How to Be Organic on a Budget, an article on Giam.com is a great guide to  help you get started on buying organic foods and products.  I just went through the list to see how I am doing and so far, pretty good.  The list is  great way to help you get started and also a good way to check your progress and maintain what you are doing.

On the list, the two things that I agree with most are the #1. Buy direct from the farm, #6. Learn your labels, and #7. Learn what to buy organic and what to not buy organic, and #12. Don’t be a slave to the word “organic”.

The reason these stuck out to me the most is because by buying your food directly from a farm you can have more control as to what your buying.  You have access to the farmer and can ask him/her how they control pests and about their growing methods.  If you don’t agree, go some where else.  Also, buying from a farm means you get lower prices, the freshest in-season fruits and veggies, and most importantly, you help support agriculture in your area.

Learning your labels is also very important.  Make sure you are spending your money wisely and actually buying fresh, organic food.  Labels can be misleading and lots of companies are trying to ride the organic wave.  Be informed, it’s important!

Learning what food to buy organic is also important.  Obviously, if you could buy all organic food that would be best, but that isn’t always the case.  Many of us are on a budget and we want to make sure we spend our dollars effectively.  That being the case, read up on what fruits and veggies are loaded with pesticides and stick to organics for those.

Lastly, don’t be a slave the the term “organic”.  This is really important because there is really great food out there that is grown organically but doesn’t have the money to have the organic label.  This is especially true with farmer’s markets.  Being labeled organic by the USDA is a hefty process, requiring lots of time and money.  Many small, family farms can’t afford to do that.  That doesn’t mean they aren’t organic and don’t let that keep you from buying.  Farmer’s markets are great because you can talk to the farmers and ask about growing practices and decide if it is worth spending your money on.  Also, these farms might be the best and most  environmentally friendly farms to support because they are local and have a smaller footprint than larger, organically certified farms from across the country.

I hope this information helps you navigate your way through the world of organic foods.  Let me know what you think about Giam’s list at How to Be Organic on a Budget, and which items speak to you.

Happy shopping!

I love looking for items made from recycled items but this tops the charts.  This custom handmade jewelry from Etsy is cleaver, beautiful, and amazing!  Take a peak and see if you fall in love too…

My husband is a computer programmer so I love these two pieces…computer nerds meet your nighttime ware.

I love these rings because I “skateboarded” in middle school and I think this might be a better way to sport the skateboard for me:)

I love anything made from recycled rubber but I haven’t seen earrings yet, how fun!  Other items I’ve seen are shoes, purses, purse straps, wallets…the list is endless.

Check out the  Custom Handmade Etsy jewelry  on thedailygreen.com to see more great styles.

Being green has been rising in popularity over the last couple of years and for some it has been a fad and for others a lifestyle change.  On The Daily Green this week I was presently surprised when I read about these actors and actresses and learned that their shift to green is the latter.

You might be surprised who made the list…Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCarprio, Rachel McAdams, Ted Danson, Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Woody Harrelson, Edward Norton, Ed Begley Jr., and Adrian Grenier.  It’s great to know so many celebrities are spreading the word on being green!

Green Celebrities – Green Actors and Actresses – Famous Environmentalists – thedailygreen.com.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to stop and really appreciate spring, here are some great pictures to help you get started.  If your in spring heaven already these are great to see how life is popping up all over the world.

Check out some more at Spring Photos – Spring Wildlife Photos – thedailygreen.com.

Just about everyone I know loves the idea of a fireplace–sitting with a loved one and cozying up to the fire to ward off the cold weather. These days we are lucky enough to enjoy the warmth of a fire any time of year with a gas fireplace- forget all the wood, kindling and matches, all you need is a switch.

However, as we become more aware and concerned with fuel prices gas fireplaces may not be the best option.  Wood fireplaces are great but they also release smoke, soot, and ash that can create a mess and pollute our indoor air.

My sister Christina, who is an interior designer and a gracious supporter of my blog, introduced me to the Chantico Fire biofireplace, which uses a bio ethanol fuel called Fanola.  The best part about the fuel is that it burns odorless and it doesn’t produce smoke or soot.  The only emissions from the fuel are heat, steam, and carbon dioxide, which is comparable to that of humans.

Biofireplaces also are a great addition to apartments or offices because they don’t require any installation.  You could even set your biofireplace on your coffee table if you so choose.  This is a great solution for me and my husband since we love fireplaces but live in an apartment and quite frankly can’t figure out how to use a wood fireplace.  I know what your thinking but its true.

Let me just tell you really quick why we need a biofireplace, besides all the great environmental perks…We moved into an apartment with a fireplace and couldn’t wait to use it.  We got, and I’m ashamed to admit, one of those duraflame logs to get an easy fire started.  We really wanted to enjoy a fire but it was getting late.  We figured we’d stay up and read by the fire and enjoy the three hours we’d have with our duraflame.  Well, after about an hour we were tired, didn’t feel like ready and were pretty much done with the fire.  We threw some water on the log and went to bed.  Around 2 in the morning my husband flies out of bed and runs out to the main room.  I slowly woke up to the fire alarm and once I realized what it was, thought we set the apartment on fire.  Luckily we didn’t.

