Green Options

My dog taught me to make better seafood choices.

Weird, I know.

You see, my dog has a lot of, er… issues. By the time I adopted her, she had lived on the streets of East St. Louis for three months, bounced through eight different foster homes, and had one failed adoption - all before her first birthday.

Dealing with her emotional baggage has become a big part of my life. Since she doesn’t find pets, praise, or ordinary dog treats very motivating, I’ve had to get more creative in my training. One food she finds really motivating are canned sardines.

Before I got this dog, I had never eaten a sardine. Once my pantry was stocked with at least a dozen tins of sardines - an option I knew was more sustainable and lower in mercury than the neighboring cans of tuna - it was inevitable that I would get curious.

I’ve since become a convert, and it looks I’m not the only one focusing on the sardine as a greener seafood option.

Mercury pollution is next on the list of global health threats to face concentrated action with the goal of elimination.  According to Zero Mercury Working Group, yesterday the first significant steps toward a binding treaty to control mercury pollution were announced at a United Nations Environmental Program meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, in advance of negotiations that will take place in Stockholm next summer.

The global nature of mercury pollution lies in its ability to travel long distances from its point of emission through the food chain.  In fish it accumulates in its most toxic form, methylmercury.  Zero Mercury hopes to achieve a treaty by 2013 that promotes more sustainable alternatives to mercury in products and industrial processes, with the broad goal of addressing all controllable emissions of mercury in the environment.

The brave Billionaires for Wealthcare are back in fine voice. This group of talented guerrilla performance artists graciously entertained attendees at a conference of health insurance industry workers with a seemingly spontaneous performance of a clever operatic anthem about our desperate need for a public option.

At the annual conference of America’s Health Insurance Plans, (the corporate lobbying group that recently released a threatening report about how any inclusion

[...]

Naked bicyclists, folding bikes, balloon bikes, and more — enjoy this bicycle photo tour of Barcelona.

The third B in a row, Barcelona is next on this list of great bicycle cities (right ahead of Basel, Switzerland and Bogota, Columbia). As a dense city with a wonderful climate, Barcelona is naturally a wonderful place for bicyclists. However, a lot has been done to make it more so. The biggest carrot encouraging bicycling, by far, is Barcelona’s relatively new bike sharing program — Bicing. This is perhaps the best or second best bike sharing program in the world. It is one of a new generation of sophisticated, smart bike sharing programs. Read more about it on page 2.

Beyond Bicing, the city is also working on creating new bicycling routes and bike parking and it hosts fun Bike Week celebrations every year in May. Also, it has been creating better infrastructure for bicyclists due to so many more people bicycling within the past few years. It is transforming itself into a truly world-leading bicycle city.

First Lady Michelle Obama talks straightforwardly about women and why we all so urgently need health care reform in this five minute short that was just released by the White House. At the moment I know that I am existing in something of a self-absorbed cancer bubble of my own, but I actually found this quite moving and powerful.

If you feed your little one Plum Organics, here’s a baby food recall you need to know about. The organic baby food company issued a voluntary recall yesterday due to a botulism danger. The only product affected is the Apple and Carrot Portable Pouch, which comes in a 4.22 ounce bag.

The pouches are being pulled from store shelves because of a potential risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination, which can cause botulism, a sometimes life-threatening condition that you clearly don’t want to mess around with.

In a letter on the Plum Organics website, founder Gigi Lee Chang explains that “after a routine test determined the formulation was incorrect. Plum Organics immediately investigated the matter and confirmed that a mixing error was to blame which resulted in an improper blend of carrots and apples.”

Whether your child wants tiger stripes or just a few drops of vampire blood, the best Halloween costumes often come with a painted face. That’s a good thing in the eyes of safety experts who caution against masks, which can restrict breathing and obstruct vision, but not such a good thing when you think about what’s inside many face paint formulas.

Like many color cosmetics, face paints can contain parabens, phthalates, synthetic colors, fragrances and other potential toxins or allergens — even lead — and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t have the power to regulate them.

Earlier this year 43 Girl Scouts at an event in Ohio were left with red, bumpy rashes after using Shanghai Color Art Stationery Co. Ltd. face paint. This Halloween the FDA is cautioning parents. “Most of these products are completely safe, but there have been reports of adverse events and allergic reactions,” Linda Katz, director of the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Color told USA Today.

I’ve sung the praises (and done the homework if you must know), on Yes Organic Personal Lubricants before, but the UK company have just turned your intimate forays into an easier slide & glide! With the launch of the new Yes Organic Personal Lubricant Applicator Pack, our favorite natural lubricant now comes in a box of six pre-filled applicators for single use, providing realistic lubrication that is almost nature identical. The discreet & convenient way to deliver deep lubrication and hydration in just the right amount, to the right place! With 70% market share dominated by petro-chem filled KY Jelly, Yes is the only sensible choice for between the sheets.

I miss my baby wearing days, especially now that an organic version of my favorite carrier is available!  Babybjörn Original Organic Baby Carrier is essential for any new green mommy or daddy, in my opinion.  A worn baby is a happy baby because:

• Babies feel closely snuggled to the parent
• Babies are kept within their short range of vision, unlike riding in a stroller
• Babies can feel your heart rhythm and breath reminding them of the womb
• Babies and parents bonding is promoted through baby wearing

A babywearing parent is a happy parent because their baby fusses less, and grown-up arms are free for doing chores, shopping, etc..

Terri Bly, president and founder of The Nature of Beauty, LTD, discusses Kaeline’s Hammam Savon Noir, and its numerous benefits. Not only is the simple, ancient and powerful formula ideal for exfoliating, moisturizing and soothing the skin, it is also an amazing decongestant during cold and flu season.

I know…a pretty abrasive title for Feelgood Style. You may be asking yourself, “Come on Emily, is that appropriate?” I assure you, it is. In fact, Party in my Pants is the title of the newest eco-product I have accumulated into my little eco-goody inventory.

So, dear Feelgood Style readers…I introduce you to Party in my Pants- cloth pads for the Princess on her Period.