Organic Self-Tanner

OK...we all know we can't sit in the sun anymore (not that we ever should have, but I do remember lounging by the pool in my teens with baby oil and lining a double record album with foil as a make-shift reflector to ensure I got maximum rays...that might account for a few wrinkles!)...Anyway, I am always on a never-ending search for the perfect self-tanner. This was a hard enough task, but then throw in finding a natural one and it is worse than trying to find your mobile phone in your big hobo bag (much worse). However, I have done it...the perfect natural self-tanner. Lavera Organic Self-Tanning Lotion. It is made by Lavera - a German company that specialises in organic and natural products. Organic soy extracts are the active ingredient that cause the tanning effect....then it has some yummy ingredients like jojoba oil and rosewater so it smells divine...and it leaves your skin a perfect toffee brown after an hour or two. And the second best thing...I have found the most divine website where you can order it...Down To Earth Organics...They have the whole Lavera range (the self-tanner is $27.50 there), lots of other wonderful things there too...Or, Ovvio The Organic Lifestyle Store in Paddington (Sydney) carries the range and make-up....such a beautiful shop....

So...ditch the foil and try a natural tan this summer...xxx

Billabong Eco-supreme Suede Boardies

Recycled Board Shorts from Billabong...Finally something green for the boys...Living in Australia, especially in Sydney, you can't help but be part of the beach culture. While my kids don't surf, they know that Roxy and Billabong are cool and so is wearing a shark tooth around your neck. Anyway, you just have to love Billabong. Apart from fantastic beach wear, they have developed a recycled and recyclable board short from plastic bottles - yes, plastic bottles. It even has a lovely name - eco-supreme suede...sounds divine. It takes about 10 plastic bottles to make one pair of Board Shorts and so far they have used 3,000,000 bottles...probably all from bins in the mall.

I know what the boys are going to find under the Christmas tree this year. xxx

I Love Georgie Love (especially for gifts)

OK....I will admit it, I am a closest arts and crafts person. I have bags full of unfinished knitting and needlepoint. I have boxes of buttons, scrap paper and old glass jars which means we can do pretty much any arts and crafts activity at a moment's notice....the problem is I am not sure others would appreciate the beauty of my work (my daughter's on the other hand create complete masterpieces). Well, thank goodness for Georgie Love. This is just the cutest website and totally perfect for a glam green girl....here is a bit about it...

Georgie Love ...is Australia's first website store dedicated to promoting and selling handmade delights from independent and emerging artists from Australia! Georgie Love is filled with a mix of edgy, eclectic, funky and beautiful pieces that are either one-off originals or a part of a very small run. Most things can't be found in stores anywhere else! Georgie Love's items are made by hand and not in factories, usually from a range of recycled and vintage fabrics. We love all things produced ethically and locally.

Here are a few of my favourite things....This adorable Milk Chocolate Doilie Baby Singlet ($22) made using vintage doilies by Nell at Kids in the Mix...(featured above).

This wonderful stuffed toy which is really too cute for words....a Wonky Lucy ($39.95) from Julie at Juicy Roo.

And finally, a Strawberries and Cream Purse ($20) from Penny at Pocket Carnival.

Happy Shopping! xxx

Guilt-free Manolos...with a GreenPig?

OK...I know that many of you have a desperate shoe or handbag obsession (you know who you are)...at the same time you truly care about the environment (why else would you be reading this?). Well, I feel like I have found the equivalent of kilojoules-free (that is calories for you Americans) chocolate-chip ice cream (my favourite). It is greenpig. Seriously. greenpig is an Aussie company that offers offsets for a whole range of stuff. Most offset companies have offsets for your car, travel, house...but greenpig has offsets for a designer hand bag or shoe purchase, a christening, a boy's night out and even Christmas Day. So, for $19.50 you can turn your shoes into a beautiful pair of totally green stilettos. That does not mean you need to be piggy and buy tons of shoes - after all being green means reducing consumption - but for those must-haves at least you can do the right thing. And, how much more interesting to tell people when they compliment your shoes/bag that they are also green? xxx

PS I can think of a few friends who might get one of these as a Christmas present!

