Has anyone seen the Haagan Dazs commercial with the bee struggling to pollinate a flower during fierce winds? Check out the National Geographic Ch. your sure to see it. It’s quite tragic.

I remember hearing about the rapid decline in bees months ago. The bees are not pollinating nor are they staying in their colonies. So we have scattered bees who are being a bit stubborn and or crazy.

Some causes? I’ve read about cell phone usage disrupting the natural navigational system that bees have. Another is the dreadful CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder. Based upon my reading it seems as if no one really knows what is happening.

According to Cosmos Magazine:

“The symptoms are baffling, but one of the emerging hypotheses is that the scourge is underpinned by a collapse of the bees’ immune systems. Stressed out by cross-country truck journeys and drought, attacked by viruses and introduced parasites, or whacked out by harmful new pesticides, some researchers believe the bees’ natural defences may have simply given way. This opens the door to a host of problems that the bees can normally suppress.”

Bee decline has been around since 1868 but never before have scientists seen such a rapid drop in numbers. Even before CCD the Asian mite Varroa destructor existed, eventually making it’s way over to the states and living off our bees.  The spread has lead to bees becoming stressed and weak.

Bees seem to respond the same way we do when under stress. We get a little moody, fatigued and eventually get the sniffles. It’s working when sick, it’s horrible and you feel like crap. I usually call in sick to stay home and rest…not so much for bees.

So with all of these issues how could a bee survive? We have CCD, fungus found in the bees digestive system, parasites, stress and pesticides. How do we help? What can we do? Do we listen to Haagen Dazs and give our money to Penn State University? According to the PSU article Haagen Dazs is donating $150,00 and also donating proceeds from their new flavor Vanilla Honey Bee. Does that make sense to anyone?

If you have a bit of a green thumb think about planting some bee friendly flowers in your garden. Something I just recently stumbled upon is the use of essential oils to kill the varroa mite. Using syrups with the essential oils such as wintergreen, patchouli or tea tree oil, etc. The oils will kill the mite on contact but the problem still lies within the mite feeding on the bee. How can we get the oil into the bloodstream of the bee?

Why is it that the most organic solutions are never brought to the surface. Instead we are encouraged to buy Haagen Dazs ice cream or give up some cash for “research” in order to show our commitment in solving the bee mystery.

I decided to sweeten up my night by experimenting with a vegan cupcake recipe I found on my new favorite blog, Love and Olive Oil. Now when you arrive at their site you will instantly notice how perfectly frosted their cupcakes turned out. I don’t have those skills (yet) so I used a spoon and knife for my frosting and bittersweet chocolate chips to garnish.

Also, because the market I purchased my ingredients from didn’t have vanilla bean I just used vanilla extract. Next time I will definitely spring for the bean. The process was very simple. I filled the cups too much so I had to deal with some cupcake sinkage and stickage. I should have sprayed the inside of the cup with some oil.

I know it sounds like a lot went wrong but the taste is wonderful and if I didn’t have the will power I would put down at least three more. I have many cookbooks but none of them consist of just cupcakes. That is why the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Tony Hope Romero and Isa Chandra Moskowitz rules!!! This recipe was taken from that book and from what I’ve seen it’s full of cupcake creativity.

So take a look and try a few recipes, it’s good for the soul.

Yesterday I stumbled into a quaint little spice and tea spot called “Spice Girls” here in Sarasota. The atmosphere was calm and pleasant. There was even a sign instructing customers to leave their negative energy at the door.

As soon as my friend Emily and I walk in we’re greeted very warmly by the two women owners. After a bit we’re offered samples of their raspberry jam, organic maple syrup and hot tea. The walls are stacked with every spice you could possible imagine! I’m not too handy with spices so I made my way over to the teas.

I ended up purchasing The Republic of Tea, Get Clean. If you go to the website you’ll see 17 different remedies for different needs, all caffeine free. Their labeling is simple and to the point and you can reuse/recycle the tube it comes in. Here are the names of a few I may need in the future:

• Get Charged
• Get Soothed
• Get Happy
• Get Relaxed…you “get” the picture

So as I write I’m sipping this warm blend of rooibos (leaf), milk thistle (seed), Indian sarsaparilla (root), dandelion (root), chicory (root), burdock (root), red clover (herb) and last but least natural almond and vanilla flavorings.

