We have to give the festival credit, maybe it seemed as though more authentic green businesses showed up at this year’s version. We didn’t see much corporate greenwashing like the not as Green as it used to be Burt’s Bees. Also, Coke owned Honest Tea sold its not so green corporate drink but that would be a minor quibble. Aside from checking out some of the various discussion groups (state of small Green business) and even some cooking demos (how to make organic stew) most of the time we spent wandering the trade floor.

Without spending too much time or words (we’ll post some more ramblings soon) here’s some of the cool stuff we found. Zen Honeycutt’s mother roped us in (or rather grabbed) us to introduce us to her daughter who is busy creating her own lavender empire with her practically lavish lotions, eyeshades and creams. Just down the long aisle, we spotted the reusable sandwich bag the Fresh Snack Pack. Great idea in place of the sandwich bags that get tossed. These packs contain no PVCs but we’d like to find out what these bad boys consist of. We had no doubt about what the Organic Essence lip balm consisted of. But we licked our lips for more than just the organic ingredients. The 100% FSC compostable non-plastic tube really wowed us. Why hadn’t someone thought of this before? Like us? We also ignored the wishes of our dentists and sampled the multitudes of chocolates, and we sampled them all but we liked Alter Eco bar (especially the dark) not only for the best and richest creamy favor but also for the organic ingredients and the fair trade philosophy that the relatively small company abides by.

As for 2010….bring it on!

You may be wondering what chocolate has to do with beauty and fashion. It’s simple: Even the most gorgeous makeover and hottest fashion-forward ensemble won’t look right if you’re all frowny. You’ll also get those pesky little lines between your eyebrows. So what better to turn that frown upside down than an adorable little tin jam packed with adorable, dark chocolate-covered cacao niblets?!

Read more of this story »

“Whoever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well-being for the benefit of all beings.”

Above is the intention fused into Intentional Chocolate. We are all familiar with the power of positive intention, yet did you realize it could be infused into chocolate? The blessing of food with an intention has been practiced for thousands of years within spiritual traditions and sacred ceremonies which place a certain positive form of energy into the food that is then offered for consumption.

Dr. Dean Radin, PhD, Senior Scientist at The Institute of Noetic Sciences and author of Entangled Minds and The Conscious Universe shares:

“The mood-enhancing effects of the focused intentions embedded in Intentional Chocolate were successfully demonstrated in a statistically significant, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment, and published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.”

Read more of this story »

According to EPSRC funded researcher Dr. Kerry Kirwan with the University of Warwick, the car is not just environmentally friendly, but also fast boasting a top speed of 135 mph and can go 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Oh, and did I mention it’s turbo charged to give it more torque?

Read more of this story »

Shaq Wants Your Leftover Beer and Wine for Making Ethanol

First, who ever has leftover alcohol except maybe these guys? The Shaq-backed MicroFueler is a 250-gallon tank for organic feedstock, such as waste wine and beer, that converts it into pure ethanol. It also doubles as a fuel pump and the only waste product is distilled water.

Read more of this story »

There’s no better time than summer to indulge in a sliver of chocolate cake, so rich in contrast to the simplicity of the gingham tablecloth and the mason jars overflowing with wildflowers.   This cake is made without using wheat, corn, or dairy ingredients, yet it is unmistakably, deliciously, chocolate.

Read more of this story »

Read more of this story »

Whenever folks learn that I don’t eat dairy products, there are certain questions they seem to always ask. One of the most common is:

But don’t you miss chocolate?

The assumption is that chocolate has to contain milk, and that’s just not true at all. What makes chocolate….chocolate…is cocoa butter which despite its name is a plant ingredient. There are tons of companies making great dark chocolate that is 100% vegan and 100% delicious! Finding vegan chocolate is as easy as taking the time to do a bit of label-reading. While you might not be able to just grab a Hershey bar, you don’t have to live a chocolate-free existence, either. Here are just a few tasty options:

Read more of this story »

A team of British designers have created a new racing car made entirely of vegetables and powered by … chocolate.

The car, named the ecoF3, has a steering wheel made of carrots, a body made of potatoes and a seat made of soybeans. The team, from World First Racing, hope that environmentally-friendly technology used in their car will be adopted by Formula 1 teams such as McLaren and world champions Ferrari.

Read more of this story »

Every week after I’ve make homemade nut milk (our favorites are almond or Brazil nut) I’m left with nut pulp I’ve strained out of the milk mixture.

This pulp (which by the way can be frozen for later use) is great when dried and ground into nut flour, or used in recipes like the raw truffles my family enjoys so much.

This recipe is quick, easy, healthy, and delicious!

