How Barbie Continues Inspiring Us All Even If She Can't Stand Up. If you Loved Barbie's Dream House, Check Out Barbie's Green House.

How Barbie Continues Inspiring Us All Even If She Can't Stand Up.  If you Loved Barbie's Dream House, Check Out Barbie's Green House. 

I think Barbie has gotten a bad rap, don't you?  Sure, if she were real, she would be 6 feet tall, weigh 101 pounds and have a 19" waist and she probably couldn't stand up but so what?  Think of the inspiration she provides to girls, and dare I say women, worldwide. I, for one, never sat around as a little girl playing with my Barbie dolls, thinking to myself, "I will never be as beautiful as Barbie".  Honestly, Barbie served only to be inspirational to me.  Okay I am lying.  There was one thing that about Barbie's world that did warp me.  More than anything else, I wanted more Barbie's Dream House!

But my mother and father deprived me of that joy.

What's Your Eco 411? Play Along With Us

What's Your Eco 411?  Play Along With Us

Below is a list of questions based on those started by my girl Lynn of Funtastically Green  and we want YOU to play along with us!  Give us your Eco 411!

Here's the deal,  if you have a blog, post the questions below with YOUR Eco 411 answers and link to 5 (or more) friends and this post.  If you don't have a blog but are on Facebook, post your answers there and tag at least 5 friends and link back to this post.  Ask your friends to do the same, linking back to you, this post and a few of their friends!  And so on...

Let’s see how far we can take this! This is gonna be fun! I, like Lynn, am looking forward to getting to know all of you better and meeting some of your friends.You know how it is around here, finding the treasure in living green through self, people and planet is what we're all about.  Sharing our Eco 411 is just another way we can find the treasure that lies within each one of us.

Whether or Not to Get a Vaccine Should Remain a Choice. Say NO to Forced Vaccination in The USA! Fight to Leave Vaccination a Choice

Whether or Not to Get a Vaccine Should Remain a Choice. Say NO to Forced Vaccination in The USA!  Fight to Leave Vaccination a Choice 

One of the last times I ever danced with my father 

Vaccines are a touchy subject in my family.  I hate them.  After my father became wheelchair bound from a Hepatitis-B vaccine, each time my husband and I had to make the choice as to whether or not to have one of our daughters vaccinated, I was terrified.  Terrified that the same "thing" that made my father contract Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) from a vaccination, would trigger a reaction in one of my children.  There are vaccines that I have chosen not to give my children and if that right were to be taken away from me, I would wonder where the hell I was living.  Forced vaccination certainly couldn't happen in the USA, right?  Think again.

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” – Abraham Lincoln

WOOT! Hershey is Our First Ever Corporate Recipient of The Environmental Booty FAIL Award!

WOOT!  Hershey is Our First Ever Corporate Recipient of The Environmental Booty FAIL Award!

Hundreds of foreign student guest workers leave work to join a protest outside the Hershey's Co. warehouse, August 17, in Palmyra, Pa. (AP/The Patriot-News, John C. Whitehead)

If you  heard about the foreign student guest workers walking out of the Excel Hershey vendor plant in Pennsylvania last week, you like me, might be wondering what Hershey's official response to the situation is.  I grew up on Hershey and until recently, when I found out about their African child labor connection, it was one of my most beloved brands.

Environmental Booty Live Green and Save Series - The Must Have Eco-Friendly Cleaner You Need for Under $10...Get Clean and Green with Shaklee's Get Clean Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste!

Clean almost anything for months
with one container for under $10

Environmental Booty Live Green and Save Series - The Must Have Eco-Friendly Cleaner You Need for Under $10...Get Clean and Green with Shaklee's Get Clean Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste!

I must fully disclose and say what a Shaklee groupie I am.  I have worked with the folks at Shaklee but I have never sold their products.  It all started 20 years ago when a pushy neighbor tried for 6 months to get me to buy some Shaklee laundry cleaner.  I finally broke down and bought some just to get her off of my back-  all the while vowing to myself to hate it and never buy from her again.  Well I kept part of my promise,  I never did buy from her again but I loved the product.  Sadly, I think sometimes Shaklee distributors may have a hard time overcoming some of their over zealous counterpart's sales techniques and in turn, a lot of consumers are missing out on a fantastic line of eco-friendly, safe and non-toxic products and cleaners.  Luckily, I never again met a pushy Shaklee distributor and am now happily hooked on the green savings and great green products Shaklee offers. 

I am a huge fan of the zen like feeling I get from taking their "everything you could ever need in a vitamin including a probiotic and more" Vitalizer vitamins (I like the ones with iron and they never make my sensitive tummy feel queasy), I am a big fan of their Shaklee Cares Foundation and I will not live without their Get Clean Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste...

