Reusable Bag Feature Round Up
June 30, 2008 by Jennifer
Our month-long June theme was the hefty topic of reusable shopping bags. We blogged and blogged bags, and yet there’s so much more we could have blogged. Bags are a big deal. We’ll likely revisit this feature at some point. If you missed any bag goodness, here’s a round-up of all things reusable bags…
The BYOB challenge:
- The challenge kicks off
- First BYOB challenge update
- BYOB Challenge Update!!!
- CHANGE: A Summer Surprise Contest
- Reusable Bag Challenge Update – How Did Your Entire Month Go?
Reusable bag basics and overcoming issues:
- How Many Reusable Bags Do You Need?
- Overcoming Reusable Bag Shyness
- Pros and Cons of String Market Bags
- Reusable Bags & The Self Checkout
- Reusable Bags for Bulk Food Items
- Reusable Bags & Reusable Storage Options for Bulk Food Items
- Polite Ways to Suggest Reusable Bag Use
Get your own bag:
- Reusable Bags with a Message
- My Dream Bag – Haiku Ultimate Messenger/Diaper Bag
- ReJAVAnate Reusable Bags
- Organic Cotton FEED 100 Bags
- The Absolute Last Word in Cute Reusable Totes
- Creative Ways to Score Your Bags
- Flip & Tumble Bag: A Bright Idea
- Make Your Own Long Shopping Bag
- Green Product Review: My New Bags
- My Reusable Bags Review: Organic Cotton Eco-Bags
- What’s Your Favorite Reusable Bag?
- Have You Tried a ChicoBag?
- Review: ChicoBags, a Fun Solution
- Fun Angry Girl Reusable Bags
- Make Your Own Oilcloth Bags
- CarryEco Bags Now Available in the US
- Dream Bag Line Up
- Inexpensive Reusable Grocery Bags
- Olive Smart Reusable Grocery Bags
The why of reusable bags vs. disposable:
- Plastic Bags – Facts & Figures
- Paper Bags Aren’t the Solution
- 17 Ways to Purge Those Plastic Bags
- Where do Unwanted, Unrecycled Plastic Bags Go?
- More Ideas On Recycling Plastic Bags
Bags for kids!:
Other reusable bag ideas:
- A Different Sort of Bag — for Leaves!
- Baskets Instead of Bags?
- Eco Patches for Your Bags
- And the big fat anti tree hugging award of the week goes to…
- Plastic Bags Around Delivered Newspapers
Holy smokes – now that’s a lot of bags. Can you imagine if I went through and found all the bag posts we’ve ever done since this blog started? Wow. I’ll most likely be adding this round-up to the sidebar pages, so later you can find these posts again if you like.
Reusable Bag Challenge Update – How Did Your Entire Month Go?
June 30, 2008 by Jennifer
This month we’ve all been working hard on the reusable bag challenge. Now is your chance to tell us how you did.
Myself: I did pretty good. I only ended up with the one lame video store bag. Thankfully, I averted some clerks during the month, who were trying little sneaks, like re bagging my fruit into plastic. One bag is not so bad. I worked really hard to take my bags with me everywhere. I basically always kept them in the car, which worked well for pet store trips, and other quick stops.
Now, how did you do? Also, look for a bag round-up post. I’m going to try and gather all the bag posts together in one place – yikes.
What’s Your Favorite Reusable Bag?
June 30, 2008 by Peggy
Jennifer told you about her reusable bags, and I also reviewed my bags.
Some of you mentioned that you use ChicoBags.
What about everyone else?
If you’ve gotten new bags this month, we’d love to hear how you like them so far. Or if you have a favorite brand we haven’t mentioned, let us know.
Image via Etsy.
Polite Ways to Suggest Reusable Bag Use
June 30, 2008 by Peggy
If you weren’t already using your own shopping totes before, I hope reusable bag month has helped to convert you. Now, how do you go about spreading the reusable bag love?
Try these simple ways to help your friend get the reusable bag habit on:
• Show your bags. Brag on them. Talk about how much better you like them than one-timers.
• Buy bag starter gifts. Get them started with an affordable shopping bag.
• Go shopping! For encouragement, offer to shop with your friends on their first reusable bag outings.
• Get them thinking. Ask, “How many plastic bags do you use each month?” It’s an interesting question, and collecting them all in one place for a month may really bring home the consumption rate. (The bag image is from when I did that before I started using my own bags. That was two month’s worth of bags.)
• If you sew, have a reusable bag making party. Use old fabrics to create one-of-a-kind shopping totes.
Do you have more suggestions for helping others convert to reusable bags?
Image: From me.
A Manor Hall Soap Company Review by my best little pal
June 29, 2008 by Jennifer
As you may know, we’re running our Summer Scrub Down Contest, so I’ve been currently doing some product reviews. When I got the package of soap from Manor Hall Soap Company, everything looked great; except for this:
Actually, it looked good (cute packaging) but neither my son or I liked how it smelled. AT ALL. However, roses are not my deal. I like to look at them, love their smell in real life, but add rose scent to a body care item, and it usually flips me out. I’ve never liked rose scented body anything. So how fair would it be for me to review this? Not much.
That said, I enlisted my best friend Sara to help me out. Because she was being so helpful, I also handed over some other products for review. She’s a good reviewer choice; she’s even pickier than me about soap because she has dry skin, and she hates most soaps because they make her dry skin worse. (believe me, I’ve spent years listening to her complain about soaps).
Today Sara gave me a review on the above toner and a Natural Complexion Bar in Honey & Rose.
She’s not a chatterbox like me, so her reviews are nice and short. She’s been using the soap, followed by the toner for a week or so now.
Natural Complexion Bar in Honey & Rose - Sara liked both the color, scent, and feel of the soap. She notes that the soap is a little gritty, and a downside is that she wishes it were more gritty, because she likes scrubbers on her face. She thinks the soap lathered very well, and went on super smooth.
Lavender & Rose Facial Toner- She thinks I’m nutty, because she really likes how the toner smells. She notes that it smells like dandelion, not rose to her, which she enjoys, but that it might be too flowery for some people. (I still think it smelled like roses though).
Overall as a set, she thinks that this routine has left her skin feeling way less dry. Sara thinks the honey rose soap alone left her skin feeling more moisturized but with the toner it was even better. She says she still feels like she needs to moisturize her face still, but that overall the dry skin is not as big an issue.
I told her about tree points (yeah, she doesn’t read my blogs)
She said she’d give each product five out of five happy trees based on how nicely the products worked, and because her skin felt less dry. She said she highly recommends these products to others, but is concerned that others may not like the smell of the toner – that’s likely based on me not liking it. So scent is a toss up. I will say that scents are really personal, and it’s always a risk to try new body care items.
Thanks to Sara for the helpful review; even though she won’t see this 
Catch up:
Visit Manor Hall Soap Company to learn more. You can also enter our Summer Scrub Down Contest to win Manor Hall products. You might also like to see my previous Manor Hall reviews; Almost Sunset Soap and Facial Cleansing Grains.
Stay tuned for more reviews and some company info.
Olive Smart Reusable Grocery Bags
June 29, 2008 by Jennifer
Bag month has been a little hectic. Too bad, because there’s just oh so many bags to see. In any case, I’m going to try and fit in a few more bags before we kick off out cool July theme.
I saw these bags originally at Eco Friendly Driver, and fell in love, because Hil had posted the light olive green darling carry bag – I’m a sucker for light olive green bags. I wanted to post it here, forgot, and then one of the store owners emailed me with some info.
Stephanie, co-business owner of Olive Smart notes the following about her partner and her: “We are both former professionals turned full-time Moms turned entrepreneurs. Our Sacks are unique because all six bags fit into the little Sack which in turn fits into the cup-holder of your car, your handbag etc. making it easy to remember. We are really trying to bring green to the mainstream by making it fun and stylish. With 5 kids between us, Kerri and I see way too many plastic bags leaving the grocery store, Target, etc. It needs to stop!”
Yay for mama businesses! And yay for adorable bags. These bags are good looking, machine washable, hold 20 lbs, and a set of six fit into a cup holder in your car, all of which make these bags ultra easy to carry and use. Following is my favorite set, although, there’s a smaller set and a more bold color set available as well. This set goes for $39.00 and includes 6 bags and the carrying sack – a great deal.
Love the colors – so pretty. The website is very user friendly – which you all know I’m a fan of. They offer bag Q&A, plastic bag facts, and even have a handy demo slide show. This is the first slide below, which is cool, because it shows just how tiny the set is, and how nicely it fits into your car. Can you find the bags?
In any case, I’m very happy that Stephanie emailed me, because this is a great bag set to see. It’s also one of those bag sets that would make a perfect gift, being so colorful and well-priced. Visit Olive Smart to learn more.
[Images via Olive Smart]
Around the Network with July 4 Party Ideas and More
June 29, 2008 by Peggy
Make your own July 4th party dips. Tracey at Foodie Obsessed throws out three recipes. Plus, Linette at She Knows Parties gives you some July 4th dessert ideas.
Please drive safely during your upcoming road trips. Hilary at eco friendly driver discusses Dangerous Hypermiling Techniques.
Become Bee Aware During National Pollinator Week. So, maybe it ended yesterday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still become bee aware! Let Linette at Mother Earth’s Garden fill you in.
I know how you love reviews, so check out Green Mountain Coffee: Single Origin Sumatra at Kettle & Cup. Marye will fill you in on how she liked this Fair Trade organic coffee.
Travel to Italy with no carbon emissions. Take a look at Cyndi’s Italian vacation photos at Layers Upon Layers.
And just for fun — enter to Win a MatchMaster Interactive Soccer Game from The David Beckham Academy at PlayLibrary.
Image via flickr.
Bee Colonies Come Back!
June 28, 2008 by Peggy
My earliest memory of a bee is being stung on my big toe while in the sandbox. I’m not sure how old I was or which toe was stung, but I have grown to appreciate bees since that day in the sandbox. They’re so useful it’s difficult to hold a grudge. In fact, we need them if we want to continue eating many of the foods we enjoy.
No one knows for sure yet what’s causing Colony Collapse Disorder, but the use of pesticides is suspected. Contaminated water or a new pathogen are other possibilities. It’s a mystery that started in the US and has spread to several other countries.
What’s happening? Honey bees, known for being such hard workers, are disappearing. They just simply aren’t returning to their hives. And the colony, with only a queen and a few immature workers, collapses.
To put this disorder in terms everyone (well, nearly everyone) can relate to, think of it as ice cream.
According to a recent CNN article, the bee disorder is affecting 40% of Haagen-Dazs’ 73 flavors. We need honey bees for ingredients like almonds, strawberries and cherries.
What are some things you can do that might help the bees?
• Opt for organic herbicides in your lawn and garden. (See the Nature’s Avenger post.)
• The USDA suggests avoiding the use of pesticides mid-day when honey bees are most active.
• Buy from local organic farmers.
• This might seem silly, but rent Bee Movie! No, that won’t physically assist the bees, but it might help you and your family appreciate bees a bit more. I won’t give away the plot in case you haven’t seen it.
• Eat some Vanilla Honey Bee Ice Cream from Haagen-Dazs. They’ll donate a portion of the proceeds to fund honey bee research at the University of California, Davis and Penn State University.
Are you concerned about rising food prices due to Colony Collapse Disorder?
Image via Haagen-Dazs.
Inexpensive Reusable Grocery Bags
June 27, 2008 by Jennifer
Inexpensive is relative; one person’s inexpensive is another person’s not so much. However, for the sake of this post, I’m naming right around $10 and under as a decent inexpensive bag. Yeah you can get store brand non-washable bags for 99 cents, but I’m more on the fence of folks buying a decent washable set. One, you can wash them. Two, they hold up better (in my experience). Three; and I’ve noted this before, but research shows that not everyone recycles those store brand bags.
So some inexpensive choices:
[Biome Lifestyle's reusable bag - £6.00 - only downside is that this one may not be washable.]
Dharma Trading Co. has some of the most inexpensive bags around. These plain cotton totes look great, plus have both a gusset and two side pockets. You could dye a bunch or add patches. Cost – just $3.95 per bag, but the price goes down if you order more. Find a pal or two and order tons.
Also see these Plain Reusable Cotton Tote Bags – 6 pk £8.99
Of course Reusable Bags has many good deals. I’d suggest checking their specials link first. Following are some choices.
[Reisenthel - Mini Maxi Shopper, Long Handle - $6.96 to $8.95 - many color options.]
Additionally, Peggy and I have both shopped Reusable Bags. Peggy got some Organic Cotton Eco-Bags for around $8 each, and I got some recycled cotton bags for under $6 each.
Now, if you’re really going to recycle the bag when it wears out, these look pretty good (for non cloth):
[Green World Bags - $7.50 each - different styles available.]
You also might want to check out the post I wrote; I Need New Reusable Bags & Hate Shopping (sos… help!) – there are some decent deals in there. Remember,when you look at a set of bags cost, it might seem like a lot, but really, for example, if you pay $40 for a set of six bags that will last years, that’s a stellar deal at less than $7 per bag. So pay attention to bulk rates.
Microwave Cooking for Energy Savings
June 27, 2008 by Peggy
Did the title make you cringe? I admit that I felt I outgrew microwave cooking after college, but perhaps the microwave should be utilized for more than just heating leftovers.
Not only does microwave cooking save energy, but foods cooked in the microwave generally retain more vitamins than foods cooked more slowly.
Plus, the microwave won’t heat up your kitchen like the oven can.
Here are some external links to microwave recipes and tips to get you started as a microwave chef. Please remember to make sure you’re using microwave-safe cookware. Read more