An Eco Link For Just About Anyone....

• Food

  • Animal Welfare Approved
  • Brooklyn Grange Farm
  • Center for a Livable Future
  • Center for Animal Law Studies
  • Citizens Campaign for the Environment
  • Civil Eats
  • Community Food Security Coalition
  • Eating Liberally
  • Factory Farm Map
  • Farmers Legal Action Group
  • Food & Water Watch
  • Food Corps
  • Friends of Family Farmers
  • Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
  • Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
  • La Vida Locavore
  • League of Conservation Voters
  • Local Food Hub
  • Meatless Monday
  • Permaculture Institute
  • Rodale Institute
  • Rooftop Farms
  • Slow Food USA
  • The Ethicurean
  • The Greenhorns
  • The Livable Future Blog
  • Union of Concerned Scientists

• Water

  • Alliance for Water Efficiency
  • Center for a Livable Future
  • Citizens Campaign for the Environment
  • Community Water Center
  • Eastern Environmental Law Center
  • Factory Farm Map
  • Food & Water Watch
  • League of Conservation Voters
  • Pacific Institute
  • Permaculture Institute
  • River Network
  • Riverkeeper
  • Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Water Footprint Calculator
  • Water Footprint Network
  • Waterkeeper Alliance
  • Webber Energy Group

• Energy

  • Alliance for Water Efficiency
  • Alliance to Save Energy
  • American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
  • Apollo Alliance
  • Citizens Campaign for the Environment
  • Eastern Environmental Law Center
  • Factory Farm Map
  • Greentech Media
  • League of Conservation Voters
  • Pace Energy and Climate Center
  • Renewable Energy Long Island
  • River Network
  • Solar One
  • Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
  • Sustainability Institute at Molloy College
  • Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Vote Solar
  • Webber Energy Group

"Who" Is Slow Food?

What you put into your mouth goes into your body.  Everywhere in you body.  I am not being sarcastic but pointing out the obvious that we should all think about when we peel off that plastic wrapper imprinted with unpronounceable words and shove it into our mouths without looking at it.



"Slow food" is a direct counter balance to the fast-food culture. Instead of eating fries while driving one-handed through traffic, it means taking the time to enjoy good food raised in clean, safe conditions and sold at a fair profit for the farmer. It means taking the time to know the food you eat is healthy - for you, for the people who produce it, and for the land. According to USA Today, SlowFood "claims to be everything that fast food is not."

SlowFood is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment.

Just 30 plants feed 95 percent of the world's 6.5 billion people, according to Slow Food, which is encouraging a global effort to broaden that diversity.

Many foods we love (specific grains, vegetables, fruits, animal breeds) are disappearing due to the overwhelming amount of convenience food and industrial agriculture. What's grown by industrial agribusiness is based on what's hardy, easiest to grow, and easiest to ship across the continent - not necessarily taking taste, health and variety into account.  Like the proposed square banana or genetically engineered or modified food. 
 
Some people are tired of the degraded flavor of our foods and of health issues raised by an industrialized food supply, so they find the "slow food" message appealing. Preserving our resources, tradition and culture ensures that food is produced for taste and variety. This is ultimately what makes food enjoyable.

The Daily Green embraces the Slow Food manifesto that promotes taking the time to teach and share the rewards of raising and eating food that is good, clean and fair.

To read the first chapter of Michael Pollan's book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," which explains where food comes from, check out: www.michaelpollan.com.

In researching this post, I found the following links to be excellent reads:

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog/

http://michaelpollan.com/todays-link/


http://green.blogs.nytimes.com


http://civileats.com/

recycled tp~ what’s that all about?

Did you know that most toilet paper is made from the virgin pulp of old growth trees?  Ecologically valuable forests full of old growth trees are being cut down so that we can have soft and lovely paper to wipe our tushes with.  Not only are ancient trees being destroyed, but massive amounts of chlorine are also used to achieve the pearly white color that we’ve come to expect when buying toilet tissue.

‘Ancient forests are the planet’s old-growth and original forests. The world’s ancient forests maintain environmental systems that are essential for life on Earth. They influence weather by controlling rainfall and evaporation of water from soil. They help stabilize the world’s climate by storing large amounts of carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change. These forests also are home to around two-thirds of the world’s land-based species of plants and animals.’  This site will educate you on where these forests are and why they are essential to our planet’s health. They also offer ways to get actively involved.
I found this article that lists brands of toilet tissue that have a nice percentage of post consumer recycled content.  Recycled doesn’t mean tough and horrible. We made the switch over a year ago, after learning about this issue and we haven’t missed the bleached white stuff one bit.  The two things to look for when buying eco friendly bathroom tissue are 1) a post consumer recycled content of at least 40% and 2) chlorine free processing, labeled as (pcf or ecf).

