We are all using a lot of beauty products. Women spend thousands on these items, from hair care to nail polish to cellulite creams. It's true that beauty is a huge factor in the lives of women, we are expected to present a certain image in our society. If we don't, we are written off as ugly and unappealing. So we all strive to be clean, shaven, shiny and smooth with a white smile, nice hair and a shapely body. But we aren't naturally this way so it takes a lot of cosmetic stuff to make it so, or at least close to so.

But it would be really good idea if women starting paying more attention to the crap they rub on themselves. Most of it is exactly that: crap. Toxic, dangerous and unhealthy. You can end up trading off your longevity for a night with a fake tan and bleached blond hair. Seriously. Modern research has found that the skin absorbs up to 60% of the chemicals in products that it comes into contact with directly into the bloodstream. A lot of the female troubles that have been reported over time have to do with chemical exposure and hormone absorption through these sorts of products. Do yourself a favor. You can get pretty and stay safe at the same time. Think about detoxing your cosmetics.

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The natural living portion of the seed has moved to a new site. When you read more you will automatically go to the new blog. Don't forget to bookmark it. It will be finished in the new year. Happy holidays!

For years the use of monosodium methanearsenate, or MSMA, was prevalent in British Columbia as a means to control Pine Beetles. Sold for a long time under the trade name, Glowon, it was considered safe and useful, posing no threat to the environment or to human health. This sounds like a song I've heard before, how about you? Even though this product was no longer in use as late as 2005, mainly because the manufacturer did not renew the permit, the residue of this product remains all throughout the region. IN fact, they are now issuing maps of areas that they are urging loggers to avoid because the residue is that bad. And what is the residue? Arsenic.

Now, my first question, as an intelligent, alert individual with common sense, is to ask how on earth anyone could think that arsenic, a known volatile and dangerous poison, could be environmentally safe and non toxic to humans? Seriously. To it's credit, the US EPA decided in 2006 not to re-register MSMA as a pesticide because it "posed a cancer risk". This is because of it's potential to "transform to a more toxic inorganic form of arsenic in the soil with subsequent transport to drinking water." Yep. You heard right. Drinking water is likely contaminated with this poison through natural run off.

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The news portion of the seed has moved to a new home. When you read more you will go to the new site. Don't forget to bookmark it. It will be finished in the new year. Happy Holidays!

In a report from Barcelona, Spain, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released the results of it's study of Penguin colonies in the Antarctic. According to the study, 1/2 to 3/4 of major colonies could be damaged or wiped out if global temperatures are allowed to climb by more than 2C (3.6F). This hike in temperature would also threaten as much as 50% of breeding grounds of Emporer Penguins and as much as 75% of Adelie Penguin colonies. These results from their study were released at the World Conservation Congress, held this year in Spain.

Since the UN's panel of climate change Scientists has already warned that the average temperature on Earth could increase even more than 2C by the end of the century, this threat to the Penguin population is serious and real. The UN claims this change will occur regardless of major efforts that may be made to curb greenhouse gases and would occur even faster if no changes were made. In other words, it's way to late for the Penguins.

Another species seriously threatened by global conditions is Krill. The reduction in overall sea ice threatens to reduce their numbers drastically. Krill are a major food source for Penguins. The tiny fish usually moves in enormous schools numbering into the thousands. It's hard to imagine the Arctic Sea without Krill.

"Penguins are very well adapted to living in the cold and extreme conditions of Antarctica," according to the WWF's Juan Casavelos, also noting that warming has already contributed to a reduction in populations. "If temperatures increase by another two degrees these icons of the Antarctic will be seriously threatened," he has said.

A simple 2C increase over historically stable temperatures is seen by most Scientists as the threshold. Beyond that point, the rise in global temperatures will have severe consequences for the Earth's ecosystems, as well as for humans. In fact, humans will not survive if the ecosystems crash.

Although curbing global warming is the only viable long term solution, conservationists have been calling for important efforts to support wildlife. One possible short term solution would be to create and expand a network of marine protected areas to reduce pressure on the Penguins. This, along with tighter management of Krill and Finfish fisheries in the southern ocean may also be useful. Still, in the long run there is no saving the Penguin without curbing global warming and according to all sources at this time, that will not be possible to the extent necessary in the near or distant future.

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Technorati Tags: animals, extinction, dying, global warming, temperatures, melting ice, arctic, sea, fish, Krill, Penguins

Talks have led to some agreements among industry sectors aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. Although this seems to be generally accepted among civilized countries, many developing countries do not trust it. So, as talks between the 160 nations who are party to the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change came to a halt in October, many heavy industries are keeping a close watch on what emission reduction schemes and agreements will emerge from the discussion.

Cooperation from steel and aluminum producers is always touch and go. Ditto for the cement sector. These industries are energy and emissions intensive and fear too zealous regulations that could put them out of business. In Europe these industries have called for exemptions to the EU's strict emissions trading schemes. They wish to get that done before the new schemes are launched in 2013. Any large rise in the cost of emissions permits will drive factories and the jobs that go with them right out of Europe and force them to head off to areas with less stringent rules.

