I had to run some errands the other day and while I wandered around CVS I noticed I didn’t have my usual lip balm in my pocket so it was a great day to try out something new.

I grabbed the Vickery & Clarke Intensive Lip Treatment (95.75% natural) and the Intensive Moisture Lip Balm (94% natural).

Both are fabulous.  The Lip Treatment is more of a gel and comes in a refreshing mint flavor.  It’s great on chapped or split lips - it provides plenty of moisture and a great barrier from cold winds.  The Intensive lip balm is a cocoa butter flavor which is sweet and smells heavenly - like cookies or cakes or some sort of dessert.  the best part is is that it is flavor less - so your nose gets a treat without making your lips smack off all the balm.

About Vickery & Clarke

Inspired by Alice Vickery and Isabella Clarke, who broke new ground for women as pharmacists in the 1800s, Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary products are simple, effective remedies made with over 94% natural ingredients.

Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary products are made with natural ingredients:

• Paraben free
• Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate free
• Phthalate free
• Petrolatums free

UPDATE - As of December 2011 Vickery & Clarke products seem to be no longer available for purchase.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Vickery & Clarke Intensive Lip Care

Whenever I thought about handkerchiefs I imagine my Grandfather and his hankie that he used to blow his nose into and hack into all the time - it grossed me out.

I was 10. A decade later as I started to take a look at how environmentally friendly my decisions were I started to reconsider. After a nasty bout with a cold I had a sore nose - I found some great natural solutions for my dry nose but could the dry nose have been avoided by not using 1,000,000 facial tissues?

Yes. In a recent purchase from Lunapads I ordered a few small Organic cotton handkerchiefs and contacted Lunapads customer support about the use and care of this reusable facial tissue.

One of their support staff, Sandra Allen, was quick with a response to me. I just asked her what was on my mind and after I read her response the first time I needed to blow my nose it felt right in that cotton hankie!

She assured me the following is the case with handkerchiefs:

• They aren’t going to leak snot everywhere or into your clothes in the wash
• If you have a cold you will produce more mucus and might want to rinse your hankie in warm water and hydrogen peroxide to keep it naturally fresh and white
• Just toss it in your pocket - use it - the toss it in your laundry. Then repeat!

Handkerchief Q & A With Sandra Allen of Lunapads

Are there a lot of germs in my snot and boogers (aka mucus)?

Sandra: I did a bit of reading and generally snot is produced to help keep the respiratory system free of germs. The time when it may have germs in it is when you are catching a cold. In that case I would soak them in hot water and add some hydrogen peroxide. But generally a hankie is a personal item that is used only for you so they’re your own germs. Check out Wikipedia’s definition of mucus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_mucus#Respiratory_system or do some Google searches to read more about it. I am all fascinated by our wonderful mucus-producing bodies now that I’ve done some reading up on the subject!

What should I do with dirty or used reusable handkerchiefs when I’m not at home?

Sandra: I personally just keep them in my pocket or bag, the snot really doesn’t go anywhere and unless you’ve got a bad cold it’ll be minor what comes out.

What’s a good solution to keep clean handkerchiefs separate from dirty in my pockets, handbag, desk, or home?

Sandra: Again, you don’t need to be so particular about it. I usually only have one hankie on me during the day, but sometimes I’ll keep a folded one in a pocket of my bag/purse. The used hankie can just be kept in your coat or pants pocket, always turn the snot part inwards and it won’t get anywhere. But we do have these cute little pouches – the Luna Pouch (nylon lined!) or the Pochette (pictured below) that you could use to store your hankies in.

Terri (me): I had to let her have that little sales bit It’s just how I roll!

Should I soak my handkerchief first to make sure the snot doesn’t get all over my clothes?

Sandra: Unless you’ve got a cold (and therefore more snot!) you can just throw them straight in to the wash, no need to pre-rinse but you can if it makes you feel more comfortable.

How can I soak, pre-wash or clean a handkerchief?

Sandra: I’d just soak them in water, but if they seem little dirty then add a bit of hydrogen peroxide or a product like oxy-brite which are both natural bleaching agents. It’ll help keep them a nice cream-white and won’t damage the fabric or the environment.

Are you sure it won’t get on my clothes if I wash them in with my regular laundry?

Sandra: It won’t get on your clothes. I promise you won’t even be able to tell you had snotty hankies in with your laundry if you do combine them. Once you start using hankies you’ll be amazed at how the snot just kind of disappears in the fabric.

