Sarah Hamilton

New Blog!

2010-01-21T17:52:00.000-05:00

I have started writing on a new Blog!
Start reading Sarah Hamilton Coaching! This is where you'll find my musings on Gratitude, Inspiration, Stillness and Awe... I look forward to finding you there!!

Inspiration

2010-01-20T10:14:00.004-05:00

So today I was inspired by a Client! How do you take care of yourselves? And how does it manifest in your life? Often times in our busy life we loose track of time and stop eating right our sleeping the amount we would like. But specifically during the Winter our eating habit sometimes fall by the wayside because our favorite local vegetables that are easily accessible during the summer just can't be found unless they are shipped in from afar.... Well I came across an AMAZING site today called WindowFarms.org. Well you might ask yourself... What are Window Farms? "Window Farms are vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, high-yield edible window gardens built using low-impact or recycled local materials." This organizations goal is to start a Window farming craze in New York City and other dense urban areas. In turn helping people grow some of their food year-round in their apartment windows. Take a look at this:

So maybe you, like me will be inspired to get the instructions off the site!

Inspiration

2010-01-14T15:27:00.005-05:00

I'm not a American Idol watcher this season but I have to say that this clip did not get by me!! And how happy am I!! This man inspires me! 62 year old Larry Platt! This dude can get down! and get back up again and get down again! There is a section in the clip where he is doing crunches better then I can! Enjoy... Did I say he was 62 and such Joy!!!

PS If Ellen really is a judge this season it might just get me to watch...

Love Project

2010-01-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

I'm all about giving unconditional love and I'm so grateful for the lessons I have learned and am able to teach. Since everyone we meet is not only our teacher but our student.

Enjoy!

Art

2010-01-04T11:09:00.005-05:00

I think that creativity is an essential part of our being. As an artist I thought I'd share this beautiful youtube clip with you... It just makes me smile.

Inspiration

2010-01-02T09:55:00.005-05:00

I love when inspiration hits me! I have been Tweeting for a few months now..... I think, and there are a few "tweople" who really add sparkle to my day, one of which I really have to give a little extra to...... @ManifestingMama!! I had already decided to do my Gratitude Experiment and getting others to join, when I came upon her Rockin' LOA (Law of Attraction) site!

I know I was only going to do my experiment for one month but I have found that it truly put me me in such a better space. I have meditated for over 20 years and am actually in the process of recording a meditation CD and this is such a wonderful way of bringing ones focus right into the present moment. You know how yogi's say "One breath in and one breath out is a meditation.". Well One Gratitude thought in present form is a meditation.

This past month was such a gift..... Why would I want to stop? So I ask you... What present thought of Gratitude would you like to give yourself?

Join the Gratitude Experiment!

Gratitude postings!

2009-12-22T16:57:00.003-05:00

So I am getting down to the end of my Gratitude experiment..... And I gotta tell ya I don't want to stop! What I have learned has been astounding! First and foremost, it keeps me in the moment. By stating what I am Gr8ful for throughout the day versus in one fell swoop at the end of the day it pulls me smack dab into the moment at the exact time of statement. It's amazing! I declare my gratitude and I am opened up to the moment in a joyful abundant way. I end up feeling like anything is possible. So in turn more abundant. I ended up winning a raffle for a toy for my dog. I started working more. My social life picked up. I could go on. It's really quite astounding. All of which makes me more available to be of service to others.

I'll write more about this at the end, which happens to be right after Christmas. I thought it was quite clever of me to start on the first Sunday in Advent. This is the time of the birth of Christ. So we can birth any new idea and gift we choose. I choose to birth the gift of Gratitude... because it's really quite extraordinary!

Home for the Holidays and being Gr8ful!

2009-12-19T16:45:00.001-05:00

I haven't been home to my parents in a few months and it's sooooooo beautiful at the holidays. I try to visit my Mom and Dad about once a month since I live so close. Now that's something to be Gr8ful for. Aging parents who are close.... I feel blessed that I can get there when needed. Hug them and tell them that you love them while you can. Stay open to the Joy of the season and not the pomp and circumstance. I can't wait to get on that sleigh and head home for the Holidays!

OK... so I'm a sap and I like egg nog too!

Grateful for Skype!

2009-12-09T12:42:00.003-05:00

It is amazing to me how friends who are far away don't seem so far away anymore. Skype allows for chatting to seem effortless and right in the same room. I can see the person! Now this might seem like old hat to some of you but for me I am using it ALL the time now. It adds such benefit to my life and in turn I am quite Grateful for it. It allows me to see friends and family up close and personally at any time during the day, time variable taken into consideration.

So needless to say I am a big fan!

3rd Day of the Gratitude Experiment

2009-12-02T10:20:00.002-05:00

Peoples responses have been quite interesting in regards to what I am grateful for.... One response yesterday asked if "I was running out of ideas?". I had written that I was Grateful for clean laundry. Now I happen to really LOVE the smell of clean sheets. Climbing in at the end of the day after a really good shower..... Heaven! I am not changing my sheets everyday. It is a once a week treat and ALWAYS better once the job is completed.

What makes a Gratification any smaller or greater just because of another persons perception? And Why does it "need" to be of great significance? Sometimes the smallest gifts carry the greatest impact. I could write " I am Grateful for my life" which is true but it does not make the clean sheets any less fantastic to me. I have to say that writing them down as they come to me is very different then writing them down at the end of the day which use to be my m.o. Somehow it feels more organic and I don't have to "think" at the end of the day... I am loosing track of how many I am doing, though.

Well this is s short one but more will be revealed!

Gratitude postings!

2009-11-29T11:58:00.005-05:00

Today is the first Sunday in Advent and the end of Thanksgiving weekend. So I got to thinking about all the things I am grateful for, which are many! And in turn I have decided to Tweet and Facebook each day 5 things for which I am grateful. I have kept a Gratitude Journal for years now but I am wondering what might happen vibrationally if I say them out loud to others. So for the next month I will be declaring the 5 things I am grateful for through out the day and blogging about how the process elucidates things in my life. I am expecting a lot of bright shiny things!!!!

Today I am Grateful for...

1) Always my morning walk with my dog! (which you may hear a lot)
2) Actually having the time to relax and get rid of my cough!
3) A free cup of Coffee!!!!!!
4) Realizing that I actually AM prepared for my exam next weekend!
.................drum roll............ number 5
5) Mint licorice Tea!!!! It's the bomb!

I know I said I would do it through out the day but I was inspired! Hey how many of you might be inspired to do the Gratitude month with me. Ya never know what might happen?!

Charter for Compassion

2009-11-20T12:07:00.001-05:00

About a month ago I signed the Charter for Compassion that I heard about from the TED talks. If you are not familiar with the TED talks they are a symposium of people who get together and discuss "Ideas worth spreading". They discuss everything from economics, philosophy, philanthropy, to Meta Physics and Spirituality. We sign the Charter which states that we will be more aware of how we not only treat others but how we think about them as well. Compassion is something that should be illuminated and given freely across all lines. So I urge you to take a pact of Compassion and non-violence and see what happens because the way we embrace the Universe is the way it will embrace us.

Being Lazy By Doing Too Much

2009-10-23T10:42:00.008-04:00

I have to Thank my friend Tina Roth Eisenberg for this post. She inspired me to think....
There are different species of laziness: Eastern and Western. The Eastern style is like the one practised in India. It consists of hanging out all day in the sun, doing nothing, avoiding any kind of work or useful activity, drinking cups of tea, listening to Hindi film music blaring on the radio, and gossiping with friends. Western laziness is quite different. It consists of cramming our lives with compulsive activity, so there is no time at all to confront the real issues. This form of laziness lies in our failure to choose worthwhile applications for our energy.

