So the other night, I had steak tartare while out to dinner.

Sadly, this does not count as a raw food diet. 

However, if I were a dog, it would.

-Heather... off to eat some raw coconut macaroons...

They are a blessing and a curse.  For example, when the Crick throws up after snacking from the cat box buffet, I definitely use papertowels so I can throw the whole handful in the trash. But if you have them out in an easy to reach area, you reach for them instead of dishtowels that could have sufficed for cleaning up the water splashes after watering the plants.

My Mom, whom we call Poopsie for some unknown reason, has always "hid" the papertowels, which I now do.

And I always look for the Bounty papertowels that allow you to break off the sheets in quarters, if I can't find affordable / absorbent green versions wherever I may be living.

Off to put the litter box up where she can't reach... shouldn't be hard... her legs are literally 6 inches.. I just measured... lol - Jen

OK, I really can't stomach writing about credit cards in today's blog, because trust me - I have a heady relationship with my credit cards already and think about them too much. Instead, let's celebrate the dawn of a new year...

Yep. Yesterday was the start of the Lunar New Year. The Year of the Dog, as the Chinese would have it. 

Not being a huge fan of dogs (well, except for Cricket and Harlow, of course), I'd be inclined to think that the Year of the Dog would be a sort of boring year - slobbery and whining.

But I gotta say, I am looking forward to it (because while the Year of the Rooster was truly transforming and amazing for me, it was also a bit of a thrilling and bloody cockfight, and I'm looking forward to some snuggled-up warm fuzzies instead). 

• Loyalty
• Unconditionality
• Goodness
• Playfulness

No, we aren't pretending that the gum that you buy is gonna change the world. BUT, here's a little story for you (it's Friday - I'm in a storytelling mood):

Several years ago, Listerine came out with those little strips - you know - the stuff that looks like a tiny clear bit of fruit leather (dating myself with that one) that you put on your tongue instead of having a mint?

Intrigued, I bought some.

For some unfathomable reason, they had childproofed the package. I had to rip through a 4x5" cardboard and plastic package to take out a 1x1-ish plastic snapcase to get the teeny little melty strip thing.

And for the first time in my life, I remember thinking "Are you KIDDING me? Who needs this much safety packaging? What on EARTH are they thinking?"

Believe it or not, I can measure my entire awareness of packaging from that specific day. Me - in an LA parking lot, thinking, "Dude. We are so out of control." From that point on, I became hyper aware of packaging - always opting for the less-covered option, all things being equal. (This is one of the things I don't get about Trader Joes - why do I need to buy shrink-wrapped beans? And don't even get me started on the gum that you snap out of the hard plastic and foil blister packs).

So no - you won't change your world by changing your gum.

But you just might change your mind.

And then see what happens...

-Heather... off to practice for my bubble blowing contest...

But I do like my cities. And I should hope so - I've lived in enough of them. In the past 10 years, I've lived in 5 different cities, so here's my own little rundown of my big 5:

Washington, DC (91-96) - OK, so it was college and grad school. I don't remember worrying about whether or not I had easy access to recycling. I do remember being shocked at how green and waxy the city was, though.

San Francisco (96-98) - This is the only one that can rival New York for me. On my 30th birthday (singing karaoke in NYC), a friend sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" to me, and it's true. I love that town. The fact that it ranks high on every possible green scale doesn't hurt a bit.

Los Angeles (98-2000) - While the city - with its complete dependency on cars and concrete slabs everywhere - isn't the best in the green department, I can say this: when I looked out at the apartment recycling area, homeless people would be sorting it all and taking it in.

London (2000-2002) - A true, true gem of a city - the entire town seems to be a dripping green park and windows with flowerboxes. Of course, if you want to continue to feel like you are in the cleanest city on earth, you should never blow your nose after a day of riding the Tube. Can anyone tell me what that black gunk is?

New York (2002-2006) - The City that Never Sleeps also seems to have a hard time with trash collection, but I can forgive them that, since I never have to drive a car, and I can get organic anything at my corner deli.

Does your town support your own green lifestyle?

-Heather... off to get organic milk for my fair trade coffee...

In 1997 when I moved to NYC to work in a high-tech media-driven start up, I gave up the idea of a hot lunch. But what I replaced it with was a brisk walk 3 blocks to a tiny family grocery store that sold my version of fast food:  protein bars!   And GeniSoy Bars were my favorite. They were tasty, sweet, and filled me up. Plus, as a pescatarian, I really appreciated the fact that they gave me some much-needed protein.

