Green Consumerism

My last green post

2008-04-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

This is my final post as a weekly blogger on eco consumerism. My class has come to an end. So I thought I would make my last blog about my experience in the class.

Coming into this class, I thought going green was just a silly fad. I've changed my tune though. I still don't like doing my grocery shopping at Whole Foods, but I'm not so taken aback now when I go in there with my sister now. Before this class I wasn't exactly the most wasteful person on the planet, but I was definitely leaving my mark. The best part about doing a blog like this is that I actually learned something. It was kind of like going on a little scavenger hunt for green goods.

I'm not going to lie, I'm still no expert on green goods. And I'm also not going to
pretend like I'm any kind of eco expert. Although, for a friend's birthday gift this weekend I wrapped it in paper from a magazine I already had. That's progress for me, you don't even know. I'm also actively looking for a place to buy an aluminum water bottle if you know anywhere to get one. Excuse me, but I thought it was a little silly that people driving Hummers were also buying reusable grocery bags. Now I realize it's all about doing a part, even a little part. It's hard to change every habit you have but I've realized just doing a little bit, like buying an organic cleaner or reusing your grocery bag is absolutely better than doing nothing.

Do you want to know the way the class really affected me? It's simple really it helped me to understand my sister better and her organic food shopping tendencies. I used to really hate going into Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, but this class gave us something to talk about and gave me a source of information. I learned a lot about organic and gluten free foods and just how important they are to people. For me, it's not exactly about going green, it's about being healthy.

I have also come across some of the nicest people doing stories for this class which is really great for a journalism student. So in the end, the main thing is I learned something, which is more than I can say for some classes I have taken in my four years at The University of Arizona. From now on I will do my best to continue going a little greener. I'm still trying not to take green too seriously though. It has to be fun too for me to want to do it. Below is a funny video from funnyordie.com.Can't lose your sense of humor.

Toque de Pasion: Fair Trade Fashion

2008-04-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

For my special project for a class I came across one of the coolest boutiques I have ever set foot it. The boutique is called Toque de Pasion and owners Melissa McCormick and Cesar Zegarra opened up on Broadway and Country Club about two years ago.

The shop carries lines that are all completely fair trade. Some of the lines are also made out of organic cotton.

According to their website: "Our primary goal is to bring superior designs and affordably priced fashions, produced by individual artisans & fair trade companies, to our desert metropolitan area and beyond. We prefer to work with textile manufacturers who use progressive environmental & employment practices."

Melissa McCormick, co owner of Toque de Pasion is really passionate about fair trade but promises she does not try to preach to her customers.

The boutique has an extremely exclusive line from Brazil that includes gorgeous gemstone jewelry. Toque de Pasion is the only place in the Western United States where you can find the pieces. The Bakana jewelry line is a favorite of some Hollywood Celebs, including Eva Longoria and has been worn on episodes of Desperate Housewives.

The coolest line that Toque De Pasion carries is it's own line which comes from Cesar's family in Peru. They carry organic cotton tops, skirts and other items.

McCormick said her customers swear by the organic cotton tops saying they breathe better in the Tucson summer heat.

The boutique is not having one of its one of two sales of the year so head over soon for some exclusive and eco friendly goods you can't get anywhere else! I can't wait to go back and do some real shopping.

Green Golf

2008-04-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

When you think golf, you don't exactly think the most eco-friendly of sports. It costs a lot of money to keep the greens green and the roughs long and unfriendly.

But now even the sport of golf is doing it's part to go green. There are two products on the market now that are trying to green up the sport.

The first is the eco tee from Indiana company Eco-golf.

In an email from an eco-golf representative, he wrote that their tees are just like traditional ones and are non marking on club heads. They just look a little different, kind of plastic-y. But they are no different than good old wooden tees.

Eco golf manufactures three types of tees, all of which are biodegradable, their eco tee 2 green tee does in as little as 60 days.

This technology came to the States from Austria. The Austrian, biogolf, biodegradable golf tee won the 2008 Volvo Sports Design Award for Accessories.

