Take On Green

A Break

2009-08-17T22:26:00.003-05:00

If you haven't already noticed, I'm taking a break from my blog. I want to take some time to focus on things that require more time away from my laptop, but I have intentions of coming back to my blog with fresh, new ideas in the future.

In the meantime, keep it green.

Love,
Roque

Rules for Buying Lotion, Soap, and Shampoo

2009-07-09T22:28:00.007-05:00

This in an interesting article I found about a possible link between cosmetics and breast cancer. It is a little far fetched...it is not proven that certain products cause cancer, but it is apparently best to avoid these products so that it does not contribute.

It is safe to say that buying organic products, free of harmful chemicals, is the safest way to go. Not only is it good for the environment to buy products that do not have harmful chemicals, but it is also good for our personal health.

I will give you a quick rule of thumb (based on the MSN article) for buying cosmetic products such as shampoo, lotions, and soap. Remember that "organic" can sometimes be a marketing a ploy, so be sure to check the ingredients!

Shampoo: Stay away from products that contain "methyl-, propyl-, butyl-, ethyl-, or isobutylparaben, and opt instead for paraben-free alternatives".

Soap: Avoid liquid soap that contains triclosan, an antimicrobial agent used in many antibacterial products that has been linked to hormone disruption in animals. Just FYI, it is also uncertain whether antibacterial soaps are any more effective than regular soaps.

Lotion: Look for lotions labeled phthalate-free, or opt for those that don't list fragrance as an ingredient.

Green Newsletter and Book Worth Reading

2009-07-08T18:04:00.005-05:00

I'm sure all of you have seen Seventh Generation products around, but many of you may not know that Seventh Generation was actually one of the first "socially responsible" companies. I absolutely love their products. I swear by there dish soap in Lavendar and Mint. It smells so good AND it is enironmentally friendly!

Long story short, I subscribe to the Seventh Generation E-Newsletter. They send it out monthly and it is always full of fabulous information.

This month, the newsletter contained an article about a new book called "Go Green, Get Lean". The title appealed to me....LEAN AND GREEN! Two things I strive to be!

So check the book out at Amazon.com. Don't forget to buy it used....Reduce, REUSE, Recycle!!!

And check out Sevneth Generation to sign up for their newsletter. It it worth it!

My 5 Energy Saving Tips for the Summer

2009-06-28T22:29:00.003-05:00

Hello Friends!

Recently, San Antonio has been stuck in a weather rut. The city has been in triple digit weather consistently for the past couple weeks. I know it is just as hot in other cities around the country, so I thought I would pass on some of my energy saving tips for the summer.

My Top 5 Summer Energy Saving Tips:
1. Use ceiling fans and in turn, set the thermostat to about 3 or 4 degrees higher than normal
2. Use your blinds and curtains to your advantage. Although it is pretty and sunny outside, angle your blinds facing upward to keep the sun out and close your blinds and curtains in the rooms that you are not using.
3. Unplug small appliances. Many people do not think about it, but when they are not in use, unplug the toaster, coffee maker, blender, etc.
4. Check your refrigerator temperature. For example, my fridge is set on a 0-5 scale. 0 is off and 5 is the coldest. I set mine at 3 which uses less energy than 5.
5. GET NAKED. That's right. Sleep naked! You won't get as hot in the middle of the night which means you won't use the air conditioner as much!

Hope this helps you all out! Send me any suggestions on what I should post about next!

Green Office

2009-06-22T18:03:00.004-05:00

I have a slight obsession with office supply stores. I just love buying new pens, folders, planners....and I can't live without post it notes. My favorite office supply store is Office Max for several reasons, one of them being that they carry an array of eco-friendly office supply options. So, just to keep it short, I am posting 3 office essentials that you can buy eco-friendly at Office Max.

1. The Recycled Paper Post it Note

2. Recycled Computer/ Multi-use Paper

3. Recycled File Folders

New, Natural Bedroom

2009-06-14T22:47:00.015-05:00

Hello All!

Once again, I apologize for falling behind on my blog. I am learning to juggle my new job and having a life at the same time. It is challenging. I am working so hard on getting my apartment together. I really hate living in an unorganized and unfinished place so it has really been my priority during my spare time. As I said before, I am keeping in mind the environment while decorating and furnishing my place so I thought I would share my findings!

I will start with my bedroom. Two words I kept in mind while decorating my room was Natural and Serene. I wanted my bedroom to be a peaceful place that I wanted to fall asleep in. One that was comfortable and would look good even when it's a little messy! I got some of my inspiration from Pottery Barn (picture below).

