Little Green Blog

Earth Day Freebies

2011-04-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

Don' forget Earth Day this year! A lot of businesses are giving away freebies for you! Check out the following freebies and don't forget to be kind to earth! The best thing you can do is REUSE and REDUCE everything!

At participating Starbucks, you can bring in a reusable mug on April 22 to get free brewed coffee or tea.

Origins is offering a trade-in program on Earth Day. Receive a free, full-size face cleanser when you bring one of your empty skin-care bottles (from any brand) to any Origins retail store or department-store counter for recycling. Choose from "A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser With White Tea" or "Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash".

Target is hosting a "Refresh Your Nest" sweepstakes that wraps up on April 30. Enter the sweepstakes online and win a chance to give your home a $50,000 makeover that's both stylish and sustainable. Even if you don't win the ultimate prize, you still could win one of several fun, eco-friendly prizes, from eco-vacations to home energy makeovers to energy-efficient consumer electronics.

At the Disney Store, you can trade in five disposable plastic bags for recycling and receive a free reusable shopping bag on April 22.

Lowe's is giving away one million trees on April 23.

The best thing you can do is REUSE and REDUCE everything! Think about getting some reusable snack bags for your kids lunches or a reusable water bottle. Both will cut down on the amount of waste!

Visit littlegreenbooties.com for your green items today! Our huge Earth Day sale is going on now until May 7th! Hurry, while supplies last!

image courtesy of : woodleywonderworks

Recycling Refresher

2011-04-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick refresher in recycling in honor of Earth Day. I know we sometimes loose our path throughout the year. Earth Day is a great way to start over and give yourself a kickoff to a healthier happier planet!

Recycle these products at home:
• Aluminum/steel cans & empty aerosol cans
• Plastic bottles & jars (#1 & #2 only)
• Glass jars & bottles (any color)
• Phone books, newspapers, magazines, cardboard and paperboard, mixed paper and junk
mail

Be sure to follow the preparation guidelines:
• Empty and rinse all recyclable containers
• Separate your paper from all other materials.
• Flatten cardboard boxes

Some things you can’t place in your recycling bin and better to avoid buying all together.
• Styrofoam
• Plastic deli tubs
• Unmarked plastics
• Window glass
• Light bulbs
• Drinking glasses
• #3-#7 plastics- depending on where you live.

WHAT ARE RECYCLABLES MADE INTO?
Aluminum Cans: Aluminum sheet for the production of new cans
Steel: Food cans, automotive bodies and parts, appliances and construction
materials
#1 Plastic: Bottles, plastic strapping, carpet, clothing, fiberfill for jackets and
insulation

#2 Plastic: Food and beverage containers, detergent bottles, drainage
pipe and lawn furniture

Glass: Glass jars and bottles, fiberglass insulation and substitute materials for
civil engineering applications

Newspaper/Mixed Paper: News print, corrugated cardboard, paperboard
containers, paper bags, tissue and egg cartons

RECYCLING MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

Recycling 1 aluminum can saves enough energy to run your TV for 3
hours

Recycling 1 glass bottle or jar saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours

Recycling 1 ton of newspaper saves:
• 17 mature trees
• 7,000 gallons of water
• 380 gallons of oil
• 587 pounds of air pollution
• Enough energy to heat a home for six months

Necular or Not?

2011-03-27T09:08:00.001-07:00

After the crisis in Japan there has been aof questions about nuclear power. Here are some intersting Q&A from Brian Imus Illinois PIRG State Director.

Q: Just how risky is nuclear power?

A: Very. Every operating nuclear power plant in the United States has a pool of spent fuel on site, and the possibility of a Fukushima-like loss of coolant—and ensuing release of radiation—is quite real. A worst-case accident involving one of these pools could make more than 2,700 miles of land unfit for human habitation, lead to as many as 143,000 cancer fatalities within 500 miles of the accident site, and cause more than $700 billion in property damage.[i]

Even minor exposures to radiation released during a nuclear accident can cause health problems, including cancer later in life. [ii] Radioactive materials stay dangerous for thousands of years.

Q: Wasn’t the disaster in Japan caused by a combination of events—the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent power outage—that couldn't happen here?

A: Between hurricanes, tornadoes, human error, the potential for terrorist attack, mechanical failure, the age of our nuclear reactors and yes—earthquakes and tsunamis—it’s not outrageous to think that a major incident could happen at any one of the 104 nuclear reactors operating at the United States. Each of America's nuclear power stations share the same vulnerabilities as the nuclear reactors in Japan.[iii]

Q: Don’t we need nuclear power to keep the lights on?

A: Not necessarily. Nuclear power currently generates about 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply, and it would be difficult to immediately shut existing reactors down. But we don’t need to continue to allow nuclear reactors to operate beyond the 40 years they were originally designed for, and we don’t need to build new reactors.

We have vast safe energy resources that can do a better job of keeping the lights on. And they don’t explode, spill, or contaminate food supplies with radiation. For example, if we improved efficiency, in the next 20 years we could free up as much electricity as 100 new nuclear reactors could generate.[iv]

And America’s entire electricity needs could be met by the sunlight falling on a 100-mile-square patch of Nevada desert, or by the wind blowing across North Dakota.[v]

Q: But isn’t nuclear power cheap?

A: No, it’s expensive and a bad investment. Nuclear power is among the most costly approaches to solving America’s energy problems. You just have to look at the history of nuclear power to understand. Of 75 nuclear reactors completed between 1966 and 1986, the average cost was more than triple the original construction budget.[vi] In 1985, Forbes magazine wrote that “the failure of the U.S. nuclear power program ranks as the largest managerial disaster in business history, a disaster on a monumental scale.”[vii]

The industry instead turned to taxpayer support. Over the last fifty years, American taxpayers have subsidized nuclear power to the tune of $145 billion.[viii] That’s more than the entire value of the electricity produced.[ix]

Wall Street investors still won’t touch nukes because the technology is too risky and too expensive. In contrast, investors are lining up to support newer renewable technologies, because they are more cost effective. Per dollar of investment, safe energy solutions—such as energy efficiency and wind power—deliver far more electricity than nuclear reactors.[x]

Q: Isn’t nuclear power better for the environment?

No. Energy efficiency is better. So are wind and solar power. These energy sources are better at preventing the kind of pollution that comes from fossil fuel plants than nuclear reactors because they are cheaper. They also don’t pose any risk of contaminating land, water or food with radioactive pollution.

For more information, and to get regular updates, visit our blog.

Sincerely,

Brian Imus
Illinois PIRG State Director

P.S. Please feel free to share this message with your friends and family.

Geen Up Your Shopping This Year!

2010-12-11T05:34:00.000-08:00

Green Shopping Guide!

This year spread the green. Not only "Be green", but give the "Gift of Green" to others. Help others go green and give great gifts at the same time.

To-Go-Ware, Reusies, and Wrap n Mats make great gifts for the teachers, mail persons, hair dressers, and anyone else who eats on the go!