Watch the Video:

Also on the market is a biodegradable golf ball. On the web, you can find the water soluble golf balls. These really don't make any sense to me. They are marketed as if encouraging the customer to hit golf balls into the ocean. It just seems silly to me. Their website reads that the golf balls only go half the distance when hit with a driver and only go the full distance with an 8 or a 9 iron.

The eco tee makes sense to me, it actually will be beneficial to the environment but the biodegradable golf ball just seems a little too un necessary to me.

Go green and be charitable

2008-04-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Going green is so trendy now. There are books and entire magazine issues devoted to the topic. It's almost like people are forgetting about the simple ways they probably were already saving the environment already. With so much consumerism and a new market for green goods, it's easy to lose sight of the real goals of saving the environment, the greater good.

There are second hand stores all over the city. Including Buffalo Exchange and also places like Plato's Closet in Tucson where you can bring your clothes and make a buck off of them. Goodwill. These are great places to get rid of unwanted clothing.

I'll admit it, I'm kind of a hoarder. Especially when it comes to clothes. I'm always trying to justify keeping a top from high school just because I think I could, I might wear it again. This weekend, however I said no more!

I spent a good hour and a half going through all the clothes in my drawers and critically evaluating if I was ever really going to wear them again. I decided that instead of trying to make a quick buck off a my gently used items I would put them to good use.

There is an organization in Tucson called Casa De Los Ninos. The organization helps children in the Tucson area. The organization also has it's own thrift store located on 1302 E. Prince Rd. I decided to go and donate my things to the local charity outfit.

Not only did I go green because I recycled my clothes but they are going to a good local cause too where I can see the benefits of my donation in the community where I live.

Now.... I just need to find the patience to tackle my closet.

A new way to read

2008-03-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

There is a new product out there that could potentially reduce the need for tons of paper every year. The product is called the reader digital book from Sony. I came across this product after one of my co-workers received it as a gift for her birthday. Basically the digital reader allows you to keep roughly 160 books right at your fingertips. It's like an ipod for literature junkies.

My co-worker, Tina Williams said her parents paid about 300 dollars for the device and that she loves how light weight and portable it is. Also Sony has a site where the user can download books, like an itunes type setup.

" I love the immediate gratification because I'm a nerd like that," Williams said about being able to download titles at the click of a mouse.

With the device, Sony allows you to download 100 free classic books, like Huck Finn or Great Expectations, if you purchase the digital reader before September 2008. The credits would be automatically uploaded to your account and must be used before the end of October.

Williams said she is very impressed with the battery life of the device, and it also hold pictures and mp3s. Also, she said it's easy on the eyes because it is not back lit, like an ipod so there is hardly any eye strain.

"It's both eco-friendly and cool," she said.

Amazon makes a similar product called an Amazon Kindle. It runs for $399.99 on their site. While the Sony version is only
$299.99. The Kindle is a good choice if you are not very tech-savvy, because it does not require a computer at all.

The price of books in the Sony store range from 99 cents to about $15.00 according to Williams.

As far as not having that epic library collection, Williams doesn't seem to mind.

"I'm always getting yelled at for having too many books. And it's good for lazy people," she said.

here's a video review about the Kindle:

A Review of the Sony Model:

Going a little green on spring break

2008-03-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

This past week I spent some time in Mexico. You know sun, fun. When it comes to sun everyone needs to make sure to use the proper protection. Living in Arizona has really made me a sunscreen freak. So needless to say, skin cancer is not on my agenda. According to the National Skincare Institute there are more than 1 million new cases of non melanoma skin cancer each year.

There are traditional sunscreens from companies like Banana Boat and Coppertone. But I decided to make my spring break a little greener by making a special trip to Whole Foods to get myself a bottle of organic sunscreen. Amy, the beauty specialist at Whole Foods recommended a sunscreen from the company Aubrey Organics. She let me know that this was the only sunscreen she was sure was completely organic. The company has been making organic and natural beauty products for about 30 years according to their website.

I picked up the SPF and packed it in my beach bag. I decided to do a test to see if the ingredients in organic sunscreen would protect my skin just as well as traditional forms.