– Sogyal Rinpiche

This made me think about how we all spend our down time and what is the most conscious choice? Or What is the most supportive choice we can make for ourselves?

It is just a thought....

Thought for the Day!

2009-10-03T11:54:00.001-04:00

"There are 2 Great days in a person's life - the day we are born and the day we discover why." - William Barclay

A Great tip!

2009-09-02T10:30:00.002-04:00

I was told awhile ago about a great tip to get the last bit of product out of tubes. You know how when you get to the bottom of your lotion, toothpaste or in my case condition in the soft plastic tube you are mangling the container just to get the last little bit out. Well I have come to the rescue, well..... I can't take the credit but I am relaying the info.

Cut the tube in half!

You'd be amazed at just how much is left in that little container. There are at least 2 whole more applications of product that you are throwing away. It's kind of exciting! I know.... as I've said before it's the little things that make me happy.

Don't take my word for it. Try it. It just might do it for you too or at least it will amaze you at just how much toothpaste is left in the toothpaste tube.

SIGG Bottles

2009-08-31T10:44:00.002-04:00

Sigg bottles made pre-Aug 08 contain trace amounts of BPA's. Whole Foods will take your old bottle back. There was a recent article on the Tree Hugger site that brought this issue to light and talked about the liner that was the culprite. Read it and then try and remember when you bought your bottle, which is where I am right now.

Thought for the Day!

2009-08-28T14:28:00.000-04:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Marianne Williamson

A Dietary Change

2009-08-27T10:28:00.003-04:00

I have made a recent change to my diet. I am going Gluten Free. What's that you might ask? Well Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat and barely. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family however, contain gluten. Examples of grains that do not have gluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, oats, soybeans and sunflower seeds. Hence I eat nothing! No, I'm kidding. I 'm eating a ton of stuff. Over 20 years ago I was tested as being allergic to wheat so I ate a wheat free diet and if I could do that then, when the choices were limited I can most certainly do it now. The choices are limitless. There is an autoimmune disorder called Celiac disease, it is a digestive condition triggered by the consumption of gluten and it has become more known in the last ten years. And because of it, there are more GF good food options.

Why am I doing this you ask? I have had MS for the last 7 years and fortunately I only deal with extreme fatigue and what's called "brain fog", where I have an extremely hard time concentrating. There have been some studies that Gluten can be a cause of this in other autoimmune disorders, So why not give it a try for 6 months, Right? I already test positive for a wheat allergy. What have I got to loose?

More will be revealed....

Core Values

2009-08-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking a lot about Core Values lately and what they mean, not only to me but to my Clients and how they relate to meeting a significant other. They are the foundation of everything I do or at least they should be. What are they to me... Compassion, Spirituality, Honesty, Open-mindedness and Service. At first I thought I would not say what they are but by saying them, they hold steadfast. Not only to myself but others can hold me to them as well. If I ever feel uncomfortable about something that I am doing I know that my core values are not being treated with the respect that they deserve.

These values are not your personality traits but the core belief system that you do not waiver from. They are the stepping stones that we share with not only our loved ones but our friends who last. Here is a list of values if you are having a hard time finding some for yourself:

Peace Integrity Power Wealth Joy Influence Happiness Love Justice Success Recognition Spirituality Friendship Family Career Fame Truth Status Authenticity Wisdom Acceptance Health Passion Risk-Tolerance Risk-Adverse Motivated Enthusiastic Optimistic Critical Caring Compassion Excellence Innovative Balance Teamwork Fun Alignment Comfortable Open-Minded Pride Results Achievement Fairness Respect Decisive Honest

Core values are beautiful and are what set us apart and are are what bring us together. Finding these qualities out in a person are what help us to align each person with their spirit. For example you don't ask someone to lie if the core value is honesty or you don't ask parent to give up their only day off to go hang out when their core value is family. Once you understand someone it helps.

So shout out your values let people get to know you. You never know who you might meet?

Tough Time of Year...

2009-08-17T11:07:00.002-04:00

So I have to be honest.... I have been have a hard time sitting down to write these days. This heat has been getting the best of me. I go outside to put out my compost or go for a walk or simply go to work and I just can't seem to breath. The woman who loves the summer is up to her eyeballs in this humidity. I run my air-conditioning in the morning to cool off the apartment and then I turn it off and then just when I can't stand it I turn it back on again. Hey at least I'm not running it all day long?! Right.... Sorry I guess I am doing a little venting... my meditation didn't seem to get me very far this morning. Ah well back to it.

All is well, All is well, All is well, All is well...... Right?

LEED for the Layman

2009-08-10T11:09:00.002-04:00

I forgot to let you all know about last weeks post on ecologue! It is all about the first Certified LEED Platinum home in Ann Arbor Michigan! Take a look!

A Great Article!

2009-08-10T11:00:00.003-04:00

I was perusing one of my favorite sites today and came across a great article which listed 12 of the biggest offenders on the beauty product toxicity front. The Green Guide is truly and outstanding source for whats up on the environmental front. The Article is "The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics" and a read that would be most advantageous even if you know the 411 on the Parabens.

All I wanted was to rent a movie....

2009-08-02T15:37:00.003-04:00

It all started a week ago when I wanted to rent a movie on OnDemand in NYC. Well... to make a very long story short my DVR didn't seem to want to work, so I needed a technician to come out to exchange the unit. When he did, the speaker blew on my TV. Now I am old school and what ain't broke don't fix it. My TV may have been old but it still worked and it may have been from the late 80's but it still worked and I may not have been able to hook up my DVD player but it still worked AND it was is in stereo and it was 22". So who was I to complain. But now I had no TV at all. Everything happens for a reason and this reason forced me into the 2000's.

So Off I went to Costco to find a reasonably priced LCD TV. Now, the gadget male in me came screaming out and I ended up with a 32' flat screen LCD Sharp Acqus. Ohhhhhh..... Now I know what you are thinking but an LCD, the least of the energy suckers out there that was within my budget. There is a newer television that uses LED (light-emitting diode) lighting with the LCD with the broad spacing in the back lighting which saves on even more energy. This is mainly used in the Samsung LED Television which starts in price, drum roll please....... at around $2,300 and I could only find it in a 40". Needless to say that's out of my price range at this time.

So fast forward to back home and hooking up the DVR and the DVD... the DVR decided it wasn't working at all so I had to wait yet another week for my local cable company to come to my apartment to change out the piece of equipment. And ya know what, I found it more funny that I had to go through all this just to rent a movie......... which I can now do through Net Flix.

Thought for the Day!

2009-07-29T10:14:00.001-04:00

Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference.
-David Oxberg

See You There!

2009-07-28T12:53:00.004-04:00

I have been meditating for over 20 years and would like to share an amazing event with all of you. It is an opportunity for us the share in a collective experience of Love and Light. United meditation!! Just take a moment to think about what has happened not only in your world but The world in the last year. And how you would like it to shift and maybe how it already has.

See you There!

Chemicals in the Home

2009-07-25T12:32:00.004-04:00

I picked up my washing today from the laundry, one of the rare luxuries this busy New York girl allows herself. As I have said in the past I am in love with the scent of Method's green bottle called Sweet Water. No Bleach nothing toxic hits this sensitive freckled shin. But something rather shocking happened... a dark pair of trousers came back with bleach splatters all over them. I realize accidents happen but it made me think. I know that I don't own any bleach but there are obviously toxins all around us but sometimes we don't even realize that they are there. I have wondered few times if they have used bleach on my whites but assumed that they Wouldn't since I explicitly say not to... but who knows. I don't have the time to wash them but I do hang dry the bulk of the load.

