Throw some fun into your breakfast with organic pancakes from an eco-safe pressurized canister.  No Joke!  Batter Blaster is so easy to use, that anyone can make pancakes in minutes!  Even me... and now you!

Alright my eco-buddies, I know when you read "pressurized canister," you immediately thought of whipped cream bottles and of course CO2 emissions...  I sure did at first sight of the adorable Batter Blaster canister.  Luckily, the word organic caught my eye and I took a closer look. Low and behold, the canister is eco-friendly - it uses eco-safe CO2 and can be recycled. Hurray!

Pancakes from a can sound lazy to me, and I absolutely love it! I can have pancakes anytime without the huge mess in my kitchen and I still make it to work on time. The other big bonus - no wasting of batter... you can make one pancake or all 28.  You just put the cap back on and stick it in the fridge.

I don't have children yet, but my boyfriend is quite childish and he loved squirting the batter into the pan. It kept him on a Batter Blaster high all day! I was pleased that I found a way to get him to cook breakfast, with a minimal amount of effort and clean up on my part.

How can you enjoy the light fluffy taste of Blatter Blaster?  I buy it at Whole Foods, to find a store near you click HERE and type in your zip code.

I would love to know what you think of this fun creation!

© Focus Organic for 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments

There is nothing like a yummy cookie to brighten my day. Ask anyone who has ever worked with me, I can be bought for a cookie. Latte's are a close second. I used to settle for any cookie that came my way, but as I entered the next level of cookie connoisseur, I discovered how much I love cookies that come in fancy packaging. An adorable box made the cookies taste better!

Okay, I know that's not true, and packing is a huge NO in the green world.... until now! Thanks to Urban Cookies you can get eco-friendly cookies in eco-friendly boxes delivered right to your door! Brilliant.

These are not your standard gift boxes, they come in 35 different options! Some for holidays, birthdays, baby showers, valentine's day (hint, hint), and you can even create your own.

Checkout their site for all the gift box options.  Click Here.

What about the cookies you ask? Well, they offer 4 unique kinds of scrumptious Urban creations. Check em' out:
Urban Cookie: dark chocolate, rolled oats, toasted walnuts, and coconut bits from far away coconut trees.
Simple Urban: milk chocolate layers sandwiched in a home of dark brown sugar, whole wheat flour and pour bourbon vanilla from Madagascar.
Urban Tropic: sweet coconut combined with tart pineapple.
Urban Trail: roasted peanuts and sweet raisins with rolled oats, brown rice crisps and touch of cinnamon.
Get your cookies now at www.urbancookies.com

© Focus Organic for 2009. | Permalink | 13 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

Just to let everyone know, Andrew's company proposed a new contract, the union held another vote, and the contract was accepted, so no strike!

Darren Collins presents Backyard Escargot posted at Green-Change.com. Darren says, "It might be a bit "out there", but you probably can't get more local than eating the snails from your back step!"

Debbie Lattuga presents Composting in the Spring? posted at Gardening Tool Review. Debbie says, "Gardening tips to speed up your work time in the garden with a splash of organic growing."

Heather Levin presents How To Have A Green Valentine's Day posted at The Greenest Dollar. Heather says, "Tired of pink teddy bears and impersonal cards? Me too. Here's a list of ways you can have a more intimate, eco-friendly Valentine's Day."

Kat presents Make Your Own Household Cleaners posted at Homesteading and Homekeeping at Whisper Wind Farm. Kat's article includes recipes for homemade cleaning products.

SimplyForties presents New Experiment in Vermicomposting posted at SimplyForties.

Meg presents Choose Your Impact: The Great Nappy Debate posted at Meg. More on the recent debate over whether cloth or disposable is more environmentally friendly.

Katie presents Celebrate Green! An Author Interview posted at Making This Home. An interview with the authors of Celebrate Green!, which helped create the Focus Organic holiday article (thanks to Lynn and Corey!).

Andy presents Borders Hates Trees, Smug Yuppie Geeks posted at Doomsday Labs.

00FF00 presents Wood is Good? posted at ooffoo - where it's free to swap, sell, give away, recycle and more. 00FF00 says, "A member of the ooffoo community presents 'Wood is Good?,' unpicking the complexities of determining whether a product is truly sustainable, before raising the possibility of 100% of products being 100% sustainable by the year 2100.

JanelW presents Pregnancy without toxins posted at organic mommy's Weblog. From the article:

Pregnant and green, no, I’m not talking morning sickness! If you are pregnant or going to become pregnant then there are a few things you should consider in order to reduce your exposure to chemicals and possible birth defects to your baby. As I am now pregnant with baby #2 my motto is you can never be too careful. Research as much as you can and take time to think about the everyday things you do and how they might affect your baby.

Stephanie presents Dryer Lint Fire Starters posted at Stop the Ride!. Stephanie says, " Something useful from recycled items."

Jerry presents To clean or not to clean posted at My Best Me. Jerry says, "Is it possible that your skin or sinus allergies are exacerbated by the household cleaners that you use? Natural alternatives can keep you breathing easier."

John C. presents Home Energy Saving Tips - Consume Less Energy & Save Money posted at Squidoo: Home Energy Saving Tips - Consume Less Energy & Save Money. John says, "Here are some home energy saving tips to help everyone consume less at home, and save some cash as well."

Silicon Valley Blogger presents 10 Simple Ways To Save Money And The Environment. posted at The Digerati Life.

Ariel Bravy presents Should We Try and Prevent the Extinction of Animals? posted at You Are Truly Loved. From the article:

Is the extinction of a particular species really something to rally against and get worked up over?

Is it something to simply something to accept as a natural part of the cycle of birth and death?

Should we do all we can to prevent a species from being wiped out?

The Smarter Wallet presents Green Cleaning Products: How To Clean Your House The Eco-Friendly Way posted at The Smarter Wallet. I think everyone has cleaning on their minds this week

Grog presents Statistics Show Alternative Medicine Making A Strong Play posted at Organic Grog.

RecycleCindy presents Free Recycled Valentine?s Bag Pattern posted at My Recycled Bags.com. RecycleCindy says, "For all those holiday crafts out there, here is a Valentine's Day project. Crochet a cute little Valentine's heart bag to hold all those Valentines or fill it with candy. This bag is made from recycled plastic bags into plarn (plastic bag yarn.) The pattern is free so I hope you'll enjoy this eco friendly craft project."

Chris Baskind presents Living Cheap Is the New Green posted at Lighter Footstep. Chris says, "If going green is making you go broke, you’re doing it wrong. Saving resources and saving money go hand in hand. Here’s how to get started."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments

Imagine you or your loved one buried simply, in a plain pine box without the use of toxic embalming fluid and laid to rest in a place in harmony with the landscape.

Memorial Cemeteries and Mortuaries, a funeral company in Utah, is the first of its kind in the state. The company has so far set aside one area, apparently one with quite a view, for the green burials, which are complete with biodegradable caskets. The unique burial services have been available since September, but no one has signed up for them as of yet.

"There is a lot of chatter, a lot of questions," said memorial's general manager, Brandon Burningham. "On our blog, it's one of our most popular topics. It's so new to Utah, people are trying to find out what it is."

Embalming fluid is not used in a green burial; bodies are preserved with refrigeration instead. Caskets are made of woven sea grass or willow, poplar or pine. Graves are dug by hand, and grave markers are brass plaques, flat stones, or newly planted trees. No concrete burial vaults are used. Green burials with Memorial Cemeteries and Mortuaries cost one half to two-thirds less than traditional funerals.

