bronner's organic magic soaps.
If you haven't yet discovered these all-in-one soaps--do try them!

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps
NEWSFLASH! Order Dr. Bronner's magic soaps and SAVE $5 on your first iherb order when you use my Coupon Code: CEL445. YES!

Click on link to order and learn more about Dr. Bronner's magic soaps.

http://www.iherb.com/Search.aspx?c=1&kw=dr%20bronner

My Experience with Dr. Bronner's Castile soaps: I fill my hand dispensers with diluted castile soap and also keep some in the shower to use as body wash. Works beautifully and doesn't dry out hand/body like conventional soaps do. I sometimes also add a little to some of my homemade house cleaning solutions. There are many other uses too!

My Experience with Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds:
Forget conventional laundry detergent--this cleans your laundry! Forget conventional dish soap--this cleans your dishes! Forget the toxic floor cleaner--this cleans floors too--plus a whole lot more. Safe and naturally WITHOUT the toxins. Why buy 10 bottles of different cleaning solutions when one bottle does it all. Save money and the environment. Keep toxic waste and packaging out of landfills. Keep your house safe & clean (which in turn will keep your family and pets safe too) by only using natural products.

PACKAGING:

All cylinder bottles are now made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, a marketplace first pioneered by Dr. Bronner's. The bar soaps are wrapped in Living Tree Paper's Vanguard Recycled Plus (10% Hempflax/ 90% PCR) paper.

Buy Aubrey Organics at iHerb.com and SAVE! $5 Discount Code Here.

For my Go Green readers...
If you are a first time customer at www.iHerb.com-
you can use my referral code above (CEL445) to get $5 off your first order!


Yay! My Aubrey Organics products quickly arrived from www.iHerb.com.
Can't wait to try this
Natural Lips Sheer Tint -Sugar Clear (clear lip gloss),
Sea Buckthorn With Ester-C Rejuvenating Antioxidant Serum and
Sea Buckthorn & Cucumber with Ester-C Moisturizing Cream.

Aubrey Organics is one of my favorite vegan lines.

• 100% natural items
• Earth-friendly packaging
• Earth-friendly ingredients
• No animal testing

Book Giveaway: The Truth About Email Marketing by Simms Jenkins

NEWSFLASH: BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Enter to win a free copy of Simms Jenkin's book,
The Truth About Email Marketing.

DETAILS: Simply post a comment below and then Email me (greenwithceleste@yahoo.com) to let me know why you should be the winner of this book!
This will qualify YOU to be entered into the drawing.

A Go Green With Celeste winner will be randomly selected on September 30, 2008.
Open to individuals in USA (lower 48) states only. One entry per person.
All entries must be received by September 29, 2008, by 11PM CST.
***************************************************

~Q&A with the author,
Simms Jenkins~

www.TheTruthAboutEmailMarketing.com

Q: Simms, how did you become sold on the power of email marketing?
A: Prior to founding BrightWave Marketing, I ran the Customer Relationship Management group for a major media company that had a network of websites. When I saw first hand the ability to send a message and minutes later see a surge of responses and resulting web traffic as well as the ability to measure this response in real time, I was hooked. I then built the company to help clients more efficiently and strategically seize the benefits of email marketing.

Q: What sets your book apart from all the rest of the email marketing books?
A: I think there are only a couple of meaningful and serious books on the subject by true industry experts and hopefully my book is equally approachable for email novices as it is for big company email marketing managers. The feedback and reviews http://www.thetruthaboutemailmarketing.com/reviews/ I have received have been really strong to date so I feel like I accomplished that. It is worth mentioning that the biggest compliment I could get on this book would be for an email marketing professional to use it on a daily basis and keep it on their desk as a reference guide.

Q: Give us an email marketing secret that most small business owners would be surprised to learn about.
A: There are many small businesses using email more effectively than Fortune 500 companies. That is one of the beauties of email marketing. It is not about money like some other marketing and media channels but it takes time, resourcefulness and the understanding that permission email is a powerful method of communication but one that should not be abused. Because it is so measurable, any small business owner gets incredible feedback on what their customers and prospects are interested in as well as what they are not. That info can be priceless.

Q: Email marketing is certainly eco-friendly. Did you have a "green" plan from the start?
A: I wish I could tell you that it was part of the master plan but it wasn’t. It is certainly a major reason to consider using email marketing though. I am still surprised to find many leading companies not finding that to be an attractive benefit of email marketing. I know I appreciate the companies that offer me the opportunity to receive bills or promotions via email as opposed to a catalog or letter that gets thrown away immediately. We have found some our clients (http://www.brightwavemarketing.com/clients.html) are leveraging the benefit of email as an eco-friendly communication tool as it makes sense and relates to their brand and offerings. I hope and expect to see more of that.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Simms Jenkins is Chief Executive Officer of BrightWave Marketing, an award-winning email marketing services firm specializing in the strategic optimization of email marketing programs.

