Tuesday, June 29, 2010

GREEN BEAUTY: PeaceKeeper Yum Glazes & Lip Balm

PeaceKeeper's new YUM Glazes are USDA-certified 95% organic, making them FOOD-GRADE. Made with real organic fruit flavors (Citrus, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Blueberry), they create a delicious fruity, glossy glaze on your lips--perfect for wearing over lipstick for a little extra shine or on their own for a gorgeous fresh-faced look!

Mega Balms are almost double the size of PeaceKeeper regular balms (0.25 oz versus our regular 0.15)! They are made with organic flavors such as Spearmint, Chocolate, RoseBerry and organic stevia, an all-natural, long-lasting sweetener from the and Stevia plant that’s an amazing sugar substitute. They’re extra-tasty and extra-eco-friendly, and guaranteed to keep your lips moist, smooth, and nurtured—even in the Summer heat!

GREEN EATS: Top Green Eating Tips From *Planet Green*

Top Green Eating Tips

  1. Indulge in the Big O
    When you eat organic, don’t just picture the healthy food you are putting in your body, picture the healthy ecosystems which produced that food, the workers who are safer from chemicals, the land, water, and air that is being protected, and the wildlife that is being allowed to thrive. Organic vegetables, fruits, grains, juice, dairy, eggs, and meat (and don’t forget the organic wine and beer), are grown and processed in ways that support healthy people and a healthy planet. (While you may not be able to find or afford organic options for everything you need, certain fruits and vegetables are more pesticidy than others.) For details on the meaning of organic, see the USDA Organics homepage.

  2. Feast on Fair Trade fare
    Fair trade certified food ensures a proper wage and working conditions for those who harvest and handle it. But fair trade is green for the environment as well. TransFair, the only fair trade certifier in the U.S., has strong environmental standards built into its certification process that protect watersheds and virgin forests, help prevent erosion, promote natural soil fertility and water conservation, and prohibit GMOs and many synthetic chemicals. TransFair claims that their environmental standards are the most stringent in the industry, second only to USDA organic certification.

  3. Go local
    Buying seasonal, local food is a boon for the environment for a lot of reasons. Since most food travels many miles to reach your table (1,500 miles, on average), locally sourced food cuts back on the climate-change impacts of transportation. Local food also generally uses less packaging, is fresher and tastier, and comes in more varieties. It also supports small local growers and lets them get more for their produce by not having to spend so much on packing, processing, refrigeration, marketing, and shipping. The best way to track down local food is at farmers markets or through community supported agriculture (CSA), which often offer home delivery.

  4. Don’t follow the pack
    Instead of buying foods that come in extensive packaging (most of which is petroleum-based plastics) look for unpackaged or minimally packaged foods, experiment with bringing your own containers and buying in bulk, or pick brands that use bio-based plastic packing. And of course try and recycle or reuse any packaging you end up with. [Trader Joe, we love you but it’s a packaging nightmare in there]

  5. Compost the leftovers
    Greening your meals isn’t just about the food that winds up on the plate—it’s the entire process, the whole lifecycle shebang. Composting leftovers will ease the burden on the landfill, give you great soil, and keep your kitchen waste basket from smelling. Apartment dwellers and yardless wonders can do it too! And yes, a composting toilet can be part of the miraculous cycle as well. (see below for more resources)

  6. Grow your own
    In the garden, in the greenhouse, in the window box, or something fancier. Even urbanites can get quite a bit of good eats from not much space.

  7. To and from
    Just as buying locally grown food cuts on “miles per calorie,” buying from local sellers cuts back on emissions, fuel consumption, and unnecessary traffic.

  8. Just enough
    Put some extra planning into the amount of food you cook will cut back on waste. If it’s something that will spoil quickly, try to avoid making more than you or your family can eat. If you’ve got extra, make a friend happy with a home cooked surprise. If it’s a bigger affair, give the leftovers to those who may need it more.

  9. Eat it Raw
    Many people swear by the benefits of eating raw. Whatever the health advantages may be, preparing raw food consumes less energy and because raw food is usually fresh by definition, it is more likely to be locally grown.

  10. Ease up on the meat
    Meat is the most resource-intensive food on the table and eating less of it can be the single most green move a person makes. Producing meat requires huge amounts of water, grain, land, and other inputs including hormones and antibiotics, and leads to pollution of soil, air, and water. A pound of beef requires around 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes. If you’re a meat eater, for starters, try cutting out a serving of meat each week. Going vegetarian or vegan is a profoundly meaningful environmental choice, and it’s done wonders for Chris Martin and Prince.

GREEN EVENT: 7/29 Sustainable Fashion and Textiles Workshop

THE SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND TEXTILES WORKSHOP

Thursday, July 29, 2010 from 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM (ET)

O U R P U R P O S ESustainable Fashion Workshop

Drive sustainability in fashion

H A V E Y O U H E A R D

More than 8,000 chemicals are used to make your clothing

Almost 70% of clothing workers worldwide are women

US consumers spent $500 billion on sustainable products in 2008

25% of the world's pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton

Today America is the largest exporter of cotton in the world

W A N T T O K N O W M O R E

The Sustainable Fashion & Textile workshops are curated, easy to understand and interactive presentations on sustainability. Held nationwide in creative settings such as the Pratt Institute, the workshops engage audiences in the important facts about sustainable fashion and textiles to drive positive change in the industry.

E V E N T F E E D B A C K

"I thought that the event was great, very enlightening."

"The workshop was eye-opening."

"The talk we all had was informative and exciting."

D U R IN G T H E E V E N T Y O U R E C E I V E

In-depth review of current practices and innovations

Clarity around the various sustainability claims being made by companies

Resources to take home and learn more about sustainable fashion

Understanding of new career opportunities and personal development

S C H E D U L E

5:30 - 6:00 = Kick Off and Networking

6:00 - 6:45 = The Current State of Fashion

6:45 - 7:00 = Your Questions

7:00 - 7:45 = Innovations and Opportunities

7:45 - 8:00 = Your Questions

Tickets will move fast - so don't delay!

A special thanks to the Pratt Design Incubator

The Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation is a vibrant and energetic group of creative professionals working to link sustainability to enterprise. It provides a place for designers, artists and architects to actively participate in world changing projects and become a part of a growing network of people who share a common belief – that economic sustainability must also account for our world’s environmental and social well being.