This week my husband wanted to take a crack a writing. It is a subject that he is very fond of so I have taken the editor role and he is the writer. Hope you all enjoy.

Ok, I love wine. There I said it. I love it, and have a glass just about every night of the week — partially because one or two glasses of red is good for lowering my cholesterol, and partially because I just love the taste and the warm feeling of it in my belly. I don’t know all that much about wine, but know what I like and what I don’t.

I was really excited when Melissa told me that we had been invited to Wolffer Estates in Sagaponack, NY (The Hamptons) for a private tour and interview with the head winemaker and general manager, Roman Roth. Long Island wines have had a pretty spotty reputation, but a few vineyards are known for a consistent and quality product, and Wolffer is one of them. So needless to say I was psyched; I’d get to taste some really nice wines, and talk with someone who is VERY knowledgeable about winemaking.

Until now, I thought my nightly wine drinking necessitated me breaking my environmental vows. But I discovered from our visit to Wolffer, the vineyard is not only known for their reputation for good wine but for their sustainable wine growing/making practices.

Wine making on Long Island has a relatively short history. On Long Island alone there are more than 43 vineyards (according to the Long Island Wine Council). These winemakers cover nearly 3,000 acres and produce upwards of 4,000 tons of grapes a year. So for a small area, Long Island produces a lot of wine, employs a lot of people, and generates a lot of revenue. Wolffer has two vineyards; one covering 50 acres (which we visited) and another 20 planted on the North Fork of the island. They produce around 15,000 cases of wine a year, and isn’t the most sustainable vineyard on Long Island, (there are 7 others), but it’s among the most vocal in touting its practices.

Before I get to the wine, let me take a moment to explain what sustainable growing practices are or “Sustainable Agriculture”. According to the University of California, Davis:

Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals–environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, stewardship of both natural and human resources is of prime importance. Stewardship of human resources includes consideration of social responsibilities such as working and living conditions of laborers, the needs of rural communities, and consumer health and safety both in the present and the future. Stewardship of land and natural resources involves maintaining or enhancing this vital resource base for the long term.”

While the definition of sustainable agriculture is constant, the method varies from region to region, reflecting differences in soil and crop, climate and management styles. For the grape growers of New York State, it’s a process by which growers choose practices that are environmentally responsible while still maintaining the economic viability of the business. Some methods include efficient use of equipment, maintaining soil health and vine nutrition and managing vines for improved pest control.

Roman told us that Wolffer had not used any insecticides in eight years. This was both due to the fact that there hadn’t been any major outbreaks of bugs in the region and that the vineyard has made a decision to farm sustainably. Pests can kill a crop. Fungus can destroy both a crop and the vines themselves. To protect against fungus, Wolffer doesn’t use industrial fungicides, rather Roman sprays his vines with Stylet-Oil. “Stylet-Oil is a food grade, high purity mineral oil. It has had impurities removed through additional distillation steps involving high pressure and steam, leaving a tech white mineral oil-similar to Johnson’s Baby Oil. Additional ingredients include emulsifying materials blended into the oil allowing it to mix with water,” according to Jeff Symons President of JMS Flower Farms (makers of Stylet-Oil).

While walking between the rows of Chardonnay grapes, Roman showed us the way the vines had been planted. Amazingly Wolffer had been designed to focus not on increasing yield, but rather increasing the viability of the overall vineyard. Every other season, Wolffer field-hands plant mustard and clover plants in between ever other row of vines to help mitigate pests. There are four acres of wildflowers planted to encourage bees to visit the vineyard to assist in pollination.

Well over the course of an hour talking with Roman we discussed Wolffer’s commitment to sustainable farming while sipping some truly nice and memorable wines.

We started off with the Wolffer Rosé from 2007. As we sat outside, on their covered patio, overlooking the vineyard, Melissa and I were treated to a very nice, crisp Rosé with just enough fruit to keep it honest. Neither of us expected to like this refreshing wine, as we both tend to like full-bodied reds to blended, chilled whites. But, it was hot, it had taken us nearly 2 hours (in Hamptons traffic) to get to Wolffer and this Rosé really took the bite off the heat.

I asked Roman if Wolffer had chosen to farm sustainably for economic or marketing reasons. Roman stated quickly that for Wollfer “…this is a decision made from a healthy vineyard perspective. This is the right approach to keeping a healthy vineyard, to keeping it alive with its own bio dynamic.” Roman explained that while it might cost a bit more to farm in this fashion, with a tunnel sprayer to collect the drippings from any sprayed fertilizer or stylet oil to keep fungus outbreaks down, that long-term it made better economic and environmental sense for Wolffer.