Instead, the log kept burning and releasing smoke into the apartment.  Since there wasn’t enough heat to push the smoke out it just slowly filled our place.  We had to open all the windows, our sliding glass door, and front door to try and get rid of all the smoke.  It was crazy!  We finally cleared out the smoke but our place reeked for days and not to mention all of our clothes.  For a better part of two weeks we walked around smelling like a camp fire.

So, what did we learn?  We need a fireplace we can easily shut off and doesn’t produce smoke.  The solution, a biofireplace.  If you’re like us check out the Chantico Fire website . With your purchase you might even qualify for a tax credit up to $1,500!

When I was in Montreal last month I stumbled upon some of the best furniture I’ve ever seen.  Its creative, fun, and the best part of it is, they are recycled. It might be a little tricky but if you have these things laying around your house or apartment looks like you could make them useful again…

Typewriter End Table

CinderBlock Clock

Cardboard Chair

Camera Lamp with Negative Lamp Shade

What kind of recycled furniture have you made or seen?

If your getting in the mood to start spring cleaning your not alone.  This last weekend the weather was amazing and got me in the mood to start cleaning out all of our cabinets and storage areas…time for a fresh start to great weather!

With a long list of spring projects refreshing paints is definitely one of them.  If your list includes painting as well check out this article from the TheDailyGreen.com to read about low VOC paints- paints that won’t off-gas in your home, polluting your indoor air.  There are many great options out there with great colors and even aromatherapy paint!  Check it out and let me know how your spring painting goes.

Low VOC Paint – Non Toxic Paint and No VOC Paint – thedailygreen.com.

Water, also referred to as blue gold, is a precious resource that is becoming increasingly scarce as time goes on.  It is important that we understand the severity of the issue and how to make the best choices when using and conserving water.  I have been interested in water issues for a while and spent much of my time studying the issues while earning my master’s in Environmental Policy and Management.  The more I read and learn about the issues surrounding water the more I am amazed at how little we really know.

I just finished reading the book Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water and couldn’t believe the fight people are in around our own country to protect their valuable water sources.  I hadn’t realized that water privatization is a problem in our own country- all this time I thought it was a fight taking place only over seas.

One issue that really stuck out to me in the book had to do with bottled water- a form of water privatization.  Remember when we were younger and we couldn’t believe we would pay money for water?  What happened to that mentality?  Now, it is habit to buy bottled water and avoid tap water all together.  I can’t say that I didn’t fall into that pattern as well.  I lived in San Diego for 9 years and everyone always talked about the tap water and how bottled water was much better.  Well, after reading Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water, it is clear this is so wrong- bottled water doesn’t even have the same regulations as tap water!  Here is a great quote from describing the issue…

Consumers of bottled water pay roughly one thousand, some times even ten thousand, times more for bottled water than for tap water. And what do we get? Study after study has concluded that bottled water is neither cleaner nor greener than tap water. The Natural Resources Defense Council discovered that a surprising number of bottled water they tested contained contaminants, pesticide residues, and heavy metals. The results shocked most people, who had not realized that bottled water is less regulated than tap water.  While the Environmental Protection Agency enforces strict standards on municipal tap water, the FDA oversees bottled water and is concerned more with the accuracy of the label than with the contents of the bottle.  Water bottled and sold inside a single state isn’t covered by federal regulations at all but by state regulations, which vary from strict to virtually nonexistent.

Filtering Water

I know that not all tap water tastes great and that you may not be convinced that drinking straight from the tap is a great idea.  Luckily, there are some great options out there. A great filtration system that sits on your counter top is the Premium 10-Stage Water Filter, which uses a 10 stage filtration system that removes 3 times as much as a common carbon block filter.  The filter leaves you with all natural, good for you minerals such as potassium, magnesium, chlorides and fluoride, which most bottled water is missing.

Aside from health issues, bottling water can have adverse effects on the environment and our pocket books.  Last year Americans spent nearly $11 billion on over 8 billion gallons of bottled water, and then tossed over 22 billion empty plastic bottles in the trash. In bottle production alone, the more than 70 million bottles of water consumed each day in the U.S. drain 1.5 million barrels of oil over the course of one year.

By kicking our bottled water habit we can not only protect our health, the environment but we can also save money.  We can also help eliminate the social impact that some water bottling companies have on a communities like those mentioned in Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water.

What Can I Use Instead of Bottled Water?

Some easy replacements for bottled water are the popular stainless steel bottles.  These help save landfills from billions of plastic bottles and help  you utilize tap water around your community.  If you prefer filtered tap water don’t worry, you still have options. There are a great line of  stainless steel bottles with built in filters and you can also use corn resin bottles with a built in filter.  These are great because they can be reused but when your done with them they will biodegrade.