My room is not nearly as beautiful and put together, but I pulled a few items from this picture including the color palette, the use of shells, and using natural wood for my bedroom. I am not able to paint in my apartment so I am having to keep the wall the greyish blue color. Ick. It is still in progress, but here are some pictures of my bedroom!!

I LOVE my bedding. I recently purchased the duvet and shams from West Elm. They are organic cotton and sooo comfortable!

I am adding some flowers to my vase (made out of recycled glass) which will add some life to my dresser!

This is my bedside table with a lamp and linen shade (filled with sand), a few journals and books, and a natural wood frame with special picture inside.

All of my candles, in my bedroom and throughout my place, are soy based. I found several different kinds at Target for about $8 each.

Hope you enjoyed the bedroom tour! If you have any questions about where I bought items just write a comment and I'll respond!

Pier 1 Coasters

2009-05-31T10:36:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to show off my great find at Pier 1! AND, they were on sale! $2.15 a pack!

Eva Longoria Loves Reusable Bags

2009-05-29T23:22:00.005-05:00

I have done a few posts on reusable shopping bags, but for some reason it just never gets old to me! There are so many cute bags out there and I just want to buy them all!! I thought these bags that are sold at H.E.B (grocery store) in my new city are pretty clever. Eva Longoria (yes, the hot desperate housewife) lives in San Antonio with her hubby Tony Parker so she has "signed" the H.E.B reusable bags to endorse and encourage being eco-friendly. I just LOVE her!

Can you see it...?

So, if you live in San Antonio, grab some of your own bags!

Cooking Green

2009-05-27T00:25:00.007-05:00

As most of you know, in the past few weeks I have graduated from college, moved to a new city, moved into a new apartment and will be starting my new job next week. One exciting thing after another keeps happening in my life and it is almost overwhelming!! But, I am enjoying this big turning point in my life and I am embracing it! I moved on Saturday and have been working on making my apartment livable! So, of course, I have been attempting to furnish and decorate my apartment in an eco-friendly fashion.

One of the first items I bought for my apartment were pots and pans. I have never owned my own set and I love to cook so it was my priority item. My mom, sister and I went to Bed Bath and Beyond to do some shopping and we found the perfect pot and pan set for me!

Take a look....

This Cuisinart Greenware set is considered "green" because it has superior heat conductivity which means it requires less energy to heat. In addition, the set is petroleum free and made from 70% recycled stainless steel. I will also add that the set was very affordable and no more expensive than the other sets I shopped.

I am finding so many eco-friendly options for my new place and I am so excited to share them all with you! Stay tuned!

Bright Ideas for Living Green

2009-05-20T11:40:00.007-05:00

I was listening to the radio this morning and heard a great tip for going green on a tight budget so I thought I would share it. Instead of replacing every light bulb in your house with energy star light bulbs, pick 5 of you most commonly used bulbs and replace those.

Sometimes being green isn't cheap, but I think this tip proves that there are ways to integrate being eco-friendly into your life through baby steps.

As you all know, I have been taking small steps toward living a more eco-friendly life. Here are a few of things I have done in the past few days that you could also try. I promise that it eventually becomes routine!

-Went grocery shopping with my reusable bags

- Bought organic and locally grown peaches

- Bought a bamboo cutting board (earth friendly)

- Jogged outside in the sun

- Went to an office supply store to ask if they could hold their packing boxes for me instead of buying boxes for moving

- Recycled the packing boxes I did not use

- Raided the university recycling bins for newspapers to use for packing

- Turned off my air conditioner and opened all the windows in my house (beautiful day)

-Made myself organic coffee

- Shopped for new bed linens (found an organic set I plan on ordering)

Back from Vacation with New Eco Chic Shoes!

2009-05-18T11:54:00.006-05:00

Today I am back home after a week long beach vacation. The week flew by and I had a great time, minus one major incident... my best friend (Reba) BROKE HER LEG skim boarding on the beach. It was terribly traumatic for us all and especially Reba, but she is recovering and being such a trooper! (love you Rebs!!!)

So, even though drama ensued during our trip, I managed to do some shopping. I have two favorite boutiques on the island called Isla and Rica. I love the boutiques so much and want to support them so I make it a point to purchase something from the boutiques whenever I visit. Thankfully it is not that hard to find something to buy!

Much to my advantage, Isla had some shoes I have been eyeing. I saw them in the May issue of People Style Watch magazine. The shoes are made by BC Footwear and the style is called "Danke". They are flat sandals made from all recycled material and they are sooooooo cute! The magazine says they can be found on Nordstrom.com, but I can't find them online. It looks like Delia's is carrying them and I will keep my eye out for any other retailers.

http://store.delias.com/item.do?itemID=50776&categoryID=443

Each pair will vary in color so don't count on getting a certain color when you order....mine are purple, green, white and pink. They don't exactly match, but that is what I love about them!

