Back in May, reports about the 18 year old USDA pesticide testing program being eliminated surfaced, and this weekend the Chicago Tribune reported on it which cites budget cuts (specifically $8 million).  According to Mark Miller (USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, which administered the program), “We looked at the budget and said, ‘We can’t do everything we have been doing, and what are we going to get rid of?”.  ”The decision came as a shock to researchers at the Environmental Protection Agency and elsewhere who have come to rely on the data, which measures how much pesticide farmers apply to certain crops each year” according to the Tribune.  (The study also determines how much pesticide residue & use is considered safe for consumers).    

Check out these articles for more info: The Daily Green, Chicago Tribune and Organic Consumers Association.  This is a big deal for consumers who don’t already buy organic and even more assurance for people who do.  If you’re not convinced about whether or not to “go organic” this news may help you decide. 

Image credit: USDA.gov

This Vanilla Bean Buttercream Body Scrub is in my shower right now and I can’t believe how much it smells like cake frosting!  If you’re not familiar with body scrubs, trust me, you’re missing out!  It’s a must-have product for Fall and Winter when the air gets dry and sucks moisture from our skin.  Around this time of year I begin to think about boosting up my personal care regiment with more hydrating products and this is one such item in my arsenal.  It’s an all-in-one product and I use it to exfoliate dead skin and moisturize at the same time.  I have even abandon shave gels as I prefer to shave (under arms & legs) with organic body scrubs as I get a much closer shave & it’s completely non-toxic (plus I need no lotion afterwards).  Note: Gently rub scrub all over legs, quickly rinse, then shave & rinse again.  Careful: It will make the bottom of your shower/tub somewhat slick, but just swish around some shampoo or soap with your feet and you’ll be good to go.  (Plus, an added bonus it that it makes the tub so much easier to clean as I think the oils lift residue & dirt from the tub!)100% Pure offers a great selection of scrubs containing wonderful oils in mouth-watering “flavors” like Sugared Lime Peel, Apple, Blueberry, Pineapple, Blood Orange, Tangerine, Nectarine and Strawberry (suddenly I have a craving for some juicy fruit).   And you can be sure you won’t find anything suspect lurking in these products as they come with a long list of “No’s”:

• no synthetic chemicals
• no parabens or other toxic preservatives
• no sulfates or other harsh detergents
• no artificial fragrances or colors
• no alcohol
• no phthalates
• no petro-chemicals
• no propylene glycol or PEGs
• no animal by-products
• no toxins
• no fillers - never watered down with water, thickeners, emulsifiers or other fillers
• no GMO  (genetically-modified organisms) ingredients

Check it out for yourself, you’ll find nothing but amazing, hydrating, pure organic goodness in every jar: Ingredients (Vanilla Bean Buttercream Scrub): Organic Virgin Coconut Oil 1, Organic Cocoa Butter2, Organic Macadamia Nut Oil1, Organic Shea Butter 3, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice3, Organic Green Coffee 4, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Organic Vanilla Extract5, Organic Hazelnut 5, Extracts of Organic Grapefruit Seed2, Organic Rosemary 3, Organic Oregano3, Organic Thyme 3, Organic Cinnamon3 and Organic Goldenseal3, Kukui Nut Oil1 certified organic by Baystate Organic Certifier2 certified organic by Soil Association Certification Limited3 certified organic by QAI4 certified organic by Hawaii Organic Farmers Association5 certified organic by Organic CertifiersTotally pure, completely organic, smells fantastic & really works!  Check it out here. 

SKN organic cotton totes are just plain cool and what’s better yet is that they are not made of polyester as many of the reusable shopping bags on the market today are.  It’s great to not be using plastic bags each and every time we frequent the store, but the implications of supporting the production of polyester textiles, is anything but earth-friendly.  These totes are available in five fun & fresh designs including Carrot, Blueberry, Tomato, Lemon and Asparagus. They’ll comfortably hold up to 40 pounds and stand open for easy packing. Shoppers can fold bags flat like a traditional paper sack, and they’re machine-washable for easy upkeep.  These organic bags are made from 100%, U.S.-certified organic cotton grown without harmful chemicals, causing minimal disruption to the environment.

SKN Design was co-founded by Christopher DeGregorio and Jennifer Stevenson as a personal and home accessory design company that integrates sustainability into its fresh creations as a standard part of the design process. SKN reusable shopping totes are currently available in designer boutiques and online.  After their appearance in NY’s Fall 2008 Fashion Week, SKN totes were named the “Most Useful” reusable totes by Style.com. They’ve also been featured in national publications, including Health and Town & Country.  SKN works with the organization American Forests to plant a tree on their customers’ behalf for every order placed through getskn.com, and they invite retailers to also participate in this program.  Each SKN reusable bag saves the environment from the waste of about 330 plastic bags each year, and shoppers carrying the bags look fabulous doing it!

