3 Ways to Sell Your Stuff (Choose One)

Whether you choose to sell your stuff, have the CGWA sell it for you or donate the proceeds to a worthy cause, it’s a great opportunity to clear out the closets.

1 – Rent a table
Sell your items yourself and man (or woman) your own table. Tables must be attended at all times – $40 per 6 foot table for the day.

2 – Consign with us
Give the CGWA your items and they’ll sell them for you. They will take a 25% cut of the total amount sold to help support their work.  There is a minimum value of $50 in one “batch” of items (so no single, lonely Mason jar, please). You must price and tag all of your items yourself. Stickers will be provided at drop-off.

3 – Donate to the CGWA
Don’t fancy yourself a salesperson? Want to just unload your stuff and be done with it? No worries, the CGWA will be happy to take things off your hands. They’ll price everything and sell your items on behalf of the Chicago Green Wedding Alliance.  Any items left at end of day will be donated to Howard Brown Health Center/Brown Elephant

What They Want:

Bring your lightly used or unused: dresses, shoes, accessories, ties, baskets, silk petals/flowers, ring bearer pillows, unity candle holders, branches, signs, stationery sets, favors kits, table numbers, votive candle holders, ribbon, cake stands, cake cutters, cake toppers, platters, linens, vases, bowls, dishes, Mason jars, and even neat vintage furniture. Please bring them clean and sticker free.

Drop-off

Consignors and donators are responsible to drop off their items.  The CGWA will store your things in a secure place until the Recyclery event. Check the schedule below for drop off dates and locations. Those renting tables must bring their items before 10:30 a.m. on sale day to setup on their assigned table.

Pick-up

All unsold items must be picked up at the end of the event between 4 p.m.-6.p.m. (if not, they will be donated to Howard Brown Health Center/Brown Elephant.) Please note, the CGWA is not liable for any missing or damaged goods.

Drop Off and Pick-up Locations

April 7th at 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Drop off location at Pollen/Nimblewell’s studio, 3717 N. Ravenswood Ave.

April 14th at 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Drop off location at Bucktown/Wicker Park Library, 1701 N Milwaukee

April 22nd at 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Drop off at Pure Kitchen Warehouse, 453 N Elizabeth

April 24th at 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Drop off at Pure Kitchen Warehouse, 453 N Elizabeth

April 28th at 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Consigners will pick up at Loft on Lake

April 29th at 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Consigners will pick up at Loft on Lake

More About The Great Wedding Recyclery Event

The Great Wedding Recyclery is a collection of wedding items from recently-wed couples and wedding vendors. Slightly used and vintage wedding items—from Mason jars  to vases, dresses, jewelry and more—will be available for brides, grooms and vendors to peruse and buy. This is a great opportunity to save money, reuse stuff and save the world (or at least create a little less waste!)

For more information on the event, visit the Facebook page.

WHEN:              

Sunday, April 28, 2013  |  11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Loft on Lake, 1366 W. Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607  |  (312) 738-2437

About Chicago Green Wedding Alliance

Chicago Green Wedding Alliance encourages mindful weddings, commitment ceremonies and social events by connecting a community of environmentally and socially responsible vendors with the conscious consumer. Members are united in their effort to continually grow and inform their responsible business practices through the support of their like-minded peers. To learn more about the alliance, read helpful wedding tips and see our list of green vendor, visit http://www.GreenWeddingAlliance.com/.

The post The Great Wedding Recyclery in Chicago: Buy or Sell Slightly Pre-Loved Wedding Items appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

Dining Green

Bell Book and Candle

In the basement of a West Village townhouse, this quaint restaurant uses a “rooftop-to-table” system where the kitchen grows its own organic greens and vegetables that are delivered six stories down in an old-fashioned dumbwaiter. Known by the locals as the BBC, the specialties include affordable oyster dishes served with an impressive selection of beers, wines and cocktails.

ABC Kitchen

From the waiters’ biodegradable sneakers to the recyclable utensils made out of potatoes, everything in this celebrated restaurant is a green as you can get. Serving brunch, lunch and dinner from consciously sourced ingredients, the upscale décor reflects the quality of dishes like crab toast with lemon aioli, black sea bass with chilies and a wood-oven roasted Maine lobster.

