Green Thinking Blog

Happy Thursday everyone! I’m feeling very festive today, and I’m looking forward to a great 4th of July weekend. To feed my appetite for fun, I found some great green products to share with you. Maybe you’ve been looking for a gift for a friend, or maybe you just need a little something for you. Either way, I hope you enjoy my eco-friendly finds.

I Am Not A Cup - Say goodbye to disposable cups at work. This porcelain coffee or tea cup has built-in insulation and a silicone lid that keeps your drinks warm.

Egglings - These ceramic egg look-a-likes actually sprout plants when you crack them open and water them (check out the 10 pictures on the site). Choose from basil, petunia, mint, chrysanthemum, spicy red pepper, wild strawberry, or prickly cactus. After three months, the plants can be replanted in soil.

Euro Cloths - The happy medium between a sponge and a paper towel. These dishwasher-safe cloths come in a three pack for $4.00. I’m definitely getting some of these so I can finally knock my paper towel habit.

SunNight BOGO Solar Task Light - This flashlight is powered by rechargeable batteries and sunlight. Take it out in the sun (even with clouds) for 8 hours and its ready to go! I’m sure Kate would love to sport this one on her next camping trip.

PLENTY Magazine - Grist.org recently named Plenty the best green lifestyle magazine. It’s winning over readers with recycled paper, bold design, and a mix of reading material including political matters, green lifestyle, tip sheets, and beautiful images. I’ll be subscribing to this one fa ’sho.

Also, check out this article to find out what chemists are doing to make fireworks more eco-friendly!

I originally posted this information on my health food and nutrition blog: Laurel On Health Food.

Women’s Health Magazine says grass-fed beef is where it’s at. Did you know that the majority of U.S. bovines feed on a mix of grains (mostly corn) instead of grass? Forcing cattle to eat a diet full of grains allows ranchers to fatten them up quicker and get the meat to our stores faster and cheaper. But, the quality of life for the bovines suffers as does the quality of our meat. Compared with a serving of grain-fed beef, healthier grass-fed beef has 1/3 less fat, almost twice the amount of omega-3s, twice the amount of conjugated linoleic acid (CLAs), and fewer cases of E. coli. (Ref: Women’s Health Magazine, July/August, p. 86-93)

Women’s Health says to look for black and white labels on your meat that say “GRASS-FED AND USDA PROCESS VERIFIED.” Also reach for labels that say “organic,” “antibiotic-free,” and “hormone-free.” The healthiest cuts of beef are: top sirloin, 95% lean ground beef, top round roast, sirloin tip steak side, bottom round roast, and eye round roast.

Grass-fed beef is also significantly better for the environment. Growing corn for feed produces a ton of greenhouse gases and also adds more chemical fertilizers to the soil. Every year, the U.S. grows 1.5 billion bushels of corn strictly for cow feed. Yikes! It takes 50% less fossil fuel energy to produce grass-fed beef as it does grain-fed.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, grass-fed beef is considerably more expensive. But, consider that the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that you eat less than 18 ounces per week. Save that steak dinner for special occasions or when you’re really having a craving. When you do, go ahead and splurge on the top-quality grass-fed kind. It tastes better too!