Click on this link to get the discount.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Just one thing...
Here's just one thing you can do to prevent needless suffering of animals. The next time you buy fingernail polish, buy it from a company that does not test on animals.
Save one animal at a time and start using cruelty free fingernail polish (and remover)!
The Hidden Ingredient in Cosmetic Testing: Animal Suffering
Every year, cosmetics companies kill millions of animals to test their products. These companies claim they test on animals to establish the safety of their products and ingredients for consumers. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require animal testing for cosmetics, and alternative testing methods are widely available and lead to more reliable results.
Painful and Deadly Tests
Product testing is commonly performed on animals to measure the levels of skin irritancy, eye tissue damage, and toxicity caused by various substances used in the manufacture of cosmetics. In the Draize test, caustic substances are placed in the eyes of conscious rabbits to evaluate damage to sensitive eye tissues. This is extremely painful for the rabbits, who often scream when the substances are applied and sometimes break their necks or backs trying to escape the restraints.
Why buy from a company who tests on animals when it is so easy to buy cruelty free (not tested on animals) products? I wear fingernail polish a lot so I did some research and found fingernail polish brands that DO NOT test on animals. I've categorized it by where you can buy the product.
Walmart- Hard Candy
- Jane
Trade Secret
- Essie
- O.P.I
Sephora
- O.P.I. by Sephora - This is a "Sephora" store brand product, but it is made by O.P.I. I buy my fingernail polish here...it's not expensive and it's cruelty free!
Ulta
- Essie
- O.P.I.
- E.L.F.
Albertson's
- Jane
- Orly
MAC Cosmetics has some great fingernail polish colors and they are CRUELTY FREE!!!
Save one animal at a time and start using cruelty free fingernail polish (and remover)!
Monday, August 30, 2010
If I see one more dog...
....locked in a car in 95+ degree weather I'm going to kill someone. I know, this has nothing to do with living a green lifestyle but I have to say something about it.
Just this past weekend I was in a local grocery store parking lot when I see a tiny chihuahua in a SUV with the windows cracked maybe half an inch. And this is during a Texas summer with the temperature hovering at the 100 degree mark. As I'm pulling out my phone to call 9-1-1 I see a lady walking to the car with a grocery cart full of bags. I knew that this lady didn't run in for just a few things, but had spent at least 30-45 minutes shopping while her dog was suffering in the hot car. Those of you who know me would be very proud of me. I calmly walked over to her and with a sweet smile on my face I said, "That's an adorable dog you have in your car." You could see the confusion cross her face as she is trying to decide if I am complimenting her dog or if she is going to get a can of Texas whup-ass opened on her. I continued through gritted teeth, "You know, if you don't want to take care of it, I'd love to find it a home with someone who WOULDN'T DO SHIT LIKE THIS!!!" (Ok, I lost it at the end, but the lady deserved it). When she told me she was going to call the police, I told her not to bother, because I had already pushed 9-1 on my phone and I would be more than happy to push that last "1" if she would like for the police to show up. I told her if she would start her car and put the air conditioning on full blast for the poor dog, we would call it a day. Thankfully she did and I left....but I have that lady's car burned in my memory and you can guaranty that if I see it again in town I will stop and make sure that dog has not been left in the car.
