Forget the color red for Valentine's Day think GREEN!

"Cactus's are Green and the Sky is Blue, I got this little Eco Gift - just for you!" ~eco_enviro_girl

Who said Valentine's Day has to be about Chocolate, Roses and Stuffed Toys? Sure it's classic, but it's also redundant, wasteful and not at all creative or personal. So why not make this Valentine's Day something to remember?

Creativity goes along way... Personally, I think that the show of affection which symbolizes Valentine's Day should be an ongoing experience throughout the year! We should always show love and appreciation for the wonderful people in our lives! It doesn't take a lot of money, it also doesn't mean we should create waste and more items that ultimately end up in our land fills. I think it's very hypocritical to pollute our planet and future with more consumerism when what we are saying with the gift is "I love you", the reminder of the love we share for one another, love of everything and everyone, respect for our loved one's and their future... So I created this little blog to inspire, and to perhaps give you ideas of alternative gift giving ideas you could try this Valentine's Day as well as throughout the year for a little added romance...

GREEN IDEAS FOR ROMANCE & LOVE

CANDLELIGHT PICNIC FOR TWO...

Why not get some Organic Strawberries and a bottle of Local Organic Wine and set up a romantic picnic for two in the bedroom? Perhaps you could buy some beeswax tea light candles and set a romantic mood... And maybe after the bottle is emptied you could play "spin the bottle" and make up new rules to the game?

CANDLELIT BATH FOR TWO... "Rub-a-dub-dub there's some organic stuff in the tub..."

Forget sitting in a chemical bath with your mate, why not try adding some Epsom salt, some essential oils and some beeswax candles to set the mood? You could make some organic Lavender and Chamomile sachets and use them like teabags in the tub.... If you don't have Lavender or Chamomile, why not try Organic Peppermint teabags instead (make sure to remove the teabags before your honey comes into the tub - it's not very romantic to have teabags floating around as you cuddle, and the great thing is teabags are compostable!)

MASSAGE-A-DEUX

There's nothing like getting a massage! What's even better is getting one by a lover... You can use Organic Massage oils or be even more Green by using organic olive oil and a few drops of organic essential oils instead. Take time to pamper one another... Play some soft, relaxing music, light some beeswax candles and enjoy... And remember you can always follow up this great idea with the bath for two, or precede it with the romantic picnic mentioned above...

LOVE LETTERS

This is something you can do anytime of the year just to say "I love you"... Leave little letters (on scrap pieces of paper - recycle) in pockets, briefcases, car seats, glove box, shoes, etc... The sky is the limit!

GREEN IDEAS FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY

xoxoxo BREAKFAST HUGS & KISSES xoxoxo

Ah, this one is great for family or friends! It's easy and it's sure to get some smiles! Invite friends and family for breakfast and serve up some X's & O's you can make toast into O's, Bacon into X's, Pancakes into hearts.... Get creative! You can use fruits, veggies, nuts, anything you like... This is the perfect start to any Valentine's Day - some great conversation, lots of love and plenty of hugs and kisses for everyone! ;~)

I LOVE YOU LUNCHES-BUNCHES!

One of my favorites for my young son, I have small heart shaped cookie cutters and cut his lunch into heart shapes. You can go as simple or as creative as you like here... I have cut cheese into mini heart bites, made an organic peanut butter sandwich into a heart... I have even made my husband a sandwich and cut a small heart out of the top of the bread and inserted the same sized cut out heart shape made with a radish! When he saw the sandwich at work he told me he laughed and it reminded him of how special I was and how he felt lucky to have someone like me...

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

There's nothing like cooking with fresh herbs! There are so many heirloom varieties to choose from these days and they are all delicious and eco-friendly! This year my young son and I are painting some pots we bought at a second hand store and filling them with herbs for my parents. Kids love to get involved and these make a beautiful one of a kind gift that is sure to bring a smile to any grandparents face....

CHARITY

Love makes the world-go-round... Holiday's are not so much about getting as they are about giving... So why not help out a less fortunate child in another country? Or give to a local charity, like abused women's shelters, the humane society, or a children's hospital. Perhaps volunteer some time with a loved one and go to a soup kitchen or event that can use a hand... You will appreciate each other more and realize that material things don't really matter when you have good company and the love of one another!

