Saving the earth- in style

Posted by: Wendy

When I first agreed to review Green Chic by Christie Matheson, I admit I was not prepared to be inspired.  Aside from the fact that the book arrived with another  unrequested book from the same publisher called  “Porn Stars Secrets of Sex”,  (note- bad practice for publicists)  the idea of combining the drive for style with earth friendly tips seemed dubious.    After all, it seems almost the purpose of fashion magazines to make us perpetual consumers. 

Although I have never  been much on following the latest style trends , having a family and  raising children who need the newest flair  or ever lowering  waistline to their jeans  has made me a consistent if reluctant consumer over and over again.  Green Chic  offers  well researched facts and suggestions  on everything  from home care, to transportation,  and  of course the fashionista staples of clothing, hair and makeup solutions.

What made me want to go back to Green Chic, was that Matheson, admits early on to being  a new environmentalist ,  and  she shares an  authentic journey of  transforming  her own life decisions based on her research.  I appreciated the places where she choose to  give up favorite fashion practices like nail polish as well as some that she couldn’t – deodorant.   Her honest  tone made the book  feel like a conversation I would have with a friend and not a preachy  list of “should do’s”.  

Where her book made a real impact in my own life choices was when I read the chapter about giving up  shopping bags.   From Christie,  I learned that  worldwide,  we use and throw away over a trillion shopping bags- Here in the US  that translates to  an average household disposing of  1000 plastic bags in a year.  Most of these bags end up in landfills where they take hundreds of years to degrade  and  because of their petroleum base they release toxic chemicals into the air, ground and water.  Even worse many bags end up in streams and rivers where they poison hundreds of thousands of animals per year.  The ten billion paper bags we use in this country, requires fourteen million trees to be cut down.  This is a problem where individual choices can go a long way.   And it felt  like a transformation of sorts, the day I decided I wasn’t  going to use another  disposable bag-paper or plastic.  So even when I have to run out to retrieve the bags from the car,  the satisfaction of  making this small but powerful change is liberating.  

Feeling free from any life habit inspires you to try out others and so the slow process of change which sustains itself  also inspires itself.    Christie’s also offers some great research for Bedroom accessories, which although it didn’t include my favorite love products, made a seriously good argument for organic cotton sheets.  Another shift I plan to investigate soon.  So even if you have never thought of yourself as fashion conscious ,  Green Chic is a great resource for  making informed and thoughtful choices on a  path to making your life greener and the world a little healthier.   

See the following link to purchase. www.amazon.com/Green-Chic-Saving-Earth-Style/dp/1402210825 

Filed under Sustainability, Families, Fair Trade, Shopping, Fashion, Health | Comment (1)

Guest Editor: Trish Smith - 10 Ways to Make Your Work Area Green

Posted by: Vicky

Enjoying an eco-lifestyle means living greener in all areas of your life. You may be taking environmentally friendly steps at home, but are you also doing it at work?

People spend almost 90% of their lives indoors, and for those people who work inside that equates to about 40 or more hours at your desk, office or cubicle. Whether you’re a student interning at a major corporation, a marketing associate making phone calls all day or an office assistant handling paperwork, you’re going to spend a majority of your time in one place all day.

So don’t you want your work space to be eco-friendly and energy efficient? It can be if you make some simple changes in your life.

1. Computer Conservation
For many people with desk jobs the computer is absolutely necessary to get things done. It is estimated that people waste over $1 billion in electricity every year just in computer use! To help conserve energy for your computer you can:

• Invest in an energy-saving computer, monitor and printer
• Switch to energy-saving settings
• Turn off your computer whenever you’re not using it
• Set it to sleep mode when you are away for short periods of time

2. Paperless is More
Do you really have to print out every email and handout? You can reduce paper waste by going paperless wherever possible. You can try to:

• Keep copies of important emails, files, manuals and more on your computer
• Don’t get any extra catalogues or magazines mailed to your office
• Get your check directly deposited instead of a waiting for a hard copy
• Send company updates through email instead of on paper
• Review any documents online instead of printing them out