Terri (me): And yes, she does mean the “fabric of the handkerchief!”

Additional photo from the Lunapad website (that’s Sandra on the left.)

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Not Your Grampa’s Handkerchief

When I launched Green Behavior onto Twitter (@greenbehavior) I found an interesting Twitter follower, @saveessentials. It’s a PR guy letting us know that Arm and Hammer is looking to cut Essentials cause there’s no one buying it.

Why buy it?

• It’s a great product that really works
• Less packaging = less weight = less transport cost = smaller carbon footprint
• Why waste bottles - reduce and reuse.

Video via the Save Essentials Campaign

Cleaning with Essentials

I grabbed the multi-surface cleaner and went to town cleaning and testing for y’all. I picked a good and dirty place to clean: my best friend and boyfriend’s condo kitchen.

The kitchen looked and smelled clean once I was done - the multi-surface cleaner cut through microwave grease and baked on stove top goodness. The faucet sparkled and the glass was streak free and see through (again.)

About Essentials Multi-Surface Cleaner

• Cleans without streaks
• Uses plant-based cleaners with other biodegradable cleaners derived from coconuts and palm kernel
• Effective and safe, When used as directed — with no ammonia or phosphates
• Light, fresh scent — no harsh chemical fumes
• Refill 2-pack uses 80% less packaging than 2 pre-filled spray cleaners

Safe and Effective Cleaning - the Multi-Surface Cleaner Works Great On

• Counters
• Appliances
• Sinks
• Kitchen & Bathroom Tile
• Glass
• And more!

Register to Get Essentials Coupons here

Featured on saveessentials.com 12/23/2008

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Arm & Hammer Essentials - Green Cleaning

Looking or a healthy snack? Try Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies.

I got turned onto Annie’s by an old friend who hated blue box mac and cheese and insisted I try Annie’s Mac. I was hooked after I tried it and have since kept an eye out for more of Annie’s products with their mascot Bernie the bunny on the box.

The other day I was looking for a healthy snack to leave on my desk at the office and I saw Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies. I grabbed ‘em and was again hooked. I think Annie’s Cheddar bunnies taste better than Pepperidge Farm’s Goldfish. Cheddar bunnies are made with organic wheat flour and real aged cheddar then baked to delicious perfection. Their nutritional value and cost is comparable to Pepperidge Farm’s Cheddar Goldfish but I like knowing there are organic ingredients and that my products are coming from an eco-conscious company.

Need some other healthy reasons to grab a box and try them for yourself?
Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies have:

• 0g Trans Fat
• Low Saturated Fat
• No Cholesterol
• No Sugar Added
• Contains Non-GMO

Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies come in a few different flavor varieties that I am dying to try once I ask my local grocery market to carry more than just the cheddar variety.

• Sour Cream & Onion Cheddar Bunnies
• White Cheddar Bunnies
• Whole Wheat Cheddar Bunnies

Learn more about Annie’s other snacks and more about Annie’s Cheddar bunnies and their new Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies - made with even more organic goodness on the Annie’s website: www.annies.com

Have you tried Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies before? What did you think?

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies - Healthy Snack

URGENT CALL to ALL Green readers - Sign this NRDC petition today to help save the Utah Redrock wilderness from being auctioned off by US President George W. Bush tomorrow.

The following message from long-time environmental advocate, Robert Redford, urges Americans to protest President Bush’s plan to auction off Utah’s Redrock wilderness to oil and gas speculators on December 19. It was sent to you by the NRDC action fund http://www.nrdcactionfund.org. The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliate of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Dear Friend,

No one voted on Election Day to hand over Utah’s Redrock wilderness to oil companies.

But the Bush Administration cynically chose that very day to advance an outrageous plan that will sell off leases for some 300,000 acres of spectacular Utah canyonlands to oil and gas speculators.

While America was voting for Barack Obama and his vision of a clean energy future, Bush and Cheney’s underlings were conspiring to plunder one of the crown jewels of our natural heritage for their fossil fuel cronies.

Please register your own opposition right now.

http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/wilderness_giveaway

The auction of Redrock country will take place on December 19. At stake are world-renowned vistas near Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, as well as near Dinosaur National Monument. The highest bidders will earn the right to turn vast tracts of pristine wilderness into industrial wastelands.

