It’s no secret that E and I are total carnivores… we can’t help it, we were both raised this way and we really enjoy meat even though we know that going vegetarian is not only better for the planet but also better for our health. Luckily, I am now the “CEO” of the kitchen, so I get to decide what we’re eating when we don’t go out. In Lily-land, Mondays have been officially re-named “Meatless Mondays.” I got the idea from a magazine and it’s been working out pretty well!

So far, we’ve had pizza loaded with veggies, pasta with a hearty mushroom tomato sauce, veggie/soy burgers, and I’m planning to make a tofu stir-fry tomorrow night. At first, I was afraid E would miss the meat and leave the dinner table hungry (I used to feel that I didn’t eat a real meal until I had some type of meat and a bowl of rice). So I also started whipping up some tasty fruit and soy milk smoothies to go with dinner, and that’s really helped to fill our tummies! In fact, we often end up with leftovers that yours truly gets to eat the next day for lunch -- yay one less meal to cook!

Still, that’s just one day out of the week, so as we chowed down on grilled hot Italian sausages for dinner tonight, we discussed the switch to sustainable meat. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than industrially-produced meat, but the benefits far outweigh the costs:

1. Health - You are what you eat so do you want to be like industrial meat which is pumped full of synthetic hormones, antibiotics, cheap grains, remains of other animals, genetically modified feed and other artificial drugs?!
2. Humane Animal Treatment - Commercial livestock are locked in tight cages and forced to live in unsanitary conditions.
3. Economy - Industrial farms are driven by profits so they typically mistreat and underpay their employees, which does more harm than help to the surrounding communities.
4. Environment - Conventional farms not only produce more air and water pollution due to their slaughtering techniques, but they also tend to be large and centralized, so that meat must be transported great distances to the end consumers which wastes fuel and adds more air pollution.

So we’ve decided to buy eco-meat, but there are so many different labels… what do they all mean? Here’s a cheat sheet that you can take the market:

1. Cage free (poultry) - birds are not kept in cages
2. Free range or free roaming - animals have access to the outside
3. Hormone free - animals are not injected with hormones
4. Humanely raised - animals have room to move around and get exercise
5. Organic - animals have access to the outside and are not injected with hormones or antibiotics
6. Pasture raised or grass fed - animals have access to the outside to graze
*Note: Chemical free is not a term that is allowed to be used on a label. 

Maybe one day, E and I will be able to totally go vegetarian, but for now, we’re satisfied to enjoy our organic “mad cow-less” burgers and steaks!

The nation's toxic chemical regulatory law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), is in drastic need of reform. Passed in 1976 and never amended since, TSCA is widely regarded as the weakest of all major environmental laws on the books today.

When passed, the Act declared safe some 62,000 chemicals already on the market, even though there were little or no data to support this policy. Since that time another 20,000 chemicals have been put into commerce in the United States, also with little or no data to support their safety.

The human race is now polluted with hundreds of industrial chemicals with little or no understanding of the consequences. Babies are born pre-polluted with as many as 300 industrial chemicals in their bodies when they enter the world. Testing by Environmental Working Group has identified 455 chemicals in people, and again, no one has any idea if these exposures are safe.

We are at a tipping point, where the pollution in people is increasingly associated with a range of serious diseases and conditions from childhood cancer, to autism, ADHD, learning deficits, infertility, and birth defects. Yet even as our knowledge about the link between chemical exposure and human disease grows, the government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals on the market.

Please check out this 22-minute video called "10 Americans: 'An Inconvenient Truth' for Toxic Chemicals and Health." It's full of facts and statistics that will shock and surprise even the most informed people!


The Campaign: Pass the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act

This pollution in people is the direct result of a statute that does not require chemicals to be proven safe to get on the market, or stay on the market. Under federal law EPA does not have the authority to demand the information it needs to evaluate a chemical's risk, and neither manufacturers nor the EPA are required to prove a chemical's safety as a condition of use.

