Throw out your Ajax and say hello to Le Scrub Cleaner from Method. Method is a perennial favorite here at Jolly Green Girl household. I covered it here and here. The Eco-friendly company created serendipitiously by a college project has been cleaning people’s home naturally and toxic-free. I love its wide availability and affordability. According to the People Against Dirty Blog (written by the Method People)

Lil’ Bowl Blu’s partner in the fight against dirty, Le Scrub, rounds out our yummy eucalyptus mint-smelling spa bathroom collection.  It uses milled marble as a natural abrasive and purified clay and xanthum gum as thickeners, and it’s safe on ceramic tile, grout, stainless steel, and formica.  Use it when you need a bit of muscle for tough stains, soap scum and grime.

We use this le scrub anytime we need that extra muscle to get anything clean. That includes kitchen counter and bathroom tiles. It smells so divine; doesn’t even feel like cleaning, but rather like a nice aromatherapy. Can you say that about your Ajax? Seriously, it’s no wonder Method is a up and comer in the Eco world. It gets the job done AND it’s green to boot. Great for Child(ren) and Pet-friendly homes due to its non-toxic ingredients but great for singles because it gets your place clean for some good old lovin.

Seeking an Eco-friendly hotel close to San Francisco? Gaia Anderson named after the Mother Earth Herself is a LEED certified Full Amenities Hotel. Located in the Shasta Casades Mountains in the Northern California region, this Eco-lodge is only 2 hours away from San Fran. Located within minutes of Redding Airport, Gaia Anderson is the perfect place to lay your Eco-conscious head down and explore the nature northern California has to offer. Should I mention that Gaia Anderson is first of its kind? It achieved the first Gold Leed Certification in the U.S. Even Eco-purists are impressed.

This Eco-friendly lodge is a full service hotel offering loads of amenities including their own spa services. What’s also great about Gaia is that it’s a pet friendly hotel…. so bring your furry friend along. A vacation is not a vacation without your pooch along beside you exploring the breathtaking California mountains. Gaia Anderson also offers an complimentary Organic breakfast to start your day off right. Feel like reading the  (not delivered but located in the lobby to conserve paper, after all; it’s Eco-friendly).

Lounge along side the pool for some R & R or get a work-out in their state of the art fitness center. Gaia Anderson also offers full service spa and an upscale restaurant is set to open this fall. With a grand ballroom and conference rooms available to its lodgers; it is also geared toward business travelers as well as families looking to get away from it all. The entire property is non-smoking; so enjoy the beautiful sunsets in a smog free environment.

Ways Gaia Anderson is Environmentally friendly

• Its solar powered. I am impressed with anyone going solar and Gaia Anderson does
• All the rooms are equipped with recycling bins to encourage recycling.
• The bath mats are made with post consumer recycled materials. So is the granite and the tiles in the bathrooms.
• Low flow shower and toilets. Water Conservation anyone?

I am highly impressed with this Eco lodge and they offer plenty of nature oriented activities from hiking to a bit main stream activities like Golf. If you are seeking an Eco-friendly vacation without sacrificing comforts or modern amenities; Gaia Anderson has your name written all over it.

Image Source: Gaia Anderson

I think a lot of different things when I think lingerie; being eco-friendly is not one of them. I try to be aware in my purchases of food, cleaning products, even the cosmetics I buy; but lingerie? I just buy what I like (or what he likes;). I’ve never stopped to think about where my unmentionables might be coming from. I never stopped to think what materials made up the delicate lace, what process might have been used to sew on the silky garter belt, or what dyes were used to apply the racy leopard print. With all the environmentally-conscious clothing manufacturers suddenly appearing, I finally stopped to think, Why not lingerie?

What I found surprised me and educated me. Many more makers of G-strings to fishnets are now changing the way they construct our sweet nothings. Come hither, and I’ll let you have peek at what I found:

Greenknickers: Their name says it all, since the only thing they sell is knickers! Guys and gals will find bottom coverage made of materials such as organic cotton and bamboo (who would have thought?). One of my favorite aspects of Greenknickers is that all their cotton undies bear the Fairtrade Foundation seal, which signifies support of the smaller cotton farmers, so they can give back to their community and of course, their livelihood. Any time we can support the “little guy” is a good thing in my book. The only thing I could suggest to Greenknickers? Add some more options! Not much variety here.

Eco-Boudoir: The product is eco-friendly, but their site is ultra-sexy. These makers of silky indulgences seek out suppliers that have proven to take it easy on their environments, use natural fibers and trade fairly. The silks they use support groups of women in India. All this, and their eye mask will make you feel like a Hollywood starlett.  