Fearing "carbon leaking" by companies moving elsewhere and continuing to dump their carbon into the atmosphere, industry controls in Europe are considering allowing these companies to obtain emission reduction credits within individual sectors. These agreements could be reached across specific industry sectors, allowing one company more emissions when combined with another that produces less. Such creative agreements would be international in scope, and include incentives like clean technology transfers. This may have to be done in order to get producers from developing countries on board. Of course, it would have to managed and it has been suggested that the level of credits allocated for specific emission reductions would be based on clean technology benchmarks.

Consider the Cement Sustainability Initiative, which was coordinated by the World Business Council out of Geneva. This allowed the 18 major cement producers to sign up to the initiative to reduce carbon dioxide emissions generated in their industry through cement production. This has resulted in a reduction of 100kg of CO 2 per tonne of production over the past eight years, on average. This is according to the WBCSD, though it still remains unclear to what extent these emission reductions were a direct result of the CSI.

It seems that the Cement Sustainability Initiative created a doable framework for action and also promoted a competitive environment through peer pressure. Companies leading on emission reductions inspired others to follow suit. However, other factors beyond the CSI have also influenced the decisions of firms to cut emissions and such initiatives will only work in the long term if they are also integrated into an international regulatory system which oversees their efforts.

It may be impossible to give existing voluntary sectoral agreements the full status of international, legally binding contracts. According to a UN official at the most recent discussion held in August at Ghana, "that is certainly not going to happen." And, in fact, the summary of the Ghana meeting, says: “It was generally agreed that these approaches and actions should not replace emission reduction targets of developed countries nor form the basis of proposals for sectoral mitigation commitments or international technology benchmarks.”

Most members of the G77, a grouping of developing states that includes China, India and Brazil, are wary of international sectoral deals. It is a reasonable fear that they have that industries from richer and more developed states will be at a natural advantage in these agreements. It is easier in those states to set clean technology benchmarks, particularly since those benchmarks are likely to be established against the backdrop of tightening carbon markets in rich countries or rich country groupings such as the EU.

Rich countries would also have an easier time achieving their emission reductions potentials, thus putting developing states at a competitive disadvantage, the argument goes. “We feel extremely uncomfortable with the kind of sectoral approaches that are being discussed,” Indian delegate Ajay Mathur was quoted to have said in an interview with Reuters after the Ghana meeting.

And it is also natural that developed, wealthier countries are in favor of such sectoral deals. These countries include the US, of course, and also Japan and Canada. However, these countries are also eager to give poorer and less developed countries assurances that any agreements broached would be fair. They are promising that clean technology transfer arrangements would be upheld, as well as the cherished UNFCCC principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities". It is only in this manner that such agreements can be fair and create less anxiety among the players who are at disadvantage.

Still, all of the assurances are not really making a difference. Japan caused a big fury among the G77 delegation and almost brought the talks to a halt when it tabled a proposal for a far reaching international sectoral agreement during a UNFCCC meeting back in April in Bangkok. This from a UN official who was interviewed in Ghana. The problem is that Japan is pushing for specific emission reductions targets to be established from the bottom up rather than from the top down. This calls for the targets to be set according to what industries are able to achieve in their given circumstances and economies, rather than being established from governments at a national level or in an international deal.

In all of this, Europe remains divided. EU leaders, on one hand, agree that emission reductions should be set from the top down by governments and not by industry. According to a spokesman for the EC in Brussels, “Sectoral contributions towards emissions reductions can be useful towards meeting [national or international] targets, but cannot replace them." But views diverge sharply within the union on the extent to which sectoral deals can help slash emissions.

And any international climate change deal that would include the EU must have some sort of sectoral approach, according to Volker Franz, who deals with the issue for BusinessEurope, a major industry lobby in Brussels. He says that to be fair to European industries that face tougher carbon restrictions, such an approach should include absolute reduction targets for advanced developing countries like China.

This argument angers some of Europes' Green activists. They say that the real agenda of some industry is to get completely off the hook from the EU and their climate change agenda. They also claim that the real agenda may be hidden behind more rhetoric, such as creating benchmarking systems or global sector agreements.

But how these discussions play out and how the industry sectors will be treated under the EU's internal emissions reduction schemes is yet to be seen and will be closely watched, no doubt, by other states and industries. Brussels is hoping to finalize their proposals for a revised emissions trading scheme before the European Parliament elections in March 2009. This so that the EU can flaunt its climate credentials at the Copenhagen meeting at the end of next year.

In the meantime, whether or not sectoral agreements will be included in any international climate change deal is still undecided. Even if they were to be included, how they would be managed is even less known. Powerful developed countries and their wealthy industries are unlikely to drop the idea altogether, despite the wariness and opposition from developing and poorer nations.

It would be to every one's benefit if an impasse on this important issue could be averted. According to one UN official, a good idea might be to transform or expand the Kyoto protocol's Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation schemes, which allow richer and more developed countries to obtain emissions offset credits in exchange for clean development projects in poorer countries.

Talks on all of these matters remain at a very early stage. However, the idea is still potentially promising because developing states such as China have already obtained a considerable amount of clean technology transfers through the Kyoto Protocols' CDM and JI schemes. Even so, developing country industries are limited in how many emissions they are allowed to offset using the schemes.

Hopefully these ideas will take on new life after Obama takes office next year. If the US can bring urgency and excitement to the discussion, this would greatly help move things along, as compared with the lack of interest or initiative previously offered by the Bush administration. At this time, one thing is clear: given the interest in sectoral deals on the part of developed country governments and industries, and the resistance from developing states, enthusiasts of international talks on climate change can be assured of some good showdowns in the months to come.

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Technorati Tags: carbon limits, global warming, Kyoto Protocol, reduction, reduce, international law, climate change

I know most of you are aware of herbal hair dyes, mainly because you have heard of henna rinses which have become sort of the commercial standard. Henna is a herbal rinse and has all the qualities of herbs except when it's manufactured with added chemicals and fragrances that make it toxic and harsh. You can make your own henna rinse at home that costs a lot less and is a lot more safe. In fact, any color of herbal dye you make yourself not only saves you money but puts you in control of your hair in a way you cannot imagine. When you use a commercial product you are stuck with full throttle color all at once that leaves your hair in shock. Frizzy, burned out hair is often the result. Too much color, too little color, spotty color, are all possible problems that can't be resolved easily. Who wants to color over color over color until they get the right color, when the cumulative effects of all these treatments spells disaster for your hair.

But how about using herb based dyes you can mix up yourself for very little money and rinsing as often and as deeply as you like, gaining hair color as you rinse and only going as far as you want to? The more you rinse, the darker the rinse becomes so that over time you can control your level of hair color as you work with the various dyes. And over time this does not damage, dry out or shock your hair. No more blue frizzies or orange frays. No more streaky hair with gray that didn't take mixed with hair that took too much. You can just rinse and rinse every night, twice a day, as often as you like, gaining more color as you do so and then stopping when it's good enough. Washing over time will take it back out. Imagine this kind of control. It's actually a real pleasure once you try it. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite herbal dye recipes that you can mix up and try. Remember, with herbal dyes, if you make a mistake you won't need color remover. Just wash and wait. It will lessen in color over a short period of time or you can rinse over rinse until you find what it is you really want. So are you ready to try it?

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It has been long known by herbalists that Pine Bark Extract can be used as a home remedy for arthritis. Clinical trials have recently confirmed this, finding that Pine Bark Extract can reduce overall knee osteoarthritis symptoms by 20%, and lower pain by 40%. This is the third clinical trial on Osteoarthritis treatments by Pycnogenol, the manufacturers of Pine Bark Extract. They achieved their results using the French Maritime Pine tree extract. You can check out their product online at Pycnogenol.

Are you one of the many sufferers of this condition? I am. I have had severe Osteoarthritis for over 10 years, mainly a result of other conditions I suffer from that contribute to the destruction of cartilage. In fact, the CDC has estimated that 34% of all adults over the age of 65 are affected by osteoarthritis, and that 26.9 million adults in the U.S. had osteoarthritis in 2005.

The treatment of Osteoarthritis has been a bane to the Pharmaceutical industry, most recently outline by the Vioxx disaster. Many NSAIDs are also dangerous to the heart. But Pycnogenol acts as an anti-inflammatory and the study also suggests that Pycnogenol may assist the joints in recovery. The study lasted 3 months and involved 100 patients with stage I or stage II Osteoarthritis. Each patient was treated with either 150mg Pycnogenol or a comparable dose of a placebo every day.

The study resulted in overall improvements of Osteoarthritic knee symptoms averaging 20% in the Pycnogenol group. This improvement persisted for 4 weeks after quitting use of Pycnogenol. Quite impressive if you ask me. As well, there was a 40% reduction in joint pain after the 3 month trial ended. Two weeks after the study ended the reduction of pain was still 39% lower overall. In addition, those patients treated with Pycnogenol required much less analgesic medication compared to the group that was treated with a placebo. I don't know about you but I'm about to buy some of this stuff. You can get it really cheap at Vitamin USA . But please check out the side effects, drug interactions, dosage levels and safety of this product by going to Medline Plus .

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Technorati Tags: herbal, remedies, arthritis, essential oil, non toxic, safe, clinical trials, extract, bones, cartilage

The prime object of greening the kitchen is a plan to reduce waste. This will make a significant contribution to saving this planet and reducing the carbon footprint of our industrial society. However, going green does take a commitment, it isn't something that can be done will watching TV or taking a bath, although you can make those activities greener, too. But going green may take some research and planning. At the very least, it will take thought. And your thinking should be about changing up the kitchen first because it is the most waste producing room in your home.

The best way get started is to just do it slowly, making changes when they're painless and making easy, budget friendly choices. The whole idea centers around sustainability which means you should only make changes you can sustain over a long period. If it's too expensive or difficult to repeat, then don't even go there. If you want to get started today, I have some easy, simple steps you can take to get the ball rolling.