3. Prioritize Your Paper Use
If you do use paper on a daily basis then you can make eco-friendly paper choices. Here are some things you can do:

• Buy recycled and chlorine-free paper
• Try paper made from organic products like bamboo, cotton or hemp
• Print on both sides of the paper
• Shred old paper to use as packing material
• Save and reuse old boxes
• Use old sheets of paper for scrap paper or note-taking

4. Recycle
There are many things in your office that you can recycle. If you don’t have a recycling station at work, start one on your own! You can get a few bins and post recycling guidelines above them. Some of them may include recycling:

• Paper products like copy paper, envelopes, magazines, etc.
• Cardboard boxes from shipped supplies
• Soda cans and plastic bottles
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic bags
• Ink cartridges

5. The Power of the Printer
The printer is one of the most used office items. Every day it cranks out tons of important faxes, emails and other documents. Here are some ways you make your printer use greener:

• Try not to print in color
• Use a printer that does double-sided copying
• Print in draft mode
• Use old paper with extra space to print small documents
• Recycle ink and toner cartridges

6. Air You Can Bare
It’s already bad enough that you have to worry about air pollution every time you walk outside, but it’s also a big priority when you work inside. Here are some ways that you can maintain a healthy air flow in your office:

• Use non-toxic cleaning products
• Open your windows to increase air flow
• Don’t smoke in or near the office
• Never bring any type of aerosol can to work
• Use an air purifier to get rid of contaminants

7. Travel with Care
The first part of your work day starts with you getting to work, and for many people that means driving. Cars emit tons of carbon dioxide gases into the air, contributing to global warming. Here are some things you can do for a green ride:

• Join a ride share group
• Take the train, bus or subway
• Ride a bike or walk if you live close enough
• Invest in a green car like a hybrid
• Reduce your travel by working from home whenever possible

8. Green Your Desk…Literally
Get a plant and place it on or near your desk. Or, even better, buy plants for all of your neighbors. They will not only see this as a friendly gesture, but they’ll also have cleaner air to breathe! Plants absorb indoor air pollution and increase the flow of oxygen, so get a green accessory to compliment your desk!

9. Food For Thought
Everyone looks forward to their lunch break. If you manage to save money by not going out to eat every day then you probably pack your lunch. You can follow these lunch tips to have healthier eating habits:

• Pack your lunch in a reusable lunch bag or box
• If you bring your lunch in a paper or plastic bag, reuse or recycle them
• Use plastic containers and silverware that can be washed and used again
• Switch to organic food and drinks
• Drink from the fountain or a water filtration system instead of brining water bottles
• Recycle your soda cans, bottles and aluminum foil
• Use a washable napkin instead of paper towels
• Walk to a lunch eatery if you forgot to pack it

10. Spread the Word
The best way to stay involved in the green scene at work is to get others involved. Share your practices and wisdom with your boss and coworkers. You can do this by:

• Encouraging the office to join or start a recycling program
• Purchasing company carbon credits
• Buying eco-friendly office products
• Setting up a carpool calendar
• Getting everyone to pack their lunch and eat together

Your work environment has a great impact on your personal and professional happiness and your emotional stability. If you enjoy how greening your life makes you feel, then there’s no better place to keep the tradition alive than at work!

About the Author:
Trish Smith is a copywriter for Green Student U, a blog-style site that introduces today’s students to a wide variety of global environmental issues by recognizing college campus green initiatives and personal success stories, as well as how the world is being shaped by environmental reform.

Filed under Pollution, Guest editor, Education, Recycling, Health, Power & Energy, Food | Comments (2)

Green pledges - Spring Update

Posted by: Anna-Lisa

Time flies! On March 20th it will officially be the start of spring, thus I thought it best to finally provide you all with a detailed update of my New Year Green Pledges which I first wrote about in the post titled Belated new year greetings and green pledges. 

I would like to highlight that I am not like Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way) so whilst I have worked very hard to fulfil my New Year Green Pledges there are areas in which I could perform better.  However as a vegan and activist, I agree with what Katleen Baum said in her recent GGG post with regards to vegans having to frequently defend themselves as they can be scrutinised and judged almost immediately as people like to try and trip you up to find a weakness or hypocrisy in your beliefs and actions.  

