B's Cool List: A Sexy and Sustainable Valentine's Day

by Bianca Alexander

Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity to show love for your honey—and the planet. Here are 10 eco-friendly gift ideas, as well as fun ways to make this Valentine’s Day both sexy and sustainable.

1) Order organic flowers. Flowers are a great way to show your loved one you care, but unfortunately, the cut flower industry is notorious for polluting the planet with harmful pesticides. This year, instead of buying just any old roses, order pesticide-free organic flowers online from www.OrganicStyle.com. They are more beautiful and smell better than traditional cut flowers, and are delivered in an eco-friendly package made from recycled materials. And to celebrate Black History Month, you can even order the Rosa Parks Freedom Rose bouquet, where 10% of the proceeds of your purchase will be donated to The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development.

2) Surprise your sweetie with eco-friendly lingerie. Every woman loves lingerie, but textiles like traditional cotton that are used to make most clothing damage our bodies and the planet. Instead, surprise your sweetie with soft and sexy lingerie made from sustainable materials like soy, bamboo, silk and organic cotton from www.EcoBoudoir.com and www.AmericanApparel.com.

3) Give sweet scents in recycled bottles. With Bond No. 9’s artisanal perfume, you can indulge your sweetie with irresistible scents and still reduce, reuse and recycle. Exchange any old perfume bottle for recycling at any Bond No. 9 or Saks Fifth Avenue store, and get a refillable pocket spray free with any purchase as a thank you.

4) Say “I Love You” with sustainable jewelry. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, but only if they're mined responsibly. Purchase conflict-free diamonds from companies like www.BrilliantEarth.com, or the “Green Bracelet” from Russell & Kimora Lee Simmons new jewelry line, Simmons Jewelry, and you’ll be able to give back to African communities afflicted by the diamond trade. If gold’s your thing, go to www.greenkarat.com to express your originality by creating a custom design made from recycled gold (you can even contribute your own unused gold jewelry). And if your sweetheart is more of an earthy type, help her stay natural with ethnic jewelry from www.Verlu.com, which produces fashion-forward necklaces, cuffs and earrings made from sustainably harvested wood.

5) Enjoy organic champagne and chocolates. Organic bon-bons are better for the planet, and will also be better for your loved one's health. Toast the day with biodynamic USDA certified wine and chocolates which are pesticide, antibiotic, and hormone free from www.OrganicStyle.com.

6) Take a romantic green getaway. Fossil fuels emitted from air and car travel are the largest contributors to global warming, so traveling green will help you romance your sweetheart without hurting the planet. How about a green ski or snowboarding getaway to Northstar-at-Tahoe (www.northstarattahoe.com), or a biodynamic romp through wine country with a stay at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn’s Four Star green hotel and spa (www.Fairmont.com). And wherever you go, don’t forget to minimize your eco-footprint by offsetting the carbon emitted from the plane, train, or automobile that got you there at www.Carbonfund.org.

7) Send a card that keeps on giving. Do your part to save trees by sending an e-card, or buying a card made from recycled paper at www.GreenFieldPaper.com. And if saving trees isn’t enough, each card comes embedded with an added bonus: wildflower seeds, which will produce beautiful flowers if you water and plant the card.

8) Stay at home between the sheets. Treat your body and the planet by staying at home and cuddling up with your loved one under colorful, sustainable organic cotton sheets from www.GreenNest.com

9) Give safe sex a whole new meaning. Toxic chemicals can pollute our rivers and streams, not to mention take the fun out of getting intimate, so romance your loved one safely with an all-natural, water-based personal lubricant like Yes Lubricant (www.yesyesyes.org). It’s free of parabens and skin-irritating petrochemicals, and is certified organic.

10) Wine and dine at a local, vegetarian Restaurant. Instead of going out for salmon, veal or filet mignon this Valentine’s Day, pass on meat and save the earth’s precious land and natural resources that are unnecessarily wasted in the animal farming industry. Not sure where to start? You can find a local, delicious vegetarian restaurant in over 7,000 locations around the globe at www.HappyCow.com.


To check out our Sexy and Sustainable Valentine’s Day episode, or for more tips on living sustainably year round, watch www.ConsciousLivingTV.com.

