Kick Cancer Causing PFOA's to the Curb with ManPans, Earth Pans and a Good Old Cast Iron Skillet - for Your Health and the Health of our Environment

Are you familiar with PFOA's?  Have you heard about Teflon and non-stick pans with PFOA's?  Do you know that there are studies which have shown the chemical to be present at low levels in the bloodstream of 9 out of 10 Americans, and in the blood of most newborns. PFOA has been shown to cause cancer, low birth weight and a suppressed immune system in laboratory animals exposed to high doses.  Although the effects of PFOA at lower doses in humans are disputed, there does seem to be a link between PFOA and raised levels of cholesterol  and PFOA's are in the non-stick coating of your Teflon pans.  But wait, it gets worse, PFOA's are detrimental to our environmental health as well as human health.  Even the EPA has declared PFOA's to be likely carcinogens.

Mr Clean Pleads The Fifth while Simple Green Sings Like a Canary

Concern over the association between household cleaning products and nerve damage, ill health effects and breathing related illness like asthma, is leading the way to consumer protection.  Although SC Johnson's new website shines with ingredient transparency, the move is considered unusual.  Household cleaning manufacturers do not routinely disclose their ingredient lists.  In fact they will go so far as pleading The Fifth to protect their product ingredient information from being released to consumers. 

10 Surprising Ways to Go Green!

A friends of mine asked me to get the word out about a very informative article they wrote about ways to live green and I am more than happy to help her out to spread the green living message.  I bet the article will really make you take action in some ways to help our environment that you may not have thought about.  Enjoy, spread the green living message and keep walking your path to green!  Remember,  living green is not about what you should be doing but aren't; it's not about guilt.  Living green is about going at your own pace to change the little things first, sharing what you know and always keeping an eye out for ways to do more.  Peace, Love and Eco - Shane

10 Surprising Ways You're Killing the Earth Without Even Knowing It!


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Guess What Just Went Organic? Yummy Earth Organics!!

Guest Post By Lexie Smith

Big news! Candy has gone organic! Candy such as gummy bears and lollipops has gone organic thanks to two daddies and Yummy Earth Organic. If you have been to places like Marriott Hotels, Disney World and Toy-R-Us you probably saw the lollipops on the counter but thought they were not healthy. Next time look more carefully, pick up the candy and see what it says. If it says Yummy Earth Organic, pick it up and eat it and give it to your kids. One thing that I think is so great about Yummy Earth is that the wonderful gummy bears have less than 90 calories and a full 100% of vitamin C per snack pack. There are flavors that your kids will be blasted out of their minds to eat like Pomegranate Pucker, Sour Apple tart and Apple Smash.

One issue parents think about everyday is “What is my child having for snack? Is it something healthy or is it junk food?” Well that problem is now going to be out of the way with Yummy Earth Organics. All the food your kids love (and maybe even some you love) can now be enjoyed without worry. Now if your child wants a delicious snack for school, they can have organic Yummy Earth snacks.

The two daddies that invented Yummy Earth Organics are on a mission to feed their kids and other children of the world foods with no chemical colors, artificial flavors or corn syrup. But they don’t stop there. Yummy Earth Organic makes the only USDA Certified Organic Gummy Bears and Gummy Worms in the United States and they are EU certified.

If you are having trouble finding a good candy that’s organic and is not the candy that’s bad for you, choose Yummy Earth Organics. After reading this I hope you have learned a few helpful facts about Yummy Earth Organic and their delicious products. Remember to put Yummy Earth Organics on your grocery store list.

A big "Thank you so very much!"  goes out to one of my favorite, all time guest post authors, my 10 year old daughter Lexie, for this awesome information!   Lexie found a Yummy Earth Organic sucker in our candy stash (yes we have a stash of "healthy" candy) and wanted to share her great find with people.

PS - we get ours at Publix for a couple of dollars.

