Twist is a “European Sponge Cloth” and is used to soak up water and other spills. Its amazing, I feel like an infomercial,but its true! This a 100% biodegradable, reusable cloth that according to Twist, outlasts “17 rolls of paper towels”!

My new cloth was put to the test only hours after getting home when my son spilled an entire glass of milk at the dinner table. I got my new Twist cloth, soaked it all up, went the sink and rung out all the milk! I rinsed the cloth really good and in a matter of hours was dry and ready to be used again! SO COOL!

And as if the packaging on this product wasn’t cute enough, the paper that comes with the cloths has directions for a little bird feeder on the other side, so the paper can be used again. SO CUTE!

And for $3.39 this really is a bargain for 3 cloths that can be used again and washed in the dishwasher to get cleaned. I’m going to give this a try and see how long I can go without needing paper towels. You should try it too!!

For more information on this product and others, check out Twist Clean!

So save a few bucks and give it a try! If you do need to buy new ink, don’t forget to send your old cartridge back for recycling (I know HP provides postage paid envelopes when you buy new ink).

When you do go shopping… THINK LOCAL! These are hard times for everyone, especially small businesses. Before you head to the mall, think of your neighborhood clothing shop or gift store. Maybe a gift from a local farm or specialty cheese shop?

Another great gift of green is donating to a special charity in honor of someone. Protecting the rainforest or an endangered species is a great gift. My mom always makes a donation to a charity for us and it really means a lot to us. A great website to find a charity of your choice is called Just Give, where you can find over 1.5 million organizations to donate to right online.

This time of year isn’t just about the gifts, its about being with those you love! So have a wonderful holiday season!!!!

Name: Stephanie Greenwood
Place you are livin’ green: The Rocky Mountains of Utah
Environmental Motto/quote/saying: No Bad Stuff!
Favorite Little Green Star design: “Bee Green” of course!

Although there are thousands of chemicals to be concerned about, there’s one group that is particularly offensive to me: parabens. Methyl- ethyl-, propyl-, benzyl- and isobutylparaben to be exact. Parabens are a group of chemicals used in water-based cosmetic items like shower gels, shampoos, and lotions as a preservative. The problem with parabens is that they act like estrogen in the body when absorbed through skin. These estrogen mimicers enter the bloodstream and can interfere with the body’s delicate hormonal balance. In fact, according to the Breast Cancer Fund, all six parabens “have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors.” They also “increase the expression of genes that are usually regulated by estradiol and cause human breast tumor cells (MCF-7 cells) to grow and proliferate in vitro.”

Since the year 2000, thirteen studies have been done on parabens that link the chemical to either cancer or estrogenic activity. In addition to reproductive cancer risks, this estrogenic activity can lead to reproductive disorders. According to author and hormone specialist, Dr. John R. Lee, when the body has too much estrogen compounds circulating, it leads to estrogen dominance. This dominance doesn’t allow the body’s natural progesterone to “balance” the estrogen, and can lead to disorders like like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, ovarian cysts, PCOS, and anovulation.

One of the reasons that I started my company, Bubble and Bee Organic, was because I was exhibiting the signs of estrogen dominance myself. After cleansing my body from external sources of synthetic estrogens and supporting my body with healthy foods, I was able to conquer the symptoms. In making this change I found that it was very difficult to find paraben and chemical-free personal care products in health food stores, so I started making my own. After I realized the drastic change that these pure products had made in my life, I wanted to share them with everyone. My partner Steve and I created Bubble and Bee Organic and haven’t looked back.

Thank you Stephanie for this important information! You can find more information about organic products, the ingredients they use, and more on their website and blog. So please think of Bubble and Bee this holiday season and anytime you need a gift, as they have wonderful gift baskets and special holiday scents! You should even treat yourself to something too!

It is so important to shop local when you can, not only because you can get fresh and organic produce at fantastic prices, but you support a sustainable food system, keep small farms in business, and protect the environment since the food does not travel far from the source.

Here in San Francisco we are lucky to have many wonderful farmers markets, but according to the United States Department of Agruiculture, there are over 4,600 farmers markets in the US! Here is a great link to find a farmers market in your area!

RIght now there are so many wonderful in season fruits and veggies like brocolli, brussell sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, zuchinni, apples, pomegranates, and persimmons. There is no excuse not to pull out your cookbooks and come up with something wonderful! Enjoy!!

A wonderful website called GreenHalloween.org has all the info you need to have a healthy and fun halloween this year. Halloween doesn’t have to be all about the candy (well, maybe a little candy) so just choose wisely! Organic chocolates, supporting local businesses, and wise choices for products that don’t just end up in the landfill.

Halloween can be fun and green, so visit this website today to get some great ideas and start some new traditions in your home!

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Here is one of my favorite recipes to get you in the Fall spirit. You can easily make this entire bread using organic ingredients, which is good for you and the pumpkin bread!

HAPPY FALL!!!

2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1 cup unsweetened organic pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, applesauce and water. Add pumpkin and sugar and stir to combine.

In another bowl combine flour with baking soda, spices, and salt.

Pour flour mixture into egg mixture and stir just to combine.

Grease a 9×5x3 loaf pan and bake for 1 hour until toothpick comes out clean!
ENJOY!!!!

My latest fun find is from the wonderful site Etsy.Com on Gopita’s Dolls online store. These adorable sandwich wrap mats come in a variety of adorable prints and fold up with a little tie around the sandwich. When you open it up you have the perfect size lunch placemat! The inside is made from a washable vinyl material so it washes nicely after each use. The boys just love it and its perfect for packing school lunches or going on a picnic!

The perfect addition to your sandwich wrap is still my favorite Fabkins. Kid size reusable napkins that teach manners and reusing! My son loves to remind me to get the napkins for each meal and for his lunchbox. Fabkins even has come out with some new patterns and don’t forget their wonderful fundraising opportunities for your school!

And then to top it all off, my favorite new website is iLunchbox! A wonderful site that features recipes, lunchbox ideas, nutrition information, as well as shopping lists to make it easier when you go to the store!

Have a happy and healthy lunch!

The mop itself just snaps together and you attach the microfiber mop pad to it using velcro strips. When done with it, you can throw it in the wash and reuse! The dusters are made from corn, so these cloths are biodegradable and collect lots of dust (sadly I know this to be true when I used them tonight).

I feel really good about this purchase for all the non-toxic, compostable, and reusable elements to it. Cleaning is not something I’ve been very good at keeping up with, but I do think this product will motivate me just a little bit!