It seems now soy is sold as this miracle substance that will prevent heart disease and cancer, whisk away hot flushes, build strong bones and keep us forever young. Soy serves as meat and milk for a new generation of virtuous vegetarians. I have loved seeing all the soy food options come to market, especially the non-GMO soy products.

But alas, in June (I think it was) ABC News did a segment on the downfalls of soy - and the list is pretty substantial. I don't have a TV (no, I am not the unibomber) but of course I caught wind. The only quasi-good information I could is here:  http://www.mercola.com/2000/apr/9/soy_research_update.htm.

Biters... chime in... what side of soy are you on?

Off to eat a rice cake until you we figure this out. Okay, I might nibble on my soy icecream too.

- Jen

This is just so bizarre... it is happening.. life moving at an accelerated speed.  I still sometimes write 1999 on checks... (okay it happened once, but it really freaked me out, it was like my brain fritzed out and ran backwards.)

And then I start hearing myself saying things like THAT (above) and it reminds me of when I was a child and listening to adults say time passes so quickly, and I was like "blah blah blah... pa-LEASE... it can't pass fast enough... I want to be old enough to wear makeup, to drive a car, to date."  I am not sure if I remember when time switched from going really slow to fast. Was there one day where it was neutral?  Like an age-equinox?  For me, I guess it was in my mid twenties.

You?

Oh, right, vintage clothing.. so, can 80's clothes be vintage?  I think of vintage as something valuable, and the only value my "Franky Says Relax" tee shirt has to me is all the fond times I remember in it.. skating around the roller rink with leg warmers with my feathered hair wings that touched each other in the back.

Off to listen to some Depeche Mode.

- Jen

I have no idea whether or not George Clooney is a yogurt eater, or if his people clean out and recycle his yogurt cups.  (Because, clearly, George ain't doing something that mundane himself).

But
one of the nice things about recycling is that you can pretend pretty
much anything you want about the previous product, so I prefer to
pretend that George Clooney's lips have touched my toothbrush.  In
the same way that you were never just a dishwasher at a dive restaurant
in past lives (I personally was Catherine the Great and Picasso), your
recycled product probably belonged to someone famous, at one point in
time.

Hence, the toothbrush that really belongs to George.

Don't worry - I am a giver.  You can pretend yours does, too.  Just be aware that mine really does.

-Heather... off to hunt down photos of GC winning his Golden Globe for Syriana... hot man in tux... sigh...

The only thing sad with us getting digital fax machines and copiers is that the opportunity to scan your derrière are getting fewer and far between.

I remember when one of my friends photo copied his bum in a grocery store in Atlanta..we were probably 12. It was so funny to see his pre-pubescent emergent butt pimples come out so crystal clear on the black and white photo copy. Then, a few years later you could do this and then fax it!

Okay, so clearly I have either a) hit the organic vino a little to hard, or b) am longing for the days of good ol' fashion fun, where you could play jokes and not get sued, or c) both of the above.

Have any of you Biters ever photo copied a body part? Free Biter tee to the best story.

- Off to drink a big glass of water and get to bed...Jen

So perfume, or no perfume?

Jen and I differ on this one. I like it. Jen just throws on her deodorant and goes with it. (She smells just fine, and I'm a freak about how things smell and have no problem airing her dirty laundry, so I'd tell you if that weren't the case).

While I do love my Aveda perfume (I got it for going in on my birthday last year: if you sign up to their mailing list, they give you a coupon for free stuff on your birthday), I gotta be honest here:

My absolute favorite perfume is not an all-natural one. In fact, it's something that I generally have my French friends pick up for me when they are heading to NYC from Paris. So all-in-all, it's a pretty unsustainable fetish - no matter that it is made from essential oils and natural plant derivatives. But since I get about one bottle a year, I think it might be a dirty non-green secret I can live with since I cut back my heating bill and sold my car. There're only so many sacrifices a year I can handle.

Anyone got any all-natural faves out there to suggest?

-Heather... off to research pheromones...

Question of the Day: When you have a slumber party with someone (take that however you choose), do you:

A - make coffee together in the AM at home and sip from ceramic cups; or

B - go out and get cappuccinos so you can take a cutesy walk down the street to the coffee shop?

While there is a "right" answer for the greening of the world, there's no "right" Biter answer. I do both. Let's face it - either way - we're only drinking coffee together if I actually like you.

-Heather... off to shrink in mock mortification since my Mom just read that...