Rebloged from: http://blog.ecoetsy.com/2011/02/recycled-tp-whats-that-all-about/html

::C O T T O N:: HOW THIRSTY IS YOUR TSHIRT

LE POTAGER from Benoit MILLOT on Vimeo.
With a grateful 'Bravo' I thank BenoitMillot for his touching video (s).  To enjoy more his work, please visit the link above.


Cotton is one of the most environmentally destructive agricultural crops. In pesticide use in the US alone, it is staggering – 125 million kilograms annually.

The need for fresh water ranks among the most urgent environmental challenges of this century.

The textile industry is one of the largest polluters in the world. The World Bank estimates that almost 20% of global industrial water pollution comes from the treatment and dyeing of textiles.

Cotton production accounts for 2.6% of annual global water usage. A single T-shirt made from conventional cotton requires 2700 liters of water, and a third of a pound of chemicals to produce.

Many believe that conventional cotton uses much less water than organic cotton, but in fact the opposite may be true. By beginning with healthy soil, organic cotton farmers need not supply intense irrigation for their crops—the plants themselves use water much more efficiently due to the inherent health of their surrounding environment.


Organic cotton has undoubtedly sounded like the overwhelming choice thus far, but nothing is perfect. India, Turkey, Peru, China and Africa currently grow more organic cotton than the United States does. What does this mean? It means that the next organic cotton T-shirt you buy was likely grown hundreds of thousands of miles away, shipped around the world to be processed, then shipped to a retailer and finally to you. That’s a big carbon footprint for one T-shirt!

All hope is not lost for organic-cotton fans who appreciate local production. States such as Texas, California and New Mexico are continually expanding their organic cotton production. Still, the United States is one of the world’s top conventional cotton producers, making it a vital force in the cotton market and one we should continually influence to embrace organic growth and production.


About GMO .... There’s a reason that the Department of Agriculture does not allow the use of GMO seeds for organic cotton—they aren’t as successful as they sound on paper. Monsanto, a manufacturer of GMO seeds and pesticides, claims that a study showed its Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis, a naturally occurring soil bacterium) cotton yields 30 percent more fiber than non-GMO seeds. A little digging quickly proved that Monsanto was a sponsor of this “scientific” study.

::L I N E N::

BE LINEN MOVIE from Benoit MILLOT on Vimeo.

This video was posted on the 4th by Abby of  infusionfibers.  I went to Millot's site and draged it down to share with you.   I follow her blog and relish her photography, approach to design and most of all her dedication to the eco-life.  In her work and in her appreciation of the world around her on the Oregon Coast, you could find no better source of inspiration.  She says about linen:  "Linen - it's smell, it's physical texture, it's visual characteristics - is one of those things that affects me almost physically - it excites some part of me."

In the world of organic fabrics and fibers linen, for me, is the most sensual.  My wardrobe is packed with it, I quilt with it and make bags with it.  I have blogged about it before, but I want to share the video that Abby posted on her website today.  The Benoit Millot film about flax/linen along with some of his other work can be found on Vimeo.  Do go and look.....look all around, get lost in the site and follow out to others.  Trust me, it's all good!

The Dirt on Cleaning Product Companies

How do your favorite mainstream cleaning brands stack up?

Women’s Voices for the Earth, aka WVE, has put out the results of a study of five of the leading cleaning product companies regarding the use and labeling of toxic ingredients in products. I am a big fan of WVE, a national organization that engages women to advocate for the right to live in a healthy environment. They also helped to launch the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. They “seek to reduce and ultimately eliminate environmental pollutants that cause health problems for women, their families and communities. To this end, WVE creates opportunities for women to influence environmental decision-making.”
Knowing WVE’s mission statement, I sat up and took notice of their announcement about their scorecard on cleaning product companies, published Sept. 24, 2008.
Find out how top manufacturers rate in protecting you from toxic chemicals in The Dirt on Cleaning Product Companies

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-dirt-on-cleaning-product-companies.html#ixzz1CAchqqMc

What Is Slow Architecture?

