Best in Crowdfunding: November 2014

Of all the Crowdfunding posts I've written, this month is by far my favorite. In fact, this may be the first time that I'll actually back each of the projects I feature in a Best in Crowdfunding post. They're all that good.

The Simply Co. - 3 Ingredient Laundry Detergent 

I'm in the habit of seeking out blogs with similar themes and values as my own. That's how I came across Trash is for Tossers. Blogger Lauren documents steps she takes in her own life to eliminate waste and live sustainably. Some of her posts include recipes for homemade household cleaners. When her readers started asking where they could find similar products, Lauren decided to launch The Simply Co. Her first product is a three-ingredient laundry detergent. It's vegan, biodegradable, and basically awesome.
Campaign Goal: $10,000
Deadline: November 28
Platform: Kickstarter

Forced to Flee: Visual Stories by Refugee Youth from Burma

Forced to Flee is a book that will be a compilation of original artwork by young Burmese refugees. Here in Buffalo, we have a large population of refugees, and a significant portion of them are Burmese. I have found that refugees can contribute a great deal to a community, and that they have incredible stories to tell. The artwork from this project is inspiring, and 100% of proceeds from the book will go to Burmese youth leadership programs.
Campaign Goal: $12,000
Deadline: November 24
Platform: Kickstarter

Artwork from Forced to Flee

Handmade Beauty Box

For Christmas last year, my nearest and dearest received baskets of all-natural bath and beauty products, hand-made by me. When I was making things like bath bombs and body butter bars, I discovered that I liked some of the homemade products even more than store-bought alternatives. Making bath products at home is a great way to eliminate unnecessary packaging waste, be positive that you know exactly what's in the products you use on your body, and it can save you loads of money too. One of my favorite online resources for bath product ingredients and tutorials is Bramble Berry. Subscribers to their Handmade Beauty Box will receive all of the ingredients and the instructions for a different complete DIY bath or beauty product each month. I can't wait to see what the first project will be!
Campaign Goal: $3,000
Deadline: November 21
Platform: Kickstarter

Lily Cup Compact

This thing is cool. It took me a LONG time to even warm up to the idea of menstrual cups. I admit, I was grossed out. After years of being closed-minded, I finally realized that they help to keep lots of waste of out landfills and waterways, keep unwanted chemicals away from my most sensitive and important body parts, are way more inconspicuous and convenient than tampons, and can help save money. I tried out a few cups and determined that they may not be the best fit for me, but this is making me reconsider. The material is softer and more flexible than other cups, and the design is much more convenient. If you're sick of dealing with the hassle of tampons and pads, I suggest you check out the Lily Cup. Even if you're a skeptic, as I was, I strongly encourage you to at least watch the video below. It may convince you.
Campaign Goal: $7,800
Deadline: November 23
Platform: Kickstarter

Fables by Barrie

When I started to learn about ugly side of fast fashion, I began seeking out ethical fashion brands. Thankfully, there are lots of great brands out there making ethical pants, dresses, shirts, sweaters, socks, and more. The one item I struggled to find was a bathing suit that I wouldn't feel guilty spending money on. Fables by Barrie is a swimwear brand manufactured in the U.S. All of their products are sweatshop-free, and vegan. I adore the retro-inspired designs. I actually purchased a bikini for myself and am really happy with how well it fits, and the quality of the product.

Unfortunately, Barrie's designs are being copied and the brand is losing business to cheap knockoffs. The designer, Barrie Kaufman has decided to confront the threat in a really unique way. She understands that owning a high-quality, ethically manufactured swimsuit can be cost prohibitive, so she wants to give women an opportunity make their own swimwear, rather than spending money on fast fashion or brands who rip off hardworking entrepreneurs. To that end, she has created #FablesByUs, which will be a book and web video series that will teach readers how to create their own swimwear. The book will include sewing patterns and instructions, and the videos will offer instructions as well as beauty tips and other fun tidbits from Barrie herself. It's a creative way to inspire people to avoid fast fashion and get creative!
Campaign Goal: $35,000
Deadline: ?
Platform: GoFundMe

You Can Recycle That: Wine Corks

I drink wine. You drink wine. We all drink wine. In fact, 892 million gallons of wine were consumed in the United States in 2013. That's an average of 2.82 gallons per American. GALLONS. There are about 13 billion natural corks finding their way to landfills around the planet every year.

Surprisingly, the demand for cork is not threatening the natural cork forests. On the contrary, cork forests are being sustainably maintained in a way that is actually good for the environment! That's because cork trees aren't cut down. The bark is harvested from the trees every 9 years or so, and the trees themselves can live up to 300 years! The forests support high levels of biodiversity including some endangered species, and they absorb millions of tons of carbon every year. Natural cork is a sustainable and renewable material. The problem lies in the disposal of wine corks. Natural cork is an organic material, but it is impermeable, so it doesn't biodegrade very quickly. That means it will sit in the land fill for a really long time.

The most important thing to do is be more selective about the wine you purchase. Natural cork is a way better option than synthetic corks and metal screw tops, which don't biodegrade and are harder to recycle. Next time you're shopping for wine, look for the "Real Cork Inside" acorn on the label.

Once you've finished drinking your wine, hang onto the corks instead of tossing them into the trash. There are plenty of options for recycling them.

Here's a video of a wonderful TEDx talk given by Patrick Spencer, executive director of the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance (CFCA). He speaks about why it's important to maintain natural cork forests.




The CFCA has created the Cork ReHarvest campaign and partnered with a variety of companies to recycle used wine corks and turn them into a variety of products. You can drop your corks off at any Whole Foods location. If you don't live near a WF, here is a list of collection sites.

