Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

10 Ways to Be a Green Valentine

Valentine’s Day is for lovers – and for people who love Nature, too! Here are a few natural ways to celebrate your special someone, with thanks to Fresh Flowers for sponsoring this post.

 Candles – Choose candles made from beeswax or soy as opposed to petroleum-based paraffin. They’ll burn cleaner and smoke less. I prefer those that are fragrance-free or scented with plant-based oils, such as essence of lavender, rose or orange blossom, rather than synthetic fragrances and perfumes that can trigger allergic reactions.

 Chocolate – Enjoy the abundance of organic, Fair Trade chocolates available, including truffles, bars, drops, powdered cocoa and even ice cream.  Look for them online, in neighborhood markets, or at specialty shoppes.

How to Plan an Eco Vacation That is Fun, Affordable, and Makes a Difference

Like the idea of being an eco-tourist, but not exactly sure what that means? Most of my trips meet three criteria: they're fun; affordable; and make a difference in some concrete way.

 The fun part is simple to define. I'm the "active adventurer with a cultural twist" type, so for me, a trip is really fun if it gives me a chance to hike, snorkel, scuba, mountain bike or otherwise get my adrenaline pumping, preferably in a place with gorgeous scenery that connects me to Mother Nature. But I also love exploring new cultures, enjoying the local art and restaurant scene, and meeting people who actually live where I'm just visiting.

What makes a trip fun for you?

Expense is always a factor, especially in this economy. Fortunately, there are more affordable options available than ever before. From couch surfing to camping to hostels and the budget hotels you can find through companies like Accor, our sponsors for this post, it should be possible to locate accommodations within your price range almost anywhere you want to go.

Planning a Trip to Europe? Ride a Bike When You Get There.

According to cycletoworkday.org, there are currently more than 760,000 commuters cycling to work regularly in the UK alone. This two-wheeled trend is happening all over Europe, with bike hire schemes becoming one of the most popular ways for vacationers and holiday makers to explore a city. 

Because hiring or renting a bike is so flexible, travelers can design their own personal tour and see a city at their own pace. Because biking uses pedal power rather than fossil fuels, it's also a great way to see the sites without contributing to air pollution or climate change. Travel comparison site momondo, the sponsors of this post, have created this helpful round up of five top European cities and their top tips on how to make the most of their bike hire schemes.

If you've rented a bike before while on vacation, or you regularly commute to work by bike, please share your experiences with us.

NOTE: Sponsorships allow us to bring you excellent content and expertise at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks.

 

Butter for Your Hands, Not Your Bread, Plus Much More from EcoCentric Mom

 It's that time of year when my hands are starting to feel so dry, you'd think I lived in the desert. Nope, it's just winter setting in, along with its prescription for cracking skin and painfully tight dryness. Happily, this month's EcoCentric Mom subscription box included butter - hand butter that is, made by The Seaweed Bath Co. from shea butter, neem oil and bladderwrack seaweed extract. I'm not sure what a bladderwrack is, but this balm feels great, and smells yummy, too, with a hint of citrus (or maybe that's what bladderwrack smells like...).

Not to leave lips at the mercy of winter, either, the subscription box also included both the 3 Little Girls Holistic Oange Pop Lip Gloss, and lip scrub and lip colour from Lauren Brooke cosmetiques. The organic sugar in the lip scrub helps smooth chapped lips, then moisturizes with organic lecithin and shea butter. The lip colour is infused with organic pomegranate and non-GMO vitamin E. And of course, the lip gloss is organic, too. Winter or summer, I actually put lip gloss on top of lip colour for extra moisturizing, so am glad to try out both these products.

"Green" Holiday Rentals Powered by Solar Energy

Green living doesn’t need to stop when you take a vacation. An increasing number of properties are available that offer close-to-nature lodgings that tread lightly on the earth. 

 

 Our sponsors at Perfect Stays, a UK-based rental or “letting” agency specializing in unique homes for holidays, special occasions, and short breaks, has drawn our attention to the properties at The Emerald, a five-acre estate in England’s Cornwall district that has achieved the UK’s highest level of sustainability (code level 6).

 

The properties include five different rental homes (including "Fern," pictured left) and several additional facilities (like an indoor swimming pool and a gym) powered by solar energy, to the point that the entire property is carbon neutral. Rainwater is captured from the roof, while grey water from the kitchen sink, bath, and shower is recycled to maximize water conservation and ensure water is abundantly available for the landscape as well as the house. Waste paper is recycled on the property. Lights are illuminated with energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs, though the properties are also designed to maximize use of sunlight indoors to minimize the need for electricity. Appliances are energy efficient and save water. Each house is cleaned with products free of toxic chemicals and compounds.  

 

Kitchens in the houses can be stocked with locally-sourced food, including milk, eggs, bread, and cheese. If you want to venture into the beautiful Cornwall region rather than hit amusement parks or shopping malls, you can go kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and paddle boarding at one of the nearby beaches. Or if you prefer, bicycle along the coast. Fine dining is available at local pubs rather than chain restaurants. Enjoy the region’s history at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, or at Pendennis Castle.

Use the 'So Kind' Registry to Simplify Your Holidays

 If right about now you're really fretting about the commercialism of the holidays, take a deep breath, settle back, and click on the SoKind Registry. It's a one-stop way to give meaningful gifts without getting caught up in the expensive "more stuff" trap that often bogs down even the most conscientious among us.

The registry is the brain child of the wonderful Center for a New American Dream, the same folks who have been inspiring people to simplify the holidays by focusing on what's meaningful, not only on what can be bought. The So Kind Registry works in two ways. One, it encourages people to create their own non- or not-too commercial wish lists for things like music lessons, homemade dinners, museum memberships, babysitting help, or their favorite charities. Two, it allows gift givers to skip the mall and a bunch of "stuff" in favor of making gifts of time or donations to people who would really enjoy and value them. Like the idea but don't know what to put on your registry? The website offers this handy list of gift ideas to get you thinking. 

Bats Aren't Zombies - and Other Reasons Why You Should Love Bats!

Bats get a bad rap on Halloween. They're the ultimate symbol of spooky, creepy creatures that most people would rather not come across. But that's not fair! According to Christina Kocer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Northeast Region, bats are among the most valuable animals on the planet. Christina says why, in this special guest post for the Big Green Purse community:

 It’s almost Halloween, and that means zombies, witches and images of bats silhouetted against a full moon abound.

Encountering a zombie does not sit well with me, but bats are a different story. Despite their spooky image, bats are far from terrifying, and I can assure you, they really don’t want anything to do with your hair.

 

What DON'T bats do?

 

As long as we are clearing the air, bats will not fly into your hair; will not suck your blood; will not try to eat you alive; and will not chew through your siding, your shutters, or your attic vents. The claim that all bats are rabid is yet another fear perpetuated by popular media.

Organic Halloween Candy Tastes Good, Too!

Organic Halloween candy is all the rage this year, and for good reason. It's sweet, flavorful, and free of the artificial dyes found in conventional candy. In fact, even though this candy is being marketed for Halloween, it makes a better alternative any time of the year.

Organic Halloween candy is easy to find online, but increasingly, neighborhood grocery stores and food coops are carrying it, too. Here's what to look for before the globlins and witches show up at your door Halloween night. Everything we've listed is made from organic ingredients and is free of artificial dyes and colors, artificial sweeteners, GMOs, and high fructose corn syrup. (NOTE: We sell most of this organic candy in our store to make it easier for you to shop. Remember that we earn a tiny commission on purchases, which helps us bring you expert content and product recommendations for free.)

YummyEarth Organic Lollipops - Buy a few bags of these "suckers" and you'll be set for the night. In eight luscious flavors:Yumwatermelon, blueberry, sour apple, pomegranate, mango, grape, strawberry and cherry.

Surf Sweets Gummy Bars - In addition to being made with organic fruit juice and sweeteners, the company donates 1% of the sales of its products to several environmental organizations, including Climate cycle, Healthy Child Healthy World, and EcoMom Alliance.

 Divine Chocolate - Buy these mini organic chocolate bites in either dark or milk chocolate.

Endangered Species Bug Bites - Choose from organic milk or dark chocolate Bug Bites and Chimp Mints.

Top 10 Cheap, Green Halloween Decorations You Can Reuse and Recycle

  Here's a list of my Top 10 green Halloween decorations. What's so green about them? They minimize plastic and trash, use less energy, can be easily reused or recycled, and save money. No doubt about it, shifting your spending to greener Halloween decorations helps protect the planet as well as your pocketbook. How can you beat that?

#1 LED Lights - These energy-saving lights have become all the rage for Christmas; now, you can use them at Halloween, too. Available in orange, purple, and white. Wrap them around your porch rail or door frame, or use them to light dark paths and stairs.

Green Halloween Costumes - Swap Before You Shop

Between now and Halloween, we're doing a series of posts to help you put the "eco" in EEK! Please send ideas for information you'd like us to cover. We're starting today with a post on Halloween costumes. Come back soon for our tips on non-toxic face paint, organic and natural candy and other treats, plastic-free decorations, and the ten best ways to use a pumpkin after Halloween is over.

 Halloween costumes give all of us a chance to be someone or something else. But this spooky holiday leaves its mark on the planet. Most costumes are treated as disposable, which means they end up in the trash when the partying and trick or treating are over. Commercial costumes (and decorations) can be expensive, too. All together, we Americans spend over $5 billion annually for this one-day celebration.

Here are some cheap, green alternatives: