Honey,...a little tee to stuff my stocking?

Want to be a Gift-Giving Superstar?Top 5 Reasons giving We Add Up will do just that:
1. All your recipients will have consecutive numbers on their tees! Their number will be their position in the global count of people adding up to make change. How fun is that?
2. Each recipient will get recognized for their personal efforts to go green. Who on your list is into recycling? Composting? Biking? Showering Together?
3. Each gift supports the US economy. We Add Up shirts are made in the USA!
4. Choose our sustainable gift wrap and each tee will come rolled in an organic cotton reusable drawstring tote!
5. It's affordable! At just $20 each, these organic cotton, USA made, sweatshop-free, custom-printed tees are a great deal. Purchase 3 or more and you also get free shipping to any US address!And, BONUS! Input coupon code "PASSITON" at checkout to receive 10% off your total order! Coupon expires December 13th.So give a gift this year that will start thousands of conversations about climate change solutions. Shop Now!

www.weaddup.com

Real or Fake?

This question can infer so many things these days....
and much to an older generations surprise...the question is no longer off limits. Diamonds, handbags, and yes ladies..of course boobs.
This post however is about trees. Christmas trees to be exact. If you want to learn about the "greenness" of breast augmentation.....check back at a later date. Now that should be a trip.
Many people ponder this question each year and I was always quick to jump on my horse (not literally...although Santa if you are reading..a horse would be fab) to promote real trees at Christmas..sadly.. however solely based on aesthetics. There is no way... no matter how much pine incense you burn...all the pine scented soy based candles cannot mask the fact ...a fake is a fake. You cannot convince me and never will that you can't tell a fake (yes I know a "good fake") tree from a real one. YES YOU CAN. Fake trees are not fabulous.
That said...and now that I have offended a good amount of people.....some of you need a fake tree because of allergies. You folks get a pass. I guess.
The rest of you...just consider this ..a natural tree...cut from a local farm..specifically the kind of farm that cuts down their own trees and replants each year......is very eco-friendly. They are grown on site (not cut 100 miles away and then driven to some shopping mall parking lot)...the farmer then replants a tree in it's place...what is better than that? If you do not live hear a cut your own tree farm...a cut tree is still better than a fake. Hands down always better. At the end of the holiday season check out www.earth911.org to find out where your "festivus" (god I miss Seinfeld) plant can be brought to be ground into wood chips...now that is FABULOUS.
An artificial tree is most likely being made in China out of petroleum based materials (not fabulous) ...the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice's recently added artificial Christmas trees to their list of household products that contain PVC's (remember PVC creates and disperses toxins which can lead to CANCER...fa la la la ...la la la laaaaaaaa) Not to mention that there is no place for them to go except a landfill when you finally realize how terrible they are!
Makes you just want to curl up and read Twas the Night Before Christmas with a cup of cocoa in front of your fake tree now right??!!!! I hope not.
So sorry folks.....fake trees...not fab...in any way...shape...or form.....I always thought they were tacky and now I have a much better reason to snub my nose at them...
The environment....and our health. You will thank me for my frankness....someday.
The Festivus comment at least made you smile right? A Festivus for the rest of us.
Be green, be mindlful......

No more HOLIDAY Cards....WHAT???!!!!

WHAT? Well if I was being the ultimate green girlfriend that is what I should be preaching...
Guess what ..I am not a preacher, I am not a perfectionist (well...ok...I am )... BUT I am not a GRINCH.
I LOVE A HOLIDAY PHOTO CARD!!!! I love them....I love creating them, mailing them and most importantly I love getting them! LOVE LOVE LOVE them.
I will say what I need to say first....waste of paper, waste of money, waste of trees, resources and oh wait.... BLAH BLAH BLAH.
Who are we all kidding? I may be bringing home my students empty bottles and used paper from school to my own home to recycle, I may be hanging my clothes on the line even with sneers from the "neighborhood association," I may be the butt of many a friends joke regarding my 3 minute shower ("really....you get clean in three minutes?")...I embrace all of those things and more.... HOWEVER I cannot let go of my holiday photo cards. Shoot me with a post consumer recycled arrow.
I KNOW I am NOT ALONE.
SO what to do...what to do?
I waited for this post until my order was safe and secure and in the mail.....I know ...selfish....I accept that. You still love me though. Admit it.
This year consider a holiday photo card that is made of 100% post consumer recycled fibers.....very hip...very fab....very green.
There are numerous online sites that are offering these eco-fab cards....check them out....just a sampling of a few....

www.peartreegreetings.com
www.pleasanttrees.com
www.mygoodgreetings.com

A Comedic Pause....

