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Tuesday, May 11, 2010
It's amazing how changing one small habit can have such a large impact on the environment. I have to admit I have been guilty up until recently of going through quite a large number of plastic water bottles a month even though we have a water filter at home. Yes I know it's a terrible thing to think where these bottles end up and the damage they cause to the environment which is why I decided to switch to a reusable water bottle instead.
There are many reasons to ditch the plastic bottles aside from their effect on the environment. Using and re using these bottles have some effects on your health as well. Plastic bottles contain BPA which leaches out during everyday use. High levels of BPA have been linked with infertility, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. You are probably wondering just how much exposure are you really getting from a water bottle. Does it matter? Even the smallest amount of exposure can create long term health issues so why risk it?
You have alternatives and you should definitely explore them. There are many reusable water bottles out there for sale. One alternative is a SIGG – Swiss Engineered Water Bottles . These bottles are made out of a single piece of pure taste neutral aluminum. Another option is the Wellness H2O bottle. This bottle is made of LDPE (low density polyethylene) plastic, which is BPA-free.
Here are few other suggestions:
Blue planet: www.blueplanetwater.com/q&a.html
Biota : www.biotaspringwater.com
Born free: www.newbornfree.com
Klean Kanteen: www.kleankanteen.com
So why not ditch the plastic bottles once and for all and do something good for yourself and the environment?
Monday, May 10, 2010
I know most of us probably do not want to think about where our food is coming from but now a days with all these food borne illnesses it's important to understand how your food is grown and where it comes from. Will this make a difference in the food choices you make? Who knows it might not make a difference at all but at least you will be a little more informed about the growing practices and the places your food is coming from. Sadly enough we have been brainwashed by society to buy cheap and in bulk with no regards to where the food is coming from and how it is produced.
So how can you make an informed decision before you head out to your nearest shop in bulk store and stock up on all that processed food and pesticide contaminated produce?? Here are a few suggestions!
1. Find out what is in season before you buy it. Make sure you buy produce that is in season otherwise you have to wonder where this is being shipped from and how it is being processed to maintain its freshness. Here's a link to find out what's in season: http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/.
2. Buy from your local farmers market when possible. Not only are you buying directly from the food source but you are also helping the local economy.
3. Go Organic! Organically grown food is grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and fungicides which have been linked to cancer and many other diseases. (You can find out here ( http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php) which fruits and veggies have the highest levels of pesticides).
4. Grow your own. If you have the time and the space how about starting your own small garden? Start with something small and manageable. Do research on the types of things that grow well in your area. This is doable even if you live in a small apartment or don't have a backyard. Container gardening is a great option for these types of situations ( http://containergardeningtips.com/) as well as an aero garden.
If you want to learn more about where you food comes from you can check out the following links:
Thursday, May 6, 2010
These cute Eco friendly Scooter Bee shoes for babies are designed to tell a story. Lined with bamboo velour fabric, these little story tellers are PVC free, latex free, chloride free, dioxin free and phthalate free. They have wrap around straps at the top of each shoe with a picture of an animal or a plant. Parents can use these pictures to educate their children on the particular animal/plant and their contributions to the environment.
The shoes adjust to thickness and width and are great for pre walkers and first time walkers.
Want to get your little one a pair?
Visit Kate's Caring Gifts http://www.katescaringgifts.com/index.html today!
There are so many ways you can clean around your home without having to use harsh chemicals or without having to spend money on organic cleaners. Look around your kitchen and I am sure you probably have the following items: White vinegar, baking soda, salt, and lemons. All of these things have multiple uses around the house.
White vinegar is great for killing bacteria, germs and mold. It can be used as a fabric softener when mixed with 1/2 cup of water as well. Want to get rid of rings in the toilet?? Guess what.. three cups of white vinegar poured in the toilet and three poured into the tank once a week will clean that up in no time!
What about Baking Soda? What can that be used for? Believe it or not the sodium bicarbonate can clear up clogged drains. I don't know about you but this is a biggie in our house due mostly to my hair washing! Just dump a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of white vinegar a few times down your drain to fix the problem. Need to clean your microwave? Boil 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a mug with water inside the microwave and then simply wipe the gunk off without having to do any scrubbing!
Have some lemons laying around? You can easily use them to scrub your dishes by cutting them in half and sprinkling some baking soda on them. Lemons can also be used as a natural furniture polish when combined with olive oil ( one cup of lemon juice for every 2 cups of olive oil).
Need to get rid of some of those salt bottles you've had for years hiding in the back of the pantry? Put them to good use! Sprinkle some salt in the laundry starch to keep the iron from sticking to your clothes. Rub it on cups and mugs to remove nasty coffee and tea stains.
These are just some of the ways you can move away from using toxic household cleaners while saving yourself a few bucks as well.
