Remember the Roll Calls from last year when I asked you guys what your skin care and beauty routines were? In the skin care post, I ashamedly confessed that I was using a Kiehl’s styling product in my hair. Well, I’m not using that anymore, courtesy of one baby-on-the-way. I’ve stopped using almost all makeup and I switched deodorant and other products to be as clean as possible for our daughter’s beginnings of life, and that included eliminating yucky hair products from my bathroom.

I knew it was going to be hard to find a natural hair product that actually worked. I’ve tried almost everything that natural foods stores have to offer, so I decided to be adventurous. Last summer Ted and I tried an old-fashioned shampoo bar from a company called J.R. Liggett’s. The company claimed that I wouldn’t need any conditioner, so the first time I tried it I went sans conditioner, and I skipped the styling product as well. My hair looked like a giant poof-ball once it dried, and it was difficult to manage. So, the next day I rubbed some coconut oil through my hair before shampooing, and then I used conditioner after the shampoo bar. Bingo. I took me about a week to figure out the balance of coconut oil to shampoo that my hair needs, but once I got it down there’s been no going back.

You might be wondering if my hair looks like hippie hair now. On the contrary, it looks healthier than before I switched to the Liggett’s bar shampoo. I can blow it dry like I did before, and it looks shiny and great. Nobody knows I’ve switched at all, and I get compliments all the time. I’ve been using this shampoo for almost a year now, and the only weird thing about it is the looks I get in the gym shower… The women there must think I’m running a bar of soap through my hair. I’ve been using this shampoo for almost a year now, and I absolutely love it. If you’re going to give it a try, I would say to wait until you have a week to yourself to figure it out. That way you won’t have to show up at work looking like you stuck your finger in a socket if you don’t use enough coconut oil, or looking like your hair is oily if you use too much. After about a week of trial-and-error, you’ll be ready to use this shampoo every day.

I will say that when my hair is really oily, I don’t put any coconut oil in before I shower. Also, if my hair has been flat lately, I won’t use much (or any) conditioner. I like using Aubrey Organics’ Honeysuckle Rose conditioner with this shampoo, the smell is complimentary and I’m keeping the chemicals out of our bathroom. But I’m going to have to switch to something less heavy for the summer, like their Glycogen Protein Balancing Conditioner, or maybe even their Egyptian Henna Cream Rinse. Pregnancy has given me a nice full head of hair, but it certainly doesn’t need any help in the shininess department.

Give J.R. Liggett’s shampoo a shot, it certainly can’t hurt and it might help to reduce the chemicals in your routine even further. Ted loves this shampoo, being a typical male he uses only the shampoo bar and soap during his showers. I have really frizzy, problematic hair, so if this product works for me, it will probably work for you too. Give it a week and see what you think. Good luck!

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I received an email today from New Leaf Paper that included news of its partnership with Office Depot on a line of notebooks for sale in their stores. I checked on Office Depot’s website and see four products, which range from a $2.39 composition book (30% post-consumer recycled content) to a cute-covered $5.99 college ruled notebook (100% post-consumer content).

I’m partial to the Recycled Fashion Notebook. The “fashion” designation cracks me up, since it must have been given that title because it comes in… wait for it… four different colors. I’m a fan of simplicity, so these notebooks are appealing to me. Their post-consumer recycled content is 40%, so I could do better by buying one of the company’s 100% post-consumer content notebooks. But at $3.29, my favorite ones are a good buy, and they’re much better than the typical notebooks sold elsewhere.

The email also mentioned some of New Leaf’s products being sold for a limited time at Target in honor of Earth Day, but a search of Target’s site gave me no results. You may have to go into Target to find the products, and I’m not sure whether or not all Target stores are carrying them. Still, it’s worth a shot, especially since it reaffirms to these large chain stores that their customers care about the environment. Plus, you get cute notebooks. It’s a win/win.

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As you guys know, I’m a Late July fan. At Expo, they were debuting their new Mini-Cookies, which come in Milk and White chocolate.* I tried both, and while I wasn’t wowed by the Milk chocolate version, the White chocolate cookies were amazing. They’re a little different than the full-sized cookies from the company, so you should give the Minis a shot regardless of whether or not you like the larger ones.

These cookies would also be a perfect addition to kids’ lunches. They’re a new product, and the Late July blog says they’ll be rolling out in stores during the next few weeks. So, if you’d like to buy these Mini-cookies, ask someone at your favorite natural foods store to carry them.