As if this wasn't bad enough I had another experience a few weeks ago when I was lucky enough to go on a road trip with a close friend. At one of our pit stops, I hear my friend say with dread in her voice, "Please tell me they have the air conditioning on." Looking at the car next to me I see a huge Husky dog in a dark car with the windows barely cracked and NO A/C on!!!! Immediately I feel sick to my stomach and I get out of the car to see if the other car's a/c is running. As luck would have it, it's not and me and my friend stand in the parking lot looking around helplessly. A couple of minutes pass and I dial 9-1-1 to explain what was going on. In the meantime I go into the gas station we had stopped at to buy a bottled water. (I was prepared to pour the water through the crack of the window and suffer the almost certain wrath of the car owners when the came back to the car). In the meantime, the police car pulls up before I make it to the car window and I explain to the officer that I was the one that called and the dog had now been in the car for at least 15 minutes. The police officer was surprisingly empathetic and said something to the effect of "that is pathetic," with a look of disgust on his face. As we were speaking, the owner of the dog walks out to the car and I make my way to my own car. As we pull away I notice that the police officer is still staring down the owner of the car. And as a matter of fact, as we pulled into the Sonic next door, we could still see the cop parked by the car watching it. I think the dog's owner knew what was going down and therefore we had a stand off on our hands. The car wouldn't leave the parking lot for fear of being pulled over and the cop was not budging. At least 5 minutes later as we leave Sonic, the car is still there as well as the police officer. As I pulled away, I envisioned the car finally pulling out of the parking lot, the police car's lights flashing and those idiots being pulled over. Hopefully the idiot had a warrant for his arrest and he went to the clink and the cop took the dog home to live happily ever after. Of course, we know "happily ever after" doesn't always happen...so please DO NOT LEAVE AN ANIMAL IN A CAR WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE!!!
Just this past weekend I was in a local grocery store parking lot when I see a tiny chihuahua in a SUV with the windows cracked maybe half an inch. And this is during a Texas summer with the temperature hovering at the 100 degree mark. As I'm pulling out my phone to call 9-1-1 I see a lady walking to the car with a grocery cart full of bags. I knew that this lady didn't run in for just a few things, but had spent at least 30-45 minutes shopping while her dog was suffering in the hot car. Those of you who know me would be very proud of me. I calmly walked over to her and with a sweet smile on my face I said, "That's an adorable dog you have in your car." You could see the confusion cross her face as she is trying to decide if I am complimenting her dog or if she is going to get a can of Texas whup-ass opened on her. I continued through gritted teeth, "You know, if you don't want to take care of it, I'd love to find it a home with someone who WOULDN'T DO SHIT LIKE THIS!!!" (Ok, I lost it at the end, but the lady deserved it). When she told me she was going to call the police, I told her not to bother, because I had already pushed 9-1 on my phone and I would be more than happy to push that last "1" if she would like for the police to show up. I told her if she would start her car and put the air conditioning on full blast for the poor dog, we would call it a day. Thankfully she did and I left....but I have that lady's car burned in my memory and you can guaranty that if I see it again in town I will stop and make sure that dog has not been left in the car.
As if this wasn't bad enough I had another experience a few weeks ago when I was lucky enough to go on a road trip with a close friend. At one of our pit stops, I hear my friend say with dread in her voice, "Please tell me they have the air conditioning on." Looking at the car next to me I see a huge Husky dog in a dark car with the windows barely cracked and NO A/C on!!!! Immediately I feel sick to my stomach and I get out of the car to see if the other car's a/c is running. As luck would have it, it's not and me and my friend stand in the parking lot looking around helplessly. A couple of minutes pass and I dial 9-1-1 to explain what was going on. In the meantime I go into the gas station we had stopped at to buy a bottled water. (I was prepared to pour the water through the crack of the window and suffer the almost certain wrath of the car owners when the came back to the car). In the meantime, the police car pulls up before I make it to the car window and I explain to the officer that I was the one that called and the dog had now been in the car for at least 15 minutes. The police officer was surprisingly empathetic and said something to the effect of "that is pathetic," with a look of disgust on his face. As we were speaking, the owner of the dog walks out to the car and I make my way to my own car. As we pull away I notice that the police officer is still staring down the owner of the car. And as a matter of fact, as we pulled into the Sonic next door, we could still see the cop parked by the car watching it. I think the dog's owner knew what was going down and therefore we had a stand off on our hands. The car wouldn't leave the parking lot for fear of being pulled over and the cop was not budging. At least 5 minutes later as we leave Sonic, the car is still there as well as the police officer. As I pulled away, I envisioned the car finally pulling out of the parking lot, the police car's lights flashing and those idiots being pulled over. Hopefully the idiot had a warrant for his arrest and he went to the clink and the cop took the dog home to live happily ever after. Of course, we know "happily ever after" doesn't always happen...so please DO NOT LEAVE AN ANIMAL IN A CAR WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE!!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Natural Homemade Vegan Dog Treats
Being the frugal gal that I am, I was researching dog treat recipes when I came across one that was too easy to pass up. Not only is it easy to make, it's vegan and healthy!!!These meat-free dog treats are a satisfying alternative to rawhide or meaty treats. Sweet potatoes are known for healthy beta-carotene and can be broken down in some dogs more easily than rawhide.
