Do you know what those numbers on your Fruits & Vegetables Mean?

The numbers on your Fruits & Vegetables actually mean something to you not just the retailer or cashier to ring you up. The numbers, also known as the PLU code(price lookup number), tells you the following:

Beginning with the number 9 = Organic.
Beginning with the number 4 = grown by Conventional (code for Chemical) means.
Beginning with the number 8 = a GMO or Genetically Modified Organism!

Memorize this so you can make better purchasing decisions when shopping for your family!

Refill.Reuse.Reduce - Buy Stainless Steel Water Bottles vs. Plastic

Starting to buy Back-to-School Supplies? I know I have started stocking up. What choices can you make that are more green this year?

One great change you can make this year is that instead of buying your kids a plastic water bottle for their lunchbags, you could make a greener choice by purchasing a stainless steel water bottle.

Refill, Reuse, Reduce. Plastics are forever and stainless steel water bottles can actually be recycled! The average American uses 168 water bottles a year - can this be your year where you don't use any?

SOURCES:
http://www.takebackthetap.org/
http://www.kleankanteen.com/

Check out a Green Environmental Eco Book from your Local Library

I was thinking today - what green eco friendly tip can I give you today? I was thinking of getting one of the three Green Eco books I checked out of the library this week and getting some inspiration.

Guess what the inspiration is? It is for you to go to your local library and check out the latest Green book! These librarians are all over buying the latest Green Environmental Eco books that are out there. It is a section growing at your local libraries and it's a section growing with new and recent books. And it's good for the environment for you to check out the book to save some trees.

So, visit your local library with the kids and see what green book you can check out to get inspired to make your home more green, your office more green, your buying choices more green, your cleaning choices more green, and your eating choices more green!

It's Good to be Green !

Recycling Aluminum Foil & Green Aluminum Foil with recycled content

I just heard about "green aluminum" on twitter tonite. Hum?

First, you can re-use your aluminum foil over and over. One idea I ran across again and again is wrap your kids sandwiches in aluminum foil instead of a plastic bag and just wash and re-use and re-use. When you are finally done with it - you can recycle it with your aluminum cans.

"Plus, recycling aluminum takes as little as 5 percent of the energy you'd need to manufacture virgin aluminum, says the U.S. Department of State's Aluminum Task Force.If your municipal recycling eschews foil, and entering your zip code at Earth911.org doesn't turn up a suitable recycler in your area, you can still make amends by purchasing recycled aluminum foil, many brands of which are becoming increasingly visible in stores. Fun fact: Americans toss out enough aluminum every three months to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet, according to the Aluminum Association."

Brands that offer Recycled Aluminum Foil product:
Reynolds Wrap Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum
If You Care 100% Recycled Aluminum Foil


SOURCES: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/aluminum-foil-reuses.html,
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/reuse-recycle-your-aluminum-foil.html,
http://www.reynoldswraprecycled.com/, http://www.ifyoucare.com/, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1716161/20_uses_for_aluminum_foil.html

Where can you walk instead of driving this week?

I had to go to the store to get about $30 in groceries tonite. I decided to walk to the smaller grocery store that is about 1 mile away.

I brought my green environmental recycled koolaide bag (from www.rejuicedbags.com) and some cash, wearing my headphones and walking shoes.I walked to and from the store at a brisk pace. I bought great salad fixings and came home and had a nice big salad with my dinner tonite.

Where can you walk instead of driving this week ?

Big Green Purse Book by Diane Maceachern

Big Green Purse book by Diane Maceachern

~ Using Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World ~

This book is jam-packed with 413 pages of how you can spend your dollars wisely in 25 key commodities where your dollars can have the most impact plus dozens of other areas where you can make better choices for your environment and our world. This is a must read, a must buy, family resource book !

"MacEachern's message is simple but revolutionary. If women harness the "power of their purse" and intentionally shift their spending money to commodities that have the greatest environmental benefit, they can create a cleaner, greener world. Spirited and informative, this book:
•targets twenty commodities-cars, cosmetics, coffee, food, paper products, appliances, cleansers, and more-where women's dollars can make a dramatic difference;
•provides easy-to-follow guidelines and lists so women can choose the greenest option regardless of what they're buying, along with recommended companies they should support;
•encourages women to spend wisely by explaining what's worth the premium price some green products cost, what's not, and when they shouldn't spend money at all; and
•differentiates between products that are actually "green" and those that are simply marketed as "ecofriendly."

