While browsing through Flickr for some inspiration; I came across Eco Lofts. If you live in Atlanta area and are looking for a stylish Eco abode to call home; I think you found it here. Although it’s located in what you would call suburb of Atlanta, these Eco-conscious condos are starting at less than $200,000 for two bedroom loft. Unheard of in places like New York City or Miami, and you will also get southern hospitality which I have always been a fan of.

Atlanta is an up and coming city. It’s great that they are trying to go green too. These lofts are powered by renewable wind energy that’s clean and very green. Kudos to Eco loft for promoting alternative energy source. I LOVE the modern amenities and love that you don’t have to sacrifice style to be more green.

Seeking a more natural and chemical free make-up? Well seek no more with Pure Luxe Mineral Based Cosmetics. Everything from demure to bold. The color selection is vast. And the best part, you can sample all for a small price. You don’t have spend a lot of money to get all glamed up. Just purchase samples to see which one you like. For a dollar a pop, you can get a small sampling in a jar. With so many colors to choose from; it’s hard to pick just one. All the colors are luscious and rich, yet feels and looks more natural. The glitz is on with Pure Luxe.

All the ingredients are listed on the website. Most of the eyeshadows are comprised of mica and may contain the following ingredients: sericite, kaolin, iron oxide, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, tin oxide and ultramarines. No additives are chemicals are added so you know you are getting the real deal. I am in love with the White Diamonds eye shadow which according to the website  is pure white shimmer with millions of micro-diamond-like shimmers. And shimmer it does. I wear it during the day when I need a little ooomph and at night to get all dolled up. This has quickly become one of Jolly Green Girl’s favorite picks.

Oh yes we went there. Get your carnal pleasures in order and say Yes Yes Yes with the world’s first and only certified Organic personal lubricant. It’s totally natural that is water based. I love the herbal like scent that’s totally relaxing while pleasure inciting at the same time. It’s glides on very smoothly and doesn’t leave a sticky residue behind. I received a sample from Future Natural to try out for Jolly Green Girl. Oh, the things we do in the name of research. I can honestly say that we will be ordering more very soon. 

In a press release by Yes 

At last you can enhance your intimacy with plant-based lubricants that have been created with care and conscience. Stylish in look, uncompromising in purity, and offering all the reassurance of a certified organic product with the premium performance of a synthetic one. Designed for pleasure, performance and purity. Containing certified organic butters, fine oils, aloe vera gel and more, Yes® is completely free of parabens, glycerin, hormones, silicones and petroleum products. 

If you are seeking a more natural, organic, and petroleum free personal lubricant. I think you found the answer in Yes. Made with only pure plant extracts; it is good not only for the planet but to yourselves. Widely available in the U.K (where it was invented) and exclusively available at Future Natural in the U.S. Future Natural carries all the organic beauty products you can want… so check them out to get Yes and natural beauty tips and tricks.

I always had a thing for Miami. I went there on a holiday couple of years ago and ended up spending two years there as a resident. I love how international the city really is. Walk down the street, and you will hear multi-languages spoken. There’s a huge Spanish community, but also many Europeans call this vibrant city home. Now there’s more reasons to love Miami. The city has joined in cooperative efforts to be sustainable and green. One of the initiative was the clean up of Virginia Key. A small island that has been getting some attention from the community as well as the city. This past Saturday, a coastal clean-up was launched in efforts of beautifying the space as well as the city.

According to the press release by the City of Miami:

The International Coastal Cleanup project is part of the Miami’s Office of Sustainable Initiatives (MSI) which helps coordinates the City’s environmental programs to ensure the City of Miami becomes a model for environmental best practices.

I am happy to see a city filled with nightlife, beach, and culture has finally stepped up to the plate to make the city go more green. You should also check out Greener Miami, if you are South Florida resident. It’s an Eco blog that’s dedicated to the Environment and South Florida.

Image Credit: Jolly Green Girl

change

 We all want change. Change is inevitable…. yet at times we all resist change. Jolly Green Girl has certainly gone through many reincarnations. First it was a photoblog… then it meandered and now it’s up and running. I have added on more writers. Nadia, A friend from college who probably introduced me to a more Eco-conscious lifestyle by introducing me to the first vegetarian restaurant ever. It was called Guranteed and they made the best brown rice with beans and foccoccia bread. I still dream of it even till this day. Should I mention it was co-owned by Michael Stipes? Athens most infamous resident. Now, Ms Barrows is a senior editor for Jolly Green Girl.

