Fun and vibrant patterns are Catalina Estrada’s specialty. I love her fun eco-designs, which are sold online via Blue Q. What is even better is that they are made of 95% recycled woven polypropylene.
Hummingbird Shopping Tote
Moon Garden Shoulder Tote
Zippered Hummingbird Pouch
Peacock Zipper Pouch
Would you buy an upcycled plastic tote?
Our thoughts and prayers are with those in Oklahoma as they continue to recover and rebuild:
You can donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund here.
Don’t forget about the pets too!
Central Oklahoma Humane Society
The Central Oklahoma Humane Society needs: towels, paper towels, bleach, gloves and crates to help with lost and injured animals.
“Currently our greatest need is financial donations to help us treat and house lost and injured animals at our facilities,” via their site.
Donations can be made online here and should be designated for the “OK Humane Disaster Relief Fund.”
A Common Sense Breakthrough
Lead researcher, Huang-Ge Zhang, D.V.M., Ph.D. started doing research by using a common sense approach. He considered how our ancestors selected food to eat.
“The fruits and vegetables we buy from the grocery today were passed down from generation to generation as favorable and nutritious for the human body.”
On the flip side, outcomes were not favorable for our ancestors who ate poisonous mushrooms, for example, Zhang added.
“It made sense for us to consider eatable plants as a mechanism to create medical nanoparticles as a potential non-toxic therapeutic delivery vehicle.”
Scientists have found that grapefruits may revolutionize how medical therapies like anti-cancer drugs are delivered to specific tumor cells.
“These nanoparticles, which we’ve named grapefruit-derived nanovectors (GNVs), are derived from an edible plant, and we believe they are less toxic for patients, result in less biohazardous waste for the environment, and are much cheaper to produce at large scale than nanoparticles made from synthetic materials.”
– Huang-Ge Zhang, D.V.M., Ph.D.
It is exciting to see a breakthrough of this type using natural substances. In the coming years, it will be interesting to see the real-life implications. Thanks to science and a delicious sub-tropic citrus!
References: University of Louisville (2013, May 21). Delivery of therapeutic agents by nanoparticles made of grapefruit-derived lipids. Nature Communications, 2013; DOI:10.1038/ncomms2886
We drive an average amount of 13,476 miles per year! Electric cars are designed to use no gasoline hence reducing emissions and promoting a more efficient drive-experience.
Cars that run purely off electric power are roughly four times as efficient as ones based on gasoline alone and twice as efficient as hybrid vehicles.
-Spencer Quong, senior vehicles analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science advocacy group.
Some switch-worthy options:
Nissan LEAF
The Nissan LEAF® is a 100% electric that may qualify for up to $7,500 in available tax credits and incentives. This vehicle has an estimated 129/102 city/hwy MPGe with an 80kW synchronous electric motor. Nissan estimates the reduction of CO2 tailpipe emissions saved by its LEAF drivers worldwide to be nearly 37,000 million tons.
Honda Fit EV
The Fit EV received an 82-mile combined driving-range rating (adjusted) from the EPA. Like other EVs produces zero emissions. Plus, more homeowners are installing solar panels, which could also provide a clean energy source of power for the Fit EV.
Tesla Model S
Model S claims to be the only electric vehicle with enough range and a fast enough charger to make road trips a reality (whether that be 100 miles or 5,000 miles). Its 85kWh battery supplies 300 miles of range at 55mph. Stylish with a top Speed is 125mph. The Model S also won the 2013 World Green Car of the Year award.
So would you make the switch?
Proponents of a healthy diet claim that “super-foods” can prevent a wide variety of diseases. Mayo Clinic, the not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group, supports this view. Particularly as it pertains to disease prevention by adding fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting unhealthy fats to your diet.
Heart Disease:
Fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals and are low in calories and rich in dietary fiber. Vegetables and fruits contain substances found in plants that may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Whole grains are good sources of fiber and other nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health.
Cancer Prevention:
Mayo also advises cessation of smoking, limiting consumption of alcohol to aid in the prevention of some cancers. Their recommendations also include adding fruits, vegetables while limiting high-fat foods (think processed fast foods).
Diabetes:
Rather than a restrictive diet, a diabetes diet known as medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is a healthy-eating plan. It is rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Mayo’s research found: a diabetes diet is the best eating plan for most everyone.
While this sounds like common sense and physical activity is also a component: do you believe that diet can have a major impact on health?
References: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)
Plastic, it is versatile, cheap, and incredibly convenient. Yet despite being designed to throw away, plastic simply doesn’t go away.
According to the Plasticity Forum:
Each year a staggering 280 million tons of plastic is produced globally.
But estimates are that only 10% is recycled each year.
Capturing this waste stream presents a significant and untapped business opportunity. Innovative redesigns of packaging will lead to responsible use and re-use of plastics. In the meantime, with many companies using vast amounts of plastic, there are several measures to cut-back on personal use.
Alternatives to:
PLASTIC BAGS:
Whole Foods Market phased out the use of plastic bags and is asking consumers to use re-usable bags. Reusable bags come in many fantastic options. 
PLASTIC BOTTLES:
Glass is one of the greenest materials on the planet and is 100% recyclable. Plus you don’t have to worry about chemicals from plastic that can leach into liquids. Plus water from glass tastes crisp and fresh. Check out glass bottles with flavor infusers for fresh, naturally flavored water.
SERVICEWARE:
While reusable dishware is preferable, we may not always have that option. If that is the case opting for compostable plates, cups and utensils will mean less plastic in landfills and water streams.
TAKEAWAY CONTAINERS:
Polystyrene #6 plastics are often non-recyclable and simply end up in landfills. Be smart and bring your own container. Many eco-clamshells are dishwasher and microwavable safe as well.
With so many options, it is easy to start making a difference!
“One swallow does not make a #summer,
neither does one fine day;
similarly one day or brief time of #happiness does not make a person entirely happy.”
― Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics
Elizabeth Cline, the author of Over Dressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, says the problem has grown dramatically in the wake of global trade agreements, starting with NAFTA in 1994.
In the 1950s and ’60s, almost 100 percent of clothing in the U.S. was produced domestically. By 1990, that changed to 50 percent. It is now a mere 2 percent.
So now, with ethically-made clothes making up a tiny fraction of 1 percent of the overall $3 trillion global fashion industry, something must change. It really is a lifestyle choice. Particularly, if you have the ability to select the clothing, it will be more expensive, but the clothes will be better made (and just might make you feel good!)
What are your options?
Fortunately, Fair Trade certified clothing is typically only about 5% more expensive than similar items that don’t have the label. I want to feel good about the choices I make, whether it be the food I consume, the products I buy or the clothing I wear. Hopefully, more companies will continue their efforts and more consumers will choose positive clothing options. I know I will still want stylish, trendy options (not always easy to find):
SHOES:
Sseko Designs uses fashion to provide employment and scholarship opportunities to women pursuing their dreams and overcoming poverty. Their shoes and handbags are stylish and fun, too.
JEWELRY: Look no further than Connect Goods for fabulous jewelry. They also have a wide variety of clothing and quilts.
CLOTHING:
For men’s and women’s clothing take out Agnes and Lola is an online boutique that sells ethical contemporary fashion from designers across the African Diaspora.
Unique garments for men and women People Tree has been making ethical clothing for more than 20 years.
WORKOUT APPAREL:
Boho Hemp has great workout clothes for men and women.
With a handful of ethical clothing sources, would you make the switch?
While we know what comes to mind with generally unhealthy “fast food” dining options I was unaware of the harmful world of “fast fashion.”
Fast fashion is apparel that is produced quickly, imported from countries like Bangladesh, known for their low cost of production, and is not often made from high quality materials.
Unfortunately such clothing options can be as harmful as processed food. The collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh, that produces clothing for international clothing lines, brought global awareness to the problems with cheap clothing. America’s Research Group found that even after this tragedy, shoppers were still more concerned with fit and price as opposed to worker safety and garment quality.
In the wake of the building collapse and with the loss of lives of thousands of workers, many apparel companies including H&M (with large production facilities in Bangladesh) have signed a plan for improved safety standards. Several other retailers are signing on too, including Inditex, owner of the Zara chain and PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Izod. This is a start.
Molly Grace James 
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