Green | Green Living

Gloss How-To: Create a Green Bridal Registry

green wedding 300x198 Gloss How To: Create a Green Bridal Registry After all those romantic Valentine proposals (my husband proposed to me, on bended knee, Valentine’s evening 12 years ago!), many of you are into full-on planning mode. Even if you’re not getting married, I’m sure someone you know is, so I asked Green Wedding expert, Sharon Naylor, to show us how to make your registry a little more gorgeous.

Registering for gifts is one of those ultra-fun activities that you get to do with your groom right away, and keep doing throughout your engagement season (so it’s not too late if you’ve already started!) Whether you’re browsing in-store or clicking online to build your gift lists, you now have more opportunities than ever to turn your registry green – and by that, I mean signing on for earth-friendly items that aren’t just things you’ll own, but are things you’ll use to live a greener, healthier life for as long as you both shall live. Here’s the lowdown on going green with your gift lists.

First, some basics about registries. You can have more than one. In fact, the national average is two to three different registries established by brides and grooms, and guests don’t think they’re being greedy. There are just different types of registries out there, and why shouldn’t you get to tap into them?

Next, registering for green gifts is quickly becoming a hot new trend. According to TheWeddingReport.com, a survey company tracking everything in wedding world, 55% of brides and grooms say they feel strongly about choosing eco-friendly items for their gifts and favors. That number is picking up steam, with a far higher percentage expected next year….and we have a feeling you’ll be among them.

Now, let’s get your green gift registry started:

Green Gift Registries

A number of eco-friendly stores and sites now offer their own registries, which can be accessed online or in their actual shops. Since it’s always our goal to support local businesses and artisans, we encourage you to check your favorite eco-friendly shops to see if they have a registry plan, and if they’re planning to establish one. You might just inspire them to start their own registry and boost their business, keeping them around and thriving, serving your community for a long time to come.

One national green registry is Pristine Planet, which offers the handy option of comparison shopping by price, merchant and eco-friendly product name, giving you the choice of a range of products made with fair labor, organic or otherwise sustainable materials, local manufacturing, and other green standards.

I just checked Gaiam to see about their registry, and found that it’s under construction right now, but you can add Gaiam products – and other favorite green items (plus Sophie’s books!) to your list through an Amazon registry.

Other national online green registries to check out: Greenfeet, Greensage, and Branch, where you’ll find all manner of home décor and lifestyle-enhancing products to help you start your eco-friendly new life together.

Adding Green Items to Gift Registries

You don’t have to sign onto specifically green registries, but can instead add lots of earth-friendly, fair-trade and eco-smart items to your lists at traditional stores. Here are some of the top gift registry categories, and my favorite items within each:

Linens: Ah….the soft, comfy feel of bamboo sheets. This popular type of ultra-sustainable fabric material now comes in high thread-count sheets, towels, throws, even curtains and tablecloths, so that all of your linen needs are met and your green karma soars. The same goes for organic cottons, which are ultra-luxe against your skin and – with bamboo – make great choices for His and Hers spa robes to add to your list.

Kitchen small appliances: Go for Energy Star™ appliances, and you help save the world. As well as your energy bills. It may be a cliché to sign on for a blender, but when your blender is an energy-saver and you use it to prepare your home-grown veggies into meals, your container garden herbs into pesto and other healthy treats, you’ve just made a smart registry choice. The same goes for a veggie steamer, also bearing the Energy Star™ hallmark. Sophie Recommends the following cookware for your registry: Lodge, 360 Cookware, and Chantal.
Clean air items: Indoor air pollution is a true danger to your health, so add air purifiers and filters as well as an energy-friendly anti-allergen vacuum to your list. Steer clear of scented candles and aromatherapy items that are not certified organic, since the toxins in many commercial scent products are truly heinous. Sophie recommend the Blue Air Eco Air Purifiers.
Décor items: From bamboo room screens to coconut shell centerpiece mats, mango wood platters and trays, and fair trade artisan vases and other decorative items, your world gets green-gorgeous with your registry additions of these earth-friendly focal pieces.
Curtains for you: Insulated curtains made from eco-friendly materials keep the hot, blazing sun from heating up your home and taxing your air conditioner, and UV rays shorten the life of your floors and furniture. So click on those as well.
VOC-free paints: That’s right…if you’ll be painting the walls of your home in your future newlywed nesting phase, register at Lowes or Home Depot for the guest-given opportunity to use healthier paints and home improvement supplies during your projects. If you don’t have a specific paint color picked, register for gift cards at these stores and pick out your own palette….as well as gardening goodies and composting kits.
Bikes and kayaks: A registry at REI or other active lifestyle store lets you sign on for the bike you’ll use during local errands, saving on car emissions, as well as the kayaks you’ll use with your groom on your healthy weekend getaways.