One Week Vacation

2009-05-10T09:16:00.004-05:00

First, I want to apologize for not updating my blog as much lately. I have been really busy (graduating from college) the past week and now I am headed for a get-a-way at South Padre Island. So, I will be without the internet and blogging for a week.

Second, I know that some of my family members read my blog every now and then so I just want to say thank you all sooo much for coming to my graduation over the weekend! It meant so much to me to have you all there!

Everyone have a good week!

Green Thumb

2009-05-07T14:46:00.004-05:00

I was browsing the dollar section at Target the other day and found some plant and herb kits that were absolutely adorable and only one dollar! I have been wanting to grow some of my own herbs for cooking so I thought I try my hand at it!

I bought Oregano, Marigolds (for fun), and Basil.

I already messed up and left the tiny (and by tiny I mean the height of my pinkie finger) pots outside during torrential downpours last week, but they survived and now I have some baby sprouts!!!

Check your Target and see if they still have these little kits. They are so cute! If not, just buy some soil and seeds and small pots! It is very inexpensive and very eco-friendly. Eventually I would love to have my own vegetable garden...I'll get there one day!

All Natural Cleaning: Lemons

2009-05-01T11:22:00.006-05:00

I came across an article on the MSN homepage yesterday about all-natural cleaning. One of my Earth Day Resolutions for the year was to use eco-friendly cleaning products and also make some of my own, so I was very interested to see what kind of tips the article offered!

The best cleaning tip I found in the article was the idea of using lemons for cleaning. I LOVE the smell of lemons and as most people do, I associate the smell with cleanliness (especially in the kitchen).

Here are some of the suggestions the article made on how you can use real lemons for cleaning:

Countertops: Dip the cut side of a lemon half in baking soda to tackle countertops; wipe with a wet sponge and dry. Don't use on delicate stone, like marble, or stainless steel (it may discolor).

Cutting boards: To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.

Dishes: To increase the grease-cutting power of your dishwashing detergent, add a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Faucets: Combat lime scale by rubbing lemon juice onto the taps and letting it sit overnight. Wipe with a damp cloth.

Garbage disposal: Cut a lemon in half, then run both pieces through the disposal.

Grout: Spilled morning coffee on your tile countertop or backsplash? Here's how to tackle grout stains: Add lemon juice to 1 or 2 teaspoons cream of tartar (an acidic salt that acts as a natural bleaching agent) to make a paste. Apply with a toothbrush, then rinse.

Hands: When you touch raw fish, the smell can linger on your fingers. Rub your hands with lemon juice, which will neutralize the odor.

Laundry: To brighten whites, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle for a normal-size load.
Plastic food-storage containers: To bleach stains from tomato soup and other acidic foods on dishwasher-safe items, rub lemon juice on the spots, let dry in a sunny place, then wash as usual.

Blog Award

2009-04-28T22:36:00.010-05:00

As most of you know, I'm fairly new to blogging. Having a blog is a HUGE stretch for me. I don't really do the whole Twitter thing, I never had a MySpace page, and it took me my whole freshman year in college to figure out Facebook. Point is, I had no idea there were Blog Awards floating around the blogging world. So, when Michelle (another blogger, http://ladybugsandmore.blogspot.com/) left me message saying she had given me an award, I was really surprised!

Michelle awarded me with a "Inspirational Blogger Award". She was given the award a few days ago and was asked to pass the award on to five other blogs that she finds inspirational.

Here is what Michelle posted on her blog about Take On Green...

"Take On Green, Roque's blog inspires me to do more. I stumbled across her blog by seeing a comment she left on another blog I follow. Her blog name, Take On Green, is what caught my attention really. I have mentioned Roque and her blog in my posts before. Not only does she inspire me to be more "green" but I also get tips and ideas on how to have more "green" in my life. It is not just about recycling and reading her blog, she helps me realize that. Roque is trying to live a more eco-friendly and healthy life and with her blog, you learn how to do the same. If you want more "green" in your life then you must be sure to check out her blog. I hope you will find yourself following and find her blogs as inspiring as I do. Thank you so much Roque for being so inspiring."

Thanks Michelle for the sweet award and I will be working on passing it on to the blogs that I find inspiring!

Green and Beautiful: Alicia Silverstone

2009-04-27T11:48:00.007-05:00

She is green, beautiful, and an inspiration for us all! Alicia Silverstone definitely practices what she preaches from what she eats to how she decorates. Alicia is a vegan (which she claims is why her skin is so perfect), she is a PETA activist, and she diligently practices being green in all aspects of life.

