Easy Green Resolutions for 2010

Now that “green” has gone mainstream, we all know the importance of living in a more environmentally friendly way. Nevertheless, if you have yet to take a first step, making a big lifestyle change may still seem a little daunting. To get you started, here are 10 easy resolutions you can make this year to go green and reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and improve your health in 2010.

1. Recycle. Unless a product is biodegradable, throwing it “away” means it goes to a planet-polluting landfill. Don’t toss your trash: reduce, reuse and recycle it wherever you can.

2. Switch to C.F.L.s (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs). Lower your carbon footprint by swapping out incandescent bulbs with CFLs. They use up to 75% less energy and last ten times longer—and can help you save about $30 off your utility bill over the life of each bulb.

3. Eliminate Energy Vampires. Most energy drained from your home comes from electronic appliances you aren’t using like TVs, computers and cell phone chargers. Unplug or turn off appliances when not in use for one hour, or plug into a power strip and hit the “off” switch.

4. Upgrade Your Appliances. Appliances account for 20 percent of home energy use! When old appliances give out, replace them with energy-efficient, Energy Star-certified models, which use 10-50% less energy and water and can reduce your utility bill.

5. Detox Your Home. Most homes contain dozens of hidden hazardous toxins. The biggest culprits are traditional cleaning products, which contain toxic chemicals that pose serious health risks. Protect yourself and the environment by choosing natural, organic and biodegradable cleaning and personal care products.

6. Say Goodbye to Plastic. Due to global warming and pollution, access to clean, fresh water is quickly diminishing. Cut water waste by turning off the faucet when not in use (including when brushing teeth!), and replace faucets and showerheads with low-flow alternatives.

7. Eat More Veggies. The meat industry wastes millions of tons of water, land and natural resources annually and is our planet’s largest industrial polluter. A meat diet requires 4,000+ gallons of water per day: By comparison, a vegetarian diet requires just 300 gallons. Go green and improve your health by eating less meat and eating local, organic fruits and veggies. You'll reduce your carbon footprint by nearly 15%!

8. Wear Eco-Chic Clothing. It takes 1/3 lb. of harmful pesticides to make one traditional cotton shirt. Instead, wear clothing made from sustainable, renewable fabrics like bamboo, hemp or organic cotton, or go vintage by shopping at thrift stores.

9. Green Your Commute. Cut down on greenhouse gas-causing C02 emissions by driving a fuel-efficient vehicle. Not ready to trade your car in for a hybrid? Walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation instead of driving.

10. Take Baby Steps. If overhauling your life to “go green” feels overwhelming, determine what level of green works best for your current lifestyle. Then, resolve to make one change you can commit to for 2010. Even the smallest change can make a huge difference. Here’s to a greener New Year!


Bianca Alexander is a green lifestyle expert and correspondent for Conscious Living TV and Soul of Green. Watch Bianca present a few of these tips live on WGN by clicking here: http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=18305a0c-0369-4e84-9596-c0a35f12f99c&src=front.

Or, for more tips and to stay up to date on our latest episodes, visit www.ConsciousLivingTV.com and www.SoulofGreen.com, become a fan, and sign up for our e-list!

Eco-Sexy Mineral Makeup: Stript Cosmetics

By Morgan Greenwald and Bianca Alexander


When it comes to wearing make-up, why be eco-friendly when you can be “eco-sexy?” This is the mantra of Gina Austin, founder and Creative Director of Stript Makeup, a line of vegan, paraben-free mineral cosmetics that is taking the concept of natural beauty and mineral make-up to another level.

Through a variety of environmentally conscious practices, Stript commits itself “to the individual, to the community and to the world.” Stript consists of talc-free natural minerals and natural preservatives such as Naticide (which is derived from almonds) and Japanese honeysuckle. In addition to abstaining from animal testing, Stript also sells vegan and animal fur-free applicator brushes, 10% of the proceeds from which are donated to ASPCA. Stript even excels when it comes to packaging: its cosmetics are sold in recyclable plastic containers and post-consumer unit cartons printed with soy ink. All packing materials are biodegradable. Even the brushes are eco-friendly: sustainably forested trees supply the wooden handles for all of Stript’s applicators.

