Envelope I made from a paper grocery bag

Over the past year, I have done a pretty good job reducing the use of plastic in my day-to-day life. There are a few areas I need to work on, like the use of plastic produce bags at the grocery stores and farmers markets, but overall, I’ve done better than I have in years past.

For 2010, I decided to make an effort to cut back on the amount of paper I use .  I am usually mindful of my paper usage when it comes to eliminating unnecessary magazine and catalog subscriptions, junk mail, grocery stores bags, and reducing office and shipping paper. My use of miscellaneous paper products like napkins and facial tissue can be excessive at times, though I only buy 100% recycled paper products.  In an effort to reduce the amount of paper I use, I started using cloth napkins at the dinner table and handkerchiefs instead of facial tissue. I normally only use cloth napkins when I have guests, but whats stopping me from using them everyday?  Thankfully, I haven’t purchased a roll of paper towels in months, so that’s also a good start!

Have you made an effort to reduce the amount of paper and/or plastic in your life? Do you have any other ideas aside from what I mentioned?

During our short lived gas crisis in the spring of 2008, many people had to put the breaks on driving. Taking public transportation when possible, carpooling to work, telecommuting, reduced work weeks, and so on started to become the norm in many areas. The motivation for these changes were mostly financial. Once gas prices started to come down a bit (I admit, I was very glad) people started to resume their old, familiar habits.

This makes me wonder, when the economy recovers, will cars miraculously grow as they did in the late ‘90s early 2000 with the super sized SUVs?  Will McMansions continue to be the norm in new home building projects?    The accumulation of things (paralytically cheap, disposable items) have started to slow down in  the name of saving money and not running up credit card debt, but will this trend last? When our electronic equipment breaks and its more cost effective to chuck it and buy a new one than it is to fix it, what will we do?

“Americans constitute 5% of the world’s population but consume 24% of the world’s energy” – Mindfully.org

Is it possible to be financially prosperous and live a less wasteful, polluting lifestyle? What could influence change for the long haul?

Photo credit: René Ehrhardt

This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of Physical Therapy Assistant degrees at her blog Physical Therapy Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com.

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A wedding signifies the beginning of a lifelong union, a relationship that should stand the test of time and tribulations. And when you join the person you love in matrimony, it’s time to spare a thought to the world that sustains us all and gives us a planet to call home. Should the commencement of a new life for us spell doom to the earth through global warming and pollution? Is it not a better and more ethical option to celebrate our new relationship by pledging to do what it takes to save the earth and its almost-depleted resources? If your big day is in the offing, here’s how you can make green the theme of your wedding celebration:

• Hold all your events in one location. This way, you and your guest avoid having to drive to and from the location of each event.
• Hold the wedding at a location that is close to most of or all your guests.
• Go organic when it comes to food even though it may be more expensive. Use local produce and poultry to minimize your carbon footprint.
• Use biodegradable materials for your crockery and cutlery.
• Use recycled materials for your decorations.
• If you want to go the traditional way and send out regular invitations, use recycled paper (handmade paper makes very stylish statements) with eco-friendly ink. If you want to avoid paper altogether, use email to send out your invites.
• Invest in clothing and accessories that are reusable, especially for your bridesmaids and other members of the wedding party. Most bridesmaids and flower girls are clad in outfits that are never going to be used again because they’re really impractical.
• Use flowers that are in season and grown locally.
• Buy your ring from jewelers who do not deal in “blood” diamonds that have been illegally mined in Africa. Or better still, use old and antique jewelry that has been passed down from generation to generation to pledge your love for each other.
• Go digital when recording memories of your special day; store your photos in an online album instead of having them printed.
• Go on a green honeymoon to an eco-friendly resort or somewhere close home that does not require you to fly.

Most of these measures don’t require you to go out of the way to do something positive for the earth. So when you think wedding, think green instead of white.

Photo credit: Deb Roy

Last year, I set a goal to never bring home disposable grocery store bags again. We had collected so many paper bags, we were running out of places to store them in our kitchen armoire.  Thankfully, most stores around here no longer offer plastic.

So far we have about 15 reusable bags split between the two of us at home, in the car, etc.  We either got them from places like Whole Foods for just $2 each or free from industry trade shows. Two dollars is decent, but I have seen some cost as much as $40 (granted, they are nicer).

If you don’t want to buy reusable bags just yet, reusing the paper and plastic bags you may already have (and not accumulating more) until they disintegrate  helps to0.  I ended up donating all of my bags to a local clothing consignment store – they only use used bags in their shop.

If you know how to sew, (even at a beginner level) you can also make your own.

Tipnut offers a compilation of 35 patterns for reusable bags for sewers, knitters and crocheters.  Several of the sewing patterns utilizes items you may already have at home.

For example…

Wisdom of the Moon blog offers instructions on making grocery store bags out of old sheets in Cheap & Easy Fabric Grocery Bags and produce bags out of sheer curtains under Cheap & Easy Fabric Produce Bags.

This is also a great post on instructables.com for instructions to make your own grocery store bag.  “Green” Re-usable Grocery Store Bags

Oh Fransson blog offers a pattern for her super cute lunchbox inspired bags at her Etsy shop.

Of course if you’re not a sewer or knitter,  this may not do you much good so you may need to buy some of your own.  In that case, hopefully this is a reminder for everyone to bring your own bags while shopping.

Photo Credit: TheBusyBrain

Its been noted in various publications over the past few years that beef consumption is contributing to global warming and is linked to various health problems.  Mc Spotlight points out that “…beef consumption plays a major role in the development of heart disease, strokes, and cancer. But the over-consumption of beef is also a major cause of human hunger and poverty, deforestation. spreading deserts, water pollution, water scarcity, global warming, species extinction, and animal suffering.”

On the other hand, the Weston A. Price Foundation for Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts points out that the way mainstream beef is produced is the issue, not the beef itself.  According to this and other organizations, beef that is raised sustainably where the cows eat only grass – not grain, soy, corn, antibiotics and hormones, and not raised in a factory doesn’t contribute to ill health of the human body and earth.

Putting the controversial issue of killing animals for human consumption aside, is eating meat, (specifically beef) better for the human body and Earth when its raised in a humane and sustainable fashion?

I feel like I have to put in this disclaimer and say that I am not a vegan or vegetarian, but I do make sure what animal products I do consume (mostly poultry and fish) is sustainable and avoid factory farmed food.  I also limit grass-fed beef consumption to no more than twice a year due to personal preference.

Having read both sides of the issue does have me wondering who is right.  Is there a definite answer to this problem?  Having tried vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan diets in the past, I realized that the best diet for me is one that does consist of some animal protein, but still mostly local, organic raw and lightly cooked vegetables and fruit. Not being able to eat soy, gluten, legumes, dairy, sugar, more than a small amount of corn, and a few other foods doesn’t help, but I don’t want to be part of the problem either!

There is a very interesting article and interview on the Sierra Club website on Grass-Fed Beef: Solution or Diversion? that focuses on both sides of this issue.

What do you think?

I know this question is kind of broad, but I would like to get your open opinion on this.

I never thought I’d say this, but I am burn out on “green”.  Not the lifestyle or movement;  I guess I am sick of the word being used and overused everywhere you look.  If you glance over my previous posts, you will find that I myself use the word “green” quite a bit.  I guess part of why I am tired of the word green in this context is because of the issue of greewashing.

“Greenwash (a portmanteau of green and whitewash) is a term used to describe the perception of consumers that they are being misled by a company regarding the environmental practices of the company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. It is a deceptive use of green PR or green marketing. The term green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations which attempt to appear that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment.^” - Wikipedia

In short, Greenwashing is the exploitation of the ecological and environmental conscious movement and lifestyle.  Greewashing has been a known issue over twenty years, but but it seems that the problem has increased over the past few years.

What is green?  Besides LEED Certification for green building standards or a similar organization that has oversight over green labels, what makes a company or product green?

For me, since I am in the business of marketing and selling “green” personal care products, I have to make sure that my business and personal conduct/lifestyle reflects my message.  I have to make sure that my products, the vendors I work with, and the way I run my business cannot contradict the message I’m trying to convey.

For the next several  posts, I will refrain from using the word “green”  unless its in the context of the color green or any quotes that I use.  Of course my domain name will remain the same, and I wont change the Green and Chic website, but for the purpose of this blog, it will not be used – at least for a while.  Why? I guess its  an experiment to see if I can use alternative language and words to get the message across.

What does green and greenwash/greenwashing mean to you?  How can we avoid falling prey to it?

What do you think of this ad and website?

If you use a microwave, do you stand ten feet away when its on because of the radiation?  Do you avoid using sponges at all cost because of germs? Do you avoid eating certain foods or produce if you don’t know for sure if its organic or not to avoid pesticides?

On this blog, I do write a great deal about toxic substances that are used in our day-to-day lives, but also want to keep it light and (hopefully) fun.  Baring allergies, intolerance’s or illness you or your family members may have, sometimes we can get too caught up up in whats “deadly” .The question is, how do you find that balance once you become aware that certain habits you’re used to may not be healthy for you and your family?

My guess is you have to pick and choose whats most important to you.  For me, its the use of artificial fragrances in personal and home care products because of my allergies (perfumes gives me migraines).  Also, I avoid certain foods to a point.

Between news about what Sarah Palin is wearing and what the stocks are doing, there has been some headlines about the safety of our food (again), specifically chocolate candy.  The Cheeseslave blog wrote a couple of great posts on this issue: Very Scary Halloween Candy

More on Potentially Tainted Halloween Candy

Personally, this scares the crap out of me given there has already been deaths associated with melamine.  Its been quite a while since I’ve had mainstream chocolate, but my concern is for others and their children.  Other people may not be that concerned however.

Other things people are concerned about may include, mattresses, clothing that isn’t organic, the use of plastics, cosmetics, cell phones, and much more.

How do you find your balance when it comes to keeping your and/or your family healthy and safe?