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Archive for June, 2012

Natural Sunscreens for a Safe Summer Fun

Friday, June 29th, 2012

By Wendy

If you’re planning tons of trips to the beach with the family this summer, don’t forget to bring sunscreen. With skin cancer being the most common form of cancer in the US, we need to do our part to prevent too much sun exposure. You could potentially triple your risk of skin cancer by getting a sunburn once every two years.

To protect yourself and your family’s skin, here are some sunscreen products that are all natural, organic and will

Kabana Green Screen Organic Sunscreen SPF 20 Original – sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays, but also gluten free, corn free and vegan. It’s biodegradable and packaged in 100% recyclable material.

DO Natural Sunscreen SPF32 – with certified organic aloe, this new mineral sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays without any harsh chemicals or nano particles. 100% natural!

Aubrey Organics Natural Sun SPF30 – sunscreen to keep your skin hydrated and protected from UVA and UVB rays. Vegan and Gluten free.

Beyond Coastal Natural Sunscreen SPF30 – protects against UVA and UVB rays. Keeps skin nourished with their aloe vera, shea butter and vitamin c ingredients. Gluten free.

Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF30 Sunscreen- protects against a broad spectrum of UVA and UVB rays.  Made from 100% natural/organic ingredients. It’s also water resistant!

 

In addition to using sunscreen, are a few ways you can prevent overexposure from the sun:

- Stay in a shade, especially during the hours of 10am and 4pm to avoid the strongest sun

- Keep covered with hats, large umbrellas, and light long sleeved shirts

- Don’t forget the sunscreen on hard to reach places like your neck, elbows, and ears

- Put a small amount of sunscreen on your hair to avoid sun burning your scalp

- Wear sunglasses with UV ray protection to help prevent eye damage from the sun

- Have lip balm for your lips that have sun protection to keep them nourished and damage free

 

What other tips do you have for keeping your skin safe this summer?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

Magically Delicious Cereals

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

by Wendy

Nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This meal can help keep you focused, raise your metabolism, and control your weight. It’s even more important for kids to eat a healthy breakfast because it helps with their developing bodies and brains. Without regular consumption of food, there’s a possibility of creating physical, intellectual, and behavioral problems for them.

I’ve always been a breakfast person. And growing up, Lucky Charms was my go to cereal. The sweet toasted oat cereal, multi-color dehydrated marshmallows in shapes like hearts, stars, and rainbows, and ice cold milk were so much fun to eat.

Now that I’m older, I’d like to find something similar but healthier for you. Here are 3 options that would be great for the entire family to enjoy for breakfast and feel like a kid. They’re all made with whole grain oats, miniature marshmallow pieces and naturally low fat. Just magically delicious!

Bear River Valley Marshmallow Avalanche- made from toasted whole grain oats and marshmallows for a healthy and delicious cereal. Nothing artificial, no added saturated fat or hydrogenated oils, and no high fructose corn syrup. Their simple bag packaging creates 75% less consumer waste to dispose of than comparable box cereals. Bear River also used wind-generated electricity credits to make their cereals.

Sally’s Cereal Cereales Marshmallow Moment- breakfast cereal made of whole grain toasted oats with marshmallows that’s free of trans fat, cholesterol, no added saturated fat or hydrogenated oils, and no high fructose corn syrup. Each package is also packed in a bag without a box, which allows for less consumer packaging and less need to recycle.

Mom’s Best Naturals Mallow Oats- sweetened whole grain oat cereal with marshmallow pieces for a healthy and delicious breakfast. No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. No hydrogenated oil. No high fructose corn syrup. Being around since 1919, it’s an affordable and environmentally friendly cereal option.

What is your magically delicious go to cereal?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

 

3 Easy Ways to Cut Down Your Plastic Consumption

Monday, June 25th, 2012

by Wendy

We use plastic bags on a daily basis. But did you know approximately 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year and only 1 to 2% of them are being recycled. The plastic bags that don’t get recycled end up in landfills, littering oceans and causing widespread pollution. So what can we do cut down on our overall plastic consumption?