Californi a Baby Holiday Cheer Aromatherapy Bubble Bath makes a great Christmas or Chanukah gift, stocking stuffer—a thoughtful gift any child would love. And it comes with a bubble stick so the kids can enjoy blowing bubble right in their own bath!! Lots of fun in the tub.

And don't forget those last minute toy gifts. Green Toys and Plan Toys are among the highest rated and greenest toys out there! Fun toys that kids enjoy and safe for everyone! Check out the today show clip below! Hot toys now available for Christmas!

Get your holiday shopping done at littlegreenboties.com

Cyber Monday is Green Afterall !

2010-11-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

Well its here. Its Holiday shopping time once again. Now that Thanksgiving is behind us we can officially kick off the holiday shopping. Its soon to be "Cyber Monday". Cyber Monday is the Monday following Thanksgiving Day. The term made its debut on November 28, 2005 and is now considered the Biggest Online Shopping Day of the Year!

But how can we shop for our green products AND do it in a green way. "Online shopping" is the answer!!!

"E-commerce reduces the environmental impact of shopping by using about a third less energy than traditional retail".(Wall Street Journal)."

"A study out by the Carnegie Mellon Green Design Institute offers a scientifically rigorous estimate of e-commerce’s green benefits. E-commerce not only uses less energy, but its carbon footprint is also a third smaller than bricks-and-mortar retail, the scientists found."
Lead researcher H. Scott Matthews compared the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions required to deliver a small flash drive to a shopper via a trip to a traditional store versus buying and shipping the flash drive via the internet. The scientists found that by far the largest environmental cost of traditional shopping is a consumer driving his or her own car to a store. Much of the energy expenditure for e-commerce also goes towards last-mile delivery. But a UPS truck delivering dozens of packages along its daily route uses a less energy per package, on average. That’s where e-commerce really shines. (Wall Street Journal)

So get your green on, because E-commerce not only uses less energy, but its carbon footprint is also a third smaller than bricks-and-mortar retail!

Go to Little Green Booties & Family for your Cyber Monday deal this year! 30% off the entire store!

Skip the frustrating Christmas Sales at the mall. Smart shoppers know that on the Monday after Thanksgiving, Little Green Booties & Family is the place to go. Find the best buys on the season’s hottest Eco Toys - as well as other great gifts like reusable bags, safe drinking bottles, and even more green family products!

You shouldn’t have to stand in a long line to get a great deal. These limited-supply offers will go quickly. So "log on" early, skip the long lines and still save a bundle.

Whether you are shopping for the kids, that special someone, or even a few stocking stuffers, you'll find something for everyone at Little Green Booties & Family. Shop now while supplies last. This 24 hours sale ends Midnight Monday........Enter code "Cyber2010" at check out. www.littlegreenbooties.com

A Proud Day

2010-11-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

Today was a very proud day here at our house. This morning, while making my daughters lunch, my kindergartner says to me, "I want to help make my lunch mom." Thinking nothing of it I said, "Sure, what do you want today?" So we started with the sandwich and as we wrapped it in the Wrap-N-Mat as always. Then she dropped the bomb and said to me, "I don't want any trash in my lunch today." Whoooa! What did my 5 year old say!?? I tried to pretend like this was normal and not make a big deal about this and hopefully not scare her off! So on we went. She picked a fruit, no apple sauce today. We just so happened to have some chocolate dipped dried apricots that we made. Those went in one of our reusable snack bags -fruit and desert in one too! Then we packed some goldfish, again another snack bag. She started to zip up her box when I said, "Do you want milk today, because then you will have trash." She didn't even hesitate, "No, I'll take my water bottle." I was dying inside, loving every minute of this grand experience! Lastly, as she was arranging all of her goodies in her BPA Free lunch box I said, "Would you like a napkin today?" "No they have napkins at school", was her innocent yet naive response. "Oh, but then it will be garbage", I added. "You are right mom!" she said enthusiastically. And in went the reusable cotton napkin. A totally waste free lunch all inspired and packed by a 5 year old.

All it takes is a little effort and some thinking. Ty it, you'll love it. Go green, go waste free, ....its that important!

2010-10-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

"OXY-BOOST is a safe and effective alternative to chlorine based products and it can be used in many applications in and around the home. It is based on sodium percarbonate which uses oxygen for destaining and deodorizing. OXY-BOOST is safe to use at all temperatures, on most washable fabrics, and all colors, in hard or soft water, and is compatible with other household cleaners. Also, it produces no harmful by-products which negatively affect the environment. Unlike chlorine bleach, which can merely cover up a stain, OXY-BOOST attacks and breaks down organic stains to totally remove them from the garment."Oxyboost.com

No only is Oxy Boost great for the environment, but it really works and it is color safe!! Not like regular bleach, where you almost always ruin the clothes you have on trying to save the clothes you have already ruined! Oxy Boost takes out chocolate, chocolate milk, wine, grass stains, blood, and just about everything else! It is Little Green Booties BEST SELLER by far. Everyone who has tried it loves it.

I had one person who told me they used it on their husbands deer hunting clothing, jackets, etc. It got out all the blood stains and the sink! Another person used it on their wine spill on a table cloth and it all came out! No worries when you use Oxy Boost!

I am never worried about the kids and what they eat because I know it will almost for sure come out. My little one ate blue birthday cake frosting in a pale yellow dress. And you bet that blue food coloring was all over her dress. I washed it a couple a days later and it all came out! I don't have to worry about the airborne chemical reaction floating around my house and all of our clothes are clean and fresh! Get more details about doing "Eco" fresh laundry and Oxy Boosts benefits and uses on our previous post "Laundry the Efficient Healthy Way".

See for yourself the wonderful environmental benefits and well as the personal ones with this great eco product! Oxyboost is on sale for the first and only time right now at Little Green Booties & Family! Get yours today.

Putting Boxes to Good Use

2010-09-10T13:51:00.001-07:00

Boxes Everywhere........Finding A Good Use.

Cardboard boxes come into our lives daily it seems. Boxes from the toys, boxes from the mail, boxes from presents, for presents, and even the garden shed comes in a box now! So what to do with all these boxes?

I save a lot of our boxes and often friends give me boxes because we try to use recycled boxes when shipping things for Little Green Booties products.

But we recently had birthday party, and this particular little boy was wishing for a big red fire truck with a remote control. After unsuccessfully looking at several stores I decided to look online. Wala......there it was. So, I ordered it. It came to my door in this very large box. We opened it, just to check it out and there it was neatly packed in it's own box inside. Two boxes, but well, it had to be shipped so I guess it is okay I told my self. Then came party day. I normally don't not use wrapping paper for our gifts. I try to use something other than paper. I love the little bags by Simply Green Solutions that fold up after you use them. They come in lots of colors and make the perfect "gift bag" for just the right price. Then the person, or the parent has a bag to use again. They make great library bags by the way. When you are done the bag goes right back in your purse ready for the next event!

