"Sayonara Canada," Kyoto Protocol said.

Canada has announced earlier this month that they will be pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement between 37 countries to reduce greenhouse gases. It sets specific emission reductions (that can vary between countries). According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, (the emission reduction) amount to an average of five percent compared to the 1990 levels over the five-year period of 2008-2012.

From what I understand, if Canada had upheld its agreement it was going to cost them $14 billion in penalty damages for not reaching their 2012 goals.   

Economically their motives are understandable. Politically, a different party is in power then when Canada signed the agreement. A party, which at the time, made no secret of their opposition to the Kyoto Protocol.

"To meet the targets under Kyoto for 2012 would be the equivalent of either removing every car, truck, ATV, tractor, ambulance, police car and vehicle of every kind from Canadian roads or closing down the entire farming and agriculture sector and cutting heat to every home, office, hospital, factory and building in Canada," Canadian Environmental Minister Peter Kent said in an announcement Dec. 12, 2011.

Every country who signed the Kyoto Protocol has the right to withdraw. However, if a country does decide to withdraw then they must give a warning a year before they intend to. If they don't then they will still be held accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions.

Kent stated that the previous government had no intention of upholding their obligations, the Kyoto Protocol is outdated and that the two largest greenhouse gas emitting countries hadn't signed the treaty (USA and China). How does China and USA not signing effect Canada's decision to sign and their commitments to reducing their own emissions? How does China and USA still not signing change anything 14 years later?

Yes, USA and China need to reduce their emissions. Perhaps a better international protocol will be developed that could be attainable and would entice more countries to sign (and following through). I'm eagerly looking forward to a new international agreement that will be effective and acceptable for more countries than those who originally signed the Kyoto Protocol.

From what I understood, by signing the Kyoto Protocol the country was making goals and promises to reduce their own personal emissions for the betterment of the planet. I understand that their goals cannot be met due to economic complications and their reasoning that the Kyoto Protocol is outdated. But bringing up the fact that the USA and China aren't involved as a reason to withdraw from Canada's commitment was thoughtless. 

One has to wonder if Canada had been more aggressive about their regulations regarding their greenhouse gases, would they have to withdraw to avoid penalty charges?

Fallin' off the band wagon

It's the week before finals and I've completely lost myself in the insanity of the semester.  Costs have also overridden my efforts of being gorgeously green.  Winter has arrived rather late this year but the Farmer's Market is now closed so getting affordable fresh food is now a treat.  I've had a lot of car issues and it's back to using it every day to keep it working (word from the wise: never buy a Trailblazer).

I've been researching for my term paper but instead of reading them online, I've printed out the useful articles.  Now these are peer reviewed articles on average a minimum of 10 pages.  Double sided and on 30% recycled paper (which finding recycled paper higher than that in the Upper Peninsula is like asking for snow in August) but still for any use to me they had to be printed.

I'm looking forward to Winter break where I can relax, enjoy a few good books, and begin to research new ways to be green and have it be affordable.

Bioneers by Audrey Menninga

Every year a nationwide conference takes place in October. It's called Bioneers.  According to their website Bioneers is "a nonprofit organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and the planet."

At the Bioneers Conference there are speakers, workshops, performances by local musicians, etc. The central hub is in San Rafael, California and the local hubs have live viewings of the main speakers.  Unfortunately for various reasons I couldn't attend the conference this year but my friend Audrey Menninga did. She didn't get to go with us (the Environmental Science Organization) last year so this was her first. The branch that she attended was The Great Lakes Bioneers hub in Traverse City, Michigan. This hub celebrated its 10th anniversary.

As a favor Audrey has written a guest blog:

Going to Bioneers was a great experience for me. I attended seminars, watched speakers who are making a difference in our world, and became inspired myself. 

A couple of friends and I started the conference off by going on a field trip out to the Nature Conservancy. Matthew, our guide for the trip, explained a lot about what the Conservancy was doing. Right now they’re focusing on fighting off the invasive species that have invaded the areas around Traverse City. 

While teaching us about how invasive species get into forests and how they spread, they also showed us some cool things about their building. The walls were built specially, so that in the winter they can heat the building off of the electronics they use and the body heat they give off and in the summer, it helps keep the building cool. I can’t say exactly how it worked, but they showed us what the walls looked like and it was two slabs of Styrofoam with metal support beams between the two. The inside area was filled with concrete. 

One of the really inspiring things that I learned about was creating sustainable landscapes.  Pete Muñoz, co-founder of SEEDS.  SEEDS is a nonprofit organization established to foster local solutions to global issues. Muñoz used different systems to help create a flowing system of energy throughout the landscape and to help cut down on energy costs of the buildings. Systems included things like catching their own rainwater and using hydroponics to grow plants that would filter water that could then be used for toilet water and that could clean bodies of water.