ReCORK is another company that recycles used wine corks. The cork they collect is used to manufacture shoes for the SOLE brand. Find a cork collection site near you using their location finder.

You can also ship your used wine corks to Yemm & Hart, a materials manufacturer that actually pays 1/2 cent per cork. The minimum package weight requirement is 15 lbs, so this option is probably best for groups of wine drinkers or businesses that go through large quantities of wine. But maybe you can package up 15 lbs of wine corks on your own. No judgement!

You can even compost your natural corks. As I mentioned, they won't biodegrade quickly, so you may want to cut them up into small pieces before you toss them into your compost pile. Try giving your corks a quick whir in the food processor to break them down. Having bits of cork in the soil will actually help to retain water for your plants!

And if you're crafty, there is no shortage of cork craft ideas on Pinterest!

If you want to support cork recycling even further, you can purchase products that are made out of used wine corks. When you purchase one of these products, you are supporting the maintenance of natural cork forests and keeping wine corks out of the landfill.



Further Reading
http://recork.org/
http://www.corkforest.org/
http://compostbin.org/composting-wine-corks/

Father's Day Gift Guide for Eco Dads!

My Dad is impossible to shop for. He is a man who appreciates what he has and doesn't want or feel he needs more material possessions than what he already has. Which is lovely in theory, but really hard when I want give him a gift he'll appreciate! I've spent a lot of time searching the internet for the perfect dad gift. To save you the time of doing the same, I'm listing my top choices here.

Conscious Step Socks
These are not your typical boring dad socks. The ethically manufactured socks come in some really great colors and patterns, each supporting a different cause. Make your go-to fathers day gift more meaningful and get a few pairs for Dad!

Conscious Steps Socks support a number of great causes.

Electric Mower
A lot of us associate Dads with lawn mowers. That's probably because most of our fathers seem to enjoy mowing the lawn! Instead of a gas-powered mower, be better to the planet and give your father or husband an electric mower. I've done some research and this one has a great review rating. I was surprised by how affordable it actually is!

Elvis & Kresse
Don't go for the same old boring leather wallet for Dad. Elvis & Kresse makes all of their products out of decommissioned fire hoses. Not only do these wallets (or iPad cases, handbags, belts, keychains, etc.) keep waste out of landfills, but I like to think that each one played a part in saving someone's life.

Billfold wallet from Elvis & Kresse

Kobo eReaders
This device is perfect for anyone who prefers the convenience of ereaders but still wants to support their local independent book store. When you purchase a Kobo in person, a portion of the sales from each ebook you read on it will automatically go to the store where it was originally purchased.

Solar Grill Light
Dinner time in the summer often came after sunset for my family, and Dad was always forced to grill with a flashlight. Save your Dad the trouble with this grill lamp. It's solar powered, weather proof, and adjustable.

Sole Rebels
Sole Rebels is still one of my favorite shoe brands. They're the only WFTO Fair Trade footwear company on the planet, which is great news for the people who make the materials and manufacture the shoes. They also make a line of strictly vegan shoes.

These Sole Rebels boat shoes are vegan, carbon neutral, and fair trade!

Need some more gift ideas for your Dad, brother, baby daddy, husband, etc? Check out my "Green Gifts For Him" board on Pinterest. It comes in handy for Father's Day, birthdays, Christmas, etc!

Follow Rachel Gottlieb's board Green Gifts for Him on Pinterest.

And of course I had to make a "Dads" playlist! Take a listen to some of my favorite father tunes. Happy Fathers Day!

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Earth Mamas

While you take some time this weekend to honor the mothers in your life, remember to honor our Mother Earth, and all mothers of the world. You can do that by giving gifts that are earth-friendly and fair trade. Here are some suggestions.

For Valentine's Day, I wrote about why it's important to shop ethically for flowers and chocolates. If you had those in mind for mom this year, check out that post from February.

Organic Bouquet offers flowers that are fair trade and organically grown.

Bangle bracelets from Alex & Ani are hugely popular right now. You've probably seen them on a few wrists, but did you know that they're made in America out of recycled materials? This bracelet features a flower and the word "Mom" so every time she puts it on, she'll know you think she's wonderful.

Mom bangle bracelet from Alex & Ani

A really great online marketplace to shop for moms is SERRV. They are "a nonprofit organization with a mission to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide." They sell a wide array of items that would make great Mother's Day gifts, such as housewares and apparel. My mother and I both adore scarves, and SERRV has a great selection of beautiful ones.

Painted Silk Scarf from SERRV

There are also some wonderful options for the new or expecting mothers in your life. Alicia Silverstone's latest book, The Kind Mama is a guide for anyone who wants to have a naturally healthy pregnancy. I'm a fan of her blog, The Kind Life, and have heard great things about the book. Another really thoughtful and unique idea is a package of pre or post natal yoga classes! Here in Buffalo, Yoga Parkside offers a series of those as well as Mommy and Baby classes.

The Kind Mama by Alicia Silverstone

Some moms can be really hard to shop for. If yours is like mine, she has everything she needs! If you want to do something meaningful for the woman who does everything for you, give to someone else in honor of her. Heifer International is a wonderful organization whose important work is helping to reduce hunger and poverty in developing countries. They provide farm animals and other resources to women and families, empowering them to create a sustainable source of income and to overcome hunger. This year, if you give the gift a goat or share of a goat to a struggling mother in southern Zimbabwe, your donation will be matched to make twice the impact.

