Earth Friendly Shopping

OK – Valentine’s Day is starting to get closer, and it is time to start getting serious. And in our opinion, nothing says “I love you, let’s get it on” quite like these organic dark chocolate hearts of cherries. These chocolates are sensual and slightly mysterious. Each dark chocolate heart is individually wrapped, and filled with a velvety smooth and silky dark chocolate cherry truffle They are deeply satifying.

Made by master chocolatier Sjaak’s, these sumptuous taste delights are organic, combining old world traditions with Earth Friendly ingredients. Organic Chocolate simply tastes better.

OK, were starting to get ready for a full scale earth friendly Valentine Day. Now the first thing that Valentine’s day brings to our mind is organic, fair trade chocolate, and lots of it.

We mentioned recently that our “research” has shown that organic chocolate is an aphrodisiac, but, when it comes to romance, we believe that there is no such thing as too much. And that’s why we love these Hot Oil Massage Aromatherapy Passion Candles from Good Clean Fun. These candles are made with natural oils and 100% essential oils. Light a candle to set the mood. The natural, romantic aromatherapy sets the mood. As the candle melts, pour the hot oil directly onto your lover’s skin for a sensual, warm massage. The carefully crafted aromatherapy actually brings you and your lover closer together. Passion Candles are available in three passionate aromatherapy scents: Indian Spice is pungent and spicy. Caribbean Rose has a smoky earthy base overflowing with sensuous rose, and Origins is deep and smooth with a woody warmth. Any one of this candles will help the start of a sensuous, romantic evening.

In last week’s NYTimes Magazine, Paul Mercurio posts a little rant called Consumer Man”

I’m one of those people who yell at store clerks. Not just any store clerks, but the ones who are rude, incompetent or indifferent. In other words, all store clerks. I’m the guy who always has to speak to the manager. In my head, I’m “Consumer Man”: a superhero fighting on behalf of oppressed consumers the world over. In my wife’s head, I’m crazy.

Now, this gave me some mixed emotions:  First, I hate bad service as much as the next guy, and I get frustrated in all the same ways.  But, generally speaking I have found it a bad idea and generally bad karma to yell at the clerk, who is probably earning minimum wage, and just doing what his or her boss said to do.  (Hey, there is a reason I moved from NY to CA. )  If you are getting bad service, politely, but firmly ask to speak to the manager.

But, where Mercurio really got me steamed was when he DEMANDED a PLASTIC bag for his newspaper.

It was raining, so I asked for a plastic bag for my paper. He lashed out at me: “We have no bag, just go, we don’t have a bag, go, go, no bag!!” I was shocked, first at his hostile refusal, then at his use of “we.” Denied a bag again! Had the supermarket guy called the newsstand guy to tell him I was coming?

In my new, positive tone I asked again if I could please have a bag. He said: “No! I only make 5 cents on the paper.”

Since when was rain protection given for only periodicals with a healthy profit margin? In other words, I needed a bag. I saw a big pile of bags behind him. I was crestfallen. After all the business I had given him, I earned the right to encase my news in plastic. “New Paul” was gone. “Consumer Man” was back.

“I want to speak to the manager,” I bellowed.

“What? No manager, no bag, just go!!”

I said he was rude, incompetent and indifferent. Although not in those words. He responded, “I’m going to kick your butt, properly!” He said “properly.” I had never been told off so politely. “Go or I’ll kick your butt!” he repeated.

“Do it!” I screamed and dropped my drawers right there on the sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan. While slapping myself on the backside I yelled: “You want it? Here it is! I demand a bag!”

Soon we were being watched by a large crowd — if they only knew I was doing this for them! — and two police officers.

“What’s going on?” asked one cop. With my pants around my ankles and a tone of complete justification, I explained, “He won’t give me a bag!”

Unbelievably, the officers made him give me one (“I hate it when my paper gets wet,” explained the cop), but they gave us both summonses. “Looks like you picked the wrong person to tangle with,” they said to the newsstand guy. “You’re lucky he didn’t shoot you.” I couldn’t wait to tell my wife. I had finally met the wrong person — and he was I.

 Hey Jerk! if you really want a bag, bring one from home!   Don’t you know that there is a patch of plastic crap TWICE the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean because of people like you..  Sheesh

Lifekind Organic Mattresses make totally earth friendly, natural mattresses. We bought one, and we’re sleeping well. Here’s the complete story.

Some background.