Sweet Potato Chewy Treat Recipe
- Preheat oven to 250° F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut off one side of the sweet potato lengthwise, as close to the edge as possible.
- Cutting the side of the potato first allows you to then turn the potato onto this flat surface that you have just created. Having a stable area to rest the potato will make it easier to cut the potato into slices. Don't discard that first piece, it comes out just as yummy as the rest!
- Cut the rest of the potato into 1/3" slices, no smaller than 1/4".
- Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 3 hours, turning half way through.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. (If you want, you can cut the treats into smaller pieces).
By the way, Lucky loves them!!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I love it when this happens...Part 2
Sometimes the "Green Gods" look down and wink at you and in the case of my favorite beer/cider, this just happened. I had no idea that my beloved "Woodchuck' is not only a vegan beer, but the company believes in a "Cider-stainability." According to their website...."We make our cider from apples. And as far as we understand, apples come from the earth. So, logically it makes sense for us to want to help the environment."
All of Woodchuck's packaging is 100% recyclable, and they print on all recycled material. They partner with local apple orchards to support the local Vermont economy, and to help cut down on transportation costs and emissions. And get this....they purchase 25% of our power through "CVPS Cow Power", the first manure-to-energy program in the country. They also have a Corporate Partnership with "American Forests" and are happy to announce that to date they have planted 8432 trees in wildfire devastated areas in CA through the American Forests® Global ReLeaf® program. It doesn’t get more natural than helping the environment while making stuff out of apples.
The company joined forces with their electric company in shutting down during peak times, saving enough energy to eliminate the need to build an additional power plant. They've also been able to reduce usage to 1 gallon of water for every 1 gallon of cider produced. Compared to the 6 that a typical brewery would use (some use up to 20).
All of Woodchuck's packaging is 100% recyclable, and they print on all recycled material. They partner with local apple orchards to support the local Vermont economy, and to help cut down on transportation costs and emissions. And get this....they purchase 25% of our power through "CVPS Cow Power", the first manure-to-energy program in the country. They also have a Corporate Partnership with "American Forests" and are happy to announce that to date they have planted 8432 trees in wildfire devastated areas in CA through the American Forests® Global ReLeaf® program. It doesn’t get more natural than helping the environment while making stuff out of apples.
Do I need any more reasons to buy my favorite beer? I think not!!!!
Cruelty Free Hair Care
Make every day a good one with these cruelty-free tips.
By Brooke Still
Whether you don flowing hippie tresses, bounce around with a bob, or let your locks fall somewhere in between, healthy, shiny, and gorgeous hair is what we all want. When you’re vegan, many of the products on the market promising perfect hair turn out to be absolute don’ts. Like so much man-made merchandise, hair products can be loaded with animal products hiding behind the guise of long, unpronounceable names. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of chemicals to avoid and a few hair care suggestions to ensure that everyday is a good hair day.
Shampoo
The next time you’re lathering up, check the back of the bottle for Hydrolyzed Animal Protein, which is mostly derived from cows, pigs, and chickens. In shampoo, it’s used to add gloss or reduce split ends. Luckily, vegan shampoo products are easy to find. For dry hair, Aubrey Organics promises to replenish with reparative oils. Giovanni’s Four Elements gives the salon experience at home without the harmful additives. Kiss My Face Miss Treated Shampoo helps to undo everything chemicals have done to your hair.