Gift a gift to empower mothers around the world through Heifer International!

For more gift ideas for Mothers Day, check out my Pinterest Board, below!

Follow Rachel Gottlieb's board Mother's Day for Earth Mamas on Pinterest.


Here are some of my favorite musical tributes to moms!

4 Disposable Things to Stop Throwing Away

Happy Earth Day! Today we should all remember why it's so important to protect our natural environment. In keeping with that theme, I wanted to share some of my recent discoveries that can help us to protect our environment by keeping a lot of unnecessary waste out of landfills. And they'll probably help you save some money, too!

There are some items we all use on a regular basis that we assume have to be thrown away. Here are four household items that I was throwing away every day too, until I discovered these awesome reusable alternatives. Once you try them, you'll never go back!

1. Produce Bulk Bags

The average American uses between 300-700 plastic bags in one year. That is a lot of plastic, but I have a feeling that figure doesn't even include the bags we all pack our produce in while we're shopping. You know the ones. You want to buy 4 apples, so you grab one of those clear plastic bags off one of the rolls scattered around the produce section. Then you fill another one with bananas, and another with carrots, and so on. If you use five per week, that's 260 plastic bags already, NOT including the grocery bags they get packed in after you check out! I always bring my reusable shopping bags to get groceries, but I was still using plastic produce bags in stores, until I purchased a set of reusable produce bags. I have this set of bags from Flip & Tumble, and I'm really pleased with them. When you start shopping with reusable bags, remember to tell the cashier the tare weight of your bags so they aren't factored into the weight of your items. The tare weight per bag from my set is .4 oz. For bulk items like nuts or rice, I bring clean mason jars!

2. Cotton Balls/Rounds

I was in the habit of using cotton rounds twice daily with facial toner. A short blog post by my friend led me to realize that there were reusable alternatives available. These reusable cotton rounds are made out of organic bamboo and cotton fleece, and they're just what I needed. I got in touch with the seller on Etsy, and she was very accommodating and pleasant to work with! I purchased 20 reusable organic rounds for less than $12, including shipping. I've been using them for about three months now and actually prefer them to the disposable ones.

These are my reusable cotton rounds.

The cotton rounds I used before always shredded into bits of cotton, or stretched and thinned out before I was done using them. These keep their shape, and are easy to wash. I toss them in a delicates bag and throw them in with the regular laundry. There are a few things I wouldn't want to use these for, such as nail polish remover, but they've helped me to eliminate another disposable item from my routine, which I love.

3. Plastic Wrap

This stuff seems like something that's hard to live without. If you're like me, you use it every time you have leftovers, or you have cut cheese or vegetables you want to keep fresh. It's hard to imagine how people ever got along without plastic wrap! Unfortunately, it's really wasteful, and it's not exactly cheap! I've discovered an alternative that keeps food fresh. It's a bees-wax coated cloth, that holds shape when folded around a piece of food or over a bowl, and it's washable! The two brands of beeswax wrap products that I've found are Abeego and Bee's Wrap. If you're feeling ambitious, you can even try making your own beeswax cloth wraps at home. Here's a great tutorial. The wax wraps can help you eliminate plastic sandwich bags and aluminum foil from your kitchen, too!

4. Paper Towels

Paper towels are ubiquitous in most households. We use them as napkins, to wipe up messes, for household cleaning, and so much more. Americans use over 13 billion pounds of paper towels EVERY YEAR! That's a lot of trees cut down, a lot of waste in landfills, and a lot of dollars spent! After purchasing a pack of paper towels earlier this year, I was overwhelmed by guilt,  so I decided that they would be the last paper towels I ever bought. Since I ran out earlier this month, I haven't missed having paper towels on hand. For spills and cleaning, there are plenty of eco-friendly sponges available. I also read a lot about using flour sack towels to replace other functions of paper towels. They're a perfect replacement for paper napkins, and they can also be used to absorb moisture in refrigerator crisper drawers, and even for draining grease when you're cooking. These are the towels that I purchased and so far they've been great. They're pretty big, so you could easily cut them into smaller sizes, as this blogger suggests. I might tackle that task when I'm more comfortable using the sewing machine I recently inherited! I'm relieved to not be burdened by the guilt I felt every time I purchased a pack of paper towels, and happy with the replacements I found.


Ready to eliminate even more disposable items from your home? 
Try replacing your dryer sheets with wool dryer balls, replacing your toilet paper with family cloth, and making your own disinfecting wipes and cloth mopping pads! The Earth will thank you. Happy Earth Day!

Further reading

http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/
http://www.thekitchn.com/ditch-the-plastic-10-reusable-produce-bags-174099
http://earth911.com/news/2012/01/19/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-buy-reusable/8

Happy Valentine's Day to You and the Planet!

While some may view it as strictly a commercial holiday, Valentine's Day is a great excuse to do something nice for someone you love. Unfortunately, a lot of the traditional V-day gifts aren't so great for the planet, or the people on it. Thankfully, there are plenty of options that are better for the environment and don't exploit workers!

Flowers

About 78% of all cut flowers purchased in the U.S. actually come from Ecuador and Columbia. Workers, including children, earn minuscule wages, sometimes working 80 hours per week, while being exposed to harsh chemicals. Those chemicals are used to grow the flowers and to keep them looking good while they're transported to the U.S. They're extremely hazardous both to the workers and to the planet!  Organic Bouquet has flowers that are grown organically, without the the use of any harsh chemicals. They provide their farmers with healthy working conditions and fair wages. And their arrangements are beautiful! Both FTD Go Green and 1-800-FLOWERS also offer a range of fair trade certified bouquet options.