As Roman poured us our second glass of wine, a sparkling Brut Cuvee from 2004, the talk turned to whether or not Wolffer was an organic vineyard. Turns out it is not, but this might not be such a bad thing according to Roman, “By keeping very neat rows and open canopies we have less fungus pressure. We are not organic, but we try to do as much as possible. You have to work your way towards organic and sustainable farming. You can’t just do it overnight…well you can, but you’ll make horrible wine, and that’s not in anyone’s best interest.”

In this instance the proof of this fact was in the tasting. This champagne-style wine was excellent – sharp, but not bitter, crisp with a bit of apple taste to it, and very drinkable. Continuing on the discussion of Wolffer’s organic goals, Roman told us it was a possibility but not a guarantee.

After a walk through the rows of vines we went back to the patio for our final glass of wine of the afternoon, a truly impressive Merlot from 2004. Now this was more to our tastes. The wine was bold for a Merlot, with a strong flavor of berries and a smoky, coffee flavor. As the final taste of the afternoon, we settled in to enjoy the sun, the view (Wolffer’s tasting room/patio is one of the most beautiful I’ve been in) and finish our conversation about the value of sustainable viticulture. Roth summarized the entire sustainable winemaking philosophy perfectly, “You have you to be a steward for all of this (the environment), this has to last for hundreds of years, and this sustainable movement is helping us both today, and tomorrow.”

If you are every in the Hamptons, I suggest stopping at Wollfer Estates tasting room. Sit on the patio looking at the beautiful vineyard while drinking some really good wine that has been produced in manner that is not only good for you but the environment.

Baking soda is most often used for deodorizing refrigerators and, of course, baking. This multi-tasker also has medicinal uses, can scrub your tub and – surprise! – can be used to green up your beauty routine.

While some people swear by ditching the shampoo all together and using baking soda instead, my trial of that last year didn’t go so well. I so wanted it to work, so I could really simplify my routine and pare down the number of products I use. Unfortunately, my scalp’s just plain too oily for that.

My favorite use for baking soda is to give my shampoo a little extra oomph on those days when my hair’s gotten so dirty, it needs some super-strong cleansing. Instead of reaching for a clarifying shampoo – which is more than likely loaded with toxins – just pour about a teaspoon of baking soda into your hand, add your usual amount of shampoo and lather up. You’ll find that the lather is extra rich, and helps your shampoo go a little further. Work it into your scalp with your fingers for a soothing massage and extra oil-fighting power.

You can also mix baking soda with your face wash for an exfoliating scrub that will eliminate oil and leave your skin feeling extra clean. Simple, natural, and oh-so-cheap.

Photo credit: Flickr user s-a-m

I was really bummed when I was planning on featuring some of Nau’s new summer fashions on this site and I got to their homepage and learned they were closing shop. But then…..

……they confounded us all by throwing a HUGE summer sale which had ridiculously good deals as part of their liquidation. It just reminded me of why their stuff was so awesome and this time their collection was filled with color! It seemed so sad that just when they had reached some sort of apogee/critical mass, they closed.

But turns out they’re back! Some former Nau employees got a company called Horny Toad to buy the concept and Nau is returning! Rejoice in the ecofashiony goodness of a company that was really trying to change the dominant retail paradigm.

Via: Wend Magazine’s great blog.

I was reading a recent issue of National Geographic’s The Green Guide (Spring 2008) and on the last page of the magazine was an image hundreds of milk cartons lining a street to demonstrate how much milk American’s consume. The image was taken from National Geographic Channel documentary Human Footprint.

According to the movie, America consumes 989,985,594,240 half gallons of milk over the course of a lifetime and it takes more than one trillion kilowatt-hours of energy to produce, ship and landfill the milk cartons. That amount of energy emits 740,674,244 tons of greenhouse gases. Amazingly, only a tiny fraction of the cartons are recycled.

That got me thinking. How many milk cartons does my household go through over a short period of time, say a week? More importantly, why are milk cartons not recycled? They are made of paper aren’t they? Even more puzzling is the fact that on the side of some of the cartons I buy, it says “please recycle”. I want to, but my town will not take them. So I decided to do some research on how to recycle a milk carton, and why my town won’t do it. I thought the information would be readily available. I was wrong.

Initially I was going to save my cartons for one week, assuming this would be plenty of time to get enough information to write on the subject. Well, do a “Google” search on “milk carton recycling” and you will basically come up with… nothing. Four weeks and 30 cartons later, I am finally writing about it.

This is what I discovered…

Milk cartons ARE recyclable, however, according to an EPA report of MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) provided to me by the National Recycling Coalition, in 2006, 510,000 tons of milk cartons were generated in the United States and less than 0.05% (5,000 tons) were recycled.

