Make a Statement with Chic Market Totes
January 29th, 2008
Last year San Francisco became the first US city to outlaw plastic grocery bags at supermarkets. And this month, China followed suit. According to CNN, the Chinese government has banned free plastic bags from shops and supermarkets and ordered consumers to pay for the bags they use.
It’s a little frightening when China jumps ahead of us in environmental policy, isn’t it? Why not be a little ahead of your time and check out these chic alternatives to those ugly plastic bags?
Pretend you’ve just come from a sunny country farmer’s market and check out this fabulous tote from Sur la Table sold for $34.95.
Or perhaps you’re more of a city girl? These bags from Baggu are so very urban — perfect whether you’re headed to the Union Square Farmer’s Market or the San Francisco Ferry Building. Just $22 for a pack of three!
Finally, here’s a grocery bag you can feel truly good about. Offered exclusively at Amazon.com, your purchase of the UN World Food Programme’s FEED Bag will help the UN feed and educate a child for one full school year.
It’s obviously a bit pricier at $59.95, but isn’t that the best fashion statement of all?
Reusable Bags: Be Part of the Solution!
January 29th, 2008
Remember your brown bag school lunch? My mother always packed mine with a sandwich and an apple that ended up in the garbage. (Sorry, Mom!)
Brown bag lunches may be a great way to give your kids healthier food choices at school, but the brown bag part, especially with the plastic sandwich baggies, isn’t especially green.
The folks at I’m Organic have some really cute options for your eco-conscious student — how cute is this bag made out of 100% certified organic cotton?!
It also come in brown for boys.
And as far as the plastic ziplock bag problem is concerned, check out this clever solution from ReusableBags.com.
According to the website,
Simply fold around sandwiches, veggie sticks, cookies and other goodies, fold the cotton wrapper closed, secure with the Velcro closure, and they’re ready to go. To top it off, these smart reusable sandwich wrappers unfold into placemats! The FDA-approved, food-grade PEVA lining easily wipes clean after every use and is certified by the manufacturer to be totally lead-free.
Time to bring your brown bag lunch into the 21st century!
Nui Organics Grid Blanket
January 23rd, 2008
Now that I’m expecting my own little one this summer, I’ve been combing every available baby website hunting for clothes, cribs, gear and just about everything else!
Along the way, I found this amazing organic blanket made by Nui Organics and thought I would share it with you!
From the Tiny McSmall website,
NUI Organics baby blankets are crafted from the finest purest wool in the world - 100% certified organic New Zealand Merino.
They use no dyes, just all natural colors. The rich deep cocoa in the Grid blanket is from a black sheep. You will find no chemical dyes or bleaches in NUI Organics™ blankets to greet your newborn.
The blanket is a pricey $148, but it looks so luxurious that this one might be worth a splurge!
Alarming Levels of Mercury in Tuna Sushi
January 22nd, 2008
Holy crap! This story in today’s NY Times is making me want to cancel my dinner reservations.
It turns out that a recent test conducted by the Times of some of New York’s swankiest sushi restaurants showed levels of mercury so high that the FDA could take legal action to have the fish removed from the market.
A mere six pieces a week could exceed the levels recommended by the EPA.
According to the NY Times,
“No one should eat a meal of tuna with mercury levels like those found in the restaurant samples more than about once every three weeks,” said Dr. Michael Gochfeld, professor of environmental and occupational medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, N.J.Six pieces of sushi from most of the restaurants and stores would contain more than 49 micrograms of mercury. That is the amount the Environmental Protection Agency deems acceptable for weekly consumption over a period of several months by an adult of average weight, which the agency defines as 154 pounds. People weighing less are advised to consume even less mercury.
Here’s the kicker - it turns out that the more expensive the sushi, the more likely it is to contain higher levels of mercury because of the size of the fish it comes from. The bigger the bluefin, the longer it has been swimming and eating other mercury-contaminated fish, the more ends up finding a home in your tissues.
Pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and children are obviously at higher risk, and are recommended by the City of New York not to eat any kind of mercury-rich fish sources, including the sushi grade bluefin tuna.
Yes, Mom, you were right and I was wrong.
Furochic Gift Wrap
January 22nd, 2008
I found this really beautiful and eco-friendly gift wrap idea on one of my new favorite blogs — Rare Bird Finds.
Sold on the New York Public Library website, the beautiful and reusable gift wrap comes in five different fabrics with a Japanese flair and sells for $12.95.
According to the library shop website,
Based on Furoshiki, a square cloth traditionally used in Japan to wrap shopping purchases and embellish important gifts, Furochic is made of 100% cotton and measures 27″ X 27″. Furochic comes with a full yard of tying ribbon, a matching card and illustrated instructions for wrapping techniques.
Next time you’re unsure about the gift you’re giving, why not wrap it in something so beautiful the gift itself is merely an afterthought?
And check out more of the amazing posts over at Rare Bird Finds — you’re guaranteed to find something to fall in love with!