Monday, July 30, 2012
Spoil the furriest member of your family with one of Pure Rest’s dog beds made from natural rubber and 100% organic cotton covers. These beds come equipped with several features that are perfect for your pup! The cushy rubber interior naturally cradles joints and helps inhibit bed bugs and dust mites. They are also chew resistant, but even if your canine insists on a taste test you can be sure that they’re not munching on harmful chemicals.
The rubber used is completely natural and free from volatile organic compounds. Finally, each bed comes with a cover that is super easy to remove and throw in the wash. This means that your dog can keep enjoying their luxury bed for a long time to come!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The loose elastic bottom is great for quick changes and can even double as a bubble hem dress. Cute, practical, eco-friendly and makes a great baby shower gift!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
- There is an endless supply of natural resources (for example: petroleum) on planet Earth. It doesn't matter how fast we use them because there will always be more.
- Garbage gets transported to a far away place where it magically disappears. Poof!
- Sustainability is really just about recycling. So long as plastic bottles and scrap paper get recycled everything will be okay.
Here’s why it’s all false:
- Unfortunately, the Earth’s natural resources are not in endless supply and we do need to be mindful of how quickly we use them. It’s true that some resources are renewable (for example: wood), but even those resources need to be harvested at a sustainable rate. In other words, don’t chop down all the trees before they have a chance to grow back! Petroleum, on the other hand, takes millions of years to form; therefore, it is not considered to be a renewable resource.
- There is no such thing as putting garbage or waste ‘away’. Burn it, bury it, or take it out to sea, it will always exist in one form or another. As my grade 10 science teacher used to say: “matter cannot be created or destroyed”. That’s right, Mr. Bonnel; I was actually listening!
- Recycling is good but re-using or re-purposing is even better. But using less is still best. After all, recycling requires energy and in some cases the quality of the material being recycled is reduced in the process.
Even if we’re relatively familiar with these concepts, the sad reality is that most industries still operate according to the unsustainable ‘take-make-waste’ model. A great way to change this, however, is to start supporting companies that agree take fewer resources and make less waste. Check out this short video by Carrotmob for a fun demonstration on the power of the consumer.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Whether your baby is crawling, walking or running, choose from a selection of adorable designs that you’re sure to fall in love with. Plus, all of Pedoodles’ shoes are made from eco-friendly materials and are fully CPSIA compliant.
Now that's more than just cute, that’s smart too!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
When you think about working out, think about Stylish Organic Family Living! Choose from our line of men’s active wear including a selection of tank tops, t-shirts, hoodies, pants and shorts - all designed by 4-rth (pronounced ‘for earth’). 4-rth uses a highly sustainable product called modal to produce their clothing, made from beech wood chips derived from sustainably farmed birch trees. Not only is this fabric extremely soft but it’s also extremely durable – perfect for your active lifestyle!
Monday, July 16, 2012
While some will argue that free trade is the gateway to economic growth, in my opinion, this is not always the case for developing nations because their sectors are challenged to compete with the influx of foreign goods. Even in situations where a country’s GDP rises due to a free trade agreement, it does not necessarily equate to a reduction in poverty at the individual level. This is a very complex topic but the main point I’m attempting to make is that free trade generally stands to benefit the interests of multinational corporations much more so than the interests of the people who actually live in developing nations.
This is why at StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com we aim to support businesses that adhere to the principles of fair trade. Take, for example, Revy Direct: a company that specializes in fair trade accessories made by artisans who live and work in El Salvador.
Revy provides their valued artisans with fair wages and long-term job security as well as transparency by sharing costs and pricing. The end result is a series of beautifully-crafted women’s accessories (including jewelry) made from natural products such as clay, bamboo, coconut shells and a variety of seeds.
Revy provides their valued artisans with fair wages and long-term job security as well as transparency by sharing costs and pricing. The end result is a series of beautifully-crafted women’s accessories (including jewelry) made from natural products such as clay, bamboo, coconut shells and a variety of seeds.
