Dog Business 11/04/2010
 I am fanatical about some things. Picking up after my dogs is one of them. Maybe that's because I lived in New York City and stepped in my fair share of dog piles in fancy heels, but it's also because I still hold common decency in high regard. Problem is, I find doggie bags just about everywhere---in coat pockets, tied to leashes, and stuffed into every car console (even those newly discovered ones). And while that means I'm never bagless, I think a little discretion is in order. Thankfully there are options. My favorite is the iPICK UP2 from 4U2ReUse. These doggie bag carriers are made from upcycled kite sails, so they come in bright, fun-loving colors that make a not-so-fun task just a little bit easier. They're hand-cut, sewn, and assembled in the U.S. (Los Angeles to be exact) and can boast fair trade and sweat shop free construction. iPICK UP2 Dog Bag Carrier $9.99 each Size: 4 x 5" Available at olivegreendog.com Thumbprint: F, G Image via olivegreendog.com Add Comment Sweet On You 10/14/2010
 Turns out, you can have your chocolate and eat it, too. Just when I thought chocolate couldn't get any better, Sweet Riot entered my life. Their chocolate covered cocoa nibs make me weak in the knees. And that first bite? It was intense. The purity and richness of the cacao is balanced by the slightly sweet and silky texture of the chocolate shell. They're like M&Ms for grown-ups (only so much better!). And in case you haven't heard, chocolate does the body good. Seriously! It's chock full of antioxidants, but also has the hard-to-come-by mineral, magnesium, as well as copper, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Check out Sweet Riot's health facts to get the skinny on all of chocolate's benefits. But the thing I love most about these delectable confections is that they're made by a company that's beautiful on the inside and out. Their mission is noble, "To create a more just and celebrated multicultural world for our next generation." So they believe in fair trade, celebrate culture and diversity, and care about the environment, their partners, employees, and customers. Even their packaging supports their mission by featuring the work of emerging artists. Chocolate that's good, good for you, and good for the world? It doesn't get any better than this. Sweet Riot 670 Broadway, Suite 302 New York, NY 10012 212.431.RIOT (7468) Shop online or find products near you Thumbprint: C, F, G Power to the PeopleTowel 09/02/2010
Our little family can go through a lot of paper towels. A lot. But comparing ourselves to the Jones's, I'd say we use considerably less than the average American household. Yet every time I tear off a square, I feel a bit guilty. Kind of like when I go for that second bowl of ice cream. Catch me in the act and you'd certainly think I was up to no good. I guess it's cause I know that I'm opting for convenience over personal values, and since that's an equation for internal conflict, I'm letting go of my paper towel addiction. Of course, good design makes it so much easier to go green. PeopleTowels offers reusable, organic, fair trade cotton towels in playful prints and graphic designs. They're small enough to go wherever you go (even if that's just around the kitchen) and dry quickly. They're an earth friendlier choice than paper towels made of recycled materials which have a staggering 100% greater impact on our environment than PeopleTowels. Switch to PeopleTowels and in one year, you will save 1/4 tree, reduce landfill waste by 23 pounds, and conserve 250 gallons of water. * On my wish list? The 3-pack Peace, Love, and PeopleTowels. The colorful, retro designs are going to make this habit easy to kick. PeopleTowels 455 Canyon Del Rey Blvd. Monterey, CA 93940 Tel 1-888-237-2498 comments@peopletowels.com 3-pack Peace, Love, and PeopleTowels, $21 * Fact from PeopleTowels.com Thumbprints: C, F, G, O What a Bright Ikea 04/08/2010
 If you're like me and almost everyone I know, you've gone to Ikea before. And if you have, chances are pretty good that you didn't leave empty handed. Instead, you probably found yourself pushing one of their big metal carts to your car parked 1/2 a mile away. I used to feel kind of guilty when I shopped at Ikea because I thought I should be investing my money in "real" furniture. You know, the kind that could someday be handed down. My Billy bookcase was certainly never going to end up in an antique shop. Turns out, I was investing in something else. Ikea is a great company, both socially and environmentally responsible. Perhaps I never really noticed because I was too busy ogling their low prices, but I think they've been a little modest about their values. Maybe it's a Swedish thing. So here's a short list of reasons you deserve a pat on the back for shopping Ikea.