Eco-Friendly Charitable Registries

If you’re already fully stocked with green goods for your home, or if you’re looking for a smart choice for that second or third registry you get to make, create a charitable registry at a site like IDoFoundation.org, where your wedding leads to donations supporting eco-friendly objectives such as those for clean water domestically and abroad, or protection of animal habitats. You get to choose your favorite causes and even put in a note about why you support it.

We’d love to hear about your favorite green wedding gift registry items. What did you sign on for? What’s your dream green gift? If you’re already married, what do you wish you registered for?

Gloss How-To: Read Green or Eco-Friendly Labels

readinglabels Gloss How To: Read Green or Eco Friendly Labels Even during a tough economy, 68% of Americans want to buy products that are healthier for them and for the environment. They also want to buy from companies who are socially and economically responsible. So what’s a regular person who doesn’t know how to read the small print do? Can we trust the many labels that we’re beginning to see? Ultimately, we want proof that the company in question is doing what they say they are, before we fork out our hard-earned dollars.

COSMETICS

This is the only organic certification in America for color cosmetics. The USDA organic certification is only for food products and so has no jurisdiction over cosmetics.

SKINCARE
Read you’re the ingredient list carefully, especially if there’s a paragraph, as opposed to 2 lines of ingredients! Most products, if eco-friendly, may contain up to certain percentage of organic ingredients – they have to clearly state this percentage.
Don’t be misled by:

“Organic” Skin Cream: it may only contain 1 or 2 organic ingredients and lot of other toxic ingredients.

Natural: means very little when it comes to skincare.

Made with Botanicals or Botanical Ingredients: means very little.

SKINCARE INGREDIENTS THAT YOU WANT TO AVOID

The chemical nasties you’re looking for when it comes to preservatives include:

Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Butyl, or Ethyl): Parabens are used as preservatives in numerous skin care and hair care products. They are highly toxic as they release Formaldehyde when exposed to the air and cause allergic and skin reactions.

There’s a whole host of other chemical nasties to avoid if you’re concerned about your health, and the health of your family. Several of these ingredients are now considered a cancer risk, especially breast cancer. More and more research is being done so that in the future they can have them banned from skincare.

Propylene Glycol: Propylene glycol is obtained from petrochemicals and is added in numerous skin care creams and lotions as an emulsifying agent. It makes the skin look smooth; however, it speeds up aging of the skin. It also causes irritation and contact dermatitis.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): SLS acts as a surfactant, degreaser, and emulsifier and is used in numerous foaming personal care products such as soaps, shampoos, body wash products, face cleansers, shaving cream, etc. This detergent affects the eyes and delays their healing time. It can be absorbed by the skin surface and gets accumulated in your body organs. When used in products containing nitrogen-based raw materials, it forms carcinogenic nitrates, which are known to cause irritation to the eye and skin.

Fragrance/Parfum: Artificial fragrance can cause numerous health problems including headaches, lung problems, skin irritation and dizziness.

Mineral Oil: Mineral oils are obtained from petroleum products and can cause skin irritations. They block skin pores, which restricts movement of nutrients and waste matter from the cells.

Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl Urea: These are also used as preservatives and are known for causing contact dermatitis.