One of the projects he told us about was taking place in the Baltimore Harbor, where massive piles of bottles float. The city wanted to clean its waters, but they didn’t have money or ideas. Muñoz offered a solution—take the bottles, wash and cap them, and use them to build floating wetlands. The plants will help filter the water, making it cleaner. As for the workers that Baltimore couldn’t afford to hire? They took children and made a school project out of it, effectively getting the community involved.

A Bad Influence

This semester isn't necessarily the easiest of my college career. A noticeable trend in my Gorgeously Green lifestyle is that it starts to stray as exams, papers and life take over.

When I leave for class, I make it a point not to return until the day is done. That way I can completely focus on homework, relaxing and spending time with my cat when home. This conserves gas, money and time and helps keep some sanity.

However, the drawback is that if I've forgotten anything I must now live with the consequences. Many a tree has been lost due to my caffeine addiction. It's also been difficult remembering to make a lunch before class which means a bought campus lunch is necessary. Talk about expensive!

Goal for the remainder of the semester: make more lunches, bring mug for coffee or just kick my addiction and don't lose my mind.

It's been awhile

School has begun again and let's just face it my Super-Senior year isn't going to be a stress free adventure. But this year I've taken on the responsibility of President of the Environmental Science Organization on campus. Which has translated into: "You need to set an example," regardless of how much I like an event or not.

Last Saturday, I organized ESO to volunteer with the Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Trust's (SWP) dune restoration. For four hours, on a gorgeous fall day in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, we worked along Lake Superior planting beach grass and pulling spotted knap weed.

We managed to get all of the transplants in even though planting in sand isn't necessarily the easiest thing to do. But on the positive side, at least it wasn't hot sand. There was a consistent breeze coming off the lake which was slightly cold but the sand warmed up just enough to keep us from freezing.

ESO has also been helping out with the Native Plants project on NMU's campus. For this semester there has been a lot of transplanting from basically the back-woods to a spot on campus.

ESO's hike up Sugarloaf Mountain

I'm still going to the Farmer's Market. It won't be open for much longer so I'm trying to bask in its dimming light until it returns in the spring. I've become addicted to two things at the Farmer's Market: the Marquette Baking Co. bread and this lady's organic honey. Luckily the bakery is located in town, but the honey isn't. I'm going to have to stock up if I want some to last throughout the winter.

It's good to have all of my friends back in town. These events are definitely more fun with others along. ESO recently hiked up Sugarloaf to watch the sun set. It was a most gorgeous evening.

Art Fairs a Forgotten Treasure

The expression of individuality has always been a high priority of mine. After reading about the sweatshops, I've been trying to wean myself off of shopping at big name supermarkets.

For most of my "fun" purchases, I've been able to reduce my number of purchases by telling myself that I don't really need it. CDs and DVDs are a prime example.

Before I made the conscience decision to stop shopping at supermarkets, I stopped buying jewelry. Most of the jewelry is made in China, most likely in a sweatshop. But that still wasn't my reason to stop buying it. This may be selfish but the quality seemed cheap, the jewelry too readily available, and had no personality to it.

Where do I now buy my jewelry if not at a supermarket? Definitely not at a jewelry store, that’s too expensive for me. I returned to an old habit that was taught to me by my mother: art fairs.

When I was young my mother would take me to the summer art fairs; where the magical atmosphere was thick in the hot summer air. The various handmade crafts, getting to meet the artists who made the crafts and have them explain the processes they go through to create them, and going through the crafts with friends and/or family are all crucial reasons to why art fairs are so remarkable. 

Sadly, I lost sight of this magic during high school and the beginning of college. The art fairs came every year and seemed monotonous, but I was reminded of their awesomeness at an art fair in Japan.

When I returned to the states, I made a point of seeking out the closest art fair in the summer. Art on the Rocks in Marquette takes place in late July. All summer to wait. Why did it have to take all summer to get here? But it was worth it. There were jewelry makers, photographers, ceramics artists, weavers, welders, and so on.

There are tricks to shopping at art fairs, because it’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the novelty of an item and people tend to forget that it may not be the smartest purchase.

Rule 1: Art fairs are expensive so ask yourself, “Is this item worth its purchase price?” Look at the quality, if it looks like something you could easily do at home then don’t buy it. Ask the artist about their techniques, most of them are more than willing to expand on their work process.

