BPA Free Bottle Alternatives From Nalgene

  

With all the uproar about potentially dangerous BPAs found in plastics, Nalgene has introduced a line of BPA-free bottles called Nalgene Choice.

Going green, going hiking or going to work – Nalgene makes sure you’re getting the bottle that’s right for you. With the newly enhanced and interactive website, Nalgene Choice consumers can easily determine what bottle and material best fits their individual needs by using comparison charts, bottle-finders and interactive filling stations. 

From HDPE and polyethylene to stainless steel and copolyester, Nalgene Choice showcases the entire BPA free Nalgene product line. This site combines educational materials with interactive technology which allows Nalgene Choice features allow users to:

  • Fill any bottle of choice with liquids ranging from water and apple juice to hot coffee and soda
  • Freeze liquid inside bottle to see effects
  • Heat liquid inside bottle to see effects
  • Add ice to your bottle of choice to see if the average ice cube will fit inside each bottle opening
  • Compare and contrast bottles based on each material’s durability, odor & taste resistance, clarity, temperature range, and dishwasher safety

Overall this is a fun and informational website.  I had a fun time “filling” the Nalgene bottles with digital water, ice and even grape juice.  They also offer a BPA free bottles for children for under $10 each.  It’s nice to see such a company make product changes when the consumer has been asking for BPA free bottles.  I just wish more baby bottle companies would jump on the bandwagon and provide more options for BPA free plastic bottles for our infants. 

Elaine of Her Big Idea has an Internet Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio and writes for Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network every Tuesday.

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Elaine H., June 12th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Earth Day 2008, Fun Stuff, News

Overwhelmed by Catalogs in Your Mailbox?

Just a few months ago I was completely overwhelmed by all the catalogs in my mailbox.  I felt terrible for recycling stacks and stacks of catalogs every month.  Then along came my friend and she suggested Catalog Choice. 

Catalog Choice is a free service that allows you to decide what gets in your mailbox. Use it to reduce your mailbox clutter, while helping save natural resources.

Their mission is: To reduce the number of repeat and unsolicited catalog mailings, and to promote the adoption of sustainable industry best practices. We aim to accomplish this by freely providing the Catalog Choice services to both consumers and businesses. Consumers can indicate which catalogs they no longer wish to receive, and businesses can receive a list of consumers no longer wanting to receive their catalogs.

If you’re completely overwhelmed by junk mail catalogs then give Catalog Choice a try.  I’ve seen a huge drop in unwelcome catalogs in my mailbox since I’ve joined!

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Elaine H., April 24th 2008 | Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Domestic Diva, Earth Day 2008

Not All Plastics Are Created Equal!

Earth911.org

Did you know that not all plastic is created equal?!  Yes, some are more popular than others when it comes down to recycling. Some discerning recycling containers will only accept certain plastics with certain numbers.  Most soda and water bottles are easily recyclable and can be recycled anywhere.  But when it comes to your plastic yogurt container, you may have to do a little research on where to properly place it.

Each plastic container is stamped with a number inside the little triangle with a number in it. This number identifies what type of plastic it’s made from. Some cities accept multiple types of plastic in their recycling programs, while other places only accept one or two.

Here is a list of the seven types of plastics:
#1 PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)*: soda bottles, oven-ready meal trays and water bottles
#2 HDPE (High-density polyethylene)*: milk bottles, detergent bottles and grocery/trash/retail bags
#3 PVC (Polyvinyl chloride): plastic food wrap, loose-leaf binders and plastic pipes
#4 LDPE (Low-density polyethylene): dry cleaning bags, produce bags and squeezable bottles
#5 PP (Polypropylene): medicine bottles, aerosol caps and drinking straws
#6 PS (Polystyrene): compact disc jackets, packaging Styrofoam peanuts and plastic tableware
#7 Other: reusable water bottles, certain kinds of food containers and Tupperware

*PET and HDPE are the most common forms of plastic, so they are the easiest to find recycling locations for

It’s easy to find out if your city or local recycling center accepts all types of plastics, just visit Earth911.org and type in your zip code. Also, you can call your public works department or the sanitation department for more information about recycling plastics. Happy Earth Day and Happy Recycling!