Whether readers want to start with small changes or are ready to devote the majority of their budget to green products, MacEachern offers concrete and immediate ways that women can take action and make a difference. Empowering and enlightening, Big Green Purse will become the "green shopping bible" for women everywhere who are asking, "What can I do?" "

SOURCE: http://www.biggreenpurse.com/

Growing up Green Book by Deirdre Imus

Growing up Green, book, by Deirdre Imus

I have checked this book out of the library 3 times now. I need to add this to my buy book list !
This book is jam packed full of information about making the best choices and decisions on which foods, cleaning products, chemicals, toys, and materials to expose your children to or that they may already be exposed.

Some topics included are:

• Environmental Triggers to Chronic Illnesses


• Prevention is the Best Cure


• Preparing for Pregnancy


• Eating Right for Two


• Developing your Baby's Palate


• Green Pediatrics


• Off to School - how safe is it ?

"The second volume in the New York Times bestselling Green This! series, Growing Up Green: Baby and Child Care is a complete guide to raising healthy kids. Environmental activist and children's advocate Deirdre Imus addresses specific issues faced by children in every age group-from infants to adolescents and beyond. With a focus on preventing rather than treating childhood illnesses, Deirdre concentrates on educating and empowering parents with information such as: How to make sure your child is vaccinated safely, Which plastic bottles and toys are least toxic, How to lobby for safer school environments and support children's environmental health studies, Advice from leading "green" pediatricians and nationally recognized doctors such as Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. Chock-full of research and advice, Growing Up Green makes it easy for you to introduce your child to the "living green" way of life."

"The World Health Organization estimates that we could prevent more than 80 percent of all chronic illnesses by improving our lifestyles in simple ways, like working to reduce our exposure to environmental pollutants and eating a healthier diet. Eighty percent ! So, why aren't we doing more to protect our children ?"

"For a number of reasons, children are more adversely affected by exposure to environmental toxins than adults. Pound for pound of body weight, they breathe and eat more than we do. Their still developing immune systems might mistakenly treat toxins as naturally occurring enzymes or hormones. And because children are growing and developing so fast, dangerous cell mutations can multiply at a faster rate. Children are also less capable of detoxifying and excreting chemicals than adults. Their blood-brain barrier is still porous and allows more chemicals to reach their brains."

This book is a compelling read and contributes to our family's mission to make better green options in our everyday lives.

SOURCES: http://www.dienviro.com/index.aspx, http://www.imusranchfoods.com/

100 Mile Diet - blog, book, t.v. show - Join the Revolution !

"In 2005, Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon began a one-year experiment in local eating. Their 100-Mile Diet struck a deeper chord than anyone could have predicted, inspiring thousands of individuals, and even whole communities, to change the way they eat. Locally raised and produced food has been called “the new organic" — better tasting, better for the environment, better for local economies, and better for your health. From reviving the family farm to reconnecting with the seasons, the local foods movement is turning good eating into a revolution."

This revolution led to a television show called the 100 Mile Challenge on Food T.V. I caught the first episode last night and loved it !

"Throughout The 100 Mile Challenge, James and Alisa provide the families with expert information, tips, encouragement, corrections, and a series of challenges. The pair guides the 100-milers through the deep, personal transformations they will undergo in this "shared yet individual" experience. "

This 100 Mile Challenge takes place in Mission, British Columbia. "What better place to launch a transformational social experiment than a place called Mission? Why Mission? The search for the perfect town for The 100-Mile Challenge spanned the breadth of the Fraser Valley, a massive network of small towns and bedroom communities that covers some of the richest agricultural land in British Columbia.

Located 70 kilometres east of Vancouver, the town of Mission is nestled on a slope overlooking the mighty Fraser River, where several species of salmon swim and fishing enthusiasts can do battle with six-foot white sturgeon right under the Mission bridge. From rolling hills dotted with cows, to a manufacturing base that turns out $10 million yachts for wealthy American businessmen, Mission is a perfect petri dish of the modern-day push and pull between agricultural land and residential sprawl that faces Canadians daily. It's a struggle that affects all aspects of life, including what ends up on the dinner table, and where it comes from.

Mission is still home to commercial and hobby farmers who are no strangers to the arts of canning and preserving. Our 100-milers are going to need all the advice, support, and inspiration they can find to get them through the next 100 days."