Green burial grounds must pass specific standards for use. This particular one has been approved by the New Mexico-based Green Burial Council, which has established green standards for cemeteries, funeral providers and burial products. One hundred spaces have been set aside for green burials, with the option to expand if / when necessary.

A biodegradable urn is also available, which will dissolve if buried.

via Salt Lake Tribune

© Focus Organic for 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

Andrew's union has decided to strike, which means by the next week he will either be on strike or be laid off. This also means I am looking for another source of income. I hope this won't interfere with keeping the site up, but I'm letting everyone know just in case.

Kathy Hester (GeekyPoet) presents Finding Organic Coupons posted at Geek, Poet, Housewife Wannabe. For more organic coupon ideas in addition to Kathy's, check out our article on organic coupons.

PassionateGreen presents Dr. Kracker Makes Sticking to Your Healthy Eating Resolutions Easy posted at PassionateGreen. From the article:

Often consumers find whole grain foods to have a different, less-pleasing texture than foods made with refined grain. This is true of most breads, cereals, pasta, and baked goods, at least according to my family! I say for all the benefits of whole grain I will put up with texture differences, because eating refined grain is pretty much the nutritional equivalent of eating sand.

Aahz presents The Scoop On Poop: Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers posted at Aahz Reviews Morgan Hill. Aahz says, "Could conventional wisdom be wrong? If so, will environmentalists admit it?" This one is going to be controversial, considering most of us here have at least a bit of tree hugger in us.

Praveen presents Tao of Simplicity: Amazon.com Goes Green posted at Tao of Simplicity.

Meg A. presents Let's Make 2009 the Year for saying "No" posted at How to Make a Difference. From the article:

Lets make 2009 the year to lay claim to greatness and say 'No' to the things that don't fit our ideals of bounty and growth. Lets make this the year of standing up for what we believe in, being accountable and making a difference.

Phil for Humanity presents To All Global Warming Deniers « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity. Phil says, "For a moment, let us assume that global warming is false."

Lisa Robbins presents Resolution: Be Gorgeous & Green posted at City Living Girl. Lisa gives us her recommendation.

Summer presents Contessa Green Cuisine Review posted at Eco Child's Play. Summer says, "Contessa Green Cuisine is a frozen food company that strives to be as environmentally friendly as they are delicious."

Myscha Theriault presents When Going Green is Classy posted at Wise Bread. Myscha describes her submission as, "a service article on how to go green with style."

Ray K presents How Starting A Backyard Compost Can Save You Money posted at JustSaver.com.

ChristianPF presents Chick Fil A Nutrition Facts posted at ANO. ChristianPF says, "While Chick-Fil-A is about the best choice for healthy eating in the fast-food area, there still are some big downsides."

Janelle Sorensen presents Post Holiday Detox posted at Healthy Child Healthy World. Janelle says, "These are easy tips for a post-holiday detox or a year round routine for helping your body flush the chemicals and toxins we are exposed to every day."

Condo Blues presents Organize Your Life with Six Pack Containers! posted at Condo Blues. Condo Blues says, "I had condiments sliding all over the shelf on the refrigerator door. The solution was a recycling bin away!"

Stephanie presents Project Orange Thumb posted at Stop the Ride!.

Traci Hayner Vanover presents Tax Credit "Window Of Opportunity" Reopens In 2009 posted at News About Green Living - Green Living Resources - Eco-Friendly Tips & Information. Traci says, "With nearly 40 percent of home remodeling incorporating sustainable, green materials, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Fenestration Rating Council have established a new, stricter set of criteria for windows carrying the ENERGY STAR label, which will take effect in 2010."

banquet manager thatsme presents Bacteria On My Lemon Slice? posted at So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager.... A short one to make you think. For the record, I get my water sans lemon.

Kate presents Power Plastic posted at Green Thinking Blog. Kate says, "Our world has turned plastic. Almost everything you use is made of plastic. So, what if you could take that plastic and turn it into energy? Konarka Technologies is currently turning this dream into a reality by developing the technology for plastic to convert sunlight into power."

Kate also presents New Year’s Resolutions for the Blue Planet Foundation, saying, "Blue Planet Foundation is an organization that is dedicated to implementing renewable energy programs and creating a global awareness to respond the urgency of the climate change we face. Primarily, the Foundation is looking at Hawaii to be an example to the world of how to use clean energy. They have put in place 5 New Year’s Resolutions to make this goal a reality in 2009."

Paige Rodgers presents Save Green While Going Green in 2009 posted at Fabkins. I included Fabkins in Focus Organic Green Holidays Guide, and this is an article by the co-founder of Fabkins.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments

January 9th's Tip

Rechargeable Batteries: With the holidays over and gifts received, your kids (or you!) probably have some new toys to play with. If these new toys require batteries, consider investing in some rechargeables.

Why throw away batteries after each use when you can save money and do less harm to the planet by using rechargeable batteries? Rechargeables might cost more initially, but they will save you money in the long run. The environmental savings is obvious. Most disposables still end up in landfills, while rechargeables get reused and can be recycled.

The following is a very informative article on rechargeable vs. disposable batteries from Green Living Tips.

Disposable vs. rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable and disposable batteries - the environmental impact

I wouldn't call myself a gadget freak, but in my work and given I spend a good deal of time away from a mains power supply, I use a lot of battery powered equipment. I started using rechargeables some years back and it's definitely saved me a lot of cash.

But what about the environment?

I guess it's a bit of a no-brainer that if you use one of something compared to a zillion, it's got to be better for the planet, but not if the one of something is one zillion and one times toxic . So I decided to take a look at how rechargeable batteries stack up against their disposable counterparts.

Disposable and rechargeable battery types

Disposable, or dry-cell batteries are usually the alkaline type. They used to contain very high levels of mercury, but the amounts used have greatly decreased over the last couple of decades and some brands use none at all. Still, many do contain a small amount of mercury and given the massive waste involved should be avoided, or at the very least, recycled. In 2006, 40 billion disposable batteries were sold worldwide! According to the EPA, Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell disposable batteries every year.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult finding places that will actually recycle disposable alkaline batteries. Many recyclers separate them from rechargeables and they do wind up in landfill anyway.

A service I came across in the USA for alkaline (and rechargeable) battery recycling is Big Green Box, which is just a box you can dump batteries into and when it's full, send it back to the recycler. You can purchase a box for your home or office, or utilize one that's in one of the participating stores mentioned on their site.

Button batteries are a problem as a great deal of metal is used for their comparatively small size and they can contain mercury, silver, cadmium, lithium, or other heavy metals as their main component. Thankfully, due to the increasing price of raw materials, these are a desired recyclable item.

Rechargeable batteries used to be quite environmentally toxic beasties, containing cadmium (NiCad batteries). These days the most commonly sold batteries are Nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH). NiMH batteries have a better life and performance than Nicads and don't contain as toxic heavy metals, so they are a "greener" choice.

If you own a notebook, it's likely the battery in it is Lithium-ion. These are the top of the line in terms of performance and the type we'll see in cars of the future. Again, a more environmentally friendly option than NiCads.

You can also buy rechargeable alkaline batteries, but these peform poorly and will cost you more in the long run - and you'll create more waste.

Regardless of the lower environmental toxicity of today's rechargeable batteries, they should definitely be recycled rather than thrown in the bin to wind up in landfill.