I so wish I could take credit for this.....but alas I cannot. What this girlfriend can take credit for is the recent fodder that I have created by my absence.... or should we say in response to my writers block...

Recently, a good friend and reader asked my husband where I have been ....I overheard him saying..."oh she is just reverting to old ways...you know burning plastic trash bags and taking 4 hour showers".... good stuff...I have thick skin...and my husband had me laughing..I love a good laugh.

So I am passing a good laugh on to you..I know that it is alot of work maintaining your eco-friendly green status....maybe you even feel uptight about it.....so I am taking tonight to say..

Let's laugh and not take it so seriously for one day....

Again I so wish I could take credit for this...kudos to the very witty writers ...

Act Natural
100 ways we're trying to go green
By Todd Levin, Jason Roeder, Mike Sacks, and Ted Travelstead

GREEN LATRINE
1. Powering down Grandma's respirator after dark.

2. If it's yellow, letting it mellow.

3. Definitely thinking about downloading some world music this weekend.

4. After first use, turning condoms inside out.

5. Finally extinguishing that backyard tire fire

6. Turning down the air conditioners in our Malaysian sweatshop.

7. Using Bat Signal only when absolutely necessary.

8. Making sure the Hummer's fridge is outfitted with plenty of organically grown veggies.

9. When taking cabs, insisting that drivers turn off their headlights.

10. Lobbying to have acid rain renamed "purple rain" to make concept more accessible to Gen Xers.

11. Promoting "Gorp Day" at Yankee Stadium.

12. Although not carpooling, consenting to use carpool lane.

13. Switching from plastic water bottles to a wooden cup tethered around neck with twine.

14. Controlling the compulsive need to incinerate underwear after each use.

15. Naming firstborn "Inconvenient Truth."

16. Switching to paperless death threats.

17. Settling for slightly less awesome laser shows.

18. Forgoing baths for rigorous cycle of "wind-bathing."

19. Petitioning NASA to convert all space shuttles to electric/unleaded gas hybrids.

20. Offering our above-ground pool to big business for toxic waste disposal.

21. Switching to hemp implants.

22. Running dishwasher only to mask sound of masturbation.

23. Insisting that Baskin-Robbins workers wash and reuse our pink sample spoons.

24. Less grocery shopping, more bow hunting.

25. Waterboarding straight from the tap.

26. Forgoing paper napkins, and just wiping hands on pants.

27. Wearing computerized R2-D2 costume only at major sci-fi conventions.

28. Calling the White House every 10 minutes.

29. Spending whatever it takes to make the foot-powered Flintstones car a reality.

30. Devoting left pocket of jeans solely to composting.31. Tithing 5 percent of our paycheck to the Rainforest Cafe

32. Advancing Winged Migration to number one in Netflix queue.33. Donating old stacks of Rosie magazine to Alzheimer's patients

.34. Not buying that polar bear ankle muff.

35. Setting T-shirt cannon to low.

36. Asking, "Have I shamed anyone today?"

37. Praying on mountaintops so angels can hear us better.

38. Using only Energy Star–compliant vibrator and nipple shocks.

39. Taking bus to job at the Freon plant.

40. Unplugging all but our most essential lava lamps.

41. Instead of owning TV, watching neighbor's TV through telescope.

42. Replacing standard light bulbs with kerosene-soaked torches.

43. Washing the Escalade with citrus-based cleansers.

44. Instead of scooping dog turds into plastic bags, just kind of kicking them to the side.

45. When driving, flagellating self at every red light.

46. Buying a bunch of rain sticks from the hippie pagoda at the mall.

47. Eating only "found" food.

48. TiVo-ing anything Ed Begley, Jr.–related.

49. Compensating for our carbon footprints by liquidating equivalent consumers.

50. Taking long walks and pondering a world in which our kids couldn't enjoy huge indoor malls, too.

Today we laugh and tomorrow we get back to work....