Organic Bouquet offers flowers that are fair trade and organic!

Chocolates

The candy industry is another big offender of crimes against the environment and human rights. More than 75% of the world's cocoa is grown in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Like the cut flower farmers, workers on cocoa farms have to endure dangerous working conditions and are paid next to nothing for their labor. The only way to protect both workers (including children) and the planet is to purchase only chocolate that is labeled fair trade and organic. That doesn't mean your options are limited! There are loads of ethical chocolates on the market. Some of my favorites include Taza Chocolate,  Endangered Species Chocolate, and Dagoba. For more brands, check out this list of ethical chocolate manufacturers.


If you've already got the basics covered, but you're still looking for an eco-friendly gift for your Valentine, here are some really great ideas:

Ms. Betty's Original Bad-Ass Soy Candles - These candles come in glass containers featuring messages like "Be Mine (For the Night)" and "Blow Me (A Big Fat Kiss.)" They're made with soy and the heavy glass containers are reusable. You can choose from scents such as citrus and chili pepper or spearmint and eucalyptus. So cheeky!

Ms. Betty's Original Bad-Ass Soy Candles

A Subscription of Paris Letters - There's no city more romantic than Paris. If you can't be there, you can still get a lovely hand-painted letter from Paris every month! A subscription makes a totally unique and wonderfully romantic gift for your Valentine. (Or check out Paris Letters, the book!)

DaDa Underwear Subscription - This is a really fun gift idea for the man in your life. A membership in the DaDa Quarterly Underwear Club will get your dude a new pair of skivvies every three months. These aren't just your run-of-the-mill undies either. They're luxury underwear made from eco-friendly fabrics like bamboo, seaweed, or organic cotton. Choose from a variety of styles and fabrics when you order.

Do Amore - If you're planning to pop the question this V-day, make sure you do it with a conflict-free diamond! Your engagement ring should be a symbol of love, not war. Do Amore takes that concept one step further. Not only are their diamonds conflict-free, the company also guarantees that each ring is made using at least 80% recycled precious metals. Every purchase of a Do Amore ring provides a lifetime of clean water for two people, by funding wells. Celebrating the love of two people while giving a better life to two more? Now THAT'S romantic!

If you're single this Valentine's Day, there are even some planet-happy ways to treat yourself. Take another look at my post about recycling unwanted adult toys, and finding greener toys to have fun with!

Looking for a few more ways to be earth friendly this holiday? Here's a look at my Eco-Friendly Valentine's Day Pinterest board! It's loaded with ethical Valentine ideas like vegan dessert recipes, jewelry that gives back, and eco-friendly lingerie. There are great romantic gift and date suggestions for Valentine's Day, and every day of the year. Enjoy!


Follow Rachel Gottlieb's board Valentines Day - Earth-friendly romance! on Pinterest.



p.s. Need a soundtrack for your special day? Here's a playlist of some of my favorite love songs!

Use Fewer Paper Towels

I attended the TedX Buffalo conference earlier this week. While I was blown away by some of the brilliant local speakers, I also really enjoyed some of the Ted talk videos that we were shown. This one stuck with me as something really worth sharing. It's short and sweet, but it features a really simple change we can all make in our every day lives to make a remarkable impact. All you need to do is reduce the amount of paper towels you use to dry your hands. Here's how:

Get a Free Education Online

I've said before and I'll say again that I believe the most important element in making the world better is education. A more educated global population can work together to develop solutions to the world's major problems. I also think that an educated person is more understanding, accepting, and compassionate towards others. It's wonderful that we live in a time when information is so accessible. There a lot of wonderful sites popping up around the internet that offer access to education courses. I encourage you to take a class. Learn something that will help make the world better, like how to knit a hat for someone in a homeless shelter, how to help slow climate change, how to write a grant for your favorite non-profit, or how to change the world.

Academic Earth
This site has a wide range of university-level courses including business, literature, mathematics, and more. I like that all of the video lectures are available immediately, so you don't have to wait for a class to be live and they don't disappear when a course is over. Some users might miss the interaction that you get with participating along with other students while a course is happening. My favorite parts of this site are the curated playlists featuring video lectures mix-and-matched from multiple courses, and the "video electives" featuring some really interesting topics.

The Amazings
Learning from our elders is the concept behind the Amazings. The site offers classes on craft techniques such as felting, knitting, and hair styling, all presented by teachers with "years of experience." The classes are not free, but are pretty affordable, and your first class is half off.

Canvas Network
Canvas has a lot of really great course offerings from schools around the country. Offerings include courses on business, writing, social media, education, and more.

Course Buffet
This site is great because it pulls courses in from a variety of sites, and categorizes them into subject groups similar to the way courses are organized by major universities. So if you want to focus on world history, there is a list of suggested courses from around the internet there waiting for you. A lot like a course catalog.

Coursera
Coursera is my favorite of all the education sites, possibly because it was the first one I ever used. My experiences with it are what prompted me to seek out similar sites and ultimately to develop this list. Students are encouraged to participate in class forums while they experience lecture videos and course work. Content stops being available after the course ends. I'm especially looking forward to an upcoming course on the music of the Beatles!

CraftArtEdu
If you're interested in learning some fine arts techniques such as water colors or drawing, you can check out CraftArtEdu. They also have some crafting classes like jewelry making, polymer clay, etc. Not all of their classes are free, but some are. 

Craftsy
This site offers a variety of classes on crafts such as jewelry-making, fine arts, cooking, and more. The classes vary in both time commitment and cost, but they do offer some free mini-courses.