Ingredients with PEG in the name: Polyethylene Glycol is their extended name; they should be avoided in cleansers for your skin and hair, as independent testing has shown they can be contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane; a petroleum-derived carcinogenic compound that is also used in dry cleaning solvents, lacquers and automotive coolant.

Synthetic Colours: Synthetic colours can cause allergic skin reactions.

Triethanolamine (TEA): TEA is used to adjust the pH of the cosmetics. It causes various allergic reactions including eye problems, and dryness of hair and skin. Also look out for MEA and DEA for the same reasons.

Packaging is the final element for consideration for natural and organic skincare. Certified organic skincare can contain only natural ingredients so it’s incredibly important to stop bacterial growth, by keeping air from getting into the packaging. Some skincare companies have again spent a fortune in research and development to ensure that their super effective ingredients maintain their integrity for the life of the product. It should also be noted here that the time between starting and discarding most organic and natural skincare should only be about 9 to 12 months. A product you love to use probably wouldn’t last you that long anyway.

FOOD

I could write a book on food labeling (Actually I have! Labeling is discussed in great detail in The Gorgeously Green Diet), however, for the simplicity’s sake, look out for the following:

If any food product carries this stamp, it’s third party verified and means that it is organic, and not genetically modified.

PRODUCE
The sticky labels on produce will tell you an awful lot. The most important thing to know is this:

If the 4 digit # begins with a 4, it’s not organic
If the 4 digit # begins with an 8 it’s genetically modified
If the 4 digit # begins with a 9, it’s organic

Remember:
4 is a bore
8 we hate
9 is fine

Product of U.S.A.
New federal labeling laws require markets to state the country of origin of any fresh vegetable, fruit, nut, meat, or fish. Try to buy U.S. products: Foreign produce has been trucked and flown thousands of miles—and was grown to be trucked and flown thousands of miles, not to be as delicious as possible.

If the produce or meat comes from your home state, it’s more likely to be fresher and to have traveled fewer miles.

Natural
Doesn’t mean much, particularly for meat. This indicates that the food contains no artificial ingredients or colors, but it’s no guarantee that the animal was treated humanely or that its diet was strictly organic.

Free Range
Sounds more bucolic than it is. Free-range chickens are given “access” to the outdoors, but they still tend to stay inside an overcrowded and dirty pen.

Certified Humane Raised and Handled
A new type of certification from a nonprofit organization that works to improve the welfare of livestock from birth to slaughter.

Fair Trade Certified
Often found on coffee, chocolate, rice, and other imported foods. Certification requires companies to pay fair prices to farmers and producers who treat their workers well and cultivate their land in a sustainable way. Go to transfairusa.org for more information.

FISH

Here are 2 great labels to look for when you’re shopping for fish.

PAPER
Look for recycled paper products. Here’s my rating system:

1: Made from recycled paper: light green
2.Made from 100% recycled paper: bright green
3. Made from 100% post-consumer content*: deep green

*The higher the post-consumer content percentage, the better.

WOOD
If you’re buying any wood products, look for this label.
This means that the wood has been sustainably harvested by the Forest Stewardship council.

About the Author

Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don’t want to compromise their glamour and style. She is the New York Times Best Selling author of “Gorgeously Green”, “The Gorgeously Green Diet,” and the newly released “Do It Gorgeously.”

Read more amazing tips from Sophie at GorgeouslyGreen.com

Eight Steps to True Beauty

beautiful 198x300 Eight Steps to True Beauty A little retail therapy session at the local beauty supply can lift my mood immeasurably, however, I’ve distilled “true” beauty (as in beauty that comes from the inside out,) down to 8 simple steps. If I can practice all 8 of them on a daily basis, then I’m much more likely to feel (and hopefully look,) decent – if not beautiful. There isn’t a skin care potion, plastic surgery procedure, hair style or lip-plumping gloss, that will do the same – so read on:

1. Gratitude: There is nothing more attractive than someone who is really grateful for their life. Gratitude softens fine lines better than any expensive potion. If you are feeling hideously ungrateful, unclench your jaw, whip out a piece of paper and write down 10 things that you are grateful for today.