V-Note Organic Wine Bar & Vegan Bistro

Dine in style without compromising your food ethics at this fashionable Upper East Side gourmet organic restaurant with top-notch service and plate presentation. The bio-dynamic cuisine is not strictly vegetarian; they also serve free-range meat dishes and kosher fare, making it a wise choice for groups with varied tastes.  The attentive wait staff will direct you to the perfect organic wine to complement your dinner selection.

Shopping Green

Union Square Greenmarket

Pack up your picnic basket at this world-famous bazaar in Union Square with artisan breads, heritage meats, farmstead cheeses, pickles and even locally made wine.  Find ecologically-appropriate gifts for your organic-minded friends back home like tins of fresh maple syrup and jars of homemade preserves.

Lion Brand Yarn Studio

More than just a yarn store, this homage to do -it -yourself fashion presents endless opportunities to explore your creativity with in-house classes, workshops, sewing circles and thousands of free patterns available for all kinds of projects.  Get inspired by the beautiful displays that showcase the work of local crafts people and previous students.

Playing Green

Photo by Eric Demarcq

Bike and Roll in NYC

Get in shape while sightseeing as you peddle through Central Park on the Greenway, cross the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the NY Harbor while riding past the 9/11 memorial site.  Use a self-guided city map, a free app like the Central Park Conservancy or join a professional guided tour. Bicycle rentals are available by the hour, day or week and include cruisers, hybrids, tandems, kid’s bikes and even mountain bikes that are in tip-top shape.

Brooklyn Bowl

On bad weather days, go bowling at this tribute to sustainability where every inch of this building shows the owner’s commitment to sustainable development — from the wind generators that provide 100% of the power to the LED lights that drastically cut fuel consumption. Inside this eco-friendly establishment you’ll find 15 AMF bowling lanes with all the trimmings. Hang out at the Blue Ribbon Bowling Lounge on comfortable Chesterfield sofas to watch the action below. All beverages are served on tap so there are no bottles or cans to discard. Even though the menu offers typical fast food like fried chicken, barbecue beef sandwiches and oyster po’ boys, their dishes get rave reviews from the pros at the Food Network!

Once you have indulged in a day of greenness in the city rest up in a New York Hotel and sleep like a baby until the next day. So you see, even in the urban badlands of New York City, it’s pretty easy to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle while indulging in those decadent cosmopolitan delights that make for extraordinary vacations.

The post The Green Budget Hipsters Guide to New York appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

Following you can read an interview with Lamin Bojang by David White the Founder and owner Footsteps Eco Lodge.

Lamin Walk and Talk trip

David. Tell me about your work in Gunjur, how it benefits the village of Gunjur and what your plans are regarding your proposed new project of starting a museum there.

Lamin. Thank you David, my work is a birding guide, I have more than 10 years working with bird enthusiasts from all over the world showing them where to find their wish list of species, and I also discuss the importance of the areas environmental preservation and demonstrate how we contribute to that preservation as part of the day’s activity.

David. In your spare time you have been working on another project, tell me about that.

Lamin. I first began my plans for The Gunjur museum building for cultural heritage and environmental preservation, some years before I came to Footsteps as a birding guide. The idea is to create the communities first Cultural Heritage Museum for the benefit of researchers, students, tourists, locals and future generations.

Lamin with his family

David. Why is this so important to you Lamin, I remember when we first met and you seemed to me like a man who would have had more pressing things to spend his hard earned cash on?

Lamin. David, our history is disappearing, our traditional languages are not written languages but spoken only, with no central record of historical events the culture of past generations is being lost, I won’t let that happen, our culture is too important. The history of the area known as Gunjur has been narrated by our forefathers and passed from one generation to the next.

This oral history tells us that the first people known to have settled in this area were Bianunkas surname Sanyang of the Biyaro tribe. They settled near a small lagoon close to the Atlantic Ocean called Bolong Fenyo, which is now protected by the community as a wild life reserve. The lagoon was believed to be an object of worship and it said that they used to sacrifice a man to the lagoon every year. The Sanyangs still have extensive land holdings in the area of the original settlement.

