$43 - includes shipping and lasts 350 loads - big savings from jugs of detergent!

I’ve been a HUGE fan of my Green Wash Ball for the past couple of years but I think I’ve found something new to try when my GWB retires in April after 3 years of use.  The GWB is fabulous and is just a very small amount of plastic in comparison to the many, many plastic bottles of detergent I’ve avoided purchasing over the years but Earth’s Berries are plant matter that when finished with can be composted!  These little berries do the washing for a year – 350 loads.  They are grown naturally organic in the Himalayas and are harvested in a small Indian village giving employment to 130 people.  They’re not quite as simple as tossing the GWB in the washer and walking away.  For hot washes yes, you toss them in but for cold washes (which is normally what I do) you have to soak them in hot water for a few minutes and then put them in, along with the water from soaking.  A few more steps involved but well worth it.  Read more about them – they really do sound fantastic!

Another great find in this month’s Whole Living Magazine was the Dole Organic farm finder application.  You select from the drop down menu the three digits you have on your Dole sticker and then it brings up the name of the farm your produce was grown on, the map of where its located, number of years they’ve been certified organic, which organizations they’re certified under, what crops they grow and even photos!  I highly encourage everyone to purchase locally but there are some things such as bananas where this isn’t really possible for the majority of us.  That being said, it’s fun to be able to learn a bit more about where you food came from, both to appreciate and respect the farmers who did all the work and to give yourself a reality check on the environmental impact of transporting your food such a long distance.

Eric and I are in the midst of a major peanut butter bite addiction!  I finally made a big order from Sjaak’s and got a few of the things I previously mentioned were on my wish list.  We now have a small tub of these and can not stop eating them!  They’re amazing – far better than that non-vegan big brand I grew up loving

$9,95

I’m in LOVE with the English Toffee from Sjaak’s!  English toffee is one of my favorite treats but until now I hadn’t found a vegan one.  I will always yearn for Thornton’s toffee in England to make a vegan version, but Sjaak’s is delicious enough to fill that void for now!  They’re the perfect bite sized pieces, organic and fair trade.

I love how light and airy this collection is for summer. This dress is adorable, it could so easily be dressed up with fun jewelry and heels for a wedding or wear it on a summer afternoon with flat sandals and just one very simple accessory.

Recycled Fabric Dress $49.95

 According to H&M, the materials they’re using in this line are…

This is my other favorite piece – $44.95…

Check out the entire collection…H&M Conscious Collection

If you’re interested in learning more about H&M’s corporate responsibility – working conditions, wages, environment, etc., you can find it all here.

sorry for the crappy blackberry photo - I was too exited to enjoy it to deal with pulling out the good camera

I’ve been hunting for a good vegan hot chocolate for quite some time.  Until now I’ve been using raw cacao and a bit of sweetener in my coconut milk – which is delicious but now I’ve found something far more magical!  The Allegro Coffee Company Drinking Chocolate – Organic Peruvian 68 is creamy with the perfect amount of sweetness.  I love that this vegan, organic and fair trade!  They say the cacao comes from a co-op on the edge of the Amazon where it’s grown amidst bananas and orchids – doesn’t that just sound fabulous?!  I know its marketing but I’d like to think its close to the truth!

I’m looking forward to trying the other flavors – not sure if they’re all vegan (I’ll look into that)

p.s. – all hot chocolate is best served with Dandies Vegan Marshmallows from Chicago Soy Dairy!  I’ve found that if I cut them in half they melt into the hot chocolate better than dropping them in whole

We recently got new towels for our bathroom.  I had been searching for quite some time for the perfect environmentally friendly towels.  The first set I  selected from The Company Store didn’t work out color-wise.  Catalog shopping can often be difficult   So, I happened to come across these towels by Portico at Bed Bath and Beyond!  They’re 100% organic cotton.  At first I wasn’t crazy about them as they’re thinner than I like, however after buying a few to test run, we realized that they are super soft and we don’t really miss the thickness of our old towels.  The bath towels are $14.99 each and the great part is that with them being at BB&B you can use the 20% off coupon and get the bath towels for just $12.00!  We’ve now washed them several times and they still are super soft and cozy so I’ve purchased more to complete the set.  Check out how great they look in our bathroom!

I love to knit but sometimes I run out of people to knit for.  So…I’ve started a little Etsy shop!  As of right now I’m selling infinity cowls and neck warmers that I’ve knitted with organic cotton.  They’re all super soft and cozy and would be fabulous holiday gifts.  Please check it out!

basically Silk no longer uses organic soybeans but was leading consumers to believe they do…

read for yourself at EatDrinkBetter

I personally only purchase Silk soymilk when I’m desperate and can’t make it to Whole Foods for my So Delicious coconut milk(CVS across the street from me sells Silk).  I guess now I will definitely be avoiding it no matter how desperate!

West Elm has some great organic bedding right now.  This is the set we got as a wedding shower gift and I just love it.  I love white bedding in general but the pin-tuck adds a little something more.