With its range of vibrant, highly-pigmented colors, Stript stands out from the pack of dozens of mineral cosmetics lines currently in the marketplace. Stript’s crushed mineral eye shadows, which come in colors like Venus, a turquoise blue, and Skye, a dramatic metallic gray, can be applied either wet or dry to convey various tones and shades, and are perfect for darker-skinned complexions or those wanting the option of more coverage. Stript also has a one-of-a-kind lipstick liner crayon that does the work of both lipstick and liner and contains hints of vanilla extract and almond. Its marine-based mineral foundations are made with vitamins A, C, E, and B, and create an emphasis on light diffusion and flawless, adaptable coverage. Stript’s mineral blushes feature antioxidants and amino acids that moisturize, nourish, and protect the skin. Although make-up free is the only way to go completely "natural", with Stript cosmetics, your skin will be healthy, radiant, and flawless--keeping you, and the planet sexier than ever!

You can see Stript make-up in action on Conscious Living’s host, Bianca Alexander, at www.ConsciousLivingTV.com. To learn more about Stript or review or purchase their cosmetic line of products, visit www.striptmakeup.com. For more tips on natural beauty, style and cosmetics, visit the Conscious Living TV beauty page.

Conscious Living TV Covers Carrotmob Chicago!

Want to put your spending dollars toward greening your community? Recently, Conscious Living and hundreds of Chicagoans did just that by shopping at the gourmet food store Fox & Obel! Fox and Obel was host to the Carrotmob, an organization of individuals who create excitement around a particular business in order to increase that business’ profits for one day. Proceeds of the profits from that day go toward making the business more energy efficient.

Any Carrotmob event can be thought of as a reverse boycott: Carrotmobbers take to the streets outside their chosen business and encourage pedestrians to shop at the business. With the aid of signs, t-shirts, coupons and—in the case of the Fox & Obel event—a massive, papier-mâché carrot, Carrotmobbers make their business of choice the place to be.

Fox & Obel will allocate fifty percent of its proceeds on the day of the Carrotmob to making the store more energy efficient. The store’s priority is to replace its current lighting with LED lighting. With the event bringing in $4,300, Fox & Obel now has $2,150 it can now use toward energy efficiency.

To learn more about the Carrotmob and learn about upcoming Carrotmob events in your area, go to www.carrotmob.org. For our coverage on the event, check out the Food page of Conscious Living TV!

Visionary Mobile Eco-Chic Boutique

When fashonista entrepreneur Magda Rod opened her eco-chic Visionary Boutique on trendy Melrose in 2007, she envisioned a space where she could offer customers a taste of environmental and social consciousness without having to sacrifice quality or style. After doing just that, when the recession hit she moved her store (now located on Pico) and gave it a second life with the Visionary Mobile Boutique. Housed in this green-retrofitted 1966 Airstream trailer, it offers some of the best eco-lifestyle brands on the go, including Linda Loudermilk, Kailia Footwear and Jane Iredale cosmetics. This summer, we stopped by her new mobile pad at Malibu's eco-friendly BuFest and picked up one of her custom Ecousable water bottles and a sexy charm bracelet from her inspirational jewelry line. Keep up the great work, Magda!

Community Village Building: Blacks in Green

With global warming, access to fresh, healthy food and economic disempowerment ravaging our communities, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the problems that face us. Thankfully, organizations like Blacks in Green (B.I.G.), a Chicago-based community education and trade organization founded by Naomi Davis, are digging deep for lasting solutions that will save our planet and our neighborhoods.

Born in Chicago on Earth Day 2007, B.I.G. aims to empower the African American community by incorporating green job skills into its education program in order to expand employment opportunities for this historically marginalized community. Through this education program, Blacks In Green seeks to create and sustain environmentally conscious neighbor-owned businesses in black communities throughout the country, and inspire these communities towards social, psychological and economic empowerment through the burgeoning green economy.

In order to create these “self-sustaining African diaspora communities,” B.I.G. sets forth eight founding principles for building green villages. First, each village should have its own measures, exchanges, and sources of wealth. Second, each village must locally produce energy for personal and public uses. Next, basic goods and services are supplied and recycled within the village. Each village will also provide low-income housing and green gardens that produce high quality food. Within the village, neighbors will celebrate their shared heritage through both news and entertainment. Each village will have interdependent local ties and perceptible borders. Village hubs will be epicenters for green training, development, and lifestyle transformation. Lastly, neighbor-owned businesses invent, invest, manufacture, and merchandise locally in order to circulate wealth throughout the community.

B.I.G. founder Naomi Davis cites her own childhood in the sixties and her legacy as the granddaughter of Mississippi sharecroppers as sources of inspiration for Blacks In Green. For Davis, the notion of green villages is a modern twist on the family farm. Rather than leaving land stewardship as a figment of the past, Davis sees green villages as a way to push the African American community forward.