The second clan which settled this huge territory, but a different location were the Darboe’s. This clan was believed to be more powerful than the Biyaro neighborhood, and were settled somewhere around what is known today as Senga forest. They used to worship idols at a place close to their dwelling place known as Sebindinto, the practice that is still done by the Darboe’s today. They believe that if you ask the idols for anything your request will be answered and now on special days people come from all over Gambia to join them in their worship. As said earlier, because of their power, they hold authority over the extensive land, and called their settlement Amesang, named after the head of their clan who led them to this place. The third clan to arrive was the Touray’s and Sahos led by a man known as Ma Tora

Toray (Sheik Ousman Touray). History tells us that this Islamic saint dreamt of a place of blessings where he would settle, where his progeny and followers would prosper and multiply. He set off from his birthplace in Mali with his family and many followers searching for the place. When he finally arrived near the Darboe’s village of ameseng he saw things he had seen in his visions. Ma Tora Touray met with the Darboe’s who granted him permission to settle. He named his new settlent Gunjur after his native village in Mali.

The Touray’s practiced their Islamic faith and soon the recitation of the Quran began to attract the Darboe’s children who were not believers of Islam. Gradually, even their elders grew interested and later converted to Islam by Ma Tora. Eventually, the Darboe’s joined Ma Tora living in Gunjur because their interest in Islam and inter marriage started, the village became one of the three biggest villages in The Gambia which is why it became the district headquarters of Kombo South.

In this way, the new settlement of Gunjur grew and became the dominant settlement in the area. The Darboe’s were made the village heads of Gunjur. They in turn accepted the Touray’s as imams due to their knowledge of the Quran.

Later the Jannehs arrived at the invitation of the Sahos. As the Sahos were charged with the apportioning of things belonging to or affecting the village, the Jannehs had to help their hosts with this responsibility. Up to this day, the Jannehs still have this role in the community. The next important clans to arrive were the jattas. All the other clans came much later.

Artifacts collected for the museum

Justification of location.

David. So why Gunjur?

Lamin. The cultural village of Gunjur is located on the west coast of The Gambia, thirty kilometers away from the capital city, Banjul. The village now holds a varied population of Mandinkia, Fula, Wolof, Jola, Karoninka, Manjago, Balanta, and other tribes. The Mandinka were the first to settle and the largest tribe followed by the Jola. Due to the introduction of Islam in the 17th century, Gunjur is still a predominantly a Muslim community with some Christian and animists. Gunjur is one of the oldest and biggest villages in the Gambia, rich in culture and history. But since the beginning of this significant village, there is no proper historical record keeping of the village, no base line data, or museum so its people can learn of their heritage.

There were many wars waged before and after the Gambia

was colonized by the British and yet none of the weapons or artifacts were kept for historical references with regard to Gunjur. Example Ebrima Kombo Sillah was a native of Gunjur and a Jihadist (holy wars) warrior who waged various battles all around Kombo areas in the 18th century to establish Islam in the region he fought with Brikama, Busumbala but was defeated by the British colonials who asked him to stop the war against non believers. he ran to Senegal where he finally died and his tomb and is visited by the Touray family every year, but none of his materials were kept at in a certain place or museum whereby everyone can have access to them . He was a very significant man in Gambian history, he even has a street named after him (Kombo Sillah Drive) and a local historical syllabus was included in primary school on Ebrima kombo Sillah and others…

The world is modernizing and changing every day, many things are changing especially among the youth. The Gambia is no exception. We feel it necessary to preserve our cultural heritage and history for the benefit of our young ones. A step toward this preservation would be a village museum where historical information and materials could be amassed and preserved in one place. Since Gunjur is located along the coastline, it has a comfortable climate and relatively unspoilt landscape; it attracts people from the interior as well as Europeans. This has resulted in lodges along the coast, which attracts tourist. The coming of tourists has led to exposure of local youth to foreign ideas and lifestyles. There needs to be a counter balance, a cultural museum can perform this function.

The cultural heritage of Gunjur did not develop in a vacuum. It arose in close conjunction with the natural environment and our museum will reflect that by featuring exhibits on the ecology found in the area. This will help educate visitors and locals alike about the importance of keeping our biological heritage.

Walk and Talk trip with Lamin

David. That was detailed and very interesting Lamin, tell me, do you have a project development plan of how much money is needed in order to achieve your dream.

