GREEN DIVA LINKS Here are a few of the links that were relevant to the 2.4.12 show

THE ECO FRIENDLY PRINTER “KNOW YOUR GREEN” QUIZ:

Join the Green Divas and our friends at Eco-Friendly Printer and take the weekly KNOW YOUR GREEN QUIZ. A new prize awarded every week! Go to our Facebook page find the quiz and weigh in with your answer.  The quiz will run from Saturday to Saturday.  We’ll draw a winner from all the correct answers and announce the winner on our live show on WMTR from 10-11am EST every Saturday.

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Kirby J Pelligrin!

Play along next week.  Check Green Divas facebook page and chime in for a chance to win $50 Gift Certificate from the Eco Friendly Printer!

Next week’s quiz:
What is CNG to the food industry?

a. Council of Native Growers
b. Certified Naturally Grown
c. Consumers Natural Guarantee
d. Council for Nutritional Goodness

WIN A BASKET OF NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCTS:  To enter the drawing, go to the European Wax Center in Denville and tell them The Green Divas sent you and have a chance to win a wonderful goodie basket.  Call 973.933.4005 and make an appointment for a FREE wax treatment for first-time customers. It’s not just about removing hair, it’s about revealing beautiful skin.

GUEST GREEN DUDE: Reports from Green Dude Paul Miller, Coordinator for the Town of Morristown Office of Sustainability:

• The Green Divas & the Morristown Office Of Sustainability team up for Earth Day Experience 2012: Stay tuned for the next few months to hear about our plans for the April 22 rockin’ Earth Day Experience in Morristown. You will be able to find information on the Sustainable Morristown website. 
• Green Drinks on March 3rd – A social gathering in Morristown to have a fun eco-networking time.
• Morris County Sunday Supper Series on March 25th at the Black Horse Restaurant in Mendham.

SLEEPING NAKED IS GREEN SEGMENT:

This weekly segment is sponsored by Essentia, The Only All Natural Memory Foam Mattress in the World!

Every week we will discuss an entry from this hilarious and totally practical book, Sleeping Naked is Green by Vanessa Farquharson.

Listen to this week’s 5-min segment - SNiG #18 - Shovel Snow by Hand & Use Sand Instead of Salt

Tips for eco-friendly shoveling and de-icing:

SHOVELING

• If you HAVE to use a snow blower, there are electric ones that are a little bit easier on the ozone layer.
• Employ neighborhood kids!
• Take the opportunity to get some exercise (but be cautious if you are out of shape or experience any symptoms of cardiac distress)
• Get out early and often to keep on top of it during a big storm
• Spray the shovel with cooking oil and the snow will slide off and not build up
• Use an ergonomic shovel to minimize back injury
  • Check out this whacky shovel called a snowovel – snow shovel on a wheel.

ICE

Avoid rock salt or Sodium Chloride

• Salt can leach heavy metals and carry them into soil and water supplies
• Salt builds up in the soil like fertilizer
• Salt run off from sidewalks and streets can increase salinity in local bodies of water, causing long-term damage
• Salt residue can inhibit plants from absorbing necessary nutrients and water
• Salt corrodes roads, walkways and vehicles
• Bummer on pets’ paws
• Salt close to roads can attract animals and put them in danger of being hit by a car

Don’t bother with the kitty litter or the fireplace ashes

• They don’t work
• They can contaminate the environment
• They can be kind of messy in the spring (I know from experience)

Use sand if traction is all that is needed

• It won’t melt the ice, but it can help provide some traction w/ minimal environmental impact
• Don’t get nuts as it can clog up sewersIt can be bad for hardwood floors if tracked inside

Be wary of ‘eco-friendly’ de-icers

• Do your homework – great article in Grist.
• Calcium Chloride is a little better than some traditional products, but still not perfect

TAKE TWO (And Call GD Lisa in the Morning): Valentines day

Think Chocolate!!! – a great Valentine’s gift that can be healthy if you choose carefully.