Easy Ways to Stay Green This Winter

by Michael & Bianca Alexander

You don’t have to be Al Gore to understand that going green is vital to Mother Earth’s survival—and our own. Most of us want to do our part to prevent global warming, but don’t really know how. The good news is, if each of us did our part to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by just 2% a year, we could actually prevent the worst effects of global warming by the year 2050!

Now that winter’s here, do your part to reduce your CO2 emissions, your eco-footprint, and your utility bill—just by making a few small lifestyle changes.

1. Say Goodbye to energy vampires. Reduce your utility bill and your carbon dioxide emissions by upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, like an adjustable thermostat, throughout your home. Also, unplug common appliances like your cell phone charger, computer and TV when not in use: if they’re plugged in, they’re draining energy even if they’re not turned on. And instead of cranking the heat—pile on the extra layers and get cozy with your loved ones.

Tip: Don’t have time to go around unplugging appliances at night? No worries, with a multi-plug power strip you can save tons of energy just by pressing the off button each night.

2. Make the switch to CFLs. Still waiting around to change out your regular incandescent light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs? By making the switch, you can save about $50 over the life of each bulb—and reduce your CO2 emissions.

Bonus: Nowadays, CFL’s and LEDs come in a variety of fashionable shapes and sizes, perfect for even the most fabulous light fixture.

3. De-tox your home. Since green is everywhere, nowadays you can opt for an eco-friendly redecoration by using low-voc paint, carpet, paints, and even wood cabinetry. Also, detoxify your home by avoiding standard household cleaning and personal care products, which contain toxic chemicals like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and phosphates. These chemicals are not only carcinogenic, but also wreak havoc on the planet when rinsed down the drain and into our rivers and streams.

Fact: Every cup of dish or laundry detergent you use eventually kills one cubic foot of photoplankton, tiny ocean organisms that can actually help prevent global warming. Through photosynthesis, they replenish the planet with oxygen, and absorb ozone-destroying CO2 from the atmosphere. Try eco-friendly cleaning products for your home, like Seventh Generation’s laundry detergent (it even comes in a refreshing lavender scent), and Dr. Hauschka’s biodynamic personal care products for your face and skin.

4. Install a Water Filter. Using a water filter will not only keep you from digesting toxins in our water and give you better-tasting water, but it will also reduce your dependence on plastic water bottles. In fact, a typical filter used can eliminate up to two tractor trailers full of plastic bottles in our landfills, and the energy (and CO2) required to manufacture those bottles.

Try: A point-of-use filter (for a single faucet) or point-of entry filter (for water used throughout the home). But beware of reverse osmosis filters, which over strip water, depleting it of body-benefiting minerals, and waste water and also water softeners, which deposit harsh chemicals into the earth.

5. Eat organic or sustainably grown food. Organic farming is better for the planet than industrial farming because it’s free of harmful pesticides that run into our rivers and streams. Organic food is also a natural immune booster during cold-season, because it’s free of toxins like GMO’s (genetic modifiers), antibiotics and hormones, which are dangerous to your health when digested and have been linked to degenerative diseases and learning disabilities in children.

What to look for when you shop: Don’t be fooled by products labeled “natural”--this term is unregulated by the FDA and serves primarily as a marketing tool. Instead, look for the USDA Certified Organic seal to ensure you’re getting the highest quality organic (95% or higher).

6. Reduce your meat consumption. Most people don’t know that the meat industry is the largest industrial polluter of the planet, wasting millions of tons of precious water, land and natural resources each year. In fact, studies show that 18% of greenhouse gases have been linked to farming animals for food. Fact: A meat-eating diet requires more than 4000 gallons of water per day. By comparison, a vegetarian diet requires only 300 gallons of water per day, and is less costly to your wallet and the planet.

Not ready to give up all of your favorite meat treats? Try going vegetarian for just one or two meals a day, then move up to one or two days a week.

7. Wear Eco-Chic Clothing. Before going on your next shopping excursion, take into account that about 1/3 of a pound of pesticides are used just to make one cotton t-shirt! Do your part by purchasing clothing made from sustainable fabrics like bamboo, hemp, or organic cotton, which feels like silk on your skin.

Better yet: Do your part to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle by buying one-of-a-kind vintage clothing at a local retro boutique, or go treasure hunting with your girlfriend at a weekend estate sale.