Where to recycle rechargeable batteries

If you're in the USA or Canada, try Call2Recycle, the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) program's web site for further information.

In Australia, BatteryWorld stores offer a free service.

In the UK, there's a free recycling program called BatteryBack.

Environmental savings

According to a study by Uniross carried out in 2007, the production of rechargeable batteries have the following advantages over disposables (comparing serviceable life):

• 23 times less potential impact on non-renewable natural resources
• 28 times less potential impact on global warming
• 30 times less potential impact on air pollution (ozone pollution)
• 9 times less potential impact on air acidification
• 2 times less potential impact on water pollution

Getting the most from rechargeable batteries

I made a few mistakes using rechargeable batteries in the beginning, so I offer the following tips so you might avoid the same. These simple tips will help ensure you get the maximum life from your rechargeables

• If you're going to buy rechargeables - keep track of them . Being small critters, batteries are easier to lose. Given that a rechargeable battery in itself is more toxic to the environment than a single disposable alkaline; if you keep losing them and keep buying more, it defeats the purpose. Have a central point in the house or your car where you store flat ones. I also mark each battery set (eg. mb1, mb2, mb3, mb4) so there's equal 'wear', rather than mixing old ones with new ones.
• Avoid using the batteries at high temperatures and store out of direct sunlight
• Recharge regularly
• Avoid overcharging the rechargeable battery

Cost savings

As mentioned, you can not only lighten your environmental footprint, but save a ton of cash by using rechargeable batteries.

A pack of 4 rechargeable batteries I purchased a short while ago cost me around $20. They'll be good for at least 500 recharges, likely more. A battery charger costs anywhere from about $10 -$30. The cost to recharge the set works out to to be just a couple of cents each time. So, in total, even factoring in the charger, a set of 4 AA will cost around $50 for their serviceable life.

A comparable set of heavy duty disposables cost around $2 - and that's at a discount price. The equivalent usage would cost $1000!

Environmentally and financially, rechargeable batteries just make more sense. If you can, try ditching your disposable battery habit and reap the rewards.

Contribute

If you want to contribute a tip (and I know you do!), shoot us an email (don't post the tip in the comments!). Be sure to include your URL if you want a link to your site included with your tip!

© Focus Organic for 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments

December 26th's Tip

Christmas Tree Recycling: Recycling fresh trees after Christmas can make a huge difference in reducing holiday waste. Instead of taking up space in the landfill, trees can be ground into wood chips, which can be used to mulch gardens or parks, used for beachfront erosion prevention, lake and river shoreline stabilization, fish habitats, and river delta sedimentation management. Search Earth911 for local centers that accept trees for recycling.

If there is no program in your area, consider starting one. For more information, visit Earth911's How to Start A Christmas Tree Recycling Program.
If tree recycling is not currently offered in your area, learn how to create a program by reading the Earth911 Guide to Starting a Christmas Tree Recycling Program.

For recycling your tree at home, consider creating beautiful wreaths out of the branches, or create fragrant sachets with the tree's pine needles. If you have the capability, you can turn your tree into mulch for your own compost pile. The mulch can also be used in your garden in the spring to help control the growth of weeds and prevent water loss.

Contribute

If you want to contribute a tip (and I know you do!), shoot us an email (don't post the tip in the comments!). Be sure to include your URL if you want a link to your site included with your tip!

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments

December 19th's Tip

Wrapping Presents: This weekend might be the time you spend wrapping up all those presents for Christmas (unless you're like my parents were when they played Santa and up wrapping all the presents all night Christmas Eve!). Either way, remember to keep the wrapping earth friendly.

There are many options for wrapping paper that has less impact on the planet. Recycled wrapping paper and reusable gift bags are more traditional options, but there are other options for unique wrapping. Try letting your kids decorate pieces of newspaper and wrap gifts in that, or use leftover work paper for another personal option. Blueprints, maps, sheet music, etc. are options personal to your interests or job that can be used as wrapping paper.

Interesting magazine pages can be used to wrap gifts, and are especially unique if the theme of the page matches the gift. Gifts can also be wrapped in other gifts, such as scarves, hats, blankets, reusable shopping bags, etc. Instead of standard gift tags, use last year's Christmas cards and cut designs out of them to make tags.

If you are using standard wrapping paper, remember that metallic wrapping paper is difficult, if not impossible, to recycle. Clothing wrapped in boxes might look nice, but the boxes are really unnecessary. Just wrap the shirt or other clothing item by itself, I'm sure the gift recipient won't care - they'll be more interested in the gift than the way it was wrapped!

Contribute

If you want to contribute a tip (and I know you do!), shoot us an email (don't post the tip in the comments!). Be sure to include your URL if you want a link to your site included with your tip!

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

For those of you who don't know, my computer is at the Apple store getting the fans replaced, so I am on my husband's. It makes everything more difficult because I'm not used to it, which is why I may be delaying in returning email, posting, or posting less, and I apologize! It's also why Joie's next post isn't posting until tonight when I should have posted yesterday, and why I have a ton of Akismet spam comments to process! It's also why I won't be emailing those of you who submitted this week... most of the emails are on my computer!

If you haven't had a chance to enter, the Horizon Organic Eggnog Giveaway ends tonight at Midnight EST and winners will be contacted and announced tomorrow.

Mary@SimplyForties presents As The Economy Goes, So Goes Recycling posted at SimplyForties. Recycling center employees are having their hours cut and scrap is no longer worth nearly as much as it used to be.

Heather Levin presents Green Living 101: Things You Can Reuse To Save Money posted at The Greenest Dollar. Heather presents some really interesting reuse ideas (I guarantee you will find something you hadn't heard of before!).

Condo Blues presents 10 Green Gifts That Suck posted at Condo Blues, saying, "There are a lot of good green gifts out there. None of them are on this list."

Al Tepper presents ooffoo Competitions posted at ooffoo. Al says, "Hope you think this relevant as ooffoo.com is a very green site - thought your readers might like to know about our £500 writing competition - entries close Dec 31 2008.
SUMMARY: ooffoo is already a great place to inspire people, offer hope and present positive ideas. There is no chosen topic that articles must cover for this competition but the prize will be given to the article judged the most inspirational or ‘feel good’ about our world or the people in it. To enter simply upload an article on ooffoo.com and ensure one of the article tags is ‘ooffoo Laureate’. Your entry can be poem or prose, a play, a dialogue, an interview but whatever it is we want it to inspire us. It must be no longer than one ooffoo article and you may enter as many different articles as you like."

marjorie presents Christmas Tree O’ Christmas Tree posted at Green Thinking Blog, saying, "The 84 foot Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City gets decorated with over 5 miles of lights. This year, the Rockefeller tree is replacing the traditional lightbulbs with the LED Energy saving variety. This will save daily the amount of electricity used monthly in a 2,000 square foot house! And after Christmas the tree will be turned into lumber that will be used to build houses with Habitat for Humanity."

Frugal Babe presents Homemade Christmas Ornaments posted at >FrugalBabe, saying, "I make ornaments for my nieces each year. This year I used fabric I already had, so no new materials or resources went into this gift. Even the stuffing came from a thrift store."

ChristianPF presents The Dangers of genetically modified foods (VIDEO) posted at A Natural Organic, saying, "A great video showing a bit of the truth of what is going on with genetically modified foods."

One Family presents Frugal Living – Ten Great Gift Ideas for Frugal Families (Christmas Holiday Shopping Tips) posted at One Family's Blog. Includes some gift ideas you might not have thought of.