If you’ve never heard of “Slow Food,” you’ve probably heard of “Fast Food.” If you’ve never heard of “Slow Architecture,” you might have heard the phrase “McMansion,” referring to cookie-cutter suburban sprawl. Slow Architecture is a movement toward building homes that are space- and energy-efficient, attractive, that harmonize with the surrounding area, and create a smaller carbon footprint.

What makes Slow Architecture “slow”? Literally, Slow Homes take time to build. Just like it takes time to cook food that honors the native flavors and ingredients of the region, homes that work with their environment take time to design and build. The main idea behind Slow Architecture is careful consideration of what both the home owner and the environment need. John Brown, the founder of Slow Home, says that Slow Homes are homes that people can afford. He holds that living within one’s means, rather than trying to buy the biggest house possible, is slow living. Therefore, the Slow Architecture movement is a movement away from size, and a movement toward quality and durability. It takes time to build quality, durable things.
A facet of Slow Architecture is reusing existing structures and objects instead of producing new ones. For instance, Slow Architects prefer filling in existing urban spaces to building up lesser-developed suburban areas. You’ll find many creative uses of old objects inside Slow Architecture houses. Used wood and recycled building parts might all become part of the structure of the house. Home furnishings might be made from creatively-used found objects, like tables and chairs made from cast off wood.
Slow Architecture aims to harmonize with the environment. “Harmonize” might sound flakey, but a home that agrees with its natural environment is the most cost-efficient option. Maximizing natural light and building a home that is appropriate to the climate can save you thousands of dollars in heating, cooling, and lighting bills. Just like there’s nothing hippy-dippy about a slow-cooked pot roast, there’s no shame in building and furnishing a home in a way that it will last for generations and serve exactly its purpose, with no frills.

Content Credit: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/what-is-slow-architecture.html#ixzz1CABl6d00

A Holiday Sewing Project Benefiting Mother Earth

The Green Grocery Bag Challenge: A Holiday Sewing Project Benefiting Mother Earth

Fact 1: US consumers generate 4 million tons of wrapping paper and shopping bag waste during the holiday season alone.

Fact 2: The US goes through 100 billion single-use plastic grocery bags every year.

Fact 3: This year, you can make a difference!

How? The challenge is this: Wrap your holiday gifts in reusable cloth grocery bags.

That’s it! By doing this simple thing this holiday season you will cut down on the amount of wrapping paper entering the waste stream, while also getting multi-use bags into circulation. Not to mention the fact that your gift recipients get a bonus gift that they can use all year long! It’s win/win for earth and your loved ones!

I love this....gonna do it! Who is in????

All this info courtesy of Sew Mamma Sew....check their link to the left.

Bamboo....did you know?

I have talked about bamboo before, but I am putting out a little more information.


Ok...here we go...... DID YOU KNOW?

Bamboo is better for you:

• Fabric made from bamboo is incredibly soft That's just the way it is, naturally. Wearing a bamboo T-shirt for example, is like wearing cashmere, but for next to the skin. 

• Bamboo fabric is smooth and luxuriously comfortableAt a microscopic level, bamboo fibre has a round surface.  Because of this, it’s very smooth and sits perfectly next to the skin.  Petrol based synthetic fibres can sometimes irritate the skin and they also start to smell really quickly

• ‘Bamboo Dry’ – absorbs and evaporates sweat in a split second.  It doesn’t stick to the skin.  Its extraordinary natural breathability keeps you comfortable and dry for longer.

• ‘Bamboo Thermo-control’ – bamboo fabric is highly breathable in hot weather and also keeps you significantly warmer in the cold.  Keeping you more comfortable in all temperatures -  ‘Air conditioned clothing’

• Bamboo clothing is anti static, so it sits very well next to your skin, not clinging to it.  It's also UV protective (it cuts out 98% of harmful UV rays) and anti fungal, so it's just better, whether it's on you in the Alps or stuffed at the bottom of your bag for days on end.

And it gets better.....better for the environment:

• Bamboo is 100% naturally grown, without assistance from man. Bamboo is 100% sustainable

• Bamboo thrives naturally without using any pesticides or fertilizers

• Bamboo fibre is 100% biodegradable

• As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years.  It spreads rapidly across large areas.  Because of this, bamboo is known to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas of land.

• As a grass, bamboo is cut, not uprooted, also helping soil stability.  Bamboo also can grow on hill slopes where nothing else is viable.