DoItYourself
This is a great resource for homeowners or handymen/women who want to learn how to do certain home-improvement projects. There are also some great tutorials on gardening, automotive, crafts, and green living.

edX
edX was created by Harvard and MIT. A lot of the courses on the site are offered through the founding schools and their colleagues. They offer a really great selection of higher education courses. Students are give the option to either audit the class, or to actually try for a certificate of completion.

GCF LearnFree
The Goodwill Community Foundation created this wonderful resource for the under-served community. It's perfect for anyone who wants to learn basic computer and internet skills, improve their English, or write a resume.

Khan Academy
The Khan Academy is a registered not-for-profit organization with a mission of helping people learn. Specifically, most of the video tutorials are to help people learn pre-university level math. The founder, Salman Khan, did a Ted Talk about how he got started. To say I struggled in math would be a massive understatement. I really wish that this had been around when I was in high school. Here the video:





Learn That
Learn that offers video tutorials on a lot of business and technology topics.

Lynda.com
Lynda is actually not a free site, but they do offer a free 10-day trial. The courses available on the site are mostly design, development, and other tech-related fields.

Mind Picnic
This site isn't as well organized as some of the others, and the source of some of the course content is a little ambiguous, but it does seem to have some interesting lessons, including a lot of language courses (Italian, German, Russian, French, etc.) which, I've noticed, aren't available on a lot of the other sites. They don't seem to be complete courses, but are broken down into more manageable lessons.

Open2Study
This is an Australian-based site that offers a variety of university-level courses.

Novo
Novo features a lot of free courses, most of which seem to be in the fields of business and finance. They have a special course track for entrepreneurs.

Saylor.org
Saylor is a great site if you want access to courses in the basics, like English composition, or calculus. They have a lot of courses for university level, as well as K-12 and professional development courses.

Skillshare
This is a robust site that features video tutorials and classes, mostly about design. Topics include advertising, music, publishing, film, food, and much much more.

Udacity
Most of the courses available on Udacity are for web developers and the tech sector.

Help Others Get Access to Education

Even more important than these wonderful free course offerings is actually being able to access them. I hope you'll support these efforts towards global education, and seek out other ways to give education access to those who don't have it.

A Human Right
Today, the internet plays a huge role not just in the global education system, but almost every aspect of modern life. Communities without internet access are at a huge disadvantage. A Human Right is a non-profit organization working to bring access to those without, all around the world. Here's a quick video by founder Kosta Grammatis about why it is so important to get internet access to anyone without. Click here to donate to A Human Right.




Kiva
This is a really great site that connects those in need with potential lenders. You can browse through borrowers to find individuals who need assistance paying for their education. Most of the loans are small, and they ask lenders to pay only in $25 increments.

Library for All
Library for all started as a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of building digital library of ebooks and other learning materials, and providing access via low-cost ereaders to communities in need around the world. Thankfully, the campaign was successful and the organization is on its way to fulfilling that mission. You can help by clicking here.

Get the Fluoride Out!

Up until recently, I fully believed in the benefits of fluoride and the fluoridation of tap water. Having had issues with cavities throughout my life, I thought I needed to get a lot of it. I made sure the water filters I used did not get the fluoride out, because I really believed that I needed it. So I was pretty surprised when I came across a blog post about the danger fluoride. I was skeptical, and assumed that the controversial post was written to attract readership. A quick online search proved me wrong.

It turns out that fluoride is NOT all it's cracked up to be. Not only is it NOT beneficial, but some studies show that it may cause serious health issues including arthritis, thyroid dysfunction, bone cancer, poor brain development in children, and more!

In order for fluoride to have any positive effect on our teeth, it would have to come in direct contact with teeth rather than be ingested. So the fluoridation of tap water is pretty useless. But even dental fluoride treatments are harmful! Even though it isn't swallowed, the body can absorb the fluoride through the mouth and gums, and it can do damage to the body, and even the teeth. I actually suffer from dental fluorosis. I have little white spots on my front teeth that, though most people probably don't even notice them, I have been self-conscious about for my whole life. To learn that these were caused by harmful and unnecessary fluoride treatments and possibly exacerbated by water fluoridation is pretty enraging!

Image courtesy of fluoridealert.org

If you have a little bit of time and want to learn more about how the fluoridation of water became a regular practice, and why it's harmful, this video is really informative and eye opening. I highly recommend taking the time to watch it.





One person in Buffalo has taken it upon himself to put an end to the fluoridation of Buffalo's water. He's created an online petition that you can sign, urging lawmakers to get their harmful fluoride out of our drinking water! I encourage everyone to sign the petition, and more importantly, to educate yourself about how fluoride can effect your health.

If you're not from Buffalo, you can click here find out if the tap water in your region is fluoridated. You can also sign this petition, urging congress to end water fluoridation in America.

There are steps you can take to lessen your intake of fluoride. Avoid certain foods and beverages, and shop for organic produce. Fluoride is commonly used in pesticides on commercially grown fruits and vegetables. Stop buying dental care products with fluoride. Toms of Maine offers a number of fluoride-free toothpastes, as do a number of other natural brands. You can even make your own toothpaste! There are even steps you can take to detoxify fluoride from your body using certain dietary supplements. Check out the recommended reading, below, for details. Unfortunately, most water filters (like Pur and Brita) do not get the fluoride out of tap water. But there are filters available that do!

