Organic Bubbly for the New Year

Its time to ring in the new year, and why not ring it in green with a little organic bubbly? Organic wines are a great way to both celebrate and support the environment. Organic wine is made without the use of insecticides, fumigants or herbicides. Organic farming promotes biodiversity allowing plants other than vines to grow, and works in conjunction with insects, mites and spiders. Treehugger has a great list of recommendations for organic champagne and sparkling wine, as does the Organic Wine Journal. I recommend checking out some California sparklers from Domaine Carneros, a leading organic winery based in Sonoma and Napa. The winery was the first sparkling winery in the United States to become organic certified with all estate vineyards certified. They produce a Brut Rose called Cuvee de la Pompadour (named after Madame de la Pompadour, a great courtesan and mistress of Louis VX...ooh la la!) and a premium vintage Brut, the Brut Cuvee. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Christmas Tree Recycling

Now that Christmas has come and gone, its time to dispose of your real tree in a positive way by recycling it properly. For those of us who have opted for a cut tree, it is really the right thing to do.

No need to toss that real tree into the trash and landfill; here they only take up space as they are unable to decompose properly. Real Christmas trees are being recycled and reused in great programs nationwide, for things as common as mulch, and as fantastic as wildlife habitat creation.

Earth 911 has made it easy; by entering your zip code on their website you can find local treecycling options in your area. My community in San Diego has both a curbside program and is hosting a treecycling event. One way I can be a slouch, they other, a go-getter. Either way, its nice to know I'm doing the right thing and ending the holiday season on one final eco-friendly note.

Shop Local & Homemade

Etsy.com - the place to buy & sell handmade things - has a Shop Local feature that allows you to search for handmade sellers near you. Buying goods that are both local & handmade is a highly sustainable way of shopping. Local goods mean that you are not transporting the items far, which reduces the 'carbon footprint' of your purchase (versus buying something that was shipped in from China for example). Additionally, you support your local economy by keeping your dollars in your neighborhood. Finally, most handmade processes are environmentally friendly and non-toxic.

I found a few great sellers near me:
Megan Rhodes PhotographyLuLuBug JewelryBette's Cache of Jewells

Vintage Box 1947 Rtisan's Shop
Pick up some unique, handmade, local items near you. Enjoy!

Green Toys for Christmas - Safe, Recycled Tea Sets

Today I was listening to NPR and heard Robert van Goeben, the entreprenuer behind Green Toys, speaking. His sustainable toy company is based in San Francisco, and utilizes 100% recycled milk jugs to make their toys. The plastic used in milk jugs - high-density polyethylene (or HDPE) - is considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around. You can't go wrong with these toys - they are recycled from California milk bottles, manufactured locally in San Francisco, and utilize the safest plastic around for the health of your kids. And they are so cute! They also have a variety of other toys - check them out here. You can use their store finder to find a retail outlet near you.

Gorgeous Eco-Toys for Babies

This year there are many wonderful options for safe, beautiful eco-friendly toys. Check out these adorable textured blocks and organic rabbit rattle - so much better than having your little guys chew on toxic plastics.

soft, organic blocksOrganic Rabbit Rattle

You can find these sweet toys at Natural Pod. Ban the plastics and bring imagination, fun and health into your daily lives. They also have toys for bigger kids, like this cute natural baby stroller.

The Truly Sustainable Gift: Non-Giving

Wow! My family has made the unthinkable shift this year, to cut back on gift-giving between family members. It feels emotional for me to witness this change in tradition come to pass...a tradition of gift-giving which was years in the making, a tradition which goes back years-deep into my childhood between my siblings. We mustered up the jubilant courage, however, and it is now a new beginning. I talked over the phone today to my brother and sister about this idea. It felt like sacrilege to bring it up, but once spoken it just seemed like common sense, and we all immediately agreed to the change. Between my siblings and I there are now multiple nieces and nephews, and also additional extended families-in-law. That's a lot of gift-giving to be done! And stress - to find just the appropriate special item for each individual, and cash - these gifts can really add up. This year, with the economy in the doldrums, it seems the perfect time to introduce this new tradition. So, starting this year, we will only give gifts to the kids. My siblings and I, as we all got off the phone together, breathed a mutual sigh of relief, and laughed at what a great gift we had given to ourselves. More time to enjoy this beautiful, joyful season, and less time spending unneeded money, time, and energy on things someone may or may not actually need. For me, making these changes towards wasting less and wanting less, ultimately makes much more sense, is less wasteful, and is the most truly sustainable gift you can give to yourself, your family and to the planet.