Enamore: The name is fitting, and the models remind me of the pin-up girls from long ago I just adore. The fabrics they use are made with Hemp, which is great since we know pesty bugs detest the locoweed, so no toxic pesticides are used. I don’t allow pesticides to be sprayed around my yard, I sure don’t want it in my bra. 

I can’t go without mentioning Figleaves.com. They already had me as a loyal customer for their gorgeous intimates alone, but now I have a new found respect for them when they  launched their Greenleaves department which features all three of the lines I just mentioned above. They also volunteered for an audit to ensure they are as eco-friendly as possible in all their business practices. 

So the next time you want to slip into something a little more comfortable or simply be some visual candy for your someone special, surf over to one of these companies that make us lovely while keeping the earth lovely.

By Veronica Cannon

ChicoBags

On our quest to completely eliminate plastic bags from our lives, ChicoBag is doing their part to help us through our plastic bag rehab.  These strong nylon bags are roomy and can hold up to 25 pounds, yet it folds up easily into its matching pouch. The idea is that it is small enough to keep on you; in your tote, on your key chain, in your car, wherever. Plus, they come in 10 different colors, so color-coordinating is not an issue. I personally like the Mango and the Pale Green.

If letting people know who you are or what organizations you support, ChicoBag allows you to personalize every bag, which makes them a great fund-raiser idea for clubs, teams, etc. and at the same time promoting the use of reusables! Or, if you narcissistic you can just put your fabulous name across it (which is what I might do, so don’t judge).

This company is encouraging us to reuse and recycle, while they practice what they preach. They ask that you send them your old reusable bags and they will distribute them to low income families or simply recycle them into new products. They’ve even partnered with a group that weaves the bags into funky rugs!

The bags are reasonably priced at $5.00 each, with the 5^th bag you purchase being free.

We likey.

www.chicobag.com

By Veronica Cannon

Although Green L.A. Girl is not a fan of Starbucks. I quietly am. I know that they do not carry much of a selection in Fair Trade or Organic Coffee, and even carry Water bottles (Well, Whole Food does also, a sore contention with me), but I just can’t get off the Starbucks Caffeine addiction. They make some mean iced cafe con leche here in South Florida. Well, there’s a reason to rejoice fellow tree huggers; Starbucks introduces Organic Serena Coffee beans that’s robust, and Eco-friendly. We bought some at Target (My favorite Super Store) because it was on sale and because I try to consume as much organic as I possibly can. Great to write about on a green blog and well, at least I tried.

Perhaps it was Green L.A. Girl who convinced them after her quest for Fair trade coffee from Starbucks. It’s not fair trade but it’s step in the right direction. Think what great feat it would be if Starbucks served ONLY Organic and Fair Trade coffee. We might even have a green revolution… errr… wait.. that’s already happening. Jolly Green Girl is happily fueled by Starbucks Serena Organic Blend right now… it’s medium bodied for all you coffee connaisseurs out there.

I always watched the Pantene models with wonder. How could anyone have such wonderfully silky, shiny hair? Come to find out it was silicones that did it. Fake Fake Fake and SO not good for you or the Planet. Giovanni Organics have come to the rescue. You can have frizz less hair without all the chemicals. Using a blend of Organic Oils and harvested from renewable plants. It’s Eco-conscious beauty inside and out. Their organic weightless leave-in conditioner is as good as it gets; pure, natural, and good for the environment.

I love the botanic smell and it really does feel weight-less, yet substantial enough to condition my asian persusian mane. It’s quite unmanageable at times. Did I mention it was cruelty free? I love how natural beauty companies take our furry little plants into consideration and not use them for things like animal testing.

Some of the ingredients listed are: Rosemary Oil, Chamomile, Thyme Oil, Clary, Lavender, and Soybean protein. Treat yourself to Pantene like hair without damaging your tress or Mother Earth.

I could sing rapturous praises about Flor forever. Which I did on my blog. You can read my love affair with these eco-friendly tiles, Flor Flor, How Do I love Thee; Let Me Count the Ways.

Changes are here over here at Jolly Green Girl. We will be covering everything from Eco-fashion to Eco-abode. This is your one stop destination for stylish green living. You can start with Flor. The Eco-friendly and affordable option in floor coverings. With modern designs and whimsical pairings like with designers such as Alexander Girard. Flor is one of Jolly Green Girl’s jollylicious finds.

