I’m ready to go public with my new routine: Walking to work regularly. I’m beyond gratified to see that this action is worth 200 points on Practically Green, because it feels like a major change to me, WALKING instead of stuffing myself into the subway. Between us, I am so proud of myself it’s ridiculous!
Now that I’ve been at it for a few weeks, I’m a convert, so here are my tips on how to make a change like this in your life.
Plan. First, plug in your coordinates on Google Maps. Click the “beta” pedestrian option. 
No excuses! Do not balk at the extra time this is going to take. Do not complain about the weather! No whining! Just do it. This is 46 minutes of “me” time.
Note route highlights. Mine include a Whole Foods and a scenic bridge over the Charles River. On my way home yesterday, I stopped in at WF to buy fresh dinner veggies – felt so Parisian stuffing a head of lettuce and a cuke into my bag!
Scenic view from the Longfellow Bridge on my walk home
Decide what to wear. Notice the weather, i.e. temperature, wind, likelihood of rain. Also anticipate your potential for sweating (PFS). My PFS is high. And, I walk briskly — I want this to count as exercise, of course!
The morning of my inaugural walk to work dawned with pouring rain. I was ready with my monsoon slicker. By the time I arrived at Kendall Square the crisp “work” top beneath was drenched. Luckily I had a spare t-shirt to put on. Now I’ve got it down: I wear a roomy t-shirt for the trip over and morph into presentable start-up guru in the hotel bathroom next door. (Note to self: remember to bring a People Towel tomorrow!)
En route
Ready for work!
Don’t forget the sunscreen! Make-up: forget it due to PFS. Note to self: will need to revisit this once summer tan has faded.
Bag: I am not yet 100% satisfied with mine (husband’s conference swag) and would love recommendations.
Cargo: I have made a few cargo adjustments. I now lock my laptop at the office so I don’t have to lug it. I wear sneakers on the walk. I keep a pair of shoes at the office (okay, two: one heels and one flats).
Carriage: a yoga/pilates aficionado, I remind myself constantly that the walk is a 46-minute opportunity to suck in my abs and keep my shoulder-blades rolled back and away from my ears.
Amusement. As so many pedestrians know, from President Lincoln to Virginia Woolf, walking is great for thinking. In a world jammed with texts and screens, it’s refreshing to unplug completely for the better part of an hour. No doubt you’ll find your own little things to “do” with yourself as you march along.
And it is a march! It’s a triumphant, glorious feeling to move oneself to work in the fresh air, noticing from a distance the T as it hurtles over the same bridge, the wretched grimy train cars packed with passengers barely visible through the opaque windows. It is nice not to smell everyone else’s summer aromas, to arrive at work dewy and invigorated.
What happens when it gets cold and icy? I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, haha. Stay tuned.
There’s nothing like a serious storm to help you appreciate ho-hum conveniences like electricity, hot showers, flushing toilets, chilled food, drinking water, and windows that don’t leak.
Scene in Huntington, Vermont (from The New York Times via the Burlington Free Press/AP)
Practically Green is full of ideas to make life super-efficient, from dual-flush toilets to dual-pane windows to Energy-Star rated appliances and solar-powered or renewably-energized almost-everything. Click here for a comprehensive set of Home Energy actions to consider — and please let us know of others to include.
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Rebecca Sama is the type of person who always has some cool thing in her hand, around her neck, or on her bod. She’s Practically Green’s product specialist, and she’s got a few après-Irene items to consider. They’re all available on PG; simply click on the related action link to peruse and order!
Rebecca’s Better-Safe-Than-Sorry Necessities
There’s something about a wooden flashlight that makes me smile and always a good to have an LED flashlight on hand should the power happen to go out… no fun to be left in the dark!
Switch to an LED or solar-powered flashlight
Klean Kanteen Reflect Stainless Steel 27 Ounce Water Bottle with Bamboo Cap
And it’s the perfect excuse to add yet another reusable (and irresistable) water bottle to the collection, what with the storm coming and with that shiny finish and cute BPA-free bamboo top…
Switch to a reusable water bottle
Of course we wouldn’t want to miss out on post-storm puddle-jumping, so we’ll need to ‘boot-up’ with these natural rubber, PVC-free classic rain boots. (Available for kids and grown-ups!)
And with nothing but rain and 23-foot waves on the horizon, there’s no better time to hole up with a delicious bottle of organic wine from inspirational and renowned wine connoisseur, Alex Elman. (Goes well with the KK bottle?)
Alex Elman herself!
Rebecca blogs at urbansherp.com, where you can see her complete Irene post. Follow her @UrbanSherp on Twitter.
Fresh Market Gimlet
Hurricane, earthquake, back-to-school craziness: it’s been quite a week! Time for a stiff drink? We say Yes, and with a tasty & healthy twist. Now that we’re in the habit of scrutinizing ingredients in shampoo and soap, why not pay attention to what’s in our cocktails?
Fortuitously, we just met the women behind Square One Organic Spirits, a Petaluma, California company that makes amazing vodka infused with pure ingredients like basil and cucumber.
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Bringing A Culinary & Eco Focus to the Cocktail Bar, by Allison Evanow
There are so many options for consumers today, especially more environmentally and people friendly products. But the options aren’t always easily visible. I’m thrilled to have discovered Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Guide via my first perusal of the Practically Green “Quiz.” Sure, when I looked at my cosmetics, I noticed the long list of unfamiliar words that covered the product’s side panel, but never thought of it as a contract that I was signing. But that’s what I was doing, agreeing to the terms of the side panel as soon as I applied the product to my skin.
The EWG Cosmetics Guide is an easy to use cosmetics research tool. It truly was my guide in this area of chemistry that I know nothing about. In a few quick searches, I learned about the cosmetics in my bag and found that many of them scored well, while others didn’t do so well. With the information in hand, now I can make some very easy, informed changes.
{Click here to Check your cosmetics on the Skin Deep database}
Many of us are already avid reviewers of the ingredient panels on our foods. In the summer, we frequent our local farmer’s market and we do most of our shopping on the outer perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh produce, breads, fish and meats reside — and we spend less time in the center of the store, where the aisles and aisles of processed foods are usually found.
I recommend staying in that outer perimeter when you’re ready to mix cocktails too. For your next gathering with friends and family, try creating a signature cocktail for the event and look to the produce aisle or the farmers market, not the mixer aisle, for your cocktail ingredients.
The ready-made cocktail mixes (ie Margarita, Mai Tai, Cosmo or Mojito) tempt us with a promise of ease and success but they frequently list high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and artificial colors among their ingredients. Plus, considering the additional packaging and shipping involved when producing a ready-made product, the simple cocktail is no longer that simple. You can have a better tasting cocktail by selecting fresh ingredients and with flavored syrups or the addition of another herb, you can create a signature cocktail that is all your own.
{Click here to Find out which foods you buy regularly contain high-fructose corn syrup}
Getting thirsty? Peaches & Herb cocktail
Start simple, fresh, and organic. The same creative impulse that lies behind everything culinary, whether it’s served on a plate or in a cocktail glass, begins with the best ingredients that you can find. Pick up a few fresh limes, a bunch of fresh basil, and a bottle of agave nectar along with organic vodka and you already have the makings for a Fresh Market Gimlet; a delicious, culinary-inspired cocktail. You can give the recipe an Asian twist by using Thai Basil and infusing the agave nectar with ginger or try the cocktail with your own favorite herb in place of basil.
Many top restaurants across the country are now giving their cocktail menu as much attention as their food menu. And what a welcome change that has been! Instead of serving up overly sweet cocktails made with artificial ingredients, mixologists are creating new, flavorful cocktails like the Fresh Market Gimlet and in many cases, working with the restaurant chef to create new syrups and source local produce. It is this renaissance of the American cocktail that inspired me to start Square One Organic Spirits. An avid foodie, I wanted to create organic spirits that were capable of inspiring contemporary culinary cocktails and in hopes of seeing America drink better, and, whenever possible, organic cocktails.
Artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors are found in spirits as well. Distillation removes many of the spirit’s impurities, however, after distillation, many spirits, particularly vodkas, add sweeteners, synthetic flavors, glycerin, or other artificial flavor enhancers to improve the spirits taste on the palate or to re-create popular flavors in a spirit. But unlike food and cosmetics, the spirit companies aren’t required to list all of their ingredients on the bottle.
Allison Evanow
When choosing organic spirits, the USDA organic seal provides objective 3rd party validation that the company hasn’t tinkered with the natural ingredients of their spirit. The quality experienced on the palate is the direct result of the genuine elements that make up the spirit. The spirit’s genuine taste is ready to mix with those over-ripe peaches you have sitting on your shelf. And while you’re enjoying that Peaches and Herb cocktail, you know you’ve left a lighter footprint on the earth with a spirit that has harvested its grain without the use of pesticides.
If you’re inspired to create your own culinary-style organic cocktails, you can find recipes with varying degrees of complexity at our website: SquareOneOrganicSpirits.com. If you find something that you like, but also want ideas to change up the recipe, drop me a quick email and I’d love to share some ideas with you. The options are endless, and just plain fun.
Allison Evanow is the CEO and Founder of Square One Organic Spirits. Follow them on Twitter @SQ1Organic and check them out on Facebook. Email Allison at info@squareoneorganicspirits.com.
You don’t have to be a little first-grader to get psyched about freshening up your backpack, lunchbox, and writing supplies! It’s a great time of year for to get great deals and see what’s new on the eco-front. We asked Erin Schrode to help us get organized. She knows her green and she knows her stuff!
Erin Schrode
Back to School in Eco Style
By Erin Schrode
The end of summer is around the corner and school is, once again, upon us. Early morning wake-ups, packing lunches, and after school activities will all soon become routine, but first… back-to-school shopping. In the US alone, families spend an average of up to $800 on these school supplies. That is a lot of money and a lot of products, yet it need not produce excessive waste. This is the perfect time to incorporate eco into your daily life and become a conscious consumer. It is super simple for parents, teachers, kids, and all the rest of us that love school and office supply shopping (and sales!) can start turning green this back-to-school season!
First things first: let’s talk classroom essentials like pencils, pens, paper.
When purchasing eco-friendly back-to-school basics, it’s critical to look for items made from recycled content. Many pencils and pens are refillable and made using post-consumer waste, as are some rulers and scissors. This reduces resource consumption and the need to manufacture using our limited natural resources.
If buying new, choose FSC-certified pencils to ensure that wood is sustainably harvested. A far better choice! I am a fan of New Leaf notebooks and paper, ReBinder folders and binders, Ecojot notebooks, PaperMate ReThink pens, and EarthWrite pencils, Zebra Pen Eco, Forest Choice pencils, Pilot BeGreen, BIC Ecolutions, Kleanearth Scissors, and 3M eco-friendly tape and recycled Post-Its, to name but a few of the many eco brands on the market today.
LOVE the orange EcoJot notebook!!
But what do you put all of these materials in? An eco backpack or tote bag, of course. My top picks are made from either recycled fabrics or organic cotton – and are not only stylish, but also durable, spacious, and multi-purposed, like this recycled Baggu pack (my first choice: red!), any number of these environmentally friendly, artisan-made, and fair labor FEED bags, or solar-powered energy-producing Voltaic backpack.
Backpack from Baggu
Author Note:
Erin Schrode is @NYU majoring majoring in Cross-Cultural Diplomacy and Communications. Right now she’s packing her eco-bags for a semester in Madrid. Erin is the co-founder of Teens Turning Green. “a student led movement devoted to education and advocacy around environmentally and socially responsible choices for individuals, schools, and communities.” TTG hosts a 30-day lifestyle challenge this October. Find out more here.