Anyhow moving swiftly on please find below an update of my pledges, if you have any questions just ask and if you can offer me any constructive advice / support then please do! 

Pledge 1 -  Buy no NEW clothes at all  

I am proud to announce that I have not brought any clothes at all! I am however recycling an old chunky scarf by unravelling it and knitting a cardigan.   

Pledge 2 – Make my vegan diet at least 80% organic, locally sourced and word free  

This pledge got off to a pretty good start but then instead of bananas and tofu, it turned out that during February it was caffeine and dark organic chocolate that was my weakness. However I am back to being super healthy again and practically living off a large weekly organic fruit and veg box containing approximately 80% locally sourced food but with some items such as peppers coming from Spain or Italy and occasional fruit from further afar (but not air freighted). 

However I can not live on fruit and veg alone as I would not get all my nutrients, so I have been supplementing my vegan diet with: 

Nuts - predominantly: 

Almonds (100g of Almonds contain 16.9g protein, 4.2mg iron, 250mg calcium, 20mg vitamin E, 3.1mg zinc and 0.92mg vitamin B2) 

Walnuts (100g walnuts contain 10.6g protein and 2.4mg iron) 

Almonds and Walnuts can be grown effectively in the UK. In fact through my local veg box scheme I recently purchased a large string bag full of shelled almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (I am slightly allergic to hazelnuts so passed these onto family and friends)  

When I purchase my next home (with the aim of hopefully staying there forever) I would like to plant a nut orchard comprising almonds, walnuts, sweet chestnut and also pine kernels which can be grown in the UK too.  

For further information about growing nuts in the UK please click here. 

Seeds – predominantly: 

Pumpkin seeds (100g pumpkin seeds contain 29g protein, 11.2mg iron and 1144mg phosphorous ) 

Sunflower seeds (100g sunflower seeds contain 24g protein and 7.1mg iron and 120mg calcium.) 

Flax seeds (100g flax seeds contain 18g protein, 255mg calcium, and 644mg phosphorus. Rich in Omega 3) 

Again all of these can be grown in the UK, however I don’t think that the seeds I sourced are of the
UK variety. (if anyone knows of a supplier – please let me know)  

Beans and Legumes – predominantly: 

Lentils: I incorporate dried puy lentils into my cooking at least once a week and whilst they can be grown in the UK (though not guaranteed with success) the lentils that I purchased were of European origin. (Puy lentils are originally from France)    

Dried beans are also included in my diet and it is quite easy to get UK sourced beans. You can make a range of interesting and exciting dishes with beans ranging from soups, pate’s, three bean chilli, Mexican wraps etc.  

Chickpeas have a major role in my diet as I absolutely love hummus! However in order to reduce packaging I have started to try and make my own from dried chickpeas, organic lemon and locally sourced garlic. Chickpeas are typically imported in from Asian countries however they are also grown commercially in Southern Europe too. However I am going to start reducing my hummus intake as I perhaps have rather a lot.  

Grains, cereal etc – predominantly: 

Oats (from Scotland), Wheat (from UK), Millet (not sure), Quinoa (Can be grown in Europe)Brown rice (the rice I got from the Co-Op said country of origin Italy – apparently Italy is the leading producer of rice in Europe) 

Herbal tea: 

Last year I harvested lots of herbs from my garden and when at home I enjoy pots of delicious herbal tea such as thyme, peppermint, rosemary, sage and also nettle (which is high in iron). At work I usually drink lots of tap water and also herbal infusions from teabags. 

Pledge update – conclusive remarks 

Whilst my diet is 100% vegan, at the moment it’s probably approximately 90% organic and only 60-70% locally sourced and word free. I don’t think that I will be able to have a 100% locally sourced healthy vegan diet until I am able to be more self sufficient and grow my own nuts and legumes.  