Let me rewax the poetics on why Flor is Eco-friendly and Green

•  FLOR modular carpet squares are designed with the end in mind. They are beautiful, functional and recyclable. Flor uses recycled and renewable raw materials as much as possible. 
• Because FLOR is modular, it is a flexible, livable and scalable flooring solution that naturally lends itself to less trimming waste while suiting any space
• All FLOR carpet squares are designed to be taken apart so face fibers and backing can be recycled and made into new FLOR product. Through their R&R Program (return & recycle) Flor pays to have your old FLOR returned to them so Flor can recycle it into new FLOR and prevent any FLOR from going to landfills.

Kudos to Flor for being being uber stylish, green, and affordable.

• Billions of them end up as trash polluting our oceans, rivers, lakes, and could eventually break down into toxic petro-polymers, which make their way into our soil and water supply.

   

• The damage to wildlife is unmeasurable. The toxins enter our food supply, as well as killing or injuring animals through entanglement (along with discarded nets…grrrrr…) or through animals digesting the plastic by mistaking it for food.

   

• As if we don’t use enough oil already, the production of these awful things require tons of it (by using less we are closer to decreasing our dependence people…).

I may be pointng out my acute observation of the obvious, but many of you out there are still not B.Y.O.B! Maybe if I show you a way to do it with some attitude, you will consider it.

I introduce you to Angry Little Girls- based off of a weekly comic strip of the same name, which gives us insight on five sassy girls that don’t hold back on what they are thinking. I love that this company is designing things such a reusable shopping bags (which you are going to start using, right??), publishing books (since reading is good for the mind), even greeting cards on recycled paper (love it); all along using sarcasm in an attempt to counteract racism and the plain absurdity of ignorance. The messages are demonstrated through simply drawn characters and most females (and males) out there can identify with some of the “issues” these girls face.

So , over the next few weeks I will highlight some of the different reusuable bags available; all you have to do is grab one these brazen cloth bags next time you head out to buy your organic veggies, or anything you buy for that matter (what’s with department store shopping bags these days? Are we bringing home Volkswagens?).

While you’re at www.angrylittlegirls.com , check out their solar powered calculator!

*Side note- Props go out to San Francisco for being the first city in the U.S. to ban the use of plastic bags! We heart you!

By Veronica Cannon

Last November the New Oxford American Dictionary declared the 2007 Word of the Year to be locavore. Wikipedia defines locavore as “someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles.” Coined by Jessica Prentice from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2005, according to Wikipedia, the word reflects the fact that buying locally grown produce has grown in popularity. According to the USDA, farmers markets increased across the country from 1994 to 2006.

What is the importance of buying locally grown produce? As an article in the September edition of Country Living magazine puts it, “Knowing where your food comes from is a trend worth following.”

Eating locally helps the environment. Decreasing the distance food travels releases less carbon emissions, and small farms often plant diverse crops which reduce soil degradation. It takes 20 to 1,000 years for a centimeter of top soil to form. In the U.S. we have lost a third of cropland topsoil in the 200 plus years since our country’s founding.

Eating locally also helps out farms. Over 90¢ of every dollar you spend at a farmers market goes directly to the farmer who produced the food. When you buy produce at a grocery store, vegetables farmers get only 21¢ of your dollar.

Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit education organization that advocates eating locally produced food. The Slow Food International Manifesto declares, “Let us rediscover the flavors and savors of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of Fast Food.”

How do you start eating more locally grown food? Country Living lists four ways to start eating locally: join a Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) group, eat in season, request it at grocery stores, and start small. The United States Department of Agriculture defines a CSA as “a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation…in return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season.” Type in ‘How to be a locavore’ in Google and you will come up with a slew of articles.
Last June the New York Post ran an article titled “How to be a Locavore” that gave three great suggestions to starting to eat locally produced food: picking a radius, planning your meals, and letting the seasons dictate your meals. Eating produce in season makes good environmental sense. The peaches you buy at the grocery store in December come from other parts of the world, such as South America.

A 2007 article in the San Francisco Chronicle suggested allocating about $10 per day per person in your household if you want to eat only locally produced food. The article also suggested deciding on exemptions before you embark on a locavore diet. Do you like to eat out often? PBS suggests finding out what restaurants in your area buy local produce.
Ehow.com also offers some great tips on becoming a locavore:

• Don’t be scared of a little dirt on your vegetables.

• Ask questions. You may be surprised to find that your organic apple from Whole Foods traveled three thousand miles to reach the store.

• Try new foods.

• Remember that even if something is in a package and looks clean, it might not be healthy. Trust your local farmer instead.

Every time you purchase locally grown produce from a farmer’s market you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to your local economy and helping fight global warming. To find farmers markets or CSAs in your area; check out Local Harvest.

by Gina Marie Cheeseman

Gina-Marie is a contributing writer for Jolly Green Girl.

image source: flickr by prettywar-stl