I’ll admit when I first took in the aroma it reminded me of marshmallows…maybe that’s what sold me. The taste is smooth and having never done a cleanse by tea or any cleanse for that matter I assumed I would have to add honey or something to make it taste good…not at all. As far as it’s effectiveness, I’ll keep you updated

One to two cups are recommended daily…it would also help if one tames their eating habits. If you don’t you’ll find yourself in a spot like I did when I first received acupuncture. “Stop drinking coffee and consuming dairy products” she says and what do I do…the opposite while spending $80 a treatment. To get the benefits it’s best you treat your body with respect

Lastly if you dig deeper into their website you’ll see Republic also offers Fair Trade and Organic Teas. My friend Emily and I did a tea trade so I have about 10 bags of their Organic Matcha tea which is known for being rich in antioxidants. Hopefully today I can make up for the cupcake. Sip and enjoy my friends!!!

About two weeks ago I was in my very good friend Sherri’s wedding. At the reception my fellow matron of honor, Meagan, mentioned the new Air-Car. I honestly hadn’t heard a drop of news on the new breed of green.

After doing some web searching I found this idea isn’t so new. According to The Air Car website the concept of using compressed air to power transportation has been around since the late 1800’s. First being used to power street transit using a single -stage engine. According to history:

“It represented an extremely important advance in terms of pneumatic engines, due to its forward thinking use of thermodynamics, ensuring that the air was heated, by passing it through tanks of boiling water, also increasing its range between fill-ups.”

Charles B. Hodges is known to have applied the “compressed air concept” to the car. These cars were used in the United States to power little worker vehicles (not the oopma loompa type) for miners. In 1979 Terry Miller put together the first vehicle for a whopping $1500.00 which was patented in 1983.

Now all of a sudden it’s a big huge new idea for all us Americans. Many technological years later this is what we have:

• Production of these vehicles cuts down on cost by 20%
• No corrosion from batteries
• Easy Maintenance
• Compressed Air Bottles are Recyclable and have a longer life span
• At low speeds only air is emitted. At higher speeds when gasoline is needed to heat the engine there is still only 0.141 lbs./CO2 per mile being emitted (This is 4 times less the amount of CO2 produced by non-hybrid vehicles)

You may ask about refueling. Here’s what I found on EcoGeek:

“Refueling is simple and will only take a few minutes. That is, if you live nearby a gas station with custom air compressor units. The cost of a fill up is approximately $2.00. If a driver doesn’t have access to a compressor station, they will be able to plug into the electrical grid and use the car’s built-in compressor to refill the tank in about 4 hours.”

It all sounds sooooo good! Even if we do have some wrinkles to iron out so be it, at least we’re on our way to marketing a vehicle that doesn’t rely 100% on gasoline. I do fear that what was once America’s first energy powered vehicle the EV1 may be the outcome of the Air-Car. You guys should rent Who Killed the Electric Car, it will blow your mind and piss you off a little.

Let’s hope this sticks!

I recently retired my organic bar of soap for Pangea Calendula & Blood Orange 4oz. Facial Cleanser that I purchased at Whole Foods. The price was a bit steep at $23 (compared to my humble soap) but worth every penny. This particular cleanser is great for me because of the blood orange, this is a degreaser and nutritive and by the end of the day I’m in serious need.

Some prefer only foaming action because of that squeaky clean feeling but I’m trying to stray away from that obsession. With squeaky clean comes surfactants (cleanse by corrosion). With Pangea their cleansers are concentrated to last longer, so we use less. I’m finally content with the soft clean vs. squeaky. It’s healthier and so far my face hasn’t rebelled against the idea.

They also eliminate the huge guessing game that I often encounter when shopping around. They state: “You will absolutely never find any questionable ingredients in our products. No petrochemicals or parabens, GMO’s or other synthetic or harmful ingredients.” And yes I had to look up GMO which means Genetically Modified Organisms

So now let’s ponder some other very attractive facts about the Pangea company.