Natural Doll Bed

natural, sustainable doll bed from Urth Child

My daughters received American Girl dolls for their birthdays, and their top ask for Christmas is an American Girl bed. I don't want to succumb to the plastics found in these products...so I found the beautiful, natural wood bed above, at Urth Child. This bed is not only beautiful, but it is also environmentally sustainable (natural, sustainably farmed wood), non-toxic, has low-impact packaging, and is durable for a long lifetime. Urth Child has a beautiful selection of natural toys and gifts for children, none of which contain any BPA, phathalates, or PVC. Enjoy!

Beautful Handmade Christmas Gifts - Indigenous Designs

Last night I went to a festive holiday party from a pioneering eco-fashion leader based in Santa Rosa - Indigenous Design.

100% organic cotton baby sweater, scarf and hat

I scored on a few really beautiful items that were marked down for Christmas. Indigenous Design is a wonderful company in all respects...they work directly with artisans from South America, who work with 100% organic and sustainable fibers. They have transformed the villages where their artisans work, and have provided sustainable, joyful income for the villagers. Win for people, win for the environment and win for fashion!

my new 100% organic cotton sweater

Paddle Wheel Boat for Christmas

Paddle Wheel Boat

Here is a great little toy for Christmas - the paddle wheel boat from Natural Pod. As I have cleaned out all the old, most probably toxic toys from my children's bath, I would certainly add this pure little wooden boat to their Christmas list. They could use a few toys in there beyond a couple of washcloths! Poor things. I can just see them entering a new phase in bathing which would be founded on this little boat - little captains commandeering vessels and fighting off pirates! This boat is tested and certified for safety and for non-toxic materials. 'Please Santa, flow this little boat downstream into our stockings this year.'

Green your Live Christmas Tree

If you made the decision this year to go with a real Christmas tree like we have, here are a few ways to make your choice as sustainable as possible.1. buy or rent a living tree if you can. The most sustainable option is to purchase a living tree, which you then plant after the season is over. In San Francisco, San Diego and Portland, you can rent a tree that will be delivered to you, picked up after New Year's, and planted.

• in Portland, $60, www.livingchristmastrees.org
• in San Francisco, for $90 Friends of the Urban Forest rents you a living tree - after the holidays they pick it up and plant it on San Francisco's streets. www.fuf.net
• in San Diego Adopt a Christmas Tree will deliver a potted living tree to you via singing elves. They set up the tree for you, then pick it up and replant the tree in areas devastated by California fires.

2. find a tree lot that supports non-profits. With a bit of luck, you may be able to find a beatiful tree that supports a worthy cause. This year, Jacques, the girls and I are volunteering at a local lot that gives 100% of the proceeds to our local schools. Win Win!
3. buy organic if you can. Ask where the trees came from and whether pesticides were used. According to Paul McRandle, deputy editor of National Geographic's the Green Guide, non-organic monocrop tree farms use pesticides such as glyphosate (Roundup), organophosphates di-syston 15-G, and dimethoate, which all cause a host of nasty health issues. Luckily, there are better choices this year.
4. use LED lights on the tree. According to the US Department of Energy, LED Christmas lights create 10 times less CO2 than traditional Christmas lights.
5. ornament wisely. either make your ornaments, or purchase sustainable ornaments like these ornaments from eco-artware.com. All of their ornaments are made from reused/recycled materials.

6. recycle your tree after the holidays. Trees can be recycled and turned into mulch for gardening, or chipped for use on trails. Use earth911.com to find local Christmas tree recycling programs.

If you go for a live tree, you can do so guilt free. Enjoy the scent, enjoy the bounty, enjoy the season. I'm sitting here by the fire loving my real tree!

The Christmas Tree Debate: to go real or not?

our Christmas tree - a real tree for the first time in a long time!