Pledge 3 - Grow more vegetables, herbs and fruits  

This is not convenient at the moment as I am about to begin the process of selling my house thus even if I sowed some vegetable seeds in my garden I may not be there to harvest them. However upon selling my house I will be completely downsizing and going to move from Nottingham to the South of England to live with my fiancé where we will be renting a bedroom from a live in land lady who also has another tenant (4 people in a 3 bed roomed houses is very eco friendly).  

In order to achieve my pledge of growing more fruit and veg (and also because I love gardening) I will be putting my name down for an allotment plot as soon as possible.  

Pledge 4 - Buy no presents – instead make them 

Forgive me for I have sinned. The last two presents I gave were store brought (books and cd’s) as opposed to home made, my excuse – I was too busy studying. I promise to try harder.  

Pledge 5 - Cycle instead of getting the bus  

I have walked to work on a few occasions (1 hour 20 mins) however I have yet to get my bike out and cycle to work. After Easter I WILL start cycling to work again.  

Filed under Gardening, Cycling, Sustainability, Health, Food | Comments (7)

How can a web design company be green & ethical? - Part 5

Posted by: Vicky

This is my final installment of articles about our experiences at Make Hay of working to be a green and ethical company. This article is related to my previous posts where I talked about using ethical suppliers and encouraging others with your ethical policy.

Just to recap, the previous articles were:

Part 1 - Powered by the Wind
Part 2 - Waste? What Waste?
Part 3 - Be a Smart Consumer
Part 4 - Live your Policy

PART 5 - MAKE ETHICAL FRIENDS

Starting out with an ethical business was sometimes an isolating experience for us. At that time there was not the huge number of like-minded entrepreneurs around us and we were often told that what we were trying to do was a bad idea.

If it wasn’t for the enthusiasm of the people we met via green blogs, directories and networks life would have been much more difficult.

Making ethical business friends does not necessarily mean you are running an ethical business but it certainly motivates you to keep learning and working harder to improve. Seeing more and more new ethical businesses appear shows that the market is growing and consumers want more responsible services. I strongly believe that there’s power in unity and making links with these businesses allows us to share ideas, good practice and collectively raise the profile of ethical entrepreneurship. If, collectively, ethical businesses can influence business practice as a whole then eventually ethical business won’t be unusual or alternative but just the way things are done.

Community Working

Another way that we have made friends here at Make Hay is by getting involved in local community groups and activities.

Some businesses align themselves with a charity and donate a percentage of their profits to that charity. This can work well for larger companies but for small businesses like ours there is another, more creative way to provide useful, substantial support; and that is to volunteer your expertise.

We are actively involved with a few community groups in this way. For example, we provide free Green Hosting and voluntary web designs services to All Ours. This is grassroots service which holds social sessions and cooks healthy, organic meals for people experiencing mental ill health. For the Gedling Fairtrade Group we provide voluntary web services and work on the steering group to raise awareness of Fairtrade issues in the local area. Additionally, we are currently providing voluntary web consultancy to the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust with a view to building them a new, accessible website this year.

Whatever type of business you run it is highly likely that you have a product or service that you can donate to someone who needs it. You don’t have to have lots and lots of spare money (and most small businesses don’t) just be able to give up a little of your spare time.

Making friends with individuals and groups within your community allows you to make tangible changes by doing what you do best - your ethical business.

What do you do?

Well I’ve talked quite a lot about Make Hay and the things we do to be an ethical business but there is always room for improvement and new things to learn.

I’d love to find out about other business owners’ experiences (good or bad), practices and ideas. Contact me at Make Hay, I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Filed under Business, Media, Fair Trade, Nature & wildlife, Health | Comments (2)

Guest Editor: Michelle Elaine Pham-Crepps - Positive Changes in Cosmetics

Posted by: Guest Editor

Do you know what is going on your face? Do you even stop to think about your morning ritual? Maybe you should. Everyone seems to have heard of lipsticks being tested for lead and mascara containing mercury. But what is the real harm of these chemicals and how prevalent are they?

