Spring Cleaning

Wow!  Has it been a while since I last posted!  I apologize, not entirely sure where the time has gone, but  I have finally dug myself out of winter and am ready for spring.  With that comes the annual closet changeover, where I pull out all of my haven't been worn in a while clothes and bring them down to the Salvation Army.

I've also noticed that my windows are incredibly dusty this spring.  I think its because of the lack of snow, and hence the large amounts of dust that have collected.  Before you pull out your conventional window cleaner.  Beware that all of them contain chemical detergents, surfactants and perfumes.  Some also contain nerve damaging butyl cellosolve.  This really is one area where the home recipe is best.  As it works well or even better than those that you will find on the shelves.

Here's the recipe for Homemade Window Cleaner:

In a spray bottle combine 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon natural dish detergent and 2 cups water.  Start spraying and you are all set!

WINTER SALE at Gorgeous and Green - Save 30-50%

We're having a WINTER SALE!  All sale items are 30-50% OFF!  Jewelry, Gourmet Bamboo Bowls, Journals & Notecards, and more.  Check it out:
http://www.gorgeousandgreen.ca/Gorgeous_and_Green_Sale_s/12.htm

Come & Be Merry with GnG and Essential Yoga Studio

The holidays are here, and we're a celebrating!  Join Gorgeous and Green at the Essential Yoga Studio in Fernie, for some fine holiday shopping, tastie treats by Raw Food Fernie, and Hand Massages by The Massage Place. 

Location:  The Essential Yoga Studio 761 7th Avenue Fernie


Date & Time:  Tuesday December 15th, 2009 from 5-8pm.

Look forward to seeing you there! 

Eco & Edible Holiday Ornaments

Want to try something new to spruce up your holiday tree this Christmas?  Bake up a batch of these Gingerbread Cookies and use them to decorate your tree.  Then when you are ready to put away your tree, just eat up the decorations...if there's any left!

Caroline's Gingerbread Cookies - from the Whitewater Cooks at Home (one of my favourite Cookbooks).

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
2. tbsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, slighly beaten
1/2 cup molasses

METHOD:
Sift together flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg then gradually beat in the molasses.  Slowly beat in the flour until just combined.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and flatten into disks.  Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare tow parchment lined baking sheets.
Roll dough out to desired thickness.  We like them pretty thin but it depends n how big your cutters are.  If little kids are handling them you may want to roll them a little thicker.  Cut out shapes and place on baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes but be careful not to overbake.
Cool on a rack before decorating with your favourite icing.

If you are using these for decorating your tree, use a royal icing made with egg whites and flavoured with a bit of lemon juice.

Bigger cookies like gingerbread men will take longer to bake than small stars.  For a pretty and crunchy cookie, sprinkle cookies with course sugar after icing.

Give the Gift that Gives

Are you tired of giving gifts that stay unused in the back of the closet? Why not give a gift that actually means something - like a goat!  I'm not kidding! Give a needy family in the developing world a goat, they'll get about a quart of fresh milk a day, 2-3 offspring a year, and great fertilizing manure for their vegetable garden. Not sure where to get that goat? Well, neither was I until I came across Changing the Present. Through their website you can access all kinds of usable gift donations such as for $100 you can purchase one family's share in a community water system in Nepal, for $12 you can purchase two mosquito bed nets for children in Africa, for $5 you can purchase a hygiene packet for a family of five in Peru that includes soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and oral reydration salts. You can feel good knowing that your money is going to good use, and not just sitting in the back of that closet.

Check out this fantastic video by Changing the Present:

Change the present this Holiday Season, one gift at a time.

Child Labour in North America

When we think of Child Labour we often think of sweatshops overseas. However a shocking report by ABC News has revealed that one of North America's largest blueberry producers - Adkin Blue Ribbon Packaging Company located in Michigan, found young children, including one child as young as five working in its fields. The five-year-old girl, named Suli, was seen lugging two heavy buckets of blueberries picked by her parents and brothers who were aged seven and eight. US laws state children must be at least 12 years old to work. Since the announcement, Walmart and Kroger have severed ties with Adkin.

In this age of huge industrialized food processing, it only makes the argument stronger to really think about where your food comes from. If the price seems to good to be true, it probably is. The lowest price is not always the best option. Lowest price often means Made in China or child labour. The next time you pick something up off the shelf, try to consider where it came from.

Support small, local business!

Lights Out

As Daylight Savings Time comes to an end this weekend, it may be tempting to keep the lights on. But did you know that dimming the light by just 10% doubles the bulb's life. Check out these simple lighting tips to help conserve energy and keep money in your pocket.

* Use one stronger bulb rather than 4 weaker bulbs. Ie. one 100-watt bulb gives off more light then four 25-watt bulbs.
* For outdoor lights, get motion sensors. Instead of keeping a steady stream on all night, a motion sensor only lights things up when needed.
* Create mood lighting with a beeswax or soy candle instead of switching on the lights.
* If you leave the room for more then 5 minutes, turn out the lights. Regular bulbs are very energy inefficient and should be turned off as soon as you leave the room.
* Use a lighter lampshade - darker colours soak up the bulb's rays and waste energy.