• First, please by fair trade chocolate - Fair Trade is a socially responsible, market-based standard for products made in developing countries, where working conditions and pay may not be regulated and may be considered unfair or unjust to the workers.  It creates better trading conditions, whereby socio-economic and environmental sustainability are a priority and the producers derive a more direct and substantial benefit from their work. Listen to our SNiG segment on fair trade.
• Dark Chocolate has lots of medicinal benefits.
• Make sure you look for chocolate that is sweetened with agave and other natural sweeteners other than processed sugar or corn syrup. Look for chocolate with virgin coconut
• Eat about 3 to 4 oz a day
• It is good for your heart and stimulate your endorphin production
• Chocolate is high in flavenoids which you are the goodies you find in cranberries, apples, onions, tea and red wine
• It can lower blood pressure
• Dark chocolate can lower the bad boy LDL cholesterol by up to 10%
• 1/3 of the fat is the same as olive oil
• 1/3 of the fat had a neutral affect
• 1/3 is the not-so-good fat
• Has 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite
• Eat chocolate with at least 65% cocoa in it
• Improves blood flow to the brain and heart – two very sexy organ
• Green Dude Paul recommend having cocoa nibs on hand, which is a cocoa in its natural raw form for snacking

FEATURED GUEST: Carol Westinghouse, President of Informed Green Solutions

Green Solutions website is all about getting your environment to be clean and healthy, as well to inform people on what things they can do to keep their evnironment clean and healthy.

Indoor Air Quality Committee - Carol began the Envision Program in Vermont geared to get schools and any work place environment safe and green.

Environmental Working Group did a comprehensive study on cleaning products and their hazards.

GREEN DIVAS GOOD TO KNOW STUFF:

•  Support your local economy! Shop eat and invest local
• Certified Naturally Grown, offers farmers certification from growing natural foods. Look for the label CNG.
• SlowFoodnNJ.org – Come to the Slow Food Winter Market on Saturday Feb. 11 at Morristown High School from noon to 2pm.

“Like” us on Facebook and mention G2 Organics to get in the running for G2 product give away!

So many people are frustrated and scared about the economy and all the challenges we face today.  Too many people are not taking responsibility for themselves and their families and lashing out at others in fear and anger.

There’s a humorous Fios commercial where a father slaps down his computer in frustration, his toddler daughter imitates him and slaps the table. Next she is a teenager getting expelled from school for slapping a teacher’s tray out of his hands, then she married to a looser and brings home a baby dressed in a dog collar. A humorous illustration that makes you think about what you might have inherited from your parents or be passing down to your children.

I used to teach toddlers and their parents years ago and the best way to encourage toddler’s good behavior is to have them overhear praise about them among the adults.  Never underestimate what children hear while they are playing and you are chatting on the phone.

There are young children in my life whom I rarely see but adore me. I would like to think it is because I am a brilliantly lovable woman, but in fact, it is because their parents adore me and that is translated down to these children.  Would they hate me and/or be scared of me if their parents hated me? You bet they would.

Not long after I started this post I saw a post from fellow blogger, Christy Diane Farr on Care2.com, who reminds us to “Be nice or leave.”  She eloquently articulated just what I wanted to say today. So as the queen of re-purposing, I highly recommend you read her post: How to Handle Komen, Bullies, And People Who Suck.

Start at home and teach your children and your children’s children by example.

GREEN DIVA LINKS Here are a few of the links that were relevant to the 1.28.12 show

THE ECO FRIENDLY PRINTER “KNOW YOUR GREEN” QUIZ:

Join the Green Divas and our friends at Eco-Friendly Printer and take the weekly KNOW YOUR GREEN QUIZ. A new prize awarded every week! Go to our Facebook page find the quiz and weigh in with your answer.  The quiz will run from Saturday to Saturday.  We’ll draw a winner from all the correct answers and announce the winner on our live show on WMTR from 10-11am EST every Saturday.

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Marie DeVenezia!

Play along next week.  Check Green Divas facebook page and chime in for a chance to win a green goodie!

WIN A BASKET OF NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCTS:  To enter the drawing, go to the European Wax Center in Denville and tell them The Green Divas sent you and have a chance to win a wonderful goodie basket.  Call 973.933.4005 and make an appointment for a FREE wax treatment for first-time customers.

SLEEPING NAKED IS GREEN SEGMENT:

This weekly segment is sponsored by Essentia, The Only All Natural Memory Foam Mattress in the World!

Every week we will discuss an entry from this hilarious and totally practical book, Sleeping Naked is Green by Vanessa Farquharson.

Listen to this week’s 5-min segment - SNiG #17 - Buy Renewable Energy

What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy is energy that is generated from naturally replenished resources like sunlight, wind, geothermal heat, tides, even rain.

About 16% of global energy consumption comes from renewables.

What’s the 84% of non-green energy doing?

Choosing green power could make a big difference for the environment because electricity generation is the largest industrial polluter in the country (as we discovered in last week’s Eco Friendly Printer KNOW YOUR GREEN Quiz)

Electricity generation currently produces:

• About two-thirds of the annual U.S. emissions of sulfur dioxide, the main cause of acid rain and very small soot particles. These fine particles are believed to be responsible for the largest share of the 50,000-100,000 deaths caused by air pollution in the United States each year.
• About 30 percent of the nitrogen oxide emissions, which stress forest ecosystems and combine with organic compounds in sunlight to form smog. High smog levels can also trigger heart and respiratory problems and contribute to air pollution deaths.
• About 40 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions. This heat-trapping gas causes global warming, which may lead to increased droughts, flooding, disease, ecosystem disruption, and severe weather.
• Toxic-metal emissions (such as mercury and lead) and nuclear waste.

[union of concerned scientists]

How do you buy renewable / green energy?

• Green Pricing is an optional utility service for customers who want to help expand the production and distribution of renewable energy technologies. With green pricing, you do not have to change your electricity provider. Instead, customers choose to pay a premium on their electricity bill to cover the extra cost of purchasing clean, sustainable energy.
• Green marketing is the sale of green power in competitive markets, where consumers have the option to choose from a variety of suppliers and service offerings, much like they can choose between long-distance telephone carriers. The key difference between green marketing and green pricing is that with green marketing, you are actually switching electricity providers.
• Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs or sometimes “green tags”). A REC represents the environmental attributes or benefits of renewable electricity generation (usually one credit = one kilowatt-hour). RECs can be purchased in almost any quantity and are usually available from someone other than your electricity provider.

[from green-e, the a leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market]

certified Green-e renewable energy finder

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)

Federal Incentives

Energy Tax Rebates (federal)

SPECIAL GREEN DIVA PRODUCT REVIEW SEGMENT – SKINCARE, BEAUTY & HEALTH: 

• G2 Organics - We love everything about G2 Organic products that we’ve tried, but this week are waxing poetic about their “Breath of Fresh Air; Herbal Inhalation for cold and allergy sufferers.” It comes in a glass jar and is full of herbs that when inhaled clear the air ways.
• Blissoma - Like G2, there are a lot of beloved products in this brand. Today we talked about the Antioxidant Sprayable Lotion - for moisturizing. We like that it is non-oily
• The Natural Dentist - They sent us several products to try, so we had a chance to pick the flavors that we likes in toothpaste and mouthwashes.

• Baby Hawk Carrier – This is a tie on carrier that you can wear on your front or back. AND you can send in your own fabric to have one made.
• Lifefactory Glass Baby Bottles – This glass bottle has a silicone sleeve that can go in the dishwasher and a pot of  hot water for warming the baby’s milk.  Carly has used the same bottles for both her kids, so they last forever too. You can, of course, replace the nipples, but the glass and silicone part is as keeper.

Call in from Green Dude Wayne:

• EveryManJack hair gel was Wayne’s assignment. He said it was easy to use with good hold. It has no dyes, SLS’s or parabens (that’s science talk for stuff we don’t like). And no animals were tested for this product.

FEATURE INTERVIEW: Kerry Coughlin, Regional Director for Americans at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).  Kerry shared why sustainable fishing is good for the fish stock and marine impact.  Listen to the show to hear about why we should care to much.  A favorite takeaway is to look for the MSC logo when you buy fish so that you know you are buying from a sustainably source and so that you are not contributing to the ravaging of our oceans and marine life.

 Look for this blue fish MSC logo when buying fish.

Their site has all kinds of other information including a link to www.fishandkids.org for games and fun (and education too).

Please do the Green Divas Radio Show Survey! Help us do a better job! It is totally anonymous, safe, quick and FREE! (click link here or go to the banner up above on the right side of the screen)

“Like” us on Facebook and mention G2 Organics to get in the running for G2 product give away!

GREEN DIVA LINKS Here are a few of the links that were relevant to the 1.21.12 show

THE ECO FRIENDLY PRINTER “KNOW YOUR GREEN” QUIZ:

Join the Green Divas and our friends at Eco-Friendly Printer and take the weekly KNOW YOUR GREEN QUIZ. A new prize awarded every week! Go to our Facebook page find the quiz and weigh in with your answer.  The quiz will run from Saturday to Saturday.  We’ll draw a winner from all the correct answers and announce the winner on our live show on WMTR from 10-11am EST every Saturday.

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Laureen Marston!

Next Week’s Quiz Question and LOTS more . . .

NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION:

Quiz #6 for the 1.28.12 show is: What is a VOC?

a.  Variable Organic Compound
b.  Very Oily Compound
c.  Volatile Organic Compound
d.  None of the Above

Play along next week.  Check Green Divas facebook page and chime in for a chance to win a green goodie!

WIN A BASKET OF NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCTS:  To enter the drawing, go to the European Wax Center in Denville and tell them The Green Divas sent you and have a chance to win a wonderful goodie basket.  Call 973.933.4005 and make an appointment for a FREE wax treatment for first-time customers.