We were wowed by Erin’s presentation at Sustainable Brands Conference in June, and we think you’ll enjoy watching her describe how her parents raised her green, and how to engage millennials: http://erinschrode.com/Videos.html
Follow Erin on Twitter @erinschrode, and get involved with Teens Turning Green here.
When we say Rodale is the grand-daddy of organic living, we aren’t kidding. Current CEO Maria Rodale is the granddaughter of founder J. I. Rodale. Rodale.com is tech-savvier than most grampys are: their first e-book is out just in time for back-to-school shopping: Rodale’s Nontoxic Back to School Shopping Guide: More than 200 Expert-Approved, Ecofriendly Ideas to Help Your Kids Focus on Their ABCs – without PVCs, VOCs, BPAs, and Other Harmful Stuff.
Maria Rodale
The bad news: lots of school products have controversial ingredients, “chemicals that scientists have linked to developmental and learning problems, among other ailments.”
The good news: “parents, public health leaders, and advocacy groups have been calling for safer products, and marketers are listening” – and easy resources like Practically Green’s Back-to-School badge and this new guide from Rodale can help you make smart healthy choices.
Buy it on Amazon or via Rodale.com.
Pop Quiz: What are Rodale’s 7 Guiding Principles for shopping?
Answer: 1) Demand organic, 2) Avoid Plastic, 3) Reject vinyl (PVC), 4) Reuse and buy used whenever possible, 5) Look for post-consumer waste (PCW) in paper products, 6) Avoid ‘antibacterial,’ 7) Be wary of waterproofing
Emily Main
Leah Zerbe
Co-authors Emily Main and Leah Zerbe are assiduous researchers, and we don’t think they forgot anything; chapters include Art Supplies, Backpacks and Bags, Clothing, Electronics, Food & Beverage Containers, Personal Care Products, Stationery, and Miscellaneous (including after-school ideas and fundraising ideas… perfect for your school green team).
“We wanted to do this book because more and more people are eating organic,” Zerbe says. “Studies show that now they’re going to the next level: they’re looking for safer products, especially for kids. This is a hectic time for parents — there’s so much confusion — and we wanted to create a products guide to help. I actually want a lot of these items for myself! The ecolunchboxes are really nice.” We absolutely agree:
Congrats to Rodale on this comprehensive resource! We raise our (recycled/vintage) glass to your venerable ancestry AND to your modern-day klout:
P.S. One of our other very favorite “if we had to live on an island with only 10 books” is Maria Rodale’s Organic Manifesto, which is less, well, fierce than the title suggests: it’s a reasoned, practical, and very engaging.
One of the smartest reasons to use Practically Green is to avoid potentially dangerous ingredients in everyday products.
Triclosan is one of those ingredients.
tri·clo·san
noun \trī-ˈklō-ˌsan\Triclosan is … the active ingredient in many soaps and some toothpastes…. other kinds of products are impregnated with triclosan, such as plastic, clothing, underwear, shoes, toys, and other children’s products. No studies have found the estrogenic chemical triclosan to be more effective at killing germs than regular soap and water (even though it’s used in many soaps and hand sanitizers), but many have studies have uncovered scientific evidence that the chemical is contributing to the surge in life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant subergerms and severe hormone disruption in wildlife. (When it’s found in waterways, for example, male frogs literally sport female parts.) (Rodale.com)
Yikes!
It’s easy to get scared – and confused. Why would a trusted brand like Softsoap knowingly include a chemical that might prove dangerous to its customers?! Who would ever suspect that Grandpa’s Old Spice deoderant contains something nasty? Why would the Food & Drug Association and the Environmental Protection Agency apparently dilly dally over their investigations?
We’ll leave the answers to those questions to those who are directly involved. At Practically Green, our focus is to give consumers clear information, as complete and accurate as we can make it. And, we also want to point out the numerous wonderful natural alternatives.
Susan Hunt Stevens explains, “When we founded Practically Green we adopted the precautionary principle. If an ingredient is questionable — if it may be a problem, if it is banned in another country, if it is deemed controversial or concerning — we feel that people deserve to know about that. It still shocks me that fewer than 200 out of 80,000 chemicals on the market have been tested for human health effects. The American public deserves better. The good news is that once you realize you want a chemical out of your life, there are usually really good alternatives available. Parents especially appreciate knowing how to make an informed choice for their families. So yes, we explain how to avoid triclosan and other, even more damaging substances, such as mercury, lead, and volatile organic compounds, such as those commonly found in paint.”
Practically Green has several actions to help you avoid triclosan. For example, Switch to natural facial soaps:
Right now there are 3 recommended products for natural facial soaps on Practically Green. (After all, we’re still in beta!) We know there are dozens more. Help us find them! Your ratings and product suggestions are hugely welcome.
We love Sierra magazine’s annual Cool School feature as many people do — alums, students, parents – or just because it’s so thoughtfully put together by Avital Binshtock’s team.
Need to find out FAST if your alma mater is on the top ten list? Click here.
Avital describes innovations for the 2011 process on HuffPostGreen. In brief, they sent the questionnaire to 940 schools, and 118 responded. You can review the completed surveys here, from #1 University of Washington to #118 University of Nevada/Reno.
The transparency around responses and methodology makes this ranking one of our favorite. At Practically Green we are sticklers for methodology (see ours here), and we admire Sierra’s guidelines and scoring key.
“… questions center on environmental goals and achievements, with priority given to achievements. Its 10 categories include energy supply, efficiency, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management, administration, financial investments, and a catch-all called “other initiatives.” Each category was worth a maximum of 10 points, for a possible grand total of 100…”
No greenwashing here:
“While many universities are making admirable progress, at present, no school has attained complete sustainability. The top-rated universities scored in the low 80s, indicating much work completed, but also room for improvement.”
Spanish-speaking? No worries. Full translation here.