Bleach can serve its purpose given the right circumstances like the removal of black mold but like so many toxins I would rather not have it near me if in doubt of its severity.

There are other options out there that can be used in the place of bleach. Oxo Brite or Ecover are both non-chlorine laundry bleaches that are both worth a try!

Air Drying

2009-07-24T14:25:00.005-04:00

With all this beautiful weather we have been having it seems a shame to running all the heating elements in our homes. Besides the fact that it runs up the bills and uses needless energy, so why not hang dry your clothes? Now I know that many of you, like myself don't have a back yard for the quintessential clothes line. And man I miss that wonderful line dry smell that my clothes would have growing up but they at least can be less wrinkled from "the rack".

You can either get a foldable rack that fits neatly behind a wardrobe or a really cool retractable line that pulls out and hooks onto the wall and goes back when not in use. The retractable laundry line can be found at your local hardware store. I use the rack that I found at IKEA and I love it. It is in use as we speak and the drier is not!

My Favorite Things

2009-07-20T09:35:00.002-04:00

I awoke today to wonderful sounds.... Did I say that I live in downtown Brooklyn? Wonderful sounds are not what one would think of when they hear the words Downtown Brooklyn. But I did. Birds singing and children playing in the garden next down and then my wind chimes, which I hadn't heard in ages I might add. I love my little garden! It bring me great joy. I slowly make it more beautiful but the love we put into things can only be reflected by the love we feel as we do them.

And I feel such joy this morning by it's sounds!

Thought for the Day!

2009-07-17T10:49:00.006-04:00

The standard of success in life isn't the things. It isn't the money or the stuff-- it is absolutely the amount of joy you feel.
-- Abraham

Ecologue

2009-07-16T10:46:00.004-04:00

Hey Guys my next article is up on Ecologue! Take a read. This week it is all about the LEED-Home Certification category of Energy and Atmosphere.

Open a Banana like a monkey

2009-07-16T10:42:00.003-04:00

This is not necessarily an environmental post but it does have to do with fruit?!!! And sooooo worth watching!!

Vokashi

2009-07-15T17:05:00.004-04:00

I blogged awhile ago about a composting method called Vokashi.. well I was just emailed byt the creator about a great event!!

"Please join me for the unveiling of the first public Vokashi plantings this Friday, July 17 at 3:00 pm at the New York Recycling Program (NYRP) - Aberdeen composting lot (take L train to Bushwick & Aberdeen; right on Aberdeen to the end of the block). If transportation is an issue, please let me know. I am arranging for folks to drive out from ParkSlope/Clinton Hill.

After months of collecting food waste using the EM Bokashi method, we will show the success of planting multiple buckets in two trenches at the Aberdeen composting lot

We could be handling hundreds of buckets of fermented food waste by planting them in the ground where they will, within a month, decompose naturally creating nutrient enriched soil that can be used for farms, gardens and parks.

Vokashi (which uses the EM Bokashi method) is remarkably clean, ordorless and safe. It is a revolutionary way to handle our food waste. To quote one supporter: "Recycling food waste changes the definition of waste. It reconnects us to the earth which is never a waste!"

Visit our website!

All the best,
Vandra Thorburn
founder
Vokashi - kitchen waste solution"

A New Site!!!

2009-07-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know I have been writing an article called "LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for the Layman" for the green site Ecologue. Ecologue is a division of HGTV and hence home design centric. And because of this I have been LEED-Home focused recently. Well..... I came upon a site today that gave me shiver. I have been saying that a lot recently. So I guess life is pretty good. Sparkly, Pink and Shiver full! Sorry I digress...

Anyway the site is called: The Green Building Advisor. This site has been a wealth of knowledge. It's given me some fantastic examples of homes for me to talk about for the different categories of LEED Certification. It is a very thorough site from education materials to construction and design sites. Don't take my word for it, go look!

Thought for the Day!

2009-07-14T13:38:00.003-04:00

I have become my own version of an optimist.
If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door
- or I'll make a door.
Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present. -Tagore

Condoms

2009-07-10T13:36:00.008-04:00

Earlier to day Ideal Bites wrote and article about condoms: vegan, biodegradable and non toxic options. Their non toxic, vegan and biodegradable options were still latex based. Also the fall out from this site was crazy!! Woman on a rampage. Watch out! The only thing that wasn't said was... What about latex intolerance's?

There is a great condom called Skyn by lifestyle that is made from polyisoprene and is fabulous!!!! It not only does a great job but protects against STD's which a lot of non-latex condoms do not. I have to say that quite a few woman were saying that because condoms are not biodegradable they should not be worn and from what I could understand these woman were all in monogamous relationships. We single girls need to be safer then that. Read this article it's fascinating!!

Update

2009-07-10T09:37:00.003-04:00

Well, I have been using my Afterglow products from Beautorium and I have to say that I LOVE them!!!!!! At first I wasn't sure about the foundation because it seems very press powdery which I might add may have been drying on the skin. But No! It blended right in and was the perfect color for me. I chose the shade of number 02.

I was also a bit concerned about the bronzer, it looked a bit orangey but it TOO blended right in and was the perfect shade. So the review is quite positive on the Hamilton Front. This fair skin will be very happy with the extra sun screen of SPF 20 and complexion evening.

NY Times article

2009-07-07T11:19:00.005-04:00

As some of you may know there is a lot of discussion these days about glass and its environmental capabilities when it comes to Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) in a home or building. I wrote a couple of weeks ago about Philip Johnson's Glass house in New Canaan Connecticut.... Well there was an amazing article about how transformative glass can be when it comes to buildings and its future in the Science section of the New York Times this morning.

"Engineers, architects and fabricators, aided by materials scientists and software designers, are building soaring facades, arching canopies and delicate cubes, footbridges and staircases, almost entirely of glass. They’re laminating glass with polymers to make beams and other components stronger and safer — each of the Sears Tower sheets is a five-layer sandwich — and analyzing every square inch of a design to make sure the stresses are within precise limits. And they are experimenting with new materials and methods that could someday lead to glass structures that are unmarked by metal or other materials."... Read n the article it is truly fascinating!

These walls of glass put thermal paned windows to shame. What if you where to use a geothermal heat pump and your summer and winter HVAC would be set?!!! Your environmental impact would be minimal!

Of course this is ALL coming from a Layman...

Cradle to Cradle

2009-07-06T13:32:00.003-04:00

You heard me speak over a year ago about an amazing man named William McDonough. He started a movement called Cradle to Cradle where products are designed and from creation to depletion it's recyclable or biodegradable, essentially they're waste free!

There is now a Cradle to Cradle Certification for a companies. I highly recommend reading the book and learning about this process or at least becoming familiar with it. Because it's really an exciting way of being.

Teardrop Park

2009-07-06T13:18:00.003-04:00

The desire to build and operate a sustainable public park influenced every aspect of Teardrop Park’s development, from material selection to contractor practices. Not only is the Battery Park City park layout and program a response to the microclimatic asymmetry created by the buildings and winds off the Hudson; the varied fabricated soils were also meticulously calibrated to create optimum growing conditions. Based on decades-long research into urban soils and non-toxic plant maintenance, environmental aspects of the park’s design include fully organic soils and maintenance regimes that don’t rely on pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Treated and recycled gray-water from the adjacent LEED Gold-rated Solaire Building and stormwater runoff from the site captured in an underground storage pipe supply all of the park’s irrigation needs.

Experiencing natural environments is widely recognized as an important part of early childhood development and yet most urban playgrounds have banished plants in favor of equipment. Teardrop Park is designed to address this gap, offering adventure and sanctuary to urban children while engaging minds and bodies. Site topography, water (that can be turned on and off by the children), natural stone, and lush plantings contribute to an exciting inner world of natural textures, intense scale differences, and intricately choreographed views. Children are seen as the most important users, but the park also provides a landscape setting that appealed to multiple age groups represented in the neighborhood including students from a nearby high school, office workers, and elderly residents of a nearby assisted-care facility.