This photograph is Alicia in just one little area of her home (all eco-friendly, of course). She told InStyle magazine that "everything we’ve brought into this house is environmentally sound." If anyone finds more pictures of her home, please send them my way! I would LOVE to see more!

She has a book coming out in October called The Kind Diet... Alicia says "The book is about being kind to yourself, being kind to animals and being kind to the environment, all in one bite…It’s just easy-to-read, easy-to-digest…For those who want good skin, or to lose weight, or for the enviro-curious, this book is for you!"

Here is a link to an interview with Alicia about her new book...
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2009/04/27/exclusive-alicia-silverstone-chats-with-ecorazzi-at-heart-of-green-awards/#more-15904

If you are interested in her book, it is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $19.77 in Hardcover! Snag that!

Just One Last Earth Day Thought...

2009-04-22T20:00:00.007-05:00

"It is a beautiful and blessed world we live in, and while life lasts, to lose enjoyment of it is a sin."

-Talbot Chambers

Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Earth Day Resolutions

2009-04-22T09:12:00.005-05:00

As most of you know, today is Earth Day! I hope that everyone has something planned to honor the day whether it is spending a few hours outside or shopping with reusable bags for the first time. In addition to your Earth Day activity, try making some Earth Day Resolutions. Just like New Years, make some resolutions for yourself or for your family that will improve the environment.

Here is my list of Earth Day Resolutions:
1. Keep a reusable bag in my car at all times...just in case I have spontaneous grocery run!
2. Practice eco-friendly decorating in my new apartment.
3. Buy more eco-friendly cleaning products and make some of my own.
4. Keep up with my green blog!

**My Going Green Inspiration...over-grown bright pink bougainvillea flowers and palm trees**

Now, it's your turn! Find some inspiration and make a resolution or two!

Watch Movie, Disney Plants Tree

2009-04-20T23:32:00.003-05:00

T-minus two days til Earth Day! I hope everyone is planning on doing something (even the tiniest thing) in honor of Earth Day/week/month. I have been throwing out some ideas of things to do or buy for Earth Day and I have another one!

On Earth Day, April 22nd, Disney is releasing their movie titled Earth. Earth is the first film in the new Nature Disney series. For every ticket bought during the opening week, Disney is planting a tree in your honor.

Check out their website for more information about the film.

http://disney.go.com/disneynature/earth/

This is something I am definitely planning on doing within the week so I will give you all a follow up on how it is!

More Reusable Shopping Bags: Kir DeVries

2009-04-19T14:10:00.006-05:00

I found this site a few days ago on another blog I follow (MadebyGirl...check it out). Since I just posted about the Gap shopping bags, I thought I would continue the trend and give you some more options for cute reusable shopping bags.

Kir DeVries bags have bright, fun patterns and can be bought in packs of three if you wish!

http://www.shopkirdevries.com/index.html

Gap Reusable Bags: 0% Plastic

2009-04-19T01:10:00.006-05:00

I have always been a HUGE fan of the Gap. I'm not lying when I say that it was my childhood dream to be a Gap model. Of course, that didn't work out for me, but I still love Gap and everything they sell!

So naturally, today, my best friend and I stopped in the Gap to do some shopping and I found another reason to love the Gap even more! The Gap is selling really cute reusable shopping bags for just two dollars! AND, when you purchase a reusable bag, you receive a reward...10% your next Gap purchase!

My best friend decided that it was her time to give in and buy a cute reusable shopping bag. I guess she figured if Gap thinks it is cool, then it is.

So, in the blogging spirit, Rebekah (my best friend) and I decided to document the event of buying her first reusable shopping bag! I am such a proud friend!

Aveda Earth Month

2009-04-16T11:59:00.004-05:00

Sorry I have been M.I.A with my blog lately! I have been really busy finishing up my last semester of college! But, although I have a lot going on, this is a really important week for my blog since we are six days away from Earth Day!!

So, if you are looking for something to do in honor of Earth Day, I have some ideas for you that I will be posting throughout the week.

My first suggestion not only benefits you, but also the earth! Go visit an Aveda salon this month. I have been browsing the Aveda website and this a company that is doing extensive philanthropy work. Not only are their product eco-friendly, but they have several campaigns going on to benefit our earth! One of my friends visited an Aveda salon yesterday to get a quick chair massage and she informed me that this month the proceeds from the massage go to their Earth Fund. So, go get a massage for Earth Day from Aveda!!

Here is the link to Aveda's Earth Month Campaign....

http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/earth_month.asp

Tin Can Herb Pots

2009-04-09T12:41:00.003-05:00

I am in the process of putting together my first annual Earth Day Party.