GUEST GREEN DUDE: Reports from Green Dude Paul Miller, Coordinator for the Town of Morristown Office of Sustainability:

• The Green Divas & the Morristown Office Of Sustainability team up for Earth Day Experience 2012: Stay tuned for the next few months to hear about our plans for a rockin’ Earth Day Experience in Morristown. You will be able to find information on the Sustainable Morristown website. 
• Slow Food Winter Market: February 11 (Feb 12, snow date) at Morristown High School. For information go to SlowFoodnNJ.org.
• CommUnity Earth Series: Reel Green film series “Economy of Happiness” at Unity Charter School, 1 Evergreen Place, Morristown, NJ
• NOFA-NJ Winter Conference: Cultivating Change: Growing Organic Food - January 28 & 29 – Princeton University – Friend Center. For more information.

BENJAMIN WALMER:  Called into the studio today to let us know a little about what’s going on up in Long Valley, NJ. He’s is a bit of a renaissance man:

• Architect at Limn Architects
• Co-Founder of the Highlands Dinner Club
• Designer of Flocktown Farm a new 50 acre farm in Long Valley

GREEN DIVA LISA’S Take-Two REPORT: 

GD Lisa explored a local green Meetup.com meeting for Communityearth.net - A New Jersey-Based non-profit organization for everything sustainable. This week was the Eco-Exchange: Food & Nutrition Forum. Check out GD Lisa’s latest post on 8 Ways to Keep Busy, be Healthy & Green Inside this Winter for more details.

SLEEPING NAKED IS GREEN SEGMENT:

This weekly segment is sponsored by Essentia, The Only All Natural Memory Foam Mattress in the World!

Every week we will discuss an entry from this hilarious and totally practical book, Sleeping Naked is Green by Vanessa Farquharson.

Listen to this week’s 5-min segment - SNiG #16 - No New Plastic

The Big Plastic Bummer

According to Susan Freinkel, author of Plastic: a Toxic Love Story, the world consumes over SIX HUNDRED BILLION POUNDS OF PLASTIC ANNUALLY, and it does NOT biodegrade for hundreds of years.

According to the United States International Trade Commission, in 2008, U.S. consumption of imported and domestically produced Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags was reported to be 102,105,637,000 – [from BagMonster.com]

Have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

• AKA Pacific Trash Vortex
• Central North Pacific Ocean
• high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge, and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre
• Estimates of size range from 270,000 sq mi to more than 5,800,000 sq mi. (0.41% to 8.1% of the size of the Pacific Ocean)! Some media reports, have it up to TWICE THE SIZE OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES! No one really knows the size, because you can’t see large items from a boat. The mass mostly consists of small plastic particles suspended at or just below the surface, making it impossible to detect by aircraft or satellite. [Wikipedia]

Plastic Bottle Plague

In the US alone, an average of 230 plastic bottles PER PERSON go to landfills every year. That’s enough crushed bottles to fill the Rose Bowl EVERY TWO WEEKS! [greensmart.biz]

What Can We Do?

• Do the plastic-free experiment and TRY not to bring any new plastic into your house – trust me, in one week, you’ll have a heightened awareness of just how much plastic is in our world.
• Minimize plastic use by:
  • Remembering re-usable bags for shopping
  • Buy in bulk
  • Re-use what you can
  • Recycle!

Listen to our interview with Susan Freinkel, author of Plastic: a Toxic Love Story 

Listen to the Green Light: Short & Sassy audio vignette on the perils of plastic

Please do the Green Divas Radio Show Survey! Help us do a better job! It is totally anonymous, safe, quick and FREE! (click link here or go to the banner up above on the right side of the screen)

“Like” us on Facebook and mention G2 Organics to get in the running for G2 product give away!

GD Lisa in the snow

I do enjoy being invigorated outdoors during the winter, especially in the snow, but I also like to nestle in and do indoor things that I don’t do when the weather is warmer.  Here are some ideas and projects to do while inside on those cold winter days.

1. Loosen Your Belt – I don’t know about you, but my pants tend to get just a little tighter in the winter. It must be the long johns.  Here is a simple trick to be a little more comfortable.  Try hooking a rubber band through the button hole and wrap the end around the button. Sometimes that’s all the extra room I need to be comfortable.
2. Cookie Sheet Boot Rack – if you have an old cookie sheet that you don’t want to use for baking anymore, don’t throw it away, put it by the door for your wet shoes and boots.  You can even wrap it in an old beach towel or pillow case to make it look a little more decorative.
3. Wino Boot Shapers – put some old wine bottles in your boots to help them stand straight while they dry.