Cindy presents Recycled Christmas Gift Bag Ideas posted at My Recycled Bags.com, saying, "Check out these eco-friendly Christmas gift bags. They are crocheted from recycled plastic bags into cool gift bags that have a bonus as they can be reused all year long."

Woman Tribune presents Donate or Recycle Your Old Mattress posted at Woman Tribune. Something I'm sure most people don't even think about doing!

Julena presents Complete Idiot’s Guide to Better Skin – Beware the Natural Products! posted at Organic Makeup and Skin Care, saying, "It's pretty shocking how supposedly authoritative skin care books misrepresent natural products. This is one book I definitely do not recommend..."

Ed Saper presents The Chemical Preservatives used by "Organic" Beauty Brands posted at Sarah's Organic Skincare Blog, saying, "We make organic beauty products and thought this blog highlights how the term organic can be misleading - when applied to beauty products."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments

Numi, LLC, is a leader in the natural & specialty tea category. Brother and sister founders Ahmed and Reem Rahim founded the company in 1999, which is known for premium full leaf teas, herbal teasans and an innovative line of Flowering Teas. Numi’s whole leaf teas are never treated with artificial flavors, colorings or oils common to the market resulting in a pure clean taste. Numi is committed to global consciousness and sustainability in its packaging and business practices. Numi Organic Tea is available in natural & specialty grocery stores across the U.S.

Clean taste is an understatement. I haven't been able to try all the flavors yet, but I have to praise the Aged Earl Grey Italian Bergamot Black Tea. Black tea is what I most commonly drink because it's the easiest to find and usually the least expensive. Described as "black tea scented with real bergamot oranges (not flavorigs) is robust and fruity," this tea is the absolute smoothest black tea I have ever had - no exaggerating.

Quality & Authenticity

Source: With a passion for people and learning, the Numi Tea'm travels to source its teas and herbs directly from the gardens of origin, ensuring the freshest ingredients of the season's latest pickings. Numi teas and herbs are certified Organic, Fair Trade, Kosher and Halal.

Full Leaf Quality: Numi uses organic full leaf tea in their tea bags, never bitter tasting tea dust or fannings. Each tea bag delivers the quality of loose leaf tea, releasing a smooth flavor that nourishes the body and soothes the soul.

No Oils or Flavorings: To create the purest tea on the planet, Numi uses only real fruits, flowers, herbs and spices in theirr tea bags, without the added oils or flavorings (including "natural flavorings") common in the market. This creates a natural taste, rich in authentic flavor.

Organic Decaffeination Process: Numi's full leaf tea has been decaffeinated using the Supercritical CO₂ extraction process that naturally extracts caffeine without affecting antioxidant levels or compromising flavor.

Sustainability

Numi is proud to be a WRAP of the Year Award Winner 2006. WRAP = Waste Reduction Awards Program of California

Bamboo: Numi uses bamboo in their gift boxes for its beauty and fast re-growth. Bamboo is a renewable natural resource that can grow up to 6 feet per month.

Biodegradable Tea Bags: Numi's tea bags are made from natural fibers with a double chamber to release the subtle flavors each tea and herb has to offer. They don't follow the trend of using "silky" nylon or biodegradable nylon (GMO-based cornstarch) tea bags.

Eco-friendly Packaging: Numi's tea boxes are made of 100% recycled material, 85% post-consumer waste and are shrink-wrap free.

Numi's eco-friendly practices result in 2,876 trees saved, 184,992 pounds of landfill reduced, and 1,523 million BTU of energy reduced and 260,145 pounds of greenhouse emissions prevented.

So Numi makes their teas and tea production eco-friendly, but they're also socially responsible. The bamboo products are assembled by women who have the option to work from home so they can take of their families while still earning a living. Assorted packs and bamboo items in the U.S. are also assembled by people with disabilities at Community Gatepath in CA. The state of CA matches every dollar of business Numi pays Community Gatepath to support their programs.

Numi's product line includes a huge variety of loose teas, teaware, bagged teas, iced tea, bamboo gift sets, spa teas, flowering teas, and more. Numi offers a number of unique teapots, tea carousels and tea chests. Bamboo boxes come with tea bags or can be purchased empty. Flowering Teas are hand picked and sewn premium tea leaves tied with cotton thread into various shapes and bundles When steeped in hot water, the leaves slowly expand and the flowers delicately unravel into a bouquet of breathtaking shapes. They area available in a variety of white, green, black, and oolong teas.

With the affordable pricing, all of the products make great gifts for the holidays or any time of year. You can seriously spend hours on Numi Tea's website trying to decide what you want to buy! Not only does the website offer a huge supply of great products, but it also provides a lot of information about teas, their nutritional value, and more. Check out their gift section if you are still searching for something unique. I know a few people I'm spreading the word of Numi to with the iRelax and Numi Organic Tea Set.

Also, visit Square One Organic Vodka for cocktails that can be created with Numi Teas. Definitely something different!

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 17 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was good, except for one teeny tiny thing... my car got rear ended! The damage isn't too bad and we aren't hurt, but what makes the situation worse than it would otherwise be is that when I pulled off the road so as to not continue blocking traffic, instead of pulling over with me, the woman who hit me drove away. We got her license plate number, but it didn't return anything when the police ran it. They are still looking for her, but no luck so far...

On to happier things... Oh, and don't forget to enter our giveaway! Just mentioning it in case you missed the big GIVEAWAY announcement up top

Heather Levin presents How To Recycle Gray Water posted at The Greenest Dollar. Heather presents a very informative water that explains the difference between gray water and black water, how to recycle your gray water, and what gray water to avoid recycling.

Mike Weber presents Could GM Be Saved by The Lean Machine? posted at EPCOTblog.com - The EPCOT Online Community Of Today. Mike says, "A research study from 1990 about this concept car that was featured at the EPCOT World of Motion showed huge positive impact on the environment and transportation in California. But it never came to be. Why?"

Ben Connor Barrie presents Building a Sustainable Economy posted at Sustainable Design Update. Ben says, "How can we rebuild a more sustainable and equitable economy from the current economic turmoil?"

Christine presents Thank Goodness for the Recession posted at Sans Chocolat. Christine says, "The least environmentally-minded person I know started thinking green because of the recession. Crazy!"

Condo Blues presents Three Easy, Natural, and Free Fall Centerpieces posted at Condo Blues. Condo Blues says, "Here are three easy & natural Thanksgiving dinner centerpieces made from life's leftovers - stuff from your yard!"

Mac. presents Actorlicious: Go Green 4 Thanksgiving posted at Actorlicious. From the article:

The season of Thanksgiving is about celebrating the earth and what it has to offer us, so respecting the environment is a great way to send the planet an eco-friendly thank-you.

Benjamin presents Maine Man Builds 105MPG Car posted at Trees Full of Money. Benjamin says, "Test drive of a 105mpg car homebuilt by a gentleman from Camden, Maine."

Lauren Rose presents Choosing the Best Plants for your Garden posted at Own Home Style .com. Lauren says, "How to choose the best plants for your garden."

DWSUWF presents Save Our Salmon - Beat a Bureaucrat posted at Divided We Stand - United We Fall. From the article:

It is really pretty simple. For trout and salmon to survive, you need clean, healthy, fast flowing rivers. If you prefer to live in a world (or state) where trout and salmon are plentiful (or even exist), you have to look upstream. You have to get landowners, farmers, grape growers, foresters, road builders and electric utilities to cooperate and stop damaging the rivers where trout and salmon live and breed. Most important, you need politicians to understand that a river and environment where trout and salmon thrive is more important than diverting below market-rate government subsidized water to industrial agricultural interests. Even if they give the politicians a lot of campaign contributions.