Wondering About the Safe Disposal of Expired and Unused Medications and Prescriptions? It's Easy and Safe to Dispose of Old Medicines with the Totally FREE Sharps TakeAway Environmental Return System Available at Walgreens, CVS and Community Pharmacies

Wondering About the Safe Disposal of Expired and Unused Medications and Prescriptions?  It's Easy and Safe to Dispose of Old Medicines with the Totally FREE Sharps TakeAway Environmental Return System Available at Walgreens,  CVS and Community Pharmacies

The Sharp's TakeAway Environmental Return System is free, easy to use and comes with instructions in case you have any questions.

Yesterday when I was at CVS, because I have tons of unused medication I need to properly dispose of, on a whim I asked the pharmacist if they took old and unused medications for safe disposal.  Was I ever surprised when she told me that they had just started working with the Sharps TakeAway Environmental Return System.  When she handed me a big envelope to ship my unused medications to a Sharp's facility for safe disposal, with FREE shipping included, I just about squealed with joy.  I cannot believe that it is now forever going to be super easy and super safe to dispose of old medicines with the Sharps TakeAway Environmental Return System.

How to Travel Green? 5 Easy Ways to Green Your Overseas Trip to Europe

Nestled in a valley wide and green, between sea and mountains,  Graine & Ficelle offers its natural, grown in the organic garden goodness, as well as educational workshops, tours of the farm, birthday parties, a bed and breakfast, cooking classes and more...all to the delight of children and their parents.

1. Green Your Travel with a Eurail Global Pass - If you want to travel in the most eco-friendly way possible throughout 22 countries in Europe, Eurail is the way to go.
2. Take an Organic Cooking Class in the Organic Food Capital of Europe - Germany has long been one of the largest producers, as well as one of the biggest markets, for organic food products in the world. At KETAO, in Frankfurt, Germany, the focus is on creativity, technique and taste accompanied by loads of fun and music.
3. Make a stop in Italy, the main producer and exporter of organic wine in Europe, for a wine tasting - Stay for a few hours or linger for days at "La Spinosa".  Find the ultimate in peace and tranquility at this organic winery as you are encouraged to kind of "shut down" in what is known as the "Valley of Silence".  I could use some of that right about now.
4. Vacation on an Organic Vegetable Farm in The French Riviera - Book a stay at an eco bed & breakfast in the Riviera with a spectacular view of the valley and the sea. Perfectly situated in the region of Vence at the foot of the Baou of St Jeannet you will find “Graine & Ficelle”.  Don't blame me if you never want to come back to the States.
5. Reduce Your Waste - Just because you are traveling overseas, don't think it means you have to ditch your reusable water bottle!  Bring your favorite stainless steel, BPA free water bottle with you in your carry on or pack it in your luggage.  After you pass through security at the airport, you can fill your bottle and never buy a "plastic" (PET), single use water bottle while on your trip.

P.S.- I am really glad that you stopped by our Environmental Booty Blog and I hope you have learned or shared a thing or two.  I hope that , now that you've found us,  you won't lose us!  You can "Like" us on our new Facebook fanpage, join our green living online community, subscribe to our posts,  download our community toolbar or Tweet with me on Twitter to stay in touch!  - Shane*

Sources: Graine & Ficelle Greenopia,GreenBiz.com , Avignon-et-Provence.com,TeatroNaturale.com, GermanFoods.com, KETAO, Organico,

EcoRewards for Business...Go Green by Cutting Costs and Creating Revenue Through Recycling

EcoRewards for Business

How Commercial Facilities Go Green by Cutting Costs and Creating Revenue Through Recycling

I am really excited to be a part of greening our local high school and encouraged by the support we have already encountered along the way.  One of the things we plan to do is make use of the Paper Retriever Recycling program, TerraCycle and Greenopolis to easily recycle paper, plastic and everything else from toothbrushes to chip bags from our school and local community.

5 Hilarious Environmental Videos to Tickle Your Eco-Friendly Funny Bone, Give You the Green Giggles and Change The World

5 Hilarious Environmental Videos to Tickle Your Eco-Friendly Funny Bone, Give You the Green Giggles and Change the World

I don't know about you, but these days I can use all of the green giggles I can get.  Not only is trying to live an eco-friendly, green lifestyle sometimes difficult - my family wants to hide under tables at restaurants as I pull my eco-friendly containers out of my purse for my leftovers, my husband wonders why we have to pay three times as much to eat eggs from chickens who are allowed to run free and my girlfriends are still left wondering why I won't allow my kids to eat Skittles - but if you haven't noticed, the world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket.  Looking outside of our little corner of the world here in Mickey's Magical Kingdom, that is Orlando, I am reminded of how many people are hungry, homeless and alone.  I think many of us are left wondering...