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How to Take Advantage of Current Energy Tax Incentives? Start with a Home Energy Audit

So our air conditioner and heater has been illin' for like 6 months and it is time to get it replaced.  Although there is no better "family time" than, standing around the open stove in the morning to keep warm I think it is time to spend some cash and have heat like normal folks!  With the passage of President Obama’s Economic Stimulus Bill, homeowners may be eligible for a tax credit if they purchase certain types of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, water heating equipment, or make other energy-related improvements to their homes between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

Simple, Green Solutions for Living in a Complex World with Mike Lieberman

 

If you are looking for simple, green solutions for living in our complex world,  you should get to know Mike Lieberman and follow some of his low cost green living ideas.  I met Mike through OpenSky as he is one of my fellow shopkeepers on Main Street USA and will be opening his shop soon.  Carnasie BK, as he is known by his friends, shares his Eco advice as he leads us through 365 Ways to Go Green, Simply Raw Recipes and Urban Organic Gardening Tips.  This guy eats, breathes and sleeps green living and gives practical Eco solutions to living healthy while keeping an eye on sustainability.  I can't wait to see what products he stocks in his shop. 

Green Moms How do You Spend Your Happy Hour? Treasure "Self" with Happy Hour Mom!

You all know that I am all about living the Environmental Booty lifestyle.  That means I live and share the green message to treasure self, people and planet.  Living green is a lifestyle, a conscience choice to live cleaner, better and healthier for yourself as well as the health of our planet.  Are you green moms out there so busy buying organic grapes and changing cloth diapers that you have forgotten how to treasure self with a little happy hour fun?

University of Florida News - Breastfeeding offers variety of benefits for people in hard times

I had to share the following article as it is a passion of mine to spread the message on the benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the ultimate in sustainability! 

University of Florida News - Breastfeeding offers variety of benefits for people in hard times

Be sure to check out Posh Pads if you are breastfeeding or looking for a gift for a breastfeeding mom!!   Posh Pads are awesome bamboo breastfeeding pads that help protect from infections and are totally reusable.  Wish they were around when I was breastfeeding my three girls.  I hated those scratchy polyester things and the disposables were just more wast for our landfills.

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Looking for a deal? $10 Off Coupons for Environmental Booty

I have a little something to help you get started consuming and saving on green!  I have five $10 off coupons for the Environmental Booty OpenSky Shop for orders over $35 and right now we are offering FREE SHIPPING too!

The Birth of My Green Mattress

The Birth of My Green Mattress
Guest Post by Tim "The Bed Head"

My inkling to add an organic mattress line to my quality sleep factory started a while ago.  Every time I delivered a new mattress to a customer I was throwing another into the landfill.  This bothered me tremendously.  Often I wondered if there was a better way.  To claim that my business is 100% green wouldn't be truthful.  We are slowly evolving our path to what is natural. Adding my green mattress to my line of product offerings speaks profoundly to my green sensibilities. With determination, my factory will continue to add to green business practices as to do my part to lesson the footprint left behind on this earth.

Have You Heard the News? Aspartame is Now a Natural Sweetener!

Last week when I read the Natural News article about Ajinomoto's efforts to re-brand low calorie sweetener Aspartame as an all natural sweetener called Amino Sweet, I almost became ill.  Ingesting too much Aspartame made me so sick that doctors told me I had MS.  Within three days of cutting Aspartame out of my diet, my symptoms were gone.  That was almost 2 years ago and I am furious that consumers are going to be duped into thinking that the artificial sweetener Aspartame is natural and therefore safe.

Why I Love Bovine Growth Hormone, the FDA and Monsanto

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Use The Eco Button to Increase Sustainability Efforts, Save Energy and Save Money for Your Business or at Home!

How many times a day do you step away from your computer at work or at home without shutting down completely? We all know we should shut down to go green and save energy when we step away from the computer, yet how many people really do? If you or your business is looking for a way to go green to save money and energy, The Eco Button is your green savings solution.This thing will pay for itself in no time! 

K.C. Malhan Eco- Bags...Some of Oprah's Favorite Things! Now 25% Off!

Buy Now $58

The first time my teenage daughter Reece and I saw a K.C. Malhan bag we fell in love immediately with the intricate beading, vibrant colors and hot designs.  Although I loved the bags, I did not even think about offering them to my friends online in my Environmental Booty OpenSky Shop as I had no idea they were "green".  Then I met the designer, Jessica Singh and found out just how in line with my philosophy of treasuring self, people and planet her bags and company really are.

One of the first things that Jessica said to me was, "I have always felt like I am Eco."  She then went on to describe her beautiful bags as being created using glass beads which are lead free, being all vegan as no leather is used and doing one of the greenest things she can by not using any adhesives.  She went on to explain that there is no way that she could expect the people who make the bags to work around the smell of toxic adhesive all day.

