A little while back, Earth Fare asked if I wanted to give a $50 Earth Fare gift card to one lucky (Green)Grounded reader.  With a landslide of holidays coming, a $50 gift card is exactly the stimulus package we each could use!

A happy Earth Fare gift card, valued at $50, is waiting for your happy, warm wallet.  I would love for each of us (myself included) to receive one, but only one winner for this giveaway.

So how do you win?

1.)  Leave a comment with your favorite tip for living green in a grounded way.  You know… how do you live a little greener without feeling a tremendous pinch?  A tip that perhaps someone else could use as they and their families are heading into this holiday season.

Me?  I started buying hand soap in the refill pouches and bottles instead of always getting the pretty little container to go by the sink.  Now I just refill the cute soap bottle and keep the giant refill stash under the sink.  Less packaging is a great thing, plus it saves me money!

2.)  Want a second way to enter?  Twitter fans have the advantage here.  All you have to do is tweet this (or something similar):

Living greener & tastier is easy with a $50 @EarthFare gift card giveaway via @AshleySue at http://idek.net/eQa!

Then, come back and leave a second comment with your Twitter @ handle.

One comment on being green = one chance.

One comment on being green + one separate comment about your tweet (with @yourname) = two chances.

I cannot wait to hear all the different ways you live greener and more grounded!

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

(Contest runs Tuesday, 10th November 2009 at 930 A.M. EST until Monday, 16th November 2009 at 7 P.M. EST. Winner will be selected on Monday, 16th November 2009 at 7 P.M. EST.  Winner will be contacted via email.  Once winner acknowledges winning and replies with physical address, gift card will be sent via USPS.  Winning comment number will be selected via Random.org.

Also, many of your comments may be held for moderation.  Do not worry, I will daily approve comments, so they will appear within 24 hours, and in the order received.  Thank you for your patience as I fight spammers.)

Sorry guys, this is not an homage to The Karate Kid, so you may want to tune out while I address body waxing to my female audience.  Parissa at-home Salon Hot Wax kit scored well with me, so I thought I would share the details.

I stumbled across Parissa products at Whole Foods and settled on the strip-free hot wax for face, brow, and bikini.  I have used other brands that use strips, and decided strip-free would reduce some of the waste.

I used Parissa on my underarms, something I have never waxed before but shaving always leaves me a little teeny bit stubbly… which I loath.  I also used Parissa on my bikini line, as swimming and Outer Banks were in my near future.  One kit (pan) did both my underarms and bikini area.

The pros:

• The product melts smoothly, and the hot wax, when used as directed, is perfectly comfortable.
• Ripping the wax off was far from comfortable, but worked flawlessly!  Worth the pain!
• Parissa is PARAFFIN-FREE!  No petroleum-based waxes here.  Only gum rosin, beeswax, and canola oil.
• Made in Canada (unfortunately not USA, but better than Asia!)
• Not tested on animals.
• Paper from instructions and such is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, made of Mixed Sources from well-managed forests and other controlled sources.
• Pan is recyclable, so when you are done, chuck it with your cans! (updated 29 Oct)
• Wax refills are available via their website, and does not come with the azulene bottle or pans, so you reduce your waste! (updated 29 Oct)
• GREAT customer relations!  Check the comments below to see for yourself!

The cons:

• $10.  Not a bad price.  I just have little to spare right now.
• The wax comes in a metal pan, which I had to throw away when finished.  Sad.
• I have been unable to find “refill” packs at stores, meaning I must continue to buy the azulene bottles and metal pans individually, creating plenty of waste.  The Parissa website shows “refill” kits but offers no description as to the contents of said kit so order those.

If you plan to wax, I think Parissa is a pretty great eco-friendly option.  If shaving is more your thing, I am happy to reshare my review of Preserve brand razors.

Happy smooth and sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

Mounting arguments that soy is actually an unhealthy food shake up many vegetarians’ and vegans’ worlds.  After all, when shunning meat, soy replacements tend to fill the dietary gap.

I caught the link to a post from True Nourishment declaring that soy is not “real food”.  Her argument is that the “health” industry’s reliance on processed soy — soy that is most often from genetically modified sources — does not supply us with necessary proteins so much as deplete our bodies’ vitamin absorption rate and promote estrogen-based tumors.  This is in addition to soy decreasing testosterone production in men.