Jenkins is regarded as one of the leading experts in the email marketing industry and the expertise of both Jenkins and BrightWave clients have been recognized and featured by many media outlets including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bloomberg TV, eMarketer, Email Marketing Reports, MarketingSherpa, DMNews and ClickZ.

Jenkins and his column for iMedia Connection, a leading interactive Marketing and Media publication, has been called one of the top 21 information sources for email marketers.

Jenkins serves on the eMarketing Association's Board of Advisors and is a Board Member of Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association (AiMA). Jenkins is a graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio and resides in Atlanta with his wife and two sons.

Top Ten Nontoxic, Earth Friendly Living Suggestions

By Amy Todisco

www.greenlivingnow.com

According to the Union Of Concerned Scientists, in their book, The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices, just three of the household activity areas-transportation, food, and household operations-account for the majority of consumer caused environmental impact. The following is a brief list of suggestions to help you create a healthier, less toxic, earth-friendly lifestyle:

1. Transportation
   Choose a fuel-efficient, low-polluting car. Trade in or sell your Sport Utility Vehicles, mini-van, or light truck (unless you need the truck for business).

   • Choose a place to live that reduces need to drive (commute to work/school)
   • Think twice before purchasing a second car
   • Whenever practical, walk, bike, take public transportation
   • Set concrete goals for reducing travel

   Did You Know: Household use of transportation, from recreational boating to cars to passenger air travel, is responsible for 28-51% of greenhouse gases and air pollution and 23% of toxic water pollution. The use of land for roads is a significant threat to wildlife.

2. Food
   

   • Avoid conventionally raised meat (beef, lamb, pork, and poultry) and prefer certified organically raised alternatives. Reduce overall meat intake.
   • If you eat fish (which can also be contaminated with toxic chemicals) prefer: haddock, wild pacific salmon, U.S. harvested shrimp, and yellowtail. If you eat tuna, limit to once/week due to high levels of toxic Mercury.
   • Choose certified organically grown foods, ideally locally grown.

   Did You Know: The Union of Concerned Scientists reported "our results show that meat production causes more environmental harm than other food production, so it is desirable to try to reduce the amount of meat you eat." Additionally, Epidemiologist T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D, one of the world's leading authorities in nutrition science, said, "In my view, no chemical carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer as animal protein."

   Conventional food can be: genetically engineered, irradiated, fertilized with municipal sludge, artificially flavored, colored and preserved, injected with growth hormones and antibiotics, and contaminated with other industrial chemicals and radiation. Sound appetizing?

3. Water
   

   • Have your drinking water tested for pollutants (Watercheck National Testing Laboratories, 6151 Willson Mills Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44133).
   • Depending upon results, choose an effective, affordable tap and shower water filtration systems, like my favorite: Lakota Scientific (You can purchase them on my webstore.)
   • Install low-flow aerators on sinks and showers. Consider a composting toilet.

   Did You Know: Approximately 43% of the nation's community water systems are in violation of federal safe drinking water laws. Lead is one of the most dangerous drinking water contaminants. Bottled water is not required by law to be pure, and it may become contaminated from the plastic container it's bottled in.

4. Clothing
   Choose organically grown cotton, hemp, and untreated wool as much as possible. Environmentally friendly clothing is now offered by: Levi Strauss & Co. (Levi's Natural jeans), VF Corp (owner of Lee and Wrangler), Esprit, and Patagonia. O wear is also offered in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and NYC. Tomorrow's World catalog also offers a good selection of organic cotton and hemp clothing (1-800-229-7571).
   

   Did You Know: One of the most heavily sprayed crops in agriculture is cotton, and yet toxic water and air pollution are created from the production of synthetic fibers from petroleum products. The production of shoes and leather goods are very damaging with regard to water pollution and land use.

5. Dry Cleaning
   

   • It's better to launder clothes than to dry clean. Many items that are labeled "dry clean only" can be washed without harm, if you know how to do it. (Check out Debra Lynn Dadd's book, The Non-toxic Home and Office, for washing instructions).
   • If you must dry clean, remove clothes from plastic bag, tie bag into a knot and safely throw away. Air clothes outside to reduce solvent fumes (ideally) or in a closed room with ventilation. This could take up to 1 week, less if the weather is dry and warm.

   Did You Know: Dry cleaning, on a per-dollar basis, is responsible for very high levels of toxic air pollution? Trichloroethylene may be outgassing from dry-cleaned clothes. Trichloroethylene is suspected of causing cancer in humans.

6. Cleaning Products
   

   • Avoid common synthetic cleaning products; many of them are toxic regardless of what the packaging indicates. Be aware that some "natural" looking product labels and packaging may be hiding nothing more than a synthetic chemical product with added herbs and essential oils.
   • Seek out truly nontoxic, earth-friendly household cleaning products, like Ecover, or make your own. (You can purchase them on my webstore) Consult Annie Berthold Bond's book, Clean and Green, and Debra Lynn Dadd's, The Non-Toxic Home and Office, for recipes.