To keep the community connected and informed, B.I.G. hosts numerous educational and networking events throughout the year. The third Friday of each month on the traditionally African-American South side of Chicago, it holds Environmental Education Afternoon Workshops and Evening Programs for both youth and adult members. Each Third Friday program features a different environmental theme, such as water use, renewable energy, green media, and environmental legislation. Blacks In Green’s next Third Friday event will be held on August 21, 2009, and will address green communication media and introduce the organization’s weekly media roundtable.

To learn more about Blacks In Green, check out their website and events page at www.blacksingreen.org.

Eco-Fashion That Gives Back: Do-Ni Shoes

Before you run to the mall for a new pair of flats that was more than likely sewn by child laborers in a third world country, think about ordering a pair of Do-Ni shoes. Designed by Nancy Dong of Kailia Shoes and Carlotta Fiorini, Do-Ni is a vegan footwear company that aims to “create great looking shoes that are eco-friendly and help those without a voice.”

The Nobilia ballerina slippers from Do-Ni’s 2009 collection put that very promise into action. Using only non-animal materials, European artisans handcraft these slippers and add ribbons and embroidery for adornment with the aid of water-based glues. Although the shoes are leather-free, they provide the same comfort provided by leather shoes and come unlined with a padded insole. Do-Ni’s artisans also maintain the company’s environmentally friendly practices through the use of pre-consumer recycled components.

Do-Ni’s efforts to make this world a better place do not stop with the ecological construction of its shoes. Italian for “gift,” Do-Ni joins forces with six non-profit organizations that receive 100% of its retail profits. These NPOs include Animal Acres (a farmed animal sanctuary that promotes kind living and participates in rescue and refuge efforts), Four Legged Friends Foundation (an organization that helps needy families pay their veterinary bills), Go Vegan with Bob Linden (a radio program dedicated to animal-liberation and vegan education), Medicines Global (an organization of adventure travelers who donate basic first aid supplies to the destinations), Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (an organization that promotes compassionate medical research and practice), and A Home Away From Homelessness (an organization that seeks to meet the needs of homeless children in shelter programs). Each customer may choose which beneficiary receives the profits of their purchase.

The shoes themselves come in the following colors: champagne, a satiny gray; grass an olive green; amethyst, a deep purple; ruby a rich red; and black. Above the toe, each shoe features a knotted, matching ribbon. The champagne and black styles are also available with a crystal medallion cinching the middle of the ribbon for a dressier look.

We at Conscious Living are huge fans of Do-Ni shoes (Bianca loves them!) and believe fully in their ecological and social mission. To check out these sustainable and beautiful shoes and learn more about Do-Ni and its founders, visit http://www.do-ni.com/main.html. Or, to see co-founder Nancy Dong’s Kailia shoes in action, watch our “Chicago Eco-Fashion Cafe” or “Winter Fashion on the National Mall” episodes on the www.ConsciousLivingTV.com style page.

Conscious Living TV Goes Rooftop for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Uncommon Ground's Certified Organic Garden (the first in the U.S.)!

It was a gorgeous day when we shot our latest episode from the rooftop of the Uncommon Ground restaurant in Edgewater! We came to Uncommon Ground this past weekend, along with other members of the press (and Mayor Daley!), to cover the ribbon cutting ceremony of the nation’s first certified organic rooftop garden at Uncommon Ground.

Upon our arrival at Uncommon Ground restaurant (1401 W. Devon Ave), we climbed up the stairs to the roof, which houses a multitude of luscious, green plants that allow the restaurant to grow its own organic vegetables. Besides being gorgeous and green, the rooftop offers a beautiful view of the local Edgewater community and Loyola University.

Before the ceremony began, Bianca interviewed Uncommon Ground owners Mike and Helen Cameron. To catch this interview, look out for our upcoming episode on Conscious Living TV!

After our interview with Mike and Helen, Mayor Daley arrived! Chicago’s Commissioner on the Environment, Suzanne Malec-McKenna was also among the guests at the ceremony. After a brief period of schmoozing, the ceremony began. Natalie Pfister, Uncommon Ground’s Farm Director, was the first to speak. Natalie discussed the advantages of urban agriculture in making food more accessible, claiming, “There is nothing more local than climbing your own stairs and harvesting tomatoes.” Tomatoes, we soon found out, are the main crops grown in the garden along with other vegetables such as peas and squash.