Rule 2: Many of the vendors at art fairs will have similar items, if done a little differently. Make sure to look around completely before making purchases. You don’t want to spend all of your money at the first vendor. If you’re worried about it being there when you get back just remember that if you were meant to have it then it will be there. If you can’t remember what it was that you wanted so bad at the beginning then you probably didn't want it that bad.

Rule 3: Stay within budget! Try to go to an art fair with a set amount to spend. Art fairs can be expensive but only if you get a little out of control. I try to go with cash only that way I can’t extend my budget on that fabulous but highly overpriced item.

At Art on the Rocks, I managed to find some gifts for my family and some jewelry for me. Because handmade jewelry can be pricey I no longer purchase jewelry on a whim. It’s solely bought every 6 months to a year (depending on how much I spend) and I always make sure that I have the money at the time of the purchase.

My unique finds at Art on the Rocks were at this amazing vendor that attempts to reduce, reuse, recycle as much as possible and BONUS by fair trade silver whenever possible. Here is there link:  ReMik's Jewelry.  Here they make jewelry out of real flowers! They encase them or preserve them in some form of protective chemical (they explained it but my brain is withholding the information from me) and make them into necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, etc. I got this gorgeous yellow rose necklace and a pink orchid necklace. What a find!? And I wasn't aware of their earth friendly goals until I researched them afterwards. What better expression of individuality than handmade jewelry that looks amazing? Pics to follow!

Kitty Litter Take 2

Since the last natural kitty litter was a bust, I went with a common natural kitty litter found in Wal-mart. Feline Pine has become a popular alternative to the common clay kitty litter. And the fact it's from Wal-mart means that it's available to the masses and easy to find.

It's main ingredient is wood shavings. There are no fragrances added, no additives, and so there aren't any dust clouds of chemicals. It's completely natural and healthier for my cat but there are a few draw backs.

It is a pain to clean up, my cat hates it, and it has to be completely replaced every other day or else it smells horrendous! I can't wait to try something new. I think I may try my friend Rebecca's suggestion of "The Word's Best Cat Litter".

Kitty Litter = Harsh Chemicals, Strip Mining, & Health Hazards

I'm a cat person, in case you haven't noticed. And since I'm trying to greenify my life it's only natural that I greenify my pets too.

Somewhere I learned that kitty litter uses specific clay as its main ingredient. This clay is strip mined. Strip-mining, according to Webster's College Dictionary, is a mine that is worked from the earth's surface by the stripping away of overlying material. So everything from the canopy down through the soil horizons are removed. After the mining process is completed the mine is often abandoned without any environmental restoration applied. Typically, strip mining is used with coal mining.

After discovering this, I researched other environmental issues with kitty litter; and discovered that the sodium bentonite is a hazardous chemical that naturally occurs within the clay. Sodium bentonite expands into a hard mass when wet. Makes things easier when cleaning, but not so healthy for my kitty or myself because when inhaled the clay expands in the lungs. This can cause asthma and other lung complications. The pads on their paws can develop sores. And ingestion from the cleaning of the paws isn't all that healthy either. (http://www.greenlivingonline.com/)

Silica based litters absorb odors and moisture. It's easy to inhale when the litter is disturbed.  Lung cancer, bronchitis, and TB in humans have all been linked to silica. Cats have been known to develop a fatal form of pulmonary TB and silico-TB. No wonder pregnant women aren't supposed to be handling kitty litter, I don't currently want to either.

Aside from all of the chemical hazards and side effects of kitty litter, another environmental issue is that it's not biodegradable because clay is in its basic form. Two million tons of kitty litter is sold every year, most of that is going to the landfill.

Now that I've been thoroughly depressed by all of this info, I've been looking for the solutions. I don't entirely trust the "flush it" kitty litters and I'm renting, ergo any chance of the toilet malfunctioning is a no go. Due to this decision, a compromise has been made. Cut out the harsh chemicals but still send the waste to the landfill.

So for the past few weeks I've been using Fresh & Natural: Scooping Clumping Cat Litter. Their mining process consists of nature restoration following the clay harvesting. The nature restoration consists of topsoil replacement and is reseeded with native pasture grass. The packaging is recyclable. The company has definitely made a lot of contributions to the environment and has won the Excellence for Mining Reclamation Award, given to them by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.

The litter uses dehydrating crystals and flower extracts for odor control. However, its main ingredient is sodium bentonite. My flaw derived from too little information in the store in combination with not enough prior research. So I'm back to the drawing board.

Avid Reader?

After I finished my summer classes, I've been able to achieve something I haven’t done for at least a year: read an actual book. Not a trashy romance novel that takes me a few hours to read because of their simplicity but a fully fleshed out novel.