In 2006, only a little more than 550 towns across the country recycled milk cartons (source: Organic Valley). To put this into perspective, there are 556 municipalities in New Jersey. Doing a non-scientific search on the internet of various towns across the country, I discovered you cannot recycle milk cartons in San Diego, DC, the entire state of Pennsylvania, Los Angeles and Austin but you can in New York City and Boulder, CO.

But why?

Read More »

My personal quest to find a skin care line that isn’t toxic like most conventional skin products and WORKS is finally over! I recently discovered a brand, Miessence owned by Australian based company, ONE (Organic and Natural Enterprise) Group that perfectly fits those 2 needs.

Since that time, I’ve become a true Miessence addict! Their price range is comparable to something you would buy from Aveda or Origins, but the ingredients are sooo much better. Miessence has signed the The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and their products are certified USDA Organic, Australian Certified Organic, and certified by the Biological Farmers of Australia.

Miessence® is currently the only skin care product on the planet that has submitted to, and complies with, the rigorous processing and labelling requirements for certified organic food products.

So, in my book if it’s good enough to eat, then its good enough to put on my face! And more importantly, all of their products are amazing and make my skin look + feel great.

Right now I’m in love with their Balancing Line (for combination skin) of face products. I would recommend ordering a bunch of their samples to try out all their lines to see which one works best since their sample sachets are only $1 and that way you don’t have to commit. In additional to a traditional skin care line, they also sell shampoo and cosmetics (I’m going to try these next). Right now they only sell online. If you’re ordering from the U.S. go here.

I’m not sure how long this has been around, but the fabulous shopping site, Shopbop has a whole category (alongside Top Sellers and What’s Hot) called Earth Friendly, featuring clothes, shoes and accessories that are made of organic cotton, bamboo, and other sustainable fabrics.

Needing a new flowey summer piece to top off my shorts (but that is still appropriate for going out in the city), I found some really great options.

L, Larson Grey Flora Chiffon Blouse, R, Murphy Katherine bamboo top

L, Theory organic linen top, R, Beau Soleil Tini Tank

Last summer, there was a lot of talk of nanoparticles after the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and other consumer advocacy groups questioned their safety. Nanoparticles – specifically, those found in sunscreens – are ultra-small particles of zinc and titanium dioxide. Making the particles so small ensures that sunscreen goes on clear instead of remaining opaque, but comprehensive studies had never been done on their potential toxicity and the extent to which they’re absorbed into the skin.

The EWG has since concluded that nanoparticles of zinc and titanium don’t penetrate the skin enough to pose a potential hazard, and their list of recommended sunscreens doesn’t take nanoparticles into account. But, if you want to be on the safe side just in case, you can still avoid nanoparticles in sunscreen. Model Angela Lindvall explains how below:

So, all you have to do is check the ingredient list for ‘nano’, ‘ultrafine’, and also another one not mentioned in the video, ‘micronized’. If your sunscreen doesn’t contain any mention of those, you’re probably in the clear. You can also tell by whether your sunscreen goes on clear or stays white after you apply it. Remember that the biggest sunscreen safety hazards aren’t related to nanoparticles – they’re chemicals, which are not only absorbed by the skin and end up in the blood and organs but aren’t as effective. So, stick with titanium dioxide and zinc.

A few nanoparticle-free sunscreens are Avalon Organics Natural Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 18), Alba Mineral Sunscreens and Lavera SPF 40+ Neutral Sun Block.

For a full explanation of nanoparticles and how the Environmental Working Group rated the sunscreens in their report, see their nanotechnology summary.

For those living within fifty miles of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, there is a new way to document the potential impact of nuclear energy and radioactive waste. Breast milk: who knew it could be an (anti-)nuclear weapon?

The Mothers Milk Project is an endeavor founded by longtime activists Nancy Burton (of Connecticut Coalition Against Millstone) and Gail Merrill (a breast cancer survivor.) Rock the Reactors is a project supporter. Whether through spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste, or medical by-products, Strontium-90, a radioactive isotope, is present in our environment.

According to Burton, goat milk sampled 5.5 miles from the Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford, Conn. has tested high for strontium-90. She says the surrounding area has a high incidence of leukemia, early childhood mortality, miscarriage, bone cancer, childhood cancer and breast cancer. She wants to see if the same is true for the areas surrounding Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Buchanan, New York.

Nuclear power proponents claim there is no health risk with nuclear energy. However, plants such as Indian Point deposit Strontium-90 and other radionuclides into our atmosphere, affecting living organisms within a certain radius of the facility.

Here is a map representing the fifty mile radius of the plant, within which the current testing is occurring.

Mothers Milk Project is taking samples from women in Fairfield County in Connecticut and Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York state. The donated cup of milk will be divided into four parts: 1/4 cup for the NY State Department of Health, 1/4 cup for Entergy (parent company of Indian Point and Vermont Yankee,) 1/4 cup to be retained by the project’s independent laboratory and 1/4 cup to be retained by the project for possible re-testing.

