Want to Hear a Funny (Sort of) Story?

At the Go Green Expo (www.gogreenexpo.com) in New York City a couple of weeks ago, my first sale for EcoVixen (www.ecovixen.com) wasn’t a sale at all: Someone stole a “Karma” bag.

Now, as the name of the bag implies, this cloth shopping tote plays on the law of moral causation. On the front it says, "You don't want to return as a plastic bag, do you? Don't mess with Karma." And on the back it says, “What goes around, comes around." and "Reducing. Reusing. Recycling. Keeping Karma Happy."

And, yes, someone at an environmentally friendly expo stole it!

[If you happen to be the person who did this, know that I am not angry at all; rather, I’m sad you live a life where that behavior is normal and that the possibility of coming back as a plastic bag and living 1,000 years in a landfill appeals to you.]

Along a similar line, I was at the store today and a woman in front of me in line was wearing a nice “Save the Earth” t-shirt . . . and she walked out of the store with half a dozen plastic bags. I wanted to run after her and demand that she remove her t-shirt at once, but I didn’t think that would go over well.

For me—and, I hope, for you—green isn’t a fad, it isn’t a way to make money (or rip people off), or “pretend” to be something I’m not. Green is who I am and who I feel I’ve always been. Going green is my passion and I’m glad it’s something I seem to be sharing with more and more people. Just not a certain person carrying a “Karma” bag or a lady wearing a “Save the Earth” t-shirt.

Question of the blog: Does anything in the green movement (posers, scam artists, etc.) that annoys you?

Who is That White-Bearded Guy?

Take a walk around almost any health food store and you’ll probably pass a photo of a smiling man sporting a white beard on some of the products you see: It’s Dr. Weil.

Who is Dr. Weil? Here’s how his website (http://www.drweil.com/) answers that question: Andrew Weil, M.D., has devoted the past thirty years to developing, practicing, and teaching others about the principles of integrative medicine. Dr. Weil combines a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine to provide a unique approach to health care which encompasses body, mind, and spirit.

Harvard sounds impressive but, for me, there’s something you can trust in the Doctor’s eyes.

Stay with me for a minute. I was recently in New York City for Go Green Expo (www.gogreenexpo.com) with Debby from Real Green Goods (www.realgreengoods.com) and I was telling Debby about my favorite raw snack bar: Lara Bars (www.larabar.com) and Debby, my green guru, asked me: Is it organic? I admit . . . I hadn’t looked. When I did, here’s what I found: They are six natural ingredients or less and there’s no added sugar or GMO and they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, soy free, kosher, and vegan without fillers, supplements, flavorings, or sweeteners but they are not organic.

Later that weekend, Debby and I were getting breakfast at Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) and I saw that Dr. Weil has raw snack bars of his own: Dr. Weil's Pure Fruit & Nut Bar. They are just like Lara Bars, but—this time—they are organic. His banana bar has just three ingredients and has a strong banana flavor (that is real banana, nothing imitation). I bought an entire box.

Question of the blog: If you’re a fan of Dr. Weil, what’s your favorite part of the Weil lifestyle?

Got (Clean) Water?

So first there was the stream, but the streams got polluted. And then there was the tap, and then the pipes got rusty and the water ended up with pharmaceuticals in it. And then there was the plastic bottle, typically filled not with H2o from pristine sources but with city tap water . . . and served up in rather pervasive plastic bottles that aren't very good for us in the first place.

The debate about water is enough to make me want a drink—although, not a drink of water, of course.

So I showed up at the Go Green Expo (www.gogreenexpo.com) last weekend with a pink water bottle made of a type of plastic I was told was safe when I bought it months ago. Instantly, Debby, my green guru from Real Green Goods (www.realgreengoods.com) told me I needed to stop using that bottle. As always, though, she had a solution: Klean Kanteen (www.kleankanteen.com).

These cool bottles are all stainless steel. They won’t leech. They won’t break (at least, not easily). And they are meant to be used over and over again, so they won’t end up by the billions in our landfills.

I’ve been using mine all week, and even non-green people I know have commented on it. They’re that cool. Ditch the plastic and get your own canteen ASAP.

Question of the blog: What's your take on the water debate?

Do You Need an Eco Education? [I Did!]

I grew up with one optimistic parent and one pessimistic parent and find myself fluctuating between the two extremes. When it comes to green products, however, I’m utterly optimistic. At least I was . . . until I went to the Go Green Expo (www.gogreenexpo.com) in New York City this past weekend.

Wait—don’t get me wrong! The eco movement and many of its products are making great and admirable strides in taking care of Mother Earth. [Note: I’ll share some of my favorite green finds from the show in upcoming blogs.] What I’m talking about are all those big (and small) businesses trying to capitalize on the green movement to make some green of a different in-the-bank variety. These people don’t really care about the earth and often try to mask rather conventional products with natural-looking packaging and hot button key words and phrases.

They are green villains.

I so wanted to believe that all “green” products are truly green that I didn’t always bother to read the ingredients list or ask all the pertinent questions . . . and someone recently set me straight. Her name is Debby and she’s the owner of the earth-friendly department store, Real Green Goods (www.realgreengoods.com). Debby graciously invited me to participate with her as a Go Green Expo exhibitor and, while we were there, she gave me an eco education.

And here’s the secret: Don’t be fooled by clever marketing tactics and question everything. Ask things like, Where’s it made? Is it organic? Is it fair trade? Does it have “fragrance?” Is it genetically modified? Some of the answers will be found right on the packaging but you’ll occassionally have to call the company directly. When that happens, you may get answers or you may not. Some companies—even some "green" media darlings—won’t, for instance, reveal all their ingredients. If they won’t, you shouldn’t give them any of your hard-earned green.

Don't have time to do all that research? Prefer one source for the best in green living? Look to Debby for your own eco education. Debby can personally vouch for all the 400 or so products (400!!!) on www.realgreengoods.com. She’s already done the questioning for us and only carries products from companies that give her the right answers and meet her highest-of-the-high standards.

Because of her, we can all graduate with a degree in green—and with honors, naturally.

Question of the blog: Have you been fooled by misleading green marketing claims about a product or products you’ve purchased?

Did You Know Gotham’s Going Green?

I like to make a contribution to the green movement (in the form of a posting) every Monday through Friday, but you won’t hear from me tomorrow. I’ll be in-transit to New York City which, in honor of Earth Day, is hosting its first ever consumer eco show this weekend: Go Green Expo (www.gogreenexpo.com). I can’t wait to tell you all about it on Monday . . . unless, of course, I see you there.

Question of the blog: Did your city/town do anything special to celebrate Earth Day?

Will I See You in New York?

Go Green Expo (www.gogreenexpo.com) will be painting the town green at Hilton New York on April 26th and 27th. It’s an expo for environmentally conscious consumers and promises to be an impressive eco shopping experience. I’ll be there working with Real Green Goods (www.realgreengoods.com) but I’ll also be a consumer, filling up several cloth bags, I’m sure.

Question of the blog: Will I see you in New York?