I have always liked sleeping on a firm mattress. When I was single, I kept a super firm mattress on the floor. Later, when I got married, we used Mrs. EFS’s bed for
a while, but when we bought our new house, we decided we wanted something better. At first, we got a platform bed with a firm mattress. That worked great for a while, until Mrs. EFS became pregnant. Then the super firm mattress was just too much for her. So, we got a one of those Select Comfort mattresses. She could have her side softer, and I could have my side firmer. That was OK, except for 3 things:

1)The fact that the 2 sides of the bed were different firmnesses, meant that when you were in the middle of the bed, or spanning both sides, you were actually at two different levels. That made certain (um) activities, uncomfortable, and getting into varies (uh) positions for these activities caused major cramps. (hey, I am not as young as I used to be)

2)Between the two halves of the bed (which were basically just big plastic bags filled with air) there was a hard rubber strip. Again, this made certain activities uncomfortable

3) When you sat on the bed, the air pressure pushed out, putting a real strain on our platform,

But we were able to live with all of this, until my side sprung a leak. It started out slowly, but over time grew, until each night, we would fill the mattress with air, and by morning, my butt would be hitting the wood of the platform. Clearly something had to change. My back was demanding it.

But what should we get? Where? How can we get greener? We were stumped. We knew that there were organic mattresses, and figured we could find one in Berkeley, but we just never seemed to have time to get up there.

Then, just as we were getting fully exasperated, we get a brochure from Lifekind Organic Mattresses. – They seemed to be exactly what we were looking for, and even better they were having a sale! Woo-hoo – We called the next day.

Let me start with the brochure. It was nicely laid out, and informative. It described the different mattresses and options well.

One of the things I liked the most, was that both the brochure and website describe the natural and organic mattress materials, and explain how they are differentiated from other mattresses, even those that call themselves natural. Here are a few quotes off the web site.

WOOL

Our Naturally Safer™ pure wool comes from Northern California, where the sheep are reared following stringent guidelines that ensure no chemical contamination or animal cruelty. Wool has the ability to absorb large amounts of natural body moisture and then release it easily through evaporation. This attribute keeps you comfortable while you sleep by minimizing natural body-temperature fluctuations. (Synthetic fillings and coverings do not absorb moisture or dissipate body heat, often causing sleepers to wake up perspiring and uncomfortable). Wool also can spring back to its original size and shape, and it discourages dust mites. Because of its high moisture content and the protein (keratin) that it contains, wool is also naturally flame resistant.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON

Lifekind® sells only products made with 100% certified organic cotton. “Certified” means that the grower or processor has met or exceeded defined organic standards. Farms and processing facilities, which are inspected frequently, use only natural, non-chemical agricultural methods approved by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) and other nationally recognized certifying organizations. We will never sell cotton products described as “green,” “100% natural,” “undyed,” or “unbleached.” Such products are produced from cotton grown with pesticides and usually processed with dyes and toxic chemicals. Only cotton labeled “certified organic” can be guaranteed (certified) to be grown and manufactured without potentially harmful chemicals.

NATURAL RUBBER

The rubber latex used in our mattresses and pillows is harvested from rubber-tree farms. The non-destructive harvesting process is very similar to the method used to tap maple trees for their sap. The natural rubber used in mattresses requires very little fossil-fuel energy to convert the milky sap into safe, usable products, and is 100% biodegradable.

And that’s it. Natural, cruelty free wool, organic cotton, and natural rubber. And how does this compare with conventional mattresses?

In today‘s conventional mattresses, the most common materials used are man-made (see cross-section below). They‘re derived from petrochemicals and from natural gas, which are nonrenewable resources. The list of ingredients can include polyester, polyurethane and memory foams, synthetic latex, Styrofoam®, nylon, and a host of other chemical derivatives. Additionally, if recycled steel is used for the springs, you could be sleeping on heavy metals and other contaminants from the steel-recycling process. Lifekind does not use recycled steel for this reason.

Polyester‘s chemical origins include possible carcinogens that can potentially damage the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Polyurethane, synthetic latex, and other man-made foams may have all kinds of negative health effects, from headaches to serious allergic reactions. Chemical fabric treatments, artificial colors, dyes, and hazardous flame retardants can further add to the chemical “soup.”

In July 2003, researchers reported that significant levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are increasing significantly in human breast tissue, as well as in the environment. They have also been linked to the interruption of brain development in young children. PBDEs are used as fire retardants in polyurethane foam and textiles. In August 2003, the California legislature passed a bill banning these chemicals from all consumer products but didn‘t make it effective until 2008!