The directions are no different than regular sunscreen, you have to reapply about every two hours and especially after swimming. I did the best I could to follow the directions, but I mean it was spring break, so sometimes I did not reapply as often as I should have.

Really I noticed no difference in the protection. The formula feels the same and is just as effective. The best part is, is that the price is comparable to traditional sunscreen formulas. At Whole Foods, the sunscreen ran about 8.99, which is not a big difference or really a difference at all from a traditional bottle of sunscreen.

Going green is a little bit at a time, so I try thinking about the little ways I can change my habits, like starting small, and thinking about my purchase of organic sunscreen.

Happy Spring Break, next time the beach calls, lather up with an organic sun protection.

Green at Target

2008-03-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

I wrote this story for the site at first, but it wasn't quite formatted right for the publication. I think the information and my experience is still valid though:

Dilemma: You are green minded college student with no abundant amounts of “green” in the bank.
Solution: Figure out where going green is easiest and most accessible.
Fact: It’s easier to go green than ever. In the past, consumers used to have to go to special retailers. According to a 2002 USDA report, organic products are now sold in upwards of 73 percent of conventional grocery stores, making it easier than ever to jump on the green bandwagon.
How easy is it to go green really if you shop major retail? Only a day of running errands at Target—Wal-mart’s cooler cousin—with green on your mind and about 20 bucks in your pocket can tell.
First, it helps to make a list, then find what you need and see if there is a green alternative.
Item 1: Laundry Detergent- walking into the aisle of detergents at Target is overwhelming to many consumers; Purex, Cheer, Tide and each has several different varieties. The greenest detergent available at Target is Arm and Hammer Essentials. The bottle reads it’s 100 percent naturally derived, uses biodegradable plant bases soaps, no petroleum based cleaners, dyes, phosphates or bleaches. The price, at $ 3.39 for a bottle that does 32 loads is comparable to the Purex next to it that does not make any of those environmental claims.
“I use it for my child’s safety,” a mother in the aisle said.
Item 2: Light Bulbs- it’s easy to pick up the economy pack of light bulbs on the cheap at Target, but it’s not green at all. The crazy curly GE Energy Smart Light bulbs were $8.44 for a 2 pack of 60 watt bulbs, but the packaging say they last five years instead of the 1200 hours of the regular GE bulbs at $2.39. Feasibly a college student may not even have to change a bulb before they graduate—unless they change their major a few times—which in the long run saves cash. And plus, they are pretty cool looking and could qualify as art in your student apartment.
Item 3: Toothpaste- Now depending on the type of toothpaste you buy the prices can vary wildly. The only natural option at Target for toothpaste was Tom’s of Maine, at $ 4.29 a tube. It is on the expensive side. Comparably to other toothpastes boasting whitening gels and trendy flavors it’s only about a dollar more.
“I’ve never thought about buying natural toothpaste, I have never even heard of that stuff before,” University of Arizona student, Adriana Amaya said in the toothpaste aisle when asked about using Tom’s. For the record, she decided to go with her old stand-by Crest.
Item 4: Swiffer Sweeper refills- America loves convenience; enter sensation- the Swiffer Sweeper. Can you think of anything more unnecessary than a Swiffer Sweeper? Switch to a regular mop, at Target, the cheapest at $3.99 and you will be saving the planet in no time and have clean floors.
Target total $20.11 pre tax- find some change on the floor while roaming the store and you just went greener in one trip.

Items you can simply eliminate from your list and go green without any cash:

Item: Loofah- these netted germ incubators and the number one way to disseminate body wash for the female population, go if not green, healthy and switch to a wash cloth. You probably already have one that your mom made you buy freshman year.

Item: Trash bags- just reuse your Target bags your merchandise comes in and eliminate the need for small trash bags.

Bottom-line: Going green in a mass retail store, like Target, is easier than you think and can fit into your budget. Just go in with green in mind and reduce your impact on the same budget as before. It’s easy to be green if you want to be.

Green Hair

2008-03-09T17:11:00.001-07:00

Now you can even have your hair go green! No it doesn't involve any hair dye. Please keep it as close to your natural color as possible.