What a great marketing idea. Everyone knows him. And maybe down deep everyone prefers the Energizer batteries because of the cute bunny associated with that brand.

I remember back in college my friends would call me the Energizer Bunny. It was seemingly so easy to party all night, go to classes all day, take a 4 mile jog in the late afternoon, and then grab dinner at the Delis and do it all again - for at least three nights straight.

Now if I stay up past midnight and drink more than 2.5 glasses of wine, my next day is shot. How and when did this happen??

Anyway! Batteries are kind of scary.. they do leak all this toxic stuff... I have no idea how they would even be recycled without the people at the plant having 3-eyed kids later in life. So I have NEVER EVER thrown away a battery. Sometimes my box gets so full, and even the movers are like, "uh, yeah, does this have to go?". But NOW I am so excited about two things:

1. Better options for rechargeable batteries
2. Much more convenient drop offs to recycle your regular, dead batteries. (I think even Costco is installing drop offs).

So it is different things that make me energized these days, and doing errands while emptying my box of batteries into a recycling bin does give me a bit of a jolt. Does that make me an eco-geek?

Off to recharge at an eco-spa.. soon.. someday.. oh yes oh yes...

Jen

For the first time in a long while, I'm speaking from experience today. After years of what I chalked up to yoga-induced health, my body decided to jump up and smack me a little this holiday season. As the Fates (aka: my adrenal glands taking a break) would have it, the second I started to slow down to head out for some R&R, I got sick as a dog. Thus, what was meant to be a lovely little holiday at home, instead became a round of doctor visits and sweaty nights of no sleep (and not in a fun or racy way).

And so - after not taking any kind of medication for ages, I suddenly found myself on doctor's prescriptions and with an overwhelming urge to reach for the nearest bottle of OTC painkillers.

Because here's the little secret I never want to tell anyone: it's really easy to espouse a natural, holistic lifestyle when you are feeling good. Provide a little pain, and all I want to do is down a handful of Advil. Yes, my friends, I am a big baby.

But I am still a big baby on a medical mission - we really should all try to cut back on the meds. In the end, so many of the "remedies" you can buy in a store really DO just mask your symptoms. They do nothing to treat the problem itself. Now sometimes, this is OK. If you are prone to sinus infections, you might not want to let a raging head cold back up on you. But by and large, you will get better faster (but I warn you - worse in the short term), if you just let the bloody illness run its course. Your body needs to purge itself of the bad stuff.

So, in the end, I confess: for the first time in more than 2 years, this past month, I took Western meds.

I'll get back on the wagon tomorrow - I'm not really drinking wine on days when I take any meds, so all in all, it's a quick, quick incentive to get better.

-Heather... off to bemoan the fact that wine doesn't cure all ills...

Severe attachment to No Name Boy aside, the decadence of the week overwhelmed me a bit. I've been lucky - in my later-age adoption of skiing - to have skied in some truly incredible places. But the energy use, product waste and unnecessary decadence of it all strikes me to this day as silly. So - seriously: check out green slopes, steer clear of chemical Thermacare heating pads (which burn the slope faces with their caustic innards) by using natural ones, and make sure you help up the stranded girls with their heels dug in the snow (like the nice guy from Brooklyn who eventually stopped easily, picked me up and helped me get my skis back on).

And if you can find a hot little ski instructor to take you hostage, all the better.

-Heather... off to bemoan the fact that I have no ski trips planned this year...

Essentially, breast milk is the best nutritional bang for the buck that nature has to offer. Perfectly designed for humans, it takes and concentrates all the nutrients into one powerful package (we can talk about the allure of breasts for non-babies at a later date, during our Valentine's week of tips. Ahem). In fact, mother's milk changes to meet the needs of the baby - reacting to modifications in the child's saliva and pumping out what is missing at a faster rate - changing fat content and antibodies according to the child's age and needs. Turns out that music isn't the food of love - breast milk is.

But as with anything, there is always a rub (ah, Shakespeare allusions abounding today. Free Biter tee to the first commenter who names all three and what plays they came from. But I digress...).

The controversy over breast milk today stems from the fact that many of the major toxins that take up lodging in our bodies store themselves in our fat tissues. And breast milk not only concentrates the nutrients, it tends to concentrate the other stuff as well. Sadly, this includes the gunk.

And so. When you breast feed, you are not only giving your little one the most absorbable vitamins around, you may also be giving her a power-packed version of the phthalates from your nail polish and the pesticides from your garden.

