Eco-Resolution 2012

We're but hours away from ringing in the New Year. So, have you come up with your resolution yet?

Well, I have a challenge for you.

Despite the fact that the world is clearly going to end in December of 2012, we probably ought to plan as if it might not ;-) As each year has passed us by, global warming/climate change has been an increasing issue, oil has caused disasters and wars, species continue to be swept off the planet. What are you doing, in your daily life, to improve these situations?

So, I implore you.. if you're new to the 'environmentally friendly' game, start small with some of these ideas:

• Commit to only using cruelty-free cosmetics, such as Modern Minerals. And buying eco-concsious makeup brushes (made with no animal hair), like those from Eco-Tools.
• Commit to using a home water filter, instead of buying bottled water. (I recommend the documentary Tapped to learn about this issue)
• Sign up for an eco-friendly email listing that will expose you to new "green," organic, and free trade companies. My favorite is Pure Citizen. It's super easy to sign up, and they offer daily discounts on brands you'll love to discover. You even get to choose if you'd like to save the money from the sale, or pay full price and donate the difference to a featured charity.

Ready to go a little further?

• Try switching all your regular cleaning products to "green" ones; from brands like Seventh Generation and Method. Trust me, you'll feel better knowing that every surface in your home isn't covered with toxic chemicals. And be sure to dispose of your old products responsibly; so they don't end up in our water supply.
• Switch to solar. Don't worry, you don't have to cover your entire roof with solar panels just yet. You can start with solar chargers for electronic gadgets, solar lights for your lawn, or even solar christmas lights.
• Start a compost. You can even start with small counter-top compost, like those featured at Gaiam.com

Honestly, there are millions of ideas.. and they all make a difference. But the biggest part of any of them, is that you share what you're doing with those around you. Use the opportunity to explain why being 'greener' is so important; to you.. and the planet.

Let me know how you're going to do better this year, than last year. And share this blog with everyone you know.

Soap Hope - A Company You Should Know About

As you can guess by my product reviews, I'm always looking for the newest and cutest in eco-friendly products. Somehow, though, this company escaped my radar; until a couple months ago.. during a random Google search for Zum Soaps, up popped this website: SoapHope.com

I reluctantly clicked, and skeptically glanced at the site. It was simple. No flashy graphics. No sleek design. But, what it did have, was low prices.. and a cause.

I'm always wary of ordering from websites I don't know. I tend to stick with stores and brands that I'm familiar with, but on a whim.. I placed an order. And I'm so glad I did.

First, as an eco-conscious consumer, I look at the products. Soap Hope has a lineup of organic and natural products; including Indigo Wild/Zum Soap, Acure Organics, BioKleen, and others.

Then, I look at the philosophy of the company. Do they care about the environment? Or are they just following a fad? Do they support any causes? On this front, Soap Hope is a real winner. Soap Hope donates 100% of their profits to women. "Every time you shop at Soap Hope, all the profits from the sale go to help an aspiring woman become educated, obtain healthcare, and start her own trade so she can support her family."

You can read about their mission here: Soap Hope's Mission

Lastly, I pay attention to how the products are packaged for shipping; an often overlooked quality. It doesn't feel as positive to me, to buy ecological products, if they're sent to me in plastic bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts. Again, Soap Hope gets an A++ on this one. They've cleverly implemented what they call "the Ugly Box" method of shipment.

As it says, they use scrap pieces of cardboard to tightly package your items. The only filler I've seen used was standard tissue paper. It makes for a compact, cheaper to ship, ugly.. and fabulous.. shipping container.

Obviously, this company has a lot going for it on the positive side. What about my orders?

I had nothing but positive experiences. My first order was all Indigo Wild/Zum products, which you've probably seen in my list of reviews. But that's when I got my first surprise. With each order, Soap Hope includes five sample items from the rest of their line-up. Due to that, I got to experience Acure Organics for the first time.. and am now waiting on that order to arrive. I realized later, that you can actually pick the five samples you want to try when you place your order. Awesome.

As for customer service, I can't provide too much input.. since I've had no problems to contact them about. But I can tell you that after my third or fourth order, they emailed me just to verify that everything was okay with my order. Nice and unexpected.

The last little tidbit I want to make sure to mention, is that feel-good feeling you get when you place your order. Not only do you know you're buying earth-friendly products, and that your money is going to a good cause. During checkout, the website specifically tells you how much your particular purchase has helped; as in, it tells you how many days it will sustain a woman's endeavors.