Conditioner
Conditioner provides your hair with the strength conditioning to be healthy and voluminous—but can also be full of animal derivatives. Stearic Acid, sometimes derived from cows, sheep, dogs, and cats can be found in conditioner. The same goes for steroids, often derived from animal glands and also used in hair conditioners. Some ethical alternatives include Desert Essence coconut conditioner, which in addition to being vegan is fragrance- and gluten-free. For fuller, more voluminous hair, Jason’s Biotin Conditioner promises to thicken strands and add moisture.
Finishing touches
The finishing touches give your locks a little oomph. But from hairspray to smoothing creams, finishing products are often not vegan. Keratin is found in permanent wave solutions, and is made from animal horns and hooves. Cysteine, an amino acid, can also come from animals, and is sometimes used in creams. For some animal-friendly alternatives, try Aveda volumizing tonic with certified organic aloe that is sure to add height to your hair. And Beauty Without Cruelty hairspray has been cruelty-free since 1963, and will give your hair extra hold.
Resources
Walk through any hair care aisle and you’ll see that there are more hair products out there than you’d care to count. Ingredients are the first place to start in your search for the perfect ‘do. Some ethical companies, such as Avalon Organics, have a complete ingredient glossary on their websites. Vegan Beauty Review gives detailed descriptions of tested products. The Kind Life and PETA also have databases detailing which companies are vegan and animal-friendly, and which are not. Craving a change of color? Check out VN’s Hue How To and find out how to dye your locks cruelty-free, while avoiding harmful chemicals.
By Brooke Still
Whether you don flowing hippie tresses, bounce around with a bob, or let your locks fall somewhere in between, healthy, shiny, and gorgeous hair is what we all want. When you’re vegan, many of the products on the market promising perfect hair turn out to be absolute don’ts. Like so much man-made merchandise, hair products can be loaded with animal products hiding behind the guise of long, unpronounceable names. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of chemicals to avoid and a few hair care suggestions to ensure that everyday is a good hair day.
Shampoo
The next time you’re lathering up, check the back of the bottle for Hydrolyzed Animal Protein, which is mostly derived from cows, pigs, and chickens. In shampoo, it’s used to add gloss or reduce split ends. Luckily, vegan shampoo products are easy to find. For dry hair, Aubrey Organics promises to replenish with reparative oils. Giovanni’s Four Elements gives the salon experience at home without the harmful additives. Kiss My Face Miss Treated Shampoo helps to undo everything chemicals have done to your hair.
Conditioner
Conditioner provides your hair with the strength conditioning to be healthy and voluminous—but can also be full of animal derivatives. Stearic Acid, sometimes derived from cows, sheep, dogs, and cats can be found in conditioner. The same goes for steroids, often derived from animal glands and also used in hair conditioners. Some ethical alternatives include Desert Essence coconut conditioner, which in addition to being vegan is fragrance- and gluten-free. For fuller, more voluminous hair, Jason’s Biotin Conditioner promises to thicken strands and add moisture.
Finishing touches
The finishing touches give your locks a little oomph. But from hairspray to smoothing creams, finishing products are often not vegan. Keratin is found in permanent wave solutions, and is made from animal horns and hooves. Cysteine, an amino acid, can also come from animals, and is sometimes used in creams. For some animal-friendly alternatives, try Aveda volumizing tonic with certified organic aloe that is sure to add height to your hair. And Beauty Without Cruelty hairspray has been cruelty-free since 1963, and will give your hair extra hold.
Resources
Walk through any hair care aisle and you’ll see that there are more hair products out there than you’d care to count. Ingredients are the first place to start in your search for the perfect ‘do. Some ethical companies, such as Avalon Organics, have a complete ingredient glossary on their websites. Vegan Beauty Review gives detailed descriptions of tested products. The Kind Life and PETA also have databases detailing which companies are vegan and animal-friendly, and which are not. Craving a change of color? Check out VN’s Hue How To and find out how to dye your locks cruelty-free, while avoiding harmful chemicals.
Friday, August 13, 2010
I love it when this happens....