Speakers:
Laura Solano, Project Lead and Principal, Cambridge Office of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.
T. Fleisher, Director of Horticulture, Battery Park City Parks Conservancy

Meet-up location: Ice Wall in the middle of the park (see picture and map below; River Terrace between Murray and Warren Streets):

Tickets:
$10 Urban Green Members*
$15 Non-Members

*Please be sure your membership is up-to-date before purchasing tickets at the Member price. You must be a member of the New York Chapter to receive the discount (USGBC national membership does not apply). If you are having trouble determining your membership status, please send us an email.

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Address:
Teardrop Park, Batter Park City
River Terrace (between Warren and Murray)
New York, NY 10007

Thank You USGBC !!

Ecologue

2009-06-30T19:24:00.003-04:00

This weeks article is up and running... I am starting a series about the different categories and point system for LEED Certification.

Go ahead and Read Ecologue!

Thought for the Day!

2009-06-29T10:47:00.002-04:00

You are Life passing though your body, passing through your mind, passing through your soul. Once you find that out, not with the logic, not with the intellect, but because you can feel that Life- you find out that you are the force that makes the flowers open and close, that makes the hummingbird fly from flower to flower. You find out that you are in every tree, you are in every animal, vegetable, and rock. You are that force that moves the wind and breathes through your body. The whole universe is a living being that is moved by the force, and that is what you are. You are life.

Don Miguel Ruiz

Energetic Cnvergence

2009-06-27T13:53:00.003-04:00

I believe in something called Quantum Thought. In absolute simplistic terms that means that the thought that one expresses can become manifest. An interesting support of this is a poly graph expert who recently was brought to my attention

His name Cleve Backster who was a polygraph expert who was best known for his controversial experiments with biocommunication in plant and animal cells using a polygraph machine in the 60's and was known for attaching it to plants. He did one experiment where he attached the polygraph to a sample of human saliva and then placed the man in another room. He then proceeded to show the man food which made him salivate where upon the polygraph which was attached to the sample started to react!

Oh My!

Food, Inc.

2009-06-26T11:02:00.004-04:00

Thanks Again to Tina Roth Eisenberg (Swiss Miss) my attention was brought to an upcoming documentary that I am very much looking forward to! Being that I'm a big fan of the book "Omnivore's Dilemma".

I have always gone to the farmer's Market but I think I may do a bit more container gardening?!

Surpising info today!

2009-06-26T10:45:00.003-04:00

I was reading my daily email from Ideal Bites and they had a article on animal testing and Cosmetics. And a bit of a shocker for me was- Just because your product states that the product itself is not tested on animals does not mean that the individual ingredients are not! O-M-G! They have an amazing fold out attached to their article that you can either check out your faves or carry it with you.

So go to Ideal Bites today and get the 411 on your Co.'s!

Thought for the Day!

2009-06-26T10:19:00.003-04:00

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
-Rumi

Let the Sunshine In!!!

2009-06-24T10:40:00.009-04:00

I was inspired yet again by my friend Tina Roth Eisenberg, the Swiss-Miss! So maybe the sun will be inspired too! And Hey... green things need sun to grow, right?

Thought for the Day!

2009-06-24T10:22:00.005-04:00

"In the house of love,
the floor dances,
the walls are made of songs
and the music never stops"
-Rumi

Beautorium

2009-06-23T09:37:00.005-04:00

I have purchased some new face products from Beautorium, an on line site which I have mentioned before and love. I have had it up to here (insert gesture) with my newly formed bad skin. Now it could just those pesky Trader Joe's vanilla Joe Joe's I've been consuming at large quantities but I'm chalking it up to the last of the bad make-up. So I'm NOT going to use it up and I am going to pour the last of it out and recycle the bottle. That's a scary step for me.

I have found a great base and bronzer from a company named, After Glow. It is chem free and has an SPF of 20 using titanium dioxide which, there has been some recent controversy about because of its toxicity. As long as you're not inhaling it, it seems to be the lesser of all evils on your skin. Because the experts on wholistic health have been saying that titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the two safe sunscreens to use but they are not if you inhale... so "don't inhale". :-)

I'll let you know how my skin fares in a couple of months. (pun intended)

Rain Shine house

2009-06-19T10:57:00.006-04:00

My awareness was sent the other day to the most beautiful LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified Platinum home in Decatur, Georgia. Decatur is near Atlanta for those of you who are geographically challenged like myself. I only know about Decatur because I had family from Atlanta. It is the first modernist residence to achieve the much-coveted LEED Platinum level Certification in the Southeastern United States. The RainShine House was designed for a couple as their retirement residence with provision for visiting children and extended family members.

Now that's my kind of retirement!

Good Guide

2009-06-17T12:12:00.005-04:00

Yesterday in the NY Times there was an article about a relatively new site called the GoodGuide. It seems to be a combination of Skin Deep and the Green Guide. You can go and check for all the toxic chems in you body products as well as your plastics and electronics. They don't, as of now give you all the details as to what the chemicals do but that 's how it varies from the other sites.

But Wait! This is where they are differently awesome... They have an iphone app! So you can get a direct link to the site and check the rating for your product immediately. So if you are looking for what parabens do to the endocrine system check out Skin Deep. But if you just want the rates and know how to decipher all the green washing Go to the Good Guide!

Monthly Options.....

2009-06-16T10:04:00.007-04:00

A years or so ago I mentioned unmentionables..... The Diva Cup and the Moon Cup. This may seem to some a verboten topic. Well IdealBite mention them today in their daily email and so I thought I would readdress the topic. Propriety is out the window in the name of environmentalism. And Hey this topic is a little uncomfortable for me as was the Diva Cup.

The instructions say to try it for a day, then go back to your regular mode of protection, then go back again. I just couldn't get comfortable with it and I will spare you those details. In theory it is a splendid idea. No more refuse into the septic system or the environment. I could save on money because less financial outlay each month. Man I gave it the biggest College try I knew how. My intention was that this was going to work. I have a friend who loves it and has used one for years. I used mine for a month... or maybe two. I am now back using natracare tampons. The greatest concern about tampons is the bleach and paraben factor.

My commitment to mother earth is that I will give it another go. Fingers crossed!

Ecologue

2009-06-15T10:13:00.002-04:00

My weekly blog post is up on Ecologue. This weeks article is entitled, "Rain rain go away.... But where are you going?".

Enjoy!

Air Conditioning

2009-06-14T08:50:00.001-04:00

I am so blessed.... for so many reasons. As you know I live in a garden apartment from oodles of comments about my garden but here is another topic...

I don't put in air conditioning until the last possible second(usually mid July). Now, I know some of you folks can't stand the heat. I for one love it... another blessing during the dog days of summer. Hey, take off a layer, stripe down to your skivvies or if you at least hold out for a week or so in installing or turning on the old AC. Then when you do, turn down the temp by a couple of degrees. Think of what you would be saving on the environment! You would be emitting less carbon dioxide into the air and you would be reducing on the brown outs and electrical surges.

So be a little sexier this summer and smarter at the same time!

A thought...

2009-06-12T08:49:00.001-04:00

The way you do anything is the way you do everything....

Ecologue

2009-06-08T10:19:00.003-04:00

My first installment to the ecologue blog is up an running this week! Entitled "LEED for the Layman" I am so excited to be apart of their team.

I look forward to writing more for them. Enjoy!

Thankful....

2009-06-07T14:48:00.001-04:00

So thankful for my little patch of garden in Brooklyn today!

Tucker Robbins

2009-06-07T13:08:00.006-04:00

Tucker Robbins has an eponymous shop which specializes in African carved wood items and decorative stuff for the home. Tuckers goal is to use what is salvaged and to work with indigenous people who have been stewards of the land and to find what he needs without destroying the tree that is already there.

Take a deeper look at this mans glorious work!

Facebook and Twitter

2009-06-03T12:17:00.003-04:00

I regularly on Facebook or Twitter tell people to go to their local Farmers Market to get their various and sundry items be they Lilacs or Organic veggies. Specifically once I have walked through Union Square Market Or Court Street Market and smelled all the sweetness and spice from the wares being sold. The other day my sister responded to my status with, "I'd love to if I only knew where one was!"

Well, I have mentioned the Local Harvest website before in reference to finding your local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) but you can also find your local Farmers Market as well! It is a great reference!

Explaining plastics

2009-06-03T10:12:00.003-04:00

So I was on the Green Guide site the other day and they have a Great plastics page! I know I get all discombobulated when it comes to #1-#3, #4 and #5 let alone #7. Here is what the Green Guide said:

What to look for:

Plastics are classified by their "resin identification code"—a number from #1 to #7 that represents a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.

Here's a quick breakdown of plastic resin types:

#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Examples: Disposable soft drink and water bottles

#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)/
Examples: Milk jugs, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles

#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
Examples: Meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes

#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Examples: Cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags

#5 polypropylene (PP)
Examples: Cloudy plastic water bottles, yogurt cups/tubs

#6 polystyrene (PS)
Examples: Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers

#7 other (plastics invented after 1987; includes polycarbonate, or PC, and polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources as well as newer plastics labeled "BPA-Free" Bisphenol-A)
Examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers

If you want to know what to stay away from and more go to the Green Guide!

These days I seem to be staying away from anything in plastic as much as I can. Hey if there is even a question of a doubt about health... Mr. BPA... I don't want it in me. Better safe then sorry!

I Added a New Site

2009-06-01T11:25:00.001-04:00

I added a Great new site to my list. I have been going to it for awhile but I never had it on my list.... What was I thinking? The Green Guide.

Go Check it out!

Edible Brooklyn!

2009-06-01T11:08:00.002-04:00

Once again Edible Brooklyn has out done themselves! I read an article about a green roof in Greenpoint Brooklyn that was created over a year ago and is now producing exquisite vegetables. I am trying to organise a visit so I can tell you about it first hand. Take that the Bronx! We hear so much about, and rightly so, Phenomenal Majora Carter and the Sustainable South Bronx and it's initiative to "green" the roof line and her movement but it is so nice to hear about the BK!

I'll write more once I have seen it. It's right up there with the science barge that I talked out last summer. More soon!

Green Glass Houses

2009-05-28T10:58:00.007-04:00

There is a lot of talk recently about glass houses and there energy efficiency and sustainability. The public has begun to see these buildings as icons of sustainable architecture but the energy performance of glass exteriors is in direct conflict with a cornerstone of the green building movement: energy efficiency. Opposing schools of thought have developed around this issue. One school advocates for the improvement of glass technology to maximize energy performance while retaining the availability of daylight and exterior views permitted in majority glass buildings, the other is concerned with the performance limitations inherent in glass facades. But how can one have any apposing thought when they look at Philip Johnson's Glass House?

Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan Connecticut which was built in 1943 is one of the most beautiful ones out there! It stands on a 47 acre campus and there are actually a few different modules on the estate. There recently was a renovation done and it is now open to the public for the first time in decades...if you are one of the lucky recipients of a ticket, which are very difficult to come by. Philip Cortelyou Johnson (sound familiar Brooklynites) was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1906. Following his graduation from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1943, Johnson designed some of America’s greatest modern architectural landmarks like the coordinating the master plan for Lincoln Center. His greatest mentor and friend was Mies van der Rohe. Johnson respectively named the glass house his "50 year diary".

Oh how I would love to see it......

New Nail Color!

2009-05-28T05:59:00.001-04:00

Last year I told you about Acquarella nail polish and I was in love... but this summer it is all about Nubar! All those evil carcinogenic chems (Formaldehyde, phthalates and toluene) out the window and not on your biddies. I started using it over the winter because they had a great package of pink colors that gave money back to Cancer research. But now on the site, it is out of control with the color choices and great low prices. After using healthier nail polish for awhile my nails are not only stronger but they are whiter!

So step out on the the beach or sidewalk with pretty toes and hands. Your body will thank you!

The most beautiful Rain Collector

2009-05-27T08:32:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my friend Tina Roth Eisenberg and her fabulous Swiss-Miss Blog I have become obsessed with a Canadian made Rain collector from the company HERO-365. It holds 45 gallons of water; so you can tend to your garden or wash the dog without tapping into the city's water supply. It's made of a lightweight aluminum frame, has a collapsible water bladder, will not rust, is recyclable, ships flat packed and is covered in a sleek powder-coated finish. I think this is a smart and beautiful piece for any backyard or garden in my case.

But here is where my problem lies: I have been all over the internet and can't find how to acquire one! HELP!!

Black Bean Brownies!!

2009-05-24T11:36:00.002-04:00

My sister told me the other day about a Black Bean Brownie recipe she made and they sounded scrumptious! So I got the recipe... They are not only Vegan but Wheat free! And I have a vicious sweet tooth and they satiate it and that is saying a lot. They're gooey and rich and chocolaty. I altered the recipe slightly by changing granulated sugar to Agave nectar which knocks it up one more notch to make it even more healthy , if that's even possible. The one thing is that it does need to cook a few minutes longer. My sister found the recipe on a great website called Social Workou t. Check it out.

The recipe is as follows (but with Agave)

Get this:

1 can of black beans, rinsed
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of granulated sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)
1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla extract
1/4 cup instant rolled oats

Do this:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Puree in a blender all the ingredients except the oats.
Add the oats and mix well. Pour the puree into a greased, 8-inch square pan.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes depending on your oven's temperature. You'll know they're done when you dip a clean knife into the center and it comes out clean.
Cool completely before eating.

These are healthy enough for a breakfast bar or a snake or a nibble or pretty much anything you can imagine. It's also soooooo easy to go organic with this one- Why not try. Just remember don't eat it all at once, just cuz ya can.

What is in my dirt?

2009-05-22T13:33:00.005-04:00

What is up with the dirt here in Brooklyn? Here are two pictures of VIOLET leaves.... They are enormous!! A leaf as big as my hand. I grew up with the idea of sweet delicate little violets with petite leaves that I would pick as little nosegays. And I would wistfully day dream of fairies and princess'. These are more like something Alice would have found from the bottom of the rabbit hole.

I did not fertilize nor did I do anything special. I'm simply perplexed with my garden. Some areas flat out do not grow at all or I have dwarf Hostas and then in other areas I have the antithesis and there is steroidal vegetation and I don't know quite what to do. Can anyone help? I guess it will be dirt analysis for me. Last summer my neighbor did it 3 doors down and this summer I'll do it.

I'll let you know what I come up with but in the mean time, any suggestions?

Twitter

2009-05-21T15:30:00.007-04:00

I was just reading Greenopia on Twitter and they broached a topic that was right up my alley. Beauty products and "Green washing"! As we all know and see, everything seems to have the label "Green" but what does that consist of and how does one know if what we are putting on our bodies is really all that chem free. So... I am a huge proponent of education and that's why I have skin deep listed on my favorites sites . You can check out all your products and where they lie in the toxicity scale. In the Greenopia article they talked about the Natural Beauty Summit where Beautorium.com co-founder Ann Francke was on hand to discuss what it means to be an ethical retailer when it comes to natural, organic beauty products.