ChristianPF presents How to make homemade air freshener posted at ChristianPF. ChristianPF says, "A quick instruction video showing how to make homemade air freshener."

Gil Ortiz presents La Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua MX posted at gilocafe. This is a bit different than our normal submissions. Gil's post is a video documenting "breathtaking sights in an eco-trip on mountain bikes through La Sierra Tarahumara. From Chihuahua to Copper Canyon, Creel, Arareko, Cusarare..."

Aahz presents Save Money (and the Planet) While Remodeling Your Home posted at Aahz Reviews Gilroy. Aahz says, "Who knew you could actually earn money by doing a green renovation?"

Patty presents Our Body Burden (and no...it is not cellulite) posted at Little Green Stilettos. From the article:

There are many who believe that our increased and consistent exposure to these chemicals is a serious health hazard and is a cause for dramatic increases in certain illnesses like childhood brain cancer...there are others who say that the levels of chemicals we are exposed to are too little to affect us (that is what they thought about lead). Given only 25% of all chemicals in the US have been tested for toxicity I go back to the 'Does My Bum Look Big in this Dress Principle?' (or as scientists like to call it the Precautionary Principle - if you don't know if it is safe, assume it is not).

Kate presents Stocking Stuffers posted at Green Thinking Blog. Kate says, "This year, go for the stocking you can wear and wear and wear & will do just as much good on your feet as on your hearth. Check out the eco-friendly variety on SockDreams.com. This female owned company that has every kind of sock that you can imagine! Long ones, short ones, striped ones, lace ones, hemp ones, organic fiber ones, and socks that use 80-85% recycled cotton!"

sebastian@zoomiscooters.com presents Miles Automotive Introduces XS500 Electric Sedan posted at Zoomi Life. Sebastian says, "Finally, an affordable, green alternative to gas-powered cars: want a normal-looking car that’s all-electric and can actually do highway speeds and longer ranges? Maybe you also want it to cost less than $35,000 and seat five? Then keep an eye on Miles Automotive's newly announced XS500 electric sedan, due out sometime in 2009."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

Hope everyone had a happy Halloween! Can you believe it's November already? Not me! It was in the upper 70s all weekend here, and is 72 right now... crazy! Where's my sweater weather? T-shirts in November are not allowed!

I am thinking about designing a new image to represent All Things Eco, but I'm lacking design inspiration... any ideas? Better yet, anyone want to design one for me? *evil grin* Ok, ok, I'm done babbling.

Laurel presents Sustainable Shoes Coming to Payless posted at Green Thinking Blog. Laurel says, "Payless will be selling affordable, eco-friendly shoes. One unfortunate thing about many sustainable products is that they can be expensive. But Payless has very low prices. And in the past couple of years, they’ve offered more trendy and stylish shoes."

Katie Bouchillon presents Another Use for Plastic Shopping Bags posted at A Green Fire. Katie says, "We all need new ways to use up the plastic we already have on hand. This is one more way."

David presents SustainLane's 2008 City Ranking - How Sustainable Is Your City? | The Good Human posted at The Good Human. Couldn't tell you how St. Louis did, it apparently wasn't used in the study... and my my town in CT is way too small to have qualified for it!

Kara presents Spicy-Sweet Apple Chips posted at An Hour In the Kitchen. Kara says, "Make your own organic apple chips- easy and delicious."

Woman Tribune presents Top 10 Produce You Should Buy Organic posted at Woman Tribune. We posted about this when Focus Organic started up, Woman Tribune gives us a reminder.

Tim Leffel presents Organic Merino Wool Socks from Teko posted at Practical Travel Gear. Tim says, "Organic Merino wool socks made from the shearings of happy Argentine sheep."

Sarah Scrafford presents Eco-Kitchens: 100 Big and Little Ways to Make Your Kitchen More Earth-Friendly posted at Organicasm. Another amazing post from Organicasm.

Patty presents Beauty's Ugly Side posted at Little Green Stilettos. From the article:

The average woman absorbs over 2.2 kilos (5 pounds) of chemicals from beauty products every year. Only 11% of the 25,000 chemicals in these products have actually been tested.

Erika Collin presents 50 Must-Read Blogs for the Conscientious Organic Shopper posted at Organicasm. The posts on Organicasm never fail to amaze me!

Izmet presents The High Cost of Progress posted at Izmet's Dream. From the article:

We have become a world dependent on modern conveniences. No doubt this is in response to our fast-paced, stress-filled lifestyles. There simply is no time to do things the "old-fashioned way". We have become prepackaged, plastic-wrapped, instant-gratification-seeking humans. Some would call this progress. What makes all this progress possible?

Nichole Halsey presents Bring On the Rain (Gardens) posted at Bad Human! Don't take chemicals from strangers!. Nicole says, "How to create a rain garden to prevent storm water from polluting our lakes and streams."

RecycleCindy presents Recycled Net Market Bag posted at My Recycled Bags.com. Cindy says, "Here is a great way to recycle and repurpose those plastic bags. Crochet this eco-friendly market grocery tote bag using Plarn (plastic yarn) you create from cutting the bags into strips. I offer a picture tutorial on how to make the plastic bag yarn here. The free crochet pattern for my net market bag is found here. Thank you."

Lisa Spinelli presents Clouds Move in Over Alternative Energy | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures. Lisa says, "Excuse me, but lower oil prices aren't going to stop the polar ice cap from melting!" I agree, Lisa! Gas prices have gone down and I'm seeing the ridiculously huge SUVs showing back up on the roads!

Benjamin presents Oil Prices Fall: Will Our Determination for Alternative Energy Follow? posted at Trees Full of Money. Benjamin says, "Americans have made significant strides in curbing excessive energy as oil has peaked over $140 a barrel. Now that oil is back to more sustainable levels, will we just go back to our old ways?"

Traci Hayner Vanover presents Buy Mint Essential Oil & Save a Michigan Farm From Foreclosure posted at News About Green Living. Traci says, "For $5, you can get a dram of pure mint oil. It lasts a long time and is very hard to find. Currently, there is enough essential oil inventory to pay this debt. On November 1st the bank has the right to inventory and equipment and then on August 14, 2009 they can take over the property." November 1st, the deadline, has passed, but the farm is still accepting orders in hopes of stopping foreclosure.

Heather Levin presents Why Live In A Micro Home? posted at The Greenest Dollar. From the article:

Most people would balk at the idea of living in a home that’s only 300 square feet (or less!). But for me, and a growing number of other people, it would be a dream come true.

Flash Gordon presents Bauu Press: I Am Sustainability: How The Human Body Can Save The Planet posted at Bauu Institute and Press. Flash Gordon says, "How to become a sustainable person, making the world green from the inside out."

sebastian@zoomiscooters.com presents The Top Five Electric Bicycles of 2008 posted at Zoomi Life. Sebastian says, "Electric bicycles are the ultimate human-electric hybrid vehicles, and are gaining popularity fast as a great means of eco-transportation. Here's a list of the top five electric bicycles of 2008."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 7 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

It seems blogcarnivals.com has been down for a bit, which may explain the smaller number of submissions this week. Hopefully they will be up and running again soon!