Follow six local families on their 100 Mile Diet adventure on Sunday nights at 8pm on the Food Network.

SOURCE: http://www.100milediet.org/, http://100mile.foodtv.ca/

Is your Deodorant Recyclable? Only ONE Deodorant Stick is 100% Recyclable !

The ONLY 100% Recyclable Deodorant Stick !

I just switched to Tom's of Maine deodorant after I read an article about how many deodorant sticks are in landfills because they are not recyclable. So many people think that deodorant sticks are being recycled because they are plastic. They aren't because most are made with mixed plastics and have different components that are not able to be recycled.

Another product switched to a greener option on my quest for a greener life for my family. My husband noticed yesterday that there are new and different products in our house. I haven't told him my whole theory and practice this year. I simply answered that I am trying to make better choices for our family and our environment.

Green, Greener, Greenest Book by Lori Bongiorno - Book Review

Green, Greener, Greenest Book by Lori Bongiorno

I loved this book ! First off, this book was printed on 100% recycled paper and it is a great oatmeal color and a great size and feel. I know you can get books online, and I checked out this book from the library, however, I have added this to my TO BUY list. This is a reference book that I kept reading over and over and have checked out twice from the library.

"Looking to live a more eco-friendly life but don’t know where to start? Or have you already made changes but want to do more? Green, Greener, Greenest, by journalist Lori Bongiorno, offers a whole spectrum of environmentally conscious choices, because there is no one “right” way to be green. "

The book is laid out in chapters about types of products we use or items we use such as: Food, Beverages, Personal Care Products. Lori provides the latest information and education surrounding those topics and then concludes each chapter with your Green, Greener, and Greenest options.

Here's one example about Deodorant and Anti-Perspirants:

• Green = Avoid products containing parabens


• Green = Avoid antiperspirants which contain aluminum


• Greener = Try a natural brand of deodarant


• Greenest = Instead of convential products, try an alternative product like rock salt, a crystal product, or baking soda

Here's another example about Baby Diapers:

• Green = If you use disposables, empty contents into toliet before tossing soiled diapers. Untreated fecal matter can potentially contaminate ground water if it leaks from landfills. (I never knew this ! When I occasionally use paper diapers I know empty the contents before putting in the trash)


• Greener = If you go for disposables, try a a natural brand like Tushies, Seventh Generation, or Tendercare - all made without cholrine.


• Greenest = Use cloth diapers, there are all sorts of great diaper systems out there (I use primarily cloth and will write a future blog on this)

Check out this book from your local library, suggest that your local library purchase it if they haven't already, buy this book as a resource to More Green = More Life !

SOURCE: http://www.greengreenergreenest.com/, "Green, Greener, Greenest" Book by Lori Bongiorno

Be Green and Get Rid of Shaving Cream !

Get rid of shaving cream and use another product that is in every shower.

Part of being green is using less and consuming less. So, part of our More Green campaign in our house I will be looking for ways to eliminate or consolidate products.

I have eliminated shaving cream from my life. Guess what I use instead?

Hair Conditioner ! I wash my hair twice and always have more conditioner left over after the shampoo runs out. So, one day I was out of shaving cream and decided instead of borrowing my husband's that I would try my hair conditioner. It worked great ! You really just want to create a smooth environment to shave and it being a moisturizer is an added benefit.

What product in your house can you use for more than one purpose ?

California Baby - Green Baby - 2009.Feb.10

I have been using California Baby products for over 10 years now !

I started looking into various organic and sodium laurelth sulfate free products after the birth of my first child in 1998. I have very sensitive skin and my son does also. He was prone to eczema and would have outbreaks after eating certain items and after using certain products on him at bathtime. So, I began my quest to find something that wouldn't make my poor baby break out in these horrible itchy eczema patches.

Upon research, investigation, and recommendations I found out about California Baby and bought gift set of 2oz sizes of all of their products at a local health food store and have been hooked ever since. I now love their 17.5oz pump bottle of their combo hair and body wash in Calming. When you are washing the little ones it's nice to be able to pump out the hair and body wash with one hand, so I can keep the other on that slippery little sucker !

"California Baby products are free from common allergens such as milk, egg, peanut, walnut, cashew, almond and pecans, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. California Baby products are also free of gluten and casein.NO Sulfates, DEA, Colors, Dyes, Synthetic Fragrances or Numbing Agents." To read more about their ingredients and what they do and don't have in their products, see the link below.