This weekend I was up in Phoenix for a hair appointment at Looks Salon in Scottsdale, AZ. Yes I travel two hours to get my hair done. It's a girl thing, I trust my hair to nobody but my stylist Karen.

I realized as I was waiting for Karen to finish up with one of her other clients that the shampoo that she normally uses on my hair, pureology is 100 percent vegan and organic. And really I can say its one of the easiest ways to see how organic products can really change your appearance and your life.

The company's website says it is both cruelty free and vegan and all the ingredients are completely biodegradable. So the shampoo is not only eco-friendly but also animal friendly.

"I really see a difference in my clients hair when they use pureology and organic hair products," Karen said.

I have to admit, however, the price tag is a little bit daunting for a girl like me who usually only buys her grooming products at Target or Walgreens.

The big bottles of the shampoo run usually around as much as almost fifty bucks depending on the salon but it's definitely going to run you more than your normal bottle of Pantene or Head and Shoulders.

For women, though, this investment might be worth it if you normally get your hair colored. According to Karen if you use products with ingredients that are good for nature it may prolong your color and in the end, perhaps even save you money.

"I have definitely noticed a change in my hair's overall health as well after using products like these," Karen said.

Just another way, I have found out how you can be going green in every aspect of your life, head to toe.

Retail Waste

2008-03-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

I work a retail job, are you surprised? I spend about ten hours of my week working at Ann Taylor. It's a women's clothing store. Although the back of the bags say "please recycle" there is a lot of waste going on.

I noticed this on a weekend recently when my manager and I were throwing away all of the holiday marketing material.

"We waste a lot, there is so much we cannot reuse because corporate is always sending us new stuff," manager Amy Kish said out by the trash compacter.

There it all was sitting in front of me and the only reason we were throwing it away was because it the bags were gold for the holiday season, not the normal gray for the rest of the year.

In the back room I began to notice all of the unused fixtures and mounds of marketing material stuffed behind every crevice.

Now, I understand the need to perpetuate a brand, but does it really have to come at such a wasteful cost? I take bags from my work and reuse them as lunch totes or even wrap gifts in them. Why can't the company take the same measures to reduce their own waste?

It runs along the practice what you preach lesson. It's like don't tell me to recycle and then waste so many resources. The website says that they are concerned about the environment I think I need to see it in a more direct way. The company does do great charity work and does list the environment as one of their top concerns, but I'm having trouble figuring out how they are reducing the impact on a smaller scale, store to store.

I would imagine that not many shopping centers have much of a choice about how they dispose of their goods. I have worked two retail jobs in two different malls and it's not the case. There is one giant trash compacter and only god knows where it ends up after you fling all that cardboard into the compacter.

I think if companies could put some of their power into trying to reduce their marketing material it could make a big difference, especially in chain store retailing. Ann Taylor takes up a very small chunk of the retail spectrum, who knows how Target or Wal-mart disposes of their trash?

I just think that instead of just planting a seed in the customer of a store to reduce their impact retail stores should start doing it too. I mean I really don't think we need a new window hanging every couple of months. This season Ann Taylor is rocking transparent red sheeting.

If you are going to tell me to recycle my bag, you should recycle some of your marketing. I think everyone would be happier in the end.

House Energy Doctor

2008-02-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

Dr. Chalfoun working in his office

I have been working on a story for TheCatScan.com about a program at the University of Arizona called The House Energy Doctor. It's a program run by Dr. Nader Chalfoun through the School of Architecture that teaches students how to build more energy efficient buildings. The really cool part of the program is that homeowners from around the city can sign up to have their house audited. This is where the students come in and spend two hours in the home and then present to them their conclusions or prescription.

I spoke to a homeowner who had the students come in about ten years ago now. But she has made practically all the changes the students had suggested. "The program helped us realize where our home needed to be upgraded first," Karen Young said.

She said her and her husband John were looking to update the home anyways but decided to do it in the best way they knew how. Their home used to have an atrium in it that at one time Young's daughter tried to have her pet iguana live in it. After House Energy Doctor, Young realized how easy it would be to update her home.

"We would rather have our home be more efficient than more attractive," Young said.