Say you’re interested in Penn State. Scroll down until you find it, at #27. Check out Penn State’s score across nine categories…
…. and compare it to other universities:
Imagine if every freshman tracked their green progress throughout their college years – talk about positive change!
Babson College inaugurates just such a program this year: the From Day One initiative begins in two weeks… more on that soon.
Bye for now, we’re off to invite each of these busy green cool schools to sign up at Practically Green!
P.S. We blogged about 2010 rankings here.
Avital Binshtock
See Avital’s action plan on Practically Green! Follow her on Twitter @avitlb and don’t miss the tweets from @Sierra_Life.
It’s Back to School time, and parents and students are asking for better food when they get there. Chef Ann Cooper is at the forefront of the campaign to “transform how we feed our children in school each day, from highly processed to highly nourishing food — one school lunch at a time.”
Chef Ann with Friends
We asked Chef Ann for advice on how to make positive change happen.
Here’s the first thing parents can do: Every school has had a wellness policy in place since 2006 from the USDA. Many of these are collecting dust on some administrator’s desk. So my advice is: Find it and Read it! Go in and eat lunch with the kids. Compare the policy and the food. If the policy is good and the food is bad – then it’s an implementation issue. If the policy is bad and the food is bad, then it’s a policy issue. This is a place to start.
Second, get like-minded people together and go to the school board.
Three: Get a group to try and support the Nutrition Food Services at the school. Have a meeting with the director. Ask, what do you need? They aren’t necessarily the enemy. There are site-based decisions: about lunch times, length of the lunch period – 30 minutes makes a big difference. Look at whether recess comes before or after lunch. Having recess before lunch is much better, because if kids run around and play they’re hungry and thirsty, and they’re more likely to sit still and eat!
Chef Ann’s fourth book is called Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way we Feed Our Children. The Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative already serves half a million children, and she’s aiming for 100% participation. … Are you at a school that wants a salad bar? Find out more!
What’s her advice on packing lunches that kids will love?
I really think that kids need choices. They need to be part of the planning. I like lunchbox systems that can handle lots of little things. Dried fruit and nuts, fresh fruit or veggies with a dip, a little salad, a small sandwich. Kids love to dip, to taste, to have choice.
Bento boxes from Goodbyn
Click here to get Chef Ann’s recipes for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Mango Lassi, anyone? Nuts & Bolts? Lemon Ricotta Pancakes?
Chef Ann’s website has tools including this Chez Panisse-spnsored booklet:
Find out more about Chef Ann on her site, ChefAnn.com, where you can sign up for “Ann Alerts.” Join her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/chefannc) and follw her on Twitter @ChefAnnC and via hashtag #foodrevolution.
For more ideas, check out The Lunch Box, another free online resource with recipes, how-to videos, and inspiration!
You’ll feel great when you grab 10 of these actions for your PG Back to School badge!
It’s Back to School season, that time of the year when parents and kids shift gears — big time. Unless you’re a teacher, a principal, or a schools chancellor, you might not know that Schools have to get ready to Go Back to School, too! The New York Times has a story about the impressive green efforts at a number of metropolitan-area schools. Many of these actions will be familiar to Practically Green users — switch off the lights when the room is empty, unplug appliances that aren’t in use, save energy in numerous ways. “We’re focused on energy reduction like crazy,” NYC’s school chancellor says.
Today’s guest blogger offers an even broader perspective. As Program Director for Whipple Hill, the go-to resource for web and software designed for top-tier educators, Jill Judd advises educators coast to coast.
Back-to-School Green, by Jill Judd
Summer is not quite over and there are still plenty of beach days and BBQs to be had. Soon though, the nights will bring a slight chill in the air and it will be time for that school bell to ring once again. Although it may not be quite as fun as hanging by the pool, “back to school” season is usually pretty exciting too!
While the students are plotting out their best first day of school outfit or planning their strategy to score straight “A’s”, the teachers and school staff are prepping their classrooms, buildings, grounds and lunch menus to make sure that this will be the best school year yet. No matter who you are in the school community, there is plenty of preparation that must be done before that first bell can ring.
It’s true, the stress of back to school planning can take its toll, but have you considered how heading back to school can also impact the environment? There are lots of great ways that everyone in the school community can chip and do their part and most of them are easier than you think to accomplish.
Before the hustle and bustle begins, the campus is already abuzz with activity. The buildings and grounds staff are hard at work making sure that everything runs smoothly. 
The lights go on, the buildings are cooled and the grounds are checked for safety. Did you know though that most schools pay for their energy usage for entire year based on those first few startup weeks? This is called a school’s “peak demand” and it means that the energy company will bill the school based on their highest amount of usage over a given period.
Here’s a simple math lesson to get your gears going before your first big pop quiz:
More Lights + More AC = More $$
According to Rachael Buchanan, K-12 Independent/University Market Manager and one of SchoolDude.com’s resident energy experts, schools can lower their peak demand charges by making a few simple changes. For starters, be sure that when it is time to bring campus back to life, do so slowly. In other words, don’t wake a sleeping giant. It is extremely important to be sure that everything is in working order, but when testing the lights for example, be sure that they are not left on for long periods of time. Another thing that can be helpful is to set the heating and cooling units to reasonable daytime temperature that is comfortable without requiring a sweater at the end of August or shorts in mid-October.
Building automation systems can be extremely effective for this purpose. An automation system will allow you to tell a building when it should come to life and when it should take a nap. Annual energy audits are also a great way to keep costs down. Audits can be conducted by an engineering firm or self-directed by the school’s maintenance staff. Simply reviewing all of the school’s equipment to be sure that it is in proper working order will go a long way to ensure that it is using energy efficiently.