Next we read about their eco-factory, and the fact that they were the first mattress to receive the coveted GREENGUARD certification, granted only to those products that meet their low VOC-emission standards

OK – We were sold. We were ready to buy one, but which one? Well, here our budget took over, and we selected The Euro. “most economical organic natural rubber mattress”

OK – we were set – We called their number, and got directed to a very helpful customer service rep. It was clear, that our rep was not just an order taker, but a consultant. She had a superb script with a ton of questions, including our heights, weights, how we liked to sleep, she didn’t go into details about our sex life, but we thought she was about to.

She also recommended that we buy the mattress cover, and since we were planning to use it on our wooden platform bed, their wool underbed. We got both.

At the end of all this, she recommended the Euro, medium firm, which was what we had already decided before we called. Imagine that. Still, it was nice to know that they would take the time to make sure we were making good choices instead of just taking our credit card number. She explained their comfort exchange policy, which overall I found pretty impressive.

Even bette, after the call, I got another call from their President President Walt Bader’s new book, Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide to a Safe Night’s Sleep, because as impressive as I found our rep, apparently she forgot to ask me about some option to do with the mattress’s construction. The call came as I was picking my kids up from school, so with the noise and confusion of an elementary school pickup, I had no clue what he was asking. Finally, I just asked him to make a recommendation. He said “here’s how we make 90% of our mattresses” and I said cool, do it.

Now it only remained to wait for delivery. Here is the one fly in the ointment. First, it seems they build every mattress to order, so you have to wait a few weeks for your mattress. That’s OK. Now, on Monday morning we get a call that our mattress would be delivered that day. We say “gee, today is kind of a bad day, can it be Thursday?” and the guy says “sure, no problem, I’ll call you”.

Well, he never calls. Even so, Thursday morning, I stay home home. At about 10:30 I give Lifekind a call, and ask what is going on. They promise to look into it. A little later, I get a call from the delivery guy (who is from a different company, contracted by Lifekind to deliver the mattresses) saying “I never called you, why are you upset?” (he didn’t get that I was upset that he said I would call and never did) “I don’t even have your mattress yet, I can deliver it tomorrow” – At this point I blew a fuse. I called Lifekind, told them I was really really REALLY steamed, and that they had lost credibility with me. Finally, we agree that the mattress would be delivered on Friday, between 9:00 AM and Noon – The delivery guy shows up at 11:55. Lifekind had told me that two people would deliver the mattress (I had paid extra for that) but he showed up alone. He was obviously having trouble getting the mattress out of the van, so I helped him get it and carry it inside.

So finally we get the mattress inside, I had only paid for “first portal delivery” which meant that it got into the front door, and that was it.

I called Lifekind to once again express my displeasure. I was told that their “shipping coordinator” would call me back, and I said at this point, I didn’t want the shipping coordinator, I wanted someone higher up in the organization. They said that would probably be the President. I said fine. I never got a call.

OK – eventually I calmed myself down. Mrs. EFS, the Kids, and I all pitched in to get the mattress into place.

We have been sleeping on this mattress for over a month now, and we have both been happy. The mattress is comfortable, with a good mix of firmness and give. It really is a motionless mattress, so when one of us gets into or out of the bed, we aren’t waking the other one up. Our “activities” have become more comfortable (no more hamstring cramps) and my back has felt great.

Overall, we have been quite happy with this purchase. We think Lifekind is a good company, and if they’d get a new delivery company, they’d be perfect.

We’ve always thought so. Chocolate and Romance just naturally seem to go together. Yes, it is a little early for thinking about Valentine’s day, but it is never too early to think about romance, and (at least in our house) chocolate means romance. Whether it is your classic Organic Artisan Chocolate Assortment, or Organic Chocolate Covered Hearts of Cherries, the textures, the taste, and the ambiance of chocolate have always helped to enhance the mood.  While scientists still have not been able to isolate the chemical, lovers know.

And  now, Cacao Anasa, a new maker of fair trade, organic, vegan chocolate, has come up with a truly inspired line of organic dark chocolate bars, called AFRODISIAC.   The four Afrodisiac bars are unique exotic blends including 72% organic vegan dark chocolate, combined with spices and fruits to bring out the passion and joy.  Take for example Love Bite vegan dark chocolate  bar.    Combining 72% organic fair trade dark chocolate with kiwi, lime, pistachio, and just a hint of sea salt, this bar is a passionate tropical delight.

Not hot enough for you?  Looking for something with a little more  umph? Look no farther than the FEVER Organic Dark Chocolate Bar.  With the same, 72% vegan dark chocolate,  blended with lemon oil, bits of candied ginger, and just a touch of cayenne pepper.  All we can say is Yeowh! This bar will definitely get the senses on high alert and ready for more.

Now if this is STILL too subtle for you, try the Seduction organic dark chocolate bar.  This luscious bar might just be our favorite of the group.  Combining the same 72% organic fair trade chocolate with premium french rose oil and dried persimmons, this unique bar will unquestionably seduce you.

Is Organic Chocolate an Aphrodisiac?  Our independent and totally unscientific testing says yes.  We recommend you try it for yourself.

Every Blog wants readers, right? I mean none of us is doing this for ourselves. While there certainly is enjoyment in writing, I am writing about topics that are important to me, and I hope that I can do so in a way that will convince people to read my posts.

And that brings me to rsshugger . rssHugger is a new website developed to help bloggers promote their blogs, and to help visitors discover new blogs that write about subjects that the readers are interested in. Through the power of the internet and viral marketing, rssHugger looks to bring blog writers and blog readers closer together.

There are, to date over 550 rss feeds going into rss hugger. I tried the random blog button and landed on hi tech dad and blogging sublimely among others.

My take on rsshugger?  If you have got a blog, consider signing up.  By itself, it probably won’t make your blog that big, but as part of a strategy, it couldn’t hurt

Overall, I think that people have become more aware of the impact of their consumption choices. It seems that there is a gathering wave of conscious consumerism, aimed at helping people to make choices that are more sustainable, more equitable, and hopefully better for all.

Still, changing habits and thought processes that have been building for decades is not an easy thing for any of us to do. Especially when you consider that we are bombarded by a constant stream of advertising, pushing us to buy, buy, buy more crap. I know I have a hard time, especially when my kids want something, and it seems like every time they watch TV, they want something else.

So, it is good for us all to get some perspective on what our consumption is, and what it means. In today’s NY Times, there is an OP-ED piece on consumption factors. Among the points made in the article.

The average rates at which people consume resources like oil and metals, and produce wastes like plastics and greenhouse gases, are about 32 times higher in North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia than they are in the developing world.

And this factor has consequences. For example, while the population of Kenya is approximately 30 Million and growing. While this puts a strain on Kenyan resources, it does not necessarily put much of a strain on World resources, because Kenyans consume so little. A relative consumption factor of about 1. But…

real problem for the world is that each of us 300 million Americans consumes as much as 32 Kenyans. With 10 times the population, the United States consumes 320 times more resources than Kenya does.

This disparity in consumption is one of the driving forces in political instability, and one of the most difficult problems for us to unravel over the coming years and decades. After all, we don’t really want to lower our living standard, and how can we morally tell others not to raise their’s?

Yet, if China and India raised their per capita consumption levels equal to that of the U.S. world consumption of resources would triple.

If the whole developing world were suddenly to catch up, world rates would increase elevenfold. It would be as if the world population ballooned to 72 billion people (retaining present consumption rates).

The article suggests that the key to increasing living standards in the third world, while not lowering ours is to eliminate wasteful consumption.

Real sacrifice wouldn’t be required, however, because living standards are not tightly coupled to consumption rates. Much American consumption is wasteful and contributes little or nothing to quality of life. For example, per capita oil consumption in Western Europe is about half of ours, yet Western Europe’s standard of living is higher by any reasonable criterion, including life expectancy, health, infant mortality, access to medical care, financial security after retirement, vacation time, quality of public schools and support for the arts. Ask yourself whether Americans’ wasteful use of gasoline contributes positively to any of those measures.

But to really be hit over the head with the totality of our consumption, watch the Story of Stuff. Annie Leonard. The video takes us through all the phases of the materials economy, extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal, and looks at each step from a slightly different point of view. She calls it a system in crisis, and outlines many of the reasons. Most basically, is that it is a linear system. Materials are extracted, processed, sold, and disposed, with no feedback. “A linear system can’t exist on a finite planet indefinitely”

One of the things I really like about the video, is that it is accompanied by a fact sheet, which lists the sources for many of the facts used in the video. Just as I was saying to myself, “where does that number come from?” I could see the answer.

Now, I will acknowledge that she has some inaccuracies; for example, she claims that the only part of a computer that changes each year is the microprocessor. Well, no. The logic, the memory, and the peripherals change as well. I also think that she implies a lot more “evil” than is really true. A lot of what she describes as conspiracy was probably people trying to do there best given the constraints that they were under. And finally, you can’t put this much information into 20 minutes without some level of simplification, and she does.

Even so, in spite of it’s flaws, the Story of Stuff speaks a basic, fundamental, and important truth. We use too much stuff, and our stuff is thrown away too easily. The linear system can NOT work indefinitely.

The Story of Stuff is engaging and definitely worth watching.