It’s bad enough that Bush officials went behind the backs of the American people with this disastrous scheme. But what’s worse, they didn’t even tell their own National Park Service until after the fact.

In my mind, this theft of our heritage goes beyond the cynical — it’s criminal. What will be left to give to our children and their children if we allow this administration, in a parting shot, to destroy our legacy of public lands for short-term gain?

I hope you’re as angry as I am about this blatant land grab, because we’ve got to stop it — and we have to act fast. The NRDC Action Fund is mobilizing more than one million Americans in an outpouring of protest over the coming days.

Send your own message of opposition immediately. Tell the Bush Administration that you will not allow it to destroy one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/wilderness_giveaway

We’ll automatically send copies of your message to your two Senators, your representative, and to the Obama transition team, which has signaled their opposition to this disastrous attack on our Redrock heritage.

The Bush Administration is racing to complete the auction of our lands before Inauguration Day, which will make sales difficult to reverse.

We must fend off this land grab now — before the oil and gas companies can lay claim to the spoils.

Those spoils include stretches of Desolation Canyon, which has been proposed for national park status. Bush’s own Interior Department describes the canyon as “a place where a visitor can experience true solitud — where the forces of nature continue to shape the colorful, rugged landscape.”

The very idea of oil and gas operations invading these remote sanctuaries — which have remained untouched for millennia — is deeply upsetting. Once the dirty deed is done, our wilderness can never be restored. That’s why I’m asking you to help us sound the alarm and organize now.

Tell the Bush Administration to cancel the Redrock auction. Remind them that we the people are the rightful owners of this majestic wilderness and that we won?t stand for its destruction.

http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/wilderness_giveaway

And thank you for joining with me and the NRDC Action Fund to save these beautiful wildlands for all future generations.

Sincerely,

Robert Redford NRDC Action Fund

P.S. After you send your own message of protest, I’ll let you know of an easy way to spread the word to your friends and family. With only 10 days 1 day to mobilize one million Americans, I’m counting on you to rally everyone you know to speak out and save this precious wilderness from destruction.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Stop Bush from Trading Wilderness for Oil

Organic, by definition, is the practice of creating, involving or growing something using renewable resources of carbon origin (animal or vegetable) while using environmentally friendly, if not environmental enhancing, methods.

USDA Defines Organic

But what organic mean as it pertains to USDA certification of organic produce? As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website:

“What is organic food? Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation^[1].

Translating USDA’s Definition of Organic

Time out, there’s a lot of terms in that definition that elude to radioactive giant tomatoes taking over the world and fields of crops filled with toxic sludge and littered with the barrels clearly labeled with a scull and crossbones.
I apologize, I have an overactive imagination.

So let’s stop guessing about what sewage sludge, ionizing radiation and growth hormones are and do some digging and research into the topics and how they affect our non-organic (also known as conventional) food.

Antibiotics / Growth Hormone

Antibiotics and growth hormones are given to animals to reduce the time in which it takes for an animal to have enough meat to be profitable or used to keep the cycles for producing milk and laying eggs shorter to increase profitability.

The steroid hormones used in food production are restricted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Steroid hormones are usually released into the animal from a pellet (ear implant) that is put under the skin of the ear. The ears of the animals are thrown away at slaughter.^[2]

Conventional Pestisides

Conventional pesticides are non-organic pesticides. All pesticides are evaluated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thoroughly before they can be marketed and use in the U.S. This evaluation checks that the pesticides mean with federal standards to protect the environment and human health.^[3] Organic pesticides are made from organic products and carbon based solutions where as conventional pesticides are man made and use non-organic chemical compounds.

Over the years pesticides have been linked to different diseases such as breast cancer, infertility and other birth risks and childhood behavior and physiology.

Synthetic Ingredients in Fertilizers

Synthetic ingredients are man made ingredients or ingredients not carbon based or naturally occurring in nature. Remember, the quote form the USDA states “fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients” regarding synthetic ingredients. Some synthetic ingredients are still allowed in USDA Certified Organic food which has caused controversy in the organic community since since the National Organic Standards went into effect in 2002.

Sewage Sludge / Biosolids

Yes, I said sewage sludge, which by definition is waste material from industrial, waste water or water treatment processes. Sewage sludge is treated into a material called biosolids which are then often used as fertilizers or soil conditioners in conventional growing methods.