REUSE & RECYCLE

You can reuse virtually anything with a little imagination ;~) You can create anything from sock puppets to wall art to jewellery to.... You get the idea.... During the year I keep a recycling bin full of craft material, I toss in things I know we could use for arts and crafts... You can make one of a kind handmade gifts that your family and friends are sure to love! A few years back I made some puppets from old sweater arms, some buttons, and some old shoe laces that broke.... We had a blast and my friends son loved it! He carried the puppet everywhere!

TEA PARTY

Why not have a tea party? Invite friends and family, make several new flavors of organic tea, and have a taste test... You could talk about funny family stories, talk about relatives that may live further away, reminisce about all the wonderful times and memories you've spent together over the years... What a perfect Valentine's Day.... Remembering the love, joy, and sharing laughter - nothing brings family's closer together than a wonderful family gathering....

These were just a few of my ideas.... I have many, many more.... I hope I have managed to inspire you, give you an idea or two... From our family to yours - we wish you and your loved one's a special and memorable Valentine's Day..... EVERYDAY!!

Canned foods/drinks BPA and life in the 21st Century

Have you heard about BPA in canned foods? Most people are aware of BPA leaching out of plastics, and there was a big stink made about BPA in baby bottles on the news but how about canned foods & drinks? If they know that BPA is toxic why is it still out there, on the shelves, contaminating our food? Did you know that BPA is present in Food Processors, Juicers and Blenders and can be found in an ordinary receipt... There are many sources for BPA exposure! The list is long...

There are so many contaminants, chemicals, toxins in our water, food, products, clothing, furniture, even air that it's hard to keep track of them all and even harder to protect your family and loved ones these days. It's more important than ever to educate one's self and try to avoid as many toxins as possible to lower our/our family's risks (lower body burden) of being a statistic for any of the growing number of cancer, diabetes, leukemia, asthma etc. casualties of the 21st century! It is important to remember that we do have choices! We just need to know where the problems lie and what alternatives are available! Unfortunately this takes time and research on our parts - and time is something which many people can't seem to find these days. "Everything has chemicals in it", "everything is bad for you in one way or another". I contribute this kind of "attitude" and "mindset" to why things are the way that they are today... The chemical revolution happened slowly and it seems that many people just became "used to it". Why? I honestly don't know - because I have never had that mindset, perhaps it's easier to say those things than to research or study the topic. Perhaps it's scary to think about how many chemicals we are exposed to and the fact that we are responsible for allowing it into our home and lives. Ignorance is not bliss, it has created the society we live in! If we didn't allow it from the beginning, if we had asked more questions, demanded more testing and research, if we had pushed for tougher laws, rules and regulations would we really be where we are right now? We can't go back and change how things have "evolved" (I use this term lightly) but we CAN change how things move forward, we can change/adjust our own life/lifestyle and send a message! Instead of the "nonchalant passive attitude" why not start questioning things and avoiding toxins as a whole. Lowering our family's body burden by eliminating as many points of exposure as we can and lowering our risks to certain diseases just seems like the logical thing to do, doesn't it ?! Then why isn't everyone doing it?

What I along with many Doctors, Scientists, Health Advocates can't seem to understand is the mind set that Health Departments and various organizations seem to have regarding the "safe levels" of exposure to certain chemicals. While they may be right about certain "single/individual chemicals" in low/single doses and that they "seem" to pose no threat they fail to mention the accumulative effects as well as the fact that many chemicals are not studied properly or for prolonged periods of time. In fact most chemicals on the market today aren't studied at all. Nor are the infinite combinations of chemical exposures we all face in any given day! They also do not mention that it is not one chemical or one source that you are exposed to on a daily basis. We are exposed to chemicals in the air, the water, our pesticide laden, GMO foods, BPA is in the canned food, canned drinks, plastic containers, receipts, Formaldehyde is in clothing, toys, and furniture. Dioxin in foods and products. Lead and other heavy metals in the air, in our water and in our food supply, even our children's toys. Fire Retardants on clothing, mattresses, computers, electronics.... The list of chemical exposures goes on and on! Just think of what you have exposed yourself to by the end of a day! Now also think about how many of those could have been avoided with a little research and alternative steps and products! Because most of the toxins could have been avoided!