To learn more about the principles of fair trade, please visit the Fair Trade Resources Network site at http://www.fairtraderesource.org.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
If your list of ‘green’ to do items includes purchasing ‘green’ office furniture, Stylish Organic Family Living has you covered! Choose from our selection of office furnishings by Legaré Sustainable, produced from Moso bamboo.
Amazingly, this type of bamboo regenerates over 100 feet in height in less than 6 months, so it’s very sustainable in addition to being very strong. Furthermore, Legaré Sustainable has an eco-friendly 'carbonized' finish which is produced by a non-toxic kiln process, giving their furniture a rich golden-amber color.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
I’m ashamed to admit that while I’m below the North American average, I still have a long way to come in terms of greening my lifestyle.
Three ways I intend to lessen my impact include supporting more local farmers, taking shorter showers and using the clothes dryer as little as possible. These actions may seem insignificant in the grand scheme but if we could all take a few baby steps in the direction of sustainability then we could really make a big difference.
Three ways I intend to lessen my impact include supporting more local farmers, taking shorter showers and using the clothes dryer as little as possible. These actions may seem insignificant in the grand scheme but if we could all take a few baby steps in the direction of sustainability then we could really make a big difference.
Monday, July 09, 2012
The experts at the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) say that “skin is both a crucial physical barrier and a significant route of absorption of toxic substances”. They also say that babies, in particular, absorb more than adults due to the thinness of their skin. This means that we need to be especially selective with respect to the products we use to care for our young.
At Stylish Organic Family Living, we love Piper Tate skin care products because they are free of harsh chemicals, mineral oil, sulfates and parabens, making them the perfect choice for the whole family. Piper Tate gift sets work great as baby shower presents or just because.
Friday, July 06, 2012
Happy Friday, everyone! Why not kick off your shoes onto one of our handloom-woven jute rugs? Stylish yet understated, these beautiful area rugs are perfect in any home. Choose from a range of sizes and textures at StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com.
All of our jute rugs are provided by Anji Mountain, a US based company that is highly focussed on sustainability. No chemicals are used in treating or processing the natural fibers in their rugs so you can breathe easy knowing that your newly purchased jute rug won't off-gas. Here are some interesting facts on jute, provided by the experts at Anji Mountain:
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| Jute Kerala |
All of our jute rugs are provided by Anji Mountain, a US based company that is highly focussed on sustainability. No chemicals are used in treating or processing the natural fibers in their rugs so you can breathe easy knowing that your newly purchased jute rug won't off-gas. Here are some interesting facts on jute, provided by the experts at Anji Mountain:
- Long, soft and shiny fibers are among the strongest, most flexible vegetable fibers
- Nicknamed the “Golden Fiber” for its beautiful luster
- Exhibits naturally anti-static, insulating and moisture regulating properties
- Jute is predominantly farmed by approximately four million small farmers in India and Bangladesh and supports hundreds of thousands of workers in jute manufacturing (from raw material to yarn and finished products)
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| Jute Mirage |
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Looking for that perfect accent piece to add some style to your summer garden? Check out our colourful selection of super sleek outdoor benches by Botanist. Each design is made from recycled aluminum making them light weight and extremely durable. These benches are built to last so they won’t ever need to be touched-up or re-finished. Plus, they’re equipped with anti-theft security feet so you can be sure that your Botanist bench won’t disappear in the middle of the night!
Finally, these benches not only look good, they do good too! A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bench will go to a benefit partner foundation chosen by the bench designer.
Currently, Botanist supports 18 foundations, such as Green Dot Public Schools, Sierra Club, Special Olympics, and the Surfrider Foundation. For more information on the Botanist design team, check out their short video documentary:
Currently, Botanist supports 18 foundations, such as Green Dot Public Schools, Sierra Club, Special Olympics, and the Surfrider Foundation. For more information on the Botanist design team, check out their short video documentary:
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Happy Independence Day, America! At StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com we’re honouring our neighbours south of the border by highlighting Hempy’s, one of our favourite American designers.
Have a look at their stylish and functional Tri-Fold Hemp Wallet design.