Have any other tips you want to share? Feel free to leave a comment and let us know!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
How many of us can say we are lucky enough that we can provide sufficiently for our kids? I thank God everyday that we have been able to do so since our son was born. Unfortunately not everyone can especially in this terrible economy. There are many families out there that struggle on a daily basis just to put clothes on their babies backs. Now think about all the outgrown clothing and other baby necessities you have laying around in your house that your child probably never used. Somewhere out there a mother is need of these things who doesn't have access to them. Through this blog I want to connect those mother's in need with those who can provide. If you know of a mother who is need of baby clothes please send me an email (alexandraramirez77@gmail.com) and let me know the gender and size of the baby and I will post them here. If you would like to help any of these ladies out please email me and I will send you their contact information. So far we have one mother listed who could use your help!
In Need of:
1. Newborn clothing/accessories for a baby boy.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Please check out our store at www.cafepress.com/littlegrizzly for yoga wear for kids! We have added a few new products and soon will be branching off cafepress and going on our own! We will be providing a bigger variety of products as well. Check us out and let us know what you think!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
I am happy to say the deodorant is holding up pretty well. I had to re apply halfway during the day but it was mostly because I didn't apply it correctly the first time. The texture of the mix is very similar to the texture of actual deodorant which makes it pretty hard to spread using your fingers. I was given some great advice by a reader to pour the mix into an old deodorant bottle to make it easier to apply. I will be trying this with the next batch I make.
In these quest to keep my hair chemical free I've realized that this includes not only shampoo and other hair styling products but also hair dyes. I can't possibly color my hair with regular hair dyes now because that would defeat the whole purpose. So what are my alternatives? There is always henna although I am a bit skeptical about it because I've read that it has a tendency to turn your hair red and it's also not recommended for people who have used commercial hair dyes within the past year. That being said henna is definitely not a good option for me right now. Other alternatives are black coffee and sage rinses.
The black coffee rinse is pretty simple and straight forward. You brew strong black coffee and let it sit until it cools. Once it cools you pour it over your head and leave it on for about 25-30 minutes depending on how dark your hair is. I have not tried this myself yet but I wonder how strong the coffee smell is after the rinse. The sage rinse is very similar, you boil leaves of sage and use the water to rinse your hair. It seems as though the sage method is a bit more popular than the coffee rinse.
I haven't quite made up my mind yet as to which method I will be trying. If anyone has tried either of these methods I would love to hear your success/failure stories with each method even including the henna.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
No I am not referring to actual poo. I am talking about no shampoo! Yep that's right no shampoo!! I have decided to give up using chemically infused shampoos all together!!
So why did I decide to go shampoo free??
While shampoo "cleans" your hair it can also remove all the oils your scalp naturally produces. These oils help keep your hair soft and shiny which is why sometimes we notice that our hair looks so much better a few days after we have washed it. Most shampoos also contain harmful ingredients such as mineral oil, which is a byproduct when gasoline is distilled from crude oil, and Sodium lauryl sulfate, which is synthetic chemical regulated as a pesticide. Sodium lauryl sulfate can be drying and harsh for the hair and causes eye irritation ( that explains the burning sensation we feel when it falls in our eyes!), allergic reactions and even hair loss. The mineral oil is added to provide an artificial coating on the strands of the hair which in turn make your hair look shiny. Mineral Oil is not quickly absorbed into the scalp so it remains there and blocks the release of natural oils. This creates a greasy cap in your scalp which requires more shampoo to remove. So you see it's a vicious cycle. You make your hair dependent on something that might not necessarily make it healthier in the long run.
With this being said I am beginning my journey into the No Poo world today since it will be the last time my hair was washed with so called organic shampoos. So what will I be using instead of shampoo??? I will be following a simple recipe of Baking Soda wash with an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. Ok before you cringe at the thought of putting vinegar in your hair let me state that the smell of SMALL amounts of apple cider vinegar do not remain in your hair if thoroughly rinsed out. Why Baking Soda? Because baking soda gently clarifies hair from chemical buildup. Why Apple Cider Vinegar? Because Apple Cider Vinegar detangles the hair follicles, seals the cuticle, and balances the hair’s pH balance.
How exactly will I be mixing these? Here's how!
One tablespoon of baking soda to one cup of water
One tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to one cup of water
Mix the baking soda and the water in a bottle (shake) and pour over your head like you would with a regular shampoo. Massage into your scalp for a few minutes and then rinse off. If you have thick or long hair you might need two tablespoons. However too much baking soda can dry your hair so test it out and see what works for you.
Once you have rinsed off the baking soda, mix the apple cider vinegar with water in a bottle ( shake) and pour over your head. Leave on for about a minute or two and rinse off. If you tend to have oily hair by nature then you might not need to use too much Apple Cider Vinegar.
There you have the simple recipe! Will this work wonders for my hair??? Who knows!! But I am willing to give it a shot and see.
I have attached a picture of my hair as it is right now after being washed today.
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