Educate, educate educate. Now I know it's hard for a gal these days to stay on top of what's healthy but Ms. Francke mentioned at the summit some great resources on the web. The Greenwashing Index offers a three-step guide to spotting greenwashing. Greenopia.com offers Green Ratings Guides, ranking levels of “greenness” according to five specific criteria when it comes to automobiles, mass retailers, fast food, and more. There’s even a site produced by TerraChoice, which lists the “Seven Sins of Greenwashing”.

And if you are willing to read lables about fat content why not about shampoo and make-up content too? It get's absorbed into your body... at least a little right?

Raw Foods

2009-05-21T12:19:00.004-04:00

What does warm weather make you think of? Now be clean! One of the may things I think of is Raw foods. Today I had the yummiest spinach, cucumber and ginger juice in the world. It was from a small food shop on 21st between Park Avenue South and Broadway named, PUMP. Not only was it fantastic it was reasonably priced. And if I can try someplace other then the Mecca that is Pure Food an Wine I do.

So my mind started to meander.. And it always ends up with the biggest raw foodist that I know- Kris Carr an inspirational woman who survived Cancer due to (what she feels) a complete overhaul and detox of her diet and became a raw foodist. Here is a link to her blog www.crazysexylife.com which is a derivation of her book and website of the same same name Crazy Sexy Cancer.

Here is a YouTube clip from Oprah with Dr. Mehmet Oz so you can see it for yourself!

Kris Carr is my woman of the day!

SmartWay

2009-05-19T13:48:00.003-04:00

Today is simply beautiful in NYC! So in honor of an exquisite day I try and walk a bit more and if that means getting off the subway earlier or later that is just what I'll do.

Well, I walked through Union Square today which wasn't the farmers market today it was a "SmartWay Vehicle" Day. I bet you are asking what is a "SmartWay Vehicle" day? A SmartWay Certified Vehicle is determined by how a vehicle scores on the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) air pollution Standards and criteria. Specifically the scores are based on emissions levels (air pollution score) and fuel economy values (Greenhouse Gas scores). Cars that qualify for the SmartWay mark are the cleanest and most efficient in today's market.

There were all kinds of beautiful freshly cleaned cars parked in the Parks Parking lot. There was of course a Mini Cooper and that spunky little Smart car made by Swatch and Mercedes but there were many others. For more information on new cars go to the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide.

What was so fortuitous for the people standing out giving the information today was today's Statement by President Obama in regards to Fuel standards and requiring all cars needing to be more efficient by 20016.

Green Roofs

2009-05-18T09:58:00.006-04:00

It's Springtime and I am very excited because I am going to be exploring green roof tops in Manhattan down in Battery Park on Wednesday night! They have been created through the LEED Certified program. We get to not only experience the spaces but we get to talk with the design teams as well.

I started talking about LEED (Leadership in Energy an Environmental Design) over a year ago and now I am going to be writing a regular article for ecologue.com about "LEED for the Layman". LEED is a way of rating buildings (commercial, homes, schools, and healthcare) to see how environmentally responsible and how healthy these places can be to live in and work. There is a rigorous certification that anyone in the design industry can take. So if you are an Architect, Engineer, Interior decorator or anyone having to do with or about building creation you can get LEED Certified. Hey that includes plumbers, Gardeners...Let your imagination fly!

But since this is spreading like wildfire, as it should... I thought I'd help the layman know about it and the simple steps we can do to help get credits towards making our homes LEED Certified and in turn more efficient and healthy. And why do I know about it, Well EVERYONE around me knows about it and is certified; from my engineering sister to my decorating friends. I am planning on talking about Green Roofs to low flow toilets, from paint to air filters all of which add up to the different levels of accreditation.

So keep a look out for "LEED for the Layman" on www.ecologue.com!

Kiva.... A Great way to Help!

2009-05-16T11:59:00.003-04:00

A couple of days ago I was chatting with a friend about giving back. As you know I am a huge proponent of donating of time and money if you can do it. All are equally important. He mentioned how he donates to an organization that helps entrepreneurial companies in the third world. And I'm about helping people help themselves.

Well, this online site is called Kiva. Kiva's "mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty." You can donate as little as $25 or as much as you want. You get a company and there history and you can follow them through until their financial goal is completed. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need. My friend loves this online organization! It seems that the site does everything they can to make it as transparent as possible so the lender can see exactly where the money goes.

Log on and help. I am always amazed how much joy I receive when I help someoneelse. It's right up there with Heifer International with helping people help themselves. Go on what have you got to loose?

Vokashi

2009-05-15T12:08:00.005-04:00

So, have ya heard about Vokashi?

It's an alternative to the traditional form of composting. It is based on the Japanese form of fermentation called "bokashi". This form of composting uses and airtight container and 100% natural bran and wheat to ferment your food waste. Then you can do one of two options: either bury it in your back yard or set up a bi-weekly service pick-up plan with the company. What's so great about this is that if you are lacking space for a compost bin or you live in an apartment building this container fits right under your sink.

As I have said before it truly amazed me how little garbage I had once I started composting and recycled weekly. Why not surprise your self! If you thought composting was out of the question take a look at Vokashi!

This Year's CSA

2009-05-13T12:14:00.012-04:00

I have found a new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) this summer!

Since last years CSA was a bit disappointing and did not continue I was off to find a new Organic Vegetable and fruit supplier that was not only close to me in Brooklyn but also did not have to involve a car. Because that seemed quite antithetical to sustainable agriculture, don't ya think? This one is the DumboCSA, so all I will have to do is get off the F train or walk. This CSA has the usual vegetable share which is from Sang Lee Farms on Long Island. It also has a fruit share from Briermere Farms which is also on LI and a Cheese share from the award winning Karen Catapano, Catapano Dairy Farm. What sets this CSA apart from others is that they offer full and partial shares so you don't have to be schlepping home enormous bags of veggies only to have them end up in the compost heap. And if you amortize the total for the 23 weeks it works out to be a piddly little $15 a week for organic yummies and your environmental savings as well. There is one added thing...you have to work two shifts during the 23 weeks. that's still not so bad when you think about the big picture.

So why not help out a local farm and dine on delicious healthy fruits and vegg! Go and find one near you.

Random Acts of Kindness

2009-05-12T10:05:00.002-04:00

Well, you all know how I feel about random acts of kindness and try to do at least one a day. Today I was on the receiving end and it absolutely made my day!! Not only was it wonderfully kind but it involved recycling!

My new friend Gwyneth gave me a book that she had finished reading. Not only does that follow the tenets of recycling and giving back: I met a lovely new person. Though most of all I have a new book to read that will get me away from the Twilight series!! What could be better then that!

Though I have to confess it does involve Jane Austin.....

I've struck Gold!!

2009-05-11T14:47:00.003-04:00

Today I went into the bottom of my compost bin and what do you think I found? GOLD! I struck GOLD!! It was beautiful! That luscious black richness that one hopes to see after a year of collecting and turning, turning and collecting.

I started my compost last year and wondered and worried if I would ever receive that joy of seeing the first bit of black gold. I grew up with parents who composted and it seemed to come so easily to them. Their compost heap was just that, a heap. It was down in back of our property and I swear it was bigger then me. Of course that is simply the memories of a 7 year old little girl. In reality it was only 4x4 and my Mother and Father made it themselves. Unlike mine that I received from The Lower Eastside Ecology Center. But Hey, I'm trying to do it in Brooklyn with limited space and not suburbia.