Though the biosolids go through a complicated chemical process, called the activated sludge process^[4] it can still contain toxic material as the process does not always remove 100% of the pathogens (germs) which can regrow after the process is complete and the biosolid based fertilizer/product is created. In order for a product to be USDA-certified organic sludge or biosolids, cannot be used, though it is often used in conventional farming.

Sewage sludge has been under fire for it’s effects on the environment since as 1972 when the EPA authorized regulations on dumping sludge and other waste in the ocean through a permit program, in the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. Five years later in 1977 the act passed by the U.S. Congress as Public Law 95-153, amending the 1972 act. This 1977 law prohibits ocean dumping that “may unreasonably degrade the marine environment” by December 31, 1981.^[5]

Sewage sludge has been under fire for it’s effects on the environment since as 1972 when the EPA authorized regulations on dumping sludge and other waste in the ocean through a permit program, in the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. Five years later in 1977 the act passed by the U.S. Congress as Public Law 95-153, amending the 1972 act. This 1977 law prohibits ocean dumping that “may unreasonably degrade the marine environment” by December 31, 1981.^[5]

The President [Ronald Reagan] on November 18 signed into law the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988, which prohibits all municipal sewage sludge and industrial waste dumping into the ocean after December 31, 1991.^[6] The Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 made significant amendments to the 1972 act and now landfill, incineration, composting and pelletization are some of the alternative disposals and uses of the biosolids.

For me this explains a lot about why the USDA won’t certify matter fertilized with biosolids as organic when the EPA deems this matter unsafe to dump in the ocean.

Bioengineering

Bioengineering is when scientist use the modern biotechnology tools to insert new genes into a crop to give it more favorable new characteristics.

To say that bio engineered crops are the only generically modified crops would be inaccurate. For thousands of years horticulturalist have been genetically modifying plants in more traditional (or classical) plant breeding methods. Classical plant breeding uses deliberate interbreeding (crossing) of closely or distantly related individuals to produce new crop varieties or lines with desirable properties.^[7]

In additional to bioengineering and classical plant breeding there is also organic plant breeding which follows it’s own set of rules.

Ionizing Radiation

In relation to food, ionizing radiation is used in sterilization, and enhancing mutations of a plant. The growth of a seedling may be enhanced by radiation, but excessive radiation will hinder growth^[8]. There are strict regulations from the FDA to prevent the occurrence of induced radioactivity in the food we eat. The FDA’s ionizing radiation regulations can be found in the FDA guidelines Title 21 - Chapter I - Subchapter B - Part 179 on the FDA Website.

Outlined on an online excerpt from Dr. Vanee Komolprasert’s 2007 publication Packaging for Non Thermal Processing of Food you can see a table simply defining the regulations and how they pertain to certain foods (see table 6.2)

Summary

So for USDA certification food must be produced:

• Without antibiotics (animal)
• Without growth hormones (animal)
• Without using most conventional pesticides
• Without using fertilizers with non-carbon based ingredients or sewer sludge (biosolids)
• Without any bio engineering
• Without ionizing radiation
• With conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality

Find out more about what other regulations there are on USDA certified organic foods on the USDA’s National Organic Program web page.

Additional References

• Organic & Farming
  • USDA’s National Organic Program web page - Find out more about what other regulations there are on USDA certified organic foods
  • Organic - Organic as defined on dictionary.com
  • Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 / 2008 Farm Bill - More information about the 2008 bill
• Biosludge & Ocean Dumping
  • Ocean Dumping Ban Act - Article about the 1988 act
  • Marine protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act - From Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Irradiation & Pesticides in Food
  • Ten Most Commonly Asked Questions About Food Irradiation - March 1995 - Radiation Information Network’s: Food Irradiation from Idaho State University
  • What is Ionizing Radiation? - Information from the World Health Organization
  • Food Irradiation: The treatment of foods with ionizing radiation - July 1998 - U. S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
  • Pesticides and food - The Library of Congress Science Tracer Bullet Series - Science Reference Services
• Bioengineering, Antibiotics & Hormones in Food
  • FDA: are bioengineered foods safe - February 2000 by Larry Thompson
  • How much of our food is bio engineered - May 22, 2003 - Genitically modified food by Brendan I. Koerner
  • The Use of Steroid Hormones for Growth Promotion in Food-Producing Animals - July 2002 - FDA responds to the use of steroid hormones in animals

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: What is Organic?