1- Cut down plastic bag usage by using reusable bags. I have these cute Sesame Street themed reusable bags from Envirosax. Envirosax creates great eco-friendly and inexpensive bags that can be reused over and over again. I think they’re light, washable, and fun to carry around since I using them to carry groceries, bring lunch to work. What I also love about them is they donate a percentage of its sales to charities and non-profit organizations dedicated to the preservation of the environment.

2- Stop using garbage bags and emptying your trash straight into the garbage bin. If you don’t like that option, you can try using recycled or biodegradable, compostable garbage bags. I use these Pridegreen Biodegradable Trash Bags I purchased on Amazon. These trash bags are made with green recyclable plastics and will completely break down and leave behind no harmful toxins.  And every 13 plastic bags saved equals enough petroleum to drive a car one mile.

3- Use reusable stainless steel or glass bottles for drinks instead of using plastic cups or bottles. This will help cut down the use of plastic water bottles at work, at home, and everywhere you go. Kleen Kanteen makes great steel water bottles that are durable, BPA-free and better for the environment. They come in all sizes that can be great for packing lunch for the kids or taking to work.

What are some other easy ways you can cut down your plastic usage?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

 

Lead Poisoning Threshold Lowered by CDC

Friday, June 22nd, 2012

by Wendy

The US Center for Disease Control recently made an announced the lowered the set lead poisoning threshold by half, making the number of cases of children under the age of 6 at risk to rise almost 6 times the previous average, from 77,000 to 442,000 cases.

Lead poisoning is toxic to everyone and no level of lead in your system is safe. It harms tissues and organs, such as the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, reproductive and nervous systems. Since lead poisoning also interferes with the development of the nervous system, it is especially toxic to children and can cause potential learning and behavior disabilities. Unsafe levels of lead in your blood can cause symptoms that range from headaches, stomach pains, anemia, confusion and irritability.

Let’s work to keep our children safe. Here are a few tips on how to remove and prevent any potential exposure of lead in your home environment:

Repair Chipped and Peeling Paint and Vacuum Frequently – paint, especially from older homes, can flack off, get into the air and settle on toys and other surfaces, such as carpet, tabletops and windowsills

Eliminate Lead-Containing Objects – such as bowls sealed with lead paint, some blinds, toys and jewelry that have stained glass, ink, paint, and plaster

Keeping Kids Hands Clean - wash their hands frequently and discourage them from putting them in their mouth to avoid picking up bacteria and other contaminates on the ground or on common surfaces

Increase Intake of Calcium and Iron – good nutrition can help reduce the amount of lead that’s absorbed in a child’s body

Run the Faucets in the Morning – helps to flush out the most contaminated water from old lead pipes

Use Only Cold Water from the Faucets – hot water contains higher amounts of lead than cold water

 

What are some other tips that can help prevent lead poisoning?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

Must Have Reference Books for Your Home

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

by Wendy

In this day and age, we’re always curious at what we’re putting on and into our bodies and looking for ways to eat better, feel younger, and stay healthier. Whether it’s the food we eat or the shampoo we use, we scan through aisles of products and see words like, organic, all natural, gluten free, and fat free being used.

And since we’re also trying to be more eco-friendly and more aware of what we give our families, taking a peek at the ingredients label has become more and more important. But what happens when we come across ingredients like Butylated Hydroxyanisole? What’s that? I wasn’t quite sure until I looked it up and found that it’s commonly used as an antioxidant and preservative in food, food packaging, animal feed, cosmetics, rubber, and petroleum products.

Here are 2 must have books for your home that can help you figure out what those labels are telling you:

A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives – This book will tell you all you need to know about more than 12,000 different ingredients that go into the food we eat. From preservatives, pesticides, and even growth hormones, you’ll learn about the items you’re purchasing from your supermarket shelves and what to avoid.

A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients – Cosmetics always have ingredients you’re not too sure about that promises to help you become “wrinkle free” or “get healthier skin”. Find out what they’re really putting into that bottle before you put it on your skin.

Be aware of what you’re putting into your body as well as your family. Making a few changes to what you put into your shopping cart can make a big difference.

What are your must have reference books for your home?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.