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There is no excuse in this day and age to be buying magazines, newspapers or even books! Admittedly, there are already an awful lot of books in circulation on this planet and it's better to keep passing them along than throw them out. Magazines and newspapers have a place in big events, such as the 2008 Presidential election. They make great keepsakes of big events, photos and all.

But in day to day life there are better ideas than buying more paper and throwing it away. Enter four eco friendly readers. Amazon's Kindle, Sony's e-Reader, Rex Technologies iLiad and the Plastic Logic Reader. You may have heard of these before and not given it much thought. But they are a greenie readers dream! Now you can read books, magazines and newspapers on readers that you carry in your hand. The Kindle and eReader are available now while the new Plastic Logic will be hitting the shelves in 2009.

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Are you seeking a “green” way to build your next home? Can you operate on the principle that one person’s trash is another person’s castle? While ‘trash’ isn’t always free, using cast-offs to build a home is a great way to recycle. There are homes built in areas around the world that use tires, cans, earth, plastic water bottles and other items - or a combination of these items - for their construction. If you think about it, the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination and your local building codes.

If you’re expecting ‘trashy’ results with this, you are going to be surprised. I have found a site that showcases homes that are built from recycled materials and has photos that show you the actual homes as they currently stand. There are ten luxury homes altogether and they are international, with a few in America and the rest in other countries. Look at this list and get ideas for your green home project when you get ready to do that. They are really wonderful to look at and think about.



Home Made From Water Bottles

Go to the site and view them Here

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Technorati Tags: recycling, recycle, reuse, build, home, house, structure, construct, make, green, luxury, real estate, international

From ABC News online:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have already brought you an awful lot of it from the Arctic already. So here it. More grim news on the sea ice levels and what it means to us. Experts at the National Show and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado believe the overall volume of Arctic sea ice has reached the lowest level since satellite measurements began in 1979. Although the numbers are still coming in, the data was collected by measuring the area covered and the thickness of the ice there.

"We're pretty confident this is a record low," said Walt Meier, a research scientist at the center.

Scientists at the center monitor the health of the ice by looking at many factors, including how much of it can be seen from space, the thickness of ice hidden underwater and the overall volume of existing ice. Their study has revealed that sea ice at the top of this planet has apparently reached the lowest volume ever recorded. This is scary enough but conditions are declining towards a point where the Arctic Ocean may soon be completely without ice in the summer.

I know I have reported on this before and it seems like an echo in here. But the more evidence that keeps piling up, the more authoritative the voice becomes. I plan to hammer away at what the scientists are saying, pumping into the carbon bloated ether, until all the naysayers either disappear or get their butts in order and help us out. We just don't have time to coax people gently; this problem is staring us down and it looks like a big black monster to me. We have every reason to be scared.

"It's like a building and a Hollywood set of a building," Meier has also said. "You take a picture of both of those, and they look exactly the same. But if you go and peer around the corner, one is thick, and one isn't. And so, what we're seeing now is that ice, that used to be like a building, is kind of becoming more like a Hollywood movie set."

The experts have all been saying that the old ice is fading away and has been replaced by newer but thinner ice. Older ice is in place for years, accumulating snow and ice year after year, and was ordinarily thicker and more robust than the thin new sheets that are there now. This thin new ice is more prone to melting quickly when exposed to temperature gains. In March 2008, data showed that a record 73% of the sea ice in the Arctic was made up of this newer, thinner ice.

"The arctic is fundamentally changing in character, and we're going to continue this downward trend and eventually reach the point when we have entire sea-ice melts during the summertime," Meier explains.

The experts are sending out threats of doom and gloom. They are warning that, without Arctic sea ice, there will be major, if as of yet unknown, consequences. And they say that these consequences will extend far beyond the Arctic. Overall, this region acts as an "air conditioner" for the rest of the planet, allowing it cool down. This effect helps stabilize global temperatures and weather patterns in the lower latitudes, much like the jet stream.

"You're changing the equation," Meier said. "And that's going to potentially change traditional wind patterns, ocean currents, and storm tracks. And which way the wind blows has tremendous impact in certain areas, particularly on where it rains and when it rains."

Consider also that less there is of sea ice, the darker the water. And darker water absorbs more energy from the Sun. And, in turn, this heated water melts even more ice. It's a vicious conundrum. And I do not believe that people have any idea what to do about it, if, in fact, they will admit it's happening.

The year 2007 broke the record for the lowest extent of sea ice, and 2008 came in second. The third-lowest year on record is 2005, part of a dramatic downward trend that has lasted three decades and doesn't appear to be slowing. This is expected to continue into the near future, with no projection of when it might stop or what can be done to make it stop.

But some small good news appears the basic fact that there may be some cooler years when the ice might not melt as much or as fast. There is unlikely to be a lot of gain in ice levels in the interim, just a year here or there where losses may be lessened. However, the long-term trend toward warmer temperatures makes a complete recovery or even partial reversal unlikely.

