Archive for the 'Shopping' Category

July 19, 2007 | Food & drink, Health, Shopping

School shopping time is just around the corner. We’ll all be heading out the shops to buy pencil boxes, glue sticks, new shoes, and … cha-ching! … lunch boxes too. But as it turns out, the vinyl in many lunchboxes contains lead. Many lunchboxes use vinyl either on the inside or the outside, and a frightening - yet decreasing - number of them contain lead.

As far as I see it, any amount of lead is too much. But when some lunchboxes tested had amounts of lead 90% higher than the limit for lead paint, that’s a real problem. Here’s a PDF that tells more about it. In children, exposure to lead can to decreased IQ, stunted growth, ADD, kidney damage, along with other behavioral and developmental problems. That’s some pretty bad stuff. The younger the children, the more susceptible they are to lead poisoning. My little girl - we’ll call her Bean - has been using a potential deathtrap regular lunchbox for a year. And her little brother - Little Man - will be starting preschool this year too.

As for me, I’ll be buying a couple lead-free lunchboxes this year. Go ahead, google it. You’ll find some good choices.

July 15, 2007 | Food & drink, Shopping

If you’re looking for a simple step toward sustainability, your coffee could very well do it for you. Go for the eco-trifecta: organic, shade-grown, and fair trade (doesn’t that just sound nice?). Organic ensures that your coffee is free of pesticides - good for you, good for the planet. Shade-grown beans mature more slowly and therefore have a fuller, richer flavor. The added plus? They ensure that rainforests weren’t destroyed for your cup of joe. And fair trade? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that the men and women who harvested your precious beans were paid a decent wage, and sent their kids to school instead of using child labor?

One of our favorites is Larry’s Beans. You can purchase just a few of their products online. But they have retailers in most major cities. Check their website to find where you can get your hands on some Larry’s Beans.

July 10, 2007 | Water, Shopping, News

Inhabitat clued us in that the US Congress plans to go carbon neutral by the end of the current term!

�Gristmill filled us in on the demographics at the Live Earth house parties in Austin this weekend. Looks like us broomhuggers are 30-something-plus. I find that odd when it looked like the concerts were geared toward a younger audience… but maybe I’m just not hip enough to get it…

One of Fast Company’s feature articles this month talks about the ins and outs of bottled water. $15 billion? Craziness. It’s definitely worth your time to read.

And to end with, a good buy over at Trade As One. They feature fair trade items, and our favorite are the recycled bags made by coops in Cambodia.

July 4, 2007 | Reviews, Outdoors, Shopping, Lifestyle

Lots of areas in the US are experiencing severe drought right now, and many are exercising water restrictions. Here’s a nifty idea to salvage those trees and plants without draining your municipal water supply.

Landscape USA sells Aqua Cones -6 for $12.99. They screw on to the top of 2-liter soda bottles, and you insert the cone into the ground. They give water directly to the roots, where it’s most needed. That way water isn’t wasted on leaves or in places where it will quickly evaporate.

The truly green-minded will save ‘waste’ water from the tap - from washing dishes, or from waiting for the water to warm up.

June 26, 2007 | Essential oils, Cleaning products, Pregnancy, Shopping

Lavender actually gets its name from Latin lavare, meaning, to wash. It was actually used in WWII to disinfect hospital walls and floors - I’d say that’s pretty potent, with what was going on in those hospitals! As fas as the essential oils go, it’s pretty popular for its clean, pure aroma. It promotes nervous system health and balance, and has lots of other healthy uses.

It has been used for nerves, migraines, headaches, tension, emotional stress, sore muscles or tense muscles. Other uses include benefits for the skin, immune and circulatory systems. The medicinal uses make it popular as a general additive for aromatherapy, but you can just as well add some lavender essential oil to your regular cleaning products, or add some to a damp rag to rub into your hardwood floors. It’ll leave your home smelling fantastic, promote health for your family, and do hard work as a disinfectant.

You can purchase essential oils at your local natural foods store, or Google it and purchase online. You’ll want to aim for Lavandula angustifolia, also known as Lavender Fine, as that’s the better type of lavender on the market. Happy cleaning! 

Please note: Lavender is not recommended for early pregnancy. When pregnant, please use caution when handling any essential oils, as most have not been tested for their effect on baby development. 

June 19, 2007 | Being Green, Shopping, Lifestyle

The Today show featured a new book on the market that you may be interested in. The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen gives consumers simple ways to conserve energy, conserve water, and generally green your life. Tip come from the authors’ lives, general news, and celebrities too!