I am thrilled to see that now Target carries California Baby ! I love Target and shop their often and it is very convenient for me to pick it up when I am there. However, I do still support my local health foods store and continue to purchase California Baby from them when I am in buying vitamins.

SOURCE & MORE INFO:

http://www.californiababy.com/ingredients-faq.html

Washing Your Fruits and Veggies - Green Food - 2009.Feb.01.

Green Food.

Washing Your Fruits and Veggies.

Did you know that up to 20 pairs of hands could touch your fruit and vegetables from field to feeding your family? Think about all the food recalls on strawberries, spinach, tomatoes, and peanuts. Contaminants can build up while fruit and veggies are grown, harvested, transported, packed and sold. Washing in water alone will not remove all the bacteria, waxes, chemicals and pesticides.

According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), you should wash raw fruits and vegetables very well before you peel, cut, eat, or cook with them.

#1 Wash your hands thoroughly before doing any food preparation.

#2 Wash down your counters and food preparation surfaces before your start.

#3 Wash your fruits and veggies before you do any meat preparation to avoid any cross contamination.

#4 Wash all fruits and vegetables, even the the package says they are pre-washed.

#5 Wash all parts of your fruits and vegetables, even if you don't plan on eating them. Bacteria can live on the rind of an orange, the skin of a cucumber, or the skin of a banana, for example. Though you may peel them away and toss them in the trash, the bacteria can be transferred from the outside of the fruit or vegetable to the knife you use to cut them, and then onto the parts you will be eating.

#6 Do not soak your fruits and veggies in water.

#7 Put your fruit or vegetables you are preparing in a colander and rinse.

#8 For fruit and veggies with a strong skin use a vegetable brush.

#9 Use cold water to wash your veggies

#10 If you want to use a commercial cleaner like: "Fit", "Veggie Wash" that is your choice and chose wisely and look at the ingredients. None are FDA or USDA approved and are currently being studied. I would look for an organic and natural wash.

SOURCES: http://www.umext.maine.edu/, http://www.nutrition.about.com/,

Green Works Floor Cleaner - Green Cleaning - 2009.Jan.28

Green Cleaning.

Green Works Floor Cleaner.

I decided as products run out at my house that I would try out a green alternative. So, my floor cleaner ran out and that is a staple in my house as I try to mop my floor every night before I go to bed since I have a crawler, walker, eat anything off the floor baby/toddler right now.


They call it "Dilutable Cleaner" and says that it is 99% natural made with essential oils, no phosphorus or bleach, a coconut based cleaning agent. I have not tried it yet, but have started with my pledge in 2009 to move our family to the world of green.


I will also be trying some green cleaning alternatives like: using baking soda that you sprinkle on your carpet before you vacuum to freshen it up and deodorize it, using white distilled vinegar to remove soap scum and as a fabric softner in the rinse cylce of my baby's cloth diapers (yes, I use cloth diapers and have a wonderful easy diaper pail free system I will put in a future post !).


A truly healthy environment starts with your home. Most ordinary household cleaners are locaed with chemicals that just can't be good for you and your family. Your home is where you live, breath, eat, and sleep !

Send your kids outside for one "Green Hour" a Day - Green Nature - 2009.Jan.25

Green Nature.

Send kids outside to get close to nature and appreciate the world around them.

The National Wildlife Federation recommends that parents give their kids a "Green Hour" every day, a time for unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. This can take place in a garden, a backyard, the park down the street, or any place that provides safe and accessible green spaces where children can learn and play.

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, refers to this nature-child disconnect as "nature deficit disorder." One of the primary symptoms is the replacement of the green space by the screen space as the occupier of children's free time. Indeed, a Kaiser Family Foundation study found that the average American child spends 44 hours per week (more than 6 hours a day!) staring at some kind of electronic screen. Studies have linked excessive television viewing to obesity, violence, and even lower intelligence in kids. Now, a growing wave of research indicates that children who spend time outdoors are healthier, overall, than their indoor counterparts

Children who regularly spend unstructured time outside:

• Play more creatively
• Have lower stress levels
• Have more active imaginations
• Become fitter and leaner
• Develop stronger immune systems
• Experience fewer symptoms of ADD and ADHD
• Have greater respect for themselves, for others, and for the environment

SOURCE: http://www.greenhour.org/

TOP 15 Fruits & Veggies with Highest Levels of Pesticides - Green Food - 2009.Jan.24

Green Food.