Anyway, back to the truck. So the fire truck was not going to fit in this bag, way to big. What would we wrap this in? Then it came to me. We'll have "it" be the paper. So I took it outside and got out the paints. I wrote a big "Happy Birthday on the top with a big 5 in his favorite color and let the kids paint the sides. We put everyone's name on the side as well. Love Auntie, Uncle, etc. etc...therefore no card either (because a 5 year old really cares about a card, right)? We then topped it off with some ribbon, that was saved from our own birthday! Totally recycled/reused gift wrapping! Love it!!! When we showed up at the party the kids were like"woooaa...whats in that box"? The birthday boy loved his box and his present inside as well. Another recycling success story.

Go crazy, go eco- with your gift wrapping, use a little blanket, scarf or a bag. Gosh, use old school Sunday comics form the newspaper. I think gift wrapping today doesn't have to be right out of Hallmark. Try it, its contagious.

Now the next box was a HUGE success as well. A few weeks ago my friend posted a picture of her kids making a" drive through" out of her treadmill box. What a cool idea I thought..........and then the shed boxes arrived. Our shed was crushed by a rather large tree that fell in a winter storm. We had been pondering what to do and what kid of shed to replace it with. We decided on a shed and it was delivered in two huge boxes. Immediately my eye was on those boxes. "Don't throw those away", I said to my husband, "we have to make something out of those"! The kids were excited and played in just the boxes for a few weeks. Then we decided on a project . A school! We play school/teacher a lot, so a school would be perfect! We dug out some old red paint and a school it was. With windows a door and a flag we were set for the first day of school .

Weeks passed by with the other box sitting in our garage taking up major "car" real estate as my husband would say. I could read his mind thinking, "when can we get rid of these boxes". So, with the cold weather coming soon I knew we had to act quick. A school bus was the first idea , but our best friend loves to play pirate, not school. So we agreed it would be a cool pirate ship! It only took maybe an hour and we were ready to sail. At the last minute we deiced to add a large sail to the ship to make it authentic! "Argg....we are ready Matey"! So the ship and the school are major attractions for the block kids and make for a very fun afternoon at our house.

On another note when you are actually looking for boxes, say to move or store or ship there is a great site called usedcarboradboxes.com. "UsedCardboardBoxes.com, the Nation's cheapest, easiest and most earth-friendly way to get boxes for packing, moving, shipping and storage". Many people think using a cardboard box once and sending it to the traditional recycler is the most responsible way to help the environment. In fact, most boxes that are sent to recycler are actually being prematurely terminated! The process of recycling cardboard boxes requires a great deal of energy, chemicals and emissions that have their own negative impact on our environment not to mention all the trees that still have to be cut down to make new boxes. At UsedCardboardBoxes.com, they feel strongly that is it better to reuse a cardboard box at least once, before it is sent to a traditional recycler". (usedcardboardboxes.com)

"UsedCardboardBoxes.com takes an innovative approach to providing low-cost, earth-friendly moving boxes. They "rescue" truckloads of quality used boxes from large companies that might otherwise recycle them or simply throw them away. So if your in the market for boxes this a a great low cost way to go!

So be creative with your boxes, they don't just have to go right to the recycling truck!

Back to School Guide to "Waste Free Lunches"

2010-08-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

So you've got the PVC Free backpack ready for school, now its time to green up you lunches! If you haven't picked a good lunch box yet, look for PVC free, phthalate, lead free one. See our previous post, PVC,Lead, BPA, and Phthalate Free School Shopping for suggestions. But more importantly we need to look at what you actually put your food into and what you don't throw away!

"As Americans we have come to depend on the many convenience products that are available to us, and nowhere is this more evident than in the school lunch room. Most parents pack lunch items in single-use plastic bags, aluminum foil, or wax paper, or they purchase single-serving items that come in their own disposable package. Admittedly, these products are extremely convenient, but what is the environmental cost to a country that relies so heavily on them? Landfills are full and overflowing. Incinerators pump contaminants into the air. Communities are battling over who will accept the nation's trash. We all enjoy these conveniences, but few of us are willing to allow new landfills and incinerators to be built in our own backyards.

Much of the trash we generate comes from the packaging on the food we buy, and lunch foods are no exception. In fact, it has been estimated that on average a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school. (Waste Free Lunches)

4 Simple Ways to a "Waste Free Lunch"

Reusable BPA free Water Bottle:
"Thinksport was created to address the growing concern of harmful chemicals potentially leaching from sports bottles. The bottle is constructed of FDA approved stainless steel and is double-walled to keep contents at the desired temperature for hours. The bottle's sleek design also features an easy to drink from spout and built in mesh filter to stop ice or tea leaves from being consumed.

Built to fit your active lifestyle, thinksport provides safe consumer products free of Bisphenol-A (BPA), lead, phthalates, melamine, nitrosamines, PVC and biologically toxic chemicals. Their products are also designed to be sustainable, eco-friendly, super functional, and elegant." Think Sport

Reusable Sandwich Wrap:
Wrap N Mat are an environmentally-friendly re-usable sandwich bag. The Wrap also serve as a place mat providing a clean eating surface anywhere!

Simply place the sandwich or other snack foods in the center of the wrap and fold left to right, top to bottom and close the hook and loop fasteners. WRAP-N-MAT Wraps keeps food fresh for hours. When needed, place a cold pack alongside the mat.

* WRAP-N-MAT Wraps are the only RE-USABLE sandwich wrap and placemat in one.
* Easy to clean, just hand wash and air dry.
* Original sized wraps are approx. 13" x 13"
* Grande' sized wraps are approx. 14" x 17"
We carry the "Made in USA" wraps and are made with a lining of LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) #4 Resin Code. The material is manufactured to meet all FDA's guidelines to be in contact with food and is Phthalate free, Lead free and BPA free. (Wrap n Mats) Great for everyone in your family! Even DAD!

Reusable Snack Bags:

Families are going through an average of 10 plastic bags per day between school and work lunches. We all do our best to reuse and recycle in other areas of our lives, but there doesn't seem to be a solution to the plastic sandwich bags until now.

"ReUsies were developed for their waste-free quality, but the primary reason for purchasing the ReUsies for most people is to eliminate plastic from being in direct contact with their family’s food".

"ReUsies™ are a re-usable alternative to sandwich/snack bags, each one has the potential to eliminate hundreds of plastic bags. ReUsies™ are 100% cotton lined with leak-resistant nylon and are secured with Velcro® closures.

Snack: approx. 6” w / 5” h
The snack size holds a half sandwich or whole sandwich with the crust cut off! It is good for smaller quantities of crackers, pretzels, apple slices, etc.

