Astringents are a household staple for many, used to cleanse, combat oily skin, tighten pores, as well as to deal with irritation from shaving. There are a number of commercial astringents and toners on the market today, but the majority of these are laced with nasty chemicals that are harmful to the body and the environment, including parabens and phthalates. In addition, most of these store-bought astringents also contain rubbing alcohol, fragrances, and artificial colors which can dry and irritate many skin types.
Although there are eco friendly astringent options on the market, wading through all the labels to find
Going Green at the Table
by Angela Yorke February 6th, 2012 
Easy Ideas
Food production has one of the largest impacts on the environment. From the clearing of native greenery for animal husbandry to fertilizer runoff from agriculture, food producers need to work on extremely large scales to supply the demand of the world’s approximately 7 billion people.
Needless to say, waste accompanies every production process. Reducing food wastage is the least we can do to make our eating habits more environmentally friendly. There are also other ways to reduce the impact food production has on the environment.
For example, consider the act of eating out. Do you drive around to see which restaurant
Needless to say, waste accompanies every production process. Reducing food wastage is the least we can do to make our eating habits more environmentally friendly. There are also other ways to reduce the impact food production has on the environment.
For example, consider the act of eating out. Do you drive around to see which restaurant
What do the New USDA Growing Zones Mean?
by Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti February 3rd, 2012 Gardening
The USDA recently released its newest Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the map that gardeners use to decide when their last anticipated frost is likely to occur and when they can set out plants of various types.
The USDA reports that many areas are now half a zone warmer than on previous maps, “mostly a result of using temperature data from a longer and more recent time period.” (An interactive map is available at http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/). While many debate whether this reflects a global climate change or just a more accurate assessment of the data, gardeners want to know one thing:
The USDA reports that many areas are now half a zone warmer than on previous maps, “mostly a result of using temperature data from a longer and more recent time period.” (An interactive map is available at http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/). While many debate whether this reflects a global climate change or just a more accurate assessment of the data, gardeners want to know one thing:
Donate for a Healthier Planet
by Mackenzie M. February 2nd, 2012 Quick Tips
One of the easiest ways to green your lifestyle is to get into the habit of donations. Although monetary donations are great, donating material goods can often be far better for the Earth. Consider donating used furniture items, clothes, general household items, reusable water bottles, and even cars to disaster relief areas. This way, rather than putting a bigger burden on manufacturers and natural resources to make and transport new items, the donated items reuse materials, taking out the waste of new materials. Even something as simple as sending reusable water bottles to disaster areas removes the need for