I truly can't recommend this website enough. I have yet to encounter one negative. So, should you find yourself reluctantly browsing their site; as I once did... go ahead and order. You won't regret it.

SoapHope.com

Sprout Watches: Time to Go Green

Yeah, watches made of corn. Well, sort of. But first, let's go to the beginning.

I stumbled upon the brand, "Sprout" while doing some xmas shopping, and browsing blogs and websites for eco-friendly gifts. I was immediately intrigued. I'd never heard of the brand, and most definitely had never heard of watches made from corn.

So, here's the deal. The company uses eco-friendly materials to make their watches. One of those materials is corn resin. It looks and feels like plastic; yet is bio-degradeable.

As I was perusing their website, though I liked how the organic cotton bands looked, I was most smitten with the corn resin. They were big and bold. That's my preference for a watch. But if you like things a little more dainty, fear not. Sprout carries watches made with Tyvek, organic cotton, or fish leather, too.

Me? I'm sticking with the corn. Love the size. Love the colors. Look at how boldly chic these babies are:

Since I had no experience with these watches; I headed to the "Sale" section of their website, where it was buy one, get one free (at the time). I opted to get a white band with green face (technically, the mineral lens was green), and a purple band with white (mother of pearl) face.

My first day wearing my white with green one, I got several compliments. Everyone seemed to notice it, and everyone was suprised that it was 'eco-friendly.'

The band is uber comfortable. No hairs getting yanked out (like sometimes happens with metal or elastic watches). No redness, itchiness, or sweating; like occurs with cheap metal watches.

So far, I've only had one problem. My favorite one (with green face) seems to be losing time; as in, over a period of two days, it'll fall back about 20 minutes. My guess is, the battery is draining. Bummer. (PS: both watches were 'running' when they arrived) So, I contacted customer service. They offered to replace the battery for free (if I ship it back). I'm always paranoid that things will get lost in the mail, so I'm still deciding if I'll take them up on that offer, or just take it to a local jeweller to replace the battery.

Speaking of the battery, that's another "green" step this company is taking. The batteries they use are mercury free. On top of that, the dials are mother of pearl, and the packaging is from recycled materials. You might notice, too, that each watch has a (or a few) small diamond. They are certified conflict free. Overall, the average Sprout watch is 80-86% eco-friendly. Not too shabby.

For more info on their materials, visit their Eco-Facts page.

Personally, I'm addicted to these watches. I love how they look on; and seem to go with anything. I never knew corn could look so good.

Sprout officially has a new fan.

As if that weren't enough, Sprout is involved with several philanthropy projects too, including 1% for The Planet; in which they donate 1% of their sales to environmental groups around the world.

Prices for their watches range from $30 to $75, and are availabe for both men and women.

For more information and to order, visit: SproutWatches.com

Frankincense & Myrrh - Not Just for Baby Saviors Anymore

Okay, okay. You've already read about my experience with Indigo Wild's Zum Bar Soap, in my blog, Zum, Zum, and Then Zum More. In there somewhere, I shared that I immediately fell in love with the Frankincense & Myrrh scent. And, I just received my follow-up shipment of Zum products. I am head over heels for this stuff.

First up, the Zum Body Lotion

I got the smaller size, to try it out.. and obviously, I chose frankincense & myrrh. Oh. My. Goodness. The smell is subtle, but warm and cozy.. like your favorite blanket.. or your boyfriends old sweatshirt (well, with a better smell.. I'm guessing).

And I've tried a LOT of natural body lotions in my day. My previous favorite was Burt's Bees Milk & Honey.. but at some point along the way, they seemed to have changed their formula.. and my skin started to feel waxy after using it; and the smell just isn't what it used to be. Still, a good lotion. But now.. there's no going back.

The Zum Body Lotion immediately absorbed into my skin.. and there was no waxy or greasy sensation afterwards. My skin feels extraordinarily soft; as if it were coated in baby powder.. but yet, super moisturized.

It also doesn't hurt that the ingredient list sounds like something I'd pop into the oven: Shea butter derived from certified organic nuts, aloe vera extract, certified organic jojoba oil, certified organic sunflower oil, extracts of carrot, sweet almond, avocado, sea kelp, ginseng, oat bran extract.. just to name a few. This stuff is AWESOME with a capital AWE! =)

And then.. to top it off, I sprayed on a little Zum Mist (frankincense & myrrh, of course). Smells better than any of my perfumes. This is going to be my go-to frangrance. It's that kind of smell that's subtle; but will linger for hours. Delicious.