The next to speak was Alderman Patrick O’Connor, who admitted that a feat such as the organic rooftop garden has been discussed as more of a novelty than a way of the future. For O’Connor, urban organic gardens represent a return to the basics, allowing us to grow, pick, and eat vegetables in a short time. O’Connor also praised Mayor Daley for his well-known efforts toward sustaining and beautifying the environment. “Not only have we beautified the city,” O’Connor said, “but we have also taken a little of the economy and are growing on our own.”

After O’Connor’s introduction, Mayor Daley spoke about his long-held belief that “nature can coexist in urban communities.” With the organic rooftop garden at Uncommon Ground as a precedent, Daley cited the plethora of flat roofs in Chicago as an “opportunity to bring nature back into our city.” By growing our own produce organically, we can cut down the costs of shipping as well as reduce pollution and congestion throughout the city. Daley sees Uncommon Ground as the future of restaurants in Chicago.

Next, Uncommon Ground owner Helen Cameron recalled a rush of excitement when she first climbed on the roof and told her partner and husband Michael, “We can grow food up here!” From that moment, Helen and Michael knew that they would build a farm on their roof. Before they could create the garden, the Camerons had to reinforce the building’s foundation with a lot more cement and traded wood beams for steel in order to support the weight of the farm. Helen cited an overall theme of “support on many levels” as tantamount to their success. In addition to the support of Mayor Daley, Helen thanked the city of Chicago and the surrounding Edgewater community for their help and support. She recalled how many of the restaurant’s neighbors devoted much time and work to installing the garden.

For Helen, the memories of helping with her family vegetable garden as a child served as an inspiration for her to become a chef and restaurant owner and gave her the knowledge of how to operate a garden. With this knowledge in place, Helen dedicated space to as much organic food as possible for both use in the restaurant and as an educational platform for urban agriculture. Once the farm was installed, she found out about becoming certified organic. As a result of her eventual success in becoming certified, Uncommon Ground now offers the community a number of green jobs, including those held by Farm Director Natalie Pfister and her seven interns.

After Helen spoke, we heard from Steven Walker, the Certification and Compliance Manager of the Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA), who reviewed Uncommon Ground’s application for organic certification. Walker emphasized the many standards that must be upheld in order for a farm to be organic. With the national organic program still being relatively new, Walker also stated that “regulatory boundaries continue to be defined.” Walker said, “The organic community has roots in thinking outside of the box, innovation and creativity.” Eco-preneurs like the Camerons are using just this kind of innovative thinking and hard work to help people understand the importance of eating organically grown, locally produced food.

Walker then spoke about the numerous advantages of organic food production in building safe and healthy communities. Organic food production transcends the “physical, mental, and emotional health” benefits of those who consume it. More than one billion pounds of pesticides are released in the United States each year due to non-organic practices, and conventionally produced agriculture is more likely to contain pesticide residues than organically produced food. With this in mind, Walker believes that Uncommon Ground is succeeding in its original promise and said he is proud to certify it organic!

Uncommon Ground owner Michael Cameron spoke shortly before Mayor Daley took questions from attendees. Mayor Daley said that Chicago is in the process of building a solar field on the South Side. He also emphasized that more help from the federal government and the Department of Energy will be necessary to furthering the city's green initiatives.

At this point, Mayor Daley cut the apple green ribbon and the ceremony was complete!

At the conclusion of the ribbon cutting ceremony, Bianca got an exclusive interview with Mayor Daley! To catch this interview, check out the home page of Conscious Living TV.

Afterwards, guests were invited to move downstairs to the restaurant to mingle with the Camerons while eating a delicious organic champagne brunch, including a menu of organic bellinis, fresh baked melt-in-your mouth banana bread, fresh seasonable seedling farms raspberries, blueberries and cherries, and a summer egg scramble of organic rooftop peas, summer squash, market onions, tomatoes, capriole goat cheese and fresh basil. We were so excited to have been present at this huge moment for Uncommon Ground and for organic urban farming, and we can’t wait to see how other Chicago businesses follow suit. To dine at Uncommon Ground, go to 1401 W. Devon Ave (just off the Loyola stop on the Red Line), or to visit their Farmer’s Market, visit the restaurant on Fridays from 4pm-8pm until October 30.

Special thanks to our crew for doing a bang-up job at the event, including Shu Ling Yong and Karl Geweniger, and Morgan Greenwald for reporting and live tweeting @Conscious TV.

For more tips on organic cuisine and healthy living, watch Conscious Living TV.