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Elaine H., April 22nd 2008 | Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Earth Day 2008

Earth-Friendly Gardening for Everyone

From www.canadiangardening.comA few months ago I was looking for gardening tips online and I found out about SquareFootGardening.com (SFG). 

SFG is an Earth friendly way to garden using less time, water, work and money!!! 

SFG is a simple and unique gardening system that literally anyone can do!  Grow all you want (fruit, veggies, herbs and flowers) and need only 20% of the space of conventional row gardening.

Here are the basics of SFG:

  1. Layout: Arrange your garden in squares, not rows.  Lay it out in 4 ft. x 4 ft. areas.
  2. Boxes: Build boxes to hold a new soil mix above ground.
  3. Aisles: Space boxes 3 ft. apart to form walking aisles.
  4. Soil: Fill boxes with good soil.
  5. Grid: Make a square foot grid for the top of each box.  This is a must!
  6. Care: Never walk on your growing soil.
  7. Select: Plant a different flower, vegetable or herb crop in each square foot using 1, 4, 9, or 16 plants per square foot.
  8. Plant: Conserve seeds.  Plant only a pinch (2 or 3 seeds) per hole. 
  9. Water: Water by hand.
  10. Harvest: When you finish harvesting a square foot, add compost and re-plant it with a new and different crop.

Check out the SFG website to find out more information and to purchase Mel Bartholomew’s best selling book on gardening.

If you’ve tried Square Foot Gardening, please leave a comment and tell me your experiences!

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Elaine H., April 20th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Domestic Diva, Earth Day 2008

Earth Day: You Are What You Eat

CSAThe saying, “You are what you eat” by Ludwig A. Feuerbach is so true!  Don’t you feel sluggish and yucky when you’ve eaten processed foods all day and no fruits or veggies?  I know I do.

Last year one of my friends convinced me to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  It was the best decision I could have made.  The food was so fresh: the strawberries were so sweet and flavorful, the carrots were tasty and not watery, and I even discovered I LOVED fresh peas.  I always thought I hated peas.

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?

CSA is a movement to bring local farmers and community members into a more direct and cooperative relationship.  The CSA concept was started in the mid-1980s and has grown to about 1,000 farms across the USA and Canada.  To find your local CSA please visit GreenPeople.org.

Community “members” subscribe to a weekly share of produce from a local farm.  It is then delivered to a convenient “site” in the member’s neighborhood.  This relationships is symbiotic because members financially support small farms and in return they receive fresh and unique produce.

Why join a CSA?

You receive very fresh produce.  Most produce is delivered within 24 hours of harvest.  Produce is more nutritious and delicious when it’s picked close to harvest time.  Plus, CSA produce is kept on the plant or tree until right before it’s at its peak of ripeness.  The average food item in a supermarket has traveled 1,300 miles since harvest.  Large-scale farms and supermarkets are more concerned with shelf life and not flavor or nutrition.  Even local produce may be shipped to central warehouse facilities before it arrives in a neighborhood grocery store.

By joining a CSA you will be introduced to new varieties of seasonal produce that are not available at huge grocery outlets.  Your family will get to try new, healthy produce they never thought they would be eating. 

Also, many CSAs are organic or farms that are concerned about not using synthetic pesticides.  By joining a CSA you know where, how and by whom your food is grown.

If you do not have a CSA in your area, you might want to find your local farmer’s market to find the freshest and tastiest produce in your area.  Visit FarmersMarket.com for more information.

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Elaine H., April 18th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Earth Day 2008

Earth-Friendly Greeting Cards

I’ve never been much of a greeting card giver.  They’re usually too expensive.  Three bucks for a folded piece of paper with a cheesy little drawing and greeting??!!