Teachers and office staff can help keep energy costs down too! Classroom computers and other instructional items should always be powered off when they are not in use. Do you have a personal coffee pot, mini fridge or microwave in your classroom? Shared teacher/ staff break rooms can save decrease a lot of energy usage. Saved energy translates into more money that can be put back into school programs. Just make sure that you don’t steal someone else’s lunchtime burrito!
Aside from energy usage, there are many other initiatives that can be put into place to make campus a greener, healthier place. Students may have the biggest voice in this effort and it is so important for them to get involved. Does your school have a green team? Here’s a great activity that you can join, without even having to try out!
Green teams or eco-school programs are an awesome way to rally support and create awareness at school. In fact, green teams are responsible for generating lots of change at schools around the country. From recycling programs to organic lunch options, these groups are making a real difference.
Far Hills Country Day School in Far Hills, NJ installed Windspires on their campus. These wind turbines are expected to offset the energy costs for the classrooms of up to two different grade levels. Students were able to take part in the entire process from planning approval to classroom education on wind energy.
In Albuquerque, NM, the entire school community of Albuquerque Academy takes part in achieving the school’s sustainability goals. Food waste from the school cafeteria is composted in worm beds that are also used for science classes. Speaking of food, before it is turned into compost at this school, it is purchased from mostly local growers and food sources. Any leftovers are frozen and donated to a local food pantry as well, making sure that very little will ever go to waste. This fall, Albuquerque will be taking their green initiatives to the web by recreating their school’s printed magazine publication in a more accessible and highly sustainable online format. In doing so, they’ll not only be saving paper and a pretty penny on postage, but will also gain the ability to track the readership of their magazine using web-based analytics!
There are so many ways that schools can become more eco-friendly. Organizations like The Green Schools Alliance are helpful resources that you can use to get started. Great ideas are bred by the thoughts of many. So much more can be accomplished when everyone lends a hand. So why not go back to school “green” this year?
Jill’s autobiography: Jill Judd is a thirty-something foodie, wine lover, fashionista, and reformed green girl. By day, she runs a successful partner program for Whipple Hill Communications out of Southern NH. By night, she can be found in Raleigh, NC with her boyfriend David and lovable, albeit ever so slightly neurotic shih-tzu named Max.
Always on the go, Jill treasures any time she can spend with her friends and loves to sit down with a good book, or work on her own blog – Fashionably Chaotic. Jill’s green initiatives started small with just everyday recycling, but after noticing what a difference it made in the amount of trash she was throwing out every week, she began to explore other ways to go green. Now a huge advocate for buying and cooking local, Jill has found the health benefits of enjoying a local and mostly organic diet. From changing out the light bulbs to taking up gardening, Jill is learning something new everyday about sustainability. Her biggest challenge so far has been weeding out her make-up bag…but some day she’ll get there!
Pssst to Jill: check out PG’s Green Beauty actions!
Practically Green’s new Back to School badge from Goodbyn offers an easy fun way to get organized and boost your score! Please have a look, and let us know what you think!
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Back to school lunches…again?
by Lisa Borden (the mouthwatering photos are courtesy of LaptopLunches.com)
Whether you like it or not, that first day of school is approaching, as is the packing of school lunches! Get inspired…pack great waste-free lunches, but do so in record time, taking our health and our planet into consideration every bite of the way.
Follow these 6 shopping suggestions to help you navigate the aisles, build a great pantry and be an eco-lunch trendsetter:
1. Buy in Bulk…or avoid all individually packaged items. Try a full size container of organic yogurt over conventional single servings. It’s only a myth that it’s easier and quicker to pack an individual granola bar over a handful of pretzels. It’s not only healthier, but you will be surprised when you add up the savings. Kids are best with Laptop Lunches. (Glass isn’t allowed at many schools – and these allow kids to look at ALL of their food at lunch and snacks rather than choosing individuals containers – sandwiches get looked at again at snack time and eaten instead of the pretzels alone! J.)
2. Buy Fresh…and organic and local if you can. It improves the nutritional quality of your food and tastes better. Let your spouse and kids shop with you. We know, you might think this is a recipe for disaster, but it’s a chance to get connected to your food, and when your kids choose things themselves, they are more likely to eat them. My kids know what criteria a product must meet before getting into our cart: they need to be able to read all ingredients (and understand what they are), look for allergens (my daughter is severely allergic to all nuts and peanuts), and a slew of other rules that I won’t share, but they are pretty stringent – make your own rules that work for your family. The real trick is to shop the outside perimeter of the grocery store (where the fresh food is) — the middle aisles are full of the packaged foods, food wrap, chemicals etc.
3. Read your Labels…because a long list of ingredients often indicates the presence of questionable chemicals – MSG (yuck!) has so many ways of disguising its name, you would not believe the products it is found in. Take extra time to think about each item before you put it in your shopping cart even if you are in a rush to get to carpool or home to your couch. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, you shouldn’t be using it, and certainly shouldn’t be ingesting it. If you spend the time, you will find a healthier option, with fewer ingredients for all of your favourites. (If not, find a new store!)
4. Resist the Marketing… So many foods that are marketed to children and adults alike are low in nutrients and high in calories, salt, saturated fat, and refined sugars. (Check out AppetiteforProfit.com.) As parents, we don’t have Dora, Scooby-Doo, pop celebrities, sports stars, contests, prizes, surprises or the latest market-research tools to help us persuade our kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. As shoppers, we are also programmed to look at what is not in our packaged food, over caring about what is in it. Trans-fat free? Why was there trans fat in there to begin with? And, just because something has a green health seal on it does not mean it’s certified healthy by anyone but the company making it. (Have you seen the #healthwashing Facebook page yet? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Healthwashing-Wall-of-Shame/182861575104033.)
The next generation gets it! Lisa Borden's youngest
5. Stop Making Garbage…This is even more important than recycling…why use in the first place? A waste-free lunch means you have no packaging to throw away when you’re done — nothing other than apple cores, banana and orange peels or cherry pits. When you throw things away, where do you think “away” is?