So when one sees the fruits of their labor it is so Gratifying.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T11:23:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day! And in honor pf Mother's Day I would like to share a new website that I love. It is all about pampering and what does your Momma need on Mother's Day besides Breakfast in Bed? Pampering!

The website is Beautorium. It carries all the organic and chem free products that I LOVE! It has the John Masters Organics, the Suki Body products, and all the other organic Body Products that you may want. They frequently reference Skin Deep in their descriptions so you know that you are getting super clean goodies (and the pun is intended).

So log on and Scoop up something yummy for Mommy on This Mother's Day! If not for your self.

Re-cycling yer old make-up containers

2009-05-04T12:27:00.002-04:00

As an old die hard MAC make-up user and finally getting rid of the last of it... sorry MAC you haven't signed the petition yet, I at least know they will take back their used containers. But you have to have all 10 at once and in a city where space is a premium who really can do that.

So one of my favorite companies Origins will take any of it back at any store. They will take any brand of any beauty product you've got – lipstick, lotion, powder compacts, whatever. Just clean out the bottle or case (recycle paper boxes, applicators, sponges, or puffs at home), and drop them off at your nearest Origins. NY based Origins will send the containers to ACA Waste Services in Long Island so they can turn them into new products. How Fab is that!!

Thanks for the tip Idealbite!

LEED Certified

2009-05-03T12:42:00.002-04:00

I just want say CONGRATULATIONS! to Lisa Hargus who is a very dear friend and a design associate at Ellen Hanson Designs. She recently Passed her LEED Certification exam with flying colors.

Here's to you Lisa Hargus Design Associate, LEED AP

Digital Change over

2008-10-31T11:48:00.003-04:00

So everyone is talkin' about this digital change over and giving suggestions about where to recycle your old TVs when this conversion happens in February but no is saying two big things.

1) Don't go out and buy a new TV. All the Green Blogs are talking about filling landfills but what about the energy that is need to make the new televisions in the first place? So people are not only filling landfills (if they don't recycle) they are using more energy just to create the new piece of equipment.

And

2) This digital conversion is being done so we can be kept track of by "the man". Forget the Nelson ratings just use the Digital Ratings to go into our Homes. I use to live in the UK where everyone has to have a Television liscence for each TV. They are at least honest about going into their homes and seeing what is being watched.

Alright I will get off my conspiracy theory soap box. Cuz I think I was talking about other peoples opinions yesterday... :-)

Lightbulb recyling

2008-09-20T19:25:00.008-04:00

Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) contain trace amounts of mercury (less than your average household thermometer). At the end of their life, CFLs belong in a hazardous waste collection. For those of you who by CFL's and need to return them, if they were broken in the package. They can be returned to the store where they were purchased, before they are opened. You can also call 311 to find those local hazardous drop offs points or some Home Depots will take back the expired bulbs.

Now here is my most exciting find: I was on the fabulous website, GoodCommonSense and they have an area specifically for the recycling of our CFL's! How fabulous is that! There is a company who, with proper shipping will take them back.

Toothpaste toxcity!

2008-09-19T15:15:00.005-04:00

As I was brushing my teeth yesterday I started to read the label of my Tom's toothpaste. I mean it is Tom's of Maine, all natural, right? Wrong! It has Sodium lauryl sulfate(SLS)! You know that stuff. The stuff that is in shampoos to create a foaming action and is a derivative of the stuff that is used to clean garage floors (Sodium Laureth sulfate). And I guess it is in toothpastes too. So I decided to Google it. Now this stuff is fascinating! There are myriad listings that refute whether SLS cause any damage to the system at all. Snopes.com says it does nothing. Toms of Maine says it does nothing. Skin Deep says it is a level 2 on the damage score. The National Institute of Health says it causes cancer.

What is funny is all the while snopes is saying that it is OK to use it is painting a terrible picture of the ingredient and that it should not be ingested. It is being used in my mouth? All I know is that if there's even a little bit of concern, and I am putting it in my mouth at least twice a day everyday.... Do I really want to take the risk for the next 50 years?

Spring Cleaning?

2008-09-13T11:58:00.002-04:00

I am a huge proponent of Spring Cleaning but rather then in just spring, I do it in all three seasons; Summer, Fall, Winter, And Spring. There is something to be said for getting out all the non-toxic cleaners and literally getting down on your hands and knees and scrubbing the floors. Now I tend to allocate a good solid two days for this expedition because even the windows get washed. There are no paper towels used, no bleach, and non of that evil environmental destroying stuff. This Fall I did something I have wanted to do for years... I went under the bed! I, like most New Yorker have very little storage space. For that fact I have even less closet space. So I am restricted by what I can do with the air conditioner when not in use; the seasonal clothes that are not being worn at that time; the sewing machine; the Christmas decorations; the suitcases. But if hermetically sealed they could go under the stairs in the foyer outside! So that is what I did.

Now I know you're asking your self what is green about all of this besides the cleaners (biokleen) and the lack of paper towels. Nothing! I strongly believe in-

"Clarity of Space is Clarity of Mind" and when all else fails on a rainy fall day, your windows and house are fresh. But when the sun shines and you can see it all the way under your bed.... Now that is something to behold.

the little things

New Documentary Opening Today!

2008-09-12T10:13:00.002-04:00

Flow is award-winning documentary that is opening tonight after getting rave reviews at Sundance. It shows the big picture of our dwindling water supply, from pollution to the billion-dollar bottled-water industry(carry those SIGG bottles!), and cuts to the chase about whether someone can really own water...

Flow premiers at the Angelica Film Center on Houston St. at Mercer St., This Friday, Sep. 12. (212-995-2000 for showtimes).

Thanks for the heads up.... ideal bite!

JustOneFrickinDay - What is this?

2008-09-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

JustOneFrickinDay is an organization who's aim is to make a big difference for selected worthy causes around the world by unifying and concentrating resources available to them, by focusing on only one or two projects at a time.

Their first project is to raise awareness and funds to help build a solar powered hospital in Burundi, which is arguably the poorest country in the world. They are focusing on Burundi because the story and the people behind this partnership has inspired them to help and become involved.

They have created several t-shirt designed by top fashion designers to help raise money for the cause, such as Phillip Lim, Rag and Bone, and Giambattista Valli to name a few. Go take a look and help Burundi.

Carbon Offsets

2008-08-23T11:14:00.005-04:00

I have been doing a lot of thinking over the last few months.... The only way to lower, lessen, shrink, diminish, or make our carbon foot print smaller is to truly consume less. I mean we all know this. Cars, Production plants, electrical usage, flying, and plastic off gassing put atrocious gas's' into our environment. So we are now told, as I even do, to purchase Carbon Offsets. But even the people who create the reforestation or the renewable energy create more carbon emissions. I don't know maybe buying your hybrid isn't even enough because you are still consuming. We don't need brand spankin' new.... and that's coming from a woman who won't miss the car show every year. Previously owned should be good enough if we are ever going to really fix our planet. I know we are not going to stop the manufacturing plants from working but if we could just slow them down a little.

But in the mean time purchase some carbon offsets (I know... I just said to purchase But actions have consequences and I am hopefully fixing my mistakes) and if you need to see the yearly audits you can or if you would like to place the money in the hands of workers who need it the most you can do that too .

Check out the Carbon Emissions Offset Directory

Oh and by the way reduce, reuse, and recycle.... Here endeth the lesson.

So Excitied!

2008-08-21T21:43:00.002-04:00

I am so excited that the United States Congress has agreed to a ban on three dangerous phthalates (Phthalates are a common industrial chemical used in PVC plastics, solvents, and synthetic fragrances and are proven to interfeer with the endocrine system and cause cancer) in products made for children under 12. The decision came in spite of the chemical industry's desperate (and well-funded) attempt to shut the provision down.