The best part about these Mini cookies is that Late July is giving 10% of their profits from this product line to the Jane Goodall Institute. The new Minis also have the Jane Goodall stamp off approval, with each package proudly displaying the “Good for All” seal given by the Jane Goodall Institute to ethically produced products. The Institute partners with a handful of brands, like Theo Chocolate and Green Mountain Coffee, and I think that Late July is a good match for the Institute.

In other, sadder news, I’d like to say I’m sorry about the passing away of Nicole Dawes’ father, Stephen Bernard. They founded Late July together in 2003, and he succumbed to cancer last week. You can read Nicole’s tribute to her father on her blog. Here is what Nicole says about her father’s wishes:

In lieu of flowers, it was his desire that you make a donation to the Jimmy Fund (www.jimmyfund.org), his favorite charity, and that you go out and make a sizable purchase from your favorite small food business.

So, I’m going to buy a case of product from a couple of companies I love today, and I’m going to ask the grocery buyer at my local Whole Foods to carry the new Late July Mini-Cookies in their store. Hopefully you guys will do the same…

*Okay, so the samples I received at the show say “Dark chocolate” and “Vanilla Bean.” I’m sending an email to the company for clarification, and I’ll let you guys know what the deal is.

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While I was at Expo, I got so caught up talking to several wonderful people that I totally failed on by goal of blogging from the show floor. Also, my poor feet were so swollen after walking the show that I had to plant my pregnant ass in a nearby hotel lobby for two hours while I put my feet up. Not an excuse, but still.

We have been on vacation for the last several days, and we return home tomorrow. I’ll have plenty to say about the show, so check back!

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Greetings from Anaheim, California. I’m here to attend ExpoWest, a large trade show focused around natural and organic products. I’m writing from my iPhone, which is pretty cool but has a few limitations. I can’t link, which is annoying… But I can add photos, so hopefully you guys can expect to see a few shots throughout tomorrow.

We’ll see how it goes, I’m excited to try this out. Mostly I’m looking forward to seeing familiar faces at my favorite companies, and finding new stuff to share with all of you. I’ll keep you posted!

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Here’s a fun quiz if you’re needing a little distraction today: How much of your body could be recycled?

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One of the side effects of being pregnant that I was NOT prepared for is the constant hunger. That, and I can only eat about two thirds of what I used to consider a normal portion size at a time. As a result, I’ve been grazing my way through the last four months. This wasn’t easy to adjust to since I’d been a strict three-meals-a-day person before. It’s not unlike being a sloth: if I’m not busy sleeping, I’m guaranteed to be munching on something.

You’d think that constant snacking wouldn’t be that bad, but believe me, you get really sick of certain foods very quickly. For instance, I’m sick of toast. Who gets sick of toast? And if I never see another soda cracker, I’d be perfectly happy. I’m also unbelievably tired of yogurt, but it’s one of those foods that keeps me going, so I continue to eat it. I can’t just not eat; the hunger I feel is a deep, animal hunger that makes me crazy if I don’t eat something before I go into the red zone. It’s become a game of keeping as wide a variety of snacks in the house as possible. This way I don’t get as bored with the selection, and I avoid getting crazed with hunger and shoving the first cheeseburger I can find into my face.

When an American hears the term “snack foods,” they typically think of chips, pretzels, candy, cookies, and the like. Besides lacking any nutrition, these foods aren’t exactly great for my growing waistline. I’ve been creative about finding healthy snacks because, let’s be honest, veggie sticks aren’t the most appealing option out there. Here are some of the things I’ve been snacking on:

-plain yogurt with agave nectar
-dried mango slices
-roasted sunflower seeds
-fruit (bananas, pears, apples, citrus)
-trail mix
-prunes (yes, prunes)
-celery sticks and peanut butter
-bread and cheese
-grape tomatoes
-baby carrots and Ranch dressing or hummus

I’ll also cop to eating the occasional cookie with milk, and sometimes I’ll have a little chocolate pudding after lunch. I’m not being perfect all the time. What would be the fun of being pregnant if I didn’t indulge now and then? But I’m trying to manage the weight gain, because apparently I’m not one of those women who can eat whatever they want and look completely non-pregnant until they turn to the side. No, you can definitely tell there’s something going on with me from ANY angle. So I stick to the healthier list for the most part, and I’m trying to be good.