6. Find a Champion…or be one. Inspire your workplace to institute rules about take out. Ban the disposable coffee cups and bottles of water to start. Take action at your school to reform the food served and the way food is brought into schools or workplaces. A passionate, informed, persuasive and committed champion can be an effective cheerleader and major force in creating healthier and happier communities.
Lisa Borden
You are making an impact with your school lunch choices whether it’s negative or positive. Choose to make a positive impact and watch how others follow. (and your kids will love it…really, they will!)
A complete Guide to Packing Lunches by the Borden Communications Team is available for free download here: http://issuu.com/bordencommunications/docs/packing_lunches_final
Lisa Borden, owner of Borden Communications, takes a unique approach to holistically marketing eco-intelligent living and working. Some of her favourite titles (from a long list) include: Catalyst for Change, Enthusiastic Philanthropist, Inspiration Agent, Strategist + Catalyst, Mother of 3 and Wannabe Organic Farmer.
The minute we heard that Corey Colwell-Lipson was remodeling her new farmhouse near Seattle (and working with Green Depot to make it as green as can be), we wanted to be involved. After all, we have dozens of green home-building suggestions on Practically Green, e.g., Use no-VOC paints, Add insulation to your roof.
Updating my 30-year-old farm-style home with my family, the Earth (and my wallet) in mind is easier (and a lot more fun!) with Practically Green’s action plan.
Why wouldn’t they be beaming?! They’ve already got 200 extra PG points for Buy a pre-owned home instead of building new! Corey is posting progress reports at CelebrateGreen, and we’ll share excerpts from this lively journey.
First, the Stairs:
Staircase Before
Before: Staircase with carpet
Aside from the entry, kitchen and two bathrooms, the house was covered in wall-to-wall carpet (including the master bath!). Due to health issues, we don’t “do” carpet (more on that in an upcoming post), so it all needed to come out. But we didn’t want to toss it into a landfill so we posted the carpet and padding on Craigslist’s free pages. Within a few minutes of posting, we had a taker.
After: Sans carpet
We are currently in the process of deciding what type of flooring will go in. We’re looking for floors that are safe, sustainable and durable. Icing on the (organic) cake if they’re beautiful, too. Stay tuned!
Second, The Wall:
Before Wall
Before: Dining room/living room divided by a large wall
Previously, if you were in the living room, you couldn’t see out the french doors onto the (fabulous) porch. And if you were in the dining room you couldn’t fully enjoy the fireplace and bay window.
Solution? Bye-bye wall.
After: No Wall!
After: Wall removed, drop ceiling in dining room raised
The dining room and living room are now one. It’s absolutely amazing how open the space feels. What a difference!
Find out more about Corey’s Demolition. Click here for the story of how they found their dream house. And here for the morning after, aka, The Vision.
P.S. Corey’s company CelebrateGreen originated the wonderfully successful Green Hallowe’en initiative to take the junk out of Trick or Treating (and Practically Green is a proud sponsor.) Join them on Facebook! Find out more here: http://greenhalloween.org
Have you heard that women who wear lipstick ingest several pounds of LEAD in their lifetimes? We did, and that bugged us, so we had a good look at the Switch to a natural lipstick action on Practically Green:
How about a lipstick that’s made of Castor Seed Oil, Beeswax, Shea butter, Vitamin E, and Sea Kelp, among other ingredients? That describes our favorite new lipstick by Mineral Fusion.
Katrina Simeck of Mineral Fusion
Katrina Simeck manages social media & community building at MF, and she’s a true believer in natural cosmetics.
Here’s her feedback on Practically Green.
I consider myself to pretty green-minded. By my family’s standards, I’m downright crunchy – so I was anxious to take the Practically Green quiz. I breezed through the initial questions – recycle glass bottles? Yes! 50 points! Recycle paper? Of course. 100 points! Eat a vegetarian diet? Go me! Another 200 points! My victory was short-lived as the questions got a bit more specific, and a bit tougher. Install rain barrels? Uhm, well…I’ve thought about it. Buy organic vegetables regularly? Let’s define “regularly,” I thought as I munched a non-organic apple. At the end of the quiz, I received my score – Fairly Green. Definitely room for improvement!
I’m happy to report that I am now Solidly Green after returning to the quiz and exploring more actions. Here’s the terrific thing about that initial Practically Green quiz – it made me think. Think of how many of our daily routines are performed merely out of habit. It’s time to green those habits. The Practically Green site gave me an extra push to put together an action plan to change up (and green up) my daily routines. It’s great that Practically Green breaks down each area into individual actions. Every little bit helps!
Since I work in the natural cosmetics industry, the Green Beauty actions are the logical place for me to start. At first glance, I’m interested in the guidance that is given around selecting natural cosmetic & personal care items. One of the challenges that we face in the industry is the lack of a clear, widely accepted, and regulated guideline that defines “natural.” It isn’t enough to choose a brand that uses the word natural (or even organic) in their labeling. It’s important to become familiar with ingredients & their functions – then make the choice that feels right for you.
Making the switch to natural cosmetics doesn’t have to be daunting. You can convert your entire makeup collection at once – or simply switch out one product a month!
For a virtual cabinet full of Green Beauty actions, click here.
Learn more about Mineral Fusion on Facebook, follow them @MineralFusion, and visit the website.
It’s Makeover Week!
Think of a mess in your life that’s been nagging at you. Maybe it’s all those hot-to-the-touch lightbulbs you’ve been meaning to swap with CFLs. Or you’ve finally decided to bring your lunch to work one day a week.
Susan organized an unwieldy pile of children’s art into a family-friendly art show (see more about this on our Facebook wall).
Monet's Giverny by 5 year-old, framed
As for me, I’m determined to finally tackle my cabinets full of plastic food-storage containers – the more I read about plastic, the more I do not want it touching my food. Period.
This week’s blog posts will cover a series of makeovers – including cosmetics, DIY sparkling water – and an entire house!