Lamin. Yes, the cost to see the realization of The Gunjur Museum Building is now left with 150,000 dalasi (about 3000 £)

David. It’s getting close then, let me tell you Lamin that through some very generous donations by Rolf Soerby, Sverre and Aase Marie Leksboe from Norway who recently sent 15,000 Norwegian kroner with Linda Veraasdal from Ethical Travel Portal which at an exchange rate of 6/1 takes you 90,000 dalasi closer to your dream. How does that make you feel?

Lamin. I cannot put into words how happy I feel at this moment David, thank you so much, thank you and Linda and Sverre, Aase and Rolf, my wonderful friends from Norway, thank you Footsteps.

David. I can’t think of anyone who deserves to succeed more than you do Lamin, The very best of luck to you my friend…

Lamin guiding

Final Thought

While speaking with Lamin, I am sure he will succeed. Anyone wishing to help whilst visiting The Gambia please contact me, david@footstepsgambia.com.

—

We are aiming to have the museum up and running by next season! Let us know if you want to contribute – or if you are traveling to The Gambia and want to visit the project.

The post Lamins Museum Project in Gunjur, The Gambia appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

Phthalates cause health problems. The evidence continues to come in. Here’s the latest: a study from the University of Columbia reports that exposure to phthalates in personal care products and plastic packaging increases a child’s risk of getting asthma.

What are Phthalates?

Phthalates are a family of chemicals that alter the characteristics of certain products. Some make hard plastic flexible, for products like shower curtains, vinyl tile, children’s toys, and artificial leather. Others are used in personal care products, like nail polish, for instance, to help resist chipping, or in fragrances to help the scent last longer.

The studies linking phthalates to health problems are numerous, however. Here are just a few:

• Developmental problems. A study published in 2011 examining more than 700 mothers found that as the levels of phthalates in mothers’ urine went up, the child’s motor development skills went down. Three of the phthalates were associated with behavioral problems, including depression, emotionally reactive behaviors, and withdrawn behavior. “Our findings are concerning,” said Robin Whyatt, lead author of the study, “because we saw a two to three fold increase in the odds that the child would have motor delays and or behavioral problems.”
• Altered brain development. A University of Rochester Medical Center study of 145 preschool children reports that when concentrations of two common phthalates in mothers’ prenatal urine are elevated, their sons are less likely to play with male-typical toys and games, such as trucks and play fighting. Researchers expressed concern that fetal exposure to phthalates has the potential to alter masculine brain development.
• Genital development problems. A study published in 2005 found a link between a mother’s exposure to phthalates during pregnancy and changes in the way the baby boy’s genitals developed.
• Diabetes: A 2012 study showed an association between increased concentrations of phthalates in the body and an increased risk of diabetes in women.
• Lowered IQ: A study of 667 third- and fourth-graders reported that as the amount of a certain phthalate, DEHP, increased in urine, the child’s IQ fell a small amount.
• Thyroid problems: A study published in 2011 established a connection between several common phthalates and measurements of thyroid hormones. The more phthalates in the urine, the lower the levels of thyroid hormone.
• Infertility: A study published in 2012 found that infertile couples are exposed to 3-5 times higher levels of phthalates compared to fertile couples.

A Real Concern

Now, the new study form the University of Columbia links phthalate exposure to asthma in children. After examining 244 children, researchers found that those with higher levels of phthalates in their urine had higher levels in nitric oxide in tested breath inhalations, which is a biological marker of airway inflammation and often a precursor to asthma.

Oh, and by the way, the researchers found phthalates in the urine of all the children studied.

In fact, most likely, all of us are carrying around phthalates in our bodies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers have found measurable levels of many phthalate metabolites in the general population. The finding indicates that phthalate exposure is widespread in the population.

Researchers also found that adult women have higher levels of urinary metabolites than men for those phthalates that are used in soaps, body washes, shampoos, cosmetics, and similar personal care products.