Eating this way has made me think about how humans eat in general. I mean, this grazing habit is probably more akin to the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. You find some berries, you snack on them. There’s no burger joint down on the corner when you’re living in nature, so you eat when you find food, right? And when you at this way, you eat smaller amounts of things, but you eat such a wide variety of foods throughout the day. Though I don’t think I’ll keep up the grazing habit once this is over, I would like to incorporate the idea of smaller amounts of a larger variety of foods, and I think this can be done for all three meals each day. I’m looking forward to trying it out. But for now, I’ll just keep on fending off my burger cravings the best way I can.

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Since my posting has been admittedly spotty for the last few months, I figure I should share the reason why: I’m pregnant. While that’s not really a reason in itself, it was the morning sickness in the beginning that made it nearly impossible to look at a screen for too long. I’m not going to share details, so I’ll just say that I’m feeling much, much better now that I’m four months along.

While I’d like to keep this blog from becoming completely baby-centric, there will be more baby- and child-related posts coming through. It’s what’s on my mind, so it’s what I’m going to write about. Of course, it’s not the only thing on my mind, so don’t fear if you’re less than enamored with the idea of baby products.

While I may have babies on the brain, it’s made me even more particular about what I put in and on my body. I’m also thinking more about the kind of world we’re living in and what doing my part requires. My thinking has begun to shift in all the stereotypical, predictable ways that parents talk about, and I couldn’t be happier. Bringing a new little person into the world is a great reminder about why I strive to make the best decisions I can, and it’s really making me want to be a better person. (See? Stereotypical.) I couldn’t be happier about the changes in my life right now (well, the weight gain isn’t all that exciting) and I hope that by sharing some of what I’m thinking here it will only enrich my goal with the site, which is to share every resource I have about living sustainably with the world at large.

Thanks for continuing to read the site for what has almost been three years, I’m excited to continue this journey together!

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I’ve been hearing about this for a few days now, but today I decided to see for myself what PETA’S Save the Sea Kittens campaign is all about. What are Sea Kittens, you ask? Fish. They’re fish. Regular old fish.

In yet another ill-advised and ridiculous attempt to get people to reconsider eating animals, they’re trying to rename fish as “sea kittens.” Do they seriously believe that this campaign will do any good? Sure, it’s getting them attention. I’m writing about it, and so are a lot of other people. But does attention like this ever translate into effectiveness? My feeling is that they’re being counter-productive by making themselves look silly.

Besides, have you ever seen a fish? I mean, have you ever really stared a live fish in the eye? If you’ve ever been fishing, you know what I mean. While goldfish are cute and everything, a bigger fish is pretty damn ugly, if we’re being real. Their eyes are gross, and some of them have these weird whisker-type things on their face. Also, scales are incredibly nasty.

Do you remember Sea-Monkeys? I may be dating myself as a child of the 80’s here, but they were advertised as these cute little sea-dwelling creatures that were playful and happy. Naturally, we ordered some, and do you know what they were? Brine shrimp. Definitely NOT cute. In fact, after about a week, they started eating each other until just a handful of fat Sea-Monkeys were left in the container, burping up little bits of Sea-Monkey now and then. It was horrible. THIS is what I think of when I hear the term “Sea Kittens.”

If you’re vegan, I completely respect your choice and think it’s great. Ted and I did a stint as vegans, so I can appreciate how difficult it is, and even now we eat mainly vegetarian foods. But fish is the main staple of diets around the world in various cultures, and somehow I doubt that using cute Japanese-style illustrations of fish will make the Japanese (or anyone else) stop eating fish. There are also a lot of pescatarians who opt to eat fish rather than meat proteins because of their love of animals. Veganism isn’t for everybody, despite what PETA says, and I think that trying to sway fish-eaters is a waste of marketing dollars. There are still a lot of mistreated animals who need better living conditions. While I agree that the way is which fish are raised commercially has several problems, this stupid “Sea Kittens” campaign says nothing about that.

The Sea Kittens page is trying so hard to make fish cute, and it’s just not working. They have a “Bedtime Stories” section that’s a pointless exercise in anthropomorphism, and their Create Your Own Sea Kitten feature is dumb. Really. Does dressing a fish animation in a pink dress and a tiara really make people care? And why does PETA keep talking about fish litter boxes? Are they insane?