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics recently tested a multitude of lipsticks on the current market for lead and found that 61 percent of lipsticks tested contained a detectable amount of this contaminant. Lead has been known to harm the developing brain of a child, and the government has already demanded its removal from gasoline and house paint, but not hair dye.

And that’s not all. Skin Deep (a thorough site that reviews all the harmful products in current cosmetics) found that when washing the mascara off your face every night, you may be washing a small dose of mercury right onto your eyes or face. Mercury in mascara has been known to damage brain function at low levels.

And this is just the makeup that you apply on a good day! What about the skincare products that you need to cleanse and refresh your face and body every morning and evening? Sodium laurel sulfate, found in common shampoos and cleansers can be potentially damaging, drying and cause irritation if left on the skin for prolonged periods of time. And parabens, which are the most commonly used preservatives in the United States have been known to cause skin irritations and rashes.

Luckily, there are brands out there trying to make a difference. These include Weleda, Burt’s Bees, Dr. Hauschka and Edelbio Skincare. Edelbio creates products that are Swiss-certified organic, dermatologist tested and safe for use on the most sensitive skin types, with no harmful chemicals. It’s nice to know that there are companies out there trying to positively change what we put on our skin. Now it’s up to us as consumers to start thinking about and buying products that are good for the environment and our bodies.

Filed under Guest editor, Shopping, Health | Comment (1)

The Woman Who Stopped Traffic

Posted by: Kate

If like me you have been glued to the channel 4 programme ‘The Woman Who Stopped Traffic’ you will be pleased to know that you can now join the campaign and put yourself on the U.K car free map. The map allows you to pledge a weekly car free journey and will work out your carbon saving.

For those of you who have not seen the inspirational Kris Murrin in action, the last in the series can be viewed on Tuesday evening at 9pm. In the final episode Kris will be in Durham encouraging residents to go car free for a day. I’m hoping she has more success here than in Boston and that the simple, sensible idea of everyone going car free for one day every week will catch on and that this wont be the last we hear of this campaign.

Kate

GreenFinder

Filed under Cycling, Transport, Health | Comment (1)

Review: Beyond Organic Skincare

Posted by: Vicky

I’m a yo-yo organic skincare products user, fluctuating between just not being able to afford it and then feeling after all that its well worth the extra cost. Every time I go back to organic moisturisers and face creams I remember the difference they make to your skin and how it feels - lighter, fresher and cleaner.

This week I’ve been trying out a few of Beyond Organic Skincare’s products and not been disappointed at all.

Beyond Organic Skincare is a family-run business based Cornwall and seeing the beautiful view they have from their workshop you can see why they’re so committed to caring for what’s natural. Impressively 90% of the ingredients of their skincare products are sourced from the West Country in the UK which must be no mean feat plus all of their ingredients are certified organic by the Biodynamic Agricultural Association (BDAA). They take care to ensure they provide a healthy working environment for staff and inform us that they’re committed to various environmental and fair trade issues.

A good start isn’t it? And that’s before we’ve tried their creams.

The Beyond Organic Skincare products I’ve been using are the:

• Moisturising Day Cream
• Rescue Salve
• Rejuvenating Serum
• Regenerating Night Cream

First of all I need to point out that when the pretty little bottle & pots of lotions arrived they were contained in simple packaging of tissue paper and a card box with an information leaflet, all of which could be recycled or composted.

These products have a very similar smell which is subtle, fresh and non-perfumey and the information sheet goes into detail about the qualities of the natural ingredients in each of them.

I’ve used the Moisturising Day Cream more than any of the others which worked well either with our without make-up. It has a lovely consistency a little bit like a mousse and at this time of year where our faces are being battered by cold wind and dry central heating it moisturised my skin well without being heavy.

The Rescue Salve is the serious cream of the bunch designed to help with skin irritations and inflammation and although I don’t have any of those problems I found it acted as a great lip balm and eye cream for that bit of extra protection.

Similarly the Rejuvenating Serum seems to provide that deeper hydration and again feels good to use around your eyes (especially if you have a few laughter - ahem - lines like me!) because it’s like an oil which according to Beyond Organic Skincare’s information is very similar to human sebum in the skin.