You just can't accurately study the infinite combinations of chemical exposure because everyone leads a different lifestyle and therefore is exposed to different chemical levels and combinations! Nor can you tell what these different combinations of chemicals do short or long term in adults/children or developing fetuses they have not been studied sufficiently! The only thing they can study is groups of people and the accumulation in their blood stream and body. Which while giving you a picture of how bad our chemical body burden has gotten over the years doesn't accurately capture our society and what we are doing to not only ourselves but also our children and future generations! Just take a look at the 2005 study spearheaded by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) in collaboration with Commonweal about the body burden of newborns - who found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in umbilical cord blood! http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php also take a look at their body burden executive summary here: http://archive.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden1/es.php

So the "safe limits" of one canned food may not mean much, if you're combining it with bath and beauty products, fluoride toothpaste, formaldehyde laden clothing, fire retardant mattresses, pesticide laden foods etc. throughout the day, throughout the month, the years... Is it any wonder that diseases like Asthma, Diabetes, Cancer, etc. are on the rise? Now I'm no Scientist nor am I a Doctor but it doesn't take a PHD to know that there are too many chemical combinations and level combinations to deem any of these chemicals safe for human exposure or consumption! Why do we need so many chemicals on the market? Why aren't there stricter rules and regulations? How are we supposed to keep ourselves healthy and proactively reduce our exposure to these toxic chemicals? Why are known and suspected carcinogens, pathogens and toxins still out there? And why aren't people more aware of them and doing something about it? Education and awareness seem to be sadly lacking in the general public these days. Those of us who do research and realize the perils have taken it upon ourselves to not only protect our family's and friends but try to spread awareness and make our voices heard to change the state of affairs in today's marketplace!

There are so many chemicals out there - when it comes to BPA you might be asking yourself - What is BPA anyway, and how is it harmful? "Bisphenol A" is an endocrine disruptor which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects, "It has been suspected as being hazardous to humans since the 1930's". Studies have linked it to obesity, neurological issues, disruption of the dopaminergic system, thyroid function, increased breast cancer risk, and has been linked to neuroblastoma, prostate cancer, sexual and reproductive problems. According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

EWG: "Independent laboratory tests found a toxic food-can lining ingredient associated with birth defects of the male and female reproductive systems in over half of 97 cans of name-brand fruit, vegetables, soda, and other commonly eaten canned goods." http://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola

Toxic Nation reports "Testing by Health Canada has revealed that 96% of canned drinks contain BPA. The survey covered over 84% of canned soft drinks sold in Canada, including non carbonated, carbonated, non-diet, diet, fruit flavored and energy drinks." http://toxicnation.ca/bpaqa

Toxic Nation Fact Sheet: Seeking Safer Packaging: Ranking Packaged Food Companies on Bisphenol A (BPA) http://toxicnation.ca/RankingPackagedFoodCompaniesonBisphenolA

The Globe and Mail and CTV have found high levels of the estrogen-mimicking chemical in canned food sold in Canada. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/article687664.ece

BPA - "They should be concerning for every Canadian, not just because of the implications for their kids but also what it means for adult Canadians," Smith said. "It turns out that we are marinating in this chemical." CTV News http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080527/BPA_testing_080528/20080528?hub=TopStories

So what is one to do? My opinion is to research and educate yourself! Arm yourself with solid information and knowledge and try and find healthier alternatives! Do not eat canned food, boxed food or premade foods. Steer away from "fast food" and "convenience foods"! Try instead to get back to basics, "slow food", the way food was originally prepared - the way our Grand Parents and Great Grandparents cooked! Eat organic whenever possible - that's how food was meant to be - NATURAL - before the chemical revolution began, before things went horribly astray! And keep in mind that labels don't list everything! Not on foods, products or clothing! Have you seen "BPA" on the label of cans and kitchen appliances? Have you seen a shirt tag or mattress say "laced with Fire Retardant, Formaldehyde," or food labels listing "Pesticide" as an ingredient? How about bath and beauty products listing "Formaldehyde" or "Dioxin" as an ingredient or letting you know that "Parabens" have been linked to Breast Cancer? Labels also hide things under umbrellas such as "Fragrance", "Food Coloring" or "Artificial Flavors" - for example a single "Artificial Strawberry Flavor" contains 49 ingredients, most of which are difficult to read/pronounce chemical compounds! But you won't find any of these on labels! What about the items that are listed on labels - do you understand what all those chemicals/additives are, or what the consequences of consuming/absorbing such chemicals might be? You can't just assume that because it's on the shelf it's "safe", that again ties into the lackadaisical attitude I was mentioning before. We should try to be "Proactive" rather than waiting for something to happen and be "Reactive". Sometimes being "Reactive" doesn't help - such is the case for various forms of cancer! Hindsight is 20/20! But if you look ahead you CAN prevent/lower the risk of many situations that could arise! So why put yourself at greater risk when you have alternatives? the more you know the healthier you and your family will be, lower your risks of diseases and the better/safer our children and future generations will be! Education is key!!