My more detailed goal for the summer is to read all of Jane Austen’s novels. They require a certain mindset and intense concentration that I just don’t have when I’m taking classes.

However, I just don’t have access to all of the novels. My copies are downstate in storage and since that trip is easily over $100 and 16 hours driving (without stops), it seemed rather unrealistic for me to get them. Buying them was also out of the question since my funds are rather low. So I defaulted to the oldest tradition of visiting the library.  

This is just about as green as I can think of when it comes to books. Some people say that digital books are the best way to be green. They don’t require vast amounts of paper or ink. You can have more than one per a device. But they do require electricity to function and (depending on the device that you’re using) can put a lot of stress on your eyes.

Don’t get me wrong, I actually prefer to use my electronic devices for reading when I’m traveling extensively. It is convenient because it saves space. And I can easily download a book that could help me with the area that I’m in, or studying.

 

But you just don’t get the satisfaction of turning the page, the feel of the paper between your fingers, the smell of old parchment and leather bindings that greet you the moment you walk through those doors.

Because it’s a library, the book may sit on the shelf for years but it is also read by countless individuals. The book may have seen better days but the words printed on its pages are still strong, interpretative, thrilling, scary, loving, and impressionable as the day the ink dried.

Sweet Water Cafe

The first time I ever went into Sweet Water, I was a freshman in college. I took my parents there because they wanted to eat at a local restaurant that wasn't a chain. The restaurant was suggested by my friend Jeneka, who kept raving about how delicious all the food was. Since eating out at that point in college is a treat that only my parents can award, I thought that I would give Sweet Water a shot.

I didn't know about Sweet Water's policies or where their food came from. All I took away from my first experience was how tasty the food was and my mother saying, "It's a little overpriced. This would be a good place to take Uncle Rick." Not said specifically in that order, and certainly there was more to the conversation than just that, but my overall memory of this event isn't lucid. Also not to imply that my uncle only eats at expensive restaurants, it just had this atmosphere that he would like.

Two years later, I returned with Dr. A and some other Science Olympiad volunteers for a lunch promised by Dr. A. This was when I first learned that Sweet Water uses local farmer's foods. The food was still delicious.

The purchase of almost exclusively local food also explained the higher prices. Now the prices didn't seem outrageously high, as my mother first implied. The restaurant wants to support eating locally, which required fair prices to local growers for them to grow and live off the food they grow.

In the fall of my first senior year (yes I had two senior years), I took my former Theatre Director, his girlfriend, and my parents there to eat before my choir concert. I stressed how everything was locally grown/purchased, possibly to the point of annoyance but I really wanted them to see it as an environmentally responsible restaurant as opposed to this overpriced quirky local restaurant.

I knew that my Theatre Director was impressed when he got a sip of his girlfriend's orange juice. It was not that horrible mix from the box or from concentrate, nor simple fresh squeezed orange juice. It's traditionally made orange juice with all the flavor and worth every penny.

I could even see the transitioning opinions etched onto both of my parents' faces and how a simple glass of orange juice gave them a throwback to their childhood.

My latest trip to Sweet Water was after a trip to the Farmer's Market. I was with a group of friends and it seemed like a good day to treat myself. I got the orange juice and a vegetarian quesadilla.

I'm not a vegetarian but I am extremely pick about how my quesadillas are made. Though on this particular day I didn't nitpick about my food I just took it as is. It was one of the best quesadillas I've had all year. In the future, I would remove the olives off of it but their presence on this particular day didn't phase me.

This final experience caused me to look up their mission statement online. Turns out they use traditional ethnic food methods as a starting point for their food and then make it their own. Their ingredients are purchased in their "nearest to their natural state". The result isn't this horrible Americanized monstrosity but a delicious meal that I'd eat repeatedly, if I had the money to do so.

Sunscreen a failure? or just better for a different occasion?

With the arrival of summer, I have been trying to find a green sunscreen. Most typical sunscreens contain Oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is a chemical that "filters" ultra violet light on the skin's surface from light to heat.  There haven't been many studies comparing the affects of the transformed heat applied to the skin and the light applied to the skin.  The British Medical Journal shown that sunbathers who use sunscreens and suntan lotions are at a higher risk of developing malignant Skin Cancer.  Ironic considering we put sunscreen on to avoid short term and long term affects of sun exposure.

I've been experimenting with the Pure Lavender Sunblock from Alba Botanica.  It's 45 SPF, smells amazing, it's incredibly oily so dirt and sand stick and works for approximately two hours.

My job is an eight hour sun exposure with much gardening, so dirt is constantly sticking to me.    With the sun beating down on me, the oil feels insufferable and the bugs tend to love it and me more.  This sunscreen isn't going to cut it.  However, for a short walk about town this sunblock would be appropriate.