Joe presents Go Green and Save Money posted at Green Thinking for the Average Joe. Joe's article includes some simple tips with links to his more detailed posts on the subjects.

Heather Levin presents How To Save Water In Your Home posted at The Greenest Dollar. More water saving tips.

Sloan Barnett presents The Polllution Inside Your Own Body posted at GGWE Blog. Sloan says, "Do you know what chemicals are inside your body? Don't think you have any? Learn more, and take the Body Burden test, too."

Tamara presents When is a hotel really green? posted at Travel Blog - Mr & Mrs Smith Boutique & Luxury Hotels. Tamara says, "We searched our collections for hotels that go the extra mile to be green eco-friendly."

Condo Blues presents How to Make Moth Repelling Lavender Sachets posted at Condo Blues. Condo Blues says, "Lavender not only looks pretty in the garden but it's a natural moth derrent. Here's how to keep those moths out of your clothes and closets naturally."

Phil for Humanity presents The Great Waste of Pumpkins posted at Phil for Humanity. Phil says, "It's that time of year again when a large number of Americans go to their local supermarkets and purchase a large pumpkin only to use it as a decoration for only a few weeks."

Casey Coke presents Introducing... Humic Acid posted at Naturalenviro's Weblog. From the article:

The average person is probably not familiar with humic acid. You probably need to be an organic farmer or gardener to have heard of it or at least know what it does. For those of you who do not know, humic acid is a multi purpose soil conditioner that offers many benefits most all types of soils and plant life.

Bobbie Whitehead presents Looolo Textiles posted at Bobbie Whitehead. From the article:

Looolo Textiles explains on its web site that the name “looolo” is a physical representation of the numeric value 100%, which is what Looolo Textiles promises with its products – they are made from 100% organic materials.

Lisa Spinelli presents 50 Ways to Go Green | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance. Lisa says, "Feeling a little overwhelmed by the push to go green? Here's some easy ways to do your part."

Allie presents I Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers posted at Allie's Answers. Allie's post is making me hungry...

Stephanie presents From the Back of the Vinegar Bottle posted at Stop the Ride!. Stephanie posts a use for vinegar she found on the vinegar bottle, as well as links to more articles with ideas for vinegar uses.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

I'm receiving more submissions that are not suitable for this carnival then ever... including astrology? While it may be interesting, it's just not right for All Things Eco! Try to keep the submissions on topic, everyone.

Julie Hall presents Beware the Chocolate Monsters: Keep Slave Labor Out of Halloween posted at on a ledge. From the article:

For most of us chocolate is a happy part of Halloween. It’s hands-down the best treat in the bag—so popular, in fact, that kids have to keep an eye on their chocolate-pilfering parents at this time of year. So, it’s especially ironic that this beloved sweet treat is a living nightmare for the children who are caught in the chocolate slave trade.

Kristen McCarthy presents Organic is Next to Godliness posted at this-sustainable-life.com. Kristen says, "Organic products have become the food of the bourgeois –and I’m not talking about the kind of food historically only available to the rich: calf liver pâtés, speckled Emu eggs, and ninety-nine dollar square watermelons –instead, I’m talking about the essential food groups that ensure our nutrition: vegetables, fruit, grains, and dairy."

Mac presents Eco Friendly Tips for the Home posted at Actorlicious. Mac presents some simple tips for a green home.

Annette Berlin presents 10 Crafty Ways To Recycle Greeting Cards posted at Craft Stew. Annette says, "I was trolling the newsgroups today and I saw a discussion on ways to use old greeting cards. The discussion never got too far, but it did get me thinking. Here are some of the ways to recycle old greeting cards that I’ve read about, tried out, or heard about over the years."

GrrlScientist presents Seattle Visit: The Montlake Fill (UBNA) posted at Living the Scientific Life. GrrlScientist says, "This photoessay describes my visit to one of the finest small- to medium-sized urban birding areas on the west coast of North America, the Montlake Fill. This is a reclaimed wetland that was formerly a city dump." She also presents Honeycomb, "A picture of a honeybee honeycomb, photographed at Russ Pittman Park, Texas."

Benjamin presents Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF): The Best In Green Building Technology posted at Trees Full of Money. Benjamin says, "If you are considering new construction, you need to know about an amazing green building technology known as Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF)."

MsUnreliable presents Beyond Spring posted at That Unreliable Girl. MsUnreliable says, "The growing trend towards green pools are setting the standards for a stylish, sustainable summer." This post is for those of you who in the parts of the world experiencing the start of summer.

Fiona King presents Obama vs McCain on Healthcare: Top 10 Issues posted at US PharmD. When it comes to health topics not directly related to eco living, I have a hard time deciding whether to include them. I usually include those related to health insurance because it is an important topic, and this one especially for Americans.

Surfer Sam presents The Secret Lives of Bees. Honey, Health and Harvests ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends. Sam's article includes the sections "The Honey Bee," "The Benefits of Bees," "The Bee Community," "Worker Bees and Drones," "The Life of the Queen Bee," "The Bee Business of Commercial Pollination," "Honey Bees Gone Mad," "Food Products from the Bee - Honey, Pollen, Propolis and Royal Jelly," "The Health Benefits of Honey," "Royal Jelly From the Honeybee," "What Is Honey Bee Propolis?," and "The Benefits of Honey Bee Pollen."

Laurel presents Natural Air Freshener posted at Green Thinking Blog. Laurel says, "A recent investigation of the chemical levels in some common air fresheners found that 12 out of 14 had hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates in them. The state of California maintains that 5 different types of phthalates are 'known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.' Learn a simple recipe for making air fresheners the 'green way.'" Laurel also presents Climate Crisis Needs Media Support and says, "The television network ABC recently decided not to air the We Campaign’s 'Repower America' ad which says that 'massive spending on ads by oil and coal companies… is a key reason our nation hasn’t switched to clean, renewable sources for energy.' Find out about you can participate in a petition campaign to send a message to the major networks that they need to finally get on board with climate protection."

Kate presents Walking the Planet in Someone Else’s Car Tires, or Bike Tires, or Their Soda Bottle posted at Green Thinking Blog. Kate says, "Check out 2 videos about shoes that bring new meaning to walking-in-another-person’s-shoes. These shoes are made from old car tires, bike tires, beverage bottles and more."

NtJS presents The Cloth Diapering Rodeo posted at not the jet set. NtJS says, "Our baby would lay on the changing table so nicely while I changed her diapers. She would even hold her own legs up for me (to cute!). Now that she is 8 months old I have to wrestle her down, hold her legs up and keep her hands out of the way. Do I give up on my cloth diapers?"

RecycleCindy presents My Signature Recycled Bag posted at My Recycled Bags.com. Cindy says, "Crochet yourself this stylish shoulder bag from recycled plastic bags. I offer a free crochet pattern for everyone interested in green eco-friendly crafting."

Jason Isbell presents Reducing the Waste with Conscious Printing | Tired Garden posted at Shabam School. Jason says, "We have to print things out on paper. Knowing how to tell if the printer is eco friendly allows us to be more conscious consumers."

Curry Kenworthy presents Web hosts are going green posted at Web Hosting Scene. Curry says, "A look at the green hosting trend."

Allison presents 8 Fashionable Green Shopping Bags for Any Style posted at AfterGraduation. My personal favorites are the World Food Programme Feed Bag and the black and white b. happybags bag.