The True Nourishment Diva pulled me in quickly:

The soy yogurt, ice cream, protein bar or fake meat you regard as healthy food very closely resembles junk food. People! This is the biggest scam in the history of “health food”!!! Hurray! for the food corporations and PR companies that put it together. They are making fortunes and we are paying with our money, our health and the health of the environment.

I agree.  Particularly when I became vegan, I spent a year or more relying on analog meats, most of which focus on soy ingredients.  Eventually, I realized through research how this is an unhealthy reliance and that many of these foods are also packed with preservatives, overly processed and/or genetically-modified agricultural by-products, and high doses of salt and sugars.

Further, on an opinion note, most of these foods are exorbitantly priced and barely edible, often lacking much of any flavor or enjoyable texture.

Between the health and financial aspects, save your taste buds the pain and simply eat healthy.  Healthy foods — truly healthy foods — rarely come in a box or shaped liked tubes.  Healthy food comes from the Earth and is often best consumed in the same shape as when it came from the Earth.

That said, I truly do enjoy certain soy products, particularly from Turtle Mountain.  Their line of soy ice creams is unbeatable, full of flavor, great texture, and always expanding in varieties.  They make the best yogurts.  They have a fantastic coconut milk line too.  I choose soy ice creams and soy milk over real milk because they are truly delectable, and I do feel they are a healthier choice than cow milk.  I eat Tofurky franks sometimes because I occasionally crave a hot dog. I also do not see these items as being marketed as “health foods”, but merely as alternatives to the more conventional options.

Do your own research and make your own choice.  It can be frustrating and take time, but the rewards are immense.  Knowing what those odd-sounding ingredients are is your responsibility.  Blame no one but yourself for your ignorance.

My advice:  make your fruits and veggies, close to their purest form, the base of your diet.  Have you ever heard of someone getting fat or acquiring diabetes from eating too many berries, legumes, and artichokes?  I am guessing not.

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

For Mother’s Day/Marc’s Mom’s birthday, we decided we would make her a rain barrel.  Marc’s parents live near South Carolina, in a flat farmland area near Monroe, and the garage Marc’s Dad built is perfect for collecting tons of water to keep Bernice’s garden well hydrated.  My sister and her husband found this great couple in Asheville who sells the barrels, and you can make your own.  They, I believe, have made six of their own barrels thanks to this supplier.

Turns out we just got the supplies and Marc’s parents had them make it themselves ~ I did not realize this, but making your rain barrel requires knowing exactly where you will want it set up so it is configured properly.

Marc’s Dad had it set up in no time, and within a single rain, the barrel was full, as well was all of their overflow tubs.  Dan and Bernice decided they would like another barrel.  So, done.

Rain barrels can be purchased at a variety of places, already made.  For about $100 you can pick one up, ready for the flowing, from Earth Fare, Whole Foods, and maybe even places like Home Depot and Lowes.  Also, if you check your local craigslist, Iwanna, or newspaper, you are apt to find some great local guy who makes them and sells them from his home.

If you are hands-on and live somewhere like Asheville, you may be able to find someone like this great guy who sells only the barrels for about $15.  You go purchase about $15 worth of hardware, and you can make your own.

Happy rain-barreling, and sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

I finally changed my shower curtain liner, and finally for the better of the Earth.  For the near-decade I have lived in apartments, I have used cheap vinyl liners behind my shower curtain.  For the last nearly four years, we have done so for two bathrooms.

We change our shower curtains several times a year due to the speckly, ugly mildew and hard water stains that form.  That means that we annually chuck our petroleum-derived phthalate-laced toxic vinyl plastic into the landfill.  So do many of you, I have no doubt.

Have you thought about your shower curtain?  What is it made from?  What is the liner made from?  Are you able to wash yours in the washing machine?  Do you simply throw it out?

I have pondered this for a couple years and finally changed to a better, more sustainable, washable option.

What it is:

• 100% Polyester (I know, not perfect)
• washable – Yay!
• reusable for years – Yay!
• a few dollars more than the plastic vinyl type, but a happy investment

What it is not:

• vinyl / PVC
• American-made
• natural fiber
• recycled material – they make these though
• disposable – Yay!
• smelly weirdness like new toxic vinyl curtains – Yay!