"We don't see it turning around," Meier said. This man believes that the Arctic could be ice-free in in the summer as early as 2030 or 2040, reluctantly adding that more pessimistic estimates predict that could happen as soon as 2013. Does everybody realize that this is 2008? I mean, we're talking about 5 years!

"Five years ago, if you'd gone to a conference of scientists and said, 'by 2013 the Arctic sea ice in summertime is going to be gone,' you might have been laughed out of the room," he said. And then, sadly adds, "No one is laughing now."

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Technorati Tags: arctic, ice levels, melting, global warming, carbon, scientists, study, research, NSIDC, Walt Meier

Ethiopia has signed a 220-million-euro (=300 million dollar) deal with a French company for the construction of Africa's largest wind farm. This contract was signed by representatives of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPC) in agreement with the French wind turbine manufacturer Vergnet.

This ambitious farm is expected to produce 120 megawatts within two and half years, making it the largest project of it's kind on the continent. This is a forward thinking project for the country as it faces great troubles from energy dependency and the effects of global warming. Ethiopia has been hit time and again by droughts, devastating the peoples of their country as well as crippling its electricity production, which is currently heavily reliant on hydroelectric dams.

"This is a very strategic project for us. The first (largest) in Africa for wind energy production with 120 megawatts, that is to say 15 percent of our present capacity," EEPC chairman Meheret Debebe said. "This project will help us to fill the gap of hydrological risks we are facing in Ethiopia with the droughts."

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the horn of Africa with no access to the ocean. It is also Africa's second most populous country and has been experiencing severe drought coupled with frequent power cuts in recent months. Already a dry, demanding and harsh landscape, Ethiopia is early in the field of geographical areas suffering as a result of the effects of global warming. Drought is considered to be a side effect of the overall warming of the planet just as the melting of the Arctic is.

"This contract is a very important one because with a budget in excess of 200 million euros it will be the largest wind farm in Africa," French Minister of State for Foreign Trade Anne-Marie Idrac said at the signing ceremony. "It is also very symbolic of France's commitment to developing renewable energies," she added. Bravo, France! And God bless the people of Africa.

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Technorati Tags: wind, turbines, farm, Africa, Ethiopia, France, EEPC, Vergnet, renewables, sustainable, energy, alternatives

I have long been bothered by perfumes, fragrances and air fresheners because I have an out and out allergy to these products. They are unable to tell me what I'm reacting to, whether it's the smell itself or any one of many chemicals, some of which are unnamed. It is true that the manufacturers of perfumes and fragrances have the right to hide their ingredients, said to be "trade secrets", from their competition and, subsequently, all of us. So I am sure I will never know which chemical I am allergic to even if I were to be tested for all of those on the labels. So many ingredients are not on the labels that it makes such an effort ridiculous. So what do I do? I buy every thing I use in an unscented, hypoallergenic version and, if available, organic and chemical free.

So what does this have to do with you? Well, the truth is that many symptoms that occur after exposure to these chemicals are not known to be allergic by definition but they are as damaging as any chemical exposure. We are exposed to an enormous amount of toxins in our current industrial world, from fumes to saturated air. Just think about it from the point of view of fragrances alone, discounting all other sources like petrol, various gases, industrial chemical run off and smog. We are exposed to a huge litany of these products such as in hair sprays, perfumes, air fresheners, room deodorizers, carpet dusters, makeup, laundry detergents, soaps, shampoos, deodorants, candles, incense, cleaning products including the stuff you wash the floor with and rub all over the furniture. If you think about it, the amount of it is truly astronomical. And how is it affecting you?

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Technorati Tags: perfumes, fragrances, scents, chemicals, petrochemicals, toxins, neurotoxins, fda, environmental working group, environmental health network, industry, products, exposure

Mayor Richard M. Daley has announced a plan which aims to dramatically reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases. This aggressive move is part of an effort to fight global warming and become one of the greenest cities in the nation. This he has set out as his goal.

Daley's plan calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 3/4 the levels recorded in 1990 and to do this by 2020. He wants to accomplish this through more energy-efficient buildings, using clean and renewable energy sources, improving transportation and reducing industrial pollution. This is an ambitious plan but if anybody can get things done, it's Mayor Daley.

"We can't solve the world's climate change problem in Chicago, but we can do our part," Daley was quoted as saying. "We have a shared responsibility to protect our planet." I am very happy that he sees it this way; it is important that more people do.

The Kyoto protocols for global warming call for everyone to cut emissions to 1/5 the levels reported in 1990 and do it by 2050, a generous time line that should be doable. This is Mayor Daley's first step towards achieving that goal for the city of Chicago.