ReUsies can be machine washed and dried, washed in the dishwasher, or for longest life simply wiped clean with a soapy sponge and air dried. To keep the Velcro from snagging on the stitching when washing in the machine we recommend turning the bag inside out, tucking in the flap, and securing one side of the Velcro to the other". ReUsies

Reusable Utensil Sets-Bamboo Cutlery:

"We’ve got our travel mugs and our reusable shopping bags. How about a reusable bamboo utensil set to round out the perfect toolkit for life on the go? A handy carabiner on the back lets you clip and carry a fork, knife, spoon and chopsticks wherever they may roam. Perfect for a busy lifestyle

Bamboo reusable utensil sets are a great alternative to plastic! Bamboo is not a tree-it's a grass, and it grows like one. Many species of bamboo can grow two feet or more a day. When it's harvested, it need not be replanted, because it will grow a new shoot from its extensive root system. So bamboo renews itself readily, unlike hardwood trees, which, once cut, are gone forever. Bamboo is an endlessly renewable resource and makes for a great reusable fork! Not to, mention that means no BPA, Lead, phthalates, or PVC to worry about.

The bamboo utensil sets have a colorful "RePEaT" holder, and gives plastic bottles a second shot at a useful life – and an opportunity to stay out of our landfills. Made out of RPET (recycled PET plastic), we like to call it “RePEaT” because it lets plastic reincarnate into something kinder and gentler. The material for RePEaT utensils is made of RPET, recycled plastic bottles. Plastic soda and water bottles that would otherwise end up in the landfills are given a second shot at a useful life by being recycled into this amazingly strong, color-fast and water-resistant utensil holder. An added plus for RePEaT wraps is that the recycled material requires less energy during manufacturing than virgin PET materials. (To Go Ware)

Keep them clipped to your lunch sack, in your glove compartment, or in your camping gear! They work everywhere for everyone! They are even allowed on airplanes!

There is no need for waste in our lunches anymore! With a little effort we can create a "Waste Free Lunch"! Get your lunch supplies now, while supplies last, at Little Green Booties & Family. Happy lunching!

PVC,Lead, BPA, and Phthalate Free school shopping!

2010-08-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Well it comes upon us too soon, and we say good bye to the wonderful summer times, but the excitement of school begins. The hustle of the back to school supplies, the joy of new markers upon the children, and the thrill of new backpacks and lunchboxes.

Now comes the hard part, resisting those oh so child attracting, chemical laden, cheap tempting products we are all so used to. My daughter is starting Kindergarten and is so excited about everything. We were in a discount store recently buying some supplies on her list and she immediately wanted the princess backpack and and the Dora lunch box. Knowing very well these were filled with PVC and phthalates and who knows what else! I quickly discouraged her from her temptations and promised to find her a fun backpack that we both could agree on.

It was harder than I thought, the search, not the convincing that is, I had been searching google for ever it seemed and I was about to give up when I found two great choices. Crocodile Creek or Dante B eatrix. These two offer backpacks that are PVC, Lead, Phthalate Free and offer bags that cute, yet large enough for school age children to use!

My daughter picked a Crocodile Creek bag and lunch box. "Crocodile Creek lunch boxes are child safe with lead-free linings and are PVC free and phthalate free. They conform to both U.S. and European safety standards as well as FDA recommendation and their backpacks are made of high-quality polyester. They are BPA, PVC and phthalate-free and conform to both US and European safety standards as well". And at Crocodile Creek you also have the option of picking up your products at a local store. All you do is insert your zip code and they tell you if there is a sore near by that sells the products ordered! And then you pick them up (already paid for) and have no shipping charge! Cool and green!

Happy back to school shopping!

Landmark Report!

2010-06-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

"You may have heard that the President's Cancer Panel issued a landmark report last month suggesting that public health officials have "grossly underestimated" the extent of environmentally-induced cancer among the 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with the disease annually!!! " (EWG)

All those people who say , well ......"I played with lead toys when I was little and we had lead paint in our house, and oh its just small amounts of DEET and pesticide...... and I'm FINE!" Well we are not fine.

How many people do you know, or know of with cancer? 4 of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die from it!! Seriously, we need to start paying attention to our environment and our bodies!

The Environmental Working Group. The Environmental Working Group is an environmental organization that specializes in environmental research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability. EWG is a non-profit organization whose mission, according to their website, is "to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment." (Wikipedia). Here is a small list of what you can do to help keep yourself safe from EWG

1. Filter your tap water.

2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more from EWG.

3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. "Fluorochemicals" related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellants on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods.

4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Use a safe and effective sunscreen.

5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.

6. Eat The Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer.

7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies.

8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use Skin Deep cosmetic database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. Use this website to check out your cosmetics and toiletries : www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks

Check out the whole article on EWG site! And go to littlegreenbooites.com to get your green basics for you and your family. Our site offers products that will help you get started living the "green" life. We recommend that you educate yourself and start learning about your environment. Why? Because it's that important!

Company drops children's chocolate drink

2010-06-17T05:31:00.000-07:00

Fri, Jun 11, 2010 (HealthDay News) -- A new chocolate-flavored toddler drink has been taken off the market after criticism that the product and others like it, made by Mead Johnson, contribute to childhood obesity. Read the article here.

Sunscreens- The Good,The Bad & The Ugly

2010-06-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

Sunscreen is still a sticky topic. It is very confusing when trying to buy and figure out what is good and what exactly is 'bad" for you. We touched on it in one of our previous posts "Screen you Sunscreen". You should know that sunscreen should be used sparingly and not needed for small amounts of time in the sun. All sunscreens can create some "free radicals", but when you are in the sun all day a sunscreen is the best choice.

Remember back in the day when the life guard wore the zinc on their noses!? Oh, how I remember those cool dudes! So what happened!? Someone decided one day it was not cool ,that they could make a chemical to make us more hip and cool. unfortunately what they didn't think about is what those chemicals were going to do to us or our children!

According to the Mayo Clinic sunscreens work like this:

"Sunscreen absorbs, reflects or scatters UV light. It's divided into three wavelength bands — ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet C (UVC). Only UVA and UVB rays reach the earth.

Sunscreens provide either "physical" or "chemical" protection from UV light.
"Chemical sunscreens"- absorb UV rays before they can cause any damage. They contain one or more ingredients, such as avobenzone or oxybenzone, which absorb UVA or UVB rays. For broad protection, chemical sunscreens often contain more than one ingredient to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. A newer over-the-counter sunscreen contains mexoryl (Anthelios SX) and offers protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. (Mayo Clinic)

"Physical sunscreens" - form an opaque film that reflects or scatters UV light before it can penetrate the skin. These sunscreens contain ingredients, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which protect against both UVA and UVB rays. (this is the white stuff we used to wear on our nose!). Original formulations of physical sunscreens remained white when applied to the skin. Newer formulations blend more with your skin tone and are less noticeable. (source: Mayo Clinic; Sunscreens)

So the good the bad and the ugly look like this:

- No fragrance or scent masking agents
- UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection
- Water Resistant
- Non-whitening micro-titanium dioxide
- No Octyl Methoxycinnamate
- PABA free # Scatters & reflects UV rays
- Free of parabens,phthalates, SLS , dioxanes or PEG
- No Oxybenzone
- No vitamin A
-Contains organic and sustainably grown ingredients

* Vitamin A-Recently available data from an FDA study indicate that vitamin A , a form of, retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions (NTP 2009). This evidence is troubling because the sunscreen industry adds vitamin A to 41% of all sunscreens. Read EWG's article here.