Young did it right I think. Both her and her husband took their time to do the remodeling. As with any remodel project it can seem daunting but they did it over time.

This is consumerism at its most energy efficient. The Young's made their home energy efficient by spending about 10 to 15 thousand dollars over the past 10 years or so.

That's money into the economy but the right way.

Dr. Calfhoun said that although the program has been around since 1986 it is still the only program like it in the country.

Why has it taken everyone so long to catch on to such a positive thing? The audit is free if your home is picked. It's up to the homeowner to make any changes they want.

This just shows a way how remodeling your home can be eco-friendly and also affordable. Think about it next time you are at The Home Depot.

I just think it's so great there is a free service in town that people here in Tucson can use. It's the only one like it in the country and it's free. What could be better than not spending a dime on a prescription? You can't get that kind of deal at Walgreens. People should really try to take advantage of this unique program.

Nicky creates an organic shelf

2008-02-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

My sister, Nicky is a celiac. It is a disease where her intestine and digestive system cannot properly digest gluten or any kind of wheat or barley. She has been trying to change her life for the past year and a half and she has had some slip ups. 1 in 133 Americans is affected by the disease according to celiac.org.

I didn't know that she really decided to take control of her life this week. She cleaned out all the food that she thought was making her sick and bought the food she knows does not. I know its hard for her because myself and my room mate do not suffer from the disease. There is constantly temptation around her and I know if I was struggling with something like this it would be hard for me to turn away from some of my favorite foods. I mean I practically live off of carbs.

She has really been an inspiration to me. There was a time when I used to joke about people who shopped in organic food markets. It wasn't until my sister truly needed to shop in a place like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods that I truly started to appreciate these retailers for their presence in the marketplace.

Going green and the emergence of the organic food industry has truly been beneficial to people's lives. I see it directly on my sister's face when it lights up when they have the special peanut butter or bread that she eats at the local Fry's or Albertson's. It's because of people caring more about the environment and what they put in their bodies that has forced the mainstream industry to recognize the need for organic products.

If you could see the look on my sister's face when she knows what she is eating is safe and won't make her sick, you would understand how much these sometimes seemingly unnecessary products can be.

Dolce and Bentley go green

2008-02-10T13:28:00.001-08:00

I spend a lot of money and time at the pet store. Having two dogs living in the house, it's always a circus. So Dolce's food was getting pretty low so I went on a mission to help the environment while keeping the puppies' tails wagging. There is an entire line of organic pets products at Petsmart called Pet organics.These products are created by Nala Barry Labrotories.

They also stock a lot of food from a company called By Nature these foods are made with all natural and organic chicken and cornmeal.

I found if you really want to shop for your pets the organic way the best thing is to do it online. Organic food is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to eco-friendly items for your best pals. Happypetorganics.com is a website carrying everything from pet cookies to specialty gifts for your canine companion.

I'm fairly certain Dolce and Bentley would just adore some Wild Game Jerky from the site or some of the Canine Confections that look good enough to give to my mother for Valentine's Day.

Organic pet toys can even be found. More easily for sure on the internet. Onlynaturalpet.com has some truly adorable ones. You can even buy Chinese herbal Remedies at the site, now I think that is going a little bit overboard, but hey, there must be some kind of market for it.

In the end though, I decided to settle on an organic version of the same food I used to feed Dolce. Sarah, the employee at Petsmart was nice enough to go get me a bag from the back. Although the food cost me an extra 2 dollars Sarah informed me that she feeds her dog the same thing and her dog loves it. Sarah told me there was no way Dolce would even be able to tell a difference when it came to taste. He does have a pretty discerning palate though, so it will just have to be a wait and see kind of thing.

It seems simple to me. If we are all trying to live this greener lifestyle it has to be echoed in all areas of our lives. Pets are an important part of my family. So why not let them have the fruits of the organic market?

ps, they both loved the stuff!

Grocery Store Green

2008-02-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

I swear. I spend more of my life at the grocery store than anywhere else. This weekend's trip I decided I would shop with green on the brain.
Back story: I'm not very green minded, this is I will admit. I used to make fun of my sister for buying organic foods calling her a hippie. Armed with my grocery list I decided I would see just how brainless it is to go green.