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Technorati Tags: carbon footprint, pollution, city, Chicago, Illinois, Mayor Daley, regulations, Kyoto Protocol, green, global warming, reduction, plan, renewable, sustainable, government

Here are some great ideas for homemade gifts people will just love! I have used every product I list here, made it myself and can swear on a stack of bibles that each one is easy and luscious. Some are more expensive to make than others so pick and choose as suits you. But each and every one will save you money over the retail version and when you take the time to make it yourself, it just drips with love. The way to rush past any possible negative reaction is to package carefully. Pretty bottles with ribbons and painted decorations are reassuring to "retail focused" consumers. Make sure you cap or stopper the product well and always tell them that there is nothing in it that can go bad or make them sick. None of these are edible, although the scrubs sound like they are! So folks shouldn't be nervous about using them.

Some of these recipes take less than a half hour to make and can be packaged in a beautiful bottle and given for Christmas with delightful results. Body scrubs are the hot product of the day so make some up and package them in lovely jars. Your friends will love you for it, I promise. Some of these recipes are so awesome, they make your skin feel so soft and new, almost like a baby! Hey, I'm saying this and I'm a middle aged woman with a thyroid problem that makes my skin look like suede. So, if it made me feel good, you know it rocks! The only problem with this idea is once you make this stuff... you won't want to give it to anybody! Be careful, folks. I ended up with an awful lot of scrubs, lotions and rinses, so much so that I just could not use it all over time. When we're trying to go green, surplus is undesired. So make some and give it but don't overdo it! Have fun.

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Technorati Tags: body scrubs, salts, lotions, bath, bathing, grooming, care, gifts, handmade, homemade, natural, diy

It's almost that time of year again and this year is going to be hard. With the economy on a downward spiral, many of us out of work and the cost of goods rising daily, it does not seem to be a joyful time of year. But there are good ideas on how to get useful stuff for friends and family, keeping it green and save money at the same time. In fact, going green saves money no matter how you look at it. It's our overly commercial, plasticized and technology driven lifestyle that costs a lot to maintain and robs the planet at the same time.

So let's see if going green is feasible and affordable. I have done a previous post on how to give green gifts that will help you with the gifting choices. But a lot more goes into Christmas than just the presents. There is, of course, the tree and the decorations that go on it. There is the packaging for all those gifts; a pile of plastic store packages wrapped in gift wrap, all of which gets torn to shreds and tossed in the trash. Ouch. According to an article I saw on Associated Content, over 4.4 million tons of holiday gift wrap, shopping bags, and holiday catalogs are sent straight to the landfills each year. And then to all of this you have to add the gas you spend scooting through bumper to bumper traffic from store to store and mall to mall, searching for the right item at the right price. And don't forget the extraneous stuff like the extra electricity it takes to power all those decorations, especially Rudolph and the Elves on the front lawn surrounded by 400 feet of flashing colored lights. So how do you stop spending and wasting? How do you do the planet the favor and go green? Here are some ideas.

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In snowy areas where temperatures really drop, there is a need to "winterize" the homestead to improve efficiency of heating methods, to save money on heating costs and to prepare for the worst. But it's a tough call to make. The economy stinks and inflation is out of control; most people are living in homes that aren't worth what they thought they were. This keeps people from investing in home improvements of any kind. But there are some small things you can do that won't smash your wallet and may improve the value of your pad over time.

I wanted to address both the cheapest and simplest ones and also the most important ones. There are things you can afford to do because they don't cost much but then there are things you can't afford not to do because they will give safety in case of the worst situation that can happen. Winter storms are nothing to look forward to, but it's a good idea to be ready just in case.

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Yes, I am referring to the bark of White Oak trees. I have seen these lovely trees throughout the north east. White Oak is the state tree of Connecticut, Illinois and Maryland. Drive through the ranges in the New England area and you see them all over the hills and mountainsides. It is impervious to liquids and has been used extensively in ship building. It is one of the tallest trees and the largest one in Ohio stands a mighty 84 feet tall.

White Oak has traditionally been used in furniture, flooring, architectural millwork, mouldings, doors, kitchen cabinets, paneling, barrel staves (tight cooperage) and caskets. It has not been known to be useful as a medicine. However, there are wonderful medicinal uses for the bark of this majestic tree. Just as there are uses for Pine and Cedar oils, you can also purchase White Oak Bark in liquid form or in capsules or tablets. It has strong astringent and antiseptic properties and the uses for this readily available bark are many.

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One of the most rewarding ways to go green is in the laundry room. As a person with allergies to fragrances and sensitives to dyes and chemical additives, I could not get a decent nights sleep or be able to wear my clothes without non toxic solutions. Many chemicals and additives in cleaning products do more than make your skin red or itch. Many of them are know for disrupting your central nervous system, altering brain function, irritating the sinuses and lungs as well as affecting mood. If you can't sleep or find yourself nervous or cloudy a lot of the time with no discernible reason, the culprit may be chemicals in your clothing you have applied during washing.

As it is you are breathing this stuff all day long and it's seeping into your pores with body fluids and sweat. If you aren't allergic, chances are you have no idea how this stuff is affecting you. If you really want to change the foundations of your life and achieve a higher state of health and well being, you have to start at the bottom. Your clothing is a part of that foundation; in fact, it is something you cannot live without and are exposed to 24/7. So what is so bad about the chemicals in your laundry soap? And what are the reasons for making the switch? Hang on, I'm going to tell you all about it. And I'm also going to tell you how you can make the change.