2.Acceptance: Women who accept their imperfections are gorgeous, whereas women who try everything they can to hide them give off a strange energy. I have a few friends who exude gorgeousness because they truly accept and clearly don’t try to hide their age or anything else which might be less than “perfect” – although reallythere’s no such thing as perfection. Sure, we’d all love to look a few years younger than we are, get rid of our cellulite, lose unwanted pounds – and boy do we TRY! The beauty and diet industry hopes we’ll keep on trying, but there comes a point when acceptance of who we are, the way we look, our age, and our limitations is a beautiful gift which allows us to be happy, joyous and free.

3. Exercise: Unless you are physically incapacitated, one of the most important things you can do every single day is EXERCISE. It will lift your mood, shed your pounds, improve your mental agility, get rid of toxins, give you strength/energy, sculpt your body – NEED I SAY MORE. I don’t give myself an option when it comes to exercising. It’s non-negotiable and I plan it for the week ahead in my calender – that way there’s not getting out of it. I pick things that I enjoy – yoga, Zumba, dance, and hiking.

4. Nutrition: I have a wonderful dermatologist who won’t even give any skin care advice to her patients until she has made sure that the building blocks of their diet are supportive of a healthy body and thus healthy skin. Making sure that you eat a varied and balanced diet is more important that supplements. Variety is hugely important because many of us get stuck in a rut when it comes to our diet. For healthy and delicious ideas, visit my new food blog, Simply Gorgeous Food. Also make sure that you are getting your daily greens, super foods and omega oils for optimum health and a glowing skin. I love my Terra Oceana “Power For Life” powdered greens and more. This incredible supplement contains everything I need for great energy, glowing skin and a smooth digestion. I love that I don’t have to fiddle around with tons of pills – this supplement contains it all. For Omega Oils, I buy Nordic Naturals.

5. Change: Don’t get stuck in a rut. Many of us stick with the same old beauty routine, hair style, diet and exercise routine for years. It feels fantastic to shake it up a bit and to not allow your body or your skin to rest on it’s laurels. For skincare, try some of my recipes from Do It Gorgeously or check out the “Gorgeous Finds” at Gorgeously Green everyday. Why not try a completely new hair style this year? If you don’t love it, it will grow back!

6. Keep It Simple: Whatever routine you choose, keep it simple enough that you’ll actually stick to it. It you try to cram too much into your day – an 8-step beauty regime, followed by exercise, meditation then special food preparation, you’ll give it all up in a week. Plan a simple and enjoyable routine.

7. Do What You Love: Even if you don’t love your job, find at least one thing a day to do that you love. It could be a dance class, a great book, baking a cake or even having lunch with a fun girlfriend. Feeding your soul with activities that lift your spirits are a huge part of looking and feeling beautiful.

8. Laugh: This is the most important step. A woman who is laughing is beautiful. When I was back in England recently, I saw two friends who I hadn’t seen for at least 10 years. One of them is always complaining and her face is sort of growing into a scowl, the other is always laughing (she finds something funny in almost everything,) – she is a joy to have around and I noticed that she gets even more beautiful with age.

Eco, Green, Organic, Healthy: What’s the Difference?

pregnantwomanshopping 300x200 Eco, Green, Organic, Healthy: What’s the Difference? Of course you want your baby’s nursery to be as healthy as possible — but where do you start? Everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon these days and labeling their products “green,” “organic,” “eco-friendly” and “healthy.”

The problem is, there’s a lot of confusion about what’s what, and the terms tend to get used interchangeably. Our customers tell me all the time that with so many terms and standards, it’s easy to get confused — and I agree!

So, to kick things off: eco-friendly and green are both labels that relate to our environment. Loosely interpreted, it’s about treading more lightly on our planet and realizing that our children and our children’s children will have to live here, too. Because of that, what is eco-friendly goes far beyond the makeup of the actual product and includes the environmental impact of the entire supply chain.