Still, all things considered, there is still nothing that beats breast milk - toxins and all - and studies prove that children raised on breast milk fare better and have healthier immune systems and brain development than those on formula. Of course, you should work to avoid toxins as much as you can. But even with the studies, when I have a kid, I'm feeding it myself.

-Heather... off to cringe over the fact that we used the phrase "Pump and Dump" in the tip...

On the one hand, no one has ever died from bed bugs, right? On the other, thinking about the millions of microscopic bugs that we sleep with each night is enough to give anyone night tremors.

So does organic bedding help? Here is what I found:

• Discourage growth of mold and mildew on mattress - get wool lined mattress topper which helps wick moisture away
• Want a mattress topper that has a dust-mite repellent core? Natural latex contains an antibacterial substance that is a natural dust-mite repellent.

I am all over it. When I find an extra $435 lying around. Until then, I am going sleep in the shower I think.

Off to wash the sheets with warm water and 7th Generation detergent... damn ye bud bugs!

- Jen

Seriously,
green building has it all.. better for YOU, better for Planet, and
better for the ol' wallet. So why isn't every new building, built
green??? (Good question!) 


Second, I think we are still suffering from the 80's version
of green house notions.. ie: tire houses and yurts. It is sooo not the
case anymore. In fact, green buildings and homes usually are much more
beautiful. They are uniquely designed, respect the landscape and
regional weather considerations, and just feel great to be in. For
example, one common design element of a green building is something
called "passive solar" which harvests suns winter warming powers by
storing it in "thermal mass" - which can be a cement floor or a big
hearth made of stone. Both cement floors with color washes and stone
hearths feel and look better than any prefab plaster of paris crap.

See some green homes here...(great site too): http://www.homes-across-america.org/ 

And for the full list of people-planet-profits benefits of building green, see this great list.

Off to plan a trip to some eco-resort for some inspiration until I can build my own green home -

Jen

PS: if you are interested in learning more about green mortgages, visit Ideal Bite's interview in this CNN.com article

This year at DC's Green Festival I stumbled onto a booth that was about Paraben Education, and the brochure said, "Is your shampoo making you fat?" - of course I stopped dead in my tracks, hoping I could blame my shampoo and not the nightly wine and cheese.

Here is a snippet from the brochure... not sassy at all, but irreverent in the fact that government isn't really protecting us...

"What types of products contain these harmful chemicals? The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reported that they have found synthetic hormone-disrupting chemicals in shampoo, preservatives, hair coloring agents, sunscreens, fragrances and pharmaceuticals. These chemicals are washed into our water every day and, as a result, they never go away -- they are persistent because of daily replenishment via bathing, swimming and urination. Sadly, of the 80,000 plus chemicals used in products, just a tiny fraction were ever fully tested for toxicity, let alone for their hormone interference potential. Currently, toxicity tests required by the government do not evaluate endocrine disrupting effects, so even so-called "tested chemicals" can have unidentified hazardous health effects. You should be aware that the phrases "no known toxicity" or "no known health effects" do not necessarily mean that a substance is harmless."

This next bit includes some hair-raising facts I want to share is from the Green Guide, a partner of Ideal Bite's:

• 69 percent of hair-dye products may pose cancer risks
• 76 percent of conditioners contain ingredients that are allergens
• 93 percent of shampoos possibly contain harmful impurities linked to cancer or other health problems.

"As an organization, we urge consumers to take action and reduce their exposure to industrial chemicals," says Timothy Kropp, Ph.D., a senior scientist in toxicology with the EWG. One simple way to do this: Read labels and choose hair-care products that are free of the following Top Four hazardous chemicals.. below"

Top Four Ingredients to Avoid

1. Phthalates: These chemicals get covered up on labels by the general term "fragrance," which the FDA permits to protect "trade secrets." But they're readily absorbed by our fingernails, skin and lungs. This July, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported finding the metabolized forms of dibutyl phthalates, used in nail polish and synthetic fragrance, in every person tested in their national "body burden" study. Studies have found that phthalates can lead to liver cancer and birth defects in lab animals, and now research into the effects on humans is beginning to emerge.

   For example, a study from the University of Minnesota published in the May 2005 Environmental Health Perspectives, found a connection between phthalates and genital abnormalities in baby boys. Researchers measured the level of phthalates in the urine of 85 pregnant women and found that mothers with high levels of phthalates gave birth to boys with one or more developmental issues, including problems such as smaller penises and scrotums or less developed testicles. Although Dr. Christine Ternand, one of the study's authors and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Minnesota, said it was "premature" to instruct women to avoid these chemicals altogether, she added, "If I were pregnant or trying to get pregnant, I would reduce my exposure-and my fetus's exposure-to products containing phthalates."