I cannot speak highly enough of this brand. I love the natural ingredients. I love the "fun factor" of the company, the employees, and their packaging. I LOVE that it's made in the United States. Indigo Wild officially has a new lifelong customer.

And you can bet your booty that I'll be buying the larger size soon. The small one will go in my purse, so I can spread the joy to friends, coworkers, and perhaps a few friendly-looking strangers.

You can get these products (in different, nearly edible scents, too),

at great discounts through Drugstore.com

or SoapHope.com (that's where I purchased mine, proceeds go to a great cause)

and of course, visit IndigoWild.com for all the latest and greatest in their lineup

the Eco Cold Drink Cup

While perusing the internet for holiday gifts, (if you're like me, you find as much for yourself as you do for everyone else) I came across an insulated, reusable cup, called the Eco Cold Drink Cup. Though, I was on a site of random (fun) items and gag gifts, called PerpetualKid.com, I spotted this very functional item. It seemed to be just what I was looking for. Holds 16 oz. Keeps your drinks cold. Keeps you from using 'throw-away' cups. And it's BPA free.

As you can see, it also has fairly decent packaging; as in, no extra plastic or bubble packaging. The packaging states that it's 100% recycleable, and was made with 37% recycled content. Sure, no packaging would be ideal, but for shipping purposes, probably not really feasible.

The only downside that I've found is that this cup is made in China; something I try to avoid if possible. The company that sells/distributes it, just fyi, is Smart Planet, based in California. Explore their website at: http://www.smartplanethome.com/ Looks like they have loads of 'whimsical' and unique items that are far more environmentally friendly than throw away goods.

Are they perfect? No. But if having a unique and chic item, like a ceramic cup that looks like a red Solo cup, gets the average person to take one step in the right direction... I'll take it.

Personally, after just using the cup for two days, I've already saved the planet from at least three disposable cups. Every bit counts. I can only imagine how that will add up over the lifetime of the cup.

And most importantly, it worked. I put a cold drink in it, with just three ice cubes, at around 1pm. By 5pm, I could still see ice. No complaints here. And I must add, there was no plastic taste or smell, like I've noticed from some other cups on the market.

Do you have a reusable cup? How much do you think it saves you in drink-related trash?

PS: HUGE kudos to PerpetualKid.com for using potato starch packing peanuts instead of the environmental nightmare of styrofoam. These babies literally just dissolve away as soon as they hit water. LOVE!

Repurposed: The Jar Lid

So, as you might have caught from my previous post about Zum Soaps, I was in the market for a soap dish. But the more I thought about, the more I realized that I must own something that could work as a soap dish.

Enter the jar lid from a used candle.

If you're like me, you buy a lot of candles; some of which are jar candles. Personally, I've reused the jars for all sorts of things; to hold coins and knick-knacks, as a candy dish, etc. But, I still always have some around. So, it dawned on me, if you get the big ones, those lids are almost the exact size of a large bar of soap.

I decided to try it for my new Zum bars. Perfect fit. And if they happen to be the frosted glass, like mine was; it works even better since it's not as slippery. And they'll be super easy to clean soap residue off of.

I took a few more pictures for proof of my repurposing.

What else have you used old jars or jar lids for? Share your repurposing ideas.

Zum, Zum, and Then Zum More

If you're like me, you love the feeling you get when you discover a new "green" company to buy from. A few weeks ago, I received a catalog from Indigo Wild. I'd never heard of it, but I was immediately intrigued by the cover. With a subtitle of "Any more natural and you'd be naked.," how could I not look inside?

So, I browsed.. for a couple days. Trying to imagine what anise-lavendar and frankincense & myrrh would smell like in soap form. The bars themselves, with Ruffles-like ridges on both sides, and swirls of colors, combined with possibly the most unique assortment of scents.. drew my attention immediately. And then there was the off-beat humor of the writing and cartoony look of the mascot and graphics.

Yeah. I wanted some. What made it even better were all the natural ingredients, and completely minimalistic packaging. The bar soaps just come with a small cardboard sleeve around the middle; just enough to identify the scent and list the ingredients. My inner tree-hugger was smitten.

The irony is, I hate bar soaps. No really. I always imagine that crusty, cracking green and white soap from my youth; as it would waste away in the corner of the shower.. always with a hair stuck to it. Gah. I hate bar soaps. But something about these seemed different.