* Oxybenzone is an endocrine disruptor which can affect the nervous system, has been linked to cancer in some laboratory studies, and creates free-radicals when exposed to the sun which are harmful.

So before you head for the beach and the pools this summer check out your sunscreen and make sure it's safe! Get some new stock and keep safe from the sun and the chemicals . Little Green Booties and Family has done the research for you already. Check out the line of California Baby products including their safe sunscreens and deet free bug spray. littlegreenbooties.com.

Chocolate Baby Formula!

2010-04-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

So we are all about healthy eating, eating organic, going green. Then, this shows up:Chocolate Baby Formula! This is just wrong and says a lot about what our society allows and falls for! Believe it or not some people will buy this.

"Chocolate Baby Formula: From Cradle to Grave"?

"The unflavored version of the product, from Enfagrow, ( AKA Enfamil) has been around for a while. In 2005, nutritionists complained about the company's formula because it so evidently competed with milk as a weaning food. Mead-Johnson representatives explained that Enfagrow is not meant as an infant formula, but as a dietary supplement for toddlers aged 12 to 36 months.

Really? Then how come it is labeled "Toddler Formula"? And how come it has a Nutrition Facts label, not a Supplement Facts label?" (The Atlantic) Rad the article for yourself!

Earth Day

2010-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Earth Day 2010

On April 22, 2010 millions of people around the world will celebrate Earth Day, marking its 40th anniversary. The idea behind the day—honoring the planet and all living things that inhabit it—began during the early 1960's. The first official U.S. observance of Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 by a Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson.

Some people think that Earth Day is a day for the "granola's" or the "Hippies and Tree Huggers", when really, it is for the exact opposite! We know what to do, now we need to help the others understand what this whole thing is about! Everyone is responsible for this planet ; the Chinese, the Americans, the Jewish, the Catholic, the Baptist, the Buddhist, etc..! Everyone! We need to start taking care of this planet that we inhibit for our own good. Earth day is the largest NON - RELIGIOUS holiday celebrated today. Including 184 countries and a 1/2 Billion people. But still, that is only 7 % of the people on earth.

This Earth Day you should try help someone else to become "Eco-conscious". Kind of like "pass it on". Tell someone about the garbage swirls in the Pacific. Show them the photos of the huge amounts of trash found floating in the ocean and the 100,000 related marine animal deaths. Send someone the recycling facts and teach someone to compost! Spread the word! Let's get that 7% up this year. Everyone counts.

Make Earth Day every day for someone else!

Go to littlegreenbooties.com for Eco friendly cleaning and laundry products for our Earth Day sale for the month of April.

Water Labels

2010-03-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

Still drinking bottled water or maybe you have some sitting in the pantry? EWG needs your labels!

They are doing some people-powered research on bottled water labels this month. The goal is to see how good (or bad) bottled water manufacturers are at sharing important water quality information with consumers.

When you buy water to drink, you should know where it comes from, how it's purified and what's left in it. But too often, bottled water labels have more silly (and misleading) sales lingo than useful information -- which is exactly why we like to look closely at bottled water labels.

Send EWG your labels. EWG wants to see if bottled water companies have improved since we first assessed them in 2009. But first, they need some labels. And that's where you come in.

Prizes for all and a Klean Kanteen for sending the most
Whoever sends the most labels (duplicates not counting) by Friday, April 30th will win a stainless steel water bottle with the EWG logo and a jumbo-sized, reusable grocery tote printed with EWG's pollution solutions tips. Plus, everyone who participates will get a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides magnet!

Here's how to get involved -- it's easy:

1. The next time you buy a bottle of water in the U.S., choose a non-sparkling, unflavored water bottled in glass or clear plastic.

2. Carefully remove the entire label from the bottle. We need all the information from the label, so if necessary, cut the plastic around the label to get it all off.

3. Write down:
* Name and location of the store where you purchased the water
* Date you purchased the water
* Your name, email and mailing address

4. Let us know you're sending us labels -- it'll help us plan. Click here to send a note to EWG researchers.

5. Mail your labels and other information to:
Environmental Working Group
Attn: Nneka Leiba
1436 U St. NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20009

What we learned from your labels in 2009
When we examined the bottled water labels sent in by supporters like you last year, we found that only two of 188 bottled waters surveyed make public basic information routinely disclosed by municipal water utilities: the water's source, purification methods, and chemical pollutants remaining after treatment. Click here to see the 2009 Bottled Water Label report.

The reason: Bottled water companies enjoy a regulatory holiday under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which grants them complete latitude to decide what, if any, information about their water is divulged to customers. ("Environmental Working Group")

Get Tapped

2010-03-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Seems like every day we are finding out more and more about what is good and bad for us. Who would have thought water would be one of the bad. Not only do we have to worry about where the water actually comes from (because the government allows the water companies to lie just a little on that), but we have to worry about the chemicals in the bottle itself.
BPA is now a widely know chemical. It is leeching and lurking in all of our food and beverages. It is a harmrul substance that is dangerous even at low doses. "The award-winning documentary Tapped is embarking on an eco-aggressive 30- day/30-city cross country tour to get Americans “Off the Bottle.” Beginning World Water Day (3/22) the Tapped crew will take their mobile showroom on the road. (source: tappedthemovie.com) Not only do we have to worry about the water AND the BPA, but most importantly, we need to worry about the 30 million water bottles that go in the landfill EVERY DAY!

Collecting pledges from people to reduce their bottled water use and trading empty plastic water bottles for reusable stainless steel water bottles, "Tapped" and this mobile translucent recycling container will begin the “Get Off The (h20) Bottle” tour in Los Angeles with an empty cabin that will be filled with the public’s empty water bottles by the time the team ends up in New York City on Earth Day (April 22nd, 2010).(tappedthemovie.com)

Director Stephanie Soechtig says about the tour, “1,500 bottles of water end up in landfills every second – that’s 30 million bottles of water a day! We wanted to show people just how much waste is generated by bottled water - so if that means we have to drive city to city to get the point across than that’s what we’ll do!”

Follow the Tapped team across the country getting pledges from people to reduce their use of plastic water bottles and switch to using a reusable waterbottle.

Check out the Tapped web site to see when the Tapped team is coming to your town. www.tappedthemovie.com. and don't forget to get your reusable waterbottle!

Food Inc. and Eating Right

2010-01-27T14:51:00.000-08:00

Recently, Oprah discussed the movie "Food Inc." This was an hour long episode devoted entirely to eating naturally. This documentary is a big eye opener and discusses the way our food is raised, processed and sold. If you haven't seen Food Inc. it is a must see. I had seen it already and was surprised to see it on the Oprah Show but delighted that"going green" and "organic" has come a along way and made it to the Oprah Show. There a few other good documentaries out that are "Eco" related and very motivating. (See List Below).

