Food Tastes Better When It’s Fair Trade Certified
by Stephanie Rogers · 10/26/10
You know how every now and then, you take a bite of something and it’s so insanely good, your eyes involuntarily roll back into your head? Moments like those are few and far between for most of us, especially because food that divine is often outrageously decadent or made with rare, expensive ingredients. But sometimes what makes that food so delicious – even beyond brilliant flavor combinations and expert preparation – is the knowledge that every single aspect of its production was handled with the utmost care and responsibility.
Call me crazy, but for me, that’s why Fair Trade Certified foods taste even better than food made with the same exact ingredients but produced in a way that screws over the environment, workers and community that created it. Would you treat a bar of Hershey’s chocolate the same way that you’d treat a bar that is not only organic, but sourced directly from well-paid Mayan farmers? Nope. While you might scarf down a cheap candy bar without a thought, this chocolate is special.
For Fair Trade Month, I got to try a few certified food products including a bar of Green & Black’s dark chocolate, some La Yapa quinoa and a tin of Rishi Wild Berry loose tea. All of these products are certified by Fair Trade USA, an organization that ensures that products labeled ‘Fair Trade Certified’ meet strict criteria including fair price, fair labor conditions, direct trade without unnecessary middlemen, democratic dealings between the producers, community development and environmental sustainability.
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Eco Chick Giveaway: Cozy Scarf by Nepali TDM Design
by Haley · 10/25/10
The weather has been bitter in the morning this week and a scarf is a perfect add-on to keep warm. Collections of scarves are abundant in boutiques, however a dud scarf can break an otherwise chic outfit. Scarves should tie an outfit together. Bright scarves add a pop of color to a more subdued outfit, whereas a brown or black scarf tones down color. How to choose the right one? The best solution is to have a couple to choose from depending on your ensemble for the day.
Of course an eco-chick must have an adorable eco-conscious scarf, like these from TDM Design. The Nepali collection is a perfect solution for some eco-chic warmth.
Nepali began when the cofounder Michele Baldwin began to draw inspiration on her frequent trips to Nepal. She loved the vibrant colors and the natural fibers that the weavers used. Nepali was launched in 2007 and creates cute and sustainable scarves woven in Nepal. TDM Design works directly with women’s cottage industries in Nepal to support both women weavers and women’s craftsmanship.
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3 Amazing Fall Vegetarian Soups That Will Rock Your World
by Stephanie Rogers · 10/21/10
That’s right, I said these three soup recipes are amazing. And they’re vegetarian, no less. Maybe it’s not often that such a strong adjective is used in connection with light brothy concoctions that generally serve as an unremarkable precursor to a more satisfying meal. But have you ever had butternut squash soup with ravioli, quinoa soup with red chili pepper, or cream of roasted red pepper soup with basil-spinach puree? Okay then.
And while you’re at it, check out last year’s 3 super-satisfying soup recipes, which include garlic, chickpea and spinach soup, fat-free vegan red lentil curry soup and ginger gold apple and squash soup.
Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli
(image above and recipe via: foodie bride)
Foodie Bride calls this recipe, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, an “impulse soup”. I call it the most delicious squash-related meal I’ve ever had. Roasted butternut squash is surprisingly rich and creamy, and when paired with cheese ravioli, it’s filling as well. Not a fan of butternut squash? Try making some classic carrot soup with ginger and orange and adding some ravioli for a spicy variation.
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Breast Cancer Awareness: Go Green to Really Go Pink
by Stephanie Rogers · 10/19/10
We’re surrounded by endocrine-disrupting compounds at every turn, not to mention countless pesticides and other environmental toxins. Could all this chemical crap have ties to rising rates of breast cancer in women around the world? In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Breast Cancer Fund is highlighting its 2010 State of the Evidence report on how the disease is linked to all kinds of toxic substances, and you can’t afford not to read it.
A long string of recent studies cited in the report have linked breast cancer to everything from seemingly omnipresent BPA to air pollution. “Recent data demonstrate that early exposure to BPA leads to abnormalities in mammary tissue development that are observable even during gestation and are maintained into adulthood,” reads one sobering paragraph.
It’s easy to get lost in doom and gloom when the evidence is so overwhelming. For me, as someone who has struggled with hormone-related health problems associated with higher risk of cancer, the data can be downright frightening: who knew that sunscreen is often estrogenic?
Read the report. Get angry. Pass this information on to every woman you know. Then, take action. Don’t just go pink for a single month – go green for life. Your life. Ditch products packed with unpronounceable ingredients and go for natural alternatives. Stop consuming hormonally modified foods.
If you’re a regular Eco Chick reader, chances are you’re already doing a lot of positive things – in particular, reducing your exposure to toxic substances in personal care products and household products from cosmetics to cleaners. It can seem like an insurmountable challenge when you’re first starting out, but it gets easier – stick with it.
And there are plenty of other things you can do to lower your risk of developing breast cancer, even if you have a family history of the disease. The American Cancer Society recommends regular exercise, a healthy body weight and low consumption of alcoholic beverages as important ways to be proactive.
Want more tips? Check out the Breast Cancer Fund’s Twitter feed, which offers up simple ways to beat breast cancer in 140 characters or less.
Photo by Anthony Cain
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Fall Eco Fashion Beats the Chill In Style with Keds, Loomstate and Eileen Fisher Organics!
by Haley · 10/15/10
It’s official. Fall is off to a cool start! The best part about fall is the chance to start anew: new initiatives (turn off that a.c. and switch to eco-bulbs), new motivations (make lunch), and new clothes! You want to look street smart even when it is cold and this new apparel is both warm and eco-chic.
The limited-edition eco-conscious Loomstate poncho!
Since there’s been a chill in the air, there’s never been a better time to sport a cute overlayer. But with the season not quite winter the hustle and bustle of a thick wool coat overwhelms. Eco-Chick has a solution! In mid- October Loomstate, a men’s and women’s eco-conscious brand, presents their limited edition poncho in celebration of Barney’s CO-OP’s 25th Anniversary.
Pair the chic poncho with organic denim and prepare to be enviable!
The poncho is made from organic cotton canvas and recycled blankets. It’s cute brown and blue colors make it an essential wardrobe piece to pair with the cutest of cotton organic skinny jeans, for they go the best with the sneaks, like these from Eileen Fisher. Not only are these jeans made from cotton grown without pesticides, they are dyed (jean dyes are notoriously polluting) under the Global Organic Textile Standard. And if you’re not into this style, Eileen Fisher offers a whole line of organic denim on their site and in stores.
Made from non-polluting organic cotton canvas, these sneaks are eco-chic.
Sneakers are a must – whether you’re running around, walking home from work, or taking a stroll in a local pumpkin patch. Whatever you’re up to, cute comfortable sneakers are essential! Keds are superclassic and come in various colors – but this month they’re eco-chic too! Introducing Keds Organic Champions, chic footwear made from one-hundred percent organic cotton, stitched eyelets, and tea-stained laces. The sneakers are 55$ and can be purchased at www.keds.com.
Don’t back down for the fall chill. Beat it. Sport this super cute outfit and be an eco-chick.
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