As an organization known for its childish antics and condescending attitude, the Sea Kittens stunt will do nothing to change public opinion of the organization, and I just don’t see how it could possibly change anyone’s mind. Fish are ugly, and they’re delicious. Why not choose an animal that’s actually cute to begin with? I have to classify this campaign as yet another of PETA’s horrible ideas.

Hmm, maybe I’ll have fish for dinner. Sea Kittens are delicious!

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Okay guys, I’m back! Sorry about the lull, it’s been like an extended vacation of sorts. I have lots of good info and stories to share, which I’ll eventually get around to… soon.

One bit of news: I’ve decided to discontinue writing the Monthly Meals. I know, some of you really liked them. It’s just that they became such a chore, that writing wasn’t any fun when I knew I had one coming up. I’ll still post recipes occasionally, I like sharing them here. But the pressure of writing a long, complicated set of recipes each month will be alleviated, and I already feel relieved.

So, no more Monthly Meals, but otherwise The Sustainable Scoop will be back in full swing. Here goes nothing, 2009!

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The holiday season is usually associated with consumerism, which is bumming a lot of you out this year. Ted and I considered making everyone’s gift this year, but in the end, we just couldn’t be that lame. So we’ve found ways to give gifts that we can get behind ethically, that also are a little easier on the wallet than what we might have sprung for, say, last year. This year’s Gift Guide reflects both of these desires. It’s full of goodies that are good at heart, and I tried to be respectful of price, too. Though economics hasn’t been good to many of us this year, there’s no reason we can’t still be good to each other.

So, with no further ado, here are some sustainable gifts for the people you love!

FOR THE MUSIC LOVER

These record coasters from Uncommon Goods are exceptionally cool. They’re made from the centers of old LPs, and they’re sealed so they’re water-tight. Each set of six coasters is made from actual recycled records, so each set will be different. {$18}

FOR THE TRAVELER

The To-Go Ware bamboo utensil sets and tiffen carrier have both been updated with sleek new lines and pretty fabric, making this Action Pack a great gift for someone who’s constantly on the go. The bamboo utensil carrier now comes in lots of different designs, which you can choose from. The carrier has two tiers for food storage and a lid that functions as a plate. It also comes with a cute little “mini-tiffin,” not shown in the photo above, that is handy for sauces and dressings. {$32}

FOR THE MOVIE BUFF

The Greening of Southie is a movie about the Macallen building, South Boston’s first “green” building. This film was made by the guys who made King Corn, though it has more of a documentary feeling to it. Southie chronicles the issues faced by the developers, which include finding source materials, dealing with new products, and selling these new green units to Bostonians. The movie also shows the progress made by the construction workers on the project, who begin mostly baffled by the idea of a “green” building and, by the end, are really proud about working on the project. It’s a nice look into the world of green construction, and you won’t be disappointed by the endlessly entertaining workers who get lots of well-deserved face time. {$19.95}

FOR THE CALENDAR GIRL

If you know someone who always has the most beautiful calendars posted in her office, then the 2009 Nikki McClure calendar is for her. McClure makes the most amazing artwork from cut paper, which gives her beautiful designs an expressionist edge. These calendars are printed with soy ink. {$16}

FOR THE KIDS

This kids’ indoor gardening set from Clean Air Gardening will encourage the young’uns to get into growing things. The three pots. trowel, and tray are all made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, which is very cool. The seeds included are for teddy bear sunflowers, zinnias, and basil, and it even comes with soil. {$29.99}

FOR A NEW BABY

This organic cotton baby onesie from the Gap is adorable. Get it for the babies (and new parents) on your list, and throw in a matching hat for the coming cold weather. {$19.50}

FOR MOM

This organic cotton robe from Under the Canopy is super-comfortable (I should know, I have one). Its one-size-fits-all sizing makes ordering easy, and its flattering silhouette looks nice on everyone. Your Mom will especially appreciate the fact that the robe ties are attached to the back of the robe, meaning they can’t get lost in the wash. {$48, but it’s 50% off for a limited time}

FOR A SWEETIE BIRD

I love this sweet bird ring from Uncommon Goods, and chances are that she will, too. The ring is made from recycled sterling silver by a husband-and-wife artist team in North Carolina. Let this ring perch on the finger of the girl in your life. {$45}

FOR THE LETTER WRITER

We all have that friend who adores to write letters, and you can bet they will love this wooden postcard set from Night Owl Paper Goods. The cards are made from sustainably harvested birch wood, and you can write on them like any other card. Each set of six includes envelopes, but the card I received from Jenni last year was deemed to cute to send, so it now hangs framed in my office. {$24}

FOR THE BAG LOVER

This awesome bag is made from post-consumer plastic bottles. (There are about 18 bottles used per yard of this fabric, if you wanted to know.) It has a few pockets and compartments, and the shoulder strap is padded. I love the color combination, and the recycled bottle fabric makes this bag a winner. {$40}

FOR THE APARTMENT DWELLER

These bamboo-covered bathroom countertop accessories are modern as well as mindful. You have to purchase each piece individually (price below is for the set), and the three accessories fit nicely into the bamboo tray (photo not to scale). They’ll liven up any apartment bathroom, and their use of sustainable bamboo makes a statement. {$31}

FOR THE HIKING-OBSESSED

Sigg water bottles are a timeless gift, and the company’s holiday bottle from REI will get lots of use during your friend’s hiking trips. The lining of this crack-resistant bottle won’t leach into drinks, and at the end of the bottle’s life it can be completely recycled. {$24.95}

FOR THE ECO-GEEK

This 500 GB hard drive from SimpleTech is made from aluminum and bamboo. The bamboo is grown near SimpleTech’s manufacturing facility so it doesn’t have to travel far, and it’s processed using steam only, no chemicals or varnishes. The aluminum is completely recyclable, ad the protective external drive and caps are made from 100% recycled newspaper. This gift is a little pricier than the rest, but it’s so unique that I just had to include it. Also, it’s on sale at Amazon, which makes the price comparable (or cheaper than) traditional hard drives of the same size. {$110, but on sale for $71 for a limited time on Amazon}

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Ted and I have the same exact argument every year. It goes like this:

Me: I want to get a Christmas tree this weekend!
Ted: Great, so we can have a tree that was sprayed with pesticides and shipped hundreds of miles dying in our living room?
Me: Grinch.
Ted: Well, Miss Sustainable Scoop, you know I’m right, don’t you?
Me: But… they’re pretty.

But, of course, I know he’s right. And getting a fake tree isn’t an option, since most fake tree manufacturers still use PVC in their trees, and I don’t need that off-gassing in my living room, thanks. So, this year, we’re going to solve the yearly tree dilemma by doing something new: we’re going to buy a live tree.

I don’t mean that we’re going to go cut down a live tree, which, actually, would be a good way for those of you who can find it to enjoy a Christmas tree that wasn’t shipped from five states over. No, we’re going to buy a tree in a pot, one that we can put outside during the rest of the year. Of course, this will be cumbersome and heavy, and eventually we will have to plant the tree when it gets to be too large to haul in and out every year. But we looked at the price of living trees, and it’s actually cheaper to get a standard-height live tree and use that for a few years that it is to buy a cut tree every single year.

Sustainable and cost-efficient? Ur doin it rite!

So, I’ll keep you updated on our new living tree experiment. I’ll let you know how it smells, how the ornaments look, and how the animals react to it. Basically, by the end of this holiday season, we’ll all know whether our live tree idea is brilliant, or brilliantly bad. Either way, this should be fun! Happy holidays!

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In case you’re wondering where I’ve run off to, I’ve caught the Super-Bug that’s been going around… I’ll be back to posting regularly again once I can finally drag myself out of bed once and for all. Take good care of yourselves!

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I know I’ve mentioned Late July crackers quite a few times before, but I’ve been on a new kick: their saltines are heavenly. I grew up loving Nabisco’s Premium saltines, which were delicious but full of nasty oils (the ingredient list includes soybean oil and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil). The Late July version isn’t quite as crisp and crumbly, but they use palm oil instead. Late July’s saltines are kind of like their Classic Rich crackers in texture, but they’re all saltine in taste. And it’s the flavor of these little salt wonders that I’ve been loving so much lately.

My only complaint is that these crackers to become a bit stale (read: soft) once the box has been opened a few days, but that’s a price I’m more than willing to pay for good ingredients. The flavor remains true even after the box has been open for a couple of weeks, so who cares if they’re slightly softer than preferred?

Here’s a tip: If you’re feeling kind of barfy, a handful of saltines and some ginger tea will help a lot. Works wonders for my epic motion sickness. Seriously, my tendency to get car sick while driving on straight roads has become legendary, and the saltine/ginger combination is the only thing I’ve found that will give me some relief. That’s my service announcement for the day!

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