   To reduce exposures to phthalates, steer clear of shampoos and conditioners listing "fragrance" as an ingredient. Although some manufacturers have recently declared that they've removed phthalates from their products (see below), in the absence of specific labeling it remains unclear to what extent, and in which products, this is actually the case. Instead, choose products whose labels list only non-synthetic fragrancing ingredients, such as essential oils of lavender, mint or verbena. And before trying any new cosmetic product, do a touch-and-sniff test, since natural oils can cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people.

2. Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, ethyl- and butyl): Some studies have shown that parabens mimic estrogen in rodents; the chemicals also have been shown to stimulate growth of human breast-cancer cells in the lab.
3. 3. Coal Tar: In 1993, the FDA issued a warning to consumers about coal tar being a possible cancer risk. Coal tar appears in many hair dyes and strong dandruff and psoriasis shampoos, but the FDA failed to ban it even though studies have linked it to cancer in lab animals. The EWG found that 71 hair-dye products contained ingredients derived from coal tar. John Masters of John Masters Organics, a New York City hair stylist for 30 years, says that he shuns the use of coal tars in his hair dyes for his own safety and the safety of his clients and staff. "The skin absorbs 70 percent of what we put on it. It's important that people know what they're applying and taking into their body," Masters says.
4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are found in some shampoos and conditioners and may cause hair loss and scalp irritation.

Okay, so this posting is atypical and pretty intense, but I just know that you Biters would want some hard core info on this, so I am off now to think about rain drops on roses ...

- Jen

This is not to say that I don't know that I need to cut back on my caffeine consumption. However, I am still not perfect, and I have given up LOADS that I love, and I don't take meds, so a little wine and coffee (or a lot) ain't gonna kill me.

Well, it might. But I am still not giving up the caffeine until I do my February detox (and then I will -without a doubt - survive on Equal Exchange's Decaf. I can't express my love for that enough). Stay tuned for angry-girl ranting blogs from yours truly then...

-Heather... off to load up on coffee with Jen before a round of meetings...

Honestly, what a cliche, but how could it NOT be true?  And beyond wanting to only put good stuff in your body, what I love about organics and local food is that they are better for the environment as well. 

It shouldn't be a shocker if you think about how we all evolved (either spiritually or however you want to take that):  there was no such thing as 300 acres of just corn, there was no need to transport food 2K miles, and we ate what was in season. 

As we said in a tip earlier, we are no doctors, but I do have psychic hunches sometimes, and I just know we are seeing increases in ailments due to our non-natural eating habits.  I mean, a Twinkie has a shelf-life of 20 years.  Eating that has got to do something whacky to your system, designed for nuts, berries, the occassional serving of protien, and vegitation. 

If you all at are all interested in understanding how everything is connected, and our food source is a prime example, you MUST read Biomimicry... the idea that we need to use nature as our mentor for the solutions.  The NYT says Janine Benyus - fellow Montanan - writes like an Angel.

Off to make some butternut squash soup for lunch... I heard it was easy and I am tired of smoothies at this point - Jen

Generally speaking, I don't get too much  junk mail (which is not to say that I don't get a lot of mail that gets thrown out eventually).

My problem is that - even though I filled out the DMA's form and stopped getting basic junk mail, I do get a lot of catalogs by request, and quite a few magazine subscriptions (for some unknown reason, without ever signing up, Rolling Stone started being delivered to me about a month ago.  I'm not complaining about that one).

In any case, part of my resolutions for this year include cutting back on said magazines and catalogs, because let's face it - with no commute, who has time to read magazines anyway?  I got a stack of books a mile long next to my bed and hardly make a dent anymore.

So, I am letting my magazine subscriptions die off and have opted out of most catalogs.

And I'm CERTAIN that I will still have more mail than I know what to do with.

Meanwhile, we got a submitatip this morning (if you don't know, you can always send an email to submitatip@idealbite.com and let us know your favorite green tips for potential publication and mad fame) that was pretty smack on.  It will probably be a tip much later in the year, but while we are on the subject, I thought I'd share.  It comes from Biter Charlene Green of Farmington Hills, MI, and I'm cutting and pasting in its entirety below.

-Heather... off to major strategy sessions for 2006 Biting fun...