REMINDER TO MY FOLLOWERS: EARTH DAY IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22

I ran the party idea by my good friends and they approved, so I've been brainstorming some "activities" for the party. This is the one that my friends thought they would most enjoy....this activity plus organic cocktails, of course!

So, we will be making tin can herb pots! The link for the instructions is posted below. I am really excited because it is an activity that we can do outside, have some fun with, get creative, and make something that we will use for cooking, decoration, etc. And, the pots are so darn cute!!!

http://crafts.kaboose.com/earth-tin-can-herb-pots.html

I will keep everyone updated on how these turn out!

Keds Green Label

2009-04-06T13:24:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday Everyone! I thought I would get the week started off with a fun post. What is more fun than shopping...? Eco-Friendly Shopping!

I just found out this morning that Keds (yes, the shoes you used to wear when you were 5) has come out with a new "Green Shoe".

http://www.keds.com/text/greenshoes/

The shoes are made from recycled material and 100% organic cotton. In addition, when you buy a pair of these shoes, Keds will plant a tree for every pair sold in 2009! They have two different styles and several different colors, so don't worry....you don't have to wear green colored shoes to be eco-chic!

Wondering where to buy them? Well, you can buy them on the Keds website and at Nordstrom.

And speaking of Nordstom, my dear friend sent me this link from the Nordstrom website which features "Eco Fabulous Finds".

http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6022791/0~2376779~6008000~6022788~6022791?origin=Flip_Book

Enjoy!

Energy Star Top Cities

2009-04-03T21:59:00.004-05:00

I read in my school newspaper that The Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program has ranked Dallas-Fort Worth 5th in the nation of cities with the highest number of energy efficient commercial building in 2008. I was actually surprised to see my city on that high on the list, and it makes me very proud!

The article explains that Energy Star buildings typically use 35% less energy and emit 35% less greenhouse gases than average buildings.

Here is the list of the top ten ranked cities:

1. Los Angeles

2. San Francisco

3. Houston

4. Washington

5. Dallas-Fort Worth

6. Chicago

7. Denver

8. Minneapolis-St. Paul

9. Atlanta

10. Seattle

YAY Texas for having two cities in the top ten!!

Trail Mix

2009-03-31T12:59:00.003-05:00

I have always thought it would be a really great accomplishment to run in a marathon and many times over my college career I have attempted to be dedicated enough to train for one. Unfortunately, I have never really tried hard enough and have always lost the motivation. So, I am attempting it one more time! I have a goal and a date to look forward to so now I am just beginning to educate myself on how to train. While researching I came across good, healthy snacks to eat for energy. One of the snacks was putting together your own Trail Mix instead of buying one pre-packaged. So here is the one I made, which is close to the mix suggested, that I thought I would share.

1/2 cup of Honey Nut Cheerios
About 2 tbsp of Raisins (substitute with any dried fruit if you don't prefer raisins)
About 2 tbsp of Lightly Salted Peanuts (or any nut)

So, try it and see if you like it! It was really inexpensive to buy the ingredients and they will last me a long time!

Earth Hour

2009-03-25T19:55:00.003-05:00

I subscribe to the newsletter from Seventh Generation called 7Gen. I am a huge fan of the Seventh Generation products and they have a pretty cool newsletter too! I received their latest one today and there was an article about "Earth Hour". I had heard about "Earth Hour" a few weeks ago, but had totally forgotten about it. I usually don't get excited about things like this, but I do think this is neat. On Saturday March 28th at 8:30pm local time, everyone around the world is going to turn off their lights for a full hour. Obviously, participation in this is easy! Just turn off your lights from 8:30-9:30pm this Saturday and be apart of a united act to make a difference and a statement.

So, mark your calendars and light your candles...soy candles, of course!

Your Nature Place

2009-03-23T10:27:00.015-05:00

I am back to reality, school, work and the Internet after a 7 day cruise to Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. It feels good to be home, but I would not mind if I had been stranded in a beachy location for a few more weeks. I have figured out that the warm sun and salt water does more for my body and soul than any spa. I am starting to believe that nature can provide healing and soul revival that medicine and makeovers can not.

About six years ago, I went to Taos, New Mexico for a dance program over the summer. The program included all types of dance classes as well as pilates and yoga classes everyday. I specifically remember an exercise that we did every morning in my yoga class. Our instructor had us lay on our back with our eyes closed. We had to envision a place of nature that was the most peaceful to us. It could be a meadow, the mountains, your backyard, a waterfall, etc. There were no limitations. I would always imagine a beach like the one I visited every year with my family. If you were to close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place in nature, where would it be?