That doesn’t mean that we should give up, though! We can limit our exposure to these dangerous toxins with just a few changes:

• Read labels and avoid any ingredient that has the word “phthalate” in it, including mono-methyl phthalates. Abbreviations include MMP, MEP, MiBP, DMP, DEP, and DiBP.
• Avoid products with “fragrance” on the label as they may contain phthalates.
• Buy from conscientious companies that care about safe ingredients.
• Avoid vinyl, and choose hemp shower curtains and linoleum flooring.
• Choose phthalate-free nail polishes.
• Avoid air fresheners and chemically scented candles. Open the window or try soy or beeswax candles.
• Don’t inhale your hairspray—better yet, choose phthalate-free brands.

The post Phthalates Linked with Childhood Asthma, and Many Other Health Problems appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

Overwhelmed by Which Cosmetics are Safe and Which Aren’t? You Don’t Have to Be a Chemist —5 Easy Steps for the Everyday Person

I’ve done several presentations now to help people reduce their toxic exposure in life. I talk about potentially harmful chemicals in our products, and name five that are of particular concern, including:

• Phthalates
• Parabens
• Sodium laureth sulfate (and other sulfates)
• Synthetic fragrance
• Chemical sunscreens like PABA and oxybenzone

Almost every time, when I’m finished with the presentation, people will start to ask me questions like, “What about sodium-laureth 6 carboxylate?” and “Is guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride safe?” And then usually someone will tell me this is all too overwhelming and too hard to figure out.

I agree that for the average person looking at the back of a shampoo bottle, things can get overwhelming in a hurry. I mean, you’re looking at chemical after chemical, and you may start to feel like you need a chemistry degree to ever make heads or tails of it all. That can get discouraging, which can make you want to give up.

The thing is, you don’t have to know what all those chemicals are. You don’t! All you need to do is find companies that make products you can trust. With a little research, you can find those companies who are formulating with your well being in mind, which can significantly raise your odds of finding safer products. Then you can relax, purchase from your trusted companies, and forget about it.

How do you find those companies producing safe products? Follow these 5 simples steps.

1. Read Labels and Avoid Key Ingredients

I ask you to avoid the five ingredients I’ve listed above—easy. You can also take my Ingredients to Avoid cards with you shopping, and just stay away from the ones I’ve listed. If you find brands that are using these ingredients, cross them off your list.

2. Use the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database

This is a great tool, and it’s easy to use. Just go to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) Skin Deep Cosmetic Database, plug in your product in the search line, and the database will give you a score based on the product’s ingredients and the safety of those ingredients. It takes five seconds and can give you easy information on your favorite products, which can help you determine whether or not the companies making those products have your best interests at heart.

3. Check Out the Company Website and Do Your Due Diligence

You can learn a lot about a company from their website. Check to make sure they list all of the ingredients in their products. (If they don’t, that’s not a good sign.) Look to see if they talk about sustainable practices, natural and organic ingredients, and fair trade. Are their products certified by a third party, as shown by a seal, such as that from the USDA? Are they supporters of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics? Do they discuss what they do NOT include in their products? This is language you want to look for.

Check the about page, as well, as it typically gives the company mission or philosophy. Those companies concerned about their customers’ safety and well being will say something to that effect on their About page. They’ll talk about wanting to stay away from harsh and toxic chemicals. They’ll talk about a devotion to natural ingredients and the goodness of botanicals. They’ll talk about wanting to create products that are not only good for your skin, but good for the earth.

You want to make sure the company is also transparent and isn’t hiding anything. If the ingredients are not on the website, for example, and you call and they are not willing to share them with you, stay away. At the end of the day, no matter what language is on the site, the proof is always on the labels!

4. How Big is the Company?

In today’s world, companies that are truly devoted to natural ingredients and consumer safety tend to be smaller than the large corporations we’re used to. We’re hoping that as our voices are heard, more large companies will make changes, but for now, it’s the small to medium start-ups that are more likely to be creating truly safe products. It’s these companies that started because someone had an “aha” moment and wanted to create something better than what they were finding in the stores. The founders are typically people like you and I that wanted to make a difference.

5. Is the Company Listed on a Select Site?

Many special retailers these days make it their purpose to pre-screen products for you. You can find many of them on my blog on the subject, “Where Do I Find Safer Products?” All the locations I’ve listed there feature only products that meet strict standards.

Beautorium, for example, offers a carefully handpicked selection of the best in natural and organic beauty products from around the world. You’ll find the site’s criteria on their “About” page, where they state that most of their products are certified natural or organic by third party organizations.