Read more of this story »

Grand stuff, and the Fairtrade certification definitely improves the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities for those who produce Fairtrade certified foods. Having visited a number of Fairtrade cooperatives in my life, I’m confident that on the human scale, Fairtrade producers live better, and longer, than their non-Fairtrade compatriots. But on the environmental scale, it may be time for The Fairtrade Licensing Organisations International (FLO) to ramp up its commitment to the world at large.

What is Fairtrade for the environment?

It’s a tough and unpopular thing to say, and certainly the producers in the rich world should be putting their houses in order faster too, and consumers could be doing more to refuse high-input, high-damage food production systems in favour of low-input, organic and low-damage systems, but – for those who read the standards set down by FLO – there’s sometimes a feeling that rods are being made for backs already burdened by debt. While it could seem harsh to impose tougher ‘rules’ on Fairtrade producers now, it could help them remain competitive in a future where more care is taken over purchasing ‘good’ food that is good for the environment as well as the body and the pocket.

Read more of this story »

When GD (that’s Green Diva folks) Jen brought me a goody bag for my birthday, among the treats which included a box of my favorite organic earl grey tea, I immediately gravitated to the large candy bar with the words, ‘Nutritious Chocolate’ on it. It was all VERY well timed. Let’s face it, for women, there are times of the month when chocolate saves lives - keeping raging hormones at a dull roar and the homicidal outbursts to a minimum.

Having tried some ‘nutritious’ chocolate, I didn’t expect much, but I tucked it into my work bag and figured it would make a sweet treat after lunch.

Read more of this story »

Yes, chocolate is oh-so tasty and good. And we’ve heard that there may be health benefits to consuming the stuff in doses. You can power a truck with it. You can even promote peace with it. But can a byproduct from the process actually help coal burn cleaner?

Lindt USA and a New Hampshire utility are running tests to find out, the Associated Press reports. The chocolate maker and Public Service of New Hampshire mixed cocoa bean shells with coal Tuesday at the utility’s Schiller Station plant in Portsmouth to see how the mixture burned. The test used 18 tons of shells, in a ratio of 33 parts coal to one part cocoa.

The goal, Lindt and the utility said, is to see if the mixture produces a cleaner burn than just coal.

Read more of this story »

Am not.

But I dare say I might become one.

I do enjoy a good cup of coffee, but caffeine sometimes makes me edgy.  Though I have managed to mostly avoid the lure of Starbucks, I have been known to indulge in a white chocolate mocha at Second Cup, or a French Vanilla at Tim Horton’s… and don’t get me started about Iced Cappucino in the summer!!

Then I read 5 Ways to Green Your Coffee and I got the itch.

So I bought myself a french press and some fresh-ground, organic, Fair Trade coffee.  And I just had to share a little about the company behind my coffee.

Read more of this story »

Red and green blended make brown – think brown as in rich, sweet chocolate. And in the spirit of the love season, think chocolate served as body paint, Valentine’s Day art supplies for grown-ups served naked with a warm smile. Yummy.

Perhaps you’re searching fro a new way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Instead of an expensive dinner out or a bouquet of imported flowers from thousands of miles away, try chocolate. Au naturale.

Love and sustainability mix well, especially when you cook up the (vegan!) recipe for I Love You Freely and Fairly Eco Chocolate Body Paint below. What makes this recipe different than the commercial body paint stuff you see floating around this time of year? True love, baby, true love. Love for the planet, your pocketbook and, as an extra bonus, the long-term health of your sweetie:

Read more of this story »

Planning a romantic day this Valentines? Yes? No? Well, just in case, here is our lovely green Valentine guide for the upcoming holiday:

1. Love Notes: Give your sweets a personalized note that you craft yourself or share the love with virtual notes like WWF E-cards and Nature Conservancy Valentine E-cards.
2. Blooms: Organic Bouquet has wonderful ways to give fresh flowers and help charity at the same time, and Local Harvest is  another favorite flower source of ours that always brings the freshness of the flower-farm into your home.

   Read more of this story »

   ]]> http://feelgoodstyle.com/2009/02/10/our-feel-good-red-hot-sexy-and-sweet-green-valentine-guide/feed/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/04/cocoa-camino-chocolate-with-heart-for-valentines/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/04/cocoa-camino-chocolate-with-heart-for-valentines/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:50:47 +0000 Sonya http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/04/cocoa-camino-chocolate-with-heart-for-valentines/ With Valentine’s Day coming up, in our home thoughts are turning to celebrating with fair trade, organic chocolate like Cocoa Camino.

   Cocoa Camino is a line of premium Fair Trade Certified and certified organic chocolate, cocoa and sugar products produced by the Canadian La Siembra Co-operative.  These products include chocolate bars, sugar, hot chocolate, cocoa, chocolate chips, syrup and couverture.  They’re sold in natural health food stores, pharmacies and grocery stores.