Is anybody out there confused about whether live trees are eco-friendly or not? I have personally struggled with this question for years. A number of years ago, we purchased a plastic tree (ick) because we thought it was 'greener' than buying a cut tree. Now my perspective has changed and I think the most ecologically friendly thing to do is to purchase a real, organic tree (preferably live, but cut is OK as well), that hopefully is sold to benefit a non-profit organization. Here are a few things to consider:

1. plastic is bad, bad, bad. before deciding on buying an artificial tree, remember that most fake trees are made of polyvinyl chloride (aka PVC), which contains harmful chemicals. Also, plastic trees are non bio-degradable, and will eventually end up in the land-fill. Hmm.

these will eventually end up in the landfill....

2. plastic trees are unsustainable. Plastic trees are primarily made from oil, a non-renewable resource. When you look at a plastic tree, think of the extracted fossil fuels used to make it - the tree is merely a transformed version of these non-renewable resources. A few more things to think about:

• Most plastic trees are manufactured in China, Taiwan, and South Korea, which have less stringent environmental regulations, poorer working conditions, and lower wages.
• Most manufactured trees will travel thousands of miles before reaching the US, thereby creating a large carbon footprint from the 'grey energy' required to ship these products to us.

transporting fake trees requires fossil fuel and creates pollution

• Energy from fossil fuel is required for manufacturing. Burning fossil fuel causes environmental damage.
• Buying products manufactured outside the US does not support our economy.

3. i think cutting trees is 'greener' than creating plastic trees. here's why:

• Because they are very hardy, Christmas trees are often planted where few other plants grow. Therefore, thousands of acres of land is being farmed that would otherwise not be farmed.
• Trees are a wildlife habitat. If you can buy your tree from a grower that cuts only a portion of each area per year, you can ensure that the wildlife habitat is preserved.
• Trees consume CO2 and create oxygen throughout their lifetime. Each acre of Christmas trees grown provides daily oxygen for 18 people. Additionally, trees remove up to 13,000 kg of airborne pollutants per acre per year.
• Organic trees create a sustainable income for growers. Because organic tree farmers are able to make a living by selling us their trees, they can maintain their farmland as a farm. without demand for cut trees, they might sell their land to a developer.
• Real Christmas trees are biodegradable and recycable.

If you chose to go with a real Christmas tree like we have, stay tuned for tomorrow's post on how to be as sustainable as possible.

I am Grateful

Today I experienced deeply enlightened food. This food was completely 'green' 'local' 'sustainable' and 'organic'. But it was also so much more than that. This was truly soulfood, the kindof food that fills your body with energy and good vibes. Food that is made with love, from only the most exceptional ingredients, 100% vegan, alive food, hand-crafted with care. WOW, I am feeling the positive energy coursing through my body right now!San Francisco-based Cafe Gratitude recently opened in Healdsburg. For those of you who have never experienced Cafe Gratitude, this gem of a restaurant serves 100% vegan, raw, alive food that is prepared with love and great care. Cafe Gratitude embodies everything that sustainability is about ... healthy people, healthy planet, smart business, happy people, good vibes and positive energy. I had the daily special (called 'I am Celebrating') - a succulent chile stuffed with almond paste, cashew sour cream and a bunch of other goodies, that was dehydrated (alive, not cooked), and that came with quinoa and red cabbage. I have never tasted food like this before - you can literally taste the positive, healthy energy inside of the delicious flavors & textures.

cafe gratitude house salad

Cafe Gratitude also asks a question of the day. Today's question was: 'What divine quality have you mastered?' yesterday's question was: 'What brings you joy?'. These type of questions not only make you stop and reflect, but they are also a great conversation starter. My husband and I talked for 20 minutes or so on our divine qualities! This was truly a lunch like no other - divine conversation, soulfood and the happiest wait-staff I have ever seen in a restaurant.

the original cafe gratitude in San Francisco

So if you live in Healdburg, San Rafael, Berkeley or San Francisco (or travel to these cities), I highly recommend enjoying Cafe Gratitude.

You can also buy the recipe book which is chock full of surprising, delightful, live food recipes.

Cafe Gratitude recipe book

From their website - the embodiment of sustainability: Café Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love. We invite you to step inside and enjoy being someone that chooses: loving your life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day, and experiencing being provided for. Have fun and enjoy being nourished. Welcome to Café Gratitude!

WOW - I am Grateful for Cafe Gratitude!