• A portion of their profit goes towards the Pangea Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the world on sustainable living and business practices.

• 100% Plant-based products.

• Biodegrade after 48 hrs. of use

• Works with renewable, recycled and recyclable resources (honestly how many R’s)?.

• Oils are saponified to create a rich creamy cleanse to hydrate the skin rather than harsh chemicals (petrochemicals, parabens and sulfates)

• Handcrafted, organic, cruelty- free and fair trade products.

Bottom line the company is strong in their philosophy. They take responsibility for what goes into our skin and how it effects our earth…does the earth smile upon Pangea, why yest it does!

Bears have the right idea when it comes to plumping up for the winter time. With the colder weather just around the corner we need to make sure our bodies harness energy and heat to get us through (I’m in Florida but for those who are experiencing snow at the moment here ya go).

According to Paul Pitchford in his book Healing with Whole Foods:

“It is a time to rest, meditate deeply, refine the spiritual essence, and store physical energy-in the form of a little added weight -for the cold season.”

I couldn’t agree more! Winter reminds me of living in upstate NY and how good it felt when I would come home from an afternoon of sledding. As soon as I walked in the door I instantly felt the warmth hit my face…soon turning my hands and feet numb. Then came the smell of onions and garlic being sauted in a pan by my grandfather….those smells make winter and cold temperatures tolerable

In Paul’s book he takes a look at the body with an eastern eye. Our kidney’s are affected most in the winter months due to the suggestion that we cook foods longer and use less water. Some foods that assist in strengthening the kidneys during this time are dried foods, small dark beans, seaweeds and steamed winter greens.

Now if you’re a fan of salty and bitter tastes you will enjoy the words to come. Both are wonderful for winter, they promote a sinking and centering quality which heightens the volume of storage. These types of food also cool the external part of the body which allows the heat to travel deeper and lower so we notice the cold less.

For the salt freaks out there don’t take this as a green light to go overboard. Too much salt tightens the water organs (kidneys, bladder) which promotes coldness and the consumption of too much water. This creates weakness in the mentioned organs and strains the heart.

Salt- Miso, soy sauce, seaweeds, salt, millet, barley and any healthy organic food made with salt added to it. Keep the amounts regular and in small doses.

Providing protection of the heart-mind is important during this time of year and can be accomplished by adding some bitter foods into your diet. According to Paul their flavor is said to “enter the heart.” When you think of bitter you probably won’t think of the vegetables listed below but if you have ever eaten salad by itself you notice it does have a bitter taste to it. Bitterness can also be held in the outer skin of some foods like citrus peels, I remember experiencing that when I was a little

Bitter- Lettuce, watercress, endive, escarole, turnip, celery, asparagus, alfalfa, carrot top, rye, oats, quinoa and amaranth.

As with every cold month warm hearty soups, whole grains and roasted nuts will also assist in the proper functioning of the body. Those are my personal favorites. Keep in mind that in eastern philosophy the kidney’s are key! They are seen as the root and foundation of the body and provide energy and warmth, so make sure they’re happy this winter season.

*Paul Pitchford’s book lists recipes that include veggies and grains mentioned in this post.

How many of us have to strain our brain when it comes to gift giving? Almost everyone I know says “I have no idea what to get so and so.” I have vowed to keep it simple and green this year.

I will only purchase or make things for people that I know will make use of it, I’ve already warned my mother, “No more trinkets and useless stocking stuffers, if you want to stuff my stocking do it with beeswax candles.” I love my mother but she tends to get carried away with getting me things that I end up giving to Good Will years later.

Hopefully she will read this blog and check out some of my suggestions:)

• BeesWax Candles: It’s best if you find your candles locally but if not I provided a link to this really cute website I found. These candles are great because they not only emit negative ions that clean the air but they burn cleaner and longer and contain no artificial additives.

• Fair Trade Coffee and Tea: Coffee is a huge import here in the U.S. so I believe in making sure the countries that provide this phenomenal treat receive their profit. This site will give you more information and also help you find Fair Trade products in your area.