When she told me about the little tag they sew inside of each bag which has the Hindu word for "truth"  on it , I was completely positive that I would do all I could to offer her bags in my shop to all of you.  This was a chick who truly cared about the people who worked for her and cared about providing a chemical free product for her consumers.  I immediately became a fan of not only the green philosophy behind the  K.C. Malhan bags, but I also became a fan of the green living woman who passionately creates the bags as well. Jessica walks the green talk and tries to live an Eco-lifestyle.  She even has some of the products I stock  in my Environmental Booty Shop! 

If you have heard any of the recent news reports about lead in handbags, you can rest assured that K.C. Malhan bags are safe for you and free of lead.  Plus, the Large Grecian Bag by K.C. Malhan was featured in the O Magazine December 2009 issue as one of Oprah's Favorite things!  Oprah even included the Grecian in swag bags for The Emmy's.  K.C. Malhan's Eco-bags have also been featured in Lucky Magazine and People.

Although the 25% off promo is over, you can still pick up this bag while supplies last...Buy Now!

Looking for an Environmentally Friendly Solution for a Green Lawn? Choose Bio Green!

 

Do you ever wonder why lawn services always put up that little sign that warns pets and children to stay off of the lawn for a couple of days after they apply pesticides which are supposedly safe?  Duh, wake up!  If you are looking for a way to keep your lawn looking great and still provide a safe application for kids, pets and our environment, you need to get in touch with Bio Green.  Bio Green Complete Landscape Nutrition is listed as a BioPreferred Designated Fertilizer through the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA)  BioPreferred program. 

Interview with The Natural Dentist

Antigingivitis Rinse All Natural 16.90 Ounces

If you are looking for safe, natural ways to take care of your mouth, teeth and gums, let me introduce you to one of my newest green friends...The Natural Dentist.  The Natural Dentist offers safe, natural oral product solutions for the entire family.  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to sample The Natural Dentist's natural mouth rinse and ask their Director of Brand Marketing, Kristine Schreiber, a few questions about their line of oral health care products.

Move Over Leilani Münter and Make Room for NASCAR Green Team #26

 

I love Leilani Münter and her green vision for our world but there is already a new green NASCAR team on the block.  Vermont businessman Bill Jenkins, owner of Latitude 43 which is an organic cleaning products company, has purchased the #26 number from Roush Fenway Racing. The transaction includes racing equipment plus 2009 owner points, meaning that the new team will automatically qualify for the first five NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2010!

Skin MD Natural $100 Valentine's Day Giveaway...Deadline February 8th!

A few days ago I posted a review of Skin MD Natural's face, body and hand lotion.  I was impressed by the way the lotion moisturized and the fact that it is produced using 100% solar power.  Now you have a chance to win a Skin MD Natural Valentine Gift basket!

What is a Non-Toxic, Healthy Teething Solution that Does Double Duty for Mom? Environmental Booty, OpenSky and Roundhouse Design Bring You The Oh Plah!

A while ago, when I decided to begin to focus on finding environmentally safe, green living products to share with all of you, I came across, what I think, is an absolute must have for every mom.  I found, and fell in love with, the Oh Plah!  Sadly, I didn't find it until after I suffered through my little ones teething woes and stuffed (what I know now were) chemical laced teething rings into their mouths.  Times are different today right?  I imagine these days it is pretty easy to find safe, medical grade thermoplastic, non-toxic, bacteria-resistant, teethers and toys which are free of lead, latex, PVC, BPA and phthalates, right?  Okay, so maybe not so easy?  Relax, I  am so happy to be able to make this easy for you by offering this perfect, Eco-friendly teething solution in our Environmental Booty Shop.

Not only is the Oh Plah! an Eco-friendly, safe and non-toxic toy and teether for your little one, it serves double green duty as a totally cool way to express yourself.  Always ready (and not buried in the bottom of the "lord only knows what is living in that" diaper bag) when you need it.   Just pull it from your wrist as the Oh Plah! is a flippin cool bracelet too. Oh Plah! is French for  "here you go".  But wait, it gets better...

The Oh Plah! is sooo good for you, your baby and the environment.  The perfect way to treasure self, people and planet.  Roundhouse Design, the manufacturer of the Oh Plah!, practices a closed loop cycle with its Full Circle Recycling program: When it's time, Roundhouse will pay to have your Oh Plah! shipped back to have it recycled into new products!

