Beauty Product Labels

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

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

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

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

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!

"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

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!