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.

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   ]]> http://feelgoodstyle.com/2009/02/10/our-feel-good-red-hot-sexy-and-sweet-green-valentine-guide/feed/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/11/10/foods-and-farming-around-the-world-recipes-for-healing-with-nature-in-africa-from-shea-terra-organics/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/11/10/foods-and-farming-around-the-world-recipes-for-healing-with-nature-in-africa-from-shea-terra-organics/#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:15:12 +0000 Lucille Chi http://ecoworldly.com/2008/11/10/foods-and-farming-around-the-world-recipes-for-healing-with-nature-in-africa-from-shea-terra-organics/ This week on EcoWorldly, we are reporting on food and farming around the world that is environmentally conscious, socially responsible, delicious and sustainable. Shea Terra Organics is a shining example, because they have culminated a formula for sustainability with their natural beauty blends and and fair trade gourmet. Their strategic business partnerships help to alleviate the increasing threats to Africa’s native inhabitants and indigenous wildlife.

   

   “Our most important goal from the start has always been to support Africa through self-empowerment and environmental programs, and bring awareness about the continent’s diversity and beauty.” said Shea Terra Organics’ founder, Tammie Umbel

   It is admirable that for more than a decade Shea Terra Organics has been developing high quality healing products from indigenous African ingredients.“Shea Terra partners with individuals, and cooperatives while working closely with NGOs to ensure that native trades people, farmers and harvesters not only get ‘fair’ prices for their commodities, but that they receive prices that they themselves set.”

   Now, I am pleased to introduce our guest Tammie Umbel, founder and CEO of Shea Terra Organics who shares her recipes for success with us, in an exclusive interview for EcoWorldly:

   LC: Divine Chocolate (shown here decorated with traditional West African Adinkra symbols appearing on crafts and fabrics all over Ghana)

   

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   ]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2008/11/10/foods-and-farming-around-the-world-recipes-for-healing-with-nature-in-africa-from-shea-terra-organics/feed/ http://aliciaerickson.greenoptions.com/2007/10/11/free-trips-and-chocolate-fair-trade-contests/ http://aliciaerickson.greenoptions.com/2007/10/11/free-trips-and-chocolate-fair-trade-contests/#comments Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:09:06 +0000 Alicia Erickson http://aliciaerickson.greenoptions.com/2007/10/11/free-trips-and-chocolate-fair-trade-contests/ Several contests launched this month in honor of Fair Trade month. From free chocolate to trips, there’s a chance for everyone to win.

   Divine, a delicious Fair Trade chocolate company, has a tasty deal for all the top chefs out there. They’re looking for recipes that have "heaps of creativity, Divine appeal, and powerful statements about why contestants are hungry to change the world through Fair Trade." The sweetest entry wins a trip to Washington D.C. and some chocolate. The entries are due December 15th, and with the holidays coming, there’s a perfect opportunity to test out your creation on family and friends while introducing them to Fair Trade. If you need a snack to get your creative juices flowing, try out some of Divine’s or Equal Exchange’s recipes.

   TransFair is sponsoring a Connect with Fair Trade video contest and the winner gets a trip to Peru. Simply create a short movie (less than 5 minutes) that shows how you connect with Fair Trade, and you could see first-hand the effect your Fair Trade purchases have on farmers. If you are a bit camera shy, you can enter the sweepstakes to win $100 gift certificate for Fair Trade products. No Oscar-winning performances required; simply tell how you connect with Fair Trade.

   In conjunction with the launch of their new Fair Trade coffee line, Sam’s Club is offering a week long study grant in Brazil for teachers. "Study grants will be awarded to teachers who express exceptional ideas to educate students on the economic, social and business lessons surrounding fair trade." Eligibility is for teachers of grades 7 - 12 "who can reasonably expect to teach at least fifteen (15) hours a week during the 2008-2009 school year and dedicate at least five (5) lessons to topics related to Fair Trade." A 1,000 word essay must be received by December 15th and must detail how Fair Trade will be incorporated into five lesson plans.

   Lessons could cover corporate social responsibility, international trade and economics, environmental issues, human rights and labor, consumer marketing, etc. Essays will be judged on (a) Professionalism in application (25%), (b)Coherent approach to examining relevant issues (25%), (c) Creative engagement with students (25%), and (d) Plans for documenting the trip to farming cooperatives and sharing the experience with students (25%).

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