The Queen B of (Eco) Candles

I love candles...I love the smell, the feeling, the light...I always thought of them as something quite green...bummer though...totally not. Paraffin candles (what most of us have) is made from petroleum by-products (and hence emit carbon), are bleached (creates dioxins - nasty stuff), contain chemicals (particularly the scented ones) and may even have lead wicks (this is banned in Australia but older candles or sneaky imports might have lead wicks). So that smoke coming out of your $70 designer candle likely contains lots of nasty stuff that is neither good for your health or the environment.

Not all doom and gloom though....Beeswax candles are incredibly environmentally-friendly and good for your health. Beeswax is a natural iodiser so it actually purifies the air...amazing what those bees can do...they are non-toxic, give off a beautiful honey scent, burn up to ten times longer and best of all are natural.

Queen B, an Australian company, makes the most divine range of 100% beeswax candles (honeycomb candles featured in the photo). They have a beautiful assortment of rolled candles, delicate tea lights, elegant candlesticks and a honeybee hive that is too cute not to have. They come in totally stylish packaging and, of course, there is a beautiful, glam and green woman who started it - Cate. You can order them at her website or at Todae (online or in store).

I am ordering some for hostess gifts and Christmas presents (and I couldn't resist a few for me - after all a glam, green girl needs her candles). xxx

Our Body Burden (and no...it is not cellulite)

OK...We all know about environmental pollution - particularly us Australians as we are the second highest producers of waste per capita in the world. But do you know about the pollution in your body? The concept of Body Burden came out of the work of the Environmental Working Group in the US who found hundreds of chemical traces in volunteers' bodies.

There are many who believe that our increased and consistent exposure to these chemicals is a serious health hazard and is a cause for dramatic increases in certain illnesses like childhood brain cancer...there are others who say that the levels of chemicals we are exposed to are too little to affect us (that is what they thought about lead). Given only 25% of all chemicals in the US have been tested for toxicity I go back to the 'Does My Bum Look Big in this Dress Principle?' (or as scientists like to call it the Precautionary Principle - if you don't know if it is safe, assume it is not). The problem is chemicals are everywhere - our food, water, cosmetics, homes, workplaces. The other problem is that most chemicals are created to help us - for example, flame retardants. Uggghh...it is as hard as avoiding calories during the Christmas Season.

While you can't yet get your own body burden test, you can get a virtual 'body burden' assessment at the Green Goes with Everything website. Sloan Barnett, ex-philanthropist, ex- socialite, ex-NY District Attorney and totally green and gorgeous It Girl has designed a really easy questionnaire to gauge how toxic your house (and hence you and your family) might be. I did mine pre- and post- my recent green transformation and it was an incredible difference in how toxic our house was.

Some of the easy things I have done is to take chemicals out of a lot of our everyday products. Our bathroom is now stocked with gorgeous natural products like Burt's Bees and Korres; in our kitchen we use Murchison Hume's most glam natural cleaning products (more on this later); the Laundry has had a complete overhaul with EcoStore products from New Zealand and I am back to ordering weekly organic food (especially for fruit like Strawberries which are very pesticide intensive and which my kids eat by the bowlful). Here are Sloan's Top 10 Tips for a greener home. (I will be asking for her book for Christmas!).

So go take the test (it is only a few minutes)...I promise it is a lot easier to reduce your Body Burden than get rid of cellulite. xxx

Best Environmental Blog Posts #1

This is my selection of some of the best blog posts out there in the ecosphere...

Yesterday will be one of the most memorable days of my life...how exciting to see Obama's acceptance speech....you knew you were watching something magic. There are so many reasons reasons to celebrate - but I had a special toast to the environment. As the Environmental Defense Fund said:

"This election offers us the greatest opportunity we have ever had to change course on global warming"

Read Maura Judkis's article from the Huffington Post about what leading environmental groups had to say. "Environmental Groups Congratulate Obama on Victory".

On a lighter note, from Eco-Chick, one of my favourite girly girl green blogs, 'Are Aveda Products as Safe and Natural as they Claim?'. I was once a diehard Aveda fan until I learned that along with natural products there were also a lot of chemicals, including parabens. This was one of my first lessons about the need to read labels - carefully (this is not so easy now that I have to wear reading glasses, but lets not go there).

