Earth Update: Hand Sanitizer

Most of you all probably use things to sanitize your hands like that little "Purell" in a bottle. I did to until I met CleanWell All-Natural Hand Sanitizer at Whole Foods (for a complete list of stores CleanWell is sold at, click here.) This little guy is all natural while doing all of the germ-fighting we want. It's plant based, not alcohol based, which makes it have a yummy scent once you put it on too :) Read more below:

The cute bottle!

Close-up on the label...

...and the spraying cap! That's another thing that's unique, it's not a gel formula--this makes the solution last much longer than traditional Purell hand sani.

More info on the product itself on the back label!

I highly recommend that you all go out and pick up one of these little guys to just pop in your pocket/purse when you are on the run. Not only is the whole product eco-chic, it's also a bang for your buck! It contains enough product for over 225 sprays! Let me know if you have tried anything like this down in the comments (I bet not, right!?)

xoxo and have an earthy day!

Happy Earth Day!

Hello everyone and Happy Earth Day! From reading this blog, you know I'm quite passionate about the environment. I read some amazing tips for a greener lifestyle here so click if you'd like to read more. I'm going to do a special post for the occasion, so here we go!

Eco-polish award: Dazzle Dry and Zoya!

Not only is Dazzle Dry big 3 free, it's also nitrocellulose free (a chemical) and the only polish that is, currently! And Zoya, being big 3 free as well, is also free of camphor and it's vegan! Woot, woot! Not to mention the original creator of the polish exchange, a super-green practice!

Laziness vs. Green!

Well, I wanted to tell you guys quickly that being green is not as easy as some make it out to be, I know. But, if we all are passionate about it and know how much our planet REALLY needs it right now!! I know it can be tiring composting away, as well as walking downstairs to the recycle bin! This is just a little blurb saying, WE CAN DO IT!

Green tips!

1) Reduce your general intake of, well, stuff! Reducing is much of the equation. Here's an example, buy not purchasing that pack of makeup brushes online (that you may not really need) you are saving: gas emissions being created from shipping, extra gas emissions from the factory, a large box, tons and tons of styrofoam pacing peanuts, plastic that it's wrapped in, etc!

2) Bring your own tupperware to restaurants! If you want to take your meal home, just put it in that instead of using a styrofoam box, yuck!

3) Garage sale! Instead of throwing out your old things, they may become somebody else's treasure! Or, ahem, not wind up in a landfill...

4) Eat in, not take out! Think of all the extra trash created, just from getting a take-out meal as opposed to eating at the place. Well, plastic utensils, plastic boxes, extra napkins you probably don't need, and a big paper bag! Well, that's an awful lot if you ask me.

5) Unplug, unplug, unplug! Anything that's not in use, unplug, or shut down as opposed to "sleep" mode. I'm quite bad at this one, my laptop always is on sleep mode, but I'll try to stop! And those chargers hanging out off the wall, without a cell phone attached? Got to go!

So everyone, I hope you embrace Earth Day and not just think of it as a single day, but a reminder to all of us that this is what we should be conscious of EVERY day. Until next time, have an earthy day <3

Earth Update: My Day at the Beach

So, pretty recently, I was walking along the beach not too far from my home, having a good relaxing day with my brother. The weather was great and the day was a beautiful one. Almost as soon as I was starting to float off to daydream-land, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. No slower than the time it took me to turn my head, I was slapped back into reality with the cold, unwelcoming sight of...

...this.

Really? How lazy can people be? Well, I sure saw it for myself. Suddenly the trip had taken a more serious turn. I looked at my brother and promptly decided that we were going to pick up all of the trash. Yup, you heard me, every single piece of trash we found on the beach. Almost as soon as I had taken another step in the sand, my eyes begin to feast on, well...

this,

this,

and even this. Although it's nasty and covered with algae, I picked it up and threw it into our pile, which we carried to a nearby trash can.