Ben Connor Barrie presents Ecuador’s New Constitution First to Guarantee Rights to Nature posted at Grown Ass People. Ben says, "Ecuador's new constitution is the first to grant unalienable rights to nature. This article discusses possible domestic and international implications of this move."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 7 comments

Anyway, since I have to make this short, I wanted to share some links that I found interesting.

News

Ikea bins plastic bags - What I find interesting is the first comment on the article: "That’s funny, because in europe I can not even remember when Ikea stopped offering plastic bags. I think Ikea here worked since the beginning with reusable bags…"
Adult Internet Users: Apple Is Most Eco-Friendly Consumer Technology Brand - Just another reason to love my Macbook Pro
UV light fear over 'green' bulbs - "Being too close to energy-saving light bulbs could cause skin reddening because of ultraviolet light emissions, health experts have warned. [...] But it added there is no evidence that such bulbs pose a cancer threat."
You Say You're Eco-Friendly, But Is Your PC? - "A standard-issue PC, left on all the time (a not-uncommon situation) consumes 746 kilowatts per hour a year, according to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By comparison, a refrigerator uses about 500 kilowatts a year. Surely there are things that users can do to reduce their computer's environmental footprint."

Contests

Want Your Own Green Room in a Box? (Giveaway) - Jennae is giving away the use of her design skills to a lucky winner. Look through her previous "Room in a Box" designs and you won't want to miss out on this contest!
FruitaBü Rolls Giveaway! - Basically organic fruit roll-ups, will have 5 winners
Win an Evenflo Symphony All In One Car Seat! - Not a green contest, but the prize is such a great one (a $199 car seat) that it's something I feel should be promoted!

Also, stay tuned for more contests here. There are currently two in the planning stages that should be coming soon!

Bonus

I Spy Eco-Spin: 5 Best Ways to Avoid Getting Greenwashed

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.
Thanks to everyone for all the Happy Birthdays! The weekend was fun. We picked up a few dozen or more used books from a charity organization. Would have grabbed more but, with all the hardcovers, it was all we could carry We got almost the entire 16 volume series of The Children's Hour hardcover storybooks from 1953... just missing volume 5. Anyway, on to the carnival!
Hilary Green presents 10 Ways to Save On Gas and Improve Mileage posted at Cars for Girls. Some useful tips, many of which you have probably already heard, but some you may not have.

Kevin Fleming presents Chevy Volt Aims for 100 MPG Rating posted at The Green Motorist. Is it just me, or do the interior pictures of the car make it look like a toy?

Athlyn Green presents An Innovative Way to Recycle Plastic Bags posted at Alternative Health/Holistic Living. Athlyn says, "A great way to convert plastic bags into usable products." Sounds similar to RecycleCindy's ideas

Dale Liebrecht presents Vegetarian posted at A Bag Full Of The Real Poop. Dale says, "It's cool and green to be a vegetarian!"

Jennae presents Top 10 Online Stores for Eco-Friendly Decorating posted at Green Your Decor. Jennae's site is one of my personal favorites, and this post is awesome and informative.

P.L. Frederick presents 9 Side Effects To Using The Clothes Line posted at Small & Big. P.L. says, "All true, I say." For your humorous side. An example side effect from the post:

Ghosts cruising the line for some sheet action

John presents Kona Sugarloaf: The White Pineapple posted at Only The Internet's Best Reviews. John says, "Is the fuel spent transporting pineapples from organic jungle farms in Hawaii to Boston worth it?"

Axel presents The Healthy Salad posted at axel g. From the article:

My favorite salad is as easy to prepare as it's healthy - full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. In short, this salad is a delicious health bomb made with easy-to-find ingredients.

Tiffany Washko presents Eco Friendly Halloween posted at Natural Family Living Blog. Not just a great post because Halloween is the best holiday ever, but because it's REALLY informative. Give yourself a good amount of time to really be able to check out all the resources Tiffany provides in this post!

Frugal Babe presents A Frugal Supplement For The Hydroponic Garden posted at Frugal Babe. More on Frugal Babe's new hydroponic garden.

Mac presents 10 Ways To Save A Dollar During Hard Times posted at Actorlicious. More examples of how being frugal can also lead to being green.

Traci Hayner Vanover presents Selling Where the Grass is Greener posted at Traci Hayner Vanover - The Caffeinated Marketing Musings of the Promo Diva®. Traci says, "For all those green-intentioned manufacturers that are interested in setting themselves apart from the crowd, you’ve got a friend, ally, and resource in Green Seal®."

Victoria E presents Ecoist Adds New, Chic Wrapper Bag Collection + Exclusive Discount on Victoria-E.com! and Seeing the Sustainable Side of Getting Limber and Centered posted at Victoria Everman :: Sustainable, Creative, Enlightened Living.

Miss Jocelyn & Miss Emily Rose presents Blessed Girlhood: Autograph Album posted at Growing In Grace Magazine. They say, "Recycle old books and make something worth using!" I'd like to add to use recycled paper or tree free paper (Google for it, you can find it all over the internet and many of the options are GORGEOUS).

AdmirableIndia.com presents Hogenakkal Falls: Part 1 posted at AdmirableIndia.com. More photos and some videos from AdmirableIndia.com.

Lauren Rose presents THE CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES | Own Home Style .com posted at Own Home Style .com. Lauren Rose says, "Nowadays due to the introduction of new hybrid varieties in vegetables, which are susceptible to pest and diseases, there is demand for more plant protection, usually with toxic chemicals."

Julena presents The Natural Anti Wrinkle Solutions posted at Organic Makeup and Skin Care. Julena says, "Anti aging solutions do not have to involve toxic chemicals, painful injection or spooky face lifts. Learn about the myriads of natural anti wrinkle methods available to you. From nutrition, to creams, to exercise (yes, I said exercise!) . Staying pretty all the way is the natural choice."

Strogatel presents Wooden toys nourish the soul posted at Wood Toys. Strogatel says, "Wooden toys are not only a more natural choice for our kids. They transfer positive energy and remind us (and teach them) of our roots." If you are buying wood toys, try to make sure they come from sustainable forests. Look for toys with FSC certification.

Lisa Spinelli presents 50 Ways to Go Green | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures. Lisa says, "Feeling a little overwhelmed by the push to go green? If you’re driving around in a Hummer, having trouble grasping the “go green” concept, just ask yourself: what one thing can I do to make the planet greener -besides paint my SUV green?"

Laurel presents Algae Jet Fuel! posted at Green Thinking Blog. Laurel says, "Solazyme “is a synthetic biology company that has produced the first algal-based jet fuel that’s passed all ASTM specification tests for aviation fuel (freezing point, stability, density, etc). I’ve been researching biofuels for about two years, and algae biofuels seem to hold the most promise as a truly sustainable fuel."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 10 comments

September 26th's Tip

Washing Machine: Front loading washers use 50% less water than top loaders. The clothes actually get cleaner with significantly less detergent as well! - Contributed by Dave

Contribute

If you want to contribute a tip (and I know you do!), shoot us an email (don't post the tip in the comments!). Be sure to include your URL if you want a link to your site included with your tip!

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

This last hurricane was ridiculous! Since when does a hurricane make it halfway across the country to cause wind damage and flooding? We had small streams that I didn't even know existed flood and shut down roads and highways, tree chunks all over the ground, and even chunks of houses everywhere. One lovely chunk of house siding blew into our car yesterday and we wound up with a flat tire and some scratches. How is everyone else doing? Anyway, on to the carnival!