On the show the author of "Defense of Food", by Michael Pollan, discusses these natural and eco friendly ways of eating. This is NOT a new way of eating, yet the original way we as humans were made to eat. "Instead of food, we're consuming "edible foodlike substances" -- no longer the products of nature but of food science. Many of them come packaged with health claims that should be our first clue they are anything but healthy. In the so-called Western diet, food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion. The result is what Michael Pollan calls the American paradox: The more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we seem to become."(Michael Pollan)

One of the previous entries, Label Lowdown, listed and decoded some of the labels and definitions, both for food and products. Most of these labels are very confusing and misleading. There are a few books available that I found very helpful: Generously Green, Gorgeously Green Diet, and Easy Green Living. (They are all on Little Green Booties and Family web site under Green Reading). I have to say that the Gorgeously Green diet book is a real eye opener in a light, refreshing, non over whelming way. If you liked Food Inc. and thought it was a little overwhelming, this book is for you. The book even explains things in three "Green" categories From totally green/vegan, to wanting to start to "try" going natural or green.

We need to have a food eye opening event , a food movement, a food revolution! We have to change the way we eat and the way we think about food.
Start today, don't wait any longer!

List of interesting Eco Documentaries:

The Future Of Food
Food Inc.
End of Suburbia
King Corn
Inconvenient Truth
Who Killed The Electric Car

And a few good websites to find organic beef/chicken:
grassfedbeef.com
petalumapoultry.com
www.eatwild.com/index.html
www.nimanranch.com
www.neysbigsky.com (WI)
www.millerbrothersgrassfarm.com/home.html (WI)

Target Your Reusable Bags

2010-01-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

Now Target and CVS Pharmacy are offering money back for using your own reusable bags! We should not stop at the grocery store when it comes to bringing our reusable bags. We made a start with the grocery store, now it is time to bring them with us all the time.

"Target (TGT), the fifth-largest U.S. retailer last year, announced plans to give customers a 5-cent discount for every reusable bag they use to pack their purchases. The move comes within days of drugstore giant CVS' (CVS) plan to give participating CVS customers $1 cash bonuses on their CVS cards every four times they buy something but don't request plastic bags." (USA Today)

As discussed in our previous post , Plastic Bags-Why?, we know that Target is not the first to support the reusable bag idea.

If you have ever been to Ikea you know you pay for your bags. San Francisco and the state of Colorado are thinking of banning plastic bags all together at the grocery stores. Whole Foods (WFMI) and Trader Joe's — have given consumers financial incentives to re-use bags, but most big retailers have stopped short of giving customers money to bring their own bags. San Francisco and the state of Colorado is also thinking of banning them at the grocery stores. And in Washington,The District gave its final unanimous vote in favor of charging a nickel for each paper and plastic bag that residents get from restaurants, pharmacies and grocers.(Washington Business Journal)

We still have a long way to go. The worlds largest retailer, "Wal-Mart, has no plans to pay customers to use their own bags, spokesman Kory Lundberg says." (USA TODAY). "Unfortunately, these cheap reusable shopping bags are often more of a marketing ploy than a great choice for the environment. The real heavy lifting required from retailers to put a dent in consumption - like charging for plastic bags and retraining checkout staff to ask for reusable bags - takes far more work than offering a cheap bag made of plastic. Digging a little deeper reveals that many reusable bags are nothing more than another example of green-washing.(reuseit.com).

Get your responsible reusable bags now at Little Green Booties and Family

Recycle Those Christmas Cards

2010-01-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

So you have gone green and did a great job Christmas shopping and wrapping or not wrapping but, what about those Christmas Cards lingering around your house? You can toss them and send them to the landfill or you can send them to St Jude's to recycle them into new cards! They take them and it is actually a donation that helps them raise money!

"Send holiday cards to St. Jude's Ranch, a nonprofit home for youths that collects old holiday cards for reuse. Either cut off the backs of the cards or leave them intact. Children at St. Jude's earn money by creating new holiday cards from the old." (Ehow.com). Mail the cards UPS "ground" or "bound printed matter" to St. Jude's Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, NV 89006.

Remember every little bit counts! Share this idea and pass it along to all the friends and family who sent you the cards.

Resolutions to Share

2009-12-29T13:51:00.000-08:00

Yet another year goes by and we say to ourselves, "Why isn't everyone green"? "How can this be"? , "What is our government doing"?, "Who is going to change these things.....who is in charge here"?

This year you should make a resolution to "be in charge". The only way people are going to know about global warming, GMO foods, organic growing, BPA, and the trash swirls in our oceans is from people talking and sharing information. You need to take charge this year and make a difference. Tell people what you believe in. Share your information and practices with your friends and family. Together we can make a difference. It only takes one person to make a difference. See if you can get one person in your life to buy organic food, recycle, or use less electricity this year. Every little bit counts!

Here is a few movies/documentaries that are Eco related and very motivating. Some of these movies are a bit extreme, so watch with a grain of salt, but definitely get their points across.

End of Suburbia, King Corn, Inconvenient Truth, Who Killed The Electric Car, The Future Of Food, Food Inc. , The 11th Hour,

Also make the resolution to read one green book this year and pass it on to a friend. Here are a few of my favorites!
Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life, Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home, Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home , Green Babies, Sage Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
And for the new years diet....because we all are thinking diet in January:
The Gorgeously Green Diet: How to Live Lean and Green

And last, but not least-get your kids involved. Whether you are a mom, a teacher, an uncle or aunt, or a grandmother/grandfather. Everyone knows the children are the most important way to the future. We need them to know and understand the world they live in. They truly are our future. Have them help with the sorting of the recycling, tell them to shut the water off when they brush their teeth, and to use both side of their paper. Here are a few books for general fun and Eco reading for the kids:

Charlie and Lola: We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers, When Santa Turned Green-Perla, Victoria, 10 things I can do to Help My World- Walsh, Melanie

Above all have a happy and healthy new year from Little Green Booties and Family!

Environmentaly Good Gifts

2009-12-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

Well it is time for the annual holiday rush. Everyone gets in frenzy come thanksgiving and once December 1st comes the news has you thinking Christmas is tomorrow. This year don't get your priority's lost in the shuffle. Remember to think green and responsible this year when picking out presents.
Here are a few green gift ideas for your friends, family, and kido's of course!

Reduce your footprint, get your reusable bamboo utensil set. No more plastic ware! A handy carrier on the back lets you clip and carry a fork, knife, spoon and chopsticks . Perfect for a busy lifestyle and our precious planet. Give plastic bottles a second chance literally. Our RePEaT utensil holders give plastic bottles a second shot at a useful life and an opportunity to stay out of our landfills. Made out of RPET (recycled PET plastic your #1 plastic soda water bottles), we like to call it "RePEaT" because it lets plastic reincarnate into something kinder and gentler. Contains Sustainable Bamboo Flatware & Chopsticks Your RePEaT set contains 1 fork, 1 knife,1 spoon, & 1 set of chopsticks made from sustainably grown bamboo.(To Go Ware) This gift can be for all ages! My mom and husband take theirs to work, my nice takes hers to school for her lunch, my daughter takes her to preschool for her snack, and my sister keeps her in her car for the times when you wish you had a spoon or fork! Great gift for anyone and comes in variety of colors.

