You wouldn't think that matches would be the eco-friendly option amongst fire-lighting devices. And you'd be partly right. Although matches are number 36 of 50 Ways to Help The Planet, what they're really applauding over there is the cardboard counterparts made from recycled paper.

But matches are a couple of zillion times eco-frendlier than disposable plastic lighters - and more fun (see above). So let's keep our iconic little sticks dipped in phosphorus - and green them up instead.

Laura Malesich over at Green Daily reassured us back in December that Diamond matches (the most popular out there) were created using sustainable practices. And now Paolo Ulian has improved this simplest of concepts - by using the other end - a design so obvious it takes a true artist to spot it.

Match that.

Image: jot punkt

Talk about rotten tomatoes. The outbreak started in mid-April and there have been cases of illness in at least 17 states (including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin).

Here's the latest:

The FDA has ruled out California, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico as sources of contamination.

This latest food poisoning outbreak points to a few serious problems with our food supply.

Lack of traceability: it has taken the FDA almost two months to determine that the outbreak is either in Florida, or in Mexico (who knows how long it will take them to narrow it down from there?).

Nonsensical market forces: a person can live in a state that grows and harvests tomatoes and the tomatoes from that state can be perfectly safe, yet this person can become sick from tomatoes grown thousands of miles away because the system is not set up so that they can go to their local grocery store and purchase tomatoes grown nearby.

Way too many food miles: people want tomatoes year round, so I understand importing them from Mexico and Central America. Or the northern U.S. drawing from Florida. But, what are we doing importing tomatoes from Israel, Canada, and Belgium in April? It's insanity.

What's the solution? Homegrown tomatoes and tomatoes grown on small and medium sized farms and sold in farmers' markets have not been implicated. So buy your fruits and vegetables in season from farmers you know or get them from your organic CSA program, and you'll be enjoying your caprese, marinara and BLT in no time.

Image: jacki-dee

I've been researching the best new hybrids to buy, the SUVs with cargo space for lugging sporting equipment and furniture for clients versus the smaller, more practical Prius, the symbol of a Gore generation of fuel-conscious consumers.

But I have to say, I've been thrown by the latest safety risk I read about. It wasn't about the performance of the cars but rather the fact that blind pedestrians cannot hear the gas-electric motors on the road.

When you rely on your ears to determine whether it's safe to cross the intersection, the hybrids pose a terrible threat. According to the Associated Press, hybrid tests were conducted involving people standing in parking lots or on sidewalks who were told to signal when they heard different hybrid models drive by. "I couldn't hear it," reported Deborah Kent Stein, chairwoman of the National Federation of the Blind's Committee on Automotive and Pedestrian Safety. She shared that the other subjects participating in the test asked when the test was going to begin after a vehicle had made several laps around the parking lot. They also never heard a peep.

A spokesman for Toyota Motor Sales USA said one of the benefits of the Prius is that it doesn't create noise pollution but even so, manufacturers are studying the issue, prompted by groups like the Baltimore-based National Federation of the Blind. Advocates are seeking some kind of balance, for example, a minimum noise standard level while a car is running solely on electricity.

All this brought to mind a prayer book chapter I read recently while on a Torah study retreat with my daughter in the mountains of West Marin. It said that part of the path of being a good person (I paraphrase, now) is not putting stumbling blocks in the way of the blind. I hope that in our efforts to save the planet, we aren't doing just that.

Source: CNN

Image: are you my rik?

Picture this. You're on a packed train filled with commuters. A cell phone rings - and someone in a suit pulls out a retro, bakelite-style telephone handset (as above), with the elastic cord disappearing into their jacket, and starts chatting away.

To a child of the Monty Python era like myself, this image has a certain appeal. And it's exactly how you use Hulger's P*Phone (part of Greener Grass Design's range). Connecting to your mobile phone, it's an essential piece of quirky retro-cool - and I want mine yesterday.

 

But it's not just about zany aesthetics. The jury is still out about the long-term damage from mobile phone radiation - with even less consensus on "hands-free" models - and while we're waiting for a verdict, I'd prefer to keep my brain at a safe distance. The P*Phone seems an ideal way to do it without resorting to a speakerphone.

Other benefits? It's easier than a cell phone to hold in the crook of your neck....semi-hands-free, if you like. Plus, everyone will know you're on the phone (I've never got used to hands-free users talking into thin air).

It's classy, green, practical and slightly eccentric. What's not to love?

Images: givepeasachance / Greener Grass Design

So many of my lazy teen summers were spent on a terry towel at the beach, slathering my skin with baby oil and bleaching my long hair with Sun In and lemon juice. But a recent weekend with old high school friends at the swank Sand and Surf Hotel in Laguna found us shading rather than sunning, more fearful of skin cancer than of the sharks that might be lurking under our kids' boogie boards. There's still the urge to get that healthy looking tan, but we have heeded the warnings of our dermatologists: Fry now, pay later.

What's an aging surfer chick to do? I have resorted to the myriad of healthy bronzers out there, creams and gels that provide the glow without risk of a scary dark mole. I went searching for organic brands worthy of a bronze medal and this is what I found:

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Natural Origin Liquid Bronzer: Sold at your neighborhood drug store, this brand does the trick in providing a chemical-free, all-over sheer glow, while hydrating the skin. It's formulated with 84% certified organic ingredients, including jojoba seed oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil and shea butter, and comes in three shades. I like to dilute the liquid bronzers with my own moisturizer for more even blending from face to neck.