Top 15 Fruits and Veggies you should buy Organic.

Should I buy organic fruits and vegetables ? They sometimes are so much more expensive. When I am doing my weekly shopping for fresh produce I am faced with so many decisions. I have started buying some organic produce for our family. My oldest is 10 years old, my second is 7.5 years old, and my youngest just turned 1 and wow have things changed since my oldest was just starting to eat "real people food". I am so concerned about all the food I feed my children and am trying to make good choices all the time, but I am especially concerned about all the new foods the baby is eating.

So, how do you know when to buy organic. I found this web-site that monitors the pesticide levels in fruits and veggies and below is a list of the 15 worst offenders for pesticides. I am going to print off this list and put in my purse when I go shopping and am faced with decisions about buying organic.

The produce ranking was developed by analysts at the not-for-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2005. A detailed description of the is available as well as a full list of fresh fruits and vegetables that have been tested at EWG's web-site.

The TOP 15 Fruits & Veggies with highest levels of pesticides:

1. Peaches - 100 (highest pesticide load)
2. Apples - 96
3. Sweet Bell Peppers - 86
4. Celery - 85
5. Nectarines - 84
6. Strawberries - 83
7. Cherries - 75
8. Lettuce - 69
9. Grapes - Imported - 68
10. Pears - 65
11. Spinach - 60
12. Potatoes - 58
13. Carrots - 57
14. Green Beans - 55
15. Hot Peppers - 53

EWG is a not-for-profit environmental research organization dedicated to improving public health and protecting the environment by reducing pollution in air, water and food.

SOURCE: http://www.ewg.org/

Mail in your polar fleece garments to be recycled into new clothing - Green Clothing - 2009.Jan.23

Green Clothing.

Recycled that Polar Fleece to be turned into New Clothing !

I just found out about Patagonia's Polar Fleece Recycling Program ! I am going to pull a Polar Fleece we have in the donation/Goodwill box downstairs and send it to Patagonia. They take polar fleece from any manufacturer and make them into new clothing. Here's the scoop from their site.

Common Threads Garment Recycling
Way too much of what is made these days ends up in the trash at the end of its useful life. At Patagonia, we're working to change that. In 2005, Patagonia launched the Common Threads Garment Recycling Program, through which customers could return their worn out Capilene® Performance Baselayers to us for them to recycle. They've since been able to expand the list of recyclable garments to include worn out Patagonia® fleece, Polartec® fleece clothing (from any maker), Patagonia cotton T-shirts, and now some additional polyester and nylon 6 products that come with a Common Threads tag. Through Common Threads they transform your unusable garments into new clothing, which gets them closer to a long-standing company goal of taking full responsibility for every product they make.

How to Recycle any of the above listed garments:
Simply wash them first and use one of the following collection methods:
1. Mail them to the Patagonia Service Center at
Patagonia Service CenterATTN: Common Threads Recycling Program8550 White Fir StreetReno, NV 89523-8939
OR
2. Drop them off at the neartest Patagonia Retail Store.

SOURCE: http://www.patagonia.com

Buy Local Office Challenge - Green Food - 2009.Jan.22

Green Food.

Start a Buy Local Eat Local 30 Day Challenge at your Office or School.

Want to start a challenge in your office to make a difference and Buy Loal Food for a month? -That is just what Vanguard Communications out of Washington DC did.

Vanguard Communications created its Buy Local Challenge in 2002 to “taste-test” social marketing strategies related to identifying, choosing and preparing food from local farms. This communications “incubator” was designed to help us and our clients identify barriers to consumer acceptance and demand for local food products. During that first Challenge, which took place in April, Vanguard staff, family and friends endured a trying month in which little but spinach and asparagus were available. Learning how to eat seasonally proved to be harder than it seemed. Now, buy local efforts are popping up throughout the country, and more and more consumers are discovering the joys and benefits of locally grown food.

