Monthly Archives: June 2010

Top 5 Eco-Friendly Cookout Games for the 4th!

How about a little Red, White, Blue, and Green? This 4th of July get outside and celebrate with an eco-friendly lawn game! This holiday is a perfect time to reflect on our great country, and make decisions that will help keep it that way. So, turn off the lights, turn off your air conditioner and enjoy some fresh air and good company while being truly patriotic.

For a casual game of toss or a sporting challenge try these earth-loving discs. The Wham-O Re-Flyer is made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic. This Frisbee is perfectly balanced and approved by the Ultimate Players Association. Plus, these discs are made in the USA and packaged with recycled cardboard. For your softer side, the Pocket Disc is perfect for indoor or outdoor use, as a Frisbee or pretty much anything else (hot pad, fly swatter, dog toy, cool hat). This floppy friend is made from 100% cotton and is a fair trade product that supports Mayan Indian weavers. Fold it up and take it anywhere! Read more »

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School’s Out – Quick and Easy Summer Recipes

Summer is here!  No more big yellow bus, no more eating breakfast on your way out the door, and best of all Summer Foods have arrived.  I thought I would try a new “twist” on my recipes blog and give you some fun and easy ideas of meals that you can create with your children.  Some you may need to help out with, and others the kiddos can create all on their own – and hey, who knows, maybe the cooking will continue even when that big yellow bus starts coming around the corner again.

Mini Bagel Pizzas

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DeoDry Aluminum Free Deodorant from The Body Shop

In a world where underarm perspiration is going nowhere, and nasty aluminum salts and parabens lurk in so many name brand deodorants, new DeoDry Dry-Effect Deodorant seems to be a revolution. From The Body Shop, DeoDry is chalking up the credentials to be a pretty fantastic green deodorant that will still keep your underarms smelling tiptop. Read more »

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A Special Menu for Father’s Day

I don’t know about your dads, but I do not think mine needs another tie, soap on a rope, or shower radio. With that said, how about making Dad a special meal that is healthy, hearty and easy to make? It is sure to please and is something the whole family can enjoy. I have included some links to products that may be helpful to you when creating your delicious Father’s Day meal. Enjoy, and as always, feedback is always greatly appreciated.

Father’s Day Menu: Grilled Filet Mignon, Roasted Asparagus with Shaved Parmesan Cheese, and Individual Chocolate Molten Cakes with fresh Raspberries…

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Green Father’s Day Gift Ideas for the Active Dad

For the high-tech outdoors-men, check out this solar backpack by Voltaic. Made with recycled soda bottles, these bags sport powerful solar panels that are lightweight, waterproof, and durable enough for his next hike. The removable battery pack is chargeable with USB, AC, or car cable. Now, you can be sure that he has power whenever he needs it, even if the sun refuses to shine. Read more »

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An Eco Friendly Father’s Day Gift Guide

This Father’s Day buy a green gift that correctly reflects your type of Dad. You know, a sweet I wish I thought of that gift that is also sustainable, organic, recycled or fair. Yes, an eco friendly gift your Father/Grand Dad/Pops/Etc. will actually dig.

Here is our uber green, pretty cool if I don’t say so myself, Father’s Day gift buying guide:

For the Outdoorsy Dad

SE 2.0 Portable Water Filtration Bottle ($34.95, BuyGreen), Filtered Water Bottle ($9.95, Bobble)

A water bottle with built in filtration – not only replacing plastic bottles but also ensuring you drink the highest quality water. For the SE 2.0 Portable Water Filtration Bottle (left) each Sovereign Earth water filter produces over 100 gallons of pure water – 99.99% pure, removing contaminants like chlorine, agricultural and industrial pollutants heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals. Bobble (right) has a carbon-based filter that removes organic contaminates from regular municipal tap water and meets or exceeds NSF International Standard 42 for chlorine, taste and odor reduction. This filter you have to change every 2 months or after 40 gallons.

Solar Hybrid Flashlight ($19.95, BuyGreen)

An innovative solar flashlight, the Solar Hybrid Flashlight generates renewable power from sun or room light. An 8-hour charge in sunlight or room light will provide up to 16 hours of continuous light, and it can be charged over and over again. It also holds a single charge for over 3 years and comes fully charged. Read more »


Quick Summer Salads & Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Summer is a great time to take advantage of all the fresh fruits and vegetables available at grocery stores and farmer’s markets.  From blueberries and strawberries to zucchini and tomatoes, there is no end to what you can create.  My personal favorite summer meals include a number of wonderful salads (and no, not your salad of yester-year with iceberg lettuce, cucumbers and un-ripe tomatoes).  The salads I am talking about are bountiful, refreshing, colorful creations that excite the taste buds and get your creativity flowing in the kitchen. You can make cold salads or grill something to put atop a salad.  There is no end to the variations – so have fun and start experimenting.  Included is an easy Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe that would be a nice compliment to any of the salads below.  Whatever your tastes are, one of these salad ideas is sure to please even the finicky of eaters and, as always, please let me know if you tried any of the salads and if you liked them.  Bon Appétit!

Spinach Salad Ideas

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Top All Natural Insect Repellents

We all know that with warmer weather, BBQs, and campfires comes the pesky little insects we’ve grown to call bugs – an ironic name seeing how that’s all they seem to do. Unfortunately many of the insect repellents we purchase not only repel these pests, but also introduce harmful chemicals that can seep into our skin. A harmful ingredient like DEET, when absorbed into our skin, is linked to neurological damage, seizures, and death. And the worst part, people put this stuff on themselves and their kids. Naturalnews.com points out this worrisome statistic: each year approximately one-third of all Americans spray and slather on insect repellents containing central nervous system toxin DEET.

Fortunately there are replacements for the many brand name insect repellents that contain DEET and other harmful chemical ingredients.

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Celebrate the World Cup with 10 Socially and Environmentally Responsible Soccer Balls

As a company Fair Trade Sports offers all of its after-tax profits to children’s charities around the world, such as Room to Read and the Boys and Girls Club. These quality balls are formed with 32 hand-stitched panels, made by adult workers in Pakistan who received a fair wage for their work. These important soccer balls are also vegan and eco-certified and 70% of the rubber used was harvested from sustainably managed rubber tree forests. And with the current pressures being put on Pakistani workers by machine made models in China, now is the perfect time to show your support for the workers, the message and the environment. Read more »

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