   Did You Know: Cleaning products rank high on a per-dollar basis in terms of air and water pollution impacts. Their use also creates unhealthy indoor air in homes, offices, schools, etc. which can cause illness. Thanks to "trade secret laws", manufacturers of cleaning products are not required by law to disclose all of their ingredients. Many of the undisclosed "inerts" are toxic, and they can make up to 99% of the product.

7. Pesticides And Fertilizers- Indoor
   

   • Eliminate use of toxic home pesticides, including pet flea and tick products, fly strips, and synthetic fertilizers.
   • For ants, try a 50-50 mix of borax powder and sugar. Line cabinets, cracks, and crevices where ants have been noticed. (Keep out of reach of children and pets).
   • Try flea prevention. Comb pets regularly with good metal flea comb, comb daily if they have fleas. Bathe pets with Vermont Soap Company or Dr. Bronner's organic castile soaps. Vacuum at least once per week. Call Flea Buster's (non-toxic service) at 1-800-765-FLEA for local referral.
   • Fertilize indoor plants (and lawns and gardens) with liquid seaweed or fish emulsion (Neptune's Harvest) & compost (for lawns and gardens).

8. Pesticides & Fertilizers -Outdoor

   • First, change mindset about "perfect" lawn. Learn to tolerate some "weeds", different color grasses, and uneven spots.
   • Limit amount of grass and instead use other ground cover like ivy. Plant more native shrubs and trees.
   • Cut grass high (3"), lime, aerate the lawn, and rake vigorously in spring.

   Did You Know: One study found a rate of childhood leukemia 4-7 times greater in children whose parents used store-bought home and garden pesticides. Pesticides, whether used properly or improperly, are designed to kill living organisms. Of the 34 most commonly used lawn chemicals, 11 are known carcinogens, 20 poison the nervous system, 9 cause birth defects, and 30 create skin irritation.

9. Energy Use

   • Insulate. Replace old windows and doors with newer energy efficient (triple glazed) options.
   • Try to increase the amount and use of sunlight in your home through building on a passive solar sunroom & installing solartubes (energy efficient skylight).
   • Consider purchasing photovoltaic panels to generate clean electricity and a solar electric hot water heater (save $150-350/year depending on local climate).
   • Lower thermostat to 68 degrees (or lower) during the day and 64 degrees (or lower) at night
   .
   • Use wood or wood pellets to generate electricity in modern energy efficient pellet or wood stove.
   • When appropriate, replace old appliances with newer energy efficient ones, like solar hot water heaters, and incandescent lights with compact fluorescent full spectrum lights.
   • Choose an energy supplier who supports renewable energy generation. For renewable energy products, call: Real Goods at 1-800-762-7325.

   Did You Know: Burning fossil fuels for heating, hot water and air conditioning creates 31% of consumer-caused greenhouse gases, and 24% of common air pollution.

10. Home Furnishings

    • Choose unfinished solid wood cabinets, furniture, and hard wood floors. Antique wood furniture is also a good choice.
    • Use non-toxic wood primers, stains, etc. (The Natural Choice at 1-800-621-2591, and A.F.M. at 1-800-239-0321, and ICI's Performance 2000)
    • Look for organic or untreated cotton, silk, linen or hemp fabrics for upholstery, curtains, sheets, towels, etc. (Winter Silks, 1-800-648-7455).
    • Organic cotton and solid wood beds, and organic cotton and hemp clothing are currently available (Tomorrow's World, 1-800-229-7571).
    • Untreated, nontoxic, all natural carpeting is available from: Earth Weave Carpet Mills, Inc. 706-695-8800, www.earthweave.com)

    Did You Know: Formaldehyde is used extensively in commercial furniture; medium density fiberboard emits the highest level of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde causes cancer and nervous system damage. Many brands of carpets are treated with poisonous moth repellents, mold retardants, and pesticides. Toluene, xylene, and styrene are nerve toxins found in carpeting. They all outgas into our indoor air environment. Commercial paint contains nerve toxins and cancer-causing chemicals including formaldehyde, methylene chloride, xylene, and toluene, and others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amy Todisco is the President and Owner of greenlivingnow.com organic and natural product webstore. She was the founder and executive director of the nonprofit, the Consumer's Healthy Home Center (CHHC). CHHC was created to hire independent toxicologists to test a variety of household products for their potential inhalation health effects, and then recommend the safest products to consumers. Amy closed down CHHC to create the greenlivingnow.com webstore. She felt that she could inspire and positively impact more people through the webstore.

Amy is also a professional life coach (Catalyst 4 Change Life Coaching) and is creating a group teleclass on several topics of green living, beginning with organic food on a budget. She's also created three green living ebooks that are going on sale by 8/1.

Contact Amy here: amy@greenlivingnow.com

www.greenlivingnow.com