Pink to Green: October 2008

Thursday, October 30, 2008

“compostableware”

Verterra is a line of biodegradable, disposable dishes that will decompose within three months of becoming waste.

They are made of completely sustainable materials, fallen leaves and water- that's it. Although they are more expensive than other disposable dishes, they are sturdy enough to be hand washed and reused plus they are oven, refrigerator and microwave friendly.

Featuring a wood-grain look, these pieces are pretty enough to be used at even the chicest dinner party. According to TIME, Columbia University, the Clinton Museum and VH1 have ordered the plates for events, and Verterra has provided dishes for hundreds of bar mitzvahs, weddings and parties. What a great way to add a bit of "green" to your next event.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Dirty Dozen

(photo from here)

According to treehugger.com, the following are the 12 "cleanest" and 12 "dirtiest" fruits and veggies out there as far as pesticide usage is concerned.

Listed in Order:

Dirty Dozen – Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Lettuce, Grapes (imported), Pears, Spinach, Potatoes

Cleanest 12 – Onions, Avocado, Sweet Corn (frozen), Pineapples, Mango, Sweet Peas (frozen), Asparagus, Kiwi, Bananas, Cabbage, Broccoli, Eggplant

Note to self- consider this info before buying non organic fruits and vegetables, and remember to wash everything when I get home.

May I suggest...

If you want to give your skin a treat, try something from Origins recently released line of certified organic products.

May I suggest the Body Pampering Massage Oil, it is a luxurious way to give your limbs a daily dose of moisture and indulge your senses with the custom blend of essential oils. The Body Pampering Massage Oil will appeal to environmentally aware consumers and beauty junkies alike, all it took was one trial and I'm hooked!

Confused about how a beauty product can be organic or just want to freshen up on the green lingo? Head over to the Origins Organic website to check out a glossary of terms along with useful information about going green. While poking around, I found this quick quiz that had some surprising results- give it a try.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Reading List

Examining the food we eat has been on of the most fundemental changes made to my lifestyle since being green concious.

Eating organic and eating locally farmed fruits and veggies has significantly changed the way I look at produce. There is a perceptable difference between the lettuce that is mass produced and shipped far away and the lettuce that is fresh, full of vitamins and more importantly taste!

On my reading list is this book:

Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally

The story of eating nothing raised or cultivated beyond a 100 mile radius of thier home; two writers chronicle a year of eating local food and what they learned in the process.

Althought I'm not sure I'm ready to take the plunge into the 100 mile diet, I'm inspired by the idea of eating locally, for our health and for the environment. It is a small change that can make a big impact; for more inspiration and information, check out http://100milediet.org/

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Getting started:

It all started with moving across the world; I attribute my expatriation to New Zealand with encouraging my interest in going green.

Over the past year, living in a country surrounded by such natural beauty has led me to taking steps to make my life a little greener and appreciating the fragility of the environment.

Previously more at home hiking through a mall than a proper trail; New Zealand has changed all that. This blog will chronicle my musings on going green and the inspirations I find along the way- I’m happy to discover, and hope you will be too, that green can be quite chic.