The Kid-Safe Chemical Act will change all this through a fundamental overhaul of our nation's chemical regulatory law. Specifically, the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act:

* requires that industrial chemicals be safe for infants, kids and other vulnerable groups;

* requires that new chemicals be safety tested before they are sold;

* requires chemical manufacturers to test and prove that the 62,000 chemicals already on the market that have never been tested are safe in order for them to remain in commerce;

* requires EPA to review "priority" chemicals, those which are found in people, on an expedited schedule;

* requires regular biomonitoring to determine what chemicals are in people and in what amounts;

* requires regular updates of health and safety data and provides EPA with clear authority to request additional information and tests;

* provides incentives for manufacturers to further reduce health hazards;

* requires EPA to promote safer alternatives and alternatives to animal testing;

* protects state and local rights; and

* requires that this information be publicly available.

Through the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act we can give our children a safer and healthier future. You can help by spreading the word and taking action now!

And while major reforms require the government to step in, you don't have to wait for this Act to pass before protecting yourself and your family. The best thing you can do is to be an educated consumer. There are simple things you start now to help -- avoid nonstick pans, try to buy organic when possible, never microwave plastic, filter your water for drinking and cooking, and many more. Just contact me to get more tips and advice.

Source: The Environmental Working Group 

It’s true, I’m now totally spoiled and try to only fly first class on planes, but believe it or not, that’s not my favorite way to travel. Don’t you love it when you can kill two birds with one stone? If so, you might agree with me when I say that my new favorite way to travel is by carpooling! It’s great because I can help save the world shrinking my carbon footprint while I’m also developing friendships with people by getting quality one on one time with them!

This weekend was a shining example of why it’s so great. I was all over Central Florida on Saturday and carpooled with several different people. The morning started with B picking me up to meet the rest of the “hookers” (our crochet group is called the Happy Hookers!) in Seminole Town Center. I had met up with this group at least half a dozen times already, and B was the one that actually taught me to crochet, but we never had a deep conversation. We chatted about her crocheting friends in India and eventually moved on to thoughts about arranged marriages, life, and love.

Once we got to the meeting spot, all 6 of us piled into D’s minivan to drive to Mt. Dora. I sat in the back row with T and got to really chat with her now! We also had a ton of laughs because D’s also known as “the pimp.” (I’m jealous that he is now a more accomplished crocheter than I!)

We had a blast in the yarn shop in Mt Dora, where S and M also joined us (they carpooled too!). We then had lunch and dessert at a delightful café. It’s such a cute town filled with antique shops, crafts stores, and sweet shops. After a few hours, we drove back to Seminole Town Center and hit the Jo-ann Superstore. So much fun, especially since T gave me a 40% off coupon and there was an additional 50% off coupon in the store! On the way home, B told me about her family and work, and invited me to join her Monday craft group! (I can’t wait to go tomorrow – she’s picking me up bright and early!)

I got home just in time to get ready to head out again for my Sex and the City group’s “Girls night IN” event. Since the best man from our wedding was in town from NYC, E needed the car to take him out. Luckily, I found out that C lives near me and had emailed her to see if I could get a ride. C picked me up and we took the scenic route to A’s house. It was my first time meeting her and I learned all about her plus I got some awesome restaurant recommendations too! After some minor unintentionally detours, we got to A’s place in downtown Orlando. When you put 23 fabulous women in an apartment with wine and yummy snacks, you get a fun-filled night that you don’t want to end! We chatted like old girlfriends and I just can’t wait to get together with my new friends again!

I'm so happy that I got to hang out with so many great people last weekend and that I now had some wonderful new friends, and I like to think that carpooling QT helped to make it happen!

Remember that in the days that Columbus sailed the ocean blue, people believed that the world was flat. Today, we look back and think that belief was just plain ludicrous, but I’ll bet you’ve got some thoughts or beliefs that are equally foolish and absurd.

“I’m not good at math.”
“I always have bad luck with relationships.”
“I can’t get into that prestigious college.”
“I’m not going to get the promotion.”
“I’ll never be able to run a marathon.”

So take some time today to think about your self limiting beliefs and negative thoughts. At some point, I’m sure you have limited yourself – most of us do it all the time, including myself – and it really prevents us from reaching our full potential. On this day, let’s change our mindset and actively prove that those beliefs are wrong just like Columbus. Release those beliefs and amaze yourself!

