Effective August 1st, the majority of Badger products will bear the USDA Certified Organic seal.  They have been selling totally pure body products for more than a decade, but now they have made it official.  They offer a vast assortment of mostly balms but also offer body lotions, oil and bar soaps as well.  You may have seen their adorable tins or tubes featuring storybook scenes in your local store, but if not you can check them out here.  Featured in glossies such VOGUE, Esquire, Runner’s World & Vegetarian Times, these products are ultra effective and totally safe.  They make a balm for almost every imaginable need.  Here’s a glimpse of their collection:  

-Beauty Balms for Beautiful Beings: includes Evolving Body Balm, Foot Balm & Cuticle Care.

-Outdoor Gift Kit: 2 soap bars, Healing Hands Balm, Bali Balm, Anti-Bug Balm & SPF 15 Lip Balm.

-SPF 30 Sunscreen: Rated in the Top 5 Safest Sunscreens for ‘08 by Environmental Working Group.

-Bali Balm: Soothing After Sun Care

-Sleep Balm: A Calming Sleep Enhancer

Imagine yourself at your favorite spa, the one with rejuvenating treatments, pampering amenities and ultra plush towels that you use to dry off after that sauna session or steam shower.  Relaxation might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking about your home, but you can add some touches of the spa to your bathroom, so you can getaway even if you only have a half hour to spare.  These 100% organic SKAL certified towels by Ralph Lauren’s Spa Collection are totally plush and highly absorbent.  Finished with wide ribbing at each end, machine washable and crafted from the finest organic cotton in a variety of soothing colors, these will help you recreate the pampering luxury that you’re sure to find in only the world’s most renowned luxury resorts.   

Did you know? According to Josh Dorfman, author of The Lazy Environmentalist, 25% of all pesticides are used on cotton crops and those pesticides remain in the cotton for the life of the fiber. 

What is organic cotton and why is it better?  Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Conventional cotton is the most pesticide-intensive crop in the United States and is anything but earth-friendly.  Through the production of organic cotton, soil fertility is replenished and maintained and use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers is reduced, which is a very good thing since they can seap into our soil, water and air.  Apparently 1/3 pound of pesticides is used to produce the amount of cotton needed for just one cotton T-shirt!  So doing what we can to buy organic cotton is a very good thing (supply & demand)! 

This beautiful pintucked duvet cover from West Elm is certified organic, undyed cotton in it’s purest state with a beautiful design. Cotton grown without herbicides or pesticides is better for you, the people who farm it and the planet.  This will look amazing in your bedroom!

Chill out on the beach all day soaking up the rays and playing in the waves, all while keeping your cell phone, PDA, digital cam or other portable device charged even when you’re far from an electrical outlet. Made in the US, the Juice Bags Solar Tote allows you to do just that.  Just plug your device right into the bag’s universal car charger socket with your own charger. Turn sunlight into electricity!  Made of fifty-two solar cells, this seven watt solar panel is  flexible and the latest in flexible solar technology.  Military-approved, their fabrics and stitching are triple checked for quality before leaving their Texas or North Carolina warehouse.  And keep on eye on this company as they’re working on a solution to charge larger devices with the sun (like laptops for example).   And if you’re wondering how to clean it with the solar panel, no problem!  With their Reware SolarSistem, you’re able to remove the solar panel to use separately or take it out so you can clean the bag.  So pack your towel and sunscreen and head to the beach! 

Until now, there hasn’t been a channel dedicated to all things green & eco-friendly.  In collaberation with TreeHugger.com, Discovery launched Planet Green one month ago on June 4th.  On the air 24/7, you’ll find a wide variety of shows to help inspire you to live more consciously.  Offering a broad range of perspectives and ideas, all backgrounds and ages will be able to find something appealing.  

No matter what shade of green you are, learn how to reduce your carbon footprint on Wa$ted, follow the residents of Greensburg as they rebuild their town that was completely destroyed by a deadly tornado and how they are implementing eco-friendly design into their plans.  If you’re a bit (or a lot) star-struck, check out Hollywood Green as host Maria Menounos reports on how the stars are going green.  On location at Whole Foods Market, watch Emeril Lagasse whip up some healthy meals with local and organic foods on Emeril Green.  Hosted by Tom Bergeon (Dancing with the Stars host), each week Supper Club features a celebrity chef who cooks up a green meal for four green celebrity guests while they discuss latest happenings and controversies in the green movement.  If you’re into home design and renovation, tune into Renovation Nation, Greenovate or World’s Greenest Homes for some great inspiration and ideas. 

 To find out what channel it’s on in your area, click here. 

Moms are busy and while wanting to keep their family safe and healthy, they might not always have the time to investigate each and every product.  And it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what should be focused on since there are so many opinions about what is safe & important for you to focus on as a mother.  The bottom line is, you want the absolute best for your family.  Keep in mind that any steps in the right direction is a good thing and try not to get too overwhelmed about what you’re not doing or what you could do better.  If you have just one minute to spare (maybe while the kids are napping), watch one Mom who found some great “green” finds for her little ones and I’ll show you where to find them below! 

1). Bath Ball Faucet Filter: Hang this from your faucet at bathtime, to reduce chlorine in your water by 95%.     

2). Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Liquid Soap: Dr. Bronner’s has been creating totally safe & completely pure soaps for the past 60 years.  They are both USDA certified and Fair Trade certified.  Their liquid soaps are very concentrated, so they’ll last you a long time.  

