Wonder where Sara gets her eco-fashions?
Or how to go organic on a budget?
Here are the answers to Sara's most frequently asked questions.
Q: Where does Sara get her eco-fashions, natural cosmetics and other green beauty products?
I get asked a lot about where I buy green fashions. I do a lot of my clothing shopping on-line or at certain boutiques around the country and I shop for cosmetics, more often than not, where I shop for my food - natural food stores. And while there are a number of fantastic companies doing really great work out there, here are just a few of my favorites.
Clothing & Accessories
Most of these offer on-line shopping so you can be in (eco) style no matter where you live!
- Under the Canopy
Patagonia
Del Forte Denim
Indigenous Designs
Melissa Joy Manning - Stuart and Brown
Kaight Boutique
Charmone Shoes
Simple Shoes
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Matt and Nat
Vamp Bags
Alkemie Jewelry
We Dream in Color
Cosmetics
There are certain products that I like from each of these lines as much for what