happy earth day

In honor of Earth Day, I found three pocket-sized food guides I'd like to share: one for avoiding fruit/veggies with the highest concentrations of pesticides, one for selecting sustainable seafood and another for ordering sushi with Mother Earth in mind.

Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides lists the "Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean 15" within the produce department - a convenient way to determine when to go organic.

Monterey Bay Aquarium in California has created a Seafood Watch Pocket Guide based on region, so you can get your seafood fix without worrying about overfishing or potentially dangerous mercury levels. Ditto for MBA's Sushi Guide (click on "Guide" link above and scroll down to download).

Now I just need to print these babies out and throw 'em in my purse. No more agonizing at the grocery store - or restaurant - for me!

nylon mag goes digital

A while back I subscribed to NYLON magazine for free through a deal with Urban Outfitters. I really like their content; it reminds me of a younger W. So imagine my delight when I discover the April issue waiting for me not in my mailbox, but in my inbox.

Here's why Don Hellinger, NYLON President, made the decision to go digital:

• No more waiting for your new issues to come in the mail. We will email each new issue of NYLON to you the day our editors sign off on it! And yes, the digital edition has all the content of the paper version; plus you can easily click, save, and print out the photos -- or share them with friends online.
• No more lost issues. Ever had a magazine misplaced by the post office? Chewed up by the dog? Borrowed by your BFF? No problem – each digital edition in your NYLON subscription is always available to you, on our website or your computer!
• No more paper. Looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint? You have found one – enjoying NYLON Magazine on your screen instead of on paper! You’ll have less to throw out too.

Fabulous. But what if I decide I miss the paper version? Simply give customer service a call and they'll hook you up.

So far I'm in love with the digital version. Okay, it takes a little more time and effort to read, but I like the greenness of it all. The cherry on top: story teasers are clickable, so say if I wanted to read the 'Party like it's 1999!' cover story, I mouse over it to see the page number - and clicking on it takes me directly to that article.

The ads are still there so the advertisers win, and I personally think they look better on-screen. I'm sure Nylon saves a ton of money, too - on shipping, printing, etc. What a perfect solution for the environment and the recession! (Vogue: are you listening?)

dear vogue: green is the new black

Vogue's March issue garnered a lot of positive press for its cover choice: First Lady Michelle Obama. I was ecstatic to come home and find the issue waiting to be unwrapped.

Until I tried to pick it up.

Better known as "The Power Issue" of Vogue, every March means one - well, maybe two - things: a workout for your mailman and a workout for you.

I was disgusted to discover that the first article, Susie Boyt's "All the Things You Are," doesn't appear until page 256. Total issue size? 510 pages. The spine is one inch thick.

Given my background, I like to think I'm predisposed to favor advertising more than the average consumer. I also appreciate Vogue ads in particular because they're usually high fashion - whimsical, artsy and occasionally stunning - and great fodder for my collages.

But it's 2009, the era of hybrid-car-driving, reusable-shopping-bag-toting locavores. For the most part, I'm happy the rest of the world has decided to jump on the green bandwagon.

Which is why I'm disappointed that Vogue still marches on with its massive, tree cemetery of a Power Issue. The only powerful thing about it is the ad dollar signs the magazine must be seeing.

Looks like our ideas of green differ.

garden for wildlife

I went for a stroll around Hyde Park today and noticed something I've never seen before: really cool yards certified by the National Wildlife Federation. Here's more info on the NWF's Certified Wildlife Habitat program:

A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community--in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, places of worship and businesses.

It is a place where the residents make it a priority to provide habitat for wildlife by providing the four basic elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover and places to raise young.

The community also educates its residents about sustainable gardening practices such as reducing or eliminating chemical fertilizers and pesticides, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants and composting.

It hosts workshops about gardening for wildlife, and holds community events such as stream or trail cleanups to make the community healthier for wildlife and people alike. A Community Wildlife Habitat project creates a place where people, flora and fauna can all flourish.

The program sounds like a fun - and awesome - way to protect the environment. Keep on rockin' those green thumbs, Austinites.

go green in '09

Target has been making a solid effort as of late at stocking more and more environmentally friendly options for the masses. Products are grouped into three (predictable) categories: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Target's Garment Hanger Reuse/Recycle Program kept roughly 411 million hangers from entering landfills in 2007 alone - and the corporation has recycled more than 980 million pounds of cardboard. Opting for more energy-efficient lighting in stores has yielded more than an 80% savings in annual energy costs.

They even accept batteries and cell phones to be recycled, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

I bought some sustainably-sourced bamboo pillows from Target a few months ago and am more than pleased with my choice. Sure, it was a few dollars more, but it gives me peace at night to know I gave our planet a moment or two to breathe.

And I just have to say, if I ever have a kid she'll for sure be sporting some organic baby apparel from Target. So adorable!

If this is a shade of green things to come, I can't wait.

the lush life

You always know when you've stumbled across a Lush shop because you can smell it long before you can find it.

What is Lush, you ask? It's like the saucy, rebellious (and British!) daughter of Aveda and The Body Shop.

Infamous for being fresh, handmade and using little to no preservatives or packaging, Lush is also an excellent example of branding. Here's a snippet of Lush's Core Beliefs:

We believe in long candlelit baths, sharing showers, massage, filling the world with perfume and in the right to make mistakes, lose everything and start again.

* We also believe words like fresh and organic have honest meaning beyond marketing.

Lush is also the purported creator of the now-ubiquitous bath bomb. Here's a tip: when the airport security guard asks what's in your carry-on, don't say "bath bomb."

Even better news: Lush finally has a South Texas outpost in San Antonio. Oddly enough, Austin is still lacking in that department. Word has it that one was slated to open at The Domain, but an agreement was never reached.

If you're a Lush newbie, allow me to make some recommendations (but don't blame me for your future addiction):

• Bath bombs: Sakura, Sex Bomb, Waving Not Drowning
• Bubble bombs: Karma, The Comforter
• Soaps: Alkmaar, Ooh La La, Bohemian, Flying Fox (shower gel)
  
• Shampoos: I Love Juicy, Godiva (solid shampoo)
• Massage bar: Wiccy Magic Muscles
  

They also have fun stuff, like the Too Drunk... emotibomb. And most of the products are vegan. The staff are ridiculously knowledgeable and always seem to be having a blast.

Cheers!