Slumdog Millionaire is a great movie. Uplifting and heartwarming, without being cheesy. But let’s be honest for about 45 seconds, shall we? Freida Pinto is a total babe. I’m a straight woman and I’m halfway in love with her. Want to know her beauty secrets, other than unfair genes? Here are five, for starters.

1.  Aromatherapy

Most of us know the benefits of aromatherapy, but it’s useful to know the individual benefits of the plants, herbs and fruits used in this wonderful form of alternative medicine. Basil, for example, helps with digestion, while cinnamon acts as a stimulant and lemongrass helps reduce cellulite. Florapathics has an extensive selection of aromatherapy products with prices as refreshing as their ingredients.

Read more of this story »

Diwali falls in October or November each year. Indians celebrate the holiday with lavish meals, lighting clay lamps, elaborate house décor, fireworks, exchanging sweets and much more. The month preceding Diwali is the Indian community’s classic gift-giving season. Individuals, small businesses and large corporate houses budget for Diwali gifting and workers’ bonuses at the outset of every financial year.

The Diwali industry is well developed in India but in other parts of the world it is limited by the geographical and cultural context of businesses in the Indian community. Given the increasing numbers of Indians all over the world and increasing evidence of unsustainable Diwali practices, this holiday has become an opportunity for eco vendors and businesses all over the world.

Read more of this story »

Our family is a single income family. This is harder to do in todays economy than it used to be. With increasing costs of feeding and clothing our clan (of which there are SEVEN) and the higher gas prices, we really have to watch our spending. There are areas I can save in (groceries, household supplies, utility costs) and areas that are fixed (mortgage, student loan payments, medical insurance). A favorite way for our family to think about being greener and saving money is to have family discussions. I love to watch and listen as the kiddos brainstorm on things we can do to help our environment (these are some smart kids) and to hear their ideas on good stewardship (of our Earth and finances). Here are some fun and easy ways to save energy (which is way good for Mother Earth and will result in a lower power bill for you).

Read more of this story »

This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of ProformaGreen, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy. John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.

All you North American eco hotels, yoga studios, cafes, craft shops and spas, rejoice. There is finally a US company making soy candles in the US from US materials that can do large scale runs.

Decarte Products pronounced “Da Kart” specializes in creating a premium fragrance 100% soy candle, and they were at the Promotional Products Association International event in Fort Worth showing off their new line.

The best thing about this company - aside from the US manufacturing - is that they specialize in candles only, unlike most other manufactures that carry candles, if at all, as an after thought.

Why soy?

Read more of this story »

The wax is what forms the honey combs that the bees make to hold the honey. It is harvested when the honey is harvested and once they are stripped of the honey they can be melted and rendered to use for many purposes. Some use it as a furniture polish or a lubricant for sticky windows or drawers.

The most obvious use is for candles. You can get beeswax in two different forms in which to make candles from. One is a block and the other is sheets.

Read more of this story »

Clark’s Honey Farm is committed to help SAVE THE PLANET.

With all the news’s going around about the disappearing of the bees, (about 70% on the East Coast) I became very intrigued to learn more about this honey farm’s passion to help save the planet.

At the current time they have over 2,000 healthy bee colonies. Their goal is to double the colonies in the next few years. Each colony has over 60,000 + bees.

They claim to provide enriching environments for their bees to thrive. “The bees are instrumental in the survival of the planet”.

They also ship their bees across the country to help farmers in need of pollination.

Bees pollinate up to one third of our food plants, and in recent months, bee colonies have been mysteriously collapsing. Up to 70% of bees on the East coast have disappeared, and about 50% in other parts of the country. One recent news account from New Hampshire says this: “The problem, called colony collapse disorder, already has hit beekeepers in 24 states, part of Canada, and several European countries. Many bees seem to disappear, with few to no bodies of dead bees found near the hives. The remaining bees, meanwhile, show mysterious symptoms. ”

Read more of this story »

When planning your own wedding, consider integrating even one or two of these ideas:

Skip the disposable cameras, and ask friends to bring digital cameras. Before the wedding, set up an account on sites such as Photobucket.com or Snapfish.com, and email the login and password to your friends. After the wedding, everyone can upload the photos they took to the account, and you’ll have an instant album of candids that everyone can enjoy. And if you want to have prints, you’ll be able to print only those pictures you really want.

Besides wearing a pre-owned gown (remember, a good tailor can make an poofy 80’s gown into a stylin’ 21st century dazzler), think about using heirloom jewelry for the engagement ring and wedding bands. If you must have new, matching bands, be sure to ask the jeweler about reclaimed, recycled, ecologically responsible gold.

Read more of this story »

The main problem with paraffin and synthetic fragrances is the fact that they're made from oil (you know, that stuff we're addicted to.) It pollutes when burned, just like other fossil fuels. This candle soot can result in black marks on walls and ceilings, and can even be harmful to your health. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found a random selection of petrol based candles contained twenty different chemicals, compounds and particulate matter.

The good news is there are a lot of alternatives to choose from. Beeswax and soy based candles abound in a variety of scented and unscented options.

Seattle-based Big Dipper Wax Works has a wide selection of hand-dipped beeswax candles in all shapes and sizes. Bluewick has decorativley (and responsibly) packaged, fragrant, soybased candles. Other candle makers include companies include Bluecorn Naturals and Vermont based Way Out Wax.

Of course this tip should include the obvious candle disclaimer: don't leave a burning flame unattended, and use caution if you're taking the flame outdoors, especially if it gets a little windy. (I line my backyard area with votives for summer gatherings.)

Amy says: Candles make great housewarming or thank you gifts, and they travel well. When presenting a soy or beeswax candle to my host I always make sure to explain the benefits of the paraffin alternative.