So there I was, like I am often at the Fry's Food and Drug on Wetmore in Tucson. I need to leave the store with the following items: fruit, cleaner, coffee, chips, pop, salsa.

The great thing about Fry's is they have a whole section devoted to natural and organic foods. Needless to say it made it very easy to find the items I was looking for but friendlier to mother earth. The first thing I found was the cleaner. It was called Holy Cow Concentrated Cleaner. The bottle said I could use it all over the house. Plus- it came in pink, so I was on board. And at $7.99 a bottle, it replaces all of my cleaners and is nature friendly.

I can't start my day without a cup of joe. Again, in the natural and organic food section of Fry's I came across Caffe Sanora coffee. Now, it's a little pricey because you only get a small bag for $7.99 but, it's all about reducing my impact and making it easy.

Buying organic produce at Fry's is so easy. They clearly label which products are organic so all you have to do is look at the price to know if you are buying organic product. Turns out the organic bananas are only ten cents more a pound than the traditional bananas which if you think about it is easy, and not that much more expensive.

What's a life without Cheetos and Tostitos? Oh, right nothing. Luckily for me, the Frito Lay company makes it easy to buy natural products. I was able to easily find Tostitos made with organic cornmeal, and to my surprise some organic salsa right next to it. And to top it all off, it was on SALE! Yes!

Last, but not least, POP! I think Diet Coke runs in the veins of my room mate Julia and I. Now there is no real option to go green in this respect. When we finish our cans though we'll separate them and actually recycle.

Now I just have to get through the check-out line without buying any M & Ms. Going green is pretty easy. If a sometimes ditzy blonde like me can do it anyone can. It really doesn't take that much extra effort.

Organic vs. Inorganic Produce

2008-01-27T15:20:00.000-08:00

image royalty free from 1000bananas.com

Going green is as easy as changing the way you shop when you go to the supermarket. I was wondering if there really is a difference between organic and inorganic vegetables and fruit that consumers purchase at the grocery store.
I wanted to find out if you can really tell if there is a taste difference in this produce. I decided to test my theory out on my sister and room mate.
Now for a little background. My sister is a health nut. She swears by organic products because she has celiac disease, a disease where she can not properly digest wheat and wheat products. So needless to say, she was pretty certain she would be able to decipher the organic from the inorganic produce.
My room mate Julia is pretty much your typical college student. Eats three square meals a day, most of them from a box in the freezer or an occasional drive-thru meal.

THE BAIT:
The experiment went as such, I purchased organic and inorganic golden delicious apples and organic bananas. I also purchased organic carrots. I cut up each fruit and placed them in identical bowls. Now, here is the twist, I placed organic carrots in both of the bowls. Only thing was one bowl had slighlty older carrots from a previous shopping trip.
By the look of the food, my subjects could not really tell the difference in the bananas I put out. The organic apples my roomies said looked crisper than their inorganic counterparts. Both of my roomies thought the older carrots were obviously inorganic and full of pesticides.

BLIND TASTE TEST:
Both of my roomies after being blindfolded were able to tell which apple they were eating was organic. They both liked the organic apple better saying it was not as mushy as the crispy organic one.
The bananas however, perplexed their taste buds, both girls guessed wrong.
For the carrots, my sister guessed correctly and Julia was incorrect. When I told them both of the carrots were organic they were surprised.

My Conclusion:
If it tastes better or the same, why not buy organic? It's a good and easy way to go green without too much thought. Organic farming is more environmentally friendly and better for the planet, according to rsc.org, The Royal Society of Chemistry's website. After my little experiment, I will rethink which produce I buy.

A mean green shopping machine

2008-01-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

My blog is going to focus on the trends in green consumerism. Everything from buying your groceries with green in mind to your new outfit for Saturday night. I chose to blog about this because I am interested in fashion and shopping but want to take it to a different level. I feel with the growing market of green products it is becoming a real industry. I want to investigate if green products are worth the green people shell out for them. What standards make them green and why?