Robbie Adrian is Helping to Raise an Eco Conscious Generation

As a gal who loves to curl up on the sofa with a warm cup of tea on a cold day, a soft and warm throw is a must in my house. When I received the sample from northern California based company Robbie Adrian that indicated just how warm and soft their products are, I was intrigued. After reading up on the item and finding out it was created from organic cotton and silk I was suddenly picturing lots of afternoon naps every weekend this winter!

Robbie Adrian sent me a sample size of their product in the form of a baby’s Lovey. Since I do not have children I plan to gift this to a good friend of mine with twin one year olds. Hopefully they do not fight over it too much because this roughly foot square of fabric is soft and plush.

The motto of the company is that they “marry elegance with earth friendly, beauty with sustainability” and it shows. With organic cotton that is not only certified back to the originating bale but further certified by the company to accompany each item that is created they take their business very seriously.

Products are available to purchase direct from the website as well as in retail stores. The blankets are available in twenty seven of the fifty United States in a slew of locations (including five right here in Massachusetts) as well as in Australia, Canada, Indonesia and New Zealand.

There are two concerns I have regarding this line of blankets, first is the price being out of reach for many. All children’s blankets (with and without trim) range from $38 (for the 25” x 19” fleece ‘Lil Robbie) to $270 and adult fleece throws range in price from $132 - $226. A new line of blankets consisting of less trim retail for $26 - $78; the Lovey I received is part of this new line which the company calls “recession friendly” as the customer receives the same luxury for a little less money due to a little less silk.

My second concern is the use of real silk. As silkworms must be killed to create this thread it is a bothersome concern for many environmentalists. The piping style utilizes less silk overall and would be the less impactful choice, but the company does not offer a silk free design as of this time.

Overall the organic cotton is warm and a good alternative to synthetic fibers found in so many youth and adult throws so I am granting the Robbie Adrian collection a Three and a Half Leaf Rating!

With a 100% organic cotton version of this blanket I think it’s safe to say your Leaf Rating could soar to Five pretty rapidly so keep up the innovative work Robbie Adrian! ♥love♥

Organic Agave Nectar at the Liquor Store?

While shopping recently for a bottle of tequila for our vacation, the sales person at Sav Mor Liquors in Medford said he knew there must be Milagro tequila because they have the organic stuff. I was not at all sure what he meant at first but after locating my bottle of liquor he was walking up to the register with me when he pointed at a display he said:

“This is why I knew we must have the Milagro tequila.”

My jaw almost hit the floor as he pointed out organic agave nectar in a glass bottle, corked and 12.7 ounces. What really impressed me was the fact that the bottle was only $4.99!

I tried to recall what I had spent the last time I bought agave (blue) at Whole Foods and I want to say it was in the neighborhood of $8 for 11.75 ounces in a plastic bottle.

Agave is a sweetener I was introduced to by a slew of different people but most notably my friend Ginger who uses it in a large array of her recipes. It is a wonderful substitute for honey or sugar and I have found it is so yummy on pancakes with a little sprinkle of cinnamon instead of maple syrup. The calorie content is lower than all of the above; agave is also created from a plant.

For anyone having trouble locating basic agave nectar (like I was) sometimes these things can be found in the most unconventional of places so don’t discount a liquor store next time you are shopping for this yummy sweetener.

I fully intend to give this a real an honest review but I do not want to open it until it is going to be used and I still have some of the other bottle left. Keep an eye out though because Milagro is high on the list of favorite tequila brands so I imagine the nectar is going to be simply delicious!

You Had Me at Chocolate, Taza Chocolate

Once in a while along comes a product that is so awesome I can not wait to share everything about it and when my Taza Chocolate showed up a few days ago I knew this would be one of those times the moment the stone ground cacao hit my tongue.

Taza is a local company to me, based out of Somerville, Massachusetts, and not too long ago I started noticing their round chocolate discs at the cash wrap of a few of my favorite locations. When my friend and I saw them at the Farmer’s Market shortly after that I knew there must be something to them so I picked up a package of their Nibs to see what the fuss was about.

I used the Nibs in a lemon pie recipe and they were just the right thing to give it some balance. I wanted more. As a self proclaimed chocoholic and a Greenie I am always looking for the perfect pairing so when I find out how wonderful a company is in addition to their chocolate, I sit up and take notice.

Using recycled winnower and roaster, shipping boxes that can be recycled and traditional stone grinding methods is just the beginning of what makes Taza Chocolate cool. Their chocolate bars come in the shape of a disc and a fairly compensated human is involved in every step of the process from the picking of the cacao beans to the packaging of the bar.

Oh yeah, did I mention most of their chocolate is Vegan approved and all of their product is certified 100% organic? Not to mention that founders Alex Whitmore, Larry Slotnick and Kathleen Fulton spent a good number of hours simply sourcing their first beans. They were only interested in purchasing from a sustainable farm where fair treatment practices were standard. Right on!

The company is dedicated to the environment from recycling efforts to direct trade, a reduced carbon footprint in manufacture to energy saving practices in the factory. In addition to these solid efforts Taza Chocolate also will deliver their product to patrons in Somerville and Cambridge by bicycle and they allow for local direct pick up at the factory.

As if all of this wasn’t enough they are currently working with a few Green initiatives locally to do their part to keep the community beautiful! This includes GoGreen Somerville and through this partnership they have begun working toward a zero waste facility via composting, recycling and donation efforts.

I can not find a single thing about this company that is not amazing! Because of this I feel it is my duty to bestow the long strived for, yet infrequently achieved Five Leaf Rating!

Taza Chocolate you are going in my cupboard, tummy and on top of everyone’s gift from now on as a little something extra. Thanks for sharing your love. Here is some right back!
♥love♥

Whatchu Talkin’ ‘Bout Part II - Bio-plastic And Other New Eco Terms

Over the past couple reviews I have used the word ‘bio-plastic’ and it suddenly hit me that it has been quite a long while since I put out the first Green Terms post. In an effort to keep everyone up on the latest and greatest terminology, so you can shop and explore like the savvy Greenies I know you all are, here is part II in no particular order.

Bio-plastic: Where most common plastic (such as polyester or water bottles) is created from fossil fuel, known as petroleum, and turned into PET (polyethylene terephthalate), bio-plastic is different. Commonly created from plant based resources (such as corn starch) bio-plastic is as durable as its PET counterpart however it is less harmful to the environment as it can be composted in commercial facilities and will break down there in about 90 days. It produces far less emission to create as well as in its breakdown so the overall lifecycle impact is far less than petroleum.

Lifecycle: Sometimes referred to as ‘cradle to grave’ a life cycle assessment measures environmental impact of an item or service for its entire life (upcycling, recycling and reusing all help extend the lifecycle of an item ensuring less new is created).

Greenwashing: Greening up our lives has moved into the forefront of most people’s minds as more and more people are becoming aware of the very real impact we as humans are having on the planet and its resources. Many companies and organizations have decided to use this as a way to cleverly market their products regardless of the actual environmental impact. When a company touts their products as Green (or eludes to an illusion of such), yet the overall environmental impact is negative, Greenwashing has occurred. Diligence in research and review will make us savvy consumers in the realm of Green products and services!

Organic: Commonly confused with the word natural, organic methods and practices can be applied to all manner of items from food to clothing. Organic food is free of all chemical based products (pesticides, growth hormones, additives, etc). Organic clothing is created from natural fibers grown using organic methods (cotton, bamboo, hemp, soy, wool). Additional items such as baby supplies (lotions, toys) and cosmetics are offered in organic versions as well.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): From Wikipedia - “is a socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution. A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA’s focus is usually on a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit in a vegetable box scheme, sometimes dairy products and meat”. Plans in my area can run from $300 - $1200 depending on the items acquired and length of membership (many are seasonal) and the items are chosen by the farm for current availability in the crop.

Socially Conscious: A basic awareness and open eye to the conditions of the entire human race. Many people will define it differently but I believe it is both a global as well as local consciousness to provide as much as possible to all people. This can be achieved through monetary means, volunteering, product, service or trade.

Bio-diesel: Fuel for a vehicle (or other motorized machine), as well as home heating units, as sourced from resources other than petroleum but typically vegetable based (such as corn based ethanol).

Carbon offset: A literal counterbalance to the greenhouse gasses (CO2) emitted by any individual. Each carbon offset “credit” is allegedly equivalent to one metric ton of CO2 being removed from the atmosphere. For example, planting a tree or investing in a wind farm are considered an offset. The term and practice is controversial as some feel it encourages a lack of awareness to current practice as the bad behaviors can simply be “bought off”.

Part I of Whatchu Talkin’ ‘Bout includes these eco terms:

environment
green
recycle
upcycle
eco
repurpose
earth day
solar
passive solar
photovoltaic panels
wind turbine
compost
emission
sustainable
renewable resource
global warming
climate change
carbon footprint

What are some of the terms you would like to see defined? Let me know in the comments section!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I don’t know where Mary, Mary came from and what those silver bells or cockle shells had to do with ensuring a plentiful garden, but here in the United States crops have been facing the plight of late blight since the early 1990’s and this year in particular it has become extremely disconcerting to north eastern, mid western and central east coast farmers.

This disease is a water mold which is transmitted through the spreading of spores via any possible means (wind, rain, contact with mechanical equipment, etc) and it tends to thrive in moist conditions. The areas of concern have faces exceptionally soggy late spring and early summer so farmers and home gardeners alike are watching their potatos (the Irish famine in the mid 1800’s was due to late blight) and tomatos.

If late blight is spotted on either potato or tomato leaves (light green spots that resemble drops of water and are frequently found nearer to the tip of the leaf), it is advisable to completely dispose of the entire plant and not compost it as the spores can remain viable for some time after the plant has been uprooted and then can spread on to still healthy plants.

In order to prevent the spread of blight it is important to use a fungicide that will discourage growth and spread of the mold spores. Thankfully, there are organic, pent and human friendly ways to accomplish this. Copper and sulfur are organic fungicides (although still pose some risks so always follow package instructions and proceed with caution) and can be used to inhibit the mold. In addition to health concerns of a sulfur based fungicide (can irritate skin and/or lungs), there are restrictions on weather and time of season that it is applied.

While researching this article I found only one company who creates a totally organic product which provides mold prevention but is not sulfur or copper based, Serenade Garden Disease Control. Available since 2005, Serenade is made up of cultivated microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis) which safely battle the mold spores. The product is safe to be used around children and pets and will not harm the surrounding plants or waterways. It is harmful if inhaled however so, again, precautions should always be followed explicitly to ensure safety.

Staying on top of gardening, maintaining a healthy balance between wet and dry and properly treating plants with organic and natural based disease prevention methods will mean eating fresh and yummy, healthy fruits and veggies as well as the beauty of thriving plants and flowers all season long.

What do you use to ensure your garden stays healthy? Do you compost?

Photo Courtesy Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

The Word is Spreading!

More and more concerned citizens are standing up to do their part for a better planet especially in the areas of proper disposal of electronics, reduction in consumption of fossil fuels and increased consumption of organically grown produce.

Keeping e-waste out of landfills is critically important in order to prevent leeching of harmful chemicals (primarily mercury) into the soil and proximate waterways. In an encouraging news story it seems that the National Center for Electronics Recycling has indicated a rise in collection of e-waste by seven percent over the numbers submitted in 2007. Every little bit helps!

We have all heard the term hybrid vehicle and understand the definition to be “a vehicle which requires at least two sources of power to go”. In hybrid cars those sources are likely gas and electric or diesel and bio-fuel. In 2007 the number of hybrid cars sold increased by 38% over the prior year. As more manufacturers are looking for ways to bring revenues back, and more consumers are looking for ways to save money at the pump, the number of hybrid vehicles will surely increase even further.

As summer rolls around we begin to think of farmer’s markets and fresh, pesticide free produce but by eating organically grown produce the rest of the year we ensure chemical free farms are supported and possibly right in our own region of the country. Even big box stores not especially known for this type of product, such as Walmart, reported a growth in sales of organics over the past few years. Stores like this actually anticipate sales to hold steady or even increase in the next year. Don’t forget to take your reusable tote!

Although these efforts may appear more difficult to complete, or even costly, savvy environmentalists understand it is nothing more than a change in attitude. The more often the practice is put into place and the more people who do it, all those concerns quickly fade away. Spread the word about how easy it actually is to live a Greener lifestyle by sharing your stories about the little things you do!

Eco Options for Our Pets

So many of us have pets. They are part of the family. As such why would we consider doing things for our pets that will not be a sound decision for the planet? Well now we do not have to!

There are a bunch of fun items available through Etsy that are eco-friendly for the dogs in our life. Here are six of the fun finds I discovered.

1. Biscuits
2. Reversible coat
3. Pet bed (cool for cats too!)
4. Dog leash
5. Tug ‘o war toy
6. Dog collar




Cats should not be left out of the environmental movement either. The pet bed above, possibly the collar for larger felines and even some harnesses would work for these pets. Of course nothing is more “cat” than a huge fabric square loaded with organic catnip (also includes bamboo fiber & reused fleece scraps for filler). Click the photo to be taken directly to the shop.


Wild Wings carries certified organic bird seed so we do not potentially harm the lovely winged animals that come to visit our yards by feeding them seed which could include pesticides. Click to go right to the website.

Dogs, cats and birds are the most popular domestic pets but I am sure there are so many more options out there and other furry creatures inhabiting our homes. What interesting animals do you live with? How do you ensure they live an eco friendly lifestyle along side you?

The Feeling is Good Society and the Word Is Denim

Its eco-fashion Friday again, where do the weeks go?! In my quest for eco-fashion this week I inadvertently stumbled across an organization called Good Society and what I discovered about these folks really impressed me. They have a few divisions including: Pathos Water, Deconstruction Reconstruction, Fannypack and the division I will be reviewing today -- Sling and Stones which is all about denim for both men and women.


What sets the company Sling & Stones apart in the world of denim is their use of American grown, handpicked organic cotton to make their Supima denim, as it is a rare but natural fiber. In addition to the organic fiber, the indigo dyes are all natural and ozone friendly washes are utilized to finish each piece. The fiber is hand loomed at a small Japanese mill and the jeans are then constructed back in Seattle. Oh and did I mention that the rivets are created from 24K gold?

This should lead into the cost quite nicely (and it is the only draw back I could find because the company supports charities worldwide), each pair will set you back $260 - $350. The price is steep but if you are a lover of soft, easy to break in, last forever, high end denim, then the price will be well worth it knowing the environmental benefit each pair possesses.

With their efforts to employ workers in Peru, donate to such charities as suicide prevention in Japan and their use of organic and Fair Trade materials, Sling & Stones is on the cutting edge of eco-fashion awesomeness. I am granting the company a Three Leaf Rating simply due to the price point which would be out of reach to so many.

I will be keeping my eye on both Sling & Stones as well as Good Society as trail blazers in the eco-fashion world. Keep up the great work! ♥love♥

Save Money and Lose Weight?

Sound too good to be true? Well in truth it is not really difficult to save money by preparing meals from healthful recipes meant to cook in bulk. There is no magic secret that healthy people understand; it is all about making smart choices when selecting the foods we purchase to prepare.

The internet is a wonderful place to discover a plethora of recipes on the subject -- higher fiber, more produce and grains, less sugar and processed goo -- and I tracked down this interesting three minute video on YouTube to give a boost in inspiration for how to get started.

After checking it out, consider purchasing the organic versions of fruits and veggies and also, as the temperatures warm up across the United States, look into local farmer’s markets or smaller roadside farm stands as the prices at these locations tend to be more reasonable than large chain grocery stores, the produce tends to be fresher and generally everything is grown organically. Enjoy!

It’s, It’s An Email Blitz!

In the past forty eight hours I have received a bunch of emails and many of them are related to causes that are dear to my heart -- The Environment and The President. In fact two emails in particular not only show support for one or the other but managed to combine both the environment and President Barack Obama into one message. Now that is something I can sure get behind!

Let’s start by talking about 1Sky. This is an organization dedicated to creating alliances with politicians to effect real change in the realm of fighting global warming on a larger scale. Yesterday they sent all of us supporters a message to let us know that when President Obama signed the recovery plan into effect it included $87 billion in green investments. From what they have indicated this is the largest expenditure the government has ever made in the area of clean energy. Hooray!

Of course 1Sky was not simply letting us know about this wonderful turn of events, they have asked us to please send a thank you note to Congress and President Obama showing our willingness to continue to support the efforts they are standing behind with this package. The great news is they made it easy to express our gratitude! Simply go to http://www.1sky.org/green-recovery-thankyou and enter your zip code. A pre-written message of thanks (and thumbnails of our local Senators) will pop up. Enter the required information (name, email, zip) and hit submit. Then please pass this link on to as many people as possible. Showing our support for their support ensures the gratitude loop for positive change keeps revolving!

Speaking of change…

Is it time to change that old, worn out T-shirt yet? Well perhaps I could interest you in one of these:

Jason Mraz and Rock the Vote have partnered up to bring us this 100% Organic cotton t-shirt in two fun colors. As if that wasn’t enough the inks are water based and all solvents are environmentally safe. Considering all of these factors, the shirts are not expensive like many tend to be -- small to XL, men’s or women’s, silver or blue will not cost you more than $25.00 (plus shipping -- please note that I found the shipping cost to be a bit pricey but I feel the cause is worth it!). They will ship within the next couple weeks and 50% of the purchase price proceeds will go directly to Rock the Vote efforts.

That gives a whole new meaning to ‘Rock On’ as these folks spend countless hours educating and encouraging voter registration. Plus how cool will it be to walk down the street with the caricature version of President Obama emblazoned on the front of a shirt?