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)

New York, NY

O U R P U R P O S E

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.

GREEN REVIEW: The Healing Patch Cookbook

I had the pleasure of interviewing Julie Hofenberg and Sarah Woodward yesterday on my talk radio show Global Vision Coaches and Healing Therapies. They are the authors of the new cookbook, The Healing Patch Cookbook. I was excited to receive this book in the mail because I love trying out new recipes and gaining more knowledge about natural living, including raw and vegan food recipes. Here is my review of the cookbook!

The Healing Patch Cookbook
Healing Patch Publishing
$14.99
133 pages
*****************************
The Healing Patch Cookbook provides easy to follow vegan and raw food recipes, as well as important information on transitioning from a heavier, meat eating, diet. The authors have studied natural health for several years and cite positive changes in their own health and appearance as a result of eating raw and vegan foods. The authors advise you to listen to what your body needs and take simple steps to incorporating natural foods into your diet. The recipes in this book are appealing to the eye as well as the taste buds. You can start your day off with a Coconot Protein Shake (p. 52) or the Lean Green Smoothie (p. 53). Each of these smoothie recipes feature fresh fruit ingredients such as coconut and banana, as well as natural sweeteners like raw honey and optional nutritional additions such as green superfood powder. If you love dips and Mexican inspired dishes like I do, you'll enjoy the heavenly recipes for Holy Guacamole (p.64) and the Taco Bowls (p. 108). Those of you who love a hearty, power packed vegetarian meal will enjoy recipes for Stuffed Mushrooms (p.97) and Pesto Pasta (p.102). I enjoy green salads for lunch or dinner, and this cookbook has several recipes for them. The Asparagus Cucumber Salad (p.70) gives you the refreshing kick of cucumbers and chives, the Fresh Fennel Salad (p. 72) combines green herbs with sweetness from whole raspberries. The Superfood Salad (p. 76) is a raw salad with plenty of the colorful antioxidants your body needs. I look forward to trying all of the recipes in this cookbook over the next few months.

Visit your neighborhood food coop, farmer's market or health food store to stock up on plenty of fresh ingredients, herbs and seasonings to make these wonderful dishes right in your kitchen!

Yours in a sea of green,


DuEwa Frazier

GREEN EATS: Power Berry Purple Smoothie

1 1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries
1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 ripe organic bannana
2 cups of soy or rice milk (you can also use juice or almond milk)
2 tbs of flavored soy powder (such as Spirutein or Source of Life)
1 tsp of powdered nutmeg
1/2 to 1 cup (to taste) of raw honey or raw agave nectar

Makes 4 - 6 servings

I love this drink! This drink is smooth, velvety, packed with vitamins and nutrients and it's sweet! This smoothie can give you extra energy and stave off cravings in between meals. It is a great drink in the morning or after dinner.

For this recipe you will need a blender as well as the above ingredients. If you would rather use ice and fresh fruit instead of frozen fruit, that is fine. I prefer not to have the extra water content of the ice. The fruit and soy or rice milk adds enough liquid and the frozen fruit adds flavor and the desired consistency. Squeeze or spoon your honey or agave into the blender. I like to put the sweetener on the bottom of the blender first, because it is close to the blade and the blade will evenly distribute it through the rest of the ingredients for an even taste.

Add all of the ingredients into the blender. You may have to stir it once or twice to prevent the fruit from clumping. Blend until smooth and creamy. If it's too thick for you, you can always add a little more soy or rice milk. When finished, pour into glasses - garnish with a lime wedge, mint leaves, or a strawberry.


Yours in a sea of green,


DuEwa Frazier

GREEN ENERGY: Go out, save energy in your home

Here are the top 10 places you can go to, during the summer heat, and save the energy in your home. When you're at home during the day, you have to use your fans, your air conditioner, your computer, etc. This one is for those of you who work at home, or are off of work during the summer.

I'm going to do this David Letterman style (LOL)!

10. Bake or buy a lovely batch of brownies or muffins and take them over to a friend or your sweet grandmother. You can relax at their house, enjoy the brownies with muffins or herb tea and save energy at your house! This is not to be confused with freeloading, for the simple fact that you are bringing an edible offering with you!

9. Volunteer at a local youth or senior center. Participate in or lead fun activities such as: games, creative writing, visual art/crafts making and movie screening.

8. Drive to a nearby town or the next state over and go sight seeing. Pack a lunch so that you don't have to spend any money!

7. Check out new exhibits at local museums.

6. Go for a walk and a picnic lunch in the park. Take a friend, books and magazines, and a frisbee to make a day of outdoor fun.

5. You may have to spend a little money, but if you love the spa for manicures, pedicures, facials, etc. you can spend some hours there pampering your body and easing your mind. Maybe plan to spend $50 or less, at least less than what it would take to cool your home for the 8-10 hours that you may normally be up using power.

4. Barnes & Noble, Borders and other bookstores stay open all day and much of the evening. Read your favorite books and enjoy coffee or teat in their cafe.

3. The library is always free and kept very cool and quiet! You can read, write, and check your email on the computers. Quiet as it's kept some people have been known to find a cushy corner of the library and take a nap!

2. Go to your gym and work out, try some laps in the pool to strengthen and cool off!

DRUMROLL...And, the number #1 place to go when it's hot and you want to save energy in your home: THE BEACH! You might as well enjoy the sun and sand. Remember to drink plenty of fluids AND wear your sunscreen!

Remember, when you're away from home, you are not using power in your home. The whole idea is saving power = saving energy=saving the strain on the environment=saving $ and resources!

Yours in a sea of green,

DuEwa Frazier

GREEN EATS: Brown bag it baby!

Wanna know how to shed some pounds (or at least maintain), save money and time while at work? Go green and take a bag lunch. I can remember the times when I wasn't "brown bagging it" for lunch. During those times I spent $25-$30 per week on lunch and I probably wasn't eating as healthy as I should. First you buy the sandwich, or soup and a roll, then you want something sweet so now you're buying a muffin or a cookie or a candy bar (adding on fat and calories you don't need) and before you know it, your money is spent!

Preparing your lunch at home, either the night before or the morning of, saves calories and materials. Just think: when you make your own lunch you control the ingredients you are putting into your mouth. You can reuse sandwich bags, containers, and tin foil to wrap your food in. My favorite brown bag lunches to make include: veggies with pasta and an apple, hummus with pita bread and a bannana, Amy's organic meals with a piece of fruit, salad greens with avocado and a piece of fruit, and tuna/veggie sandwich with eggless/dairy free mayonnaise or mustard. I also like to add snacks such as almonds, raisins, baby carrots, rice cakes, organic fig bars, organic crackers and an assortment of fruits like pears, tangerines and mango. When I take my lunch and put thought into it, I know I'm on track with my health and saving money. Make your lunch colorful and fun! Add your favorite healthy snacks, jazz up your sandwiches and soups with seasonings and fresh produce, take some herb tea in a thermos, bring your water or juice in a reusable bottle.

Taking a brown bag lunch saves money and time. When lunch time comes you can take your full 30 minutes or 1 hour, instead of rushing to the deli or fast food joint, only to realize your time to eat has been cut short! Maybe you can actually get some reading done from your favorite book or magazine while you eat! You'll find over a period of time that you are saving more money, which will free you to invest in other things. We've heard about how people who start making their own coffee at home instead of going to the neighborhood cafe each morning, save tons of money per week and per month.

Go ahead and take your beautiful brown bag lunch, you just may inspire someone else to eat green as well.

Yours in a sea of green,

DuEwa Frazier