Organic, on the other hand, relates more to the product process, and it varies in meaning depending on the product category. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without pesticides or the use of chemicals. Organic clothing is made with fibers that are grown without chemicals. Unfortunately, “organic” has become a shorthand for “more natural” or “fewer chemicals.” Unless a garment is labeled “certified 100% organic,” there’s a chance that it was grown organically but still treated with chemicals somewhere along the way.

Healthy refers to products that are healthy for your baby. Sometimes that means organic, but it also includes other aspects, such as cleaning products made from plant-based ingredients instead of chemicals, or plastics without toxins such as BPA or phthalates.

Of course, there is some correlation between these categories. Most things that are green are arguably healthier, and if it’s organic then it’s usually more eco-friendly than something that’s not organic. Where it gets tricky, though, is if you buy from an organic clothing line that’s made in China and shipped to Des Moines, the green factor goes down significantly because of the fuel used to get it there.

We all want to raise healthier children who will live better and longer and have a healthier planet, as well. But understanding that there are sometimes tradeoffs, the key is deciding what’s most important to you and looking for products that meet as many of your standards as possible.

So what do you look for? Here’s a quick list of qualifiers that let you know a product is eco-friendly, organic, or healthy.

Eco-Friendly/Green

- Sustainably harvested wood and other materials

- Made using recycled materials, and maybe even recyclable itself

- Multi-stage or multi-use products that do more for a longer period of time

- Certified organic fabrics, with no chemicals used during the entire production process, to cut down on the chemicals in our environment

- Biodegradable ingredients in cleaning supplies

- Made in the USA, or, even better, locally, to cut down on shipping pollutants

Organic

- The key here is to differentiate between “made from” organic materials vs. “all” organic

- Often times while the material used is organic, the dyes used to create patterns or colors – or in non-textiles provide other features like scents – are not necessarily organic or even natural

- It’s true vegetable dyes are natural, but there is a growing list of natural and organic dyes and printing processes today

- Looking for certifications that clarify and differentiate among the materials (surface and at times stuffing) as well as dyes is what the discerning eye is looking for

- While there are a growing number of certifying bodies approving “organic” standards in varied product categories, the certification we’re most excited to find is GOTs – which is quickly becoming what most consider the highest standards

- Without a doubt, the most commonly used “organic” claim involves cotton

Healthy

- Natural fibers like pure-grow wool, hemp, and certified organic cotton

- Bedding and fabrics that are Oeko-Tex and IVN compliant

- Certified organic fabrics are also keep chemicals away from baby’s skin

- Mild bath products that are fragrance free and hypoallergenic

- Cleaning products that are non-toxic and free from chemicals, ammonia, and fragrances

- Plastics and surface-wife items that are free from phthalates and PVC

- Bottles and feeding items that are free from BPA (Bisphenol-A)

- Simple wooden toys (what could be more natural than wood?)

- Fabric toys that can be washed to reduce allergens

- Non-toxic paints and finishes with low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

A final thought: sometimes the most eco-friendly choice isn’t what you buy, but what you don’t buy. Look for items that do more and last longer; the fewer disposable items you buy, the fewer things will go into the landfill. Instead of an inexpensive option that will need to be replaced, invest in a higher quality option that will last. And look for multi-stage products that won’t be outgrown in a year.

We also like a less-is-more approach to create a healthy environment. When you’re bathing an infant, some warm water and a washcloth goes a long way. Don’t over-clean your house to the point where the chemicals outweigh the sparkling shine. And what could be simpler than opening up a window and letting in some fresh air?

The main thing to remember? Don’t let it stress you out. Remember: even when there are trade-offs, in one way or the other, you’re creating a better world for your baby.

About the Author

Ali Wing is more than just the founder of giggle — she’s an advocate for today’s new parents. By offering smarter solutions, providing information and building a parenting community, Ali has made giggle a resource destination. In addition to smarter products, giggle offers customized services to help make it easier to become a new parent, such as giggle personal shoppers and giggle’s ultimate baby registry, offering parents a robust set of tools such as gear guides, starter checklists and a baby gear dictionary.

Gloss How-To: Pick Eco-Friendly Shoes

There’s little that a pair of darling eco-friendly shoes can’t make right but what makes a shoe green? The most polluting aspect of conventional shoe production is that the chromium that is used during the manufacturing process is extremely toxic. Many expensive designer shoes and bags are made in dreadfully poor areas of India where the pollution regulations are non-existent and so these communities in which the factories reside are devastated by toxic chemicals.

Here are some of my favorites eco-friendly shoe companies that don’t sacrifice style or your budget:

cordero Gloss How To: Pick Eco Friendly Shoes I love Calleen Cordero shoes (pictured left) because she only uses vegetable dyes and makes sure that every aspect of her small shoe factory in Hollywood is ecologically responsible. Every pair of her shoes is handmade and it’s no wonder she has a cult-like following by many celebrities because her shoes are so incredibly comfy (she uses orthopedic soles), that you’ll be skipping contentedly along even in her high heels.

terraplana Gloss How To: Pick Eco Friendly Shoes I also love the British company Terra Plana. Their practices are 100% ethical and their website is well worth spending a few minutes browsing. For a pair of traditional now totally eco-friendly sneaks, have a peek at The Green Label Collection by Keds. Made from recycled rubber and organic cotton, these sneaks are fresh and fabulous.

melissasin Gloss How To: Pick Eco Friendly Shoes If you’re after a pair of pretty summer sandals, I love the Melissa Sin Sandal, which is made by an eco-responsible Brazilian company. I also love Simple’s eco-sneaks.

j41 Gloss How To: Pick Eco Friendly Shoes Finally for a cute casual shoe, I love J-41 shoesthat come in a bunch of colors. All in all, it’s heartening to know that whether it’s a pair of little sandals or a gorgeous evening shoe, you can shop with a completely clean conscience – well almost!

About the Author

Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don’t want to compromise their glamour and style. She is the New York Times Best Selling author of “Gorgeously Green”, “The Gorgeously Green Diet,” and the newly released “Do It Gorgeously.”

Read more amazing tips from Sophie at GorgeouslyGreen.com

Waste Not: Paper Towel and Plastic Bag Alternatives

plasticbagrehab 225x300 Waste Not: Paper Towel and Plastic Bag Alternatives Don’t you hate to throw stuff away? Every time I throw anything in the regular trash, I cringe because I can’t bear the fact that it’s just going to sit in an overstuffed landfill for years. I’ve become almost phobic about trash in general and never cease to be amazed at the amount of it that I manage to accumulate, on a weekly basis. The two items that make me cringe the most are used paper (soiled paper towels that you can’t recycle) and new plastic trash bags. Both are an unnecessary waste of this planet’s valuable resources.

Most paper towels from large chain grocery/big box stores are not made out of 100% post consumer waste, so chances are that you are getting the virgin paper, which requires quite a few trees to be cut down and the pulp to be bleached – a very toxic part of the process. I highly recommend searching far and wide for stores near you that carry the recycled stuff. Trader Joe’s carries 100% recycled kitchen towel and toilet paper at a very reasonable price and the 365 Whole Food’s own brand of paper goods (towels, napkins, toilet paper etc) is pretty reasonable too. Alternatively, take the huge leap to giving up paper towels altogether and cut up old towels and t-shirts for rags instead. I got an email from a member of our wonderful community this week, who said that she and a group of girls have decided to pack a small hand towel in their purse before heading out for the day. This will avoid them having to pull out wads of paper to dry their hands in the office or restaurant bathroom. Genius – let’s all give it a try this week. I’d much prefer my own little soft hand towel than those horrid dry sheets.

Now onto the trash bag conundrum. I suggest that you either:

~Find trash bags made out of 100% post-consumer content. Some Whole Foods stores carry them.