O+N Collective, another one of my favorite site’s on my list, supports unique, high quality brands that use only the best organic and natural ingredients, without using potentially harmful chemicals like phthalates, parabens, EDTA, synthetic fragrance or dyes, petrochemicals and more.

You’ll find many more sites like these on my list. As you review them, you’ll start to get familiar with the brands they feature, which will help you zero in on safer brands you can trust.

That’s it! Follow these five steps, and you’ll find yourself quickly zeroing in on those brands that are much more likely to be safe, and much less likely to expose you or your family to potentially dangerous toxins.

The post Overwhelmed by Which Cosmetics are Safe and Which Aren’t? 5 Easy Steps for the Everyday Person appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

I got a very disturbing comment from one of our Cinco Vidas readers a little bit ago. After reading it, I felt really angry that more isn’t done to ensure customer safety with beauty procedures.

This poor woman is an ovarian cancer survivor, and she said that she likes to get those new gel manicures. They’re all the rage right now. If you haven’t heard of them, I’ll tell you more below.

Suffice to say that since her last manicure, she is experiencing constant pain in her fingers and hands. Is it possible this could be because of the manicure?

Unfortunately, yes.

What is a Gel Manicure?

Like so many new beauty treatments, when gel manicures first showed up on the market, they were hailed as the latest. Nails shine brighter and last longer than with regular manicures. You can go for two to three weeks without a crack. For busy women who use their hands a lot, this sounded like a great deal. Not only would nails look better, longer, but women could potentially save money by not having to redo their manicures quite so often.

This sort of durability comes at a price, however. The process requires four or five coats of polish, with each layer followed by a finish under a UV light, similar to those lights used in tanning salons, but much weaker. (I posted about the potential danger with repeated exposure to UV lights in a former post.)

To give you a better idea, here’s the process:

• Your nails are cleaned and trimmed like usual, then sometimes filed and prepped with a special adhesive.
• The tech applies a base coat.
• Between each layer you soak your hands in the ultraviolet light. Most salons give you mittens to keep the rays off your hands.
• The tech applies the next coat, and the next. You go under the light after each one.
• Finally, the topcoat is applied as usual.
• Back in the UV-ray machine you go.

Why do they call these “gel manicures?” It has to do with the polish. Instead of a liquid, it’s actually of a gel consistency. That’s why it needs help to dry.

Granted, these manicures look great. I see all kinds of women raving about them. How they look, however, isn’t the concern here. It’s what they may be doing to your fingers and hands.

Reports of Nerve Damage

The Cinco Vidas reader who wrote in said that for her last gel manicure, she went to a new nail shop. She said she had gotten gel manicures many times before, but this time was “an extremely different experience because during my gel polish I was instructed to put my hands in and out of the UV gel machine for over 45 minutes because the gel polish would keep coming off and just did not look and feel the way a gel nail should.”

After that experience, she says her hands feel “very different” and she is in constant pain.

“Could this be a side effect of the long-time use of the UV gel machine?” she asked.

Other women have had similar experiences. In June 2010, ABC News reported on a woman like our reader who started experiencing hand pain after a gel manicure. “Anything that touched my thumb caused an electric shock,” she said, “whether it was air or water or just touching very gently.”

The woman visited several doctors before she finally went to see a neurologist. The doctor told her she suspected that during the manicure, the technician may have accidently filed some of her skin, breaking the barrier, which would then allow some of the dangerous chemicals from the manicure to seep into her body, causing nerve damage.

Nerve damage. From a manicure.

Dangers with Gel Manicures

Let’s look at some of the potential dangers associated with these manicures.