For inspiration, we called Tami O’Neill at the Monday Campaigns. We consider Tami the Makeover Queen; her team has assembled compelling data on what drives positive behavior changes to support Meatless Monday, Quit & Stay Quit Monday, Move it Monday, Healthy Monday, and more.
“Tap into what’s most impacting your life,” she advises. “We like to begin on Mondays because it’s natural – maybe you went overboard over the weekend and you want to straighten out. So whether it’s eating less meat, or getting ten minutes of exercise into your day – it’s all about establishing a new routine. Maybe Monday bleeds into Tuesday, and maybe by next week you’re doing it on Wednesday as well.”
What’s Tami’s makeover this week?
“I am totally overwhelmed,” she told us. “I just moved into a new apartment and I’m waiting on furniture, et cetera. So my makeover is to get real with my budget so I can save more money. I plan on doing this with the help of some healthy and green habits, like doing more thrift-store shopping and getting less takeout.”
TaDa!! Practically Green has three actions for Tami:
Buy antique or secondhand furniture and home goods
Buy clothing from vintage or consignment stores regularly
Reduce takeout meals to once a week or less
What’s your plan?
We’re just off the phone with Eliza Starbuck, creator of of Bright Young Things, where Wear-a-thon champions show how to dress stylishly green.
Here’s Eliza on day 1 of her Little Black Dress Wear-a-thon:
and here she is on day 30: 
Eliza’s mantra is to wear what you already have, sew your own, upcycle. In general, she says, use your noggin before you buy another cheap dress from H&M! She’s launched Forevermore, a campaign to stop clothing waste. Think you’ll enjoy the Forevermore team’s video entry for Yoxi’s Trim the Waste of Fashion contest… and if you do, why not throw it a vote!
If you ARE in the mood to buy eco-chic, we recommend Kaight, a NYC-based boutique dedicated to slow fashion: “meaning KAIGHT stocks emerging green designers from the U.S., Europe and Canada that make clothes that push the boundaries of fashion in an environmentally conscious and ethical way.” We’re hooked on owner Kate McGregor’s integrity – and her brilliant blend of practical and extravagant. Shops are located in Brooklyn and on Manhattan’s lower east side. We visited the online store and are in love with a bag and scarf we could not resist. Neither one was inexpensive, but we are using them both almost every day! (This is the Forevermore way to shop, after all.) We asked Kate for a Mid-Summer’s Treat: tips for feeling fresh and stylish when it’s torrid outside and you’re beyond bored with your summer wardrobe. Even if you’ve already blown your budget for August, we think you’ll enjoy Kate’s distinctly Kaight approach.
Most women don’t take dressing for warmer temperatures very seriously and opt for throw-away garments or simply anything that will keep them cool. This creates a lot of unnecessary waste, which we all know is not good! Below are a few key ways I recommend to keep you looking fresh this summer without winding up with a bag full of disposable clothing at the end of the season.
1. Invest in lightweight cotton or silk dresses that can also be worn with tights or layered with a sweater in the fall. I’m a big advocate of trans-seasonal dressing and always encourage customers to choose pieces that they think will work in various stages of their wardrobe. Some of my favorites for this are Thieves 5-in-1 dress and The Podolls Picnic Dress.
Thieves 5-in-1 Dress
2. Shorts have been slowly making their way into an urban summer wardrobe. I love this organic cotton version by Nau.
3. Accessorize with a great scarf. Scarves are great because they can enhance a somewhat lackluster look by adding some texture and pattern. Also, they come in very handy when you’re in a restaurant and the air conditioner is turned way up. [PG: Advise the manager that he gets 50 PG points when he turns up the A/C a few degrees?!] I suggest a great silk or cotton scarf and one that is big enough to wrap around your shoulders if you get chilly. I’m obsessed with JUMA’s laser printed scarves. Their images are a work of art and since they are laser-printed there is minimal waste in the dying process.
4. COLOR! Summer is the best time to explore and play with color. If you’re intimidated by a bright tomato red (which is everywhere this season), at least opt for a colorful bag, shoe or even a necklace.
5. Be kind to your toes. A good pedicure is a must in the summer. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recently classified Formaldehyde a carcinogen. Almost all conventional nail polishes contain formaldehyde as well as other nasty chemicals, including toulene and DHB. Fortunately, there are lots of great alternatives, including PRITI, Acquarella, Scotch Naturals, and Strange Beautiful.
Get 10 PG Points for Using a natural nail polish!
Interested? For more on Kate and Kaight: KaightNYC.Blogspot.com, KaightShop.com. Join her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @kaightshop.
And, we’d love to hear what you’re wearing this summer!
How to be Fashionably Green: Buy vintage or consignment stores regularly- 50 points, Donate clothing to charity- 20 points, or Buy something used on Ebay or Craigslist- 5 points.
Berlin Designer Schmidttakahashi gathers worn clothing and reassembles garments into completely new and totally fabulous pieces:
It’s a curious and fascinating experience to slip into the external “skin” of another person. Even if the clothes are mass produced for an unknown number of consumers, each piece is affected by the individual as soon as it ends up in a the hands of that particular person. It is no longer an anonymous object. It stores aesthetic information unique to it’s owner including things like body shape, smell, posture, attitude and lifestyle.
(Thanks for pointing this out, Ecouterre.)
If you can’t get to Schmidttakahashi, Jenelle Montilone has advice on how to recycle your clothes locally. Jenelle blogs about DIY upcycled fashion at TrashN2Tees, which offers a sustainable alternative to funky, custom, and one of kind clothing and accessories handmade using 100% reclaimed materials.
Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do with your unworn, unwanted, outgrown, stained up, old, and out of style clothing? The average American throws away 68 pounds of clothing each year. Stop! Take a few steps away from that garbage can and listen up- 98% of clothes thrown into the landfills can be recycled, I’ll one up that – because 100% can be upcycled or repurposed.