This little assortment of some of the garbage we found on the beach may be pretty, or even dubbed "artsy" if it wasn't made up solely of gross scum that lazy people refuse to pick up. What on earth makes people think that they are so beyond important that they have no place *gasp* picking up their own trash! I have yet to think of one good reason that littering is okay and is acceptable, to do. Well feel free to open my eyes if there's something that I'm, well, missing.

"Well, it's the animal's fault if it eats the trash and chokes. Yeah! I mean, umm, it should know better not to get near it!"

"Well, umm, it won't stay there forever right? Pssh, yea seriously, it will find its way into the trashcan. Or better yet the ocean, yeahh! I will never have to see it again if it just floats on away, I mean..."

"Come on. Like one piece of trash will ruin the ENTIRE beach. Um, yea, I didn't think so either."

"Somebody who is into that type of thing... umm, cleaning, and umm... caring for the earth and whatever, will pick it up for me, like they have no life anyways... so, yeaa."

Well, I picked up all of this trash. And there I am, putting handful one into the trash can! No, I do not do this to make the litterers feel like picking up their own stuff isn't their job. I do it for one simple reason. To help our earth. I encourage you all to do the same. (And in style too! Check out my China Glaze polish in Something Sweet!)

Thanks so much for reading and have an "earthy"day. <3

Earth Update: Double Sides/ "Me" Update

Hello readers and before I give you my Earth Update, I'd like to apologize for the lack of posts this month. Don't fret, I'm still here just super-duper... swamped with life. I have 2 collections that I'm almost done swatching, hint: essie and orly!!! So stay tuned for them, I'll get them up ASAP for you guys!

Now back to the Earth Update:

How often is it that you see a super cool picture or article on the internet and you just have to print out? In all likelihood that is more than one page and after you are done looking at it or reading it, you put this article straight into the trash. There are a few things that you can do to make this process a bit more eco-friendly. One is, recycle it! But two, my main point, is to print using both sides of the paper when possible. This is both eco- friendly and convenient; you have no need to search for a paperclip/stapler and you are using half the amount of trees!! Even more, this will save you money since you won't have to purchase as much paper.

Thanks everyone, and have a fabulously "earthy" day!!

Earth Update: Green Teen

Hey everyone! I was recently checking my e-mail and found that a friend of mine had sent me this link to a fabulous article! The article is all about a "Green teen" doing a bunch of green stuff, including helping to use eco-friendliness to help workers in nail salons. I was totally wowed when I read this article,we could all learn a lesson from this!

Here's the link and enjoy, comment to let me know if you find her as big a role model as I do!!! http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/13/MN1819DH0T.DTL

Have an earthy day!

Earth Update: Paper Bags

Generally, people use a lot more paper bags than they really need whether for packing a lunch on the go or anything else. A great way to be more eco-friendly with your paper without completely ditching paper bags forever is to reuse them!! Paper bags can be used many more than one time you know! They don't usually get ruined after one use so... reuse! Another way to be eco-friendly with your bags is to always RECYCLE them!! Reduce, reuse, recycle; it will make a world of a difference!

Have an earthy day!

Coming soon: Orly once upon a time collection and essie judith ripka colors

Earth Update: Transportation

It's easy to take your car everywhere but it's not so easy on the environment. Try carpooling with two or more people if you have to go somewhere, like school, work, to the library, etc. Even better, use your bike to travel short distances. Biking is much faster than walking and fun to do too! If you commute daily for a job, try to take public transportation. I know it's more convenient to drive yourself than take the train or bus but try to use public transportation like, once a month or once a week. Also, combining all of your errands into one trip saves time and energy!

Thanks everyone and have an "earthy" day!!

Earth Update: Trash

You probably create more trash than you think. The plastic utensils you get from eating out, paper bags, plastic bags, saran wrap and aluminum foil from a packed lunch, paper napkins, the cups from getting ice cream, shopping bags, etc. Just because these are small things doesn't mean they don't count! All this stuff will still end up in a landfill. To be more eco-friendly, try to be more aware of when you create unnecessary trash. For example, pack your lunch in reusable plastic containers like tupperware. You can also bring your own bag when grocery shopping, and when ordering out? Ask for no plastic utensils! Each little thing really helps, and it's easy!

Thanks and have an "earthy" day!

Earth Update: Cleaning Supplies Part 2

Several days ago, I posted about the importance of using eco-friendly cleaning supplies. I got some awesome reader feedback and some new, super-smart ideas! I totally took them to heart and I think you will too. Check them out:

Cincinnati Femme said- I'm so glad you mentioned bleach. Some folks actually mix bleach with other chemicals and can end up with chemical pneumonia. Really dangerous! Plus, my son has asthma, so I know how important it is to use natural products. I'll take a look at Green Works. Here's a tip: Use rubbing alcohol to clean the scum in your tub. It also works on mirrors, too. The vinegar and water combination works too, as you said. That's a great tip. Thanks!

Natalie said- I like your blog!

Here are a few tips for all-natural cleaning, the next step after natural cleaners:
Clean your windows and mirrors with water or vinegar (water really works well).
Use your vinegar as a cleaner/deodorizer in the bathroom and kitchen.
Fill a bowl half with water and a generous amount of vinegar. Put it on high in the microwave for a few minutes. The steam it generates should make any messes inside easy to wipe off and deodorizes it too!
Use baking soda to get baked on stains off of glassware/Corningware.
Used coffee grounds also can be used as a scrubbie.
Clean stained mugs by making a paste of water and baking soda (also works well).

I don't know about you but seriously, these readers went to the next level on earth-friendly cleaning!! I am SO impressed and best of all, I learned some new things too!

A special thanks to Natalie and Cincinnati Femme, you rock!

Earth Update: Cleaning Supplies

Some cleaners that you may use to clean your house are pretty hard on the environment. For example, bleach, phosphorous, and sprays that eliminate odor are actually filling the air we breathe with chemicals. Spraying something when the air smells funny is actually just covering up the smell with another chemical!

You can also replace your bleach based cleaners with products made with plant or mineral based ingredients. Try Green Works cleaners, they work amazingly well and are made with 99% natural ingredients!! They can be found at a local supermarket.

Thanks a bunch and have an "earthy" day!!

Earth Update: Cell Phone Chargers

Did you know that leaving your cell phone charger plugged into the wall when you aren't using it still uses tons of energy? Only 5% of the power that cell phone chargers use are actually used to charge phones. The other 95% of the energy they use is just from being plugged in. So basically, just leaving the charger in the wall is almost using the same amount of energy, even though it's not doing anything!

Unplug those cell phone chargers when they're not being used!! It will make a world of a difference. Thanks and have an "earthy" day.

Earth Update: Whiteboards

Most people communicate with people in their home by leaving notes on paper that say for example; I went out to the store! Be back in 1 hr! A way to turn this into a non-paper-wasting process is to leave these short little messages on a whiteboard instead of a post-it note! Because these notes are so short, writing it on a paper is a huge waste of materials while a whiteboard can be used forever. A whiteboard is also convenient as it can fit almost any place in your home!

That's your tip from me today and I hope you can incorporate it into your lifestyle! Have an "earthy" day!

Earth Update: Gifts

If you want to get a "green" gift for yourself or a friend, what do you think of? That handmade one-of-a-kind organic body wash that must be shipped across the country? A special sea salt scrub from Europe? Well although these things may be made in an eco-friendly way, shipping (especially by plane) is very polluting. The best way to make environmentally friendly gifts is to get things with little packaging that are made locally. For example, if you love gardening, how about a basket home-grown of fresh and delicious fruits? Or a gift from a new locally run business? The options are endless!!

Anyway, have an "earthy" day! xo

Earth Update: Air Conditioning and Heating

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, I have been super swamped with, hmm, everything I guess! Well now I have a green tip for everybody that is pretty easy to incorporate into your regular routine. DON'T automatically turn on your AC or heater, check the temperature outside to see if you really need it! It's easy just to let the outside air into your home. I know for a lot of you it's just an instinct to flick the switch on just because it's summertime, but there are exceptions to warm/cold weather all the time.  This can help save a lot of energy.

Thanks and have an "earthy" day!

Oh, this tip was found in a super-cool book called Green Chic!!

Earth Update: Laundry

Laundry is something that you have to do all the time so why not make it green?  Normal laundry detergent is made through a very energy-intense process. How intense? Umm let's just say that about one POUND of greenhouse gasses are produced for every little ounce of detergent!! Greenhouse gasses hugely contribute to global warming. Two brands called Method and Mrs. Meyer's make detergent that is much more friendly to the earth.  If you can't find those, just look for petroleum and phthalate free detergents.

Until later have an "earthy" day!!

Earth Update: Balloons

Today I have a tip so that you can keep your parties safer and "greener".  A very popular party decoration is balloons, they're festive, colorful, and fun! An important thing you need to know, though, is that letting your balloons just float up into the sky may be harder on the environment than you think. Once the balloons float up high enough, they pop and of course, what goes up must come down.  Many of the popped latex remains land in the ocean to later be choked on by dolphins and other sea life. Who knew a party decoration could be so... harsh? Be more aware of you balloons at parties, like not untying them or letting them go.

Thanks a bunch, and have an "earthy" day!

Earth Update: Nail Polish

Animal testing does not usually cross most people's minds when shopping for nail polish, but get the real scoop here. Some animals spend their entire lives cooped up in the dank, smelly cage of a lab only to know that their life will end as a careless experiment. I'm not telling you to stop buying nail polish altogether (no way!) but be conscious of who you buy it from. Details follow:

Nail polish companies that DO NOT test on animals: China Glaze, E.L.F, Seche, Color Club, Essie, Hard Candy, OPI, Orly, Revlon, MAC, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, NYC, Spa Ritual, Avon, Man Glaze, BB Couture For Nails, Barielle, Butter London, Chanel

Nail Polish Companies that DO test on animals: L'Oreal, Covergirl, Max Factor, Lancome, Maybelline

Well, there are a lot of companies that have given up this cruel practice, so it's a start! I hope that other manufacturers take into account how bad what they are doing truly is. You can definitely help too by buying only from the companies that do not test on animals!!! It will help a lot, thanks!

***The information about many of the companies was found at peta.org. The rest I got by emailing the companies themselves.***

Earth Update: Package Stuffing... in Action

Hey everyone! You may remember an earth update that I did in the past, "package stuffing" but here is a picture so you can really see it in action! I said in my older post that you should use ripped up paper to fill boxes that you are going to ship, as opposed to buying packing peanuts.  I recently participated in the Zoya nail polish exchange and got the chance to take some pictures of my earth friendly package stuffing.  Check it out:

There are my polishes sitting in a nest of shredded paper that I took out of my recycling bin. There are two egg cartons lined up side by side and each space where the egg should go, there is a polish! The box is also reused from a past online order.  Hope you get some ideas from this post!

Enjoy and have an "earthy" day!!

Earth Update: Catalogues

I bet many of you get catalogues in the mail that you neither read, nor need! Recently, I found a way to stop that. You can visit catalogchoice.org to cancel all of your unwanted extras.  It's easy, free, and good for the environment. Have you ever thought how many pages actually go into a catalog?!  It's definitely no small number.  If you don't even read them, what's the point of getting them in the mail?  All it does is waste trees and pile up your mailbox to no end!! Please go to catalogchoice.com and in the future, be more aware of your paper usage!

Thanks everyone and have an "earthy" day!!

Earth Update: Ocean Warming

I recently visited the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. It was an amazing experience and I brought back a few facts about the environment. Listen to this:

"Global Warming should be called ocean warming as more than 80% of the added heat resides in the ocean." -California Academy of Sciences

Wow, I have never thought about it that way before. No wonder so much of the world's ice is melting. I will be back soon to update about more ways to help. Until then, feel free to research about it, tell your friends, and contact me! 

One more thing, the movie Earth has come out today! It looks amazing and here's the best part. Disney will plant a tree for every ticket bought on opening week! Good deal, I'll be there and hopefully, you will too!

Oh, I forgot to say Happy Earth Day!!