Exxon-Mobil alone spent a significant portion of its $22 million lobbying budget on the project, according to Lyndsey Layton at The Washington Post. If you would like to read more and I know you would go to the Environmental Working Groups blog to read more. Thanks guys!

Great Quote

2008-08-19T07:10:00.004-04:00

“Life is like a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep on moving.”
Albert Einstein to his son thank you swiss miss

O.K. So I have been delinquent

2008-08-09T19:07:00.008-04:00

O.K., So I have been a little delinquent. But while I am enjoying the summer and the beautiful weather we are having here in NYC please go the Ellen Hanson Designs Blog and look at the Green reno out on the Hamptons with which they were involved. It was out of this world! Kudos to you EHD! The table that Kristy Knight designed out of salvaged wood was simply breath taking please go... look at the pictures if you can't make it out there.

Enjoy the weather everyone! I know I will. (with my sunscreen)

Idle hands is the devils playground...

2008-08-01T12:46:00.003-04:00

Sorry I have been a bit idle as of late. I have been on the couch with my feet up. I sprained my right ankle and bruised my left foot. Lucky for me no broken bones though! But alas it has made me a little do-lally in the head. I have been RICEing: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. There will be more to come in the garden and everything else eco-friendly in a couple of days.

See ya soon

My Earthworm

2008-07-30T07:55:00.001-04:00

I finished another draft of my average garden variety earthworm. 250 more to go.... :-)

Facebook

2008-07-27T14:18:00.002-04:00

So I just joined the world of Facebook yesterday and it's insane. I can see why people never leave there computers. Between blogging, Facebooking, writing and myspace (which I don't) and everything else one might never leave their home. I say: Stand up and put the laptop down! But alas I have found something green on the old Facebook account. It is called (Lil) Green Patch. It is Facebook's effort to help fight Global Warming. It is put together by Ashish Dixit a software designer from Silicon Valley, CA and David King from Google.

Their sponsors contribute money to save the Rainforests as you use the application. After expenses they will donate revenue to funding a portfolio of reforestation projects. The (Lil) Green Patch community, working together, was able to save 29,259,567 Sqft of Rainforest so far. So you never know what a couple people can do when they put their minds together.

Compost!

2008-07-26T14:24:00.002-04:00

I actually am making some compost!

I realized one CAN make compost without doing much of anything. Yes the carbon:nitrogen ratio should be correct and one should turn the pile regularly. But if you don't, the pile will still decompose whether you give it some love or not. Now, I have been giving my pile some love. Maybe not turning it as often as I should or in the way that it should be turned (being that my compost turner is really for the birds. It does NOT flange out the way it just stays together and I am just poking at it so I am using a shovel not a pitch fork...la la la. You get the picture)

But this morning deep down inside in about eight inches of muck, I saw the black gold!!!! It is beginning! Come fall I will have some nectar for my fall plantings. How exciting for me!

The Perfect Rug

2008-07-25T14:09:00.003-04:00

My bedroom is right next to the door to my garden- Hence the dirt from the garden is tract right into the room. Now I'm a bit of a neat-nick, not totally OCD but I don't like to feel dirt under my toes when I get out of bed in the morning. I have been through 3 rugs: One of which got water logged so that one doesn't really count; second of which my dog, I think shredded; and third of which was a flokati and the dirt NEVER came out of it. So it is now time for a real honest to goodness proper rug.

Well I found (with a little help from my, Ellen Hanson Designs friend Lisa) Flor. They are carpet tiles that come in square units and are made from recycled old For tiles. So when you are through with your rug and it is all packed up and ready to go all you have to do is give Flor a call. They will arrange the shipping cost to have the tiles shipped back to them. How fab is that! Also they are a dream to clean. Simply lift up the individual tile that's dirty and either scrub it in the sink or hose it off in the yard. But if all else fails send it back and replace just the one square. I think I found the rug for a high traffic area that is not a sisal.

Yet another new blog

2008-07-22T18:51:00.005-04:00

Last week I told all of you about an amazing environmental Architect, Michelle Kaufmann. Well this week it is about a sublimely talented interior decorator, Ellen Hanson of Ellen Hanson Designs. She has the most beautiful website and a fantastic blog which I believe is written by her staff. They are predominantly a green based design firm and are becoming LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified but don't quote me on that. Go EHDesigns! Her work is absolutely beautiful. Among other things, they are currently involved in the greening of a home out in the Hamptons (which the unveiling is this weekend). It is a renovation and expansion of a current home. It looks quite exciting.

Stay involved by reading their blog.

Just go!

2008-07-17T17:31:00.002-04:00

www.storyofstuff.com is sheer brilliance just go!

A Great Website!

2008-07-16T09:51:00.006-04:00

I just learned of a new website today- Future Natural! You can go to Skin deep to check out all your cosmetics and their toxicity levels, then you can go to FutureNatural to purchase new and environmental improved ones. They have everything from Suki to John Masters to Farmaesthetics to more. They're wonderful go take a look!

London

2008-07-13T11:18:00.003-04:00

As some of you may or may not know I used to live in London and in today's posting on Ecofabulous there is a new eco-friendly nightclub in King's Cross. To enter, you’ll need to sign a personal pledge to try and halt global warming. The floor of the nightclub generates energy, so the more you boogie the less carbon you burn. Owners project that on a good night, dancers will generate up to 60% of the energy required to power the entire club.

Once inside, Surya offers organic drinks served in biodegradable cups. The sponsoring company, Club4Climate, plans to offset carbon emissions by planting one million trees by 2010. Alas, Surya is not sustainable. But Club Watt, opening in the Netherlands in September, will earn that distinguished title. Oh if NYC could get on that Club wagon.

Thanks Ecofabulous!!

AMMA

2008-07-13T09:00:00.002-04:00

I am going to write about something off the green path today. It is about love and how would anything grow in this world without love.

So Holly Smokes! The other day I was talking the dearest friend in the world to me about how I Love to hug and I would love to just go around hugging people. Lisa then told me that there is a Guru named Amma who does just that. Amma feels It is when we forget about ourselves and live for the happiness of others that we experience the real beauty of life. Amma always points out that the purpose of one's life is to realize who we really are. She says, "By realizing our own Self we become full, with nothing more to gain in life. Life becomes perfect." She also says that religion is a bit like the doctor. You can't give the same prescription to all the same people... Which I think is brilliant. A bit like the Dalai Lama, she is all Love.

So if you see me and don't want a hug..... yer getting one anyway!

Time Warner Cable

2008-07-12T13:35:00.003-04:00

I have been paying my bills on line for years. So in turn my bills get sent to me via email. But today as I was going through days of unopened mail I had an odd realization... What are all these paper bills? So I called Time Warner to see if they would stop sending me the paper bill since I am sent on via the ether net. Their response..... "Only if you set up monthly automatic debit from your checking will we stop the sending of paper bills" Now doesn't that seem silly.

So I am going to write a letter via snail mail to the Flushing office to simply ask, why they can't stop the waste of paper like all the other utility companies.

Doesn't seem silly that I am sending paper to stop paper?

A New Blog!

2008-07-10T14:03:00.001-04:00

Thanks to my friend Tina Z I found the THE most fabulous blog. Although I feel that I am diminishing it by calling it a blog. It's more of a website site with blogging. It is breath taking and insightful. Her name is Michelle Kaufmann and she is an environmentally based Architect and I love her. The site is not only informative, it is multi-dimensional. From being able to calculate your carbon footprint and purchasing offsets to educating yourself on environmental Feng Shui(that's my take on her 5 principles). It's not only an esthetically pleasing site but you walk away from your computer feeling inspired.

She's going on the list!