Get the set of 5 here or buy them individually. 

These Taklon brushes are completely soft and makeup glides on oh-so-smoothly with them.  I had to buy these myself to see what all the fuss was about since they’ve received rave reviews from natural to conventional beauties alike.   I’m absolutely loving the long (sustainable) bamboo handles and the totally affordable price tag!  Plus 1% of annual EcoTools sales is donated to 1% For The Planet. I’m currently using the blush brush and eyeshadow brush to apply my latest favorite mineral makeup (free of talc and bismuth oxychloride).  Pick both of them up for less than $20 and see for yourself.  Gentle on your skin and your wallet! 

Imagine for a moment that laundry detergents were required to start listing all of their ingredients on the container they came in. I’m not talking about the classic “enzymes” or “stain penetrants” either, I’m talking about each and every ingredient name used to concoct the product. I’m sure if they did, it would require a background in chemistry to decipher each ingredient, but at least we, the consumers, would be informed. I have personally become much more aware of what’s in (or not in) my laundry detergent since I cut out most chemicals in my personal products and cleaning products. A funny thing happens to the body when it is not inundated by synthetic fragrances all day - it starts to react unfavorably to things it built up an immunity to before. So, as soon as I wasn’t living every day surrounded by chemicals, the less I could tolerate even a walk through the detergent aisle at the grocery store. I used to love it because it smelled like “clean” to me, now it smells like “instant headache.”

Luckily, I have found some alternatives to my beloved, chemical-laden, blue liquid detergent that get the job of cleaning and softening done (without the unfavorable side effects.)  I have had a chance to try Maggies Soap Nuts on my laundry, and I must say, I am impressed. I love the fact that this laundry soap is grown on trees, you can’t get more natural than that! Soap Nuts are actually dried berries from the Chinese Soapberry tree and they have been used to clean clothes for thousands of years. They naturally soften clothes, so no fabric softener is necessary - which means even less exposure to synthetic fragrance. They are 100% biodegradable and great for HE washers since they are low-sudsing naturally - which means less water wasted and no negative impact on our water ways and animals. It also naturally brightens clothes, is great for silk and wool, and completely safe for use on baby clothes - so you don’t need to switch back and forth with different detergents depending on what’s in a specific load. You can wash about 50 loads of laundry with one box of Maggies Soap Nuts and then you simply throw the nuts away or put them into the compost pile. Now you don’t have to wonder what’s cleaning your clothes and where it’s going once it’s done. It’s guilt and headache free laundry, and who wouldn’t love that?

What is cuter than a little baby all dressed up? Answer: Nothing.

I am so in love with this little ensemble by Kate Quinn Organics right now. It’s the perfect little outfit for that Fall wedding you’re attending with your little man, or when you feel like getting a ton of compliments on your taste. The velour jacket and pants are perfectly styled with an adult flair, with coconut buttons and corduroy elbow patches to make this one of the most stylish little outfits around. This entire little set is made of 100% certified organic cotton and is also fair trade, so your purchase can not only reflect your taste, but also your desire for a healthier world for your kids.

Kate Quinn, the founder of Earth Organic Baby Basics (renamed ‘Kate Quinn Organics’ in 2006), is a former Hollywood stylist who set off on her own to create one of the most charming certified organic baby clothing lines available today. Creating designs that use clean lines and bold, “nature-inspired” colors, she has brought organic baby clothing to a whole other level. This suit is a perfect example of the simple yet original look of Kate Quinn baby clothes.

“I wanted to create a line that encompassed all the wishes and dreams of new parents: the softest, most natural materials to surround your baby, the highest quality design and construction, and most importantly, the hope of a cleaner, kinder earth.”  - Kate Quinn

I just returned from a two week trip and it’s hard to say whether it was the change in seasons or the flu-infused recycled air on the plane that put me into a watery eye, running nose haze for about 4 days. Going through two boxes of Kleenex left my nose red & raw…quite the lovely look. Luckily Whole Foods was only minutes from my hotel, so amongst other things I picked up some Perfect Organics Lip Balm. I bought it for my lips initially, but decided to slather it on the outside of my nostrils before bed one night hoping to heal thy self of the painful little cracks. When I woke up my nose wasn’t sore nor chapped (nor was there a blemish in sight from the balm)! I’ve also been using this on my lips and I really like it. Leaves my lips soft long, long after applying it. Very thick and creamy…something I’m definitely keeping close by as Fall and Winter approaches, because for those of you who live where there are seasons…you know that you need a more powerful arsonal of products during the seasons to stay hydrated and protected. And this little pot is a mere $3.99!!! Hello…time to stock up!