Now...make it a priority to visit your place of nature. Bring a book. Get a drink. Whatever makes you happy!

(the picture above was taken during my tip by my sister's friend in Costa Maya, Mexico)

Read This: Green Marketing

2009-03-11T13:10:00.003-05:00

I am currently reading the book on the right called Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation by Jacquelyn Ottman. Ottman is a consultant and a pioneer in green marketing. This book has great insight on the forces behind the green movement and how it effects marketing and business in general. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in marketing, advertising or consumerism. It is an easy read with short chapters, case studies, and graphs. I was not able to find it at my local bookstores, so I ordered it from Amazon.

Happy Reading!

Green Music on iTunes

2009-03-10T21:30:00.004-05:00

I was browsing on iTunes this afternoon trying to find some great Spring Break music to listen to while I'm laying on the beach (pure bliss). I came across an iTunes Essentials playlist called "Earth Day". It is a compilation of songs about conserving and loving our planet from different artists. It is awesome to see how many artists have advanced the awareness of our planet through music. Some of my favorites on this playlist include "3 R's" by Jack Johnson (a.k.a. Reduce Reuse Recycle), "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell, and "Mercy Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye. Check it out and purchase some earth lovin' songs!

I'm thinking that my blog theme song should be "3 R's" by Jack Johnson. If anyone knows how to play songs on blogs, I would appreciate the help!

Follow Up

2009-03-09T18:17:00.011-05:00

I want to do a quick follow up on some past posts. I have gotten some really great comments on some of my posts and have received cool sites to check out. So here are a few things I want to share with you!

First, in response to my post about the Do's and Don'ts of Recycling...although plastic grocery bags do not recycle, many grocery stores will recycle them for you. I noticed that even Wal-Mart has a bin near customer service where you can bring in plastic bags to be recycled. I have started keeping all of my plastic bags in my laundry room until I go to Wal-Mart and can drop them off.

Second, one of my readers posted this site in response to my post about Bare Tableware. I think it is definitely worth sharing with everyone!

http://www.verterra.com/

And third, another reader posted this website. If you are looking for a durable reusable bag, this looks like a great option!

http://www.reusablebags.com/store/acme-bags-workhorse-style-1500-p-1.html

Thanks to all of those who have been following my blog so far! I am learning so much and am excited to continue sharing my adventures with you all. I hope you all keep reading and telling your friends about Take On Green!

Before You Leave for Vacation

2009-03-03T13:01:00.004-06:00

I am less than two weeks away from my week long Spring Break vacation and I am sure that many of you who read my blog will also be vacationing during the month of March. I thought it was an appropriate time to mention 5 things you can do to stay eco-friendly while you travel.

1. Eat all your food. Don't waste food that will perish while you are gone.

2. Unplug everything. Even the little things like clocks and coffee makers make a difference.

3. Put your outdoor lights on timers if you plan to leave them on while you are gone. Leaving outside lights on is a good way to scare away burglars, but leaving them on during the daylight is just a waste of energy.

4. Carpool to the airport. If you have friends or family traveling at the same time, travel together.

5. Bring your reusable water bottle with you so you don't have to buy plastic ones while you travel.

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Spring Break!!

(picture above is one I took in Cozumel during Spring Break last year)

Beauty Product Labels

2009-02-26T13:04:00.006-06:00

My friend sent an article to me about labels on beauty products. What does "natural" or "organic" labels really mean? This article actually ties into my post below about the Victoria's Secret Organic products. It is always smart to research a product and its ingredients before buying into the "natural" or "organic" label. It could just be smart marketing rather than a smart product. However, you are usually safe if a product has the "USDA Organic" circle label.

Here is the article if you want to read further...

http://www.slate.com/id/2211934/

Also, if you use an organic beauty product that you love, send me the name! I love trying new earth friendly products!

Bare Tableware

2009-02-22T20:53:00.005-06:00

I was grocery shopping at Albertson's today and something wonderful caught my attention. Solo Brand is apparently testing this new line of "eco-foward" products including plates and cups. As you may know Solo Brand makes paper and plastic convenience tableware and now they have a new line of products called Bare that are eco-friendly. This discovery really made me excited because I like to entertain and I always feel incredibly guilty when I have to buy paper/plastic/Styrofoam tableware.

They currently have two products, plates and cups. The plates are made from bamboo and other natural resources. The cups are made from 20% post-consumer recycled plastic and can be recycled.

Here is the website if you are interested in learning more...

http://www.barebysolo.com/index.html

Organic is Sexy

2009-02-19T00:44:00.009-06:00

I am absolutely convinced that there is no longer a reason to not attempt to go green. Companies have made it sooo easy for the consumer. Eco-friendly products are all over the place! Check out what I came across while I was shopping this evening.