Further Reading

• http://www.fluoridealert.org/issues/water/
• http://www.cheeseslave.com/top-10-dangers-of-fluoride/ 
• http://thekindlife.com/blog/2012/01/facts-about-fluoride/
• http://www.realfarmacy.com/how-to-safely-detox-fluoride-from-your-body/ 
• http://www.honeycolony.com/article/13-reasons-why-you-should-be-worried-about-water-and-what-to-do-about-it/
• http://www.enviro.ie/Human%20Toxicity,%20Environmental%20Impact%20and%20Legal%20Implications%20of%20Water%20Fluoridation_February%202012_EnviroManagement%20Services.pdf

Educate Yourself About Palm Oil

Face Palm to Palm Oil

Palm oil is pretty nasty stuff. It doesn't offer much nutritional value, but is commonly used in over 50% of manufactured food products as well as health and beauty products. The problem with the stuff is how it's harvested. In order to harvest palm oil, referred to as "liquid ivory," you have to cut down a palm tree. In order to manufacture enough palm oil to meet the current global demand for it, you have to annihilate an entire rainforest. And that is exactly what palm oil manufacturers are doing. The affects on the rainforests of Indonesia have been absolutely catastrophic.

The deforestation has affected not only the animal and plant populations of the region, but also the native peoples who live in and depend on the rainforest for their way of life. The population most devastated by the palm oil industry though, has been the orangutans. In just the past 20 years, over 90% of the orangutans' natural habitat has been destroyed.

The palm oil industry may lead to the extinction of orangutans in the wild.
Image courtesy of saynotopalmoil.com.

Small Things We Can Do

There are lot of things we can all do to help the effort to stop deforestation by the palm oil industry. You can sign petitions, contact manufacturers, donate, or adopt an orangutan. The easiest thing to do is stop buying products with palm oil in them.

I see palm oil showing up in the ingredient lists of even some of my favorite organic and eco-friendly (even "cruelty-free") beauty, health, and food products. The stuff is everywhere and tricky to avoid. Here are a few lists that I'm using to help me eliminate palm oil from my home.

• EthicalConsumer.org has compiled a list of products that are free of palm tree oil. They also provide an email address so that consumers can help add to the list. Check out their palm-oil-free list here.
• Care2 has a list on their website of some of the many brands and products that do use palm oil. Here's the list of products to avoid.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) created a Palm Oil Buyers Score Card to help educate consumers about how certain brands are using palm oil. It was created in 2011 and focuses mostly on European companies.
  
•  The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil has created a guide of products containing palm oil that was harvested sustainably. It contains brands that can be found around the globe.
• Palm oil can be sneaky. It disguises itself on ingredient lists, hiding behind names like "vegetable oil" or  "stearic acid." Here's a list of names palm oil can be labeled under.

There are also a lot of online petitions that you can sign; urging retailers, manufacturers, and politicians to stop using, selling, or harvesting palm oil. Here are just a few of them.

• Rainforest Action Network's petition urges Cargill, the largest importer of palm oil to the U.S. to implement new safeguards for the protection of wildlife throughout the company's harvesting process. (RAN has a whole page of online actions worth signing.)
• The Green Palm petition supports a sustainable method of palm oil harvesting.
• This petition on Change.org urges the makers of Nutella to stop using palm oil in their product. This one is a total bummer because that stuff is so tasty! Luckily, there are a lot of versions of recipes online so you can make your own!

If you're interested in learning more about palm oil harvesting, or you want to get more involved, I urge you to visit the Say No To Palm Oil website. You can also check out the recommended reading, below.

Here's a video of a piece that was actually featured on NBC Nightly News all about how the palm oil industry is destroying the natural habitat of orangutans, and what we can do to help.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Further Reading

• http://www.sumatranorangutan.org/
• http://redapes.org/adopt
• http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-stop-buying-palm-oil-and-help-save-the-orangutans.html
• http://www.wri.org/project/potico
• http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Formulation-Science/The-hidden-destroyer-palm-oil-demand-increases-deforestation-and-carbon-dioxide-emissions 
• http://menlopark-atherton.patch.com/groups/schools/p/stanford-palm-oil-demand-drives-borneo-deforestation
• http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/1984027/palm_oils_forgotten_victims_sumatran_elephants_suffer_in_rush_for_liquid_ivory.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facepalm

Update 7/30/2013
The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has a great Problem with Palm Oil Fact Sheet.

Magazines Worth Subscribing To

I don't like most popular print magazines. They promote a culture of celebrity gossip, fast fashion, and fad diets. Not to mention they are a waste of paper, and produce tons of garbage every year. I usually try to prevent printed items from arriving in my mailbox. There are, however, a few exceptions. I have found some really well written, beautifully photographed publications that are fun to receive in the mail, and really enjoyable to read. Most of them are produced responsibly and are void of advertisements. If you want to eliminate the junky content of mainstream fashion, celebrity, and lifestyle magazines from your home, but you still look forward to getting something in your mailbox, here are a few publications you may want to consider subscribing to.

Blindfold Magazine
Blindfold is a quarterly lifestyle magazine focusing on social causes. It is a photojournalism publication, so the photography is very well done. The focus of most of the content is an admirable one: making the world better. A one-year subscription is $33.80 and a single issue goes for $11.99.

Chick Pea 
I was lucky enough to meet the makers of Chick Pea Magazine at the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair this spring. I was able to look through a few issues of their publication and it is absolutely beautiful. Chick Pea is a quarterly magazine that features vegan lifestyle content from around the web. The photography is wonderful and the design and layout are crisp and clean and gorgeous. You'll want to keep these issues on your bookshelves or coffee table so you can look at them again and again. A full year subscription is $70, or you can order a single issue for $19.

