THE HOT CHOCOLATE:

Harvesting cocoa beans for chocolate poses large threats to communities and children. Global Exchange notes that at least 284,000 children are involved in abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields and that conventional cocoa companies pay prices so low that many cocoa farmers cannot meet their families’ basic needs. Fair Trade certified chocolate ends this. Ends forced child labor, ends insufficient prices for cocoa, and means that sustainable production methods are met.

You can buy sustainable, Fair Trade hot chocolate from a number of retailers. Or you can buy Fair Trade cocoa and make homemade hot chocolate.

MAKING HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH WHOLE CHOCOLATE:

Mix approximately four squares Fair Trade baking chocolate with two cups organic milk, and three drops of pure vanilla extract. If not sweet enough, you can add a little organic sugar or honey.

For a richer real hot chocolate (but also more expensive) mix one cup organic milk, one cup organic half & half, about eight tsp organic sugar, one oz semisweet Fair Trade chocolate crumbled up or chopped, and one oz unsweetened Fair Trade chocolate, crumbled or chopped in a sauce pan on low, or in double boiler if you tend to walk off while cooking. Heat until sugar dissolves. Add 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract and mix well. You can also blend this after heating in the blender, which makes it more frothy but it also means one more appliance to wash.

MAKING HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CHOCOLATE SYRUP:

Mix a cup of organic milk with three tbsp Fair Trade chocolate syrup. Heat, serve.

MAKING HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH WHOLE CHOCOLATE:

You can find any number of homemade cocoa mixes on line, but basically you’ll need 1 tbsp. Fair Trade cocoa powder, 2 tbsp. organic sugar, about a cup of organic milk (give or take), and a wee bit of pure vanilla extract. Combine your cocoa, sugar, and a couple of tbsp of your milk in a saucepan. Heat on low until a paste forms, add the rest of your milk and the vanilla. Heat, serve.

THE TOPPERS:

Most marshmallows are made with animal derived gelatin but you can get vegan marshmallows from Dandies or Sweet & Sara. You can also make homemade organic whipped cream.

THE HEALTHY ADD-INS:

Hot chocolate is more a treat-like drink than anything, although I swear it soothes sore throats better than anything, however, you can make it healthier with these add-ins…

• For soothing a sore tummy add in a few drops of pure peppermint extract.
• Sprinkle in some organic dried ginger for morning sickness or general queasy stomach.
• For added protein and vitamin E add in a dollop of organic peanut butter.
• Add in pure organic cherry juice or blueberry juice for an added dose of antioxidants.
• Other good spice additions with multiple health benefits include cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cayenne.

Looking for some homemade treats to go with your hot chocolate?

[image via stock.xchng and Dandies]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Here at Tree Hugging Family, I mainly advocate making your own homemade green cleaners. Not only is it easy to make simple green cleaners, but very cost effective. That said, there will always be folks who want to buy, not make cleaners, so I figured we should take a look at which store bought cleaners are actually green.

The number one rule for choosing a green store bought cleaner is – read your labels. A pretty waterfall or little green leaf means nothing. Ignore fancy ‘green’ packaging and read your labels.

Terms you want to see on a cleaning bottle include:

• Ammonia free
• Chlorine free
• Plant based
• Biodegradable
• Certified organic
• Solvent free
• Phosphate free
• Chemical free
• Fragrance free
• Dye and artificial color free

Of course, one cleaner may note that it’s got certified organic ingredients or that it’s fragrance free, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. You need to read the whole label, not simply go by the first thing you see.

Terms you DO NOT want to see on a cleaning bottle include:

• “Poison” or “Danger.” Federal law mandates that these terms indicate the highest possible level of hazard.
• “Caution” or “Warning,” both mean a product carries a moderate hazard.
• “Wear gloves” – “Only use in a well ventilated area” and other likewise terms are big baddies. I’m sorry, but if you need to wear gloves or a face mask in order to handle a product, right there it’s a bad idea.

Next check for full ingredient disclosure: If a product says something like, “Natural ingredients” or has a super scanty ingredient list, I’d be leery. They could do better. Some products may be just fine, and list their healthy ingredients at their website, but they should include them on the package.

Lastly check the packaging:

• Is it excessive?
• Is it recyclable?
• Is it refillable? Some co-ops do offer refillable cleaning products.

Is it worth it?

All in all, this is a lot of work just to find a green cleaner. You could just make most of your own. If you need help making homemade green cleaners (or help choosing a green conventional cleaner) read the following:

Basic green cleaning

• 25 Safe, Non-toxic, Homemade Cleaning Supplies
• Hot Water for Cleaning – Yeah It Works
• Breathe In Some Green Air
• Homemade Organic Liquid Handsoap
• Are Sponges A Great Green Choice?

Nice scents

• Homemade Spicy Apple Air Freshener
• Natural Air Fresheners
• Pennyroyal, Cinnamon, & Lavender Air Freshener

Laundry

• Solar Stain Fighting
• Green Product Review: Biokleen All Temperature Laundry Liquid

Dishes

• Green Product Review: Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder
• Green Product Review: Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Gel
• Seventh Generation Dishwasher Powder Review

Which cleaners do you buy vs. make?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

This is a super easy recipe too:

• Core a large Roma Apple – not all the way through the bottom though; leave a layer of skin intact.
• Peel a ring of skin away from the apple around the hole at the top of the apple.
• Place apple in a non-break baking dish.
• Fill hole in apple with brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, or experiment with orange or other spices.
• Cover the apple with water; allow the water to seep into the hole and down the sides.
• Place dish on top of wood-stove or place in a fireplace over a grill. If you place this in an oven, (you can) I suggest doing it as you’re cooking other items, it shouldn’t affect food flavor, but it will release a great scent.

Also read:

• Ditch the Air Fresheners
• Natural Air Fresheners
• Pennyroyal, Cinnamon, & Lavender Air Freshener
• 25 Safe, Non-toxic, Homemade Cleaning Supplies

[image via stock.xchng]

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in August 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

The lilacs are starting to bloom! FYI this is the perfect time to collect some and try that Candied Flower recipe – you know you want to.

Or maybe you’d rather make some air freshening mixes that aren’t toxic. I saw some great dried lavender at the farmers market the other day, so maybe some local shops around your town have some as well.

Gather:

• Cedar shavings – 1-2 ounces (I like mine Cedar heavy, but most people like the lavender to shine through more).
• About 1/4 – 1/2 ounce dried pennyroyal (air dried best, but most of us don’t grow it so…)
• Dried lavender; about 1 1/2 ounces.
• A few whole cinnamon sticks.

To make:

Break up pennyroyal and lavender. Place on a cutting board and slighting crush over with wooden rolling pin. Mix in bowl. Add Cedar shavings. Grate some cinnimon sticks into the mix – you don’t have to grate an entire stick, just grate enough to allow a sprinkle of cinnamon to fall into the mix. Then pop the whole sticks right into the mix.

You can put this in a clay or other earthen bowl in your closet, or remove the cinnamon sticks and sew it into a bag and hang it in your house. It’s best in a bowl I think, because this is a pinch-generated mix. Meaning, once the smell starts to wear of, you can pinch, or in this case, re-crush with a rolling pin, and re-grate the cinnamon to perk the mix up. I’ve perked up this mix maybe four times before it starts to not work.

This mix has a homey, earthy, woodsy, slightly spicy scent. Of course experiment if you like or even add a few drops of essential oils. Oh, with homemade potpourri, you should keep it up if you have small children or pets. This mix is pretty safe, as far as mixes go, but pennyroyal in large amounts can be dangerious, and cedar shavings for pets have not been proven totally safe.

[photo via Jennifer Chait's "daily walk to the park" collection]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Look here to see full project instructions.

As I hope you gathered from the picture this autumn nature wreath craft is from Craft Ideas. They have many neat fall projects right now but I like this one because you get to go for a walk outside plus use recyclables and nature for art.

You can use a glue gun the project states but I’d bet any sort of plain old craft glue will work. Also, I’d plan on using whatever your own kids happen to find and like outside. The one above is pretty. But the one your child makes will be unique; besides, pine cones, leaves and acorns, consider fall flower petals, tiny branches (tiny), seeds, and more.

Lastly you can sprinkle the finished project lightly with a dash of cedar, cinnamon, and or orange essential oils to give it a real autumn smell.

Have Fun! Don’t forget to send cool pictures of your completed projects to share. My camera is a tad busted but I might use my phone to take a picture of Cedar’s. (We have to finish first!)

Post from: Tree Hugging Family