Are you basking in the afterglow of catalogs as a result of your online holiday shopping?  Or for whatever reason, you are still getting unwanted junk mail and catalogs?  I’ve said before (twice actually here on TGS) and will offer it up again on how to “take me off your list!“

Quick Recap:

• Each year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers, which uses 53 million trees and 3.6 million tons of paper.  The average person receives over 500 pieces of junk or unwanted mail each year.
• To produce this volume of paper requires 38 trillion BTUs, enough to power 1.2 million homes per year!
• The energy used to produce catalogs contributes 5.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equal to the annual emissions of two million cars!

Luckily, there are a few easy ways for consumers to reduce their paper consumption and mail clutter by requesting removal from mailing lists:

• The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse offers a pretty deep fact sheet including how to get off all lists by contacting the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service (MPS). For a $1 fee, sign up with the MPS, to receive only the catalogs you actually want.

• Directmail.com – register at no cost here to get your name taken off direct mail lists.  You do have the flexibility to request removal of your name from everything or select by category. While DirectMail.com primarily serves to provide mailing lists to companies, it stresses that as direct marketers, they know their clients don’t want to waste money sending mail to people who don’t want to receive it.

• Catalog Choice  – Here you can request free removal from specific catalogs that participate with their program as well as invite friends to do the same.  If a company does not participate, Catalog Choice will contact them on your behalf to request removal.

But what  about when you actually want to peruse a catalog without the clutter and waste of a real one.  Enter Catalog Spree.

• Catalog Spree is  a free catalog shopping app for your iPad that offer the same experience of more than 150 catalogs from brands like Nordstrom, Chico’s, and Coldwater Creek.

While it’s convenient, easy and eliminates all that clutter, for someone traveling down this road of greater eco-awareness, therein still lies the question of how to green that non-green clothing purchase.  So while you are at it, download the GoodGuide app to check out how that retailer stacks up.  Either way, Catalog Spree is yet another step in the right direction for eliminating unnecessary waste, energy and everything else that goes into all those paper catalogs.

If moving from disposable to reusable is on your list of resolutions this year, cutting out the use of plastic straws is an easy start.  We used to buy bags of straws for the drinks and smoothies in our house, but once we started thinking about what an unnecessary waste that was, we switched to stainless steel straws.  Easy, affordable, dishwasher friendly and the  kids love them!

I have been aware of Glass Dharma straws for sometime but the thought of glass straws in my house with two boys just sounded like a recipe for disaster that only I would be cleaning up!   When the company reached out to me to sample, I expressed my concerns and they said “think Pyrex”.   Well, that changed the tune so I was willing to take the risk.

When the straws arrived nicely packaged in recyclable materials, the only disaster was the feuding between the kids on who would get to use the angled straw first. Arghhh!  Anyway, somehow they came to a compromise and nothing broke in the interim.  Along with that troublesome  “Beautiful Bend”, we also received a wider smoothie size long straw, a standard size “Elegant” straw and my favorite – a “Decorative Dots” sipper.

Over a month later, no breakage and each has survived the playroom and kitchen floors, in between the sofa cushions, being used as drum sticks, the dishwasher, microwave and flatware drawer where they are tossed in along with the stainless steel straws.  Glass Dharma uses borosilicate glass because it is the strongest commercially available glass on the market. It is the same type of glass that your vintage glass coffee pot or your Pyrex® casserole dish is made from.  This alongside their lifetime guarantee against breakage, certainly alleviated the kinds of concerns (or doubt) I had early on.

With several different sizes, widths and purposes, you are sure to find a straw for your particular needs.  Great for wedding, new home or hostess gifts to encourage other along the way too.  I’m sold and if they can survive our house, they can survive anything!

Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly what foods are most important to buy organic, especially during the winter months as well as year round too? To help protect you and your family this winter season, The Organic Center (TOC) has developed an easy, downloadable pocket shopping guide, called Organic Essentials, which is designed to help shoppers reduce their pesticide risk, eat foods that contain the most nutrients and avoid GMOs.  The mission of the TOC is to focus on the science behind organics and offers clear and easy to understand information to the consumer.

Sara Snow, a green lifestyle expert and author of Fresh Living, serves on the Board of Directors for The Organic Center.  She has also appeared on the Discovery Health Network and has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Natural Health.  During the holidays, I had a chance to speak with Sara to learn firsthand on how to use the guide and gather additional tips for healthy shopping.

Highlights of the Organic Essential Guide

Organic vs Non-Organic:

Not all of us can buy 100% organic to due budget constraints, so TOC has listed the top nine fruits and vegetables that consistently rank highest for pesticide residue and suggests those as the organic purchase. Everything else, then can be a conventional purchase if need be.

Super Foods:

The Organic Essential also lists of the top super foods with the highest nutrients per serving so if you are looking for extra punch, consider these options for smart, healthy shopping:

• Fruits – Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Pumpkins, Mangoes, and Papayas
• Vegetables – Kale, Collard Greens, Artichokes, Turnips, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Asparagus, and Avocadoes

Genetically Modified Organisms:

Though those sticky produce labels should tell us if something is organic, conventional or genetically modified, you can reference this list of conventional foods to avoid buying due to the likelihood that they are genetically modified or contain GMOs:

• Corn, Canola, Soy Beans, Cotton, Hawaiian Papaya, Sugar Beets, Yellow Crookneck Squash, and Zucchini.
• The same holds true for processed packaged food items too. Buying organic will ensure no GMO’s.

Some additional shopping tips Sara provided include:

• If the fruit or vegetable is recommended to buy organic fresh, it is also suggested to buy frozen.
• Organic milk has a longer shelf life and freezes well, so if your store has a special or if coupons are available, stock up to save money.
• Trust the generic organic brand. Often times it is a well-known brand that is privately labeled with the grocery store.
• Make trade-offs to help balance the budget.  Buy in the good-for-you items in bulk, and buy less of something not quite so healthy in order to help justify that organic purchase.  For example, the cost of one 12-pack of sodas can easily offset the additional cost for organic milk.
• 75 – 80% of packaged food may contain GMOs and while we have yet to see the effects of genetically modified foods, you are guaranteed no GMOs when you choose an organic product versus a conventional one. Consider your cereal, peanut butter as choices to make organic.

The Organic Essential Pocket Guide can be easily downloaded or accessed on your smartphone and taken to the store to reference while shopping.  A great New Year’s resolution to get off to a green and healthy start for 2012!

Whew! With households generating an additional 25% in waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, that another 6 million tons of trash floating around.  Here are a few quick tips to help reduce your excess waste and impact on the planet.

• Recycle all corrugated boxes and chipboard.  If a box is brown on the inside your local municipality  may accept it. Check the website for all acceptable materials and any nearby drop-off locations.  Our recycle bin is full and our pick up isn’t until next week, so rather than leaving the excess boxes to clutter up my garage, off to a drop-off today!

• Keep and reuse any gift bags and boxes for next year. If possible, do the same for any wrapping paper and bows.

• Recycle Christmas cards (except for photos) or tear off the front of the cards and send to St. Judes Children’s Hospital.  They will in turn create and sell new cards with proceeds going back to the hospital. You can also reuse the front of the cards as gift tags or other decorations.

• Keep photo cards to enjoy for future holidays.  Punch a hole in the corner and put on a key ring or any larger metal ring for easy storage and review.

• Donate your Christmas tree to your local zoo. Our local center will place in the exhibits and hide treats in the branches for the animals.

• Plan ahead for next year.  Consider buying gift bags to include cloth that can be reused and wrapping paper made from recycled materials and earth-friendly ink.  Forgo the bag of bows and use fabric ribbon that can also be reused.

What other ideas do you have to share.  Leave a comment below!

It’s Christmas Eve Eve!  My list has been checked off and I consider myself done.  I’ve done my best to lighten that holiday shopping load and wrap as earth-friendly as possible by reusing gift bags from last year to include more made of cloth this year.  I’ve pondered the packaging involved before making the purchase, and I’m ready to recycle all that I can afterwards.

Though my holiday gifts may not be 100% perfectly “green”, here are some final gift suggestions for all of us to consider.  No production, shopping, shipping or packaging involved.  You can’t be any kinder to the environment around you than that.

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

Author unknown

So wherever you are and whatever it is you celebrate this season, I wish joy and peace to you and those you love to help make our world a brighter place forever.

It’s here!

The Holiday Shopping Season, along with swarms of daily deals and emails, direct mailers to outlet malls, coupon books, newspaper circulars and more.   So how to lighten the impact without taking away the meaning or excitement of this gift giving time of year?

Take a deep breath and be mindful of these options as you merrily swipe your way through the season!

Shop Local – While  you probably have to do some shopping at a big box retailer or the Apple store for those electronic devices and such,  remember those local-to-you merchants for other gift giving ideas.  Did you know for every $100 dollars you spend with a local merchant, $68 goes right back into your community versus $44 for national retailers.

Buy Natural -  If faced with a choice, try to purchase those products made with natural or non-toxic ingredients.  Soy candles versus wax.   Skincare  and body products without the parabens and synthetic fragrances.  If you are not sure, do a quick search via Good Guide or Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database.

Look for Vintage – These days there are plenty of second-hand and consignment shops around with great little finds that are looking for a new home.  Consider a glass or crystal bowl filled with homemade goodies or grab a pair of champagne flutes , tie a ribbon on the stems to go along with a festive beverage.  If you are in need of holiday tins to package your baked goods, stores like Goodwill always seem to have these around.  And don’t forget about Ebay and Esty for other pre-owned, vintage finds.

Give an Experience:  A dinner gift certificate to a local restaurant, tickets to a play or movie, or something you or your recipient might not normally do can make memories that last.

Adopt an Animal:  There are many ways to show you care by adopting an animal through various organizations.  From national groups like the World Wildlife Fund, you might try to even find a worthy cause right in your own backyard.  Last year we adopted a wolf for our son and lo and behold,  with a quick Google search, was the wonderful Wolf Sanctum just a few hours away also giving us the opportunity to plan a spring road trip to to visit the wolves in person.

Rescue a Toy:  Visit your Salvation Army, Goodwill or seek out in a yard sale for a small toy, book or item your child might enjoy. Last year, I found a  cute little plush porcupine with a missing eye and a wooden toy plane from the Thomas the Tank Engine series that had a chip on the wing (exactly like one we lost at the beach).  I knew my kids would really like each one, so I put them in a brown paper bag and scrawled “From the Island of Misfit Toys” and they loved it!

Ponder the Packaging:  And consider pre-cycling if faced with two similar choices.  Which one might be a better option?   Cranberries pre-packaged in a non-recyclable plastic bag, or fresh ones you can scoop into a recyclable produce bag -  or better yet, one of your own reusuables.

Ask Questions:  So the sweater for your mother-in-law isn’t made of organic cotton.  What other attributes might it have to help lessen the impact.  Is it made in the USA or oversees?  What it is made of?  Just how good is the manufacturer’s efforts in terms of sustainability?  Check here for more questions to ask to green that non-green clothing purchase.

Donate in Lieu of Gifts:  Let’s face most of us are pretty fortunate despite the times, so give where it moves you or to what would be most meaningful to the other on your gift list.  There are so many worthy causes and groups that can probably use your monetary donation more than your recipient can use or need your material gift.

Whatever you do and however you choose to do it, do it thoughtfully and unconditionally, as “the manner of giving, is worth more than the gift”.

Take a quick break and check out this very cute video series to help inform parents of the toxins that surround us in everyday life.

Taking Healthy Child Healthy World’s 5 Easy Steps message for a non-toxic home, each video highlights each step and key area in a fun and impactful way.  A great way to get people thinking about everyday actions and what simple things can be done to make a positive change.

Step 1:  Avoid Pesticides

Step 2:  Use Non-Toxic Products

Step 3:  Clean Up  Indoor Air

Step 4:  Eat Healthy

Step 5:  Be Wise With Plastics

Check out the Step 1  video below.  Short and sweet but makes the point.  I’m going to share on my school’s Facebook page so other parents can check out and learn from too.  Looking forward to the remaining videos.  What do you think?

As a follow up to a post from last year about  online resources to become more eco-aware, I’ve since had the chance to read and review several good books, thus inspiring these good, green recommendations for green and healthy living.

Do Your Part by Terri Bennett

Recently released, Do Your Part, A Practical Guide to Everyday Green Living, offers  the reader the information to decide what’s most important for their family and lifestyle.  Taking a look at some hard facts like how much Americans consume and waste, Terri encourages personal responsibility for the impact each one of us creates and the subsequent commitment to making smarter choices so that we can collectively reduce our individual eco-footprint.  With cleaning recipes, a room by room checklist and other useful websites included, there is good information for every shade of green.

Toxic Free: How to Protect Your Health and Home from the Chemicals That Are Making You Sick by Debra Lynn Dadd.

Toxic Free is a comprehensive, yet easy guide to access information for healthier, non-toxic living.  Dadd has spent the last twenty-five years researching and writing about everyday toxins after she started experiencing chronic headaches, insomnia and other issues.  In her search to understand why she was always sick, she came to understand that the greatest exposure lies right within our own homes.  In Toxic Free, Dadd offers practical guidance on how to reduce your toxic exposure and increase your body’s ability to eliminate toxics.

Spit That Out!  The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt  by Paige Wolfe

Whew! It’s a mouthful, but offers information that helps make navigating the world of green as a new mother much easier. Paige’s quirky and funny book  takes on just about every issue a new mother faces from what to do with those non-organic clothing gifts, breastfeeding versus formula to everyday food choices with quotes  like “Organic is the biggest buzz word since Happy Meal”.

Energy Wise Landscape Design by Sue Reed

If you are looking for a great reference guide on how to landscape naturally and with little impact as possible, Energy Wise  provides a wealth of information from energy use to water conservation.

Celebrate Green by Corey and Lynn Cowell

No matter what the occasion, Celebrate Green has tips and suggestions to decorate and celebrate any holiday with eco-friendly exuberance.