• The yield (i.e. the amount of product) you get from an acre of bamboo is 10 times greater than the yeld you get from cotton.  In an age where land use is under enormous pressure this is huge.That an acre of bamboo supplies about 10 times more fibre than an acre of cotton?  Without using any pesticides at all.  Or fertilizers.

• The water requirement for bamboo is minute, mainly just from what falls.  As opposed to cotton, whose water requirement per shirt's-worth is huge.

• If clothing made from bamboo becomes popular, it means more bamboo plantations, which means more photosynthesis and less greenhouse gas.  “The greatest challenge facing mankind” would get just a little easier.

In contrast.....

• Synthetic performance fabrics are made from petrochemicals, a non-renewable fossil fuel. They go to make clothes which get smelly really quickly. 

Clothing made from bamboo is nature's answer to our needs for everyday fabric, in an environmentally sustainable form.  It's just our luck that it's so much better as well!

My family wears bamboo clothing,  we use bamboo sheets and towels, I use bamboo batting and fabric in my quilts and bags that I make for Etsy.  If you visit my shop, you will  see that I also use organic cotton, hemp and linen.

Some more about fabrics...

Modal

My quest continues to learn more about fiber and what it means to all of us....from an environmental and economic view.  I deal with fabric every day..... I make quilts and bags, I shop for it,  I read about it and I have blogged about it. Back in June, I came across information that led to a fiber epiphany ..... I was aghast at what I found and so I blogged about the what I found.  


Recently a friend asked me about modal...if I knew what it was.  Had no clue....so I googled around a bit and found some information - not only on modal but some other fabrics as well.  Thought y'all might  be interested in this site www.envirofabrics.net ...here is a little of what I found there.


Silk.....an easily dyed fiber that retains its shape; cool to wear in the Summer and warm in the Winter.....

Wool......a hearty fiber that’s light weight; naturally wrinkle and dirt resistant as well as absorbs moisture

Linen/Flax.......70% cellulosic, it absorbs as much as 20 times its weight in humidity before feeling damp. Linen fibers are naturally non-allergenic, antistatic and antibacterial

Cashmere.....a luxurious goat wool imported from Central Asia

Viscose....called an artificial silk, it has a silk-like aesthetic with superb drape and feel. Viscose is moisture absorbent, abrasion resistant and low in pilling.

ProModal^® ....a blend of TENCEL^® and Modal^® fibers combining Modals soft hand with Tencels moisture absorption's skin sensitive properties and strength. With ProModal^® you can feel nature. The fiber blend is extracted from wood. Timber from sustainable grown forest plantations have a much lower impact on the environment than cotton, consuming 10 to 20 times less water than cotton.

Modal LP^®......a 100% Modal for garment dyers that will greatly diminish the pilling and hairiness effect associated with regular Modal in garment dyeing.

Supima Cotton/MicroModal^®......if hand and softness is needed for drapability, then the intimate blending of two yarns creates an unbeatable product. Buttery soft knit fabrics in a variety of stitches and colors.

Triblend......using a combination of polyester/cotton and Rayon intimate blended to form textural yarns. Used in a variety of coarse gauge sweater knits for contemporary fashion.

Soy Fibre 101....

I have a t shirt that is so soft and wrinkle free I was amazed when I looked inside and found it was made of soy!  I googled it and look what I learned: 
Soy protein fibre (SPF) is the only plant protein fibre. It is made from the soybean cake. The residue after extraction of the protein is used as stockfeed. SPF has the physical properties of synthetic fibres. Fabrics from SPF have the following features:

• Lustre. Soybean protein fibre has the lustre of silk with excellent drape.
• Comfort. The fibre is soft, smooth and lightweight.
• Absorbency. Soybean protein fibre has the same moisture absorption as cotton and better moisture transmission than cotton.
• Easy dying. The original colour of soybean protein fibre takes dye well and is colour fast.
• Strength. Soybean protein fibre has higher breaking strength than wool, cotton, and silk, but less than polyester fibre.
• Shrinkage. Soybean protein fibre will not shrink when washed in boiling water.
• Easy care. The fabric is anti-crease, easy wash and fast drying.
• Antibacterial.; Soybean protein fibre has antibacterial properties that resist colibacillus, staphylococcus aureus and candica albicans. Fabrics made from soy protein fibre and linen or other fibres are ideal for functional underwear and summer wear.