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Spread the benefit of using CFL light bulbs this holiday season. These little guys use less energy and last longer. Replacing your incandescent bulbs with a CFL will keep 1/2 a ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.

• Lizzie Candles & Soap: It would be great if you bought some natural organic soaps but fabulous if you made them yourself. It’s a nice natural touch and it may motivate you to start making your own for every day use. Also check out Lizzie’s page for the ever wonderful soy candle!

• Go Solar: Charge your electronics, use grills and even operate your home with Solar Power. Huge steps need to be taken in order for solar energy to become the norm but it’s apparent that people are anxious for the change and are willing to explore these alternatives. Now let’s just hope the government receives the memo!

• Eco Bags: Reusable and made of recycled material these bags are a superb and earth friendly alternative to the plastic bag. I would suggest trying to keep them in your car and if need be post a sticky note to your dash so you remember to take them out of the car

• Ecoist: Eco-Friendly hand bags, clocks and accessories made from discarded food packages, candy wrappers, old records and movie billboards. Also for every purchase made from Ecoist a tree is planted!

• Greater Good: For this year and ones to follow you can (at the click of a button) donate to the charity of your choice. Greater Good also has a village website where you can choose from online shops like Barnes & Noble, Nordstrom’s, Dell, Office Max and 100% of the Greater Good’s commission goes to the charity of your choice at no extra charge.

• Alternative Gifts International: AGI is a nonprofit interfaith agency that allows individuals to purchase life sustaining gifts to countries around the globe. Some examples of current projects of AGI are Hope for Hopeless Neighbors (USA), New Life for Children (Vietnam) and Children with Cancer (Tanzania & East Africa).

• Abundant Earth: This site is quite amazing. They have everything from bedding, health care and clocks to bags, office products and candle holders. Most made out of recycled wood, cotton or bicycle and auto parts.

• Earth Easy Shop: The store itself has many delightful items but I found awesome holiday greeting cards made of 100% recycled paper, printed with soy ink and you can actually plant the card! Aside from how excited I am over the cards they also have the reel mower (electric also available), solar ovens, natural lawn care products and gardens in a bag!

• Ten Thousand Villages: What an awesome store! I was all ready to wrap up my post and my sister mentioned this store she has been to here in New York. I checked it out and fell in love. The company is a founding member of the International Fair Trade Association and lists each and every artisan they are in partnership with. They have beautiful jewelery, gift ideas for his and her, plant and garden items, stationary and home furnishings. It’s certainly worth checking out

Wow, this has totally gotten me into the gift giving spirit! I love it, I’m in upstate NY visiting my sister and we just finished carving pumpkins. The weather is crisp and cool and I’m enjoying a nice cup of coffee. I can’t wait to share my green gifts with my family and friends. Help spread love for the environment to the ones you love this holiday season, Peace

As you know one of my first posts was on Tom’s Natural Deodorant, I was addicted to the Apricot. Oh how I loved the smell of my pits when I discovered such a delicious scent…until the burning day came.

For some odd reason after multiple use my armpits felt like they were on fire. I tried doing some research on why this was happening and what I could do about it. Chaffing seemed to be one reason, I personally think it was an ingredient. I always made sure my armpits were dry before I applied, I didn’t even have to move and they would start burning…not good.

This lead to another search. Here we have Thai Deodorant Crystals. The packaging is a bit “infomercial” so at first glance you probably wouldn’t imagine it’s power but I’m truly impressed with it’s ability to keep the stink away. It comes in a few forms, we have the crystal (what I use), stick, spray and roll on.

Expect sweating but don’t expect clogged pores, stains on the clothes or white residue on the pits.

Potassium alum is what makes up the crystal, some say this is a form of aluminum and some say it isn’t. Somewhere between the beginning of the search and almost losing my mind I found that the alum is a combination of a mineral salt version of aluminum and mineral salt potassium or ammonium. With their powers combined they form “alum”.

In a nutshell because of alums large molecules it’s almost impossible for them to be absorbed into the skin. It’s topical and toxic free.

With store bought antiperspirants you welcome aluminum zirconium or cholorhydrate into your skin cells. These both are very water soluble. When aluminum penetrates into the skin cell, water comes with, the more water the larger the cell becomes. This causes pressure on the sweat gland which is now forced to close, preventing you from sweating.

It is said by the FDA that aluminum being a contributor to cancer is a straight up myth. This may be true, you certainly get all sides when researching this topic on the internet. What I feel most comfortable with is allowing my body to sweat and if the Thai Deodorant Crystal allows me to do so and it does not seem to pose a huge threat to my health than I’m all for it.

I found the crystals at our local Granary here in Florida but I’m sure any whole foods market will carry them. Peace!

If anyone has more info on this somewhat confusing subject please feel free to drop some knowledge

When at the store it’s hard not to be in awe of all the shower gels neatly displayed with their sinfully yummy scents that just whisk you away. I’ve learned that with those you get more synthetic suds and a mile long ingredient list. Noooo thank you. It’s time to show the bar of soap some love.

I introduce to you Dr. Bronners Magic Soaps. I chose the Lavender scent because of its benefits, everything from relieving stress and anxiety to muscle soreness, fatigue and sunburns. Be sure to check out the form of Lavender that is most beneficial for your ailment. OK, back to the soap.

The packaging is a bit all over the place but Dr. Bronner’s story is one to admire. In the late 1920’s he came to the U.S. to escape Nazi rule in Germany in hopes to continue his family’s tradition of soap making. Twenty years into the game he realized most companies were migrating away from the use of natural ingredients and more towards synthetic surfactants.

He continued his soap production the way he saw fit regardless of the current trends. Thanks to his two sons Jim and Ralph his ideas have withstood the test of time. Here is a spoonful of the wonderfulness:

• Packaging printed with soy ink on Vanguard Recycled Plus from Living Tree Paper Co.
• 100% Cruelty Free
• 1000 acres of Dr. Bronner’s Rain Forest were donated to the Boys and Girls Club of San Diego County, CA. after his death in 1997
• Soaps made with 100% organic oil, certified by the USDA’s National Organic Program
• ALL major ingredients are now under Fair Trade

Dr. Bronner’s mission is to provide organic products that are safe for the environment and our bodies regardless of what shortcuts the competitors are taking. The struggles of he and his family motivated his ideology of peace and unity.

“All one! All one! For we’re all one or none!” - Dr. Emanuel Bronner

When researching information for my next post I became distracted with all the information I was finding on the evil Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a known surfactant. When I inspect labels this ingredient always ignites hatred within and I’ve never understood why.

According to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is not a carcinogen. It is however a skin irritant. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is found in products that need foaming action like your toothpastes, shampoos, hand soaps, shower gels…the list goes on.

The irritation comes from the Sulfates job of removing oils from the skin when cleaning. Removal of these oils strips a layer of protection from our skin that leaves us susceptible to irritation and pollutants.

So where’s the threat? This is where 1, 4- Dioxane enters stage left. According to the Environmental Working Group this creepy little chemical cramps Sodium Lauryl Sulfates style in a big way. There are other types of Dioxane but specifically the 1, 4- Dioxane is seriously toxic and linked to causing cancer, reproductive toxicity and organ system toxicity.

It seems that when Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is being produced the 1, 4-Dioxane can creep in just from the manufacturing process. Wikipedia stated it as being “an accidental byproduct of the ethoxylation process in cosmetics manufacturing.” Ethoxylation is when ethylene oxide (funky chemical) is added to fatty acids to make them more water soluble. I wonder how many of those “accidental byproducts” take place throughout the chemical creating galaxy. I would say it’s quite a big Ooops!

My problem with this whole process is having to do so much research about products I’ve been using since I was little. I suppose research can only benefit us in this situation but it’s the blind eye that most manufacturers take that has me fuming.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfates or Sodium Laureth Sulfates may only be skin irritants and have a very low toxicity score but it doesn’t take much for them to be harmful chemicals that are absorbed into our skin every day. I hope this clears the air, thankfully organizations like the Environmental Working Group help keep us informed on what most would like us to be oblivious to.