8. Travel green whenever you can. To cut down on C02 emissions, consider driving a fuel or energy efficient vehicle. If you can't buy a new car or aren’t ready to trade yours in for a Prius, opt to walk, bike, or carpool (public transportation counts) instead of driving.

Love to travel? Make your winter vacation extra-special by staying at an upscale green hotel that supports green practices.

9. Offset your carbon footprint. When all else fails, do your part to neutralize your carbon footprint the "easy" way by purchasing carbon offset credits. Carbon offsetting is one of the most popular ways clean up CO2 emissions from daily activities in your home or business like driving your car, flying, or turning on the heat.

Tip: For usually less than $100, carbon offsetting will help you calculate your annual energy use and offset it with pro-environment activities like replanting trees and purchasing renewable energy like wind or solar.

10. Become a conscious consumer. Being a conscious consumer means voting with your spending dollars to create the change you want to see in the world. Buy only what you need. Purchase green products and services whenever you can. Support local businesses that offer products and services sourced from no more than 100 miles from your home (start with your local farmer’s market). And finally, think about expanding your portfolio by investing in socially responsible businesses.

These are but a few of the ways you can stay green this winter—and all year long. And, if overhauling your whole life to go green still feels a little overwhelming, take your time. Incorporating just one of these tips on an ongoing basis can still make a world of difference, so feel free to experiment and make the green lifestyle work for you!

For more tips, or to send us one of your own, watch Conscious Living TV online or feel free to post a blog comment here.

B's Cool List: It's Easy Being Green When You Travel

by Bianca Alexander

Did you know that CO2 emission from travel is one of the largest contributors to global warming? Before you hit the road or jump on a plane, train or automobile, think about being more conscious of minimizing--or at least offsetting--your environmental footprint on the planet. From the latest in green transportation to and from the airport, eco-friendly water bottles, and even luxury green hotels, this week's Cool List will help you travel green all year long.

1. Go Green to the Airport
Why take a gas-guzzling taxi or limo to the airport or train station when you can reserve door to door service in one of Planet Tran's eco-friendly Priuses? And for those of you that like to stay connected wherever you go, each of their cars is booted up with wireless internet so you can check your e-mails from the road.

2. Green Accommodations

Who says traveling green means you have to give up the luxury you've grown accustomed to? Instead of staying at the W on your next vacation, try booking a four-star suite at a local green B&B or at a green hotel chain, like The Fairmont or Kimpton Hotels. With recycling in each hotel room, energy and water efficient appliances, and a commitment to serving local and organic produce, these hotels are setting the bar high for hotels worldwide.

3. Eco-Friendly Water Bottles

Staying hydrated is great for your health, especially when you travel. Unfortunately, plastic water bottles leach nasty chemicals into your drinking water, your body, and the planet. And have you heard about the mass of discarded plastic bottles and waste twice the size of Texas that's floating in the Pacific? LINK). Since most plastic water bottles wind up in landfills, try Klean Kanteen's stainless steel, non-leaching water bottles. They're also recyclable, and the water just tastes better. Or, try our new favorite, Wellness Water H2.O's individual water bottles that come with built-in filters that clean up water from any tap while you're on the road. Their state-of-the-art filtration technology produces nourishing, "enhanced" water that hydrates and heals your body better than bottled water without the extra cost or landfill waste.


4. Green Grooming on the Road

No need to skimp on healthy skin care when you're on the go.
Dr. Hauschka Daily Face Care Travel Kit includes the basics for pampering your skin the holistic way while you travel (for as long as two weeks!) All of their personal care products are made from bio dynamic ingredients, which are better for your body and will keep your skin looking and feeling great. So go ahead and toss those drugstore trial size cosmetics. Besides, who needs all of the toxic chemicals?

5. And when all else fails--offset your CO2 emissions

Consume consciously when you travel by choosing to reduce your personal carbon dioxide pollution through the purchase of carbon offset credits. You can calculate your pollution and purchase offset credits online with Carbon Fund, a non-profit organization that lets you choose from renewal energy, reforestation or energy efficiency to offset your carbon footprint created from your personal travel and day to day energy use. Each credit you purchase is used to fund clean energy projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For more tips on eco-friendly living, watch www.ConsciousLivingTV.com.