1. Get Organized: One Closet or Drawer at a Time – being inside more in the winter might inspire you to clean out closets and get organized in other ways. I promise if you pick one drawer or one closet at a time you will feel great and not so overwhelmed. You can read in more detail about some good organizational practices from this older GD Lisa post.  Once you have emptied whatever you are reorganizing, you will want to clean the area thoroughly. Please remember that there are 83,000 man-made chemicals in household cleaning products in the US. Pick something that is safe. Here is an article about how to clean up your cleaning products.
2. Sell that Old Stuff - another good project for the winter months is to learn how to sell stuff online. Look at eBay for Dummies or figure out how to sell books through cash4books.net or seebackyourbook.com.  Here is how to sell used books on amazon.
3. Continuing Education – remember that there is probably a YouTube instructional video on just about anything you want to learn how to do.  Want to know how to use a certain computer program, try the internet.  How about how to cook something for your new diet goals, try the internet.
4. Spruce up Your Diet - while local produce is at a minimum by learning how to make sprouts.  This will add much needed nutrition to your winter diet. It’s a good habit to keep all year long.
5. Family Bonding Time – Get out that old deck of cards or your board games and spend some quality time together. If you are looking for a fun way to education the kids, try some of the new board games that teach sustainability like the one our friend Bruno and his kids developed, Endango.

Here are a few of the links that were relevant to the 1.14.12 show

GREEN DIVA LINKS

Join the Green Divas and our friends at Eco-Friendly Printer and take the weekly KNOW YOUR GREEN QUIZ. A new prize awarded every week! Go to our Facebook page find the quiz and weigh in with your answer.  The quiz will run from Saturday to Saturday.  We’ll draw a winner from all the correct answers and announce the winner on our live show on WMTR from 10-11am EST every Saturday.

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Doug Farquhar!

Next Week’s Quiz Question and LOTS more . . .

NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION:

Quiz #6 for the 1.21.12 show is: What Sector Contributes the Most to Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

a.  Transportation
b.  Agriculture
c.  Electric Power 
d.  Industry

Play your answer on the Green Divas facebook page to being the drawing for a green goodie!

GREEN DIVA LISA’S REPORT: From the NJ-Based Eco-Exchange Forum

GD Lisa explored a local green Meetup.com meeting for Communityearth.net - A New Jersey-Based non-profit organization for everything sustainable. This week was the Eco-Exchange: Food & Nutrition Forum. Check out Lisa’s post on our website for more details.

SLEEPING NAKED IS GREEN SEGMENT:

This weekly segment is sponsored by Essentia, The Only All Natural Memory Foam Mattress in the World!

Every week we will discuss an entry from this hilarious and totally practical book, Sleeping Naked is Green by Vanessa Farquharson.

Listen to this week’s 5-min segment - SNiG #15 – Find a Green Real Estate Agent

What constitutes a ‘green’ Real Estate Agent?

A realtor that understands all aspects of green living, green building materials, energy efficiency and general concepts for sustainability as they relate to homes, buildings and other dwellings.

There are certification programs for green realtors:

National Association of Realtors Green Resource Programs

Eco-Broker Designation

What do green real estate agents know that regular agents don’t?

Focus on energy efficiency, renewable and alternative energy resources, and environmental sensitivity in building design elements. They should understand or and be able to offer additional professional references to qualified contractors for the following:

• energy ratings & audits
• renewable energy sources – solar, wind, geothermal
• green design
• green building materials
• energy efficient mortgages – Low rates, discounts for green-certified properties*, great programs, total transparency, mindful green-certified business
• Best solution for EcoBrokers, LOHAS and Cultural Creatives
• Indoor air quality
• Water quality

*Green-Certified Properties

U.S. Green Building Council (runs the LEED program)

Energy Star

National Association of Home Builders

Find an earth-friendly, green, realtor

Find an Eco-Broker

National Association of Realtors – Green Realtor Finder

FEATURED GUEST: John Voelcker, Sr. Editor High Gear Media / GreenCarReports.com

 2012 Detroit Auto Show – Out of all the new releases the 2 standouts were:

• Ford Fusion Energy Plugin Hybrid John says this car is what the product of a one night stand between an Audi A7 and an Aston Martin.  It’s a combination of a plug-in Hybrid that has better MPGE (Miles Per Gallon Equivalent) than the Chevy Volt.
• Dodge Dart - 4 door sedan. It’s not your father’s Dart (GD Scott had one “back in the day”). It is an Alfa Romeo under the hood has a highway rating of 40 MPG, roomy and stylish.

John also debunked the media madness and misconception about Chevy Volts bursting into flames.  The Volt is actually deemed the safest car sold.