Good Magazine 
Good Magazine is the print version of one my favorite websites, good.is. The online version is a constant source of inspiration for me, helping me find small ways to make changes and help others every day. I'm confident that the content of the print version will be similarly wonderful. An annual subscription is only $25, and includes a complimentary membership to the GOOD society.

Laika Magazine 
Laika is a new quarterly vegan lifestyle magazine. They're only now on their second issue. I haven't had a chance to look at a copy, but I have read some glowing reviews of the publication. It reads more like a popular lifestyle magazine than a hippy-dippy vegan mag, but with better content and a better purpose. An annual subscription to the print version is only $36. You can order single issues for $11 each.

Pure Green Magazine

Pure Green Magazine 
This is a quarterly publication about sustainable living. The photography is gorgeous and they seem to have some really great content. The magazine itself is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable based inks in Canada. A subscription costs $82 for U.S. residents or $72 for Canadian residents. If you just want to check out one issue, you can do that for only $18. If you want to explore some of their content before you order, you can check out the Pure Green Mag Blog.

Don't throw your old issues away!

Most of these publications are really quite lovely, so it's unlikely that you'll want to get rid of them any time soon. But when you are ready to get rid of these, or any other unwanted magazines, you should not toss them in the garbage, or even your recycling bin! Most local libraries will accept unwanted magazines. Just be sure to call ahead and make sure your library will accept them before you drop them off. You can also donate the issues to nursing and retirement homes, women shelters, or even hospital waiting rooms. Schools or daycare centers may even be able to use them for crafts.

You Can Recycle That: Flip Flops

For years and years, I wore flip flops from the first snow melt to the first snow fall of the year. I mean I lived in the things! Thanks to places like Old Navy, I could get a pair of rubber flip flops for $2, and stockpile them, with a pair in every color imaginable. Now, my problem feet require something a bit more supportive, and I'm more conscious about where my footwear is coming from. So my flip flop collection is sitting idle, taking up valuable space in my closet. I can't bring myself to toss them, because I know they're going to end up in a landfill somewhere. Luckily, I've come across another handy recycling service that will solve this dilemma!

The Flip Flop Brigade!!!

TerraCycle has teamed up with Old Navy to create this awesome service. Gather up about 10 (or more) pairs of unwanted flip flops, download a FREE shipping label, and drop your package off at UPS. Done! Your flip flops are on their way to becoming something brand new and awesome! As a bonus, Old Navy will send you a coupon for a free pair of flip-flops, and other discounts. (I'll be donating my coupons to the local women's shelter, as I prefer not to shop at Old Navy, or other "fast fashion" retailers.) Remember, you can send in any brand of rubber flip flops; not just Old Navy!

If you're in Buffalo, and want to add your flip flops to my shipment, let me know! I'm also accepting reusable shopping bags, worn or orphaned socks, and just about anything else I've written a "You Can Recycle That" post about. If you're nearby, I'll even pick it up! Send me a Tweet, or email me at smallonessurroundus@gmail.com to let me know.

For more information about the Flip Flip Brigade, check out their FAQ page.

You Can Recycle That: Reusable Shopping Bags

It seems a little weird - why would you need to recycle a reusable shopping bag? Their whole purpose is to eliminate waste. But a lot of us have a surplus of reusable shopping bags that we just don't use. It seems that every business is distributing the bags as promotional items to market themselves. They've become so popular that just about every store is giving them away, and a lot of us end up with so many that we can't use all of them. Personally, I have at least 15-20 of the bags, but only about 4 or 5 that I actually use

Luckily, there's the ChicoBag Repurposing Program. 

Package up all of your unwanted reusable shopping bags and ship them to ChicoBag. The bags will be distributed to low-income families, encouraging them to "start a reusable bag habit." Any bags that are determined to be unusable will be disassembled and woven into new products suchs as aprons or rugs by The Grateful Thread, providing job training opportunities for victims of domestic violence.

Not only will you be ridding your home of clutter and keeping your reusable bags out of landfills, you'll also be encouraging others to reduce their plastic bag consumption, and providing employment opportunities to those in need. It's a win-win-win-win!

Send your unwanted reusable shopping bags to:

ChicoBag Company
C/O Zero Waste Program
13434 Browns Valley Drive
Chico, CA 95973

You Can Recycle That: Erotic Toys

I'll admit to being a little shocked myself when I came across this service. Adult toys and novelties are one of those topics that you only discuss with your closest friends, right? So let's just skip all the taboos and get to the point. If you have old toys that you don't use or want anymore, you probably want to get rid of them quickly and discreetly. Luckily, they don't have to wind up in a landfill.

While it may seem like a total joke, there is actually a real company that offers sex toy recycling services. Scarlet Girl is an online erotic toy store based in Oregon. When you send in your old sex toy for recycling, they give you $10 credit towards a new one! All you have to do is clean it, package it up, and ship it to them! Check out the details on their sex toy recycling page.

Scarlet Girl Recycles

Before you start shopping for some new toys to replace the ones you recycled, remember there are green options available! Check these out.

Leaf by Swan - This is a totally "green" line of adult toys. They're even endorsed by eco-celebrity, Alicia Silverstone!

Good Clean Love - An eco-friendly personal lubricant brand. All of their products are free of parabens, glycerin, silicon, and petrochemicals. They're 100% organic and cruelty-free, and because they're vegan, they're also edible!

Glyde - Certified ethical, vegan, and fair trade condoms.

Earth Erotics - Your one-stop-shop for earth-friendly erotic supplies.