ME Naturally:  Bronzers and illuminators are great for dusting on your cheeks and shoulders for a shimmery, summer look. $12.95.

Tarte Mineral Bronzer: One of several natural bronzers from Sephora, this one is fragrance-free with earthly minerals and vitamins A and E. When using powders rather than creams be sure to buy a good bronzer brush for a smooth application.

Nature's Gate Happy Glow Lucky Floral Bronzing Cream: Made with fruit and flower extracts, this cream goes on like a moisturizer that you rub into your face. $13.49. Be careful to wash your hands after applying because like other bronzers, it can stain fabrics.

I think that should do it for your faux tan this summer. As far as going after those beachy blonde streaks, I say follow the Hollywood trend and go dark instead. Brown is the new yellow, sister. Happy bronzing.

Image: Criss!

Although the superior nutrition of the raw almond is well-known, true raw almonds are getting a lot harder to find. The reason? California - the largest almond grower in the country - passed a 2007 law requiring almond pasteurization. (A little history: according to lawmakers, there were two almond-related salmonella outbreaks “several years ago”; the specifics are vague). Organic growers argue that outbreaks were caused by conventional farming practices and have never occurred in an organic grove. Consumers complain that they want proper labeling and the right to purchase almonds that are truly raw.

Unfortunately, the law is now in place and consumer choice is diminished. “Raw almonds” on the label may be meaningless - you’ll have to look for “unpasteurized.”

If you’d like to take action, contact the Almond Board of California and ask that they require truthful labeling, and tell them you have the right to choose the kind of food that is appropriate for you.

Image: ReefRaff

How do you clean your cutting boards and counter tops after preparing raw meat?

Some say the only safe way is to use a mild bleach and water solution. But bleach is bad for the environment and is also a lung irritant. There has to be a greener way. I researched the question and found that the solution (no pun intended) depends on your comfort level with a little bacteria, since the only thing guaranteed to kill all germs is bleach.

Some people use straight vinegar, but that isn't quite strong enough for me, so I look to hydrogen peroxide. Many people swear by a one-two punch of straight white vinegar followed by the commonly found 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide undiluted. For my peace of mind, I'm adding boiling water to the mix.

Here's the method I'm adopting in my own home:

Preparation

- Devote one cutting board to raw meat and never use it for other items.

- Get two spray bottles and fill one with vinegar and one with hydrogen peroxide. Never mix them; it makes a dangerous compound!

- Boil water in the kettle while cleaning.

Procedure

- Pour boiling water on the surface and scrub with soap

- Rinse

- Spray both the surface you are cleaning and your sponge with vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.

- Spray the surface and your sponge with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for 5 minutes.

- Follow up with a rinse of boiling water on the surface and your sponge.

It does take a bit more effort, but for harmless hygiene, this is the way to go. What's your green cleaning preference?

Image: Nancy Hugo

Many years ago I had a boyfriend who was really into his cast iron skillets. Having grown up in a Teflon-worshipping household, I found them to be quite unwieldy. But with a little cast iron education, I soon became a lifelong fan.

Cooking in cast iron means you get some of that iron leaching out into your food. This is excellent for those of us who could use a boost of iron in our diet - anemia is especially prevalent among women. Besides, aluminum and Teflon leach into your food, too, and that’s not what you want to be consuming!

Washing iron skillets with mild, soapy water is fine, but they need to be dried right away or they’ll begin to rust. It’s important to oil your skillet down to keep that natural non-stick surface, and I find coconut oil works well for this. Although brand new iron skillets need to be “seasoned” before use, it is well worth the effort, and cooking in cast iron will bring rustic flavor to your food and your kitchen.

Image: Unhindered by Talent

When talking about water conservation, it's easy to forget the underlying truth - there's not much fresh water to go around. Globally, 1 in 6 of us don't have access to a safe water supply.

It's a technological challenge. We'd love to see wide scale use of the technology behind the Steripen. But for now, there's a better, more affordable option, and it's called the Lifestraw.


Images: Boolean Split and Vestergaard Frandsen

(Link to Saatchi & Saatchi award requires Flash Player).

I just don't have the nerve to tell a dear friend that she must stop using grandma's method for storing winter's clothes in the attic. For one thing, her sweaters reek; but, more importantly, those mothball fumes are laced with dangerous pesticides.

What's in mothballs that is so nasty? 99 percent of the noxious formula is napthalene, a chemical monitored closely by the EPA as the agency has recorded some 1700 cases of mothball poisoning - two-thirds of those being children! The other chemical in mothballs is paradichlorbenzene, a possible carcinogen. It even sounds harsh. These fumes kill undesirable critters, but they are also toxic to humans, especially babies and children.

In our house, we use natural alternatives to mothballs, keeping memories of my Grandma Zelda's smelly coats far away from our door.

We store the clothes in the attic in plastic, air tight containers from The Container Store. While the plastic isn't always recycled, we'll use these containers for decades to come. In the closets we use fresh cedar chips and nontoxic garment bags. (Inexpensive at $20.)

One of the simplest and best ways to keep your clothes fresh and intact is to make your own moth repellent sachets with canvas drawstring bags and natural ingredients such as lavender, rosemary and cedar sprigs. (A fun after-school project for kids!)

Image: brendaj