Why you should wash clothes before wearing them?

To some this is just something they've always done automatically, to others, well... I'm not quite sure why others don't launder their clothes before they wear them for the first time. Perhaps they think that if it's "new" it's been laundered. Or maybe they think that "new clothing" smell means that the item is "fresh" and ready for wear. Are you one of the people who do not feel the need to launder their clothes once you get them home? If so, you might want to rethink your practices. Why? Are you ready to know what's actually on your clothes? Yes, we're talking about the clothes with the tags attached, the underwear's in packages, the socks that come neatly folded in plastic bags sealed with a security seal.

You know that "new clothing smell" on clothing? The new underwear and socks? Ever wonder what they are? They're packaged in plastic and some people assume it's just the off-gassing smell of the plastic. But it's not, that smell is actually a mixture of chemicals, for example formaldehyde and urea resin. These chemicals are actually used to "finish" fabrics. Why? To keep clothes stain resistant, mercerizing, keeping them from getting wrinkled, to retard mildew growth, and sometimes for disinfecting. Most contain VOC's (volatile organic compounds) which like formaldehyde have been classified as a human carcinogen (cancer causing agent) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and is also an allergen. Unwashed clothes can not only cause rashes if you have sensitive skin but continued exposure to carcinogens (and we are surrounded by them - carcinogens from the materials in our home, furniture, clothing, to some of the products we use and consume) increase your chances of getting various forms of cancer.

If the chemical residues didn't put a knott in your stomach then how about the vast array of organisms, bacteria, bodily secretions, etc. that are left behind from the numerous people trying on the clothes , perhaps someone has already taken them home and returned it before you decided to buy it! You should always try and keep in mind that you are not the first person to try on these clothes. Even underwear and bras at lingerie stores get tried on. Hygiene isn't high on everyone's priority list and as such after Good Morning America bought various items of clothing from 3 major department stores the results were shocking to say the least! http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/gma-found-clothes-clean/story?id=9482373 They found everything from fecal matter to yeast, to vaginal discharge on clothing.

Dr. Philip Tierno Director of Clinical Microbiology at New York University Langone Medical Center says some pathogens are more easily transmitted than others. For example the "Norovirus" which causes gastrointestinal illness "can live for several days on clothing" as well the staph bacteria MRSA can live on cotton clothing for six months! While the risks of germs from clothing making you sick are low, you can make them lower by washing them before wearing.

Just think, some people sneeze on the clothes, don't wash their hands after using the restroom and touch clothing in stores. There are people who pick thier nose, who don't wear underwear (and try on underwear or pants), lactating mothers who try on bras, the list goes on and on. So take your pick, is it the chemical residues or the infinite combinations of germs and organisms that reside in those "new clothes" that will now make you want to wash the clothes you bring home. I have personally always washed the clothes I bought before wearing them or giving them to my family. I also use vinegar in a spray bottle to wipe off toys and books before giving it to my child or placing items on my shelf at home. I don't mind germs but when you're talking about fecal matter.... You understand where I'm coming from right?

Below are a few sites I came across about the subject. It was actually on the news not too long ago and it got my friends and I talking. We all agreed that washing before wearing was essential and it's something everyone should be made aware of!



Take a look at CNN http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/expert.q.a/12/21/kids.new.clothes.skin.shu/index.html

Associated Content http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/233417/should_you_wash_new_clothes_they_could.html?cat=5

Care2.com
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/remove-new-smell-from-clothes-2.html

Organic Clothing Blog (great information)
http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2006/04/wakeup_and_smel.html

ABC News - Victoria Secret - Formaldehyde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoVcOHVagtc

NOW Magazine
http://www.nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/ecoholic.cfm?content=170547

Washington Post
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2010/01/new_clothes_swarming_with_germ_1.html