At night time the Regenerating Night Cream is soothing and I think that’s the marshmallow ingredient. Again this one especially good for these winter months that are so harsh and drying but I imagine would work just as well after a day in the sun.

I wouldn’t say that the price of Beyond Organic Skincare’s products are that different to their organic counterparts and you only seem to need to use a little at a time so it should go a long way.

You can buy online too so those of us who aren’t lucky enough to live in beautiful Cornwall can still enjoy them. There are several more products available aside from the 4 I’ve tried, including the intriguingly named ‘Boob & Butt Pick Me Up’.

Check out their website at www.beyondskincare.co.uk.

Filed under Business, Shopping, Health | Comments (3)

Going Green on Love Products

Posted by: Wendy

I have a cool job, or as my sixteen year old son would correct me, it is fresh… I get to imagine and  sell amazing love products.  My husband bought in to the concept because he of course gets to be the primary tester.  This is a real perk in a love products company.   I have learned a lot about product formulation and ingredients over the years,  but what I have learned about love and marriage has been even more inspiring. So here is the big key that I wish someone had told me years ago… the more you love your partner, the more loving they become.  

I started Good Clean Love in search of healthy and clean products for myself.  Good love products should make touching, kissing and smelling each other better.  They should be made with natural ingredients that actually interact with your brain and don’t leave nasty and sticky residue on your skin. The products you use for love, should make you feel like you are loving yourself and as far as I am concerned that leaves petro- chemicals and parabens out of the mix.  Surprisingly over 90% of the OTC lubes available are made with chemicals designed first for cars or oven cleaner.  Many women have severe reactions to these products and because they are all made with the same base ingredients, many women come to the false conclusion that they don’t like sex.   (It’s the products…)

Using good love products that are made with natural ingredients should invite the healthy exploration of touch and scent that can often be a more easily understood form of communication.   Sometimes it is good to give our words and voices a rest and let our bodies lead us to the communicating and bonding that they carry inside.  In fact, after decades of marriage, I would say that it is through the physical conversations that I connect with my husband in ways that words can’t come close.  This connection is where sex is making love.

Scent is the most basic reflex we have when it comes to sexual attraction.  Try and imagine kissing someone who smells bad to you…. Love products that capitalize on true scent are actually waking up the limbic part of your brain, where memory, sexuality and emotion are conveniently stored.  The gentle nudge of scents gets that arousal mechanism going and after kissing and massaging with aphrodisiac scents, your imagination (which is a really important sex organ) lets loose.  Cleopatra knew this, she was known to make love on a bed of rose petals 10 inches deep. 

Lubrication is at the core of good feelings in sexuality.  When you are young and fit, it is a natural mechanism that just happens, reminding you that you feel sexy.  As we age and experience more of life’s cycles (kids, nursing, illnesses and some medications) we often don’t get those messages from our body.  The cool thing, or well the fresh thing is this,  you can apply a good and natural lube to your body and wake up those arousal feelings yourself.  Your body can teach your brain at least as effectively as your brain teaching the body.   And face it,  any body part that is oiled, wet, slick and smooth is sexier than the same body part dry. 

Dig into Valentines Day with your whole body and pay attention to the ingredients- your most sensitive tissue deserves healthy and green products too.

Filed under Sustainability, Love & Relationships, Health | Comment (1)

The Smell of Life and Love

Posted by: Wendy

The scent of desire, it turns out has more to do with our biological imperative than we might have ever imagined. That magical x factor in seeking and connecting to your special someone is actually right under your nose- or at least in it. Author Rachel Herz’s new book The Scent of Desire will be the first of many volumes on the often overlooked olfactory system that will forever change how we think about our relationships. And even though I have long been promoting smell as our primary sexual sense, I had no idea that its reach went to the very core of the species regeneration.