Also on the sustainable lunch topic get your reusable lunch sandwich wraps. Instead of packing sandwiches in plastic bags, wrap, or foil, any of which just end up in a landfill, try the new Wrap-N-Mat, a re-usable plastic-lined fabric that closes with a Velcro tab and seals your lunch just as well as plastic wrap. Bonus: Once opened, the wrap-n-mat doubles as a place mat.(Wrap N Mat). Also the reusable snack bags are a huge hit. They are perfect for the little ones when you're in the car or out and need a snack. They are great for the lunch sacks of school age kids. All on sale now at littlegreenbooties.com.
These both make great stocking suffers , grab bags gifts and co worker gifts for under $20.00!!

As far as toys, try to get environmentally friendly toys made in the US or made without plastic. This is a challenge in the toy industry these days. Two great green toy companies are Plan Toys and Green Toys . These toys are both made in responsible Eco Friendly manner and have no risk of lead in their products.
Green Toys are made not only made here in the US but also made from recycled milk jugs. They have everything from fun trucks to teas sets that make great gifts at reasonable prices. Recycled milk containers are used as the main ingredient in creating their toys. When you finish your milk and toss the container in the recycling bin, these milk containers are collected at your curb by a local recycling company, who then sorts them from all the other types of plastic. The milk containers are reprocessed into super clean fresh plastic. For you plastic geeks, the plastic material we use is called high-density polyethylene (or HDPE). This material is considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around. Green Toys also strives to minimize packaging, and all of the boxes use as little material as possible. All Green Toys products are packaged in recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable. So, not only are they earth-friendly and ready for your recycling bin, they are really easy to open for those little fingers just itching to get at the toys! They contain no traceable amounts of Phthalates or BPA. They are also designed without any external coatings,thus eliminating the fear of lead paint. Their new Recycle Truck is getting a lot of hoopla this year and was even featured on the Regis and Kelly show. ! Supplies are limited so get your cool new Green Toys now ! (Green Toys

Plan Toys is the first company to manufacture toys using wood from rubber trees that no longer provide latex. There is no deforestation involved in the harvesting of rubberwood, as felled trees are replanted with new ones. Rubberwood is an eco-friendly, sustainable, high quality wood. The paper used in our packaging is recyclable which further reduces waste and our plants use state of the art solar energy. Our plants use state of the art solar energy and biomass (fuel from biodegradable organic material). These toys have a LIFETIME GUARANTEE and are toys you will pass down to the next generation! (Plan Toys)

Don't forget the book section when searching for your gifts. There are some awesome green books for everyone to read. Check out the "Mindfully Green" section on Little Green Booties for some suggestions. Or hit the book store yourself and see whats out there. You'll be surprised at how the section is growing by leaps and bounds. A great one we read to our kids is When Santa Turned Green. Santa has the kids to help him and the environment because the north pole is melting and global warming is messing up his workshop. This might keep him form delivering toys to all the children. Cute story- good point.

And don't forget the wrap. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans throw out 25 percent more garbage than they do the rest of the year. That’s a million extra tons of garbage per week! It hard not to use wrapping paper, I love to make beautiful packages, with the big ribbon and bows. Wrapping paper and bows are a huge waste and are usually not recyclable.

Still there is a way to use Eco Friendly Wrapping and still look like a million bucks! You can use a reusable bag for some of those gifts. Try the foldable pouch bag to wrap you present. First, its a bag they can use again. Second, it is a compact bag that folds and snaps up and fits in your car glove compartment or your purse etc... It makes a great gift bag because they are very cheap and they are reusable. All you have to add is a few pieces of tissue and some pretty ribbon. You can even spruce them up if you want. I made a little flower out of felt and used fabric glue to apply it for a birthday party my daughter was going to. It was very easy and once you have the felt and glue at home you can keep using it over and over.
One other good Eco Wrapping idea is to use your brown paper bags . Just add ribbon, some cool stamps, or have the kids help decorate package. When choosing ribbon use some of the fancy bows the florist use. You don't have to make any fancy florist bow, just an old school knot and bow looks great. If every family saved and reused just 2 feet of ribbon per year, enough ribbons would be saved to tie a bow around the entire planet!!You can also spruce up your brown bags with some greenery or even attaching an ornament. Martha Stewart has some neat ideas on her site. It really adds to your package and the ribbon,bows, and ornaments are reusable over and over. After we open our presents on Christmas Day our family is always fighting over the ribbon because we all want to use it next year on our packages. It's funny to see some bows over and over again each year! You can get this ribbon pretty much anywhere, craft stores, Target, even at Walgreens. There is also the recycled wrapping paper option but it can be pretty pricey. One more wrapping hint, don't use the shinny foil paper. It is not recyclable.

Greening up your Holiday is not as hard as you think. Be responsible and remember not to get into the "rush or pressure" and all will be good.

Happy Holidays from Little Green Booties.

Green Turkey

2009-11-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is holiday where we all get together with friends and family. It is a time to be thankful for our wonderful, prosperous, healthy, lives. This year be thankful for not only your family and health, but for the earth as well. Remember to be environmentally thankful and use some green tips to make a a truly thankful day.

After reading an awesome book last year, Animal Vegetable Miracle, we had our first local farm raised turkey at Thanksgiving. I was amazed to find out the truth about these festive birds in our country and what is really hiding behind the grocery store doors. Here are a few turkey facts from the "Google Guide" on our big feathered friends.

1. Turkeys labeled “Natural” may actually have been treated with antibiotics and fed corn and soy meal grown with synthetic pesticides. The USDA defines “natural” as a turkey containing no artificial ingredients such as added flavors or colors, and that is only minimally processed. It turns out, this leaves out a lot. A turkey labeled “natural” can be fed grains grown with pesticides and raised on a farm that uses pesticides on their fields. Antibiotics can be used not only to treat illnesses, but also as growth promoters. Look for turkeys that are USDA Organic or that say “free of antibiotics”.
2. “Free range” turkeys may have never set foot outdoors. According to the USDA, “free range” means simply that the turkey “has been allowed access to the outside.” This can mean that they are raised primarily in “range pens” or houses, and that there is a door to the “outside,” which might simply be a cement patio. So “free range” turkeys may almost never see the range.
3. “Fresh” turkeys may be over 2 months old. The USDA definition of “fresh” refers to turkeys whose internal temperature has never been below 26°F. “Hard-chilled” means the turkey was kept between 0°F and 26°F. “Frozen” means the turkey was kept at or below 0°F. The surprising thing about this standard is that it only mentions temperature, not time. Most Thanksgiving turkeys are processed in September and October, but are still labeled “fresh” in November.
4. The turkeys we eat (or 99% of them) can’t run, fly, or mate when fully grown. The most common turkeys found in the US - the Broad Breasted White – have been bred to maximize their growth (particularly of breast meat), and are thus unable to reproduce without artificial insemination. They can’t run or fly, and they often go lame due to their heavy breasts. These birds grow twice as fast, and often twice as big as “heritage” turkeys – the turkeys the pilgrims would have seen.
5. If you buy “basted” or “plumped” turkeys, you are getting a turkey with up to 10 times the sodium levels, and you will be spending several dollars on salt water rather than meat. Basted or plumped turkeys have been injected with up to three percent of their weight (eight percent if they are boneless) of a solution containing butter or other fats, water, flavor enhancers, or “other approved substances,” such as sodium phosphate. Watch out for small print saying “contains up to 15% saltwater.”
6. The vast majority of turkeys raised in the US are grown in large-scale Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) where they are often packed in tight conditions, and where their beaks and parts of their toes may be cut off to prevent pecking and cannibalism between animals.

You might want to go a step further and seek out a heritage breed, although I have to tell you they are a bit pricy. These traditional turkeys, such as the Midget White, are often smaller than the dominant breeds on the market, but equally tasty. Choosing a heritage breed turkey and moving away from homogeneous factory farm birds is one way to promote biodiversity, even though it’s a domesticated species. You will not find these in the regular grocery stores and most likely have to order them in advance, so maybe plan for next year!

Now don't get upset if you have a regular ol' turkey from the grocery store, you can still green up your party with some other handy green tips (US News).

1. Use a slow-cooker. Fall is the season for slow-simmered soups, so there's no better time to bust out the Crock Pot. I am not a big crock pot fan, something in me says I am cheating when I use this but is is one of the most energy-efficient devices in the kitchen! According to Planet Green: "When compared to a conventional oven which uses 2.7 pounds of CO2 for one hour of use, a slow cooker uses .9 pounds of CO2 for seven hours of use." Check out the crock pot recipes from Better Homes and Garden.

2. Plan ahead for your leftovers. After the turkey sandwiches, it's easy to let leftovers linger in the fridge too long while you decide on a novel way to use them. Before you know it, they've spoiled, and you have to thrown them out—a waste of food and money. Check this site out: Stilltasty.com will tell you how long those cranberries and mashed potatoes will keep? Plan ahead with recipes and containers to give your guests leftovers to bring home!\.

3. Go without the plastic wrap. Plastic wrap is a single-use petroleum product, and contains PVC, a chemical that can leach into your food. The most environmentally-friendly way to store food is in reusable containers, such as glass jars. Dig out your used canning jars, these are great for leftovers. FYI: Aluminum foil is a greener choice than plastic wrap because it can be recycled.

4. Run the dishwasher efficiently. Holiday guests dirty up many dishes, but when it's time to clean up, make sure that you're running your dishwasher in the most efficient way possible. Energy efficiency software company OPOWER recommends scraping plates instead of rinsing them with hot water, and making sure the dishwasher is full each time it's run. To save on the costs of heating water, avoid special cycles like pre-rinse and rinse-hold, which can be unnecessary, and stop the dishwasher before it's time to dry—the dishes can air dry, instead.

Remember these tips when planning for your upcoming holiday season. Think green when ever and wherever your can. Why? Because it is that important!

Green Mittens!

2009-11-16T09:27:00.001-08:00

Just when you thought your old wool sweater you shrunk had to go in the trash, now you can turn them into mittens! Jacque's Re-Creations makes mittens out of recycled sweaters. These mittens are so soft and very warm to say the least. She hand makes these of course and they make great gifts if not just for your self. She makes children's, women's and men's mittens that are unique and durable. She does accept donations, so anyone who has some old sweaters with a small hole, a shrunken sweater, or is just out of style you can donate them to Jacque for a second life. Its a great way to recycle something that is going to go in the landfill.
She also makes t- shirt quilts and jean quilts. We have a jean/denim quilt and it too is awesome. It is nice and heavy and never blows around when your at the park and is a good travel/picnic blanket
She does not currently have a web site but you can reach her at Bconnolly1@wi.rr.com or 262.971.0436 for more information. She also takes orders, so if you did shrink your favorite sweater or ruin your old pair of jeans she will take them and make something just for you.
This is definitely going on my green gift guide this year!

BPA In Our Canned Food

2009-11-04T06:32:00.000-08:00

A range of popular foods have surprising levels of the controversial chemical -BPA.

Consumer Reports' latest tests of canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna, and green beans, have found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods tested contain measurable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA). The results are reported in the December 2009 issue. BPA as we know has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food-can liners and has been restricted in Canada and some U.S. states and municipalities because it has been linked to a wide array of health effects including reproductive abnormalities, heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.

Consumer Reports tested three different samples of each canned item for BPA and found that the highest levels of BPA tests were found in some samples of canned green beans and canned soups. Canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake had the highest amount of BPA for a single sample, with levels ranging from 35.9 parts per billon (ppb) to 191 ppb. Progresso Vegetable Soup BPA levels ranged from 67 to 134 ppb. Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup had BPA levels ranging from 54.5 to 102 ppb.
Consumer Reports is advising those who are concerned that they might be able to reduce, though not necessarily eliminate, their dietary exposure to BPA by taking the following steps:

Choose fresh food whenever possible.
Consider alternatives to canned food, beverages, juices, and infant formula.
Use glass containers when heating food in microwave ovens.

Of course there is controversy over this topic and the government officials are saying that the levels are "within" safe limits. "Federal guidelines currently put the daily upper limit of safe exposure at 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight. But that level is based on a handful of experiments done in the 1980s rather than hundreds of more recent animal and laboratory studies indicating that serious health risks could result from much lower doses of BPA. Several animal studies show adverse effects, such as abnormal reproductive development, at exposures of 2.4 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day, a dose that could be reached by a child eating one or a few servings daily or an adult daily diet that includes multiple servings of canned foods containing BPA levels comparable to some of the foods Consumer Reports tested." Naiomi Starkman
Average amounts in tested products varied widely. In most items tested, such as canned corn, chili, tomato sauce, and corned beef, BPA levels ranged from trace amounts to about 32 ppb. (A microgram BPA /kg food is equivalent to a ppb level found in food, the only difference being that it's a microgram of BPA/kg of food tested versus the exposure or dose limits of microgram of BPA/kg of a person's body weight per day. So, in the example of the green beans, based on one serving of the average level from three cans tested, the average concentration is 123.5ppb of BPA in the can, the next conversion is to ug BPA per serving, 14.9 ug BPA / serving of green beans, so for a small child (22lbs or 10kg) that would calculate to 1.49 ug BPA/kg-bw and for an adult (example used in the magazine, 165lb, 75kg) .20 ug BPA/kg bw for a 75kg adult. Naomi Starkman, Food Policy Media Consultant

So, do your own math, decide who you want to trust, and make your own decisions. I, however, think that if there is a chemical in our canned food that is "potentially" harmful to all of us I really don't care how much is in there. If it is in there, it is too much. There are better alternatives, and our government and industries need to be more responsible.

See the clip from The Good Morning America Show. Also on ABC nightly News