And I'll be keeping my eyes out for GӒSM, the eco-friendly vibe that started out as an April Fools joke from Swedish sex toy brand, Lelo. The joke was so popular that the toy-makers are supposedly planning to come out with the real thing!

Further Reading

http://www.ecohearth.com/eco-blogs/clean-and-green-everyday/1376-safe-sex-not-if-your-sex-toys-arent-green-.html


This post was shared on Thank Your Body Thursday.

Best In Crowdfunding: June 2013

I've scoured the internet's top crowdfunding sites, trying to find projects I think are most deserving of my contribution. It proved to be a much harder task than I had anticipated! While there are plethora of great ideas, I found that most of them aren't intended to improve the lives of others, which is really what I was looking for. After hours of browsing, I've found some really wonderful projects. Here are my 5 favorites this month. Take a look and see if you want to contribute to any of them. You might even nab a little something for yourself!


Ecorithmic
Sometimes, the things that technology is capable of accomplishing absolutely blow my mind. Learning about this mobile app is one of those times! The Ecorithmic app will help users to be more fuel-efficient drivers. It will record regular driving routes, taking into account elevation, traffic signals, speed limit changes, and more, and then instruct the driver how to shift gears or ease off the gas at certain points during the route to use less fuel. Mind. Blown.
Campaign Goal: £140,000
Deadline: July 9
Platform: Kickstarter

Just Food
This brand was developed by a woman whose young son suffers from a medical condition that requires him to be tube-fed. She developed a line of additive-free, shelf-stable tube meals because all that had been available was manufactured processed food product. Her son's health increased when she started blending the meals for him, and a business idea was born. If, like me, you are lucky enough to NOT have someone in your life who requires tube feeding, your purchased meals will be donated to a child who needs them. If I ever have a child or loved one who has to be tube fed, I'll be so glad to know that this company is out there!
Campaign Goal: $10,000
Deadline: July 15
Platform: IndieGoGo

Library for All
I'm impressed by the lofty objectives of this campaign. The idea is simple: to give school children in developing countries access to an expansive digital library. I can only imagine how difficult it would be, logistically, to coordinate such an effort. Seems like the major elements would be getting the cooperation of major publishers, and also giving developing communities access via affordable reading devices. The creators behind this campaign seem to have a handle on both. I really believe that education is the key to bettering our world, and this would be a giant step.
Campaign Goal: $100,000
Deadline: July 13
Platform: Kickstarter

Real Value
They had me at "what's the real cost of cheap?" The core message of this documentary is that it really is so very important to be AWARE of where the things we buy and eat are coming from, and what the affects of our purchasing decisions really are. I absolutely can not wait to watch this movie. More importantly, I can not WAIT to make my friends and family watch it. Check out the trailer, below.
Campaign Goal: $10,000
Deadline: July 4
Platform: Kickstarter

Sole Power
This is another impressive example of what technology can do. These shoe insoles capture the kinetic energy of foot steps and store it in a battery pack that can be used to charge mobile or electronic devices. Genius. Not only will it save power, but it can also enable individuals in developing countries to have access to electronic devices. The creators ultimately want to use a "buy one, give one" buying platform to distribute the insoles to those places.
Campaign Goal: $50,000
Deadline: July 18
Platform: Kickstarter



If you love the idea of funding these and other deserving projects or individuals, be sure to check out these sites too:

• Kiva - Connects lenders to borrowers around the world, helping to fund small businesses in developing countries, education, and more.
• Sprigster - The "Boost a Hero" project is a crowdfunding platform for military veterans.
• Unglue.it - Contribute money to the copyright holder of your favorite book to have a free, licensed electronic edition made available to everyone!

The Greenest Christmas Tree

Now that Thanksgiving is over and the holiday season is upon us, plenty of people are starting to put up their Christmas trees. If you're looking for a "green" Christmas tree option, here are some things to consider.

I first discovered living Christmas Trees when I was living in Santa Monica, CA. I saw the potted trees at my favorite farmers market, and asked the vendor about the service. There, you could rent a potted evergreen tree for a few weeks. The company would even deliver the tree for you, and pick it up when you were done with it. There are a number of companies that offer similar service in California and around the U.S.

In the Buffalo area, Urban Roots offers living trees for purchase (not rental.) When the holidays are over you can plant the tree in your own yard, or you can choose to donate it. If you do, someone from Urban Roots will pick the tree up for you and deliver it to the recipient of your choice (Grassroots Gardens, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, or Olmsted Parks.)

Whether purchasing a living tree is actually greener than a cut tree is debatable. In most cases, cut trees come from Christmas tree farms which are replanted with new trees every year. Noone's cutting down forests to provide holiday trees for the masses.

Here in Buffalo, the city actually offers a holiday tree recycling program. If you leave your Christmas tree at the curb during the designated week, it will be picked up and used for mulch rather than winding up in a landfill. If you don't live in an area that offers a similar service, perhaps a living tree is a better option for you.

Sonrickers Christmas Tree Farm - Attica, NY

If you're trying to have a green Christmas, it's always good to know where your tree is coming from and where it's going to wind up. Happy holidays to everyone!

Further Reading

http://livingchristmas.com
http://www.treehugger.com/culture/how-to-pick-a-green-christmas-tree.html
http://www.buffalorising.com/2012/11/christmas-goes-green-at-urban-roots-too.html
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/12/rentable-christmas-trees-offer-eco-friendly-option/1#.UGn1zU3Ad8E
http://jan.blog.ocregister.com/tag/living-christmas-trees/
http://www.livingchristmastrees.org/