Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Simple Ways to a Green 2008 Holiday

Every year there are things we do to minimize the consumptive haze. This year, with the economy being what it is and people mowing each other down at Wal-Mart, many are choosing alternatives to corporate Christmas debris. Here are some of the tips that help my family to slow down, enjoy each other and breathe.

1. Get Outside: This is always the number one answer for us. When cabin fever settles in or the air is getting stale, we head for the wild. Today we took our screaming toddlers for a cross-country ski. The gray sky broke as the sun set behind snow-covered trees. My son, who only has a few words (mama, dada, eat, lulu doggie) said “Weeeeeeee” as my husband glided on the snow. Moments like this make it worthwhile.

2. Avoid wasting energy with lights, inflatable snowmen and massive automated plastic snowglobes (these strange spheres that send styrofoam snow in circles are perhaps one of the signs of the capitalistic Apocalypse?)

3. Make stuff: This year I made my tahini, garlic, lemon dressing for friends. My hubby makes a mean roasted butternut squash soup with garlic, ginger and cinnamon and we put it in mason jars with a bow. I have friends who knit, make homemade lip balm, and create art to share with loved ones.

4. If you use Christmas trees, there are several sustainable options. One choice is to use a potted tree. If you don’t want to keep it after the holiday, you can find a planter who will take the tree. Here is a great resource page on how to manage live trees. Some municipalities collect trees for mulching. Use Earth 911 to find your local waste management. Fresh Christmas Tree is a great place to find sustainably harvested trees, but by this time of year they are usually sold out. They might be able to refer you to local farms that are growing trees responsibly.

5. Recycle Wrapping: instead of spending money on wrapping I actually save old wrapping and ribbons. Gift bags get used multiple times in our house. Re-gifting is also a really good way to avoid wasteful spending.

6. Donate to a cause: For those who don’t need ‘stuff,’ giving to local charities is a great way to give a gift with meaning.

7. Give an experience: Yoga classes, massage, theater tickets, or an afternoon of hiking…

Here is an excellent resource for other environmentally conscious holiday ideas. Mahalo!
Wishing everyone warmth for the season.

Greenpeace Rates Seafood Sustainability at Supermarkets

This week Greenpeace released the second edition of a seafood sustainability report rating North American supermarkets. The initial report gave a failing grade to every single market, including the modern green mecca of Whole Foods. At the time of the first report, not one of the markets had policies in place that guaranteed environmentally conscious practices. In this recent report, four markets received passing scores, indicating a minor shift in purchasing.

Whole Foods made it back up the list to the number one spot, with Trader Joe’s coming in almost dead last at number seventeen. Many stores continue to stock “red list” seafood such as Chilean sea bass and swordfish. Some companies have made strides, but not one supermarket cited in the report has made a solid commitment to avoid seafood from fisheries that harm other sea creatures such as dolphins, sea turtles, and seals. All supermarkets rated still sell destructively fished and over-fished species, although some are faster to improve sustainability by refusing to sell certain items, including shark and orange roughy. Seafood sales currently amount to approximately $16 billion annually.

“While many supermarkets seek to green their image, the bottom line is that they are contributing to the crisis facing our oceans,” said Greenpeace’s Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar, a marine biologist. “The initial steps being taken to implement sustainability policies and practices are the right ones but bigger strides are needed to prevent the collapse of our marine ecosystems.”

To help ensure the long-term sustainability of fisheries and marine ecosystems, Greenpeace advocates the creation of a worldwide network of marine reserves and fisheries management based on a precautionary, ecosystem-based approach. Today, supermarkets can help the oceans and meet consumer demand for sustainable products by refusing to sell seafood from fisheries that:

- exploit endangered, vulnerable and/or protected species, or species with poor stock status;
- cause habitat destruction and/or lead to ecosystem alterations;
- cause negative impacts on other, non-target species;
- are unregulated, unreported, illegal or managed poorly, and
- cause negative impacts on local, fishing dependent communities.

And what can you do? Many feel that eating fish is no longer a viable option since various species are being depleted at such an alarming rate. If you do eat fish, you can print out one of these wallet cards from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and reference it when making seafood and fish choices. Also, shop at a local fishmonger rather than the supermarket, if you can. There you’ll be able to cultivate a relationship with the fish-sellers and you can work with them to make sure you’re getting locally-caught, sustainable seafood and fish. Ask questions.

NKD Naked Candles: Zero Bad Stuff

There are so many holiday candles and air fresheners out there, but many are created from synthetic fragrances that contain harmful chemicals. In this day and age when people are “Febreezing” their environments, it is important to use natural toxin-free products.

I was introduced to the nkd: Naked Candles at Our Green House last year and got hooked. NKD attempts to engage in eco-friendly practices by producing their candles domestically (home base is Boulder, CO) from recycled materials. These yummy soy wax candles are 97% pure and natural. The scents are subtle and pleasant.

My favorite is Jack Frost, a buttery peppermint-pine scent that is warm, yet refreshing for the holidays. Other notables are: Moonstruck: strawberries and champagne, Thunderhead: lavender and citrus create this crisp, fresh scent. Ginger Papaya, Farmers Market (fresh greens,) and Dreamsicle are also delicious.

As of December 3rd, 2008, NKD is offering a 25% discount to Eco Chick readers. Use code: K25D08 Good through December 31st

Dr. Alkaitis: Therapeutic Skin Food

The theory behind the Dr. Alkaitis skin care line is that taking good care of our skin is not just a matter of beauty, but of health and well-being. Alkaitis also believes that whatever we put on our skin, we should be able to ingest, so all of his products are biologically active and free from any synthetic materials.

Alkaitis, a highly regarded research scientist, specializes in the fields of molecular biology, ethnopharmacology (the study of traditional ways of healing with plants), and organics. The company uses 100% pure aloe vera, long revered for its healing properties, as the product base as opposed to water, and all botanicals are ethically wild-crafted. Everything is made in-house, unlike many other brands, and the company is family-owned and operated.

Wedding science and Mother Nature, the line has been praised by many, including men. After two weeks my skin is glowing. I have used many different skin care lines, and have never had people actually comment about my skin and how good it looks as they have after following this regimen. The soothing gel and nourishing oil are both very hydrating during these colder months. The prices are a bit steep, but one only needs to use a very small amount of product and each container lasts up to two months.

Supreme Court Chooses Navy Over Whales

The Supreme Court chose the Navy over marine mammals in a dispute involving the military use of sonar in the Pacific. Environmentalists have long voiced concern regarding sonar, which has been shown to affect whales, dolphins, and other ocean species that use sonar for communication and navigation.

It has been argued that the sonar interferes with the whales’ ability to navigate and surface without getting the bends. One species, known as the Beak whale, has been found particularly susceptible to the sonar, which can cause the whales to beach themselves. The NRDC had sued the US Government and received some restrictions regarding testing and implementation of sonar equipment, but President Bush had stepped in to permit the military training and exempt the Navy from environmental stipulation.

An appeals court had rejected this move, which drove the government to seek assistance from the Supreme Court. Yesterday, the Courts deemed that the testing must go on in order to have an adequately trained military. Chief Justice, John Roberts noted, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”