DoshaCare » environmental responsibility

9 Green New Years Resolutions from the fabulous staff of SustainLane.com

doshacare — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:22:06 +0000

Nine New Year’s Resolutions for a Greener and Cleaner 2009

Put your best foot forward in 2009 with these 9 resolutions for 2009.

I will dust off my old Schwinn and/or join my fellow man on public transportation.
Whether by bus or bike, train or foot, change up how you get around. Doug Morgan, an attorney in Columbus, Ohio, decided to start biking to work and says he’s never looked back. By cutting back on driving even just one day a week, you significantly lower your carbon footprint and save money on your gas bill. Pedaling to work will help with one other resolution: losing those pounds that crept up over the holidays.

Henceforth, reusable bags and I will be joined at the hip.
Save yourself from the deluge of plastic shopping bags that awaits you every time you open the broom closet. According to the EPA, Americans use nearly 400 billion plastic bags each year, many of which end up part of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – a mass of plastic twice the size of Texas swirling 1,000 miles of the coast of California. Store a couple of reusable bags in your car, take a few to work, and keep one in your purse or backpack. Don’t limit these to the grocery store; use them wherever you shop. Eco chic shopping bags have skyrocketed in popularity and I now collect the cutest ones I find. I particulary love the one from Envirosax, which roll up to an impressively small size and are adorned with the chicest patterns and designs. Check them out at www.reusablebags.com.

I will only bask in the glow of fluorescent lights.
Vanquish voltage-consuming traditional lights! Replace burned out bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. These consume a fraction of the energy conventional bulbs use while shining just as bright. Less energy used equals less dollars spent on your power bill. General Electric has an online calculator that shows you just how much money you can save by making the switch.

I resolve to flip things off.
No, we’re not talking about the vulgar gesture, but about flipping switches. Untold millions of dollars are wasted lighting empty rooms and keeping appliances and electronics plugged in. A single video gamer can save one hundred dollars a year just by turning off her Wii or Playstation rather than leaving it in standby mode. If every gamer in the country remembered to do this, the U.S electricity bill could be slashed by one-billion dollars each year, eleven-billion kilowatt hours of electricity would be saved, and seven-million tons of carbon emissions eliminated.

I will buy natural cleaning products.
Get the 411 on 409. Resolve to buy a natural cleanser next time you run out. Conventional products are toxic and harmful to your body. Ammonia is a strong irritant linked to liver and kidney damage; bleach is a powerful oxidizer and can burn the skin and eyes. And don’t even get us started on oven cleaners. The good news is you don’t have to find a natural foods store to buy natural cleaners. Method and Seventh Generation brands are as available in the grocery story as their toxic cousins. If you want to try a darker shade of green, fill an old Windex spray bottle with equal parts water and household vinegar and start wiping down counters, sinks and floors. I personally can’t stand the smell of vinegar, so I’ll definitely be checking out Seventh Generation the next time I need to replenish my cleaning supplies. I’ve had one too many experiences of nausea after cleaning the shower.

I will not be tricked into buying bottled water.
Aside from being way more expensive than a gallon of gasoline – Evian costs over $20 a gallon to tap water’s seven cents a gallon—multiple studies have shown that bottled water is no cleaner or safer than what comes out of your faucet or hose. In fact, Aquafina now labels its water with the letters “PWS” for “public water supply.” Single-use plastic water bottles leach harmful chemicals into the water, especially as the bottles slowly break down in the trunk of your car. They’re also spawning grounds for bacteria and create unnecessary waste: ore than a million barrels of oil are used to manufacture more than 25 billion water bottles sold in the U.S. each year. Use an at-home water filter, and carry a reusable water bottle. My favorite sustainable water bottles are from EarthLust and are available at www.nubiusorganics.com. Here’s the one I currently carry>

I will become my own local stimulus package.
Instead of waiting for Obama to jump-start the economy, take steps to revive it on your own. Rather than driving miles away to a big-box retailer, head to merchants in your hometown. In other words: buy local. Not only is this great for your local economy (and these days it’s likely to need all the help it can get), but you may discover great, new things about where you live. Become your own stimulus package, and keep money in local hands. For farmer’s markets and local fare in your area check out www.eatlocalchallenge.com or www.chowhound.com.