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/collection/?cgname=OSPNKBTYZZZ&cgnbr=OSPNKBTYZZZ&rfnbr=3475

That's right. Victoria's Secret carries a line of organic lotions and potions. I tried the lotion and actually really like it. AND, they are having a buy 2 for $20 special. Who knew organic could be so sexy!?

Since starting my blog, I am much more aware of how many eco-friendly products are on the shelves of practically every store I visit. It may not make the biggest difference, but buying small eco-friendly products, like lotions, sends a message to the producers that this is what the consumer wants! So start buying green!

Olio United

2009-02-15T22:26:00.005-06:00

With all the retail stores out there, it is so refreshing to find one that figured out how to connect style and sustainability. I am really loving this store I found on another green blog called Olio United. Here is a blurb from their website...

"At Olio United, we love to share stories with our customers. We believe that people have the right to know how products are made and where they are made. Our mission is to carry products that are aesthetically inspiring and beneficial to people’s lives, from the maker of the product to the consumer.

The Heart of our business• partnering with socially-responsible designers and artists and sharing their stories with you• working every day to find the most inspiring and innovative products to carry in our store• uniting our local community with our global community"

They have a great website that you can order from (I am eying a dress and the beautiful bright art they sell).

http://shop.oliounited.com/

Send me links to more great boutiques and stores like Olio United!

Do's and Don'ts of Recycling

2009-02-10T11:01:00.007-06:00

I started recycling at my house about a year ago. I also force my roommates to recycle (I'm sure they'll be glad to get away from me soon!). One thing I notice about our recycling bin is that probably half of the things that go into the recycling bin need to be rinsed or just thrown away. Recycling takes some time and thinking. In all honesty, recycling really comes down to...laziness! Will you take the time and energy to recycle properly?

If you are willing to take the time and learn a little about recycling, here is a great article from the National Recycling Coalition.
http://www.nrc-recycle.org/11dos.aspx

Remember that every community has different guidelines for recycling so you might want to check yours, but here are some general rules for recycling.

Do:
Steel cans, aluminum cans, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, plastic beverage bottles, milk jugs, glass bottles and jars, cereal boxes, other clean and dry cardboard boxes.

Don't:
Plastic grocery bags, Styrofoam, light bulbs, food-soiled paper, wax paper, ceramics.

And remember to always rinse jars, cans, etc. before recycling!

Go Green Today!

2009-02-05T13:17:00.003-06:00

"Do just one Green Thing today-it will lead to more"-David Bach, author of Go Green, Live Rich

Here are three things you could do TODAY to start living green.
1. Get outside!
Pass up watching t.v. or even going to the gym and trade it with a walk outside.
2. Take reusable bags to the grocery store.
Dig those old canvas bags out of your closet before your next trip to the store or buy some reusable bags. I've noticed that almost every grocery store sells their reusable bags for about $1 each!
3. Take your lunch to work.
Not only will taking your lunch to work save you money, but it also helps the environment! Take out food packaging creates 1.8 million tons of trash in the U.S. every year!

Another Decorating Idea

2009-02-05T00:23:00.005-06:00

Before you throw anything (other than things that can rot) away, think about how you could reuse it. Something I started doing a while ago was saving all of my wine corks. Instead of tossing them, I kept every single one in a vase on my kitchen table. Now, the vase is completely full (with the help of my friends) and it is a really great decorative piece in my house.

There are so many things you can do with corks! Here are a few more ideas...
- Fill a shadow box with corks. I noticed it in a pottery barn catalog.
- Make a mini bulletin board with corks. Find a cute frame or tray and fill it in with corks! All you need to add are push pins!
- Make a trivet to place your hot pots and pans on http://www.wineintro.com/products/corks/trivet.html

Comment if you have any great cork ideas. I'd love to hear them!

Top 12 Foods to Buy Organic

2009-01-31T16:07:00.005-06:00

One part of going green is buying organic foods. Buying organic can get really expensive so I found this great article on the top 12 foods to eat organic if you can't afford to go all organic.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods

Just in case you don't have time to read the article...
1. Meat
2. Milk
3. Coffee
4. Peaches
5. Apples
6. Sweet Bell Peppers
7. Celery
8. Strawberries
9. Leafy Greens
10. Grapes
11. Potatoes
12. Tomatoes

This is also an awesome article on the fruits and vegetables that you shouldn't worry about buying organic.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save-on-Sustainable-Gallery-44032808

Basically, if a fruit or veggie has a thick skin, it is protected from pesticides which means it is o.k. to eat the non-organic version.