Farmer's Market

Every Saturday in the summer and into the fall, the Marquette Commons hosts a Farmer's Market that starts at 9:00 a.m. and honestly I don't know when it ends. 

I've been before in the fall but had been told that it was much more amazing in the summer.  I asked my friend Ginger if she would go with me, otherwise I would forget. And at 10:00 a.m. we met at her place and walked down with her roommate Stephanie.

The first thing I saw was this huge sign for freshly picked, locally grown Strawberries! Oh this was going to be a fabulous experience!

There were wood carvers, butchers, fresh fruit and vegetables, plant vendors, pictures, handmade jewelry, bees wax candle stick makers, a homemade soap vendor, a Birch bark artist, the list goes on.

All of the food was local (within the UP), this one vendor was talking about how she grows her vegetables outdoors, but has some indoor plants to extend the growing season. But she doesn't use artificial fertilizers (only ones that occur naturally).  I bought some rather delicious looking lettuce from her.

The honey was delicious!  I needed some more because I have a bit (an impossibly large bit) of a sweet tooth. For five dollars you get ten ounces of raw unprocessed organic honey.  Before I even bought some, the honey vendor let me sample some!  She was so sweet, dressed in black and yellow with honey bee wings on her head band.  We had a nice chat about long skirts and how she had just made herself a shirt that went perfectly with hers.  And before I left, she made sure that I knew to simply warm the honey with hot water on the stove if it crystallizes. Do not microwave, was strongly emphasized.

The atmosphere at the Farmer's Market was just joyous!  The vendors were friendly and the customers were ecstatic to see the merchandise and the other customers.  I ran into a number of friends there, some who are spending the summer up here like I am or others who are just up for the weekend.

Though I did happen to overhear some other Farmer's Market virgins, who were remarking on how it was were all the old hippies went.  It was said without malice, but I hope that it wasn't going to deter them from coming back again or just enjoying the atmosphere.  Some of the vendors definitely had a hippie vibe to them, but they were all really nice and I didn't even hear them speak a word about "Saving the Environment."

I can't wait 'til next week!  Though I still do have to go grocery shopping, not everything can be gotten at the Farmer's Market unfortunately.  But it certainly makes my day much more charming.

Dirty Kitty Litter Box + Pudge Sulking = Bath

My cat has recently developed this habit when she is sulking: sitting in the semi-dirty kitty litter box.  Talk about gross.  Ergo a bath was necessary.

Now if you've ever given a cat a bath, you know that it can be anywhere between World War III and the cat shutting completely down.  Thankfully Pudge is the shutting down type, at least until the end of the bath when she's finally had enough.

I used Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap, lavender scented because that's what I had.  It's certified fair trade, biodegradable, vegetable based, the packaging is 100% recycled, and certified organic oils were used within the solution.  I made sure to thin it out with water.  Which would insure less time rinsing her out which in turn translates to less stress for the both of us.

Pudge was such a good girl.  She didn't scratch, and hardly growled (although washing her rather large tummy wasn't appreciated).

Once the rinsing process came, she began to lose a bit of her patience.  And once I began to towel-off the water, she immediately had had enough and escaped.  Pudge took her revenge by drying off on my bed. 

I tried to get a decent picture of her but she wouldn't smile for the camera.

Now that she's dry, she's so clean and soft. =^.^=

Moving...not so Green.

I've recently moved apartments, just five blocks away but financially feasible for my remaining year at Northern.  Now I intended to be as green throughout the process as possible, and in the beginning it was good.  I recycled last semester's notes (that I have no intention of looking at ever again), I was packing at a slow pace seeing what all I had and making a mental list of what needed to be donated since it hadn't been used in two years, etc.  Considering I had a little over a week overlap between my two apartments I didn't really see the point in rushing to get everything done.

The downfall of my green efforts began with the remain effects of my former roommate, that moved out two and a half months before myself.  She had left countless of open food containers hidden throughout our kitchen.  Items consisting of flour and cereal and everything in between.  And when I say hidden, I mean hidden; on top of the fridge, behind our food containers, in the freezer, etc.  Any open food was deemed roommate's and was immediately pitched, regardless of whether it seemed okay or not.  Over two months of being open to the elements of our apartment wasn't a chance I or my current roommate was willing to take.

I had never been so disgusted with my former roommate as I had then, at least in the cleanliness department.  It took me forever to clean up  the food remnants on top of our fridge.  And yes, the classic cleaning supplies came out.  The green cleaning supplies just couldn't handle my desire to get my full security deposit back.