Hemp is a great alternative to non-organic cotton because it doesn’t require pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to grow (McPherson, 2012).
Current tests also indicate that hemp has natural anti-bacterial properties (McPherson, 2012); a great quality to have in a wallet because it will collect germs from anywhere you set it down! For plenty of other wallet styles to choose from, check out StylishOrganicFamilyLiving’s men’s accessories catalogue.
Hemp is a great alternative to non-organic cotton because it doesn’t require pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to grow (McPherson, 2012). Current tests also indicate that hemp has natural anti-bacterial properties (McPherson, 2012); a great quality to have in a wallet because it will collect germs from anywhere you set it down! For plenty of other wallet styles to choose from, check out StylishOrganicFamilyLiving’s men’s accessories catalogue.
References:
McPherson, G. (2012). Organic fashion. Sustainable Living Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.sustainablelivingmagazine.org/green-goods
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Thankfully, there is an increasing awareness amongst hippies and non-hippies alike of some of the benefits of going au naturel. If you’re sitting somewhere on the fence, here are just a few of the reasons why you might want to consider committing to organic:
- Organic is good for the environment: Organic farmers work with nature instead of against it. Wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops (plants consumed by animals) in rotation and by preserving wetlands and other fragile ecosystems (Organic Trade Association, 2011). Plus, did you know that more energy is now used to produce synthetic fertilizers than to till, cultivate and harvest all of the crops in the U.S. (Island Superfoods, 2012)?
- Organic is good for you: According to the Organic Trade Association (2011), many of the pesticides that are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency were approved before they were linked through extensive research to cancer and other serious illnesses. 8.5 million tons of pesticides are dumped on cotton fields every year in America alone (AchooAllergy.com). If you want to prevent any more of these harmful chemicals from getting into the air, soil, water, and your body, stick to organic produce and durable goods.
- Organic is good for the ‘little guy’: The USDA reported that half of U.S. farm production in 1997 came from only 2% of farms (Organic Trade Association, 2011). Many small farms rely on organic agriculture as it provides an alternative market where producers can charge a fair price for their hard work.
I could probably write a book on all of the reasons why organic is best but the bottom line is that it truly is the way that nature intended. Now, thanks to the fabulous designers featured at StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com, you can look like a million bucks and enjoy all the benefits of starting a life organic!
References:
AchooAllergy. (2012). Organic farming: Better for you and the environment. Retrieved from http://www.achooallergy.com/article-organic-farming.asp
Goldberg, T. (September, 2006). Shop smart. Better Nutrition, 68(9).
Island Superfoods. (2012). Why organic? Retrieved from http://islandsuperfoods.com/why-organic
Organic Trade Association. (2011). 10 good reasons to go organic. Retrieved from http://www.ota.com/organic_and_you/10reasons.html
Rieple, A. & Singh, R. (2010). A value chain analysis of the organic cotton industry: The case of UK retailers and Indian suppliers. Ecological Economics, 69, 2292–2302.
Monday, July 02, 2012
As the owner of StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com I want you to feel good about your purchases, which is why we only deal with the very best of designers who have gone above and beyond industry standards to manufacture their products as sustainably as possible.
As the late Ray C. Anderson, adored Chairman and Founder of Interface Inc., once said: “sustainability is the journey of a lifetime”. With that message in mind, at StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com we promise that we will continue along the path to sustainability by making continuous improvements to our business model and service offerings. If you have an idea or a comment you would like to share, please do so. We would love to hear from you!
As the late Ray C. Anderson, adored Chairman and Founder of Interface Inc., once said: “sustainability is the journey of a lifetime”. With that message in mind, at StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com we promise that we will continue along the path to sustainability by making continuous improvements to our business model and service offerings. If you have an idea or a comment you would like to share, please do so. We would love to hear from you!
To all you fabulous Canadians out there, we hope you had an amazing Canada Day and that you’re enjoying a little rest and relaxation this holiday Monday. Be sure to check back for tomorrow’s post on reasons to buy organic!
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