By the way, the links above are to one of my favorite websites. It has a lot of good and simple going green information. I recommend spending some time browsing it!

Calendar Art Idea

2009-01-25T18:31:00.008-06:00

Every year I buy a new calendar to hang over my desk. Of course, it has to be nice to look at because I spend a lot of time at my desk (starring at it instead of doing my homework). It is such a waste to throw these little pieces of art away every December 31st so I suggest using them to decorate!

Just cut out your desired pictures from the calendar and decide how you would like to use them in your home. Don't forget to recycle the leftovers from the calendar. I was in need of some framed art on my walls so I purchased a matte-less picture frame from Target and placed my calendar picture inside. (My art is pictured above!)

Always think about how you could reuse things before tossing them! You never know what you will come up with!

Water and Coffee To Go

2009-01-24T11:24:00.007-06:00

Using a reusable water bottle and thermos is a green tip that I have been practicing for a few months now. At first it was little difficult to make the switch from my Ozarka water bottles and to-go coffee cups, but now I wouldn't have it any other way.

I use two different water bottles to switch off every couple days (so I can wash them in between uses). My favorite water bottle is a Sigg which I purchased at Dick's Sporting Goods. You can also order them online. It's a great bottle because it's not made of plastic. They are aluminum!
Check them out at this sight...http://mysigg.com/
They are a little pricey, but their benefits outweigh the cost!

I know that many people already use a coffee thermos if you make your coffee at home. But, Starbucks is doing something pretty cool for their addicts. They have a coffee tumbler that is made with about 30% post consumer recycled content. When you purchase the tumbler, you get a free cup of coffee (in your tumbler). Plus, if you bring your tumbler in for coffee instead of using their to-go cups, you get 10 cents off your coffee. I know that 10 cents doesn't sound like much, but if you frequently purchase Starbucks coffee, it can add up! Plus, you are using a reusable thermos instead of the Starbucks cups.
Check it out at your local Starbucks!

Eco-Friendly Way to Get Rid of Smokey Clothes

2009-01-23T16:40:00.009-06:00

Something I found that every college student could use after a night at the bar...now only if this would work on my hair....

Luckily for all of us, there are ways to remove cigarette odor that don't require heavy laundering or expensive product-buying.

Fill your bath with hot water. Just an inch of water or so should do the trick.

Add four cups of vinegar to the bath.

Hang your smoky clothing above the bath.

Shut the door to the bathroom. This will allow for steam to develop and linger.

Let the steam do its work! Steam from vinegar water has long been shown to remove odors, like smoke, from clothing.

Does cold water clean?

2009-01-23T10:56:00.005-06:00

I had some friends over for dinner last night. Amazing dinner I might add (thanks katie). And we got on the topic of laundry. So, Katie, this is for you. Washing your clothes in cold water is perfectly clean AND using hot and warm water only wastes energy. Here is the full article if you wish to read it, but I'll highlight the main points.

-Eighty to ninety percent of the energy used to wash clothes heats the water, a practice that is increasingly unnecessary as advances in clothes washers and laundry detergents have made it possible to get white and colored clothes perfectly clean in cold water. Except when washing out particularly tough stains, such as oil, every load of laundry done in hot water wastes energy.

-Set your water temperature to "cold" on your clothes washer. Unless your clothes have oil or grease stains, cold water is usually adequate to clean white and colored clothes. In fact, washing clothes in cold water allows fabrics to retain their color and strength longer.

http://charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/laundry-machine-reviews.htm

1st Blog Post...Ever

2009-01-22T17:30:00.005-06:00

I'm feeling just a little insecure writing my thoughts and daily actions onto the world wide web, but I think I'll get over it. I mean, everyone is doing it. Right?

About me. I don't really have an extremely exciting life. I'm a college student, I work, I have a cat, I have a boyfriend, he has a dog. I like to be outside, travel, and read. I have recently become interested in the green movement. Unless you live under a rock, you see it or hear about it everyday. On top of all the marketing and all the media around it, I have academic classes that are all about this current problem...earth problem!

So, as a late New Years Resolution, I want to dedicate myself to getting educated on this movement and also start making a change in the way I live. To some people, living green may be easily implemented into life, but for me, there are obstacles. I'm a college student...which also means I don't make money. And going green costs money! I don't own a home....so may landlord wouldn't be too happy if I installed solar panels across the roof. Don't get me wrong. I'm not making excuses for lacking on the green scale. I'm just thinking that I might have to do my green thing a little differently.

So, what does this have to do with my blog? Well, I'm going to document my adventures while going green. Things I buy (i'm good at shopping), things I make (i'm pretty crafty), and things I cook (i'm good at eating), and things I discover (hopefully).