The fact that the ingredient list read like something I'd like to eat didn't hurt. The bar soaps are made from pure essential oils, vegetable based oils, herbs, goat's milk, etc. No random chemicals or artifical colors. So, I thought.. "Okay. These are worth investing in a soap dish."

 

So.. I ended up ordering a few... The frankincense and myrrh (my favorite smell of the ones I ordered), clove-mint, almond, sea salt, lime-basil, and then the holiday spiced almond. But who's counting?

As of late, I've also been trying to do more "natural" skin care; with the most recent being the Wonder Bar. My skin always felt clean enough; but I saw no real changes after months of use.. so I also started looking at Indigo Wild's skincare line. Hello, Zum Face. It runs for around $9.50 for a fairly large bar; as opposed to the Wonder Bar; which is $40 and maybe a quarter of the size. Not a hard decision to at least try Zum Face. So, I ordered that as well.

But wait, there's a pet soap too? Oh yes. It's called YUM Bar.

We feed our dog organic food and use an all natural flea repellant.. and yet, the most 'natural' dog shampoo I had found for her was still filled with chemicals. I struggled here, imagining my pup standing still while trying to use a bar soap on her. Indigo Wild does a version in a pump bottle.. but since the whole idea here was to minimize packaging, and especially plastics, I stuck with the bar. It's made with olive and coconut oils, along with goat's milk, aloe, and citronella. The company says that it calms your dog and helps to repel fleas. To add more "good" to the already good, the company donates $1.00 for every YUM bar purchased, to Kansas City Sheltie Rescue. I'll take one of those.

A couple weeks passed by when my order arrived. I immediately started using my new face bar. Though it's too soon to see any significant difference, I can tell you that my skin feels super clean when I use it. Like, squeaky clean.. but not in a 'stripped dry' and bad way. In fact, I feel myself needing less moisturizer at night. Time will tell.

Then, tonight, we decided to put Bristow's (our pup) new soap to the test. She was much more cooperative than usual. Due to the calming scent? No idea. But she calmly stood there as she was lathered up and rinsed off. And as she began to dry, she had a great, clean smell to her (no hint of wet dog). When she was completely dry, her hair was amazingly soft and shiny. I think we have a winner folks.

As for the standard bars? Well, I still haven't gotten that soap dish.. so I'll review those later. What I can tell you, is that I keep unwrapping them just to smell them. And I'm pretty sure I'm going to order everything possible in their frankincense & myrrh assortment.

I purchased my Zum from SoapHope.com

You can also get it from Drugstore.com, which tends to have good discounts and free shipping offers.

Or, lastly, you can go directly to the source, at IndigoWild.com

My overall review is this: The products are solid and functional; and still inviting. From my limited experience, they seem to deliver what they promise. And the fact that they do it with sustainable practices and the heart of hippie.. leaves me really grooving on this company.
Have any of you tried Zum? Or have opinions on the Indigo Wild brand? I'd love to hear your feedback too.

Eco Christmas

'Tis the season.. for thousands of wasteful cards, boxes, and wrapping paper... What's a semi-green person to do?

("carbon neutral" card from Bloomin.com)

Well, let's start with the holiday cards. Obviously, you could skip them altogether, but that defeats the point. You could send e-cards.. but they just don't have the same charm. So, how about finding some eco-friendly cards? These are some pretty great sites to find them, including the one pictured above:

Bloomin.com
BotanicalPaperworks.com
PearTreeGreetings.com
SierraClub.org

If you want to take it even further, opt for holiday postcards. Some of the sites above offer them.

Now, for the obvious steps...


Re-use gift boxes. If you must buy new, find recycled/post-consumer boxes. As for wrapping, use old magazines and newspapers. It really can look chic; and is super easy on the ol' wallet. Prefer the glossy and colorful stuff? The good news is that a lot of companies are now making vibrant, recycled wrapping papers for you to choose from, if you don't want your gifts to look outwardly "eco-friendly."

"What about gift bags?," you say. As you probably do already, re-use any gift bags you have. If you're shopping for new gift bags, consider using cotton/canvas/repurposed bags that the recipient can use for groceries or as a tote later on.

And for the ribbon, choose something like raffia or natural twine instead of plastic or foil.

Lastly, remember the holiday season is really about family, friends, and charity.. not possessions. Love and quality time never end up in landfills; so give them freely and abundantly.

Happy Holidays!