Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. I guess a new baby is as good an excuse as any. She's currently snoring away happily in her nursery, so I'm taking this opportunity to give you guys the update on what we've been up to. Olivia Anne Robb was born on August 10 at 2:09 am. She was born at home, a topic I'll probably bring up in another post. It was pretty incredible, I can't believe it happened almost three months ago. Olivia's a great baby, having her around has really changed the way I think about the word "sustainable." I find myself thinking about her future, what her generation will inherit from ...continue reading

Today I'm officially three weeks away from my due date, and on top of that, my midwives think I'm probably going to deliver our daughter a little bit early. So... I'm going to be taking an official break from the Scoop, just for a little while. I'm feeling the need to focus on getting ready for Olivia's arrival, which could be in a couple days or a couple of weeks. Only she knows for sure. :) I have missed writing regularly on this site, and I really look forward to getting back to writing once things have a chance to calm down a little bit. I'm not sure how long that will take, since I've never done this before, ...continue reading

Hi guys, it's been a while. Actually, I didn't realize how long it's been until just a few days ago. I've had a few things going on in the last several months, mostly health issues that took me a long time to correct. I was severely anemic for a few months, something I started correcting about a month and a half ago, and now I feel sooooo much better. I'd never been anemic before, so I wasn't aware of how down, tired, and sick it can make you feel. For a while I didn't feel like doing anything, and it was all I could do to finish the laundry and the dishes. So, note to the wise: take extra iron if you're pregnant. ...continue reading

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! ...continue reading

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! ...continue reading

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 ...continue reading

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 ...continue reading

As you've probably noticed, The Sustainable Scoop has a new design. There was nothing inherently wrong with the old design, exactly, though as I mentioned before I just couldn't seem to get away from the feeling that it was "formulated" somehow. In short, my personal blog had become much less personal, and I could feel myself beginning to lose interest. I chose this new design for several reasons, not the least of which are the features of this new theme. Thesis is by far the most comprehensive theme I've found, in both SEO and in design. I'm a designer by trade, but lately I've had a lot of work come my way, and I ...continue reading

I've been doing some thinking about this site, and I think I'm getting an idea of what I'd like to do with it. Frankly, it's become too predictable for me, and too formulated. I've found that there have been lots of times I've wanted to post a quick story about an experience I may have had, but because it didn't fit into any of the prescribed categories, I didn't post it. That has made it feel like I'm writing a magazine, not a blog, and I'd like to get back to a place where I can just write about my experiences in addition to product reviews and recipes. I'm thinking of ways to make the Scoop more personal, because ...continue reading

In July of 2006 I started this site in order to share my knowledge, to help people make their consumerism decisions by empowering them with information. This was an exciting idea, and so the site felt fresh, full of life. I couldn't stop writing posts, I felt bursting with ideas and information. The fact that my design business was slow certainly contributed, providing me with ample time to think up new posts. After about a year, people started asking me, But what will you DO with the site? What is its purpose? The implication was that a site like this should have a greater plan, a means of supporting itself. ...continue reading

I just updated the site to the newest release of Wordpress today, so let me know if you experience anything that seems weird or unexpected. Thanks! ...continue reading

This month marks the second anniversary of The Sustainable Scoop's creation, which was two years and five days ago. I'm always one to celebrate with music, so in honor of the site's two-year-old birthday, I've created a summer playlist for you guys to listen to. I tried to include a good cross-section of what I like to listen to in the summer: a mixture of classic & modern rock, a little electronic, and (of course) some good funk. I've also given away my late-80's/mid-90's adolescence by including songs from groups like the Chili Peppers and the Violent Femmes. Also: make sure you check out the drums on the Tower of ...continue reading

I know I haven't posted yet this week, it's mainly because my keyboard is on strike. The "o" button barely works, and the comma key is failing too. I need to get it fixed, but I have so much design work to do that I just can't take it in at the moment... So, for now, I'll have to use my iPhone, which isn't exactly the fastest way to write. Problems! ...continue reading

Last week I posted two roll-call entries asking you, dear readers, what your skin care and beauty routines are. And you answered! I loved reading your comments; I got some great new ideas for products to try, and I learned that I'm not the only one who uses the occasional conventional product here and there. I'm still re-reading the comments, because there's a lot to absorb. Thanks, everyone! In other news: May saw this site's highest number of page views since it began. Yay! I want to thank you all for continuing to read The Scoop, your readership is what keeps me excited to write entries. I love the little ...continue reading

After a long (but great) weekend at ExpoWest, we happily returned home late last night. I have stacks of notes on great new products, some seriously questionable practices, and updates on some of my favorite companies in the industry. I can't wait to share it all with you guys, but I need a little "me" time this morning so I can recover from the weekend's mayhem. I'll start sorting through my notes and posting this afternoon tomorrow, so check back to read more about the show. ...continue reading