And a few children’s books that are favorites with the kids include:

 The Great Kapok Tree  and  The Dragon and The Unicorn by Lynne Cherry

As an author and illustrator, Lynne brings beautiful images with heartfelt words to teach our children about the natural world.

Faces of the Earth by Elizabeth Almy

A local author and educator, Beth captures unique characteristics from the animals that reside at the Natural Science Center here in Greensboro.  Beth’s goal is to engage the reader to connect emotionally with the featured animals, encourage support of local zoos, museums and science centers as well as to foster greater awareness of wildlife worldwide.

And maybe someday, I’ll be able to include my children’s book, Looking for a Green Samaritan, that I am working on getting published.  (I am in the query process and welcome any agent and publisher interest!)

With so many other good books out there that were not mentioned what are your favorites that help you make green and healthy living even easier?  And be on the lookout for a round-up of book recommendations from the  Healthy Child Healthy World blogger network which TGS is pleased to be a part of too.

October is National Pet Wellness Month.   And just like moving towards green and healthy living for ourselves, we should not exclude our pets in the process.

Aside from proper nutrition, exercise, dental care, grooming and annual exams, there are many other things we can do inside our homes to keep our pets healthy and well.  TGS reviewed Clean+Green Furniture Refresher a few months back and as a follow up, we’ve had the chance to try out the carpet and stain remover.

Puppy Love! Ben with Shadow.

We really love our dog Shadow, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world even though she sheds like crazy and drags all kinds of dirt in the house with that dust mop tail of hers.  Vacuuming around the house is often like shoveling snow while it’s snowing, and lo and behold there is some kind of stain left behind on my cream colored carpet in the bedroom no matter how hard I try to keep it clean.

Enter Clean+Green Carpet & Stain Remover!  Each Clean+Green product is individually formulated to address a specific odor/stain problem and can be used on carpet and area rugs, wood floors, tile, cement and all fabrics  as well as litter boxes.  Clean+Green is made with ingredients and materials that are all-natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and recyclable.  The products are non-toxic, non-flammable, non-carcinogenic and will not damage the ozone layer – with no harsh chemicals or fragrances to harm your pet or family.

So does it work?  Even though I have stains that have been treated with other cleaners, I needed to saturate the area and repeat again after it dried but it did remove the dirt stain, so I was pleased.  I’m sure on stains that are fresher and have not been treated, it will work first time around as stated.  Clean+Green Carpet & Stain Remover is available online for $9.99 with free shipping on all orders!

And to continue the celebration of  your pet and National Pet Wellness Month, check out these posts from BeliefNet and GroovyGreenLivin for more great tips on green and healthy pet care.

Have a green and healthy product you use and love and want to share your personal recommendation with TGS readers?  We’re taking submissions now for our online review community.

Cooler weather, falling leaves and shorter daylight hours are on the way.  This means warm and healthy soups, slow cooker recipes, pumpkins, apple cider and cinnamon around our home.

Cinnamon can be a healing spice for fall and winter, as well as to capture the essence of the season and holiday bounty that is soon to come:

•  Stove Top Potpourri:  Sprinkle a teaspoon or so in a pot of boiling apple cider and let simmer for the day.  As the liquid boils down, refill with water or more cider.  Part of the fun is grabbing a jug of cider from a roadside stand or farmer’s market.

• Cinnamon Toast:  Spread a little butter on a slice of whole wheat bread and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar and cinnamon.  Broil in the oven for just a couple of minutes until golden brown.  The kids love this little treat on those hard to wake up mornings!

• Homemade Holiday Ornament:  Simple to make,  take three or four sticks of cinnamon and tie with a festive ribbon and add/glue on tiny pine cones, a fresh sprig of holly or some other decorative topper if you like.  Tie a small piece of string around the bow or use a hook for the hanger.  An aromatic gift to offer by itself or to adorn a package.  Easy and fun for the kids too.

• Energizer:  With all this cooking, shopping, planning and giving that is right around the corner, skip the extra caffeine and try this remedy that is said to help with fatigue.  Sprinkle cinnamon powder in a glass of water and add half teaspoon of honey.  Drink in the morning and again at 3:00 pm  - just in time for when the kids get home and you have to start all over again for another eight hours, or when that intense 3:30 meeting or presentation is about to begin!  This bewitching hour is also the time of day when the body is at its lowest point in terms of energy and vitality.  After a few days or so, you may feel a difference.

• Cinnamon Tea:  To soothe an upset stomach, relieve congestion and a cold or to just warm up and enjoy, cinnamon tea can do it all.  While there are lots of brands on the market, it’s easy to make.  Break up a cinnamon stick in small pieces, add to a cup and let steep in boiling water for about ten minutes.

Cinnamon can also freshen the breath and can help with a toothache as well, plus there are many other health benefits.  How do you fall into cinnamon to spice up your home and health?  What works for you?