The Vanilla Twist version impressed the Beauty Editors at Lucky Mag so much that they ranked it #14 in their Green Makeup Guide this month: “The soft feel of a petroleum-based balm is hard to replicate; this does it one better. The vanilla scent is just the best–sweet and creamy.”

I appreciate a company who has always been green, but has not touted that fact because its just who they are, who they’ve been and who they will continue to be.  With the recent “green” craze, Pikolinos realizes its now in their best interest to let consumers know about their environmental commitments.  They’re not jumping on the “green bandwagon” to make a buck, they already sell 1.6 million pairs of shoes each year to 50 countries around the world in all five continents.  They were the first footwear company to be awarded the ISO 14001 certification in 2003, in 2005 they received the EU eco-label ‘Flower’ award for their Ecological City range and they work with LIFE, a commission for the progressive elimination of solvents in footwear.  They use natural tanning processes, vegetable dyed leather, water-based glues and never used plastics to coat their leather (as many companies do).

They are in the process of obtaining an eco-certification for 95% of their shoes, which will soon thereafter bear a single line of green stitching on each pair of their certified “green shoes”.

Check out these cool men’s bowling shoes and cute woman’s Mary Janes!  They’re unbelievably soft and comfortable and the intricate stitching and attention to detail is evident and only found in fine, handmade shoes.

A Note About Leather Being Green:

Leather is a by-product of the meat industry and it’s resourceful to use what is otherwise disgarded.  Leather itself is biodegradable but its important to buy naturally-tanned leather as conventionally tanned leather has its own set of pollution issues (not to mention toxic leather treatments that may be leaching into your skin as you wear them all day).  Most  leather in the U.S. is chrome-tanned and toxins like formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives and various cyanide-based oils, dyes and finishes are rampantly used.  Animals who are hunted specifically for their fur is an entirely different matter altogether and one that I am vehemently opposed to.

Dr. Schulze’s line of wellness products are those that I truly believe in & use.  They have not only helped me but have assisted my own family & friends alike.  From eliminating issues that have plagued a family member for 30 years, to causing grey hair to turn brown again and helping save a marriage…when taken consistently and properly Dr. Schulze’s formulas are truly powerful and effective.  The ingredients are organically grown and/or wild-harvested and one of the biggest differences between them and other supplements is that they are very, very concentrated. 

I just returned from a two-week long business trip out of state and a couple days after my arrival I felt a sore throat coming on.  Good thing I packed my Echinacea Plus because I immediately began a regiment of 60 drops (2 full droppers), three times a daily in 2 ounces of water.  Although I did have watery eyes & nose for about 4 days, that is what my body needed to do to purge itself and most people I know who have come down with it recently, have had it for a good 1-2+ weeks.  The usual accompanying suspects like an achy body, total exhausion, headache and sore throat were no where to be found. 

Over the years, Dr. Schulze treated thousands of patients in his clinics all over the world.  Today, he focuses on and prides himself on offering the best wellness products on the market. He’s a no-nosense man and doesn’t beat around the bush.  He would argue that his Echinacea Plus is the most potent echinacea formula on the market.  In his words “it will stop the flu or cold dead in it’s tracks.  It works in two ways.  First it builds up your immune system by stimulating your body to produce more immune cells and chemicals.  Secondly, it also builds these cells into heightened action and activity levels.  These actions will help you combat any disease or illness more effectively and also protect you from future envasion and illness.”

Take control of your health!  Start by warding off flu bugs & colds as the season changes and back-to-school is in full swing.  

 “Tomorrow is what you believe and do today!”  ~ Dr. Schulze

I have been in love with Simple Toepaz Slip-Ons for a while, but I am especially loving the Forget Me Not blue color scheme right now. With a dainty blue and brown scalloped pattern and a brown “rubbahyde rand”, this sturdy yet feminine slip-on is a great shoe for early Fall. Imagine pairing this with some jeans and a lightweight sweater for those nights when you finally start feeling a little chill in the air - perfect! The great thing about these shoes is that there’s more to love than just their looks - they’ve got soul too.

Simple has been known for their commitment to sustainable practices for some time now. They describe themselves as “your stereotypical, anti-stereotype brand offering good shoes and a big dose of reality.” The Green Toe line of Simple Shoes is light years ahead of most other shoe companies in the area of sustainability - making sure every material in their shoes is earth-friendly. The Toepaz Forget Me Not is made of hemp uppers, bamboo lining inside, a recycled car tire for the outsole and a comfy latex footbed. All of these sustainable, animal product-free materials are held together by water-based cements to ensure that no one is harmed by the making of these shoes.

So if you’re looking for ways to reduce your environmental impact, why not start by looking at your feet? We all need to wear shoes, and if we can start making smart choices when it comes to our footwear, we can not only look cute but we can feel proud of ourselves too. As long as Simple can keep making sustainable look adorable, I will be coveting their shoes.