These are trade-offs I can happily take.  Apparently, I just realized with some research, I am not the only one looking for a happy trade-off:  Green LA Girl is going anti-vinyl curtain too and found a… nutty… one!

Actually, the most informed, best article and review I’ve found on shower curtain options, your personal health, and a healthy environment is from The Daily Green.  Really, Deirdre Dolan did a fantastic job researching, trying, and sharing some great info.

What would it take for you to change your shower curtain?  Do you have any other suggestions you would like to share?

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

Funny to think that a few years ago, Marc and I regularly gorged ourselves on spray-cheese-in-a-can and prepackaged dinner packs, but the more we learned about how food effects us and our environments, our food philosophy changed dramatically.  Now grocers such as Earth Fare and Whole Foods are in on their own food philosophies.

Marc and I spend seemingly exorbitant amounts of money on our food in comparison to our days eating dry, crumbly, cheap ingredient foods out of boxes, but now we eat not only for today but for a long, healthy life.  I knew with the weight-gaining of the last decade – and by looking at my family – the health problems I have lurking ahead if I do not eat better now.  Further, I really hope to have a child one day.  I have to consider more than what I food habits I want to share with that child, but I also have to consider what I consume today that affects my health and fertility and can affect my (albeit hypothetical) fetus.

I happily began supporting (more…)

A quick update on a post I wrote in March 2009 regarding eco-friendly options to toilet paper and diapers:

Oddly, yes, the post mentions that Allie found out that cloth diapers and such have a higher carbon footprint than using disposable products, but that we need to continue looking for better options and not simply feel free to use the toxic disposable options instead.

I just stumbled across the Modern Mama who realized that while alternative options are indeed necessary, the truth of what these nappies are made from (despite marketing hype) and what they costs (including financial, health, and environmental costs) need to be considered.  Modern Mama Rosanne considers just that and shares her very in-depth findings.

I hope to be figuring all this out for myself and my hypothetical children one day soon enough, but until then, hopefully some of you spicy mamas out there will use the recommendation and research!

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

Between leading a World Wide Photo Walk and eagerly waiting to find out if my Beginner Darkroom class starts Monday, I cannot help but ponder how environmentally-friendly photography is.  I particularly wonder about my own love affair with 35mm photography.

I often have digital photography enthusiast jab at me for my seemingly hypocritical juxtaposition as a naturalist and environmentalist with my 35mm photography addiction.  The petroleum and chemicals involved in film and developing, the waste of hundreds of photos taken for me to find the handful of prized images worthy of framing… blah blah, I know.  I have not been heckled yet for being a vegetarian 35mm amateur (film also uses gelatin), but I am obviously aware, so do not bother with that argument.

I guess this is where I choose the “Grounded” side of (G)G.  Photography is something I love, and the quality and experience of 35mm is not something I am willing to compromise.  I may in time get a quality digital camera as a supplement to my photography experience, but not yet.

I would love any addition and elaboration on any side of this argument.  The same could be done for another love of mine:  letter writing.  The waste and energy associated with writing letters and sending cards could make a strong argument for email and ecards being a sound environmental choice, but to me, that completely compromises the experience of personal communication.

Am I going about this all wrong?  Do you have questions or answers of your own?  I would love a well-rounded debate on the merits of each side.

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

Without dramatics or great elaboration, here is a list of common ingredients in foods that I work hard to avoid.  I would love to hear what ingredients you choose to avoid and why.

• A huge “duh”: High Fructose Corn Syrup, despite their fluffy (ridiculous) ad campaign
• Should be a huge “duh”: Corn Syrup, period
• Monosodium Glutamate, aka MSG
• Aspartame
• Propyl Gallate, which prevents fats from going rancid in food and cosmetics
• Propylene Glycol, which I found in my cosmetics, antifreeze, and shredded coconut
• Acesulfame K, aka “Sweet One”
• Food Colorings, such as FD&C anything
• Olestra
• Potassium Bromate (see here also regarding iodine deficiency…your bread is a culprit!)
• Sodium Chloride, aka “table salt”
• Sulfites (very hard, as they are in most beers and wines, but can cause asthma attacks, rashes, headaches, etc)
• Non-organic Corn (likely genetically modified, which concerns me because of this, this and this)
• Non-organic Berries, Grapes, Apples, Leafy Greens
• Meats (for Marc) with Sodium Nitrites or Nitrates, Butylated Hydroxy anything (BHA or BHT)

These can be very tricky to avoid, and I have learned not to take anything for granted.  Now I read every label, and you might be shocked to realize what “healthy”-marketed brands have completely horrific ingredients.