~Use old grocery store plastic bags. You’ll always find one or two have made their way into your home.

~Buy biodegradable bags. Although they won’t degrade as quickly as the marketers would have you believe (because in a sealed landfill, nothing does!), they are a better option because they are often made of more eco-friendly materials. I was thrilled to find the new Perf Go Green trash bag. It comes in a variety of sizes, including a tall kitchen bag and is now available in 6.000 Walgreens stores as well as available online. I love that it is made from recycled plastic and a additive called OXO-biodegrade, which speeds up the degrading process. If you’re near a Walgreens store, check them out.

About the Author

Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don’t want to compromise their glamour and style. She is the New York Times Best Selling author of “Gorgeously Green”, “The Gorgeously Green Diet,” and the soon to be released “Do It Gorgeously.”

Read more amazing tips from Sophie at GorgeouslyGreen.com

5 Essential Eco-Friendly Money Savers

savingmoney 300x200 5 Essential Eco Friendly Money Savers It never ceases to amaze me how much money I can save when I’m trying to be a bit greener. A few basic household products have ended up saving me wads of cash. So without further ado – here are my favorite kitchen cash savers:

1. A set of Preserve recycled cups and flatware. I purchased a couple of sets 3 years ago and they’re still going strong. They’ve seen me through dozens of kid’s parties and have saved me buying disposable cups/plates etc multiple times.

2. Skoy Cloths are for the Gorgeously Green girl who wants to give up or cut-down on paper towels. Each ridiculously absorbent Skoy cloth is the equivalent to 15 rolls of paper towels – so you’re seriously saving money (and a few trees,) by purchasing a set of my favorite cloths.

3. Bag Dryer: I love my wooden bag dryer as it takes the fuss out of re-using plastic re-sealable freezer bags – now I get multiple uses from each bag, which saves me buying more.

4. Compost Crock: Love my crock. It’s adorable, sits on my counter and reminds me to compost all of my scraps. Saves money because I don’t use my waste disposal as often (heavy on water/energy), and I don’t have to buy any fertilizer for my back yard.

5. Faucet Aerator: This tiny little device, which you can find at any hardware store and is the same price as a pack of chewing gum, easily fits into your faucet and halves your water usage- since water rates are only going to rise, it makes sense to install these little guys now.

So making a little investment up front will soon pay for itself and save you cash in the long run. Let’s get things in perspective – I’d rather spend my money on shoes than freezer bags and paper towels any day of the week!

About the Author

Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don’t want to compromise their glamour and style. She is the New York Times Best Selling author of “Gorgeously Green”, “The Gorgeously Green Diet,” and the newly released “Do It Gorgeously.”

Read more amazing tips from Sophie at GorgeouslyGreen.com

10 Tips For Greening Your Home

greenhome 300x199 10 Tips For Greening Your Home Going “green” can sound overwhelming, but every bit counts and it’s important to take those first steps. So, what are ways in which you make your palace less toxic and more green? Here are my top ten tips:

1. Make all your own cleaning products. Check out my YouTube channel for lots of recipes and ideas.

2. Make sure your home is well ventilated.

3. Vacuum and dust at least twice a week as many pollutants stick to dust. Use a vacuum with a hepa filter.

4. Keep plenty of house plants in every room of your home to improve air quality.

5. Know which plastics are safe and which are not for storing food. Whenever possible, opt for glass storage containers instead of plastic.

6. Avoid as much PVC (AKA vinyl) as possible.

7. Avoid particleboard furniture and cabinets.

8. Have an energy audit, making sure that you get your home well-insulated for the cooler months.

9. Know exactly what you can and cannot recycle in your area.

10. Start composting.

About the Author

Sophie Uliano is a passionate environmentalist who has developed an earth-friendly lifestyle that appeals to women who don’t want to compromise their glamour and style. She is the New York Times Best Selling author of “Gorgeously Green”, “The Gorgeously Green Diet,” and the newly released “Do It Gorgeously.”

Read more amazing tips from Sophie at GorgeouslyGreen.com