   Read more of this story »

   ]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/04/cocoa-camino-chocolate-with-heart-for-valentines/feed/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/27/black-bean-brownies-recipe/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/27/black-bean-brownies-recipe/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:59:42 +0000 Summer Minor http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/27/black-bean-brownies-recipe/

   With the recent scare of mercury in high fructose corn syrup many parents are worrying about the foods they have been feeding their children. Sweet snacks and treats are large concerns as they often contain a large amount of the potentially dangerous substance. Many parents are now looking for alternative foods they can feel comfortable giving their children. Companies that do not use high fructose corn syrup in their foods, such as Newman’s Own Organics, are becoming even more popular due to this new health risk.

   However, parents can go an extra step and choose to make their own treats rather than buy prepackaged foods. Not only is this healthier and often less risky, it also cuts out the negative effects of packaging and transportation. One favorite healthy treat in my house is Black Bean Brownies.

   Read more of this story »

   ]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/27/black-bean-brownies-recipe/feed/ http://ecoscraps.com/2009/01/09/chimpanzee-chocolate-in-space/ http://ecoscraps.com/2009/01/09/chimpanzee-chocolate-in-space/#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:53:36 +0000 Allison Boyer http://ecoscraps.com/2009/01/09/chimpanzee-chocolate-in-space/ NASA may not have plans to send any more monkeys to space, but they are sending Chimpanzee Chocolate to the International Space Station in February.

   The United Space Alliance is responsible for sending specially-packaged “fresh” food to space so that the astronauts don’t have to rely fully on freeze dried food. As part of the next shipment, the United Space Alliance will be sending eight dark chocolate bars from Endangered Species Chocolate, a company that donates 10% of their net profits to supporting animals and their habitats. The flight is set to launch on February 12.

   Via The Daily Green

   

   360,000 Tons of Watermelon Spoil Every Year in the U.S.
   

   Almost 40% of all watermelons grown here in the U.S. never make it to market due to imperfections, bad spots, or for being oddly shaped (um, haven’t these farmers seen the square ones). But waste not, want not. The watermelon juice could actually be used to produce ethanol.

   

   Truck Runs on 100% Recycled Coffee Grounds

   The truck above is powered by a wood gas generator, except it runs fully on coffee grounds. The Cafe Racer is a 1975 GMC pickup that essentially burns used coffee to create a combustible gas. The gas is filtered on its way to the engine. I hope it’s fair trade coffee.

   

   The Innards of 45 Million Turkeys Turned in to Fuel

   On Thanksgiving–which is just around the corner–Americans will gobble down over 45 million turkeys. But we don’t eat the whole turkey so slaughterhouses are left with rotting heads, feet and all those innards. So a factory farm in Carthage, Missouri is turning all that waste into fuel using a thermal conversion process from Changing World Technologies.

   

   Guy Builds Engine that Runs on Mountain Dew

   Inventor Paul Patone has created the GEET (Global Environmental Energy Technology) Fuel Processor. A mod that allows you to run your car on about 80% water. Or possibly, just a nice cold Tab. He prefers Mountain Dew.

   

   5,000 Miles Traveled Using 80,000 Chocolate Bars
   

   A chocolate powered Ford Iveco Cargo lorry traveled for almost an entire month through France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania and all the way to Timbuktu and doing so while facing the unforgiving Saharan Desert. The whole trip took about 80,000 chocolate bars.

   

   Farm Saves More Than $700K Using Onion Juice for Energy
   

   Gills Onions has saved a whopping $700K off their electricity bill by using onion juice to power most everything on the farm. They saved an additional $400K just on disposal costs alone. Using an anaerobic digester, they convert onion waste into biogas which is then conditioned and finally turned into methane.

   Like this article? Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook.

   ]]> http://ecoscraps.com/2009/01/09/chimpanzee-chocolate-in-space/feed/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/01/01/world-peace-and-chocolate-sweetriot-creates-morsels-of-goodness/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/01/01/world-peace-and-chocolate-sweetriot-creates-morsels-of-goodness/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:37:43 +0000 Gennefer Snowfield http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/01/01/world-peace-and-chocolate-sweetriot-creates-morsels-of-goodness/ What if you could promote peace, foster a multicultural world, support local artists, help underdeveloped countries thrive and save the planet just by eating deliciously rich and organic chocolate candies? 

   

   Well, thanks to Sarah Endline, the creative genius and cacao bean extraordinaire behind sweetriot, you can.  Oh, and did I mention that the chocolate candies are actually good for you, and rich in health benefits?  I know it seems to good to be true, but Behind the Burner gave me the amazing chance to speak with Sarah who shows us how a sweet tooth and a passion for change can make anything possible.

   Read more of this story »

   ]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/01/01/world-peace-and-chocolate-sweetriot-creates-morsels-of-goodness/feed/