As I am slowly getting rid of all of my beauty products that are not "cruelty free" I just used the last of my beloved mousse. Girls, you know how it is when you find the perfect hair product that makes your hair look it's best? Well, that's my Nexxus Volumizing Mousse. So with heavy heart I went online to search cruelty free mousse options and I was thrilled to see that my beloved Nexxus Volumizing Mousse is cruelty free!!!! I was already living the cruelty free lifestyle and didn't even know it. Now I can buy a new can and not worry about some poor animal suffering for my vanity.
It even comes in a handy travel size, and at $2.99 I used it every day and it lasted me over a month! If you click on the picture, you can get it from drugstore.com. But I would suggest clicking on this link first and then searching for the product. THIS IS THE BEST DEAL I HAVE EVER SEEN ON DRUGSTORE.COM. If you spend $25, you get FREE SHIPPING and a $25 RESTAURANT.COM GIFT CERTIFICATE.
For those of you that think that $25 is a lot of money to spend to get these freebies, remember that you can buy almost anything that you get in your local store for much cheaper! AND you save the gas driving from store to store shopping. They even have a "Green Section" that has cruelty free products...cleaning products, makeup, laundry soap, foods, gifts, vitamins and pet products.
JUST BE GREEN!!!
For those of you that think that $25 is a lot of money to spend to get these freebies, remember that you can buy almost anything that you get in your local store for much cheaper! AND you save the gas driving from store to store shopping. They even have a "Green Section" that has cruelty free products...cleaning products, makeup, laundry soap, foods, gifts, vitamins and pet products.
JUST BE GREEN!!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Alicia is some girl!!!
After seeing Alicia Silverstone on Oprah today and getting her fabulous tip about vegan chicken I had to investigate this fascinating green girl a bit more. I came across a website where she was giving away a eco cruelty free handbag. I click on the link expecting to see some hideous canvas type purses and when I did....viola! BEAUTIFUL purses!!! The company who makes them is great!!! All of Susan Nichole's handbags are made from 100% recyclable, vegan materials and contain absolutely no animal products. What a great way to give a green girl the option to carry beautiful designer handbags that are trendy and fashionable, yet maintain their animal and earth friendly principals. Here's a link to her site. Ta-ta...I'm off to shop.
My heart is filled with happiness!!!
I've got to admit, I got weak the other day at Market Street when I passed the deli counter. Sitting there on a beautiful bed of lettuce was a delicious chicken sandwich. For those of you who don't know me, I LIVED on chicken sandwiches before I started living the green life. Sadly, I thought that I had long since eaten my last turkey sandwich until today when I was watching Oprah. Alcia Silverstone was on the show talking about her vegan lifestyle and she mentioned a vegan chicken breast. Oh happy days!!! I'm rushing out to market street this evening to buy some...fingers crossed that they have it. Stand by for my review!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Green Dog
This is my dog, Lucky and I'm trying to get him to embrace the green lifestyle too. Today I went online and found him some new "green" treats. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm trying to train him how to stand up on command (trust me, don't ask) so I've been looking for some healthy treats to speed up the learning process.
I found a great website called "Only Natural Pet Store." If you click on this link, you'll get free shipping. Free Shipping on Orders Starting at $60
So I'm going to get these treats...how could you possibly refuse treats with such a cute name? They are called "Grrr-Lick" (as in "Garlic"). Not only will Lucky love his new treats, they are a natural way to control fleas. Apparently the garlic odor given off the dog's skin will keep the fleas at bay. Green Girl is just a bit concerned about Lucky's potential B.O. and bad breath, but according the website, the smell will be undetectable by me.
Della Bags made by the women of Ghana
Della Bags are a perfect compliment to this Summer and Autumn’s mad-plaid pattern-on-pattern trends. Well executed, with colorful, African-inspired motifs, they are quic
k and inexpensive anecdote to The Boring Tote, but crafted with a simple shape and strap so all the busyness is self-contained in a basic package, which is the key to working with extravagant colors and patternsEach bag is signed on the inside of the strap by one of the women-artisans of HoeHoe, Ghana who made it. This direct trade project enables the women who sew the bags to “gain financial independence by providing jobs, education, and skill training.” All the hobo bags (pictured here, and see more colors and patterns on the Della site) are made with vegan, sustainable, West African textiles.