Where are the answers to the most pressing social, economic and environmental concerns of our time?

Perhaps the answers are quite simple.  Perhaps the changes we desire to create on a large, worldwide scale could begin with a smile.  Take a few minutes to put down the stress, unpack your worries and laugh a little with me.  Just press play, giggle a little and then pass your smile on.  Find as many ways as you possibly can to create a happier, better corner of your world.  Who knows, it might be contagious enough to catch on and create not only a better you, but a better me too.

Now go get your smile on...

Environmental Booty Live Green & Save Series - LADIES ONLY EDITION - Save Big on HTnaturals LuLu Island Organic Panties

A Clothing Manufacturer that Cares About What They Do & How They Do It?

Environmental Booty and BuyGreen Bring You HTnaturals and Their Perfect Organic Panty...Great Design, Great fit, Affordable Price, Made By a Great Company!

Lulu Island Pantie
Offered in Army, Lake and Plum
Retail Price: 15.00
BUY GREEN Wholesale Price: 12.00

OUR Sale Price: $8.40
BUY NOW

For this edition of the Environmental Booty Live Green & Save Series, we are inviting ladies only in to view this green deal!  Thanks to my friends at BuyGreen, I am able to offer these HTnatural panties at a price that makes it easy and ethical to support fair trade and wear your commitment to green.  Made from a blend of 47% soy, 47% organic cotton and 6% spandex for a soft and comfortable fit, this panty is the perfect mix of eco-friendly meets sexy comfortable design.

Go Green with NewGrass! My Review of the Best Eco-friendly, Synthetic Grass and Turf Lawn Product Made

 Go Green with NewGrass®! 

My Review of the Best Eco-friendly, Synthetic Grass and 

Turf Lawn Product Made

NewGrass® … From a Company Built on Experience

I have known the eco-friendly folks at NewGrass® for about a year and one thing that has always impressed me is their reliability.  If ever I have a question, they reply quickly and have an endearing way of making me feel that they really care about what I need.   Maybe it's because these green living folks are old school.

Stand Up and Demand Your Freedom to Opt Out of GMO's - Right2Know Marches Through the East Coast from NYC to The White House This October

Advocates for Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food Announce Two Week 'Right2Know' March from 

NYC to White House Oct 1-16

Stand Up and Demand Your Freedom to Opt Out of GMO's 

Right2Know Marches Through the East Coast

As if the mere existence of genetically engineered foods ("Genetically Modified Organisms" or "GMOs") isn't  bad enough, the US Federal Government seems to believe that it is not necessary to insure that consumers are able to opt out of GMO's.  Our government has yet to mandate labeling of genetically engineered foods which would insure that consumers know when they are buying genetically modified foods.  When polled, most people say they do not want to eat GMO's.  Unfortunately, what most consumers do not understand is that most of our corn (and alfalfa, soybeans and canola) is genetically modified in the US.  Most of what you eat with corn in it is therefore, genetically modified.

Monsanto has asserted that GMO's are safe, yet as I told you in June of this year, the GE Toxin Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has recently been found in the blood of pregnant women and baby's cordblood. People must know how to stay safe and forced labeling of genetically modified foods, will insure that consumer's are able to steer clear of all GMO's.  A coalition of organizations, businesses and high profile consumers announced this week that they have a plan to raise awareness and pressure the government about the lack of labeling of Genetically Engineered foods people unknowingly consume. 

16 US Colleges Receive Highest Green Rating ...Did Your Favorite School Make the List?

Harvard made the Princeton Review 2012 Green Rating Honor Roll.
Did your favorite school make the list?

The Princeton Review – known for its educational services which help guide students entering college – reported this week on its fourth annual green ratings of colleges.  The green ratings are a measure of how environmentally friendly the schools are on a scale of 60 to 99.  The Company tallied the green ratings for 768 colleges based on its institutional surveys of schools in 2010-11.  The surveys covered questions concerning their environmentally related practices, policies and academic offerings.  Out of the colleges given green ratings, 16 colleges received the highest green rating score of 99 and made The Princeton Review 2012 Green Rating Honor Roll.

Did your favorite school make the green list?

Easy Entries to Win $75 Worth of Luxe Organics! EB Fan Giveaway Sponsored by Sweet P's Skincare...Personalized Just for You!

This Giveaway is now closed...our new Fan Giveaway will begin 9-2-2012

I could not be more excited about our August Environmental Booty Fan Giveaway sponsor and prizes!!   This Month it is Easy to Enter to Win $75 Worth of  Luxe Organics from Sweet P's Skincare...Personalized Just for You!