Because soybean protein fibre is sine, soft and smooth as well as absorbent it is ideal for products that are worn close to the skin such as underwear, sleepwear, sportswear and children's and infant's clothes, bed sheets, towels and blankets.

When soybean protein fibre blends well with other fibres giving more features. When mixed with cashmere it provides a smooth quality as well as increasing the easy care properties. As a wool / soy protein fibre it reduces shrinkage and increases ease of care. As a silk blend it improves the properties of silk and prevents the fabric from sticking to the skin when wet.

Now tell me, would you want anything else next to your baby soft skin? Not me...I am off to find more wonderful things to wear from this natural miracle fabric.

Bamboo 101

I looooove this fibre....yummy and soft, no wrinkle, wash hang to dry....t shirts, sheets and towels.  Sweet!


Bamboo fabric (truly viscose-from-bamboo) is made from the pulp of bamboo grass. It's softer than cotton, has a gorgeous drape & a silky feel that looks luxurious but feels like pajamas! I do enjoy an occassional indulgence in the ultra-soft bamboo fabrics. Oh, how the soft fabric cradles my body and how it makes me feel...

Because it grows so fast - 1-3 feet every 24 hours - bamboo is one of the most renewable resources on the planet. It also produces 40% more oxygen than a hardwood forest on the same amount of land.

Bamboo is also "naturally organic." Bamboo grows like a weed (people who plant bamboo in their yard can attest to this fact after their yard becomes a bamboo forest!) and it doesn't need any pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation to enhance it's prolific growth. This is a huge step up from cotton, which requires the intensive use of pesticides & irrigation (even organic cotton - yes, organic farms still have to use pesticides, they just have to be approved. Not to mention the irrigation

Used in everything from flooring and construction to bed sheets, bamboo is quickly becoming a popular choice for environmentally conscious people around the globe.

But above all else, people continue to be amazed at how comfortable bamboo clothing is. Like a blend of silk and cashmere, viscose from bamboo feels great on the skin. Bamboo also has a benefit that silk and cashmere will never have... it's cruelty-free! That makes bamboo clothing perfect for vegetarians!

How to Go Green: Spring Cleaning - How to Go Green

I have a copy of Karen Logan's book "Clean House, Clean Planet"....on the back cover she says:  "How many times have you said you're killing yourself trying to keep your house clean?  You might have been joking, but you're closer to the truth than you think if you are using expensive commercial cleansers."  Karen Logan reveals the secret of using simple, ordinary ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, soap, lemon juice and salt to make safe, inexpensive cleaners.

Well, this got me curious and voila..I found a few concoctions that might be fun to try.

Home cleaning supplies:

The strength of any deep clean comes from the supplies you use to wipe, polish, scrub, and soak—but that doesn't mean you have to stock up on sprays and powders that are made of potentially toxic antibacterial chemicals. Find out how using kitchen staples—like vinegar, baking soda, and good old hot water—can get your house as sparkling clean as anything on the shelves (at a fraction of the price), and how those once-a-year jobs (like vacuuming the refrigerator coils) can make your home more efficient than you realized.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 tsp washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
Tip: If you're out of washing soda, use 2 1/2 tsp of borax, instead.

Window Cleaner
1/4-1/2 tsp liquid detergent
3 tbs vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Creamy Soft Scrubber
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.
Tip: Add 1 tsp of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise, just make as much as you need at a time.

Oven Cleaner
1 cup or more baking soda
water
A squirt or two of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top, then let the mixture set overnight.

You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or water.

Mold Killer
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.

Furniture Polish
1/2 tsp oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.


Here is a link to a treasure trove of green ideas for you and your home.

Spring Cleaning - How to Go Green

Clean House Clean Planet by Karen Logan

Here is another in the organic collection

Another bag in my new collection.  The organic fabrics, silk screens, and hand stamped are finally getting more and more available to us.  For a long time it Ink and Spindle in Australia and various artisans whose hemp, linen, bamboo and organic cotton fabrics were just too expensive.  Well, I did eventually find some of what I have been looking for at Birch and from several Etsy sellers.  Hand dyes...hand printed with eco-friendly dies.  For a bag it may sound frivolous, but to me it feels right.  This week I made two more bags for a total now of six.  Not much, but a start......here are the new ones....

In the spirit...I use post-consumer mailers (plastic-thank you for your cottage cheese container), and recycled tissue paper to wrap, bamboo fibre string to put the package together.  All these things are from Etsy sellers.  That says a lot.