And we the talented Veronica Cannon who is a copy writer by day and writer by night. She’s a total gem and I don’t know what I would do without her. She’s really clever and witty. I am so happy to have her on the team. So go check out Jolly Green Girl… and tell me what you think of the changes. I am starting to cover more stories there so you might want to Subscribe to Jolly Green Girl by RSS or Get it delivered straight to your Email.

I am currently working on getting the weekly newsletter offering all the stylish green tips delivered straight to your mailbox once a week. Mondays have gotten a little brighter. I am shooting for October. Stay tuned for our Halloween edition.

When we seek health advice, we typically want our information from an expert. Well, the author of the book titled “Anticancer: A New Way of Life” is not only a doctor, not only a brain researcher, but he’s also a cancer survivor. Get this: he found his own tumor. He performed his own brain scan when a volunteer failed to show up for their appointment. As a result, he found a walnut-sized tumor in his brain. After surgery and chemo, Dr. David Servan-Shreiber set out to find out more about this mysterious disease after asking his doctor if there was anything he could do to keep it from returning, recieved a confident “No.”

Some of the advice in this book you may have heard before such as eating dark chocolate and drinking red wine; which I can assure you, I follow to the letter… I for one aren’t taking any chances. The book will enlighten and inspire you, none the less. With the author’s personal experience and medical education and research to back up what he writes, this is a book you really need to get a hold of.

Here are five “anti-cancer” tips from Dr. Servan-Shreiber’s book that you can start putting into action today!

1. Stop being such a stress case! Stress takes a beating on our systems in a number of ways. Referred to in the book as the “great calm,” a good attitude has shown in some cases to slow down cancer growth; sometimes stopping it. So could it stop it from ever stopping it? I’m up for giving it a try. Eliminating stress by participating in exercise, realizing what our “buttons” are and work to eliminate them, and here’s a radical thought: USE ALL YOUR VACATION DAYS! That is what they are there for. This is also where more wine can come into play.             

2. Dump out all the toxic cleaners and pesticides you’re spraying all over your house! We use chemicals in our homes everyday in the name of “cleanliness.” We’re scared to death of a cricket making its way into our living areas, so we spread poisons around and in every corner of our homes. There are droves of new cleaners on the market (for another post) and alternatives to pesticides. Make this change for you and your family immediately.             

3. The doc points out that much of the food we eat was not consumed back when humans were hunters and gatherers. No Jack-in-the-Box, no ice cream, no Starbucks. How DID they do it?? You don’t have to give up this stuff all together, but most people could add a few more fruits and vegies, lean meats (sorry vegetarians, I’m still a little meat-and-potatoes girl), and anything that includes Omega-3’s. Go organic!             

4. Increase vital nutrients through food, but also through supplements. The book discusses in depth the benefits of selenium, magnesium, and Vitamin A and C. He describes tests that have been done where researchers in New Delhi were said as stating, “…statistics show simply by consuming a combination of ingredients found in common foods, these mice went from 100 percent risk of developing cancer to a 90 percent chance of escaping it.” Sounds good to me. If you increase those fruits and vegies, trust me, you will increase these naturally. Give yourself a boost though with high quality supplements when you’ve had too many weekends of over-indulgence or just slacking.             

5. Change your attitude. The attitude we choose to carry around with us everyday can have a huge impact on our immune system; and on our healing ability. 

“A strong positive attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.”
~ Patricia Neal

The author expresses belief that we as human beings have the ability of actually inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, that it has been proven again and again. So we have to ask ourselves where it would hurt to incorporate some of these things into our own lifestyles.

Anything that includes eating more chocolate and drinking more wine can’t be all that bad.

By Veronica Cannon

Image by Beth Rexford

Seeking a change from the mundane? Consider the high brow furniture from Green Tea Design that’s stylishly green and epitome of modern zen. Taking reclaimed wood from Asian countries like Japan, China, and Korea; they recreate modern and functional pieces that recycles old materials.

Although it’s heavily Asian influenced; many of their pieces are also a perfect fit for modern and minimalist homes. I am totally loving their display bookcase pictured above. According to their website, “green is not just part of our name but part of our philosophy. All of our furniture is constructed using resalvaged hard woods like Elm and Ginkgo.” Love their philosophy as well as their design aesthetics.

Green Tea Design also offers custom cabinetry from salvaged wood. Their one of kind design is sure to please even the creme de la creme of design enthusiasts. Although it’s pricier option; these furnitures are heirloom quality that you will keep for generations; which means less junk in the landfills too. Jolly Green Girl is totally loving this company. Mix it up with some Salvation Army finds and say good-bye to MDF forever.