Nalgene Safety Info...

Ughhh...one of my daily necessities...my trusty Nalgene bottle is under great scrutiny. We must have a dozen of different shapes, sizes and colors of these bottles around the house. I try to help save the environment and give up bottled water and now I have to worry about WHAT?? BPA what?? Should I be worried?? Here's the scoop:

Nalgene Polycarbonate bottles are safe according to FDA regulations.

There has been a freak out about baby bottles and exposure and while the company & the FDA has determined our bottles are safe, consumer demand has led to a new line of BPA (Bisphenol-A) free products. I was unable to get the full comparison chart on here, but please check out the new line to see what you can use to replace your current bottle.

I am very proud to say that I have been using my Brita filter & Nalgene bottles for about four years and I didn't even know there was a campaign behind it! Just another bit of my hippie self coming out...I am behind this for sure! Get your fluoride & save the planet! Tap water is good! This is straight from the Nalgene FILTER FOR GOOD website:

Americans send about 38 billion water bottles a year to landfills. Considering the 1.5 million barrels of oil needed to make those bottles, the environmental impact of plastic bottle waste is truly staggering. That's why Brita and Nalgene have teamed up to create the FilterForGood pledge. It's a simple commitment to reduce your personal waste by giving up bottled water, even if it's just a few days each week. Together, filtered water and a reusable bottle are an ideal solution for going green at home and on the go. It's an easy change that can make a big difference.

My hot pink BPA containing bottle will definitely be replaced with this one!

The Economically & Environmentally Responsible Choice

So, we are moving in a few months and with that brings a plethora of changes, including the turning in of my company car in the event that I cannot transfer. We are currently planning the purchase of two new vehicles just in case. My husband (bless him) has been able to happily drive his 1993 Buick all this time with no major problems. He has taken impeccable care of it, but even so, every trip to the body shop results in a $600-700 repair bill so it is probably time to kiss the Regal goodbye. We are looking to replace it with a hybrid, just to do our part for the environment & cut down on costs since gas is seemingly never going to get cheaper. Since cars are not something he cares about (well, at least from an image standpoint) he has decided that the $3/day the prius would cost to commute to the hospital each day next year is quite appealing. It's not a fancy car, but a car is just a piece of metal that is usually overpriced and only depreciates in value everyday. Check out the impressive specs below:

The above is from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/. What is your footprint?

Do you have any experience with a Prius or a hybrid? I would love to hear from you if you do...

Happy New Year!

I am not one for resolutions but I think it is a good time of year to be reflective.

2007 was the best year I have had so far. I was able to create a little more, cook a little more, bake a little more, eat a little less, exercise a little more, love a little more and stress a little less. I will continue to do these things and hopefully make next year just as good as the last.

One thing I am going to work on this year is making small steps to reduce the amount of waste I (we) create. My 2008 initiative is reducing my use of plastic bags. They are so harmful for the environment, here are some facts:

• Americans throw away about 100 billion plastic bags annually, 0.6 percent of which are recycled.
• It takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to break down in a landfill, according to the Environmental Protection Agency
• Plastic bags are made from crude oil and natural gas, both nonrenewable resources
• For more on what bags to to our environment and our wild animals, visit here or here.

I went to Whole Foods yesterday and purchased my reusable 80% recycled bags. They are part of the a Better Bag campaign and I happen to think they are quite sassy! I figure, just by making this small change, that I can save at least 400 grocery bags from being used just this year alone. They were 99 cents each and if one breaks, you can bring it back to the store for a free exchange. They sure are making it easy. This is my new bag:

Additionally, I have two other ways to save excess waste when you shop. I try to get one large bag from the first retailer I visit, and add the additional purchases I make to that one bag. I also carry a large purse and actually use that extra space to carry small purchases that I don't need bags to carry. This might be the excuse you needed to go buy that fancy new big handbag you see in all those fashion mags! Somehow my husband might not see how my large handbag will save the environment, but its worth a try, right?!?