Survival Guide for a Summer without AC

Last summer, the heat was brutal, and based on the holiday weekend weather, I'd say we're in for another hot hot Boston summer. Last year I somehow managed to survive in a 5th floor apartment with NO AIR CONDITIONING.

Here were some survival skills that kept me alive during the especially hot days:

1. Drinking lots of water. (duhhhh)

2. A good window fan. (Yes, they use electricity, but not nearly as much as a window AC unit!)

3. Cold showers.

4. Pool membership. (I have an undying love for the North End Pool)

5. Facial toner/astringent. (Feels sooo good to get all of the oil off your face, neck, and back)

6. Window curtains/shades. (close them during the day to keep the sun out)

7. Crystal brand liquid deoderant. (chemical free, and, in my experience, works just as well as traditional deoderant)

8. Sunscreen. (Its a lot easier to sleep at night if you aren't sunburnt!)

9. Ben and Jerrys. (Lots and Lots of Ben and Jerrys)

Reminder!

Bostonians! Summer has arrived, so double check that your thermostats are turned all the way off! Try to hold off on the air conditioning - its not that hot yet, so save the $$ and energy while the weather is reasonable.

Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone!

Beach Bag Essentials

Memorial Day weekend starts tomorrow (finally!) and I, for one, will be hitting the beach on Martha's Vineyard. I simply couldn't be more excited for the start of summer.

Tonight I'll be packing my beach bags with a few green chic essentials:

 Badger Balm is amazing smelling and organic! I love the Lavender Orange flavor.







The beach is my favorite place to read, and I can't wait to get started on "Green is the New Black".















Organic cotton beach towel! (The ones pictured to the left are only 30% organic, but that is better than nothing.)

      A refillable water is a summer staple. I am  
      obsessed with my Bobble Bottle because it
     filters the water as you drink it!

Sunglasses are important for protecting your eyes, but these Juicy Couture shades go a step further because they are made from eco-friendly materials like bamboo.

 

                                                                      Sunscreen! I prefer Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen. It is perfect for my new paraben-free lifestyle.

Blog Spotlight: Sustainability for the Partially Motivated

This is a fun blog that I discovered - and you just have to love the title! http://sustainabilityforthepartiallymotivated.wordpress.com/

Check it out. I love the author's most recent post about talking to bar owners about their recycling programs.

Makeover!

BGB is in the process of getting a makeover! Woohoo! I just added an "About" section that clarifies exactly what I do as a blogger and why. I am also in the process of building a "Blog Roll" page where I will provide links to my favorite sites, resources, and places I go for inspiration. If you are interested in exchanging links and think your blog would fit well in my "Blog Roll", please e-mail me at BostonGreenBlog@gmail.com.

My facebook group is also going to have a makeover since facebook is overhauling its groups. A group probably isn't the right format to publiscize my writing anyway, so please look for a fan page of sorts in the near future!

Earthfest Recap

The weather cleared up just in time for EarthFest 2011!!! It was a bit muddy, but the event was well attended. Besides the great music and enjoying the sunshine, we also got lots of free stuff! I scored a loaf of bread, strawberry jam, lemonade juice boxes, tortilla wraps, mints, cliff bars, and more. yumyumyum! I'm already excited for next year.

Exciting Happenings!

This week has been full of exciting things for me and for BGB.

1) Just got some pretty "sustainability writer" business cards printed up by Pixxlz on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Plus, Pixxlz is a local company, so I'm going to walk over to their office and pick up my order instead of having them shipped.

2) I had a great time at the 80% Challenge Climate Change event. I saw old friends from the Sustainable Endowments Institute and the Sustainable Performance Institute (formerly the Nexus Green Building Resource Center). At the event I learned a lot about who believes in climate change and who doesn't. There are some very interesting demographic stats.

3) Getting pumped for EarthFest 2011 tomorrow afternoon!

4) Just started using an amazing organic face lotion (product review coming soon) and I feel great.

5) Was told I am one of "the most prolific bloggers" (yay!)

6) Lots of new followers on twitter ....partially because I went on a major following spree yesterday and this morning.

7) IT STOPPED RAINING IN BOSTON!!!!!!!!!!! fingers crossed for a sunny weekend!

80% Challenge Event Tonight!

Mass Inc. is hosting a panel presentation and networking reception tonight to discuss what Massachusetts needs to do to meet its climate change goals. The event is from 5-7:30pm at the City Year headquarters (287 Columbus Ave.).

The panelists include:
Zamawa Arenas - Principal of ARGUS
David Cash - Undersecretary for Policy, Executive office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
David Kahan - Yale Professor
Josh Lynch - Co-founder of Energy Action Coalition

The event is free and there is still time to register. Hope to see you there!

Get a Clue

Alicia Silverstone, most famous for her epic role as Cher in Clueless, has become the epitome of Green Fame. She is well known for being a vegan and she designs eco-friendly makeup bags for Eco Tools. But what I most admire about Silverstone is her blog: The Kind Life. It is updated very frequently with green living tips, recipes, and news - and it gives the actress a unique way to engage with her fans.

Her blog (screen shot above) is updated everyday even though she just gave birth on May 9!

She has graced the cover of my favorite e-zine: COCO ECO

She, like many celebs, went naked for PETA.

And she authored her own Earth-friendly cookbook!

Rain Rain GO AWAY!

It needs to stop raining, not just because it is May and we Bostonians are sick of yucky weather, but also because this Saturday is EARTHFEST 2011 on the esplanade! From 12 - 5pm Bostonians can enjoy free music and  food samples while learning about environmental non-profits and eco-friendly products. Boston's EarthFest is the biggest annual environmental rally in the country, and I will be so disappointed if the weather is bad.

McQueen at the Met

So, if Staycations really aren't cutting it for you, I suggest hopping on Bolt Bus and spend a couple days in NYC. New York has endless amounts of culture, and is only four and a half hours away by bus (which is a far more eco-savvy way to travel than by plane or car).

If you head to NYC relatively soon, you can catch the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. McQueen's gorgeous work captures tragedy, creativity, and adventure. He also uses natural elements in his garments, such as feathers, flowers, twigs, and shells, which add earthy beauty to the already stunning outfits.

RRR: Statement Storage

Trying to spice up your space with a statement item? Check out these intriguing cabinets made from reused barrels:

The cabinets are designed and manufactured by a German company. More information can be found on Inhabitat.

Tweet Tweet

Here are my current favorite twitter feeds:

@MA_BostonNews  

@BostonUpdate

@SororityProblem

@GlobalPost

@BostonEco

@vogue_london

@StLawrenceU

@BosFashionista

@ELLEDECOR

Easy Staycations

Summer day trips are the best way to take advantage of the weather without the cost and carbon-footprint of an exotic vacation. Trips by commuter rail are easy and earth-friendly. The Rockport line on the MBTA out of North Station has some great potential summer day trips, particularly at the Salem and Rockport stops.

Rockport is an adorable seaside town with great boutiques, seafood, and ocean views.

Salem, which is about a 20 minute train ride from Boston, is filled with museums, pedestrian walkways, and funky shops. The Peabody Essex Museum in downtown Salem is a great rainy-day activity, while exploring spooky 1600s graveyards, and walking along the seaport is always fun on sunny days.

30 Rock goes Green

In the most recent episode of 30 Rock (one of my fav shows), Liz Lemon is irritated by a plastic shopping bag that is stuck in a tree outside her apartment and is on a mission to get it out. Liz Lemon cleaning the city, gotta love it!

Safe Tanning

We are on the brink of summer and everyone is pumped for beach season. By now we all know how bad tanning booths are for us, and sun-bathing isn't much better. So how can we get a beach bronze going with out eventually ending up like a wrinkly prune? Self tanner, duh. I have too major issues when I shop for self tanner:
1) I am super-pale, and a lot of tanners come out very streaky on my skin.
2) I am trying to make my beauty routine completely paraben free.

However, FakeBake has a paraben free gradual self tanning cream specifically designed for fair skin! I was definitely skeptical, but took the opportunity to try a free sample, and let me tell you, I am sold! The cream itself is dark so you can see exactly where you are putting it, its easy to rub in, and dries completely streak free! And to my pleasure, it looks natural. Do please be wary while applying on elbows and knees, because it does dry darker than Jergens gradual mosturizer, so you do have to rub the product in more than you would with the Jergens products.  The end result is worth it though.
I will try to upload some before and after photos sometime soon!

So be healthy, paraben-free, wrinkle-free, skin cancer-free, and still be tan!!!!

Lazy Chef: Organic Stir Fry

Stir Fry is the lazy chef's best friend. Its quick and almost any vegetables work. The laziest way to make organic stir fry is to buy frozen bags of organic chopped veggies (whole foods has TONS of options). I usually like broccoli, ocra, and peppers. Defrost veggies, and cook on a frying pan with a small amount of olive or canola oil. Serve over organic brown rice. If plain veggies over rice aren't interesting enough, add a stir fry sauce on the veggies while they are cooking. Whole Foods makes a great variety of sauces - my favorite is the peanut sauce.