I will learn about ten plant and animal species native to where I live.
Most Americans can probably named hundreds of companies and what they sell based only on their logos. But how many can name ten plant and animal species native to where they live? If you spent five minutes a week to learn about one new plant, you’d know 52 by 2010! Did you know that there are 18 species of butterfly indigenous to Southern California, including the Monarch? We are also the home of the large mouth bass. Fascinating!

I will up my green IQ and find out just how much of an impact I have on the planet.
Before you try and reduce you impact on the earth, it helps to know exactly what that impact is. Take the first step toward a greener new year by calculating your carbon footprint. Go one step further and calculate your diet’s carbon footprint.

http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/nine-new-year’s-resolutions-for-a-greener-and-cleaner-2009/OUP2OW3YYSDLRUPDVJYTW9YPV3MC

Affordable Eco-Chic Holiday Gifts Part Tres!

doshacare — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:06:09 +0000

Welcome to my third installment of Affordable Eco Chic Holidays. I’d like to focus on handmade and homemade gifts today. As we know, I absolutely adore www.sprig.com. They’ve got some great tips on homemade gifst using recycled products and garage sale finds. I found two really innovative ideas on the site, that I’d jump at in a second, to make for the people in my life.

“Give an old, weathered window pane a new life as a photo frame. We love this gift idea for newlyweds. Gather one wedding photo for each pane (ours had six). To create easy photo mats, cut leftover wrapping paper or cardstock to fit inside each pane. Then, center each photo on its mat and secure using a non-toxic paste. Place the frame right-side down and then lay the matted photo (also right-side down) into each pane. Use a staple gun or tiny nails to secure. For extra protection, cut a piece of brown postal paper to cover the back of the frame and tape on. Hang using a picture-hanging kit.” I just love the look of a rustic piece mixed with more modern, elegant decor, so you don’t have to be worried about matching the gift recipient’s decor.

Homemade Limoncello! This would be a great gift for the men in your life. Have you ever met a man who doesn’t love a gift of liquor?”The trick to this classic Italian liquor is letting the lemon peels steep in vodka for at least two weeks or more, so be sure to plan ahead! This recipe calls for a basic mix of sugar, organic lemons and good-quality vodka (we like Square One Organic vodka). Bottle the limoncello in a clean, recycled wine bottle and gift it with a pair of antique glasses like these”. www.sprig.com You could even include some beautiful italian biscuits or cookies. Mini break to Tuscany anyone?

$ 40.00 on www.bridgetoafrica.com. My very favorite find! This handmade copper bead bracelet is truly chic with a conscience. These copper wire and bohemian glass bead bracelets are handmade by Zulu women living on the banks of the Tugela River in South Africa. This site is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and Co-op America, with proceeds from the sales of these products benefit the artisans and their communities, with at least 50% of the product price paid to the artisans groups, and the remainder of the proceeds reinvested in community development, job creation, and training initiatives. They currently work with artisans in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda and Uganda to design, produce, and market high quality handmade products. And they’re products are just, hands down, beautiful. Hmmmmm….. I need to get shopping. And always remember, it’s the time we get to spend with the people we love that is truly the gift of this season.

What type of green are You?

doshacare — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:20:53 +0000

I love Sprig.com. I love their dedication to green living while maintaining their stylish sensibility. They don’t take themselves too seriously, like a best girlfriend they always have just the answer we’re looking for. And they have quizzes and polls. I love nothing more than a fun quiz that helps you learn just a bit more about yourself. Here’s a recent one with a different slant on being green. Give it a whirl at http://www.sprig.com/What_Type_of_Green_Are_You.

By the way, I’m a “Viva-La-Vintage Vixen”. What are you?