Tips include unplugging appliances when you’re not using them (because they still use energy when not in use), bringing your own toiletries when you travel to avoid the cheapo disposable hotel toiletries, and installing a water-conserving toilet (or flushing once less a day).

Check it out! And if when you do, let me know what you think!

June 13, 2007 | Health, Shopping

Thanks to the Healthy Child Healthy World Blog for keying us in to the bill passed by the California Assembly! The legislature in California passed a bill that requires toys sold in California to phase out phthalates. Why is this a good thing?

Phthalates are known to leech into the body from products we use - from shampoos and lotions (where they’re used to bind fragrances and enhance textures), to any PVC or plastic item (where they improve elasticity and flexibility) . And they do some pretty bad stuff to your body:

1. They are hormone disruptors
2. Phthalates cause reproductive disorders and genital defects
3. Exposure is linked to premature birth and early onset of puberty
4. Phthalates may lower sperm count and are associated with risk factors for testicular cancer

Knowing that, I’d say phasing out phthalates is a pretty good thing. If you’re a parent looking for phthalate-free toys, I’d recommend Discovery Toys (which generally have to be purchased through independent consultants, much the way you’d buy Avon), or wooden toys (such as those made by Haba or Melissa & Doug).  Smart mom Jewelry also has Teething Bling, which is phthalate free and pretty cool.

June 12, 2007 | Water, Reviews, Broom Hugged, Food & drink, Being Green, Shopping

Did you know that in most cities the municipal water supply goes through much greater scrutiny than bottled waters? That means your tap water may be healthier than bottled water. And frankly, the plastic used in bottled waters is atrocious for the environment. Really, if you’re drinking bottled water - especially from those little throw-away single use bottles - consider switching to something a little more earth friendly. Either get yourself a water cooler if you’re too cool for tap water, or if you just don’t like the taste, get a decent filter for your tap. And spend the money you would have used on bottled water to get yourself a nice reusable bottle to keep with you on the go. It wouldn’t hurt if it was pretty too, right?

Klean Kanteen has sippy adapters now for use with toddlers and preschoolers. Turn your stainless steel Klean Kanteen into your child’s spill-proof sippy, and you won’t have to worry about the carcinogenic hazards of poor quality plastics leeching into little Johnny’s juice. They’re on sale now at Reusable Bags. And while you’re there, pick up a tote bag for your groceries. Save us from plastic-bag-dependency!

May 9, 2007 | Water, Reviews, Broom Hugged, Food & drink, Being Green, Shopping

Here it is. Featured on Oprah. Called the toughest water bottle by Backpacker Magazine.

Sigg water bottles are a great looking, fully-functional way to tote your water and be kind to the earth. They keep your water tasting like water and don’t allow particles to seep into it.

They’re dishwasher safe. And the rest of the good news? After 10-15 uses, it pays for itself! Yes, your tap water is most likely perfectly safe and clean, and if you filter it well you can be sure it is. In fact, it’s probably cleaner than most bottled waters. And… no more putting plastic water bottles in the landfills. Check it out here!

April 23, 2007 | Being Green, Water, Health, Cleaning products, Shopping, News

Oprah had a great show on Friday about making environmentally-friendly choices. The goal of the show was to show viewers small things they can be doing in their every day lives to help the environment. A few highlights -

• Paper or plastic? Neither! Bring your own reusable bags when you shop. The plastic bags take eons to biodegrade, and paper bags use a staggering amount of trees every year. So, BYOB! Bring your own Bag!
• Water - one liter of bottled water takes 5 liters of water to produce. Use tap water - filter it if you feel the need, and buy a reusable aluminum bottle.
• “Fake” Clean: Clean doesn’t smell like pine or lemon. Clean doesn’t smell! The chemicals in regular cleaners aren’t healthy for people, animals, or the earth. Use natural cleaners and a natural cleaning company (need we say, like Broom Huggers!)
• Did you know that appliances and electronics still use 40% of their power when they’re not in use? Your toaster, lamps, tv - they all use 40% of their power as long as they’re plugged in, on “standby.” The solution? Use a Smart Power Strip. Turn of the power strip and it’ll keep those appliances from sucking energy. Also, it groups your electronics in ‘clusters,’ so that when you turn off your TV, it also turns off your DVD player and surround sound too. Clever!

There are some awesome resources at Oprah’s website, along with some video feed. Check it out!