Any food ingredients I need to avoid that I missed?

Always do your own research.  Know what your ingredient list is.  Decide for yourself how you feel.  Plus, be warned that finding credible third-party information from peer-reviewed scholastic independent journals can be incredibly hard to find.  Do not rely on any information supplied by branches of the government, pharmaceutical companies, or food processors… as they have obvious ties and financial interests in securing you to believe what they want you to believe.  In fact, with every single study you find, you have to find out not only who conducted the study, but who paid for that study.  Like the “high fructose corn syrup is made with corn, so it’s good for you” ads: provided by the Corn Refiners Association of America.  That said, please do not rely on scare-tactic emails and Wikipedia as your sources either.

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

Playing on Twitter this morning, I found this great post on the Seventh Generation blog regarding the failure rate of bringing your reusable bags to the store.

I try not to get to judgy-wudgy, but I am who I am, and I judge.  Needless to say, I was a bit dismayed reading how people say remembering to use their bags at the grocer is so hard, so inconvenient, or just simply not on their mind.

Ann of Staten Island, New York, shuns plastic when she picks up her morning papers and coffee but admits to rarely using the shopping bag she carries in her purse. Alan, our mutual friend in L.A., uses his canvas bags as much as he can…that is, when he doesn’t forget to take them out of the car: “Hey, I’m 48 and the mind goes.”

One woman said using reusable totes is fine if you only shop for a tiny family, but a larger family is too difficult:

“The totes they sell at most places are so small it’s annoying, so you have to bring a ton of them. If I’m going to the store for something small I’ll take one. But for a regular grocery shopping expedition? With a family of five, it’s just impossible.”

This disheartens me.  My response to her is she’s simply using the wrong bags.  I agree the major inexpensive grocery chains tend not to provide decent size ~ or more importantly ~ decent quality reusable bags.  They are small and shred easily.  I have a large cloth tote, however, thrift stores always have large canvas totes you can buy for super cheap, make your own, or use the great (and cheap ~ $1) bags from Whole Foods that are made so sturdy!  We have 15 of them and have had to load up many of them when shopping for big family weekends.

Now, I will say I have left them in my trunk before.  That is becoming so infrequent it is almost never the case now.  Once, I did leave a clothing store and realize I never used the nicely folded Envirosax bag I had tucked into my purse.

It really is about getting your mind in the groove so it feels unnatural to take disposable bags.  As for grocer’s, in the rare event I forget my bags or do not bring in enough (my usual problem), I just load the cart back up (or my arms) and carry my goods that way until I get back to my car.  A cashier last week says he has more and more customers who do the same thing.  This act helps ingrain the habit and reminds me how good I feel in making this tiny decision, and knowing that I am not alone makes me even happier.

I apologize sincerely if I sound haughty about the issue.  I certainly am no green Saint, and I suppose my vigilance at the bag issue helps for the fact that I have several glaring gaps in my sustainability routine.  I just do not see age (he was kidding though), family size, or constantly forgetting you have your bags until the cashier’s already loaded it all in plastic as legitimate arguments for shrugging it off.

Judgy wudgy.

Perhaps I was actually most disheartened by the thought that many who purchase reusable bags only do so out of feeling the pressure of the “green guilt”.  If you buy something merely because peer pressure and enviro-guilt, of course you will have a hard time using it.  I can imagine each time you see them or pull the bags out, a little chunk of resentment hardens inside your gut.  Unfortunate.  That made me more sensitive to the rest of the article, I suppose.

On the contrary, as for the new mother who said she not only chooses to take the disposable plastic bags but grabs extras at the store too… well, I have no judgement on her.  I have no idea what having a child in diapers is like and wonder myself how much I will sacrifice for convenience if I am one day blessed with the joys and challenges of a new baby.

What do you think?  Are any of these solid arguments for not using bags?  Should the new mom think longer-term than to justify using plastic bags as well?  Do you have any suggestions for how to remember your bags while you shop?  Am I a green snob for knocking bag owners who rarely use their bags?

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue