GWBW: Thanksgiving Edition

Its been a good week for local harvest - especially items like pumpkin, cranberries, and butternut squash which are easily available in Massachusetts.

Image courtesy of mikes-table.themulligans.com

It has been a bad week for Turkeys (duh!). But Turkeys may have a higher carbon footprint than you think:

"Most likely your turkey traveled by truck to get to your grocer. That trip probably started in a state like Minnesota or North Carolina, which are leading turkey producers. The cranberries are most likely from Wisconsin or Massachusetts, two states that produce more than 80 percent of the nation's cranberries. But the National Resources Defense Council suggests that many ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner can be found at local farmers markets." Steve Inskeep, NPR, 2008

7 Reasons to Avoid Black Friday

1. Green Gift Monday - be a responsible shopper and get great deals on sustainable gifts by waiting until the Monday after Thanksgiving.

2. Small Biz Saturday - skip Macy's and support your local economy by checking out Small Biz Saturday deals in your area.

3. Crowds! - The sheer chaos of Black Friday is enough to keep me away!

4. Long Lines - even if you can handle the crowds, the long lines at the registers are sure to test your patience.

5. Parking - simply put, parking is a nightmare at any mall on Black Friday.

6. Sleep in - enjoy your long weekend and forget waking up at 4am.

7. Spend quality time with visiting relatives and friends - instead of shopping, do something that allows you to cherish your time together.

image courtesy of thisfrugallife.com

7 Ways to have a Sustainable Thanksgiving

1. Stay local. Why leave the metro-Boston area? This is where Thanksgiving began!

2. Cook seasonal dishes from locally grown goods. In MA there are plenty of local cranberries, squash, potatoes and even turkeys. A great goal would be to make your entire feast from ingredients grown/produced within 100 miles or so from where you live.

3. Cook an appropriate amount. Do you always end up throwing out food in the weeks after Thanksgiving? Try to cut down on the waste this year.

4. Skip the nasty casserole. Is there a dish that barely gets touched but you still cook it every year out of tradition? Stick with the delicious traditions and skip the outdated/unloved ones.

5. Do something active. Hiking is a great way to enjoy nature and get a head start on losing that holiday pudge.

6. Store leftovers in glass (or at least reusable) containers. NO PLASTIC BAGS!!!

7. Complete the meal by serving biodynamic wine choices.

Easy Urban Homesteading

Urban homesteading can be an intimidating word - not all of us are ready to raise chickens in downtown Boston, but in all reality, there are many ways to add small bits of the urban homesteading lifestyle into your everyday routine. I recently read The Complete Idiot's Guide to Urban Homesteading which has some great tips for how to grow edible plants (including an entire how-to guide for growing mushrooms in your closet...woah!).

After reading the book, I decided to grow some herbs in my window sill. Since my herb box is indoors, I'll be able to have fresh herbs all year round. My basil plant is doing particularly well, which is great for making pesto, bruschetta, pasta dishes, and pizza.

Good Week, Bad Week

This is the second edition of Good Week, Bad Week (GWBW).

It has been a good week for Merino Sheep because as the temperatures drop, wool sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, and snoods are becoming all the rage. Especially since consumers are looking for eco materials like wool rather than rayon and polyester.

image courtesy of think-differently-about-sheep.com

It has been a bad week for Super Mario. He has gotten a lot of negative attention from PETA regarding his fur suit!

Holiday Wishlist

Dear Santa,

I have tried to be a good girl this year, so I'd like presents that are good too, like:

1. Lip Tint by Tarte Cosmetics

2. Tom's Women's Holiday Classics in Red

3. Lotus Earrings from Ecolissa.com

4. A Cozy Wool Snood by PeopleTree

5. A Subscription to Coco Eco Magazine

6. A Garment Steamer (more efficient than an iron!)

Love.

Cammie

p.s. I left out some vegan cookies for you!

What is the Best Natural Deodorant?

As I explained in my article In the Pits: The Great Deodorant Debate, traditional deodorants often contain dangerous chemical compounds that are known estrogen mimics. Because of the possibility that these deodorants could lead to cancer, I switched to natural deodorant about a year ago. I have now tried two different brands that are much safer than traditional deodorants: Crystal Roll-on and Tom's of Maine. Here are my observations about each:

Crystal                                                            Tom's
Pros: Works well as an antiperspirant,             Pros: Scented varieties smell great,
Long lasting, Rated 0 on Ewg Skin                  Cheaper than Crystal,Doesn't dry out skin,
Deep Database.                                              Has responsible packaging and
                                                                      company commitments to
                                                                      community service.

Cons: About $1 more expensive than              Cons: Doesn't work as well as Crystal
Tom's, Takes a minute to dry after                  as an antiperspirant, Doesn't last as long,
application, Can be drying to skin.                   Rated higher (2) on the
                                                                      Ewg Skin Deep Database.


Conclusion: While Tom's of Maine is a wonderful company that is making a true positive difference for the environment, Crystal Roll On works better and contains safer ingredients. I highly recommend Crystal.