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If you haven't been motivated so far to get up and "go green", then perhaps this might do it. They are now offering cash incentives for choosing green energy. Right now, in this economic pit we're all sliding into, who can't use a buck or two? Now, I'm not implying that anybody is going to PAY you to go green, like a job or as a freebie. But you are already paying an awful lot for utilities and other resources that could be converted to green ones with a little effort. So Government agencies and utilities are now starting to offer a variety of financial incentives to homeowners and businesses that are willing to switch to renewable energy and energy-efficient features when building, remodeling or buying appliances.

To see what's available, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency , a website produced by the North Carolina Solar Center. But it's not just NC that can take advantage of this nationwide program. In fact, to find incentives in California, for instance, just go to the website (above) and select the state from the map on the home page. Subsequent pages outline tax credits, grants, loans, rebates, bond programs, property tax exemptions and other rewards.

Users can also search for incentives by type of technology, incentive type and eligible sector (residential, commercial, governmental, nonprofit). Also on the site are contractor license requirements and other state and local regulations. It's an all around informative and useful site that enables you to take advantage of programs that are offered but that you may not be aware of. It will be in many more states in the near future as state and local governments find the rewards to be more beneficial to them than the status quo.

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I saw this on Channel 13, a local news station here in Central Florida. Which is sort of strange considering it is all about Cincinnati, which is in Ohio. It seems, according to the broadcast I saw, that Cincinnati wants to position itself as a leader in the "green roof movement" as they put it. What it boils down to is that Cincinnati wants more "green rooftops" in the city. If you saw my post on "Solar On The Cheap: Go White!" you already know one kind of greening the rooftops but this is something different altogether. Actually, I think it's sort of cool.

The Ohio city council became the first city with a plan to channel grants and loans to residents and businesses to replace tar and shingles with vegetation. Yes, that's right. Vegetation. This is a more literal method of "greening" the rooftops and it's a fantastic method of reducing storm water runoff, filtering pollutants from the city below and as a bonus, it cuts heating and cooling costs in those large city centered buildings and building complexes. This is a movement of sorts that began in Europe.. can't you just see all those Mediterranean rooftops in cities like Tuscany and Barcelona, overgrown with gorgeous plants? I mean, really, I thought they were all that way already with the lovely vines and window plants just trailing all over the place....

Anyways, so far, this craze has only spread to a few U.S. cities, including Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle and hasn't yet caught fire elsewhere. It will be a big architectural alteration for most American cities, which seem to be heavy on glass, cement and metal. A big bank building covered in glass won't look right with plants hanging down the sides. I mean, seriously. However, smaller, older and more rustic types of structures could be aesthetically inclined to work with this idea. So let's see if it catches on! I mean, it's cheap and easy, right?

In Ohio, the roofs of the Toledo public library, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency building in Columbus and the Cleveland Environmental Center, home of the Greater Cleveland Green Building Coalition are now planted in and literally "green". The Toledo Library roof was planted in as early as 2000 and they are very proud of it. They often refer to as a "civic plaza", according to quotes attributed to a library spokeswoman. The library staff and supervisors are quick to point out that it performs very well, declaring it as "low maintenance" and has so far benefited the library by lowering cooling and heating costs year round. I tend to believe that. It makes sense.

Illinois is also deep into this conversion; Chicago already has a lot of green roofs, including the roof on City Hall. Other buildings elsewhere in the United States that are considered green roof pioneers include the Ford Motor Co. Rouge assembly plant in Dearborn, Mich., and the Convention Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.

The plan, which was recently approved, is the first of it's kind in Ohio. This fact comes from the manager of the environmental planning section of the Ohio EPA. This agency directs certain federal grant funds toward such programs in the city.

A report by the Green Roof Research Program at Michigan State University estimates that 12% of all flat-roofed buildings in Germany are already covered with vegetation. It noted that acceptance here has been slow, pointing out several barriers to widespread acceptance in the US, including lack of government incentives or tax breaks. May I add, that a lack of enthusiasm by the general public has often been to blame as well, especially in the past decade.

So far, the handful of green roofs in Ohio have generally been on government buildings, while the Cincinnati program is mainly aimed at commercial buildings. But, in 2009, things may change. The US EPA Clean Water State Revolving Fund will be making loans available for starting the "green roof" projects. About $5 million a year will be offered at below-market-rates along with an, as of yet undetermined, amount of grant money from other EPA funds.

All I can say, is finally! Another big step towards lowering costs and carbon footprints in the US. For more information on the movement and to follow it's progress, go to the EPA site Here. You can also download a PDF file that shows the results of their studies and track the progress of the green roof movement, by going Here. And to read a simple text document that explains exactly what "green roofs" are, then go Here.