We doubled the length of our interview with John because we have so much learning from him what’s new in the auto industry. Tune into the podcast for much more…

Please do the Green Divas Radio Show Survey! Help us do a better job! It is totally anonymous, safe, quick and FREE! (click link here or go to the banner up above on the right side of the screen)

“Like” us on Facebook and mention G2 Organics to get in the running for G2 product give away!

Jim Walsh from Food & Water Watch

I have unexpectedly been in the northeast for the better part of a year now and realized, I have no social life. So I signed up for some Meetup.com events that would introduce me to like-minded people and teach me a thing or two, I hope.  This week I ventured out to the Eco-Exchange: Food & Nutrition Forum – Sharing Ideas, Knowledge and Solutions.  Just up my alley.

They weren’t all strangers, I sat behind long-time friend of the Green Divas, Paul Miller from Sustainable Morristown, and next to our Daily Record: Grassroots buddy Meghan Van Dyk.  Meghan will be joining us soon as a regular feature on The Green Divas Radio Show.

The speakers that I heard were:

• Wanda Knapik from www.MyLocalGarden.com, who organized and introduced the event.  She is a gardening educator and conduit of great green goodies in the region.
• Jenn Bostedo, from www.gourmetdiningllc.com, who illustrated the new paradigms in nutrition education.
• Jim Walsh from Food & Water Watch, who was my favorite speaker.  He spoke about genetically modified organisms or GMO’s. I liked the way he took a complicated subject and made it digestible and understandable, with an action to boot.  Please join us in signing a petition to get Walmart to NOT buy Monsanto’s GMO sweet corn, which has not been tested to see if it is safe. This could be a game changer folks.
• Marnie Vyff , founder of the Mountain Lakes Food Coop, talked about what a coop is and how different ones operate. We got into a general discussion about raw milk, which is apparently illegal to sell in NJ. Who knew?
• Farmer Mark Canright from Farm the Earth.  He talked about his farm, the Comeback Farm in Asbury, NJ and shared some of the things he’s learned as an organic farmer. I may look into the apprentice program or just volunteer on the farm.
• Roman Oscadca a farmer and beekeeper from Valley Fall Farm, Johnsonbury, NJ.  He talked about how he became a farmer from his career as an engineer. The most interesting part of his talk for me was about garlic and bees.  Did you know that there are more than 600 varieties of garlic. After understanding the new markets of garlic, I am now committed to only buying organic garlic, and local when possible, short of growing my own.

Other CommunityEarth event dates for the Morris County area include:

• Jan. 26^th – 6:30 @ Unity charter School – Green Movie nights – “The Economics of Happiness.”
• Jan. 22, Feb. 26, March 25 1-5pm @Eleanor’s Studio – Mosaics Classes
• Feb. 8 @Ursino Restaurant at Kean University –Farm to Table Night (meetup.com event)
• Feb. 12^th  - 2pm @Bernardsville Library – the documentary “Gasland” about fracking

This is my foray into finding out what like-minded people are doing in my area.  Check out Meetup.com and other social sites to see what’s happening in your neck of the woods.

KNOW YOUR GREEN quiz. A new prize awarded every week! Go to our Facebook page find the quiz and weigh in with your answer.  

The quiz will run from Saturday to Saturday.  We’ll draw a winner from all the correct answers and announce the winner on our live show on WMTR from 10-11am EST every Saturday.  Tune in to see who will win a prize from:

• Zipcar
• Tekserve
• Green Apple Cleaners
• Eco Friendly Printer

 . . . and to hear about the this week’s quiz!

KNOW YOUR GREEN QUIZ #5:

What is the Greenest Available Car Technology?

a. Hybrid

b. Electric

c. Bio Diesel

d. Very Efficient Gas Engine

The prize for this week’s winner (chosen randomly from a hat live on the air Saturday, January 14 from those that picked the correct answer) will be a Organic T-Shirts & $50 from the Eco Friendly Printer

Please find the quiz on the Green Divas Facebook Page and PLAY!

Start with an attitude adjustment – No matter what change you want to make in your life, design a mantra that supports that change. Tell your self things like: ” I love being a non-smoker;” or “I feel so much better being 10lbs lighter;” or “I can do so much more now that I have been exercising;” or “I have so much more energy now that I have given up sugar, or caffeine [whatever you want to give up].” Imagining and embracing the good that will come of change gets you off the “I am depriving myself” train. It’s a better motivator and it rewards your efforts rather than feeling like a punishment.

Eating Healthier – that can range from eating less meat, eating more fruits and veggies, to getting off dairy or gluten, to losing weight.  Whatever the case is for you, set reachable goals.

