When the weather turns warmer, it often turns wetter. A waterproof, breathable shell can keep you dry inside and out. The days of sweaty rubber rain gear are gone, as new technologies allow fabrics to release heat, by allowing moist air to pass through the material, but only moving inside to out. So body moisture escapes, and rain water beads and rolls off the shell. This way, you stay comfortable and dry, on the inside, and outside of the jacket. Technology has also allowed manufacturers to make rain gear more environmentally friendly with less toxic water repellent coatings, and fabrics made from recycled materials. These versatile and green hard shells work great as backpacking companions, lightweight ski jackets, or everyday wear. Keep reading →

Being so caught up in face products as of late, I’ve completely neglected the other 90% of my skin. No doubt this is due to an attempt to cover and forget about every last bit of exposed skin these winter months. I can’t promise this mistake won’t happen again, but I do promise to point out some pretty spectacular, earth friendly body moisturizers from a few green cosmetic companies.

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Traveling with a toddler is not the easiest thing in the world. You need lightweight, versatile gear, plenty of snacks, and LOTS of distractions. In your haste to prevent airport and airplane freakouts, you might forget to make eco-conscious choices. We’re here to help, with the essential green kit for traveling with toddlers. Keep reading →

Last week, Renee told us which organic products can keep our skin looking and feeling good in the harsh winter weather. Kids and babies have a special set of needs when it comes to their skin. Kids need good sun protection (especially if they’re old enough to go skiing or snowboarding), and plenty of hydration (especially if they’re spending lots of time indoors in a heated house). Babies need healing ointment to protect little butts from diaper rash, especially if those little butts are wrapped in layers of winter clothes – while cozy thermals trap heat, they can also trap moisture, making rashes more likely. And every little one needs bug protection. Wait, what? Bugs? In the winter? Yup – don’t forget that, for half of our planet, it’s actually summer right now: Australia and South Africa, for example, are just hitting their peak annual temperatures. Natural insect repellent is perfect for keeping babies bite-free safely. Keep reading →

This week I delved into the plethora of products made of recycled glass, and I was seriously impressed by what I found. Glass is a material that can be recycled infinitely. It is comprised of silica, the main component of sand, and I have learned that one application for recycled glass material is that it is being tested as a material to “replenish” beaches that have been worn down by erosion.  I guess that is the ultimate back to nature approach. Glass is a stable, non-toxic material that can be used in a multitude of forms. It has great insulating properties and can be used to create amazing art forms. There are a lot of uses for recycled glass throughout the home and garden, I have selected a few to discuss below. Keep reading →

In the words of Dr. Seuss, whose birthday happens to be today, “It is fun to have fun, But you have to know how.” What great advice! And even better, what great logic to apply to one’s shopping habits. Personally I like fun stuff, simple as that, but what I really, really enjoy is fun, sustainable stuff! So in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday, and his rather thought provoking writings, I’ve put together a little list of fun, bold and sustainable make-up for you to check out. Keep reading →

Many green options cost more than their replaced product – but the SodaStream Soda Maker offers a wealth of eco and health benefits for cheaper than buying sparkling water and soft drinks the old fashioned way.  So you’ll be improving your health, keeping tons of plastic out of landfills and saving money instead of lugging heavy bottles of future trash home from the market.

Some SodaStream Background

As a fan of all things that bubble, from champagne to sparkling water to soda (does beer count?), I’ve found it increasingly difficult to enjoy these great things due the myriad of challenges the conscious consumer faces when looking at purchasing these products.  These range from the health impact on you and your family (hey, only 33 grams of fructose corn syrup in most major single serving soda cans!), to the environmental impact that millions of plastic bottles of mineral water and the impact of transporting mineral water from some remote part of the globe to your favorite posh restaurant table. Keep reading →

I’m guessing a few Canadian hockey fans were out celebrating last night (hint, hint: Sunday’s gold medal game). And if you throw in the Canadian Women’s Hockey team also taking the gold, that’s some solid partying time. So for those of you that barely slept a wink as the Olympic games game to a close, I have a few green tricks up my sleeve that will get you back in work mode, well looking like you are in work mode anyways…

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So, you have decided to kick that nasty bottled water habit? Good for you! I’m sure you already know about the huge environmental impact of the bottled water industry, like the more than 1.5 million barrels of oil that are used to make bottled water each year. Or maybe that 90% of plastic water bottles end up in landfills, instead of being recycled. But, have you also heard some of the many benefits of drinking tap water? Most tap water in the U.S. is as safe or safer than bottled water, which makes sense considering that 40% of all bottled water is just filtered tap water! Haven’t you ever wondered what the “Municipal Source” or “Community Water System” labels mean on your bottled water? Yup, filtered tap water. So what if I told you that you could make this same bottled water, at your home or on the go, save money, and drastically decrease your environmental footprint? Here are some of my favorites that use high-end carbon water filters to clean tap water of chlorine, iodine and other bad tasting chemicals while you drink! Keep reading →

With the close of the Winter Olympics yesterday, I wanted to draw your attention to one of the coolest style stories that I learned about during the Games.

Roots is a clothing company that’s based firmly in Canada. It’s not an official sponsor of the games this year, although it has been in the past. There’s been a bit of controversy over the fact that the company has promoted patriotic athletic wear over the last few months, apparently in an attempt to conduct ambush marketing, but that’s all by-the-by in this story.

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