The walls were dusted paper towels were exclusively used, and washed but a magic eraser was used.  The windows washed with Lysol all purpose spray.  The floors were scrubbed and vacuumed.  And the grand total was three city trash bags and two boxes of recyclables, and very disintegrated fingernails (furthering my goal of reducing the harsh chemicals used to clean my apartment regularly).  Not bad in comparison to my friend who cleaned out her apartment and had twelve trash bags.

And we got our full security deposit back!

Cleaning the new apartment was much greener.  Almost used exclusively were the Seventh Generation Anti-bacterial wipes, which work amazingly just FYI.  Though the intense cleaning wasn't mandatory for this apartment since it had just been cleaned by the previous tenants so they could get their security deposit back.

Green Island: Earth Friendly Goods

A friend of mine has recently gotten married and is prego.  But because I live in the distant north (at least in comparison to my friend) I couldn't make it to the wedding and I most likely won't be able to make the baby shower either.  I wouldn't be deterred. 

Once my winter semester was finished, I booked it downstate.  A two week break from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (aka the UP), was much needed.  These breaks are usually filled with a lot of traveling and seeing people (the rents, high school friends, etc).

To find presents I traveled to Traverse City, Michigan.  Last fall the I attended the Bioneers conference and they shared a lot of local eco-friendly stores.  In one such store I found presents for both the wedding and the baby.  The Green Island is a cute little store that only sells eco-friendly products.  Products such as: bamboo kitchen utensils, organic bedding, a wide variety of washable/organic fabric diapers, etc.

For the wedding present, I found a set of gorgeous hand carved bamboo salad servers.  They were a really deep rich brown with black handles that which have white accents (the pattern reminds me somewhat of a tame African print).

I had some trouble picking something for the baby.  My experience with children is limited.  (That's putting it mildly.)  I didn't know what kind of things my friend already had, what was still needed, what she thought would be helpful.  The reusable organic diapers seemed like a good idea, they had some really cute patterns but would my friend actually use it?  How big would her munchkin be?  Is it any greener buying a green gift for my friend knowing that they wouldn't be used?

I settled on a creamy white onesie with blue seams (a safe pattern that way there would be some chance of my friend actually using it).   A 3-6 month size outfit that way the munchkin could grow into it.

 I also found some green wrapping paper (that wasn't grocery bag brown) that was created from the energy produced by wind turbines and recycled paper.

Overall I was rather proud of my gifts. I managed to get all of this for approximately $40 with tax. 

If you're interested in the store and its products check it out at: http://www.gogreenisland.com/index.php

I forgot to take pics before giving them, so I'm waiting for pics from my friend.  Hopefully I won't have to wait indefinitely.

Help is near at hand!

I stumbled across an article last week about the coming of stricter guidelines for the environmental claims on products. As of January, the U.S. Government requires a third-party testing/inspection on efficiency of the new products versus regular products.  This is true to all products that bear the Energy Star logo.  Apparently before it was only required for some of the products.

According to the article: consumers and retailers are getting frustrated with the products that claim to be eco-friendly but there isn't any proof to substantiate these claims.

Currently a common problem is companies labeling rayon as bamboo on products.  Rayon (according to www.thefreedictionary.com) is any of several synthetic textile fibers produced by forcing a cellulose solution through fine spinnerets and solidifying the resulting filaments.  Not a very green product, hopefully this issue will be addressed.

Hopefully these guidelines/regulations will make shopping green easier and will remove a lot of grunt work for those who want to live greener.

The End?

It's officially Summer Break, and my nonfiction class that I had created this project for is over.  Now the only question is whether I'm going to continue my project on my own.  I've learned a lot over this project and I don't think that I can just return to living without thinking about how green my life is.  I hope to continue posting green ideas and products.  I haven't finished Gorgeously Green yet so I'll at least post until then.

But for now I need to get to commencement to support my friends who are graduating.

Condoms: Is there a eco-alternative?

Since my last post felt...let's call it "heavy," I thought that I would share an experiment that Dr. Getman of the Chemistry Department here at Northern Michigan University showed my CH 112 class.  He began the lecture with, "Let's say you and I met at a bar and I'm a condom salesman, not your professor.  So I'm taking off my Professor cap and putting on my Condom Salesman cap."

The experiment was two condoms that were filled and tied with 1.5 grams (g) of Ca(CH3CO2)2 and are placed in 100 milliliters (ml) of H2O . One condom is latex, while the other is natural condom made of lamb skin. After letting the condoms stand for 24 hrs, the natural condom is firm & bouncy (please envision a 60ish year old man bouncing this condom on the table in front of an entire class of approximately 200 students); while the latex is soft or "limp" as Dr. Getman adequately described.

Now one must be advised that latex is completely impermeable and the natural condom will be permeable to H2O.  This is differentiation is due to the material used for the condom product itself. The osmotic pressure is what's making the natural condom firm and bouncy because it’s drawing in H2O from the external solution.

Now the purpose of this experiment is to determine if: the natural condom prevent STDs and/or pregnancy?

The H2O solutions that the condoms were submerged in were subjected to a chemical test (I have forgotten this chemical's name, sorry for my lapse in memory).  The chemical (if Ca(CH3CO2)2 was present) would turn the solution white.  The latex condom's solution had no reaction.  The natural condom's solution had a cloud of white flourish as soon as the chemical was applied.

This means that the natural condom will not protect against STDs because virus sizes are approximately 30-700 A in size. Numerous viruses can permeate membranes, and lamb skin is a membrane (just in case someone forgot). Viruses can also simply leak through the pores within the lamb skin.

The condom will protect against pregnancy because sperm is too large to fit through the pores of the lamb skin and does not have the ability to permeate membranes.

Bottom line…use latex if you are unsure of your partner’s (shall we say) health. But if your both healthy and nature lovers go for the natural condom that is unless you're a vegan then latex all the way. Remember safe sex, very important.

This is why I love being a science major because my profs pretend to be condom salesmen in lecture.

Shopaholic Intervention

This is the chapter that I have been dreading from day one: shopping constraints.  What you buy, how often you shop, where the materials come from, how the item potentially to be purchased was made.  Everything that I buy: food, cloths, books, online purchases, jewelery, electronics, etc. is now questionable to how green are the items that I buy.

I'm a college student, meaning that I'm broke.  This daunts me!  Organic food is expensive, Organic clothes (that look cute) are expensive, my Organic make-up cost me a pretty penny but it's all I've been wearing these past few weeks (and Mom helped out), Wal-mart's main source of products are made in China.  Even before I started this project I understood that Made in China = sweatshop.  Now Made in China = put back on the shelf no matter how cute I think it is.

We live in a consumer driven society.  To deny this is like my classmate Kiah saying that she enjoys every minute of missing her breakfast just so that she can have make-up on.

I walk into Target and see the new spring swimsuits and instead of me walking away because I bought two last year (that still fit fine), I look and see if there is one cute enough to tempt me into spending $40 on a new one.  Later I check the book and movie section to see what stories could tempt me away from being a studious student and into the slacker student.  The Papyrus card section is another good time waster at Target; they are handmade, fair trade, and some are made of recycled paper.  They are also expensive, $4 minimum.

Now because I'm a poor college student, it has save me from overspending.  But when I do get cash I feel like it's burning a hole in my pocket.  Suddenly it's like: OH, there's a ring that I've been wanting at the Silver Crow! or OH, I can go out to eat at Thai House because I've got spare cash.  In a strange way, me worrying about my rent check bouncing save me from most of these temptations and keeps me from wanting to further my cash supply.

Going out to eat is an easy way to loose cash fast, and it isn't that eco-friendly: having one meal made especially for you (not a good use of resources) and the resources used aren't always certifiably green (even if they aren't organic, they probably aren't locally harvested either).  Now I'm not saying don't go out to eat, just limit how often you do so.  Going out to eat once a month is perfectly fine, and it also makes the occasion more of a treat.

In my defense about the ring (because I do feel slightly guilty about buying it and now I get to compensate with smaller grocery availability), it was fair trade made in the United States by Native Americans from out west.  It was relatively cheap, considering how many responsible conditions to it's credit and I wear it a lot.  The only negative thing that I could think about the ring is that I don't know where the materials came from and how it was harvested from the earth.

Every item I buy has pros and cons, and really it's up to me to weigh the options and judge how "green" an object is.  This section of Being Gorgeously Green isn't about throwing away all my current clothes to get an entire organic wardrobe, nor is it about throwing away all my food (as few items as they may be) to replace it with locally grow and organic food.  It's about controlling my shopping habits, to put thought into what I'm buying, to think about where I'm buying (thrift shops are perfectly fine, just because it's secondhand doesn't mean that it's not worth a look), and to begin to introduce items that are better for the environment into my life.

P.S. I am also aware that China isn't the only country in the world that has sweatshops, the United States has them too.  We just hide them better.

Workshop=sucess (ish)

The workshop today was interesting.  I created a powerpoint but couldn't use it because to rent a projector and screen was going to cost $65.  My entire budget for the workshop was $20.  So I basically had to wing it, which almost always translates into me not covering everything that I intended and standing awkwardly in front of everyone trying to remember what I had wanted to say.

Ten minutes into the workshop I had covered everything that I could think of.  Thank god for people having questions!  I could have gone further in depth about why the harsher chemicals were so bad but I figured those who came already knew that.  Not a safe assumption.

I also made sure to cover some of the bought products, like my Origins makeup, the deodorant, the toner, etc.  If you want to know how earth friendly your product is look for the company's mission statement in addition to the ingredients.  Together these make your product more reliable, earth friendly, and humanly ethical.

Marie, Amanda, and I had prepared some of the recipes that people could try while there.  The toothpaste one actually got people to try...though it didn't taste the best but you can add mint leaves to make it taste better.  My friend Ginger actually tried the cleaning the table (like I had encouraged) but the look on her face was one of enthusiasm.

I'm totally planning of doing another workshop next fall.  This time having more prepared, note cards for when I get stuck, do a lot more advertising, and to encourage people to bring things to clean.  It's really hard to do this workshop without having things to clean.  I want to show people how it works but taking to my apartment and cleaning it seems a little excessive.

ABC 10 was at my workshop!  Once I saw this person set up her camera, I was like: "Just ignore it, do the workshop and hopefully it won't be as bad as I think it is."  I'm not going to lie, I thought I would freak out.  I kept waiting for it to happen but it never did. Perhaps it was because most of the people there were people from ESO or SFSL.

After the workshop the reporter interviewed me!  Totally unexpected, basically she just wanted more of my opinion about my views and why I'm into Green Cleaning.  Jen, I used this to promote my blog, in addition to this workshop being a part of Down to Earth Week. 

Since I can't figure out how to post my awesome powerpoint here is one of the handouts that I had:

Green Cleaning

Materials :

ž  Vinegar

ž  Baking Soda

ž  Lemons

ž  Salt

ž  Tea Tree Oil

ž  Borax

Toothpaste Alternative

Mix together equal parts of baking soda and salt.

The dry salt makes for a fabulous tooth polisher!

Just don’t use this when you have known open wounds within your mouth.

Eggs: Good or Bad?

We’ve all done it.  It’s the end of the semester and there is food that needs to be eaten in the fridge.

Here is a solution to test whether the eggs in your fridge are good or bad:

Place the questionable egg(s) in a pot of salt water.

Fresh eggs sink.

Bad eggs float.

All Purpose Cleaner

2 cups H2O

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure castile soap(Dr. B's can be substituted)

3/4 cup peroxide

20 drops of tea tree oil (if already in Dr. B's can skip this)

20 drops of lavender or lemongrass essential oil.

Can add 20 drops of citronella oil in summer as bug repellant.

In a 32 oz plastic spray bottle mix:

Suitable for acrylic, ceramic, tile, wood, marble or granite.

Ink Stains

To remove an ink spot from the carpet, pour salt onto the stain and let it soak up the liquid before brushing up the salt.

As with all stain removals, try on an inconspicuous part of carpet first.

Window

3 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon pure castile soap

2 cups H2O,

And mix in spray bottle.

Green Pets!

12 oz peroxide

1/2 teaspoon liquid soap

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda.

Mix and store in plastic spray bottle.

A WORD OF CAUTION: If you don't use this up fairly soon the soda will solidify and clog the sprayer though so you can cut ingredients in half.

Fish Tank

Remove water, fish, and other contents. Create a paste of baking soda & white vinegar.  Scrub an rinse thoroughly before returning the fish.

Pest Prevention

Ant deterrent: sprinkle salt onto your shelves to keep ants away.

Not suggested for areas that are damp

Repel Fleas: wash your dog’s bed in salty water.

Weeds and Slugs: sprinkle salt around known areas/areas desired to be lacking in weeds.

Does your coffee pot need to be cleaned?

•               Use salt to clean your coffee pot. 

Just sprinkle some salt within the pot and scrub away.

Air Freshener:

ž  Teaspoon of baking soda

ž  Tablespoon of vinegar

ž  2 ½ Cups of water

ž  After the solution is done fizzling, mix well and place in a spray bottle.

Paint/Vomit: place a bowl of vinegar within the room overnight.

Bisphenol A (BPA)

BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical that can mimic hormones in your body.

Has been linked to:

• Obesity
• Prostate Cancer
• Breast Cancer

Can be found:

• Beverage Cans
• Canned Food Container
• Plastic Bottles and Containers
• Dental fillings and sealants

How BPA leaches out of these containers:

• Heating containers or bottles
• Filling the containers with hot liquids
• Putting acidic foods in containers

The other handout that I had was the Cheat Sheet, the link is given in the blog.