Greening Up Baby!

doshacare — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:04:24 +0000

This eco tidbit comes to us from sprig.com in honor of my friend and associate Heather, who just had baby, little Quincy Rose. Now, Heather is a very eco conscious mom, but this statistic floored me.

The Great Diaper Debate:

Americans throw away 570 diapers per second, 49 million diapers per day, and spend upwards of $2,000 in diapers per child. What’s more, these diapers will still be in landfills 300 years from now. Consider using, even for part of the time, reusable cloth or biodegradable diapers.

Check out Seventh Generation for safe and eco friendly baby products at www.seventhgeneration.com and www.gdiapers.com for diapers that are compostable, flushable or tossable.

A Formal Introduction to DoshaCare and the Beauty Benefits of Ayurveda.

doshacare — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:55:47 +0000

According to centuries-old Indian Ayurvedic philosophy, beauty is achieved through lifestyle choices that nourish the body and fulfill the mind. This healing system addresses all factors that influence the quality of life, such as maintaining a consistent daily routine, engaging in meditation and regular exercise, and sustaining a healthy diet.

The innovative formulations of the DoshaCare skincare line combine this Ayurvedic philosophy with the best of Western technology to produce an effective, powerful hybrid that reveals healthy, nourished skin. This truly customizable skincare line caters to the three Ayurvedic constitutions: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Based on the results of a brief DoshaCare skincare survey, you’ll discover how your specific mental and physical characteristics determine your constitution, or Dosha.

The DoshaCare line addresses more than your skin type; its formulators take into account your diet, exercise routine and personality traits to select the most appropriate skincare system.

The same care and dedication applied to formulating these products was also given to the sourcing, production and packaging of the entire DoshaCare line. Each DoshaCare product, made up of 98 percent botanical ingredients, comes from socially and environmentally sustainable sources and meets fair trade and vegan standards. The packaging yields to the highest standards of environmental responsibility, with tubes made of 70 percent recycled materials, bottles made of 100 percent recyclable materials and labels printed with environmentally-conscious soy ink. When producing its product boxes, DoshaCare uses recycled paper to construct the inner packaging and virgin paper sourced from managed forests for its outer packaging.

Dosha Profiles

Your Dosha not only reflects the characteristics of your skin, but also reflects your personality and general nature. Through a series of questions, the Dosha survey determines your primary and secondary Doshas. As people often discover their secondary Dosha differs greatly from their primary—DoshaCare’s customizable skincare line allots for these differences and allows you to create a skincare regimen to address all of your skin’s characteristics.

Dry skin generally characterizes people with a predominance of Vata in their nature. Also, as we age, our skin tends to become more Vata in terms of its condition. While an out-of-balance Vata can be characterized as easily excitable and anxious, they are also known for their adaptable and flexible nature when balanced. An irregular, inconsistent appetite generally accompanies the small, slender Vata frame.

When out of balance, inflamed and acne-prone skin accompanies the irritable and critical nature of Pittas. On the contrary, balanced Pittas are known for their strong, determined, goal-oriented mindsets.

People with a predominance of Kapha in their nature commonly experience congested, oily skin. Kaphas, generally known for their easy going, steady nature, can become withdrawn when out of balance.

The DoshaCare system offers a comprehensive skincare regimen of mix-and-match products to be tailored to your primary and secondary Doshas, including: cleansers, exfoliants, masques, moisturizers and elixirs.

The DoshaCare Sakala line presents an array of products appropriate for all Doshas, including: an exfoliant, refining tonic, eye and neck balm, environmental shield and a sunscreen.

The heart of Ayurvedic philosophy is based on the belief that all aspects of wellness, both internal and external, greatly affect our inner being. To this point, DoshaCare assembled an advisory board to provide a valuable resource for consumers: The Holistic Lifestyle Report. Ideas and information from experts in fields such as holistic dentistry, aromatherapy, nutrition, herbology and social and environmental responsibility convene on the pages of this bi-annual report to encourage consumers to apply Ayurvedic principals to all aspects of their lives.

DoshaCare products are available at doshacare.com.