• Prepare your alliances: Ask your friends and family to help you, especially in the beginning, by not questioning your choices or criticizing your efforts.  It is never good to have someone, well intended as they might feel, say, “Should you be eating that?” Ask them not to sit down with a plate full of apple pie and ice cream while you are eating celery sticks.  That’s just mean.
• Next, prepare your environment: Open your cabinets, refrigerator and freezer, take out every inappropriate thing that could potentially derail your efforts.  You may know someone who can use the food you shouldn’t be eating, so think about donating to a food bank or neighbor.  Ask your family to bear with you, even if they are not dieting.  Eating healthy is good for everyone, not just for loosing weight.
• Replace those unhealthy items with healthier choices: Keep healthy snacks around like fresh veggies all cut and ready to eat, around so that when the urge strikes, you won’t lose out to poor impulse control.  When choosing more fruits and veggies for your diet you might want to read the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Shopper’s Guide for pesticides in produce.
• Want to eat less meat? Start slowly by trying the Meatless Monday plan.  Remember we don’t need as much protein as the  meat industry would like us to believe. Here is a resource to find out how to replace meat protein with vegetable protein.

Get More Exercise – set reasonable goals so you don’t burn out. Actually setting goals is the best way to stick to a workout program. Maybe there is a wedding or reunion coming up. Challenge yourself to an event like a 5k walk or run for a good cause. Then up the ante t to a 10K or even a marathon.

• Find a workout buddy: And try to pick someone with a positive attitude. Having someone to meet up with really helps you stay on a schedule, especially when you work out early in the morning.  Can’t find a friend to workout with? Sign up for a class.  Doling out dollars for something helps too.
• Pace yourself: I was 50 years old when I trained for my first marathon and I am not one of those extreme athletes. The trick to my succeeding in getting this old body to run 26.2 miles was to NOT over train. I kept to my friend’s strict schedule over 6 months of slowly increasing distance while only running 3 times a week and only pushing for the big miles on Saturdays. For every 20 minutes I ran, I walked for 1 minute, no matter how many miles I was running.  If I’d done it on my own, I would have definitely pushed harder in the beginning and either burnt out or gotten injured. Be sure and give your body time to recover between workouts, that is as important as the actual workout for progress. If you are joining a gym, don’t go everyday, start with 3 times a week and don’t up it to more than every other day for heavy exercising.
• Seize the moment:  When you can take the stairs, do it. Embrace the opportunity to rake the yard or shovel the driveway etc., see it as a chance to build muscle and cardio.  But be thoughtful about it, switch arms for equal impact.  When I am driving long distance and have the cruise control on and no other cars are nearby, I lift my feet just a few inches off the floor to engage my abs and count to 10.  I do that 3 times in a row, once an hour. (Ladies – I also do Kegel exercises when I come to stop lights.)
• Start your program off easy: Try walking 10 minutes 3 times a week, then increase the time gradually. Of course the same goes for riding a bike, going to the gym or swimming.
• Diversity is good: Try some cardio exercise in combination with yoga or palates.  In my perfect world, I would run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays, do yoga on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, and take Sundays off.
• Always stretch: When you ask your muscles to work hard they respond by tightening up, so learn some good versatile stretching, your body will be grateful and allow you to do more. The secret to getting the most from your stretching  is to find the stretch and hold it while breathing deeply into the stretch. Hold for a count to 10, then do it again a few times.
• Hydrating is so important: One of the best things I learned when I was training for the marathon was to hydrate.  It was remarkable how much better my joints and muscles felt when I properly hydrated.  This doesn’t mean just drinking water before, during and after exercising, it means hydrating all week, especially the day before a workout.  I really learned about the effects of food and alcohol as well.  Carbs for endurance and protein for recovery.  Now don’t load up on carbs just because you are walking a few miles, 3 times a week. Save it for the heavy lifting when you get farther into your program.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint – Once again start small, once you get the hang of it, it can be an addictive challenge.

• Think about eating less meat: While choosing to eat healthier you can make a big impact by reducing your meat intake. Here is the meat eater’s guide to climate change plus health.
• Buying local: Look into Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Coops or buying clubs that offer organic and healthy choices. Ask your grocer where things come from. Let them know you care. Plus you’ll be supporting local businesses. Go to LocalHarvest to find a coop or CSA near you.
• Do you have a vampire in the house? Just unplugging your appliances can stop the constant draw on your electricity.
• Dial down: Turn your water heater temperature down a little and you will save on your electric bill. Of course, the same goes for your thermostat.
• Plan and Share: Plan your errands efficiently.  Share shopping trips with neighbors or relatives.
• Try two wheels instead of three sometimes: Bike riding combines lowering your carbon footprint with good health. It takes time to make bike riding a habit.  Did you know that 85% of all the driving we do is within 5 miles? And 50-60% is within 2 miles.
• Working virtually: See if you can work from home once or twice a week to reduce your commuting.  It’s not for everyone, but some people are more productive at the home.
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• BYOB: Remember to bring your reusable shopping bags to the store!

