The 7 foods experts won’t eat

The following is from a recent article on Yahoo! by Liz Vaccariello:

“How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—“What foods do you avoid?”—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don’t necessarily make up a “banned” list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought”
Read the rest here

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Working at being Green?

Sure, everyone is trying to live a greener, more eco-conscious, earth friendly life, but what about spreading that love of Mother Earth to the work place?  It may not be the easiest thing to do, as even I have trouble with the occasional close minded co-worker who has no interest in changing their ways, but you have got to try.  Here are some simple things you can do to start spreading the love and changing the world one person at a time.

• Start a recycling program: If a recycling program has not already been started at your company, start one yourself or improve on the program already in place. Learn more at www.wastemanagement.com.
• Urge your office to use recycled materials: Encourage the office/purchasing manager to purchase products containing recycled materials.
• Share your knowledge about energy reduction: Start with your knowledge on basics such as turning off lights, computers, copiers, heat or air when unoccupied, etc.  Then ask your office manager if you can schedule an energy audit with a local energy provider to determine how to reduce energy consumption.
• Reduce Junk Mail: Check into ways to reduce business junk mail, look into www.mailstopper.tonic.com.
• Reuse Paper: Use both sides of each piece of paper, for everything from taking notes, printing documents, fax coversheets and more.
• Last but not least – The Break Room: Ask fellow co-workers to bring in their old cups, mugs, plates, cloth napkins, and silverware to replace disposable items in the break room.  While you are at it encourage them to bring their own lunch too, which will reduce a large amount of waste.

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New Products Available from Young Living!

Check Out the New Young Living Spring Line! 

They still have all the great products you know and love with some new products I am very excited about. 

Some of my personal favorites are:

Grapefruit and Lavender Lip Balms – Very refreshing!

YL Blender Bottles – Great for shakes, scrambled eggs, I use mine every day!

Ningxia Red – Daily dose of nutrients, helps with energy and sugar cravings!

Balance Complete – Part of 5 day Nutritive Cleanse, my breakfast every day!

Valor Oil or Roll on – Helps boost confidence and overcome fear!

Peppermint Oil – Natural way to sooth headaches and other aches and pains!

Lemon Oil - Natural way to flush toxins and cleanse body inside and out!

Citrus Fresh Oil - Love having this in my water, refreshing! Similar to Lemon 

To see more of my favorites or try Young Living for yourself please visit my store at www.youngliving.com/swchica.  If you have any questions, would like more information, or are interested in learning more about Young Living and how it has changed my life forever please contact me directly! 

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PlantLove – Earth Friendly Cosmetics

Imagine my delight when I discovered earth friendly cosmetics at my local Sephora.  I have been using Bare Minerals for years and absolutely love it, so when I found PlantLove Botanical Lipstick by Cargo I was in heaven.  Not only do they have a variety of fabulous colors (which were designed by eco-conscious celebrities), but the container is made of corn, the lipstick itself is completely organic, the box when planted grows wild flowers (due to seeds used in making the box), and $2.00 of every sale goes to St. Jude!

If you have ever needed an excuse to purchase more makeup – let this be yours!

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Reducing and Reusing – the other R’s

Americans make millions of pounds in waste each day, if each of us does our part we can lower that poundage for future generations and help preseve the landfill areas instead of filling them.  There are many ways to reduce waste at home, work, school, the movies, while shopping, etc.  Here are some tips I would like you to take to heart.

For one, try to use a reusable water bottle.  It amazes me that so many people still purchase an insane amount of plastic water bottles.  There are single individuals who purchase them by the cases for only their use.  Please take the time to go out and purchase a Kleen Kanteen for everyone in your household, and use it.  It fits in cup holders, lasts forever, and is so much better for you and the environment.  I hope I see you using one the next time I spot you at the movies, gym, and beyond.  If I don’t, please please please recycle that bottle and cap.  It hurts my heart when I see those bottles end up in the garbage.

Next try using reusable bags.  I still struggle with this one as I am always forgetting them in the car when I go into the store, but I am slowly getting better, and if I forget them in the car I don’t bag my items until I get back to the car.  I strongly suggest you get some to have in the house and the car.  I find them handy for everything from bringing home purchases, taking back returns, taking items on trips, bringing something to a friends place, as an overnight bag, or even a lunch sack.  Try it out.

Finally, monitor what you throw away versus what you recycle.  You will be amazed at how that single act of consciousness will change how you live.  You will realize how much packaging something has and might make an effort to minimize that packaging, or you will find that it is recycleable and you have been throwing it away instead of making that extra effort to recycle it.  I truly feel that this one act alone will inspire you to minimize your waste and live a more conscious life.  It opened my eyes and started me on this journey, that I hope will impact you in a positive way.

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Young Living

Young Living is one of the best things I have ever come across.  If you are looking to minimize the amount of chemicals and un-natural products in your home, life, and system these products are for you.  They help with everything from cleaning your house to curing heartburn.

Check it out by following my Young Living tab!

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Green Gal Fights Climate Change!

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Happy New Year! 10 New Years Resolutions For A Greener Lifestyle

New Years is a time when we reflect upon the past year and make promises for the year to come.  Typically people make resolutions to lose weight, manage debt, save money, change careers, quit smoking, reduce stress, etc.  More often then not these resolutions are something that provide a tangible result, thus making it something worth doing, yet other simple ideas for resolutions get passed by.  My hope is this year you can think of something “earth friendly” to add to whatever resolutions you may have already made.  Here are some ideas, food for thought, my hope is to add them all into my own life as best I can if I haven’t already.

1. Recycle More:  Did you know the average American produces four pounds of trash per day?  Do your part to reduce that poundage in your life.
2. Paper Nor Plastic:  Use re-usable shopping bags for groceries and other purchases (www.ecobags.com – at least ask for paper and not plastic)
3. Detox:  Replace household chemical cleaners with non-toxic alternatives (www.method.com / www.shaklee.com)
4. Save Energy:  Change out your regular light bulbs to energy star compact fluorescents known as CFL’s (www.homedepot.com)
5. Save Energy #2:  Unplug un-used appliances and get a few Smart Strips.  Smart Strips control the energy you use and the energy you waste based on what you have turned on and off in your house.  (www.smartstrip.net)
6. Save Energy #3:  Don’t let the cold air come in from outside.  Check weather striping, vents, ducts, drains, and be sure you have sealed your house up properly.  (www.homedepot.com)
7. Conserve Water:  Be a stickler about turning off your water when not in use, or better yet purchase a energy saving rain spray shower head, energy saving sprinklers, and save energy and water while lowering your bills.  (www.greenandmore.com)
8. Reduce Plastic Bottle Waste:  Purchase a re-usable stainless steel water bottle and use it!  Millions of plastic bottles litter our landfills daily, if we do our part we can decrease a serious source of pollution this year.  My personal favorite is Kleen Kanteen.  (www.rei.com / www.amazon.com / www.sigg.com)
9. Buy Local:  Purchase produce among other things from your local farmers market and local shops!
10. Ride a bike as transportation or sport:  Everyone is concerned with being healthy and losing weight, well incorporate a bike into your life and get out in the fresh air and ride.  Not only is it a good source of exercise, but it is a common form of transportation.  (www.ride-this.com)

Lets all do our part and resolve to make 2009 a life changing year!

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To be Green or not to be Green, is it even a question?

Today marks a pivotal time in my life, a turning point of sorts, a day when I practice what I preach, or is it preach what I practice?

I have been asked by quite a few people why I’ve decided to start a “Green” blog. Truth be told I’m not the most “Green” person I know, and a few years ago I probably wouldn’t have even thought twice about my footprint on the earth. That is exactly why I am starting this site. Because now, knowing what I know, I can not believe how ignorant I was, and honestly I don’t think it was entirely my fault.

I believe that since the 1960’s our world has become a scary place. A place where consumerism has skyrocketed and values have plummeted. A place where recycling has become a “hassle” and driving a gas guzzling SUV has become the ideal. I do believe these times are about to change, and with your help I know that every human being can help make the world a better place – for us all.

Welcome to my blog, my “Green” blog, welcome to GreenGal.org.

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