And what are you supposed to do with them after you read them?  I’ve always struggled with that one.  To keep or to toss…that is the question.

So in honor of Earth Day, here are two Earth-friendly solutions to the greeting card quandary.

Viva Vogue

The first solution is to send an eCard.  I’ve recently found Viva Vogue eCards.  VV is an eCard Boutique that creates animated eCards designed by women for women.  Wo else understands the trials and tribulations women go through on a daily basis than a woman?These cards are innovative, hilarious and sometimes a bit naughty.  VV is a website from the woman of today.  And for a limited time all eCards are FREE!

If you’re looking for a truly unique and cutting edge card that will not fill up our landfills then VivaVogue.com is where you’ll find the perfect eGreeting.

If an eCard is not an option for your recipient then Hallmark and Wal-Mart have an environmentally friendly solution for you. 

The Hallmark Connections brand greeting cards are produced on paper made from sugar cane pulp and recycled fiber.  The new cards are printed on stock containing 50 % sugar cane pulp, which is a byproduct of sugar cane harvesting and 50% recycled paper.

They’re smaller than an average-sized card and the paper’s flecks indicate its made from unique materials.  The envelopes are made from 100% recycled paper, and the cards are designed to be recyclable as well.  Plus, no new trees were used in producing these cards.

So now you don’t have to feel bad about throwing away a birthday or holiday card because it’s 100% recyclable, plus, they sell for an amazing 97 cents!!

So next time you’re at Wal-Mart, pick up a few eco-friendly cards.

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Elaine H., April 17th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Earth Day 2008

Paper or Plastic? I choose Neither!

Skeeda BagThe problem:  The United States consumes about about 100 BILLION plastic shopping bags annually.  This requires approximately 12 million barrels of oil. (Wall Street Journal).

And paper bags aren’t much better.  In 1999, the American Forest and Paper Association reported that Americans used 10 BILLION paper shopping bags, consuming 14 MILLION TREES!

The solution:  Reusable cloth bags

I purchased my first reusable canvas bags from Trader Joe’s about a year ago.  It was really easy to “fit in” with the regular TJ’s crowd with my bags.  But the true test of commitment to the environment was shopping at my local Target or the military’s supermarket, The Commissary.  I have to admit, at first it was a bit embarrassing when I hulled five canvas bags through the market when everyone else was conveniently using “paper or plastic.”

While at Baby Celebration LA, I discovered the adorable and reasonably priced Skeeda Bag.  Now I won’t have to hide my canvas bags since I found the fashionable Skeeda Bag.  It’s a super-cute reusable bag made for the eco-chic shopper!  Plus, Skeeda.com is having a sale from April 17-18 especially for Earth Day.  So go online and add some pizzazz to your next shopping trip.

My next dilemma was: where do I put the bags while I’m shopping?

If I put them in the cart during the beginning of the shopping trip, they would end up buried under all my groceries at the end of the trip.  As I would unload my items on the conveyor belt the bagger would put my food in plastic bags before I could even get the bags out of the bottom of the cart.

Also, carrying my bags over my shoulder was not an option either.  The handles would slip off my arms while I was bending down to pick something from the bottom shelf.

I finally solved my problem when I put the bags on that little rack on the bottom of the cart.  You know where you put your cases of soda.  (Just make sure the handles don’t drag on the floor while you’re shopping, otherwise you’ll have one dirty bag!) 

Happy shopping and come back tomorrow for more tips, Earth friendly products and facts!

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Elaine H., April 16th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Earth Day 2008

Going Green in ‘08

Earth Day 2008Since the beginning of the year my husband and I have been on a campaign to change our lives.  We call it “Going Green in ‘08.”  When we say “green” we mean being more fiscally and environmentally responsible. 

So in honor of the Earth Day Celebrations (April 16-22) I will share some tips, products and cool facts.

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Elaine H., April 16th 2008 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Earth Day 2008