Click here to visit the Della website.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Day 1 Results
I'm still loving the toothpaste!!! I think I figured out what really makes it great....it isn't super minty tasting but your mouth feels really fresh after using it. Hard to explain, but a perfect purchase for me.
I've only used the Alba face cleanser and night cream once, but so far so good. The soap lathered up nicely and really cleaned off all traces of my make up. The night cream felt super rich going on, but absorbed quickly with no sticky residue. Of course, using it only one day I can't give you an honest review of it, but so far no breakouts and my face feels just as good as it did when I used the expensive face cream.
In keeping with my 1 new green thing a day, I signed up for electronic statements at my bank. It was actually quite freeing knowing that it would be one less envelope stuffing up my mailbox each month.
I've only used the Alba face cleanser and night cream once, but so far so good. The soap lathered up nicely and really cleaned off all traces of my make up. The night cream felt super rich going on, but absorbed quickly with no sticky residue. Of course, using it only one day I can't give you an honest review of it, but so far no breakouts and my face feels just as good as it did when I used the expensive face cream.
In keeping with my 1 new green thing a day, I signed up for electronic statements at my bank. It was actually quite freeing knowing that it would be one less envelope stuffing up my mailbox each month.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
My first green shopping trip
Last night I scraped out the last of my environmentally unfriendly face cream out of its container with my fingernail. Being a new “Greenie," I have decided that in true green spirit I will finish all of my old “un-green” products before buying anything new. (Green rule #1…No waste). I have to admit that panic set in as I wondered if I would be able to find a “green” face cream that would be able to keep my wrinkles at bay. I’m 4 months shy of a big birthday and I have to admit that I spend quite some time and effort in keeping a semi-youthful appearance. Armed with the internet and my wish list I began my search. The top of my wish list was a product that was cruelty free and that did not contain any animal products. I had visited the PETA website a couple of weeks back and was astonished at how cosmetic companies test their products on animals. If I couldn’t stand it when a little bit of mascara got in my eye, I couldn’t even imagine the pain of it being stabbed into some innocent animal’s eyes just for the sake of long beautiful lashes. Wish list #2 was something a little less carcinogenic. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a bottle of any beauty product? Madness I tell you. Armed with a couple hours of research, Green Girl (as I like to call myself) headed off to the local Market Street for a shopping trip. I bought some new face wash, face cream, tooth paste, body lotion and new deodorant (no bobbie cancer for me, thank you). All of them cruelty free and with no animal ingredients.
Here’s what I bought…. (you can click on the picture for pricing if you want to find out how much I blew today).
I was pleasantly surprised that it really didn’t cost that much (and in fact saved a little) by buying environmentally friendly products. The only thing I’ve used so far is the lotion and toothpaste. With the toothpaste I was braced for the worst, but it was actually really nice. No bitter gritty feel that I had gotten from another “healthy” toothpaste. The lotion was great too. It absorbed into my skin super quick and didn’t leave a sticky residue (which is saying a lot in this 100 degree weather). As far as the skin firming properties, I’ll have to let you know in 2 weeks (when I should expect “clinically proven visibly firmer skin”). So far, 2 for 2. I can’t wait to try the face stuff tonight and the deodorant tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted.
Here’s what I bought…. (you can click on the picture for pricing if you want to find out how much I blew today).
I was pleasantly surprised that it really didn’t cost that much (and in fact saved a little) by buying environmentally friendly products. The only thing I’ve used so far is the lotion and toothpaste. With the toothpaste I was braced for the worst, but it was actually really nice. No bitter gritty feel that I had gotten from another “healthy” toothpaste. The lotion was great too. It absorbed into my skin super quick and didn’t leave a sticky residue (which is saying a lot in this 100 degree weather). As far as the skin firming properties, I’ll have to let you know in 2 weeks (when I should expect “clinically proven visibly firmer skin”). So far, 2 for 2. I can’t wait to try the face stuff tonight and the deodorant tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted.
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