by Megan McLaughlin
Most girls have certain makeup products they can't live without, but if going green is more important than your beauty needs, you should be checking out all of the natural products that are out there today! This one might be for the girls, but there's a few things that gals and guys should know about clean, green, healthy skin.
According to Green Daily, "Unless it says 100% certified USDA organic, there's no certainty that all of the ingredients are organic. And natural can mean almost anything!" This is especially true when dealing with makeup and skincare products. Today, it is trendy to try "mineral" powders, blushes and other makeups that are being marketed as "Natural." However, if you pay close attention, you hardly ever see the USDA Certification. This Organic Makeup and Skincare Resource can point you in the right direction!
This is for everyone (guys listen up too) - SUNSCREEN! Protecting your skin from harmful, damaging UVA and UVB rays is so important. Luckily, there are many organic products that can help you battle these blasted beams of light. Pristine Planet offers some great advice and direction on products that are good for you and the earth. "Kiss My Face" lip balm is great for protecting your lips and brands like "Badger" make an organic sunscreen.
For more advice on makeup and healthy living, check out these links:
Everyone's makeup should be some shade of green!
Health Nuts Blog
Green Your Face
Green Thumbs
Green gardening is all about being organic - avoiding the use of chemicals during the entire process. Whether you're living in the country or the city, a house or a small apartment, you can always find a place to plant something green.
Extremely Green is a great website that provides tons of information about gardening. This site is the best source for all of your organic gardening supplies and tips on gardening, the green way. Extremely Green offers solutions to lawn care, pest control, fertilizer and more.
Another thing to consider when thinking about green gardening is composting. Green Thumb Goodies will tell you, "[Compost] can be mixed into the soil before planting or applied to the surface of the soil as a mulch." If you have a place to put your trashcans, you probably have a little space to put a compost bin. If not,see if some of your neighbors are interested in composting too - if space is a concern, sharing a compost bin could be a great solution!
Location is obviously the main concern, but all you really need is a small space like a patio or balcony where you can set some pots and planters. Here are some great tips from Backwoods Home Magazine. If you're living in close quarters, but you still want to get a green garden going, start by learning how to garden in a small space and then refer back to the resources that will tell you how to do it organically!
Check out these links for more interesting tid bits about gardening and farming:
Career for the Year: Life on the Farm
How to get the most out of rain
Sustainable White Green House
Eco-Friendly Cruisin'
by Megan McLaughlin
Summer time is all about relaxing and taking it easy and for many, getting away for some R & R. Plenty of people head to the beach, but many will also plan vacations and one of the most popular ways to vacation is going on a cruise. However, this may not be the best way to try and save Mother Nature some angst. Give the environment a break this summer. Check out how this cruise line is pitching in!
According to Andrea Bennett of Travel + Leisure online, "Royal Caribbean recently invested millions of dollars into energy conservation and limiting waste dumping. And lines such as Holland America, Princess, and Celebrity are continuing to become more environmentally friendly." Its true! Cruiseshipforum.com is reporting that, "Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise lines have added General Electric’s alternative engine technology — gas turbine — to their newest ships. This system reduces nitrous oxide emissions by 80% and sulfur oxide by 98%. As an added relaxation bonus, the engine is less noisy than traditional ones."
Trying to plan your cruise with ships that are becoming less damaging to the environment is great, but another thing you can do is depart from a port that is close to home. This will save on your travel costs too! Your travel time will be reduced and so will the negative impact on the environment.
Learn more about financing your trip here. And check here for 5 Ways to Travel Green!
Your Eco-Friendly Summer
By Megan McLaughlin
Summer is here and for many, that means more travel. Gas prices are higher, roads are more congested and shore destinations are packed with travelers. If you’re looking to save a little money and make mother nature proud, you should consider some of these ways to make your summer a little more eco-friendly.
Road and Travel Magazine offers some great tips for vacationers, like using public transportation or a bike to get around your destination or “Hit the farmer's markets for locally grown foods, skip the chain restaurants in favor of locally-owned establishments, and buy fair trade products as souvenirs to make sure your money goes into the locals’ pockets.” Both of these tips are great advice, but one of the biggest pieces of advice offered by Road and Travel is “Give your house a vacation.” Don’t leave lights on when you’re not home. Instead, put a few lights on timers while you’re gone. Also, adjust your thermostat to a more modest setting; you don’t want your house to be a heat box when you return, but if no one’s home, there’s no need to keep your normal, probably chilly, air-conditioned setting!
Another great way to reduce your carbon footprint this summer is to purchase eco-friendly travel items. Greenzer offers greener ways to shop online and one of the brands sold there is Solio. “"Plug into the Sun" as Solio says of its eco-friendly, solar-powered charger for handheld electronic devices. Solio brings you green convenience, eliminating the burden to keep track of many different chargers for every different device you own.” Solio offers hybrid chargers to power your iPod, GPS and many other electronic devices while you’re on the go.
So whether you’re traveling to the beach, the lake, a warmer destination to soak up the sun or a cooler destination to beat the heat, consider some of the simple things you can do to be a little more eco-friendly this summer!
Posts