Ikea www.ikea.com Thumbprint: C, G, F Cuckoo for Cocoa 02/09/2010
 You might think it's ludicrous (or ingenious) to have a line item for chocolate in your budget, but after a quick calculation of our household expenses last year, I deemed it appropriate. But I knew that a budget alone wouldn't do it; what I needed was a plan. Otherwise I might squander all of my chocolate funds early in the year and run the risk of having to drastically curb, or even eliminate, my cocoa consumption in the 4th quarter of 2010. While the old me would drop a few hard-earned bucks on one delectable bite-sized treat, the new me would have to do without luxury chocolate...or so I thought. Enter into any Whole Foods-like market and you'll be astounded by the variety in the chocolate aisle. Gone are the days when you had to choose between a Hershey's bar or Snickers. Thankfully, chocolate has joined the rank of everyday gourmet foods. On my last shopping excursion, I picked up a bar of The Tea Room's dark chocolate infused with green early grey tea (delicate and herbal) and Dagoba's "xocolatl" made with dark chocolate, chilies and cacao nibs (spicy, hot and exotic). Both companies produce only organic chocolates which makes their confections doubly sweet (the cocoa crop is ranked second in pesticide use behind cotton). Other all-time favorites are Dagoba's "chai" bar with essences of chai tea and ginger and Theo's organic coconut curry bar (flavors self-explanatory). Dagoba Organic Chocolate 601 22nd Street San Francisco, CA 94107 Phone: 866.972.6879 Fax: 415.401.0087 www.dagobachocolate.com dagoba@worldpantry.com Dagoba chocolate bars, $3.45 for a 2 oz. bar Thumbprint: C, F*, G, O
Theo Chocolate 3400 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: 206.632.5100 Fax: 206.632.0413 www.theochocolate.com Theo chocolate bars, $3.25 for a 2 oz. bar Thumbprint: F, G, O The Tea Room 110C Mezzetta Court American Canyon, CA 94503 Phone: 866.515.8855 Fax: 707.561.7081 www.thetearoom.biz info@thetearoom.biz The Tea Room chocolate bars, $3.85 for a 1.8 oz. bar Thumbprint: O Lunchables 01/26/2010
 I'm not over-zealous in my green pursuits. I don't collect rainwater or have solar panels, but I do what I can. I buy into the theory that little changes can make a big difference, so when I stumbled across fabric sandwich bags and snack pouches on reusablebags.com, I did my research and then handed over my credit card number. First, I've got to hand it to reusablebags.com. Not only do they offer sensible and stylish products that help you green your life, they have excellent customer service (I have first-hand experience), support fair trade practices and are members of 1% for the Planet, which means 1% of sales are donated to said organization. I ordered a couple of the ACME Bags™ Snack Bag and Stuff Sack (made of recycled PET), the Wrap-N-Mat® sandwich wraps, and the ReUsies™ sandwich bags. All of them are great for different purposes. The snack pouch is perfect for crackers and chips, while the sandwich wrap keeps my turkey on rye together despite jostling. It also gives me a clean place to munch on my lunch, no plate required. The sandwich bag is handy for sliced fruit, veggies and the not-so- occasional cookie. I'm giving myself two thumbs up for these purchases; not only am I saving money (I haven't bought plastic wrap or wax paper in months), but I'm also reducing the amount of plastic that goes into our landfills. Yahoo! ACME Bags™ Snack Bag and Stuff Sack, $4.95 on reusablebags.com Thumbprints: C, F, G
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service@reusablebags.com 888.707.3873 Bonus: Shipping is a flat $5.95 | AuthorAnju is a thirty-something ex-New Yorker who will forever miss the city. Likes running enough to keep doing it. Considers herself a pizza aficionado. Sections
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A = no animal testing *free of the thirty most toxic and common chemicals found in cosmetics and personal care products we use everyday
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