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If you are a homeowner who has considered going over to solar you know the pitfalls and difficulties you have faced in the past. First of all, it is very expensive. Most people just cannot afford this kind of investment up front, even if it does mean big savings down the line. And then there is the overall confusion among all of us about which systems are available and which will work for you. Toss in the various rebates and incentives and you have a recipe for surrender. Most homeowners just flat out give up out of exasperation, even if they still long for this change.

Enter 1BOG (One Block off the Grid). This new organization is trying to take some of the confusion and expense out of trying to buy solar. 1BOG was formed earlier this year in San Fransisco and it's main goal is to organize all interested parties and having them buy into solar upgrades on a collective level. They ran their first effort his past summer and found that their idea slashed the prices of solar, including materials AND installation by a whopping 43%! This total is pretty accurate, it even includes all the federal, state and local rebates. On the heels of this success, they are now in the process of expanding this effort into 11 other major cities like Los Angeles, San Diego and Denver.

The entire concept, pulling together large groups of consumers, amplifies buying power and enables the group to negotiate discounts from suppliers and installers, often for a substantial amount. This brings down the overall cost of this upgrade for all of the participants. It's sort of like a carpool idea. Everybody rides in the same car and then everybody saves on gas. Imagine if all of you bought a single car and then shared it. This concept puts solar power with the reach of many consumers for the first time in our history.

This concept was the baby of a husband and wife team, a former advertising executive and a Silicon Valley software executive. They created the organization after going the grueling learning experience of researching, buying and installing solar on their own home in California. Once they were done, they had a real education in the process and realized that the project was way too challenging for many folk. They first created a website, Solar4SF.org, for the purpose of simply sharing what they'd learned. They wanted to save everyone else the headache of doing what they had accomplished after so much work.

Along with the website, they also spread the word through community gatherings like flea markets. By the beginning of this past summer they had the first group of 100 people signed up. 1BOG then sent out requests for proposals from vendors in their area; sort of like bidding on a major contract. Their first winning bidder was Real Goods Solar, a company in California that is known for making the very first solar panel sale in the USA over 30 years ago.

At this time,1BOG is a volunteer organization but they are hoping to be successful enough to turn it into a for profit company and be able to hire paid employees. But first and foremost they wish to spread the use of renewable energies, no matter what time and effort that actually takes.

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If you think about it, being stressed and overworked is directly related to our high tech, fast paced demanding society and that society has a HUGE carbon footprint and cannot be called anything like "green". More, it's suited to black and grey. Soot in the sky, sadness in the soul. Retreating to a simpler, easier lifestyle is looking more and more inviting to folk. Even those among us who cannot stop buying stuff and love to shop at China Mart. Wouldn't it be great if you could just give yourself permission to SLOW DOWN?

Well, a first step in this direction is to go green. It gives you a valid reason for changing things. And in the process, you can simplify. This means slowing down and smelling the flowers. Literally. Ignoring the planet, racing around in carbon spewing vehicles, chasing the next big thing is part of the reason we are in this mess to begin with. So start thinking "s-i-m-p-l-e". And in truth, this is green. The less you purchase, consume and dispose of, the better. In fact, the greenest thing you can do is make things last and find new uses for old items. We (and I mean myself, too) are taught to be consumers; advertising pounds us day and night and we measure success by the things we buy and own. This is a free market society at work and it is conducive to wealth creation. But it is also conducive to waste.

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These are some great DIY projects I have where you can forage for the stuff you need and then make some very original Christmas ornaments. I have projects for everyone, from the beach side resident to the mountain villager. The items in the projects will be available regionally in some cases and almost everywhere in others. Most of them are easy, simple to follow step by step. Some of them require the purchase of a few small items to compliment the foraged items and other items require a lot of foraging to find all of the ingredients. It just depends on various factors that influence your lifestyle. You are invited to look them over and see if you can find something you can use.

Some of the items that should stock and have at hand if you are crafty are a glue gun, tacky glue, sewing thread & needles, paraffin wax, fusible webbing, an iron, fabric scraps and dried flower petals. If you are a gardener or a practicing forager you will already have a lot of assets on hand that will help you get an early start. Just imagine your tree this year decorated with these special little items that save you money now and become wonderful family heirlooms a generation or two in the future.

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Making your own compost helps get rid of household waste that might otherwise end up in the landfill, uses garden debris as a supercharged fertilizer for your garden plants and saves you a lot of money, too. It's a no brainer when it comes to being eco friendly and penny wise. Everything from fallen leaves, grass cuttings, plant prunings to spoiled vegetables, canned fruit and bread can make fertilizer and mulch. I want to give you a guide you can both read for education and use on a daily basis as a sort of "how to".

Generations of gardeners have consistently come up with the same idea: a fertile soil is the key to growing garden vegetables and compost is the key to a fertile soil. The first step in the four-season harvest is learning to make good compost. It’s not difficult. Compost wants to happen. It doesn't take a lot of effort or creativity on your part to make this wonderful mush that your plants are eager to devour. Just think of how great your garden will be next year! Nature makes plants and when they die, they are feed for more new plants. It's as simple as that.

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