Take your pick from Whimsy (purple), Synchronicity (grey), Energy (green), Simplicity (pink), Serenity (white) and Harmony (blue).   They might make you feel a little like Linda Carter as Wonder Woman in the mid seventies; I am dating myself but do some of you remember her magical bracelets?  What mom, I mean wonder woman, couldn't use a little extra magic today?  Head over to the Environmental Booty Shop and pick up some today...

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The Lancet's Andrew Wakefield MMR Autism Connection Retraction Comes Just as The US Gov't. Calls for More Study

First let me remind you that all of my children are fully vaccinated.  Next let me remind you that my father is in a wheelchair because of a Hepatitis-B vaccine and has been compensated by the U.S. Government for the injury.  But follow me here K?

I have been telling you for a while about how the US government continues to look into subsets of the population being more susceptible to Autism from environmental factors and vaccines than others right?  Chances are you have heard about the retraction of Andrew Wakefield's Measles Mumps and Rubella study (which connected the MMR vaccine to autism) by the Lancet.  So Today I find out that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released their 2010 Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorders and guess what?  The plan calls for more study into whether certain people are more susceptible to Autism because of environmental factors such as immune challenges, which could include vaccines. Just thought I would let you know...the Lancet study may be out, but the research continues.

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A Wake-Up Story for Every Single One of Us from Healthy Child Healthy World. Are You Ready to Listen and Take Action?

 

                       
This video could be one of THE most important you ever watch and share. My mother and I used to sit around lamenting that everyone was sick, kids were flipping out with aggression and attention difficulties and so on that I eventually began to try to find the answers to our concerns.  Do you have those same worries?

What I have found over the last few years is that there is an overwhelming amount of research that points  to an overloading of toxins in our children's lives; not to mention ours.  There is a movement around us that is gaining momentum, going mainstream and reaching every corner of the world.  Will you commit to becoming  a part of the solution to decrease this toxic overload?  Are you willing to take the time to become an informed consumer, change your buying habits to support that information and share what you learn with friends, family and any person you can get to listen?

If we can all work together and stop waiting for the government to put in place laws to "protect" us we might just create a healthier world  for our future generations as well as for ourselves.  Look at what a joke the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 turned out to be.  In almost 34 years, the EPA has banned only a handful of chemicals out of thousands.  Must be nice to be able to produce a chemical, put it into the market and not have to worry about all of that silly stuff like making absolutely certain there are no risks at all associated with it.   I love being a guinea pig and offering up my children to the alter of non-government regulation and safety don't you?

I ran across the following quote today, in what I can only call one of the most important articles of our time, about The Toxic Substance Control Act.  Maureen Swanson, the coordinator of the Learning Disabilities of America’s Healthy Children Project, which investigates and highlights the relationship between toxic chemicals and brain damage said, "Basically it requires the government to prove a chemical is dangerous or harmful to health after it is already in the market and after people are already exposed to it." She added that the "burden of proof is extremely high. The EPA has only banned or limited the use of five chemicals. Out of thousands. People think we have a safety net, but we do not."

Our future depends on our knowledge and actions.  What choices will you make today that will change your health and the health of our world tomorrow?  The time has come to create our own safety net.  

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Skin MD Natural...a Solar Powered, Skin Shielding, Dry Skin Solution

A few weeks ago, I was asked to do a review of a non-toxic, paraben and petroleum free lotion called Skin MD Natural.  Although I do reviews often, I am always a little leery of them.  If I do not like the product I am reviewing, I have an obligation to tell my community.  A negative review can lead to some bad feelings with green suppliers and manufacturers but I refuse to be a part of "greenwashing".  If a green product hits the mark, I will give it a great review, promote it and possibly offer it in my Environmental Booty OpenSky Shop
and I cannot promote anything that I would not use myself...ever!

10 Little Ways to Reduce Your Oil Consumption, Go Green and Make a Big Difference

I am certain you have heard it before but it is worth repeating...little changes can make a big difference. If a lot of people do a bunch of little things, the world will really become a better, greener place. So here is your green living lesson for today, you may not be able to think of one big way to reduce our dependence on oil, but you can certainly do a bunch of little things.  If we all try to help by doing something really small, we really will be helping to accomplish something really big.  Collectively, all of our small changes will have a tremendously positive affect on our health and our environmental health.