The Project has also requested that New York State continue testing of local animals and mammals, which it did until 1991, then stopped.

The biological activity of Strontium-90 is similar to that of calcium. It enters our body through contaminated food or water, and is deposited in our bones, teeth and bone marrow, where it can disrupt cellular activity.

During routine operations, Indian Point is designed to release fission byproducts into the air and water. One such radionuclide, krypton, rapidly decays to strontium-90, a beta particle which mimics calcium in its chemical composition. Strontium-90 is readily absorbed in bone tissue and teeth. With a half-life (decay period) of 30 years, it disrupts nearby cells and is known to cause leukemia, bone cancer, diseases of the immune system and cancers of soft tissues such as breast and lung. Children and developing babies are especially vulnerable to its effects.

Strontium-90 is linked to cancer, leukemia, and diseases of the immune system. If you live within the 50 mile radius of the plant and are currently breastfeeding, donate your milk! Anonymity is respected, as only zip codes are recorded.

“Breastfeeding mothers and others are entitled to know if harmful radioactive effluents are entering our milk supply,” Burton said. “We believe ‘breast is best’ and our babies should be protected from insidious contaminants,” she added.

Scarola’s bag of bags

I was so excited to see a sustainable bag win the Audience Fan Favorite prize at theIndependent Handbag Design Awards. Suzanne Scarola of Bellabags made her bag (above) by knitting plastic bags by hand.

This candy-wrapper bag by Ecoist won “Best Green Handbag”

Helen Marcoschamer of Ecoist detailed her bag’s winning eco-cred:

q: What is your bag made out of?
a: Recycled and Repurposed Candy Wrappers

q: What made you decide to create a “Green Bag”?
a: To merge design with social and environmental consciousness to provide stylish, functional, and durable products that people will love to own. All our products are made from recycled, organic, or earth-friendly materials, and are manufactured through our network of fair trade partnerships around the world. We wanted to reduce landfill waste and with every bag sold, we plant a tree.

q: Where are you bags made? Are they made by hand or manufactured?
a: They are made in Mexico and Peru. Once we get the discarded wrappers from factories, the wrappers are then cut, folded into straps, weaved, and sewn by skilled artisans. Each one is 100 % handmade. Ecoist is proud of its fair trade practices and contributions to social causes.

q: Where are bags sold?
a: Throughout the US, UK, Japan, Latin America, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Europe.

Check out the finalists to see other great bags that didn’t win, but came close.

Every year, around this time, I get excited to head over to our local farm to start participating in our CSA (community supported agriculture.)

This year I am going to try my hand at a bit of horticulture at home, but we are still keeping our CSA membership as well. Being part of a community-minded organization such as a CSA is a great way to avoid the florescent lights and frigidly air-conditioned stores and get out and meet people! There are many food options, usually within ten or twenty miles of home. Here are a few resources that can help you to find locally produced items.

Local Harvest: I love this site. You can find vegan restaurants, soaps, herbs, organic barbecue joints, or where to find local honey (great for allergy sufferers!)

Locavores: The home website of those who coined the term ‘locavores.’ Jessica Prentice, a chef from the Bay area, began using the term in 2005, defining it as eating food harvested within a 100 mile radius. The links page has a lot of useful connections.

The Eat Well Guide is another great site. There is a local food finder on the main page that lets you enter your zip code to find farms, co-ops, restaurants and more. This site has guides that show where you can find hormone-free dairy, water-conscious establishments, and also has a database that lets you know what is in season in your region.

The Sustainable Table is a fantastic resource for educational information regarding all things sustainable. These are the folks who brought us The Meatrix.

If you don’t want to buy it, do one better - grow it! Michael Pollan’s recent piece on climate change and self-sufficiency in the NYT Magazine Section was so inspiring. I love his description of the cheap-energy mind and our disconnect from the simplicity of nurturing ourselves.

The idea is to find one thing to do in your life that doesn’t involve spending or voting, that may or may not virally rock the world but is real and particular (as well as symbolic) and that, come what may, will offer its own rewards. Maybe you decide to give up meat, an act that would reduce your carbon footprint by as much as a quarter. Or you could try this: determine to observe the Sabbath. For one day a week, abstain completely from economic activity: no shopping, no driving, no electronics.

But the act I want to talk about is growing some — even just a little — of your own food. Rip out your lawn, if you have one, and if you don’t — if you live in a high-rise, or have a yard shrouded in shade — look into getting a plot in a community garden. Measured against the Problem We Face, planting a garden sounds pretty benign, I know, but in fact it’s one of the most powerful things an individual can do — to reduce your carbon footprint, sure, but more important, to reduce your sense of dependence and dividedness: to change the cheap-energy mind.