• UV Light: A 2009 article in the Archives of Dermatology concluded that “further investigation” was needed to determine if UV nail lamps can cause cancer. A study conducted at Lighting Sciences, Inc., an independent lab in Arizona, found that getting a gel manicure every two weeks is equivalent to spending an extra two minutes in the sun every day. Remember that exposure is cumulative, and keeps building up to increase risk of skin cancer.
• Risk of Infection: The surface of the nail is usually abraded or roughed with an emery board prior to polishing—this weakens the nail and leads to breakage and possible infection, as well as possible penetration of the chemicals into the body.
• Risk of Chemical Damage: Some of the gel polishes contain “methyl acrylate,” which can cause allergic reactions and rashes, and may irritate the lungs if you inhale it, causing coughing or shortness of breath. Reactions or irritation can also develop in the eyes if you touch your eyes with your fingers.
• Risk of Health Hazards: Some gel polishes contain butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as a preservative and stabilizer, which is considered a possible human carcinogen.
• Removal: To remove the gel polish, you have to soak or wrap your nails in acetone, which is very drying and can cause your nails to become brittle and peel with repeated use. It can also cause eye and lung irritation.

How to Increase Your Odds of Staying Safe

After researching all of this, my best advice would be to stay away from gel manicures, as there really is no way to avoid all the toxins involved.

If you’re just determined to get one, or want one for a special occasion, take these precautions to increase your safety:

• Choose a reputable salon and make sure your technician has been trained specifically in gel manicures. “Nine times out of 10, it’s the unskilled, uneducated technician that’s causing the issue,” said Patricia Yankee, head of education at Dashing Diva Corp., which runs nail salons in New York, California, Japan, Kuwait, and other countries. She added that if the technician mixes glue and powder, that’s wrong, nor should they dip your fingers into anything.
• Put sunscreen on your hands and nails before you go. Make sure it’s a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against all types of UV rays. Or, ask if an LED light is available, which emits less UV radiation than regular UV lights.
• Ask your technician to be particularly careful, and not file your skin accidentally.
• Do not get a manicure when your skin is cut, red, extra dry, or in less than optimal condition.

The following are danger signs that you should find somewhere else for your manicure:

• The salon uses unmarked bottles of products.
• The products smell unusually strong or have a strange odor.
• The nail tech doesn’t sterilize the tools.
• The nail tech does not wash his/her hands.
• The salon is not clean.
• You can’t see the salon or technician licenses anywhere on the walls.
• The gels do not soak off easily in solvents.

If you experience any of the following after your manicure, check with your dermatologist or neurologist right away:

• Your skin or nails hurt.
• You have swelling, redness, or other signs of an infection.
• You have shooting pains in your hands or fingers.
  

The post Could Your Gel Manicure Leave You with Nerve Damage or Skin Cancer? appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

I was really excited when our friends at Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) asked me to submit my favorite non-toxic, safe gift ideas. They have done a great job in putting together a fabulous shopping guide that covers so many safe must-haves.

Here’s more about the guide, and how you can download it.

Why is Shopping for Safe Products Important?

Cinco Vidas and WVE share a key goal—to help educate and advocate for safer, everyday products that we all use in our homes, at our work places, and in our general environment. We believe that with small efforts on a daily basis, we can all live healthier lives with fewer hazardous chemicals tearing down our fragile systems.

When I’ve given workshops on this topic, however, I find that though people want to reduce their exposure to everyday toxins, they’re often unsure how to do it. Many think they have to become chemists to really understand what’s safe and what’s not.

That’s why I love things like WVEs safe, non-toxic shopping guide. In simple, easy-to-understand language, several of my colleagues and I have provided suggestions for safe, non-toxic items you can purchase in several areas of your life.

Following a guide like this sort of gives you the “feel” of shopping for safer items. Once you get the feel of it, you realize that you don’t really have to know what every single chemical ingredient is. You don’t have to memorize a list of what sulfates to avoid and what chemical preservatives to stay away from. Instead, all you have to do is get used to choosing products from conscientious manufacturers.

Trust me. After you do it a few times, you’ll get the hang of it!

Some of My Safe Picks

Here are some of my picks for safe personal care products from the guide:

1. Natural oils for glowing skin. Winter cold & wind make skin extremely dehydrated. Bring back a healthy glow with nourishing oils like argan, jojoba, or squalene from olive oil. I love Indie Lee’s Squalene Facial Oil.
2. LaVanila Healthy Deodorant. It smells great, it really works, and it has no aluminum! Best of all, it’s made with essential oils and aloe, without parabens or propylene glycol. Find it here.
3. “Neom” candles from O&N Collective. A lot of candles give off toxic fumes like benzene and astoluene. Use soybean-based candles with 100% essential oils. Find Neom candles here.
4. CV Skinlabs Body Repair Lotion. A perfect gift for anyone with dry, flaky winter skin. 100% free of potentially harmful chemicals and full of antioxidant & calming goodies like Reishi mushroom, olive oil, turmeric, and more.

