Maine Attraction 12/02/2010
 Soda gets a bad rap, but sometimes a sweet bubbly drink just hits the spot---like when I'm biting into a slice of my favorite pizza or chowing down on a not-so-mini burrito. There's nothing like a little effervescence to cleanse the palate. I'm all for moderation, so while I don't worry about a swig (or two) of pop every now and then, I do want "the good stuff" when I reach for a drink. My recent crush hails from Portland, Maine, and is aptly named Maine Root, an organically sweetened soda that is goodness bottled. Maine Root is like micro-brewery meets soda pop. They're a small, specialty producer of fizzies sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice. And if you're into the technical details, this special sweetener is made by passing the whole sugar cane through a set of rollers and drying the extract into crystals without extra processing or additives. Sweet, huh? I think so. Bonus: The company delivers its local Portland orders in a VW vegetable-powered diesel. Maine Root T 512.517.3158 www.maineroot.com ~$6.79 for a 4-pack available at stores like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and World Market In addition to root beer, Maine Root also produces these flavors: Ginger Brew, Sarsaparilla, Blueberry, Mandarin Orange, and Lemon Lime Thumbprint: B, C, G 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 What's your Credo? 10/28/2010
Some things just aren't any fun---like going to the dentist, cleaning up the dishes after a lasagna dinner, or changing your wireless service provider. But things must get done whether we like to do them or not and to ease the pain of switching cellular services, thankfully there's Credo Mobile. So why switch? With election day just around the corner, I feel even more strongly about spending my money with companies whose values resonate with my own. I realize that it takes a lot of time to do this research, but that's part of why I created A Worthy Splurge in the first place. And in researching my current provider, I learned that the company supported the very ideas and politicians I will not be voting for come November 2nd. Thanks to good old capitalism, we have competition in the marketplace. We have choices. And when it comes to mobile phone service, I'm making a change to Credo. Why? Because Credo is "not driven by the bottom line, but by a belief." They support progressive social change and donate funds every year (members decide where the donations go) to organizations that support civil rights, the environment, social justice, and peace---organizations that I would donate to anyway, like the ACLU, Greenpeace, and Doctors Without Borders. Bonus: You can keep your current phone number, plans cost the same as other major providers, and they'll buy out your contract. Credo Mobile T 800.411.0848 Thumbprint: C, G 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 One for the Record Books 09/22/2010
 When I was in third grade, I remember flipping through the Guinness Book of World Records with one of my best friends and wondering how we could get our names into that famed book. We certainly didn't have any abnormal physical traits or brute strength to work with---we were just your average nine-year-olds. And after calculating that we could never make the world's largest brownie in our families' standard-sized ovens, we gave up (rather quickly) on our momentary dream and went back to playing hop scotch. Fast forward twenty-something years and I think I've found a way to get us into that record book after all. For almost 26 years, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) has sponsored Coastal Cleanup Day. Last year, over 80,000 people came out to collect 1.3 million pounds of trash and recyclable materials from California's beaches, lakes, and rivers. That's A LOT of trash, right? The Guinness Book of World Records thought so, too, which is why they declared this event as "the largest garbage collection" (1993). Even if you've never dreamed of setting a world record, Coastal Cleanup Day will be quite an event. Learn how to volunteer at this year's affair on Saturday, September 25th (9 am - 12 noon). Already got plans? Then participate in nature walks, restoration efforts, and workshops near you on another day or help clean-up our beaches year round through the CCC's Adopt-a-Beach program. Be sure to check out Algalita Marine Research Foundation's video, Synthetic Sea, too. It'll make the decision to volunteer this Saturday that much easier. Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, September 25th, 2010 - Sponsored by the California Coastal Commission www.coastal.ca.gov Learn how to participate at this year's event on 9/25/10 Thumbprint: G Image via www.coastal.ca.gov How Refreshing 09/13/2010
 What were you doing when you were 12 years old? I wasn't doing anything too noteworthy. Best I can recall, I spent most of my summer at the town pool chit-chatting with friends and reading Bop. Not that I didn't have fun. I just didn't have much of an agenda other than myself. On the other hand, there's my little cousin Chloe. She's a new breed of kid---the kind that already realizes the world needs saving and is willing to roll up her sleeves and do her part. At the same tender age that I was playing Truth or Dare and cutting out pictures of Fred Savage to tape inside my school locker, Chloe is cooking up homemade chutney, tending to her rooftop garden, and thinking up ways she can turn her green ideas into reality. She just entered the Pepsi Refresh Project with the hopes of obtaining funds so her Montessori school's shuttle bus can run on used restaurant veggie oil. Her goals are to:
Thumbprint: 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 Write Me 08/05/2010
 Aside from bills and advertisements, I hardly ever get "real" mail anymore. If it weren't for my subscriptions to Sunset and Runner's World, I might forgo checking the mail altogether. But I'm hoping that the hit letter writing has taken is just cyclical---that one day we'll all wake up with great penmanship and remember how much fun it is to hold a handwritten note in our hands. To help us on our journey is Brynne Cogorno, owner of Backward Prints, an eco-friendly stationary line that I came across at the Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach, CA. I *love* Brynne's notecards. They have an organic, homemade quality to them (not only in the look and feel of the paper, but in the artwork as well). And the designs are happy. Whether they're robots in love or those Matryoshka dolls you'll remember from your childhood, they simply make you smile and want to send a note to someone (anyone, really). Brynne's cards are 100% biodegradable and recyclable. And given some sun, water, and time, they grow. Isn't that something to write home about? I think so. Backward Prints www.backwardprints.com beezi@me.com 949.275.1926 Individual cards are $3.50 and up or $20 for a 6-pack of 3.5"x4.25" cards (yes, youu can mix and match!) Available at her online store and etsy.com Thumbprints: B,C,G Image via backwardprints.com Produce Bag Blues 07/30/2010
I've got a new pet peeve. And the worst thing about it? I'm a long-time offender... It all began on a beautiful summer's day. I was at my local farmers' market and was mentally patting myself on the back for remembering to bring my reusable shopping bags. "Go me," I thought. As I spotted some plump plums, I reached for a produce bag and suddenly it hit me. I'd been picking out produce, placing it in a plastic bag, then putting the produce filled plastic bag into my reusable bag. I rolled my eyes---I'd been lying to myself (though unintentionally) all this time. I had a case of the produce bag blues. Sure, some of the bags you pick up at farmers' markets are biodegradable, but the point of using reusable bags is to reduce a person's consumption and carbon footprint, right? I was doing neither. I looked around and practically everyone around me was doing the same thing. If only there were reusable produce bags... Of course most ideas are not novel, so a quick Goggle search for "reusable produce bags" led me to one of my favorite websites---reuseit.com (formerly reusablebags.com). There's a variety of these bags available for purchase, but my favorite is the Flip & Tumble set. They're made of see-through mesh (which makes for an easy checkout at grocery stores), don't stain or shrink, and come with a draw string closure. Bonus: When you get home, you can wash your produce right in the bag. Brilliant! Flip & Tumble™ 415-830-5624 info@flipandtumble.com $11 for a set of five reusable produce bags Available at flipandtumble.com or reuseit.com Thumbprint: Green Cooks Illustrated 05/25/2010
 Last week I was in the Bay Area thanks to a $9 flight I snagged on JetBlue. I saw a lot of friends and ate a lot of really good food, but the one thing I can't stop thinking about is a fresh strawberry-filled donut I devoured during lunch at Napa Valley College's Cooking School (NVCCS). And it wasn't even my donut to devour! It was on my friend's plate, but that's another story. Lunch at NVCCS is like reality TV meets The French Laundry. If you're lucky enough to land a reservation, ask for a seat in the kitchen---really. Bubbling pots, tantalizing aromas, and the energy of a real working kitchen make this experience like none other. There's even a large mirror perfectly angled for watching students plate your next course. Needless to say, lunch was amazing---I had a shot of a cool cucumber soup, perfectly cooked asparagus with a fresh poached egg, a sardine crostini---the list goes on. After the fourth course (or thereabout) I stopped counting and entered a state of pure food bliss. What made this meal a real standout (aside from that blessed donut) is the school's sustainable practices. From day one students are taught about the environmental impact of their chosen industry. And the school? It endeavors to reduce its carbon footprint by establishing its own biodynamic system. So composting, recycling, caring for a flock of rare and heritage breed hens, and nurturing a rare-seed organic garden? That's all part of the program. Bonus: I hear that the day's leftovers are sent to a local food bank (although I have a hard time believing there are any leftovers). Napa Valley College Cooking School 1088 College Avenue St. Helena, CA 94574 Phone: (707) 967-2900 www.napavalley.edu/cookingschool Thumbprint: C, G, O | 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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