Detox & Minimize Your Exposure to Chemicals 

• Watch out for those beauty products: Beauty and skin care products are not regulated, so they can pretty much say what they want on their labels and it can be pretty misleading AND downright unhealthy. Go through all your bathroom drawers and cabinets and de-clutter by getting rid of questionable products. To help you decide what’s questionable and what to replace, look at the EWGs Skin Deep cosmetic database. I am getting down to one organic shampoo, Dr. Bronnor’s soap, a natural toothpaste and organic coconut oil for all my grooming needs.  I used up last season’s natural sunscreens for shaving my legs. Read our recent post on Ecomii.com on Why Should We Care about Toxins in Cosmetics and Skincare Products.
• Cleaning the House: House hold cleaning products are another source of poison in our homes.  Vinegar and baking soda are my favorite cleaning products.  Learn how to use vinegar from this Good Human’s article.  Check out this cleaning kit from Care2.com.  The New Homemaker shows 27 ways to use baking soda to clean your house..  Some of the brands that we like are: Seventh Generations;  Greenworks; Mrs. Meyer’s (I’ve used all the lavender versions so my house smells the same everywhere.); Berkley Green; and Ecover. Listen to our Green Light: Short & Sassy vignette on Easy Green Cleaning
• Detoxing the bedroom – Start with this most important room. The bedroom  is the room we spend more time in than any other room, and it’s a time for healing and restoration.  I first recommend you consider an organic mattress by our friends at Essentia.  Here are 5 ways to detox the bedroom I found on Care2.com.

Un-Clutter Your World – don’t try to unclutter the entire house, start with a drawer, or a closet. Approach each closet or drawer by emptying it out completely.   My motto when de-cluttering is “bless it and let it go.”

• Cleaning out the closet: When in your clothes closet, if you haven’t worn it in a year, let it go.  Donate your clothes, someone else might love them or need them.
• De-cluttering the kitchen: Start off by pulling everything our of the drawer or cabinet you are cleaning.  If you haven’t used some of the gadgets you’ve collected, let them go. Do you really need 4 spatulas or 3 can openers. When you put things back, place the least used things at the back and the most used within easy reach.  Then next year, if you find you never used those things in the back, maybe you could bless them and let them go as well.
• Organizing and storing: For the things you need to save but are not using, box or bin them up so you can store them neatly and find them easily. Mark them and make them easy to negotiate when storing them. I make a list on two sides of each box in case I need to store them facing our or sideways.
• Passing things down: When I last moved I boxed stuff up for my kids. Saving things that I don’t really use now that they will enjoy using that I can offer as meaningful gifts along the way.
• How to get rid of stuff: Craig’s list is a great to give away or sell things and people will come and pick them up. I have often put things out by the curb with a free sign and they just disappear. For more valuable or collectible items you can sell things on eBay.com.  There are people who will sell things on eBay for you for a fee.
• Books: Do you really need to keep books you’ve already read? Sometime the answer is yes, but often it is no.  The last time I moved I realized that I was lugging around a lot of reference books that I don’t use anymore since I get most information off the internet.  And I passed down all my leather bound classics to my son who is starting a family. I do hope my grandchildren will read them. For the books you can let go of, try selling them.  There are a lot of place to sell books like Amazon.com or  Cash4Books and there are more. If you don’t care about making money, there are a lot of places to share or donate your books including libraries (if they are in good condition).
• eWaste: Many of us got new electronics or appliances over the holidays. You should know that we produce the equivalent of 100,000 fully loaded 747 planes of eWaste in just one year! Some of it gets shipped off to India and other developing countries where children are poisoned while sifting through the landfills. So before throwing away your old computer, cell phone or toaster etc, first consider giving it to someone who will use it. I once put an old working TV on the curb and it just disappeared. I often take things to the Goodwill because they have a job training program and they recycle electonics. Cell phones can be recycled through battered women’s programs and for military families. You can also check with your local police stations.  Ask at your local mobile device store if they have a charitable recycling program. If not, go somewhere that does, many, many do. Listen to our Sleeping Naked is Green segment on eWaste.
• Listen to our Interview with Debra Duneier, Feng Shui Master and Author – We talked a lot about de-cluttering.