Julian Pollock presents A Naturally Organic Mattress for the Perfect Night’s Sleep | Organic Family Circle posted at Organic Family Circle. From the article:

Here’s a basic guide to understanding the ingredients in eco-friendly mattresses and how they will give you the best and healthiest sleep.

Katrina Cain presents What Do You Do With Leftover Paint? posted at Were You Wondering.... Very helpful information that I'm sure many do not already know.

Peter presents Raw Vegan Food posted at we overstep. Peter says, "What seemed to be an extreme diet is easier and more efficient than a regular diet.
" Peter, how much does your daily diet cost? I'm not so sure I could eat that much in one day, cooked or not! Although it would be nice to never have to cook again... I HATE cooking!

Victoria E presents The Final Word on Water Bottle Safety (Not From the FDA), New Green Food Guide Gives Inside Track on Eco-Eating and Activism, and Gorgeous and Green! Exclusive Preview of Ortolan’s New Home Collections posted at Victoria Everman :: Sustainable, Creative, Enlightened Living :: San Francisco.

Julena presents Organic Skin Care Myths posted at Organic Makeup and Skin Care. Julena says, "Debunking the organic skin care myths."

James presents Alternative Uses For Common Veggies posted at Growing Groceries.com. James says, "Informative article on secondary edible uses for vegetables already growing in your garden!"

Izmet presents The landfill blues posted at Izmet's Dream. From the article:

How many times have we driven down a street and seen a perfectly good (albeit used) piece of furniture on the side of the road, or sitting in (or outside of) a dumpster?

Far too many times, Izmet, which is why I give away everything salvageable on Freecycle/Craigslist. When I was younger, we had "garbage days," where people would set out their stuff that they thought someone else might like. We'd drive around the neighborhood and pick up stuff from the curb that we wanted to take home. Sounds strange, but I got some good stuff! It was like a free tag sale

Frugal Babe presents A Greenhouse posted at Frugal Babe. From the article:

My husband is building a greenhouse. Our hydroponic garden is doing so well that he was inspired to increase our growing capacity by making our outdoor garden a year-round venture.

Good luck with the greenhouse, Frugal Babe and husband!

Kelly Sonora presents Top 50 Green Fashion and Design Blogs posted at Organicasm. Some of my favorites are listed there!

Marjorie presents Go Meatless One Day a Week posted at Green Thinking Blog. Marjorie says, "Avoiding meat for one day every week helps reduce climate change and global warming because rearing cattle and other animals used for food has a huge effect on greenhouse gas emissions and habitat destruction."

Sydney Larson presents Pay-As-You-Go Solar posted at Sweet Solar Home. Sydney says, "What is Pay as You Go Solar? Why should you trust those who sell it? CEO of SunRun, Nat Kreamer, explains how it works and why you should get involved in going solar."

Anna Farmery presents Show #187 - Making Innovation Work in Green Marketing posted at The Engaging Brand. A podcast from Anna, who says:

Today I talk with Rob Shelton who is an expert on innovation and talks about how innovation is needed for the green marketing initiative.

Praveen presents Environmentalist Meddling Causes Uneasy Existence Between Humans and Komodo Dragons? posted at Tao of Simplicity. Strange. What I wonder is why the group stopped natives from having dogs?

Steve Faber presents Mercedes Smart Car – Smart Car, Dumb Idea?? | Super Gas Saver posted at Super Gas Saver. Steve says, "There are simply other cars that get great gas mileage, are relatively cheap to buy, and give much more utility and performance in every day use." I was surprised to see that this car gets 33 city / 41 hwy MPG and requires premium gas. While 33/41 isn't exactly horrible, couldn't it do better, since it's being praised for its "greenness?" And premium?

Toad sticker presents Liquid organic fertilizer posted at The Prepared Christian. Toad sticker says, "Something that I use and it works too!"

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments

September 12th's Tip

Laundry: Turn the wash on your machine to cold. Most laundry loads, with the exception of particularly greasy ones, don't need hot water, and all you end up doing is wasting energy. Ninety percent of the energy used in washing clothes goes towards heating the water.

Contribute

If you want to contribute a tip (and I know you do!), shoot us an email (don't post the tip in the comments!). Be sure to include your URL if you want a link to your site included with your tip! I better start seeing some more tips in my inbox or I'm going to start kicking some booty...

© Focus Organic for 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

Is everyone very busy lately? This week's carnival has less submissions than usual (and, yes! I remembered to update blogcarnival.com last week!). I just want to let everyone know that you can feel free to submit every week... don't skip this week just because you submitted last week! Send me something for every carnival. I don't mind, and I encourage it! Anyway, on to the submissions...

Katrina Cain presents What is a Carbon Credit? and Burning Candles Can Cause Indoor Air Pollution posted at Were You Wondering.... Two very informative articles from Katrina (whose whole website is very informative, I should add).

Shannon Bullard presents Zeer Green Team Series – What Is Organic Food, Anyway? posted at Zeer Blog. Shannon says, "This article is the first in our Green Team Series about Organic Food. I try to help new eco eaters understand what organic is and answer basic questions about it's high costs and what USDA labels stand for."

Karen Schiff presents 6 Ways to Save Money Shopping for Green posted at The Daily Green. Karen says, "Hello - I'm not a blogger per se but, as co-founder of Ecobunga!, I was invited to write an article for the Daily Green on how to save money while going green, and I thought your readers might be interested." I think everyone is interested in saving money, and saving money while going green is a huge bonus

Alexander presents Mushrooms Could Save the World! posted at Green Thinking Blog. Alexander says, "Watch the video about how mushrooms can clean polluted soil, treat smallpox disease and the flu, act as a natural insecticide, and restore the world’s ecosystems."

Stephanie presents Save the Bees posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood. From the article:

Yesterday we went on a field trip to Stiltner's Apiary. The kids enjoyed it, especially the taste testing. I found it fascinating. Mr. Stiltner has raised bees for a long time, and works for the State Agriculture Department. He knows his stuff.

Julena presents Review of Weleda Skin Food posted at Organic Makeup and Skin Care. Julena says, "This is a review of a great "green" skin care product -- Weleda Skin Food."

RecycleCindy presents Recycled Mega Tote Bag posted at My Recycled Bags.com. Cindy says, "Are you into Eco-friendly crafts? If so check out my recycled mega tote bag. It is crocheted using recycled plastic bags or plarn. What a wonderful way to create a reusable tote bag or market grocery bag. At the grocery store, the employees are always in awe of a reusable bag made from old plastic grocery bags. I have the free crochet pattern at the link provided above."

Surfer Sam presents Endangered Wildlife. Many Favorite Animals Face Extinction ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends. Sam says, "Endangered Wildlife. Favorite Wild Animals Face Extinction. When you think about animals becoming extinct, you think about dinosaurs and times long past. But we are living right now in the middle of a major threat to the animal population of the planet. Many familiar animals are becoming scarce and may very well disappear from the face of the earth. Richard Leakey called it “The Sixth Extinction.” The Sixth Extinction of wild animals is a fast moving threat to the survival of wildlife everywhere. Many scientists think that during the next thirty years as many as one-fifth of all species living today will become extinct. What makes it even worse is that humans are the primary cause of it."

Kevin Fleming presents Using Nitrogen Air in Tires Increases Gas Mileage posted at The Green Motorist. From the article:

Putting nitrogen in your tires increases gas mileage by between four and ten percent according to the Get Nitrogen Institute.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of All Things Eco using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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