'Stella honoured as Green Designer of the Year'. From ecorazzi (the latest in green gossip), a glam green girl's Who (or People if you are in the US) magazine. Here is what Stella has to say about eco accessories.

“I do want to show that accessories can be made from a more ethical viewpoint—and be sexy and cool. The myth of leather—that every bag and shoe needs to be made from it—needs to be broken down. It’s a bit caveman."

The yummiest muffins I have had for a while from my good friend Suzie at Munch and Nibble...Orange Blueberry Muffins....forget about buying muffins and all that packaging...these are so easy and delightfully green especially if you use organic ingredients...

Hope you enjoy. xxx

Photo credit: Tanakawho at Flick....the most beautiful collection of flower photos you will ever see.

What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

There seem to be more sunscreen brands on the shelf everyday yet skin cancer is on the rise. 80% of newly diagnosed cancers in Australia are skin cancer. Environmental Working Group in the US found that 4 out of 5 sunscreens contained harmful chemicals or were ineffective. Though there is some controversy about their findings, the fact remains that all sunscreens are not created equal. Here is my Sunscreen 101:

UVA and UVB. UVA rays cause ageing and go deeper into the skin. UVA rays go through almost everything including light clothing. UVB rays cause sunburn and are considered to be the main cause of skin cancers.

SPF and Broad Spectrum. SPF only measures a sunscreens effectiveness for UVB rays. You can buy a 30+ sunscreen that does nothing to protect you from UVA rays. To protect from both UVA and UVB rays you must buy a product labelled Broad Spectrum, 30+.

Chemical vs Physical Filters. There are basically two ingredient groups to protect against the sun. Chemical filters bind with skin cells to convert rays to heat so they cannot damage the skin. Physical filters are particles that sit on top of the skin and prevent the rays from getting through. There are only 2 physical filters: Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, both natural. Zinc Oxide offers the greatest protection of any ingredient from both UVA and UVB rays and is natural.

15 Minute Beauty has a fantastic chart which gives an overview of the different sunscreens ingredients and what rays they are effective in blocking out. A great resource to check your sunscreens against.

Preservatives: Preservatives are present in all sunscreens to keep them from going off. The overwhelming majority of preservatives are chemicals.

So what does this have to do with being green? Well, I have made a commitment to take as many chemicals out of our home, bodies and food as is possible both for our health and for the environment. The best natural choice for sunscreen is Zinc Oxide. However, none of us want to be mistaken for a mime!

I am loving wotnot (100% what's good, 0% what's not). It is a zinc product with a natural preservative. Plus has organic aloe vera and macadamia nut oil. It goes on clear and easy (but a bit greasy initially). My kids don't like the smell but that is probably because they are used to something that smells supposedly like a strawberry. Downside is it is expensive (about $25 for 115 ml).

So, put a little green in your sunscreen this summer... xxx

P.S. Let me know if you have any natural favourites...I have a few more to come.

Sources: Cancer Council, Environmental Working Group, UV Facts: UVA vs UVB from Ezine.

Gaia Organic Cotton Clothes for Babies and Kids

Gorgeously designed, soft organic cotton, deliciously comfortable (tested by my youngest) and well-priced (the dress shown is A$39.95) . This is one of my absolute favourite finds. Gaia Organic Cotton was started 7 years ago in Australia by Annette Francis (who happens to also be totally gorgeous). Here is what she has to say about why she started using organic cotton:

"I realised that the very fabric I was using was having a detrimental effect on our environment. I'd always thought of cotton as pure but as I learnt it was a chemically intensive growing process, I felt the need to re-look my design direction."

I have written about the terrible environmental impacts of the clothing industry in The Greening of My Closet, but it is also important for us to reduce our kids' exposure to chemicals in their food, bath products, and clothes. Gaia Organic Cotton makes this ecoliciously easy. I ordered two delightful dresses for my youngest (unfortunately they only go up to size 4) and ordered 3 gifts for friends with newborns (they ship internationally as well). Best part, I did not even have to go to the dreaded mall! the online site is terrific and easy.

I am making my Christmas list now ....there will be some well-dressed (and green) babies amongst my friends this season. xxx

Photo credit: Gaia Organic Cotton, Secret Garden Baby Doll Dress