 3). Under The Nile Organic Cotton Hooded Towel and Frog Washcloth puppet: One of the great organic cotton baby lines, they are Demeter certified (one of the highest level of biodynamic certifications; a step above organic) and USDA Certified Organic.  And the dyes they use are also certified organic.  Be assured this company has your baby’s safety and comfort in mind.

4). Under The Nile Fitted Crib Sheet: Rest easy knowing your baby is sleeping on totally pure bedding. 

 5). thinkbaby Bottles: According to Toxic Nation, BPA (Bisphenol A) is a hormone disruptor. Studies have linked low-dose BPA exposure with such effects as: permanent changes to genital tract; increase prostate weight; decline in testosterone; breast cells predisposed to cancer; prostate cells more sensitive to hormones and cancer; and hyperactivity.   Canada became the first country to officially ban the chemical from baby bottles.   California recently passed a bill to ban the substance (click here for more info).  Big companies like Nalgene, Wal-Mart, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Playtex have said they will no longer make or sell BPA-containing products. 

Nothing says summer like fresh squeezed lemonade!  So refreshingly sweet and sour.  Stir up a batch of this delicious lemonade for any occasion:

 Feel free to adjust sugar, honey and lemon amounts to taste.

• 6 cups filtered or spring water
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups organic raw sugar or 2 cups mild organic honey or to taste
• 2 to 2 1/4 cups fresh squeezed organic lemon juice, strained to remove seeds and pulp (about 12 organic lemons)

Make sugar syrup by heating the water to hot and adding the raw sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow this to cool for about 1/2 hour. If using honey, heat the water to hot. Remove from heat and add the honey, stirring until completely dissolved. Allow this to cool. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour into a recycled glass serving pitcher , add thin lemon slices and chill in the refrigerator until cold. 

Make ice cubes with lemon verbena leaves or raspberries frozen inside for that little extra touch.  Present to your guests in these lightweight recycled glass tumblers that are oh-so-stylish.   

Summer offers an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies and I am a lover of salad, but not just your run-of-the-mill lettuce, tomato & carrot salad.  I like to load mine up with a ton of delicious and nutritious flavors, colors & shapes.  Something so important during these budget-crunching times is to know when you should buy organic.  The Environmental Working Group released a list, based on USDA studies, with the most to least pesticides found in produce to help consumers know what is more important to spend our money on.  It’s definitely best to buy organic whenever possible, but we don’t always have the option or the cash flow, so here are the top 5 “best & worst”: 

 Most Pesticides Found (in order)

1). Peaches (highest pesticide load!)
2). Apples
3). Sweet Bell Peppers
4). Celery
5). Nectarines

Top 5 Least Pesticides Found

1). Mango
2). Pineapples
3). Sweet Corn
4). Avocado
5). Onions (lowest pesticide load)

With this in mind, I’ll share with you one of my favorite salads.  Feel free to take this to your 4th of July bash this weekend…it’s sure to be a hit!  (Remember to buy local whenever possible…hit your local Farmer’s Market for some good deals on fresh finds):

California Summer Salad

1 head organic red leaf lettuce 

1 organic orange bell pepper

1 organic yellow bell pepper 

3 organic red tomatoes on the vine (according to the FDA, the ones on the vine weren’t found to contain salmonella and okay to eat)

1 cup snap peas (cut in half with ends snipped off)

1.5 cups shredded purple cabbage

1 cup organic shredded carrots

1/4 cup toasted slivered organic almonds

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

2 organic avocados (sliced & served on the side so it doesn’t get mashed in the bowl with everything else)

Balsamic Vinegarette Dressing

1 cup Organic Olive Oil

1/2 cup Organic Balsamic Vinegar

3 organic garlic cloves (mashed in a garlic press)

2 Tbls. Organic dried basil

*Wisk together; add salt & pepper to taste.  

Serve in a beautiful bamboo salad bowl:

Oh, the dilemma…do you go for the cheap white or green plastic outdoor furniture that seems like easy maintenance but will get tossed around in high winds, likely crack and get “chalky” in the sun?  Do you opt for the real wood version that requires more maintenance and may splinter and fade?  Or should you get the metal set that will probably rust in a year or two?

What if you had another option that was virtually maintenance free, built to last  and was sustainable?  Well now you do!   Poly-Wood is made from recycled milk jugs, bottles and containers.  The heavy duty HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) plastic is formed to look and feel like real wood and then cut into slats that are used to build their chairs & tables assembled with rust-proof stainless steel screws.  (This same material is also used to build weather-resistent decks & benches as well).  The lightest chair weighs in at approximately 40 pounds, so you don’t have to worry about these blowing around in the wind.  They come in a variety of six bright summery colors and guaranteed not to fade.  With very minimal maintenance (wipe down with soap & water occasionally), these are built to last and resist outdoor elements.  Leave them in the yard, on a porch or even on the beach and they won’t fade, warp or lose their color. 

Poly-Wood Adirondack Chairs:

You have just one more week to prep for your 4th of July celebration…that day where family & friends gather together, eat too much food, play games or maybe just relax at the pool, park or beach in anticipation of the grand display later in the evening.  Lighting really sets the mood when you’re throwing a bash and what better way than to use the sun to power it; not to mention you won’t have to worry about the candles going out or unnecessarily using power to shed some light on your evening.  With a full charge these cool weather resistent, cordless, flame-resistent shoji lanterns will illuminate for 6-8 hours.  If you want to keep them up all summer, they have an automatic day/night sensor so when nightfall arrives, they’ll automatically turn on (or you have the option of manually turning them on or off).  They’re collapsible for easy storage and this set of three also comes in red, white & blue!