I spent a good part of the day running errands today and saw some really cute gift wrap in the stores that I almost bought… then I stopped myself. I’m usually the person that’s storming around the mall the week before the holidays to try to find the *perfect* presents for everyone, but not this year! I’ve already started shopping—especially since I’ll have to schlep it all on the plane with me up to NY and NJ this year.

Aside from not being able to get wrapped presents through airport security, wrapping paper is also extremely wasteful. Just think back to the last holiday or birthday party you were at. Wasn’t there a huge mountain of gift wrap that usually gets tossed in the garbage? (Note: a lot of wrapping paper isn’t even recyclable!).

Well, this year, I’m looking for alternatives to wrapping paper. In fact, I’ve already started using alternatives. Last month, I went to a little girl’s birthday party, so I tucked her present in pretty gift bag that someone else had given me and then I used my trusty paper shredder to make some stuffing with old subway maps (that I obviously no longer need now that I’m in FL!)  It was cute, colorful, a good alternative to tissue paper, and it was a huge hit! Don’t have subway maps? You can use old magazines, catalogs, newspapers, comic books, wall paper scraps, your children’s artwork, or old calendars! And if you don’t have any gift bags to re-gift, you don’t have to shred these items, you can them as wrapping paper instead!

Over the summer, I gave my friend her birthday present in a reusable tote bag that she could take to the supermarket and on our garage sale adventures. You can never have too many tote bags! If you don’t want to go buy them, a simple google search will give you a plethora of ways to make your own! (Instructables is a fabulous resource and has a ton of different bag designs!!)

Honestly thought, I just love wrapping paper! (I almost tried to become a wrapping paper designer!) So if you absolutely must buy wrapping paper, at least try to buy paper that’s made from 100% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable. And if you receive a gift that’s wrapped, you can do what I always do… ever so carefully open the present so that you can reuse the wrapping paper later for origami cranes, greeting cards, scrapbooks, etc.  

And here’s a bonus… don’t buy birthday and holiday cards, cut up some old ones that you’ve received and make gift tags! Or kick it up a notch and make a collage card with a couple different designs! Now that’s not recycling, that’s UPcycling! ;-)

To continue with the recycling theme from last week, I’ve got two things to share with you.

First, I had to tell you about something I recently realized that I’ve been doing wrong for years and years! Plus I see lots of other people doing the same thing all the time! What is it? Recycling plastic and glass bottles with the cap ON. I’ve always thought, “Hey, they’re both plastic so they both get recycled, right?”  Wrong for a few reasons:

1. It turns out that the cap is made from a plastic resin that melts at a different rate from the plastic that bottles are made of.
2. The melted plastic caps will contaminate the quality of the plastic that’s made from the bottle.
3. Keeping the cap on the bottle requires a lot more effort (read: energy) to crush it and break it down.

So unfortunately, it seems that the best way to deal with those plastic bottle caps is to either turn them into crafty projects or chuck them in with the garbage.
Here are a few other tips for recycling those ubiquitous bottles:

- Always drain and rinse your glass and plastic bottles (just a couple swooshes of water will do, no need to use soap)
- Make sure your bottles are empty of liquid before putting them in the recycling bin to avoid adding extra weight (read: more fuel needed to transport) and to prevent a mess and potential injuries at the recycling plant
- Flatten your bottles (in the case of plastic) so that more will fit in your bin and in the recycling truck

And secondly, here’s a great article from Real Simple magazine on how to recycle anything! (Thanks Jen!)

For those of you that want to contribute to a great cause without spending a dime, take a few seconds each day to visit The Breast Cancer Site each day to help fund free mammograms for women in need!

If you wanna do more, you can also shop on their website for beautiful fair trade accessories, cute organic tees, and more! With each item you add to your cart, you’ll see how much of a mammogram you’ll be giving!

And for all the girls out there, the most important take away from this post is to perform monthly breast self-exams regardless of your age. If you’re 40 or older, then make sure you get screened every year or two as well. Early detection helps increase your survival rate to 96%! Learn more at the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

I was so excited to have my knitting girlfriends over last night! It was the real get together that I’ve hosted in my new home, so we had a big potluck dinner. I was busy all day with work and 6:30pm rolled around before I knew it! I chose to make edamame (in the microwave), homemade pita chips (toasted in the oven with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and cheese), and little stacks of muenster cheese and prosciutto on organic water crackers. I also put out some sweets like mochi and lotus seed mooncakes.

The girls started arriving at 7:30 and I realized we had nothing to eat on! Luckily, I’ve got tons of cute plastic bowls from Ikea in all different colors, so we used that with my mismatched cups and silverware. It was actually a good thing that my cups don’t match because it was easy to tell which one was yours! (I’m usually the one walking around at family functions with a marker to label everyone’s disposable cups!)

We had a mountain of food from spiced cookies with buttercream frosting to cheesy broccoli and rice to my fav black bean & corn salsa to beautiful fruit bowls! It was great to catch up with the girls again since I hadn’t seen them in months! I learned that K’s getting her master gardener certification, JI is a budding cookie biz entreprenuer (her cookies are amazing and she’s taking orders for the holidays now, so lemme know if you want her info!), and JH is trying but taking her temp at the wrong time :-P

I was really happy because we had a great time and aside from paper napkins, we didn’t use any wasteful disposable products! (We didn't even have bottle drinks, just my Brita.) I guess by not planning ahead, I was forced to be green =) We’re throwing a little party this weekend to celebrate the arrival of our new grill and smoker, so I have to remember to go buy some more plates because those little bowls aren’t gonna fly when it comes to bbq!

Just the other evening, I was chatting about my business with my aunt from Cali that’s been in the health industry forever. She is once of the healthiest people I know and she’s in amazing shape! During our discussion, she said something that really struck a chord with me. She said that it’s crazy how the world seems to work today. It’s often cheaper to eat unhealthy food and use products that are toxic than to choose the organic, healthy, natural and safer products! Why is it that often it costs more to get something that is more natural and has been less processed than something that was completely created in a laboratory and is full of chemicals? It makes no sense!

While some people might think that the cheap stuff is actually more “cost effective,” they don’t take into account the cost of their health. Unhealthy food is not providing your body with the nutrients it needs in order to function properly. Cheap cleaners for your home may remove those spots from your counter, but it’s also polluting the air in your home and wreaking havoc on your respiratory system. Don’t think it doesn’t come without a price.

On the flip side, I also can’t bear to do all my shopping at WholeFoods and many other health food stores because it’s simply too expensive. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way because there are alternatives to the expensive brands and the terrible toxins and unsafe products. I can show you safer, better and more natural alternatives to help you lead a happier and healthier life without spending an arm and a leg. You just have to take the first step and realize that you’re worth it. So shoot me an email, leave me a comment here, or use the contact form.  

I admit it, I used to be a user… of plastic bags, that is! As a result, I’ve accumulated what feels like hundreds of bags over the years. And I’ve dutifully moved my huge stash with me from apartment to apartment within NYC and now all the way to FL. 

When we first got to Orlando, we didn’t know where we had packed our reusable totes, so we had to resort back to getting bags at the grocery store, but now we’ve got several totes that we use. Sometimes if I forget, I insist on juggling it all in my arms to the car. It’s a pretty funny sight! 

What’s not funny is that only 1 to 3% of plastic bags end up getting recycled. And in fact, many of the bags that are collected for recycling never actually get recycled! They get shipped to countries like India and China, where they get cheaply incinerated under more lax environmental laws. Even if the recycling rate does go up, it doesn’t solve the problem of the use of non-renewable energy and toxic chemicals. So make sure you always have some reusable totes tucked in the trunk of your car or in your bag (they fold up and weigh nothing!). 

So, what’s a girl to do when she already has a whole mountain of bags?! Well, while I was following up on the millions of blogs I subscribe to each day, I stumbled upon the genius idea of crocheting them into plastic bag totes! Being a total newbie hooker (ahem, that’s a crocheter!), I didn’t think I’d have to the skills to get past the part where you cut the bags up, but at my Happy Hooker meetup tonight, two of my friends had made them and they’re newbies too! I was delightfully inspired and will be starting that project soon!

If you’d like to try it too, here are the best instructions I’ve seen for a simple tote: http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/Plastic%20Bag%20tote.html

If you’re more advanced and adventurous, here are some more options:
http://www.myrecycledbags.com/