There are companies and organizations that will take your unwanted clothing and some even offer pick up services at your doorstep! You might be surprised to find out that some Goodwill and Salvation Army stores also participate in clothing recycling. While they do not sell stained clothing, many locations do bundle up the unwanted unwearables and sell them to rag sorters. After the clothing is sorted and processed it may be shredded into fibers and made into new shiny new products like insulation for stereos, archival-quality paper, blankets and even plastic fencing or rubberized playgrounds. Clothing can also be shipped to Third World countries where they may have an extended life.
Here are some other options:
Patagonia’s Common Threads Garment Recycling Program accepts worn out fleece, cotton t-shirts and some polyester, and transforms the old fibers into new fashions, like this vest.
Dress for Success – This international not-for-profit organization promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire along with job counseling. Each woman “dressed for success” receives one suit when she lands a job interview; she can receive a second suit or outfit when she finds work. Since 1997, Dress for Success has served almost 300,000 women around the world. You can donate suits, blouses, pants, shoes, jewelry, briefcases, black tote bags, and other appropriate business apparel.
Soles4Souls - Providing free footwear to people in need around the world, this nonprofit organization startede after the Asian tsunami in December 2004, continued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and today distributes shoes worldwide. It also partners with Dress for Success to provide career footwear.
One World Running – This Colorado-based non-profit organization ships donated running shoes, soccer gear, and baseball equipment to athletes in Central America, Haiti, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe – The program grinds up and recycles discarded shoe material to build playground mats, basketball courts, and running tracks.
To complete the recycling circle, it is also important to consider buying clothing secondhand or made using recycled materials.
* You save money: buying reusable, quality products is less expensive
* You conserve natural resources: decreasing energy and raw material consumption helps the planet
* You eliminate waste: sensible consumption frees up natural resources for other worthwhile purposes
Jenelle has an easy no sew tutorial that she says will turn your t-shirt into a scarf in 20 minutes! See the TrashN2Tees blog for more great ideas to consume less and recycle more.
Kids' t-shirt made using 100% reclaimed materials
TrashN2Tees also offers a TrashN2Cash Clothing Recycling Program to collect clothing for repurposing and ensures still usable items that are collected are passed on to those in need by supporting Dress for Success, The Goodwill Industries of KY, and local shelters.
Montilone supports Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the March of Dimes. Recently, via Craft Hope, she sent bracelets to orphans in Russia in honor of her Facebook fans. Follow her on Twitter @trashn2tees.
Shopping on eBay is inherently green, according to JD Norton, eBay’s Green Team Community Manager. Their mantra: “The greenest product is the one that already exists.”
Practically Green’s 5-point action elaborates: Buy something used from eBay.
Reusing anything and everything is a lovely way to stop waste at the source; every time you buy secondhand—from a table to a t-shirt–you’re avoiding (or at least delaying) that specific item’s entry into the waste collection and disposal system. Our groaning landfills will thank you.
Reusing has additional environmental benefits including reducing demand for the resources (natural and otherwise) that go into the manufacture and transport of anything new.
Note PG’s product recommendation:
eBayGreen's JD Norton
“Joining” eBay Green is easy: simply enter your eBay credentials, and you’re in a realm of content and shopping ideas that will solve everything on your to-do list: Pre-Owned, Resource-Saving, and Sustainable.
Wonderful packing boxes emerged from a company-wide Innovation Expo competition last year: “Basically, it’s an environmentally friendly, durable box that’s been designed to be used over and over and over again. That might sound like a pretty simple concept, but we think the idea is actually pretty powerful – especially in a marketplace like eBay where many of our buyers are also sellers and sellers are also buyers.” Check out the inside of this box: 
When you receive one of these boxes, log its ID# on the site and find out where it’s been!
- For parents: a back to school focus “We understand – all your kid’s pants have suddenly become Capris, so their request for new jeans is definitely justified. But, consider all options before heading to the mall. Save the planet and your wallet some resources and buy pre-owned girls‘ or boys’ jeans.”
- For golf nuts: this happy eBay seller merchandized 10 million+ “gently used” golf balls on eBay in 2010.
- See more Member Profiles here.
I took the plunge: I ventured into the vast eBayGreen Inventory — vintage family board games, Coclico shoes vetted by Splendora, copper braising pots, LP records, furniture, Gucci handbags, clutches made from coffee-bean sacks, LED or CFL lightbulbs — and before I knew it I was hooked. I could not stop myself from placing a bid on a 1979 version of Chutes and Ladders!
Three clicks later I had to have this Aurora Borealis crystal vintage brooch and earrings! I offered $7.50 and I swear they look exactly like Schlumberger originals. 
Here’s a great concept: JD points out that eBay Motors is a terrific place to shop for energy-efficient vehicles. YES, all you green car buffs: they have Chevy Volts, Tesla, Priuses, and Mercedes S series.“There’s a huge selection – we separate out Certified Pre-owned, Alternative Fuel, and Collector (aka Vintage) Cars. There’s lots of electric cars…. We even sell wind turbines.”
Would you like some old doors to make into a headboard? 
These “Castle Doors from Seventeenth Century Austria” would be terrific!!
Zem Joaquin, the founder of ecofabulous, is our favorite eBay spokesperson. See Zem’s eBay inspirations here, including DIY Coffee bag tote and creative eco gift wrapping; and check out her Practically Green action plan! (Wonder how she’s coming on the rainwater harvesting system…. maybe there’s one here on eBay?)
JD says there are major plans afoot for eBay Green — coming SOON! — and we can barely wait to see them and share them with you. For now, we’re impressed by the 2400 employees who form 25 eBay Green Teams worldwide — and I’m really looking forward to playing Chutes and Ladders again – decked out in my Aurora Borealis brooch!!!
Follow eBay Green on Twitter @eBayGreen and follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eBayGreen
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