Our sense of smell and what attracts or repels us, is blueprinted in our immunological gene structure called the MHC. Every individual’s own genetic scent makeup is as unique as their fingerprint. What’s more, when it comes to reproduction, the healthiest progeny comes from two individuals whose MHC is most distinct and different from each other. This assures that any offspring has the widest range of immune function and therefore is the most disease resistant. This actually makes perfect sense in terms of our biological imperative to go forth and multiply, but it also profoundly affects the whole courting process as well as the likelihood of making your love sustainable. MHC compatibility is a predictor of not only bearing healthy offspring, but relationship longevity and frequency of cheating on your partner.

Even more remarkable than the biological compatibility of scent between partners is the new recognition that our ability to smell is completely intertwined with our ability to feel.
Recent research on people who suffered anosmia (scent blind) usually from a traumatic injury to the head, shows that they also became unable to feel a wide range of emotions. “Our sense of smell and our emotional experience are fundamentally interconnected, bi-directionally communicative and functionally the same.”

Suddenly the axiom to “Wake up and smell the roses” is not just good advice but actually may save your life. Without scent, we lose the texture and depth that makes life the rich and varied tapestry that it is. Imagine not being able to smell or taste not just a ripe melon, but your lover, it would make the experience almost inaccessible. Practice smelling, indulge in scent and taste and bear witness to the emotional response that accompanies this. It will surprise you.

I have been promoting the use of true scent products that enhance your own natural chemistry for years, intuitively knowing that products made chemically are not just bad for your most sensitive tissue, but also covers up your own natural odor and may just interfere with our ability to find and smell our true mates. So take this message to heart and as you breathe- inhale deeply, build your vocabulary and experience of scent especially around the people you love most. It will make you feel better.

A great review of this topic can be found in the article Scents and Sensibility in this month’s issue of Psychology today(psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20071228-000001.xml ). The book is also definitely worth the price.

Filed under Families, Sustainability, Love & Relationships, Health | Comment (0)

Let the real games begin

Posted by: Wendy

If you were one of the millions waiting for the last minutes of yesterday’s superbowl, then you saw the million dollar invitation by Victoria’s Secret. A bigger than life beautiful girl, dropping the football and mouthing the words that millions of guys dream of hearing. I have to admit it was tasteful and said what we all know, that after the sports events are over- the real game is in our own bedroom. Or well, we hope it is anyway.

I had already been pondering this,watching the commercials and imagining the fun explosion of an ad I could have made for Good Clean Love- it wouldn’t have been just one beautiful girl making the invitation- It would have shown bodies of all sizes and colors and ages- finding the moment we all want so much- of passionate loving touch.

It seems like it should be available to any of us, and yet as the Jan 28thTime magazine article on Why We Love pointed out, our sexual lives are not always the one’s we imagined-” the out of breath, out of body, can you believe this is actually happening kind of sex… “. More often our sex life falls into either a routine, where life’s worries like balancing the checkbook meander through the intimacy or the more exciting and yet more demoralizing kind of sex that many of us experience, the kind that you are regretting even as it taking place.

Sexuality is a mystery, it lives in the non-rational parts of our soul, which is why illicit sex is so exciting and yet also so alienating. When carnal pleasure is so cut off from real life that the primary experience is guilt, even as you are doing it- then the irrational has gone too far. If on the other hand, you make your sexuality so small and narrow that it can fit into the small spaces left in the rationale day to day work of living with someone, then it can’t help but become redundant and routine.

For me, getting to that out of breath, can this be happening to me sex requires that I abandon, at least for a short time the roles that make up most of my waking life. It is a journey not a switch that I can just flip. It is about setting a stage, what ever that may be, but something that makes the time and space different and distinct from the other parts of my life. Scented oils and toys to enhance the voyage are arranged for easy access, slipping into lingerie helps me to remember that other part of me that can let go. Still, even with the props and costuming and lighting all set, there is a deep falling into my body that must happen so that I can feel and experience sensation without the noise in my head. Then there is room for other kinds of fantastic thoughts, you know the ones you didn’t know you had and wouldn’t repeat even to your lover - to show up to inspire the passage.

Really, the whole experience is overwhelmingly, wow, how do we talk about this- weird. But there it is, the real game of getting inside yourself, getting inside someone else, close enough to lose your breath. And you don’t even need a ball to play.

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