SOURCE: http://www.buylocalchallenge.org/

Green Choices when Eating Out - Green Foods - 2009.Jan.21

Green Food.
How to make Green Choices when Dining Out2009 Restaurant Industry Fact Sheet

• 1.5 billion — Restaurant-industry sales on a typical day in 2009.
• 76 percent — Percent of adults who said they are trying to eat healthier now at restaurants than they did two years ago.
• 70 percent — Percent of adults who said they are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers locally produced food items.
• 69 percent — Percent of adults who said purchasing meals from restaurants, take-out and delivery places makes it easier for families with children to manage their day-to-day lives.
• 52 percent — Percent of adults who said they are likely to make a restaurant choice based on how much a restaurant supports charitable activities and the local community.

SOURCE: http://www.restaurant.org/ - National Restaurant Association

So, dining out is not going away. In fact, this is one industry that is expected to see growth even in this precarious economy. So, are you wondering how to eat more green when eating out. I found a web-site called http://www.dinegreen.com/ for finding Certified Green Restaurants. They not only have a directory of Certified Green Restaurants, they actually certify and monitor these restaurants for their green standards. You can search by State, City, Zip Code. It even tells you how many of their certification steps they have completed!

Certified Green Restaurants™ meet the following standards:

• Use a comprehensive recycling system for all products that are accepted by local recycling companies.
• Free of polystyrene foam ("Styrofoam") products.
• Commit to completing four Environmental Steps per year of membership.
• Complete at least one Environmental Step listed below after joining the GRA.

1. Energy Efficiency & Conservation
   Energy efficient technologies and conservation practices exist for lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, foodservice appliances, office equipment, and transportation
2. Water Efficiency & Conservation
   Water efficient technologies and conservation practices exist for foodservice appliances, equipment, and landscaping.
3. Recycling & Composting
   Recycling services exist for many waste products such as glass, plastic, metal, cardboard, mixed paper, grease, ink & toner cartridges. Food waste can be diverted from landfills and made into nutrient-rich soil through the use of a composting service or an on-site system.
4. Sustainable Food
   Sustainable food products support the long-term maintenance of ecosystems and agriculture for future generations. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering. Locally grown foods reduce the amount of pollution associated with transportation primarily by fossil fuels. Plant-based foods require fewer natural resources and create less pollution per calorie consumed.
5. Pollution Prevention
   Pollution prevention is achieved through source reduction, reuse, or improving operational practices.
6. Recycled, Tree-Free, Biodegradable & Organic Products
   Recycled products are made from materials that are collected from post-consumer or post-industrial waste sources. Tree-free products are made from alternative plant sources such as hemp or kenaf. Biodegradable products are capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria. Organic products are grown without the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering.
7. Chlorine-Free Paper Products
   Chlorine-free paper products are unbleached or whitened with alternatives such as hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, and ozone. The term Process Chlorine-Free (PCF) identifies recycled paper that is unbleached or bleached without the use of chlorine compounds. The term Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) identifies virgin paper that is unbleached or bleached without the use of chlorine compounds. The term Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) identifies paper that is bleached without the use of elemental chlorine (but may use chlorine compounds).
8. Non-Toxic Cleaning & Chemical Products
   Non-toxic cleaning and chemical products are biodegradable, free of hazardous ingredients, and are safe for people, animals and the environment when used properly.
9. Green Power
   Electricity and power is available from renewable resources such as wind, solar, geothermal, small hydro and biomass. These energy sources cause dramatically less air pollution and environmental damage compared to fossil fuel, nuclear, and large-scale hydroelectric energy sources.
10. Green Building & Construction
    Green design and construction practices significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment, occupants, and the local community.
11. Education
    Staff will receive GRA's book, Dining Green: A Guide to Creating Environmentally Sustainable Restaurants and Kitchens, which explains the environmental impact of the restaurant industry and a path toward ecological sustainability. Restaurants also receive signs for recycling, energy & water conservation, and to remind staff of the 4 Environmental Steps for the year.

SOURCE: http://www.dinegreen.com/

Celestial Seasonings - Green Beverages - 2009.Jan.20

Celestial Seasonings uses as little packaging as possible to market its teas. The company's unique pillow tea bag requires no strings, tags, staples, individual overwrapping, or foil envelopes. This results in keeping more than fifteen hundred tons of waste out of landfills each year. Tea bag papers are packaged in cardboard boxes made from 100 percent recycled paperboard, which is derived from at least 35 percent post-consumer waste. The boxes include resealable interior liners to keep the tea fresh. You can recycle the liners, box, and compost the bags:

SOURCE: "Big Green Purse" by Diane MacEachern, Page 140