These are great products that are easy to use and don’t cost a lot.  You can save money, plastics, and your health by reusing your stainless steel bottles and you even have the freedom to even design your own bottle with a logo or design that will let everyone know you are green!

If you came over to my apartment and looked in my closet you’d find stacks and stacks of t-shirts.  The amazing part about it is that I only use a few of them but I can’t seem to part with the rest of them, they are just too special.  I know that it might seem silly but I worked hard for a lot of those t-shirts- lots of sweat, physical pain, tears of joy or disappointment.  How could I get rid of them?

I spent a long time contemplating on what I was going to do with my shirts.  I know I can’t frame them or hang them up on my walls and giving them away would just be sad.  I also thought about how sad it was that the only time I reminisce about these important events in my life was when I get in a cleaning frenzy and try to throw everything away in my closet.  So, I had to come up with a plan- how could I enjoy my t-shirts on a daily basis and get them out of my closet?

In college, a great friend of mine, gave me an idea.  Her family, 10 people all together, were tired of sacrificing socks to the dryer and being left with a lonely pair.  So, they decided instead of pitching all those lone socks they’d make a blanket- a tribute to the fallen pairs in the hidden land of the dryer.  After hearing her story, I knew what I had to do…make a shirt blanket.

Now, I must tell you that I am not very handy with a needle and thread and even worse with a sewing machine.  You’d think it would be easier but some how I make a process that would make your work easier and faster take much too long, believe me!  I started my shirt blanket in 2001 and I just finished it last Friday. Yup, that only took me 9 years to finish.  I do have to give myself some credit, I did take about an 8 year break.

Even my dog likes it!

Having the finished product is better than I had expected.  I absolutely love my t-shirt blanket.  I get to see all my old shirts that I loved to wear in high school and keep warm at the same time.  Each t-shirt reminds me of a special moment in my life and now I get to remember those every day.  While my sewing may not be the best and I fear the blanket will fall apart any day, I am still really glad I have it.  I realize that I will always have these moments in my life t-shirts or not but now I get to see them and think about them more often than I would otherwise (plus, I have a terrible memory and its always good to have reminders).

The only problem with my blanket is that since it took me so long to finish and now I have more t-shirts from college sitting in drawers.  I don’t know if I am up for round 2 just yet but I will make another one for sure–maybe in a few years:)

Reusing older, gently used fabrics is not a new concept and I certainly can’t take the credit for it.  In fact, there is a whole line of GreenShows that showcases green designs that are much more stylish than my t-shirt blanket.  Recently, Gary Harvey produced a line of recycled coutre where he used newspapers, laundry bags, trench coats, baseball jackets and much more as his fabric choices.  While his line is exciting, I think it falls short of real, usable fashion.  In a lot of his garments he overuses fabrics and makes the clothes look bulkier than they need to be.  But, I gotta give him credit, he is showing off creative ways to recycle fabrics and is inspiring others to do the same.  Let’s just hope they do it a little more functional.

Some other designers have taken to recycled plastics for material and put their designs on the runway.  Others have stuck to reusing plastics to make crafts around the house or office.  All of them are amazing and should be applauded for their creativity.

How are you reusing materials in your closet or your home?  Share your ideas and help others start reusing their old stuff too!

Rep. Diane Primavera (D-Broomfield) has introduced House Bill 1248, The Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act.  Primavera, a cancer survivor, is passionate about this bill and is pushing the Food and Drug Administration to increase the list of banned chemicals to hopefully reduce the risk of cancer.

The amount of chemicals used in personal care products can be astounding and the potential risks to health is shocking.  For example, fragrance, otherwise known as phthalates, has been linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, toxicity of the brain, kidneys, liver and lungs.  Phthalates are found in fingernail products, makeup, deodorants, hair products, and even feminine products.

Primavera is so passionate about this bill because according to her, “there was no genetic reason why I should have gotten cancer,” she said. “There was no environmental reason. I never smoked. I never drank. I had my weight in perfect condition. I turned over every rock to figure out why I got cancer but the personal care products was a rock I didn’t turn over and once I found out this is an issue and could be an issue for our citizens, I think we need to step in and take a role to protect (them).”

Surprisingly, studies have linked chemicals used in personal care products to harmful medical conditions however, the U.S. only currently bans 10 of these toxins.  The European Union bans roughly 1,100 chemicals.

Luckily for us, people like Primavera are standing up and taking a stand against the use of these chemicals.  Let’s join her and help Coloradans and other other states take the very much needed step to eliminate toxins from our lotions, shampoos, and makeup.

Later this month, there will be the first public hearing for the Act.  In the meantime, try to use smaller amounts or less of your personal care products and make sure you are reading the labels.  Simplify, simplify, simplify…try and use products that have only a few ingredients and do your homework- check out the company to make sure they are truly doing what they say.

9NEWS.com | Denver | Colorado’s Online News Leader | Lawmaker seeks ban on some chemicals in shampoo, makeup, lotions.