Laugh, be mindful...and yes...please still be green...

The next 50 can be found at http://radaronline.com/from-the-magazine/2008/01/ways_were_trying_to_go_green_01.php

Go ahead....and drink up...

Holidays are coming...the economy stinks...I can't think of two better reasons to drink up!

Although I am not a fan of vodka (except for my favorite pomegranate martini from the fab restaurant Block 5)....I know many of you out there love the little Russian elixir...

Well... good green folks look here..organic vodka...and the organic part is not the most impressive fact. I love love that the company plants a tree for EVERY BOTTLE SOLD!!!!! HELLO! THAT IS BANANAS.....the packaging is all sustainable..and all ingredients are organic and natural (no fake flavoring!!)

I am not suggesting that you begin drinking at lunch and polishing off a bottle a day to single- handedly fight deforestation....BUT....EVERY BIT COUNTS...

Drink responsibly...Get an organic hangover.....

Drink eco-friendly this holiday season...

www.truvodka.com

PS.....maybe the curse had been broken.....

More cleaning options....

This is a new one I have stumbled upon and although I have not personally tried the products yet (I have been using all that I have in the house before buying more these days....ahhhh THANK YOU ECONOMY THAT IS IN THE TOILET) I absolutely will give these a try the next time I am in the market to restock my cleaning supply.

They are free of all the worrisome chemicals ...you know the ones..amonia...petroleum based chemicals..corrosive acids ("eek!") ..just to name a few.

They are moderately priced and available at Babies R US and online....

My green gals out there are always looking for new alternatives (please don't forget my favorites...baking soda and vinegar..so cheap!!) and this line may be something that makes cleaning a little easier..and definitely safer....

Be green....be mindful....remain positive in these worrisome times....

Mea Culpa...... Mea Culpa

I am not sure if it is the economy, the election, the Red Sox, my new job, the weather, my children.....that is creating the distraction....but there has been a definite distraction lately. It seems that my "green" light has been turned of and all I am seeing is the "red" of our nation's economy......which got me thinking. Or numb..... who can tell sometimes?
In these slightly unsettling times being green is the best way to add some green to our wallets. Reducing, reusing, recycling, lowering our energy usage, eating less meat, utilizing local resources....etc etc etc.....
It is often brought to my attention that many green suggestions and products cost more. I understand and sometimes I agree.....however...NOT ALL. Mindful purchases, mindful driving and mindful energy use...they are green and fabulous in so many ways.

Now that I have been oh so serious...lets get back to something fun. Let's talk paint.
I told you that I would give you an update on the low-VOC or No- VOC paint once I gave it a try...and I have...finally....

I purchased CB2's low -VOC..eco-friendly paint. I typically paint with Benjamin Moore which I find to be the best quality and I love the color selection. My local paint supply company did not carry the Benjamin Moore eco-paint...but they did carry the CB2 and hence the reason that I went with a new brand.
It went on beautifully....although my fellow green girlfriend that lent me a hand did say that she felt it had a stronger odor than your typical paint (hmmmmm...not sure from what or why?)....and the color...well the color...is great...exactly what I was looking for.
OK...that is a filthy lie...not exactly what I was looking for...but it was true to the sample. Can't win them all.....sometimes we make a poor choice. I think I may have been dreaming of blue cotton candy, or robins eggs, or blue raspberry Slush Puppies (remember those??!)....but ...alas...it remains. For now.
I told you I have been preoccupied....and if I am too preoccupied to sit down and type I am definitely way too distracted to paint that room again.
So folks...be green, be mindful, be fabulous...be not afraid of eco-friendly paint...it is a great way to change up a room for very little money....just spend longer than the 15 seconds I did in picking out the color.

Go Red Sox.....!!!!!!