This is just a taste—you can find many more of my recommendations when you download the guide.

You’ll also find recommendations for safe baby products, clothing, accessories, and more from experts like Diane MacEachern, author of Big Green Purse; Alicia Voorhies, founder of The Soft Landing; and Erika Hickey, owner of Walking Stick Toys.

The best thing about this guide is that it’s completely free! All you have to do is go to the WVE website and download it. Of course, if you can, a small donation would be greatly appreciated, and will go toward helping WVE continue their great work. After all, they were key players in the efforts to get Johnson & Johnson to get many potentially harmful chemicals out of their products.

Best if all, if you use the guide to purchase safer gifts this holiday season, you’ll be sending the message with your purchasing power that today’s women will no longer put up with harmful chemicals in our products. As we all strive to change the marketplace, that could be the best gift of all.

The post Check Out My Safe Shopping Recommendations in WVE’s Non-Toxic Guide! appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

Zrii isn’t just another Health & Wellness company with a story to tell. Zrii is more—and it can give you more. In fact, Zrii is a lifestyle, the answer for balance in all wellness areas of the body—spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional. Our name is a Sanskrit word that means light, luster, splendor and prosperity, and sets a high standard for who we are and our dedication to you when you embark on your own journey to success.

Riding on the waves of number of corporate success stories, William Farley commenced the record breaking pre-launch of Zrii in October 2007. Zrii officially launched in May 2008 as an international Ayurvedic wellness company—Ayurveda is literally referred to as “the science of life.”

Zrii health products are the only ones that originate in the 5,000-year-old wisdom of Ayurveda and give you more than just antioxidants—each natural ingredient is specifically chosen to compliment the Amalaki fruit, one of the core health foundations in Ayurvedic principles, and provide a specific function to the body. Our products also hold the most prestigious endorsement in the industry—an endorsement from the Chopra Center for Wellbeing™.

Based in Draper, Utah, Zrii LLC is joined by Independent Executives in the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Israel, and Puerto Rico—with more room to grow—we’re just getting started.

We invite you to learn more about Zrii, our Ayurvedic products, and our exciting income opportunity and join Zrii in our mission to bring health and wellness to the world. Please visit: http://www.thedriveteam.com.

The post Zrii – a 21st Century Wellness Company (Video) appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

January 21
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

April 22-26
National Park Week

August 25
National Park Service Birthday

September 28
National Public Lands Day

November 9-11
Veterans Day weekend

Check out more FREEBIES!

The post #Free Entrance Days in the National Parks 2013 appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

The Issue

Only 53% of seniors actively engage with the internet, which leaves almost half disconnected with their loved ones and today’s technology.

What You Can Do

Teach your grandparents or a local senior how to use Facebook, Skype, and general computer functions.

Visit Dosomething.org/grandparents to sign up and get tips to help you teach!

The post Grandparents Gone Wired with @DoSomething appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

This tool comes from the Landmark Forum. If you’re not familiar with Landmark, it’s a system of education that allows people to create greater possibilities in their lives, beyond what they could have previously imagined.

Funny enough, when I did the Forum back in 2006, I completely missed this tool. It wasn’t until several years later when a friend reminded me of it that I began to recognize the power of this simple shift in perspective.

So without further ado, the way to solve any problem in an instant is….drumroll….

Get a bigger problem!

That’s right. By choosing to focus on something larger than the issue at hand, you give yourself a more powerful perspective. As human beings we need to feel a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives; that’s what makes every day hassles and tragedies bearable. At the same time, we have minds that automatically occupy themselves with finding and solving problems. So in order to transcend the experience our minds would create (of being mired in problems), we need to train ourselves to constantly look for something larger to stand for and something more significant to focus our energies around.

In the comments below, please let me know what your BIGGER problem is. What are you going for in life? Who are you committed to being for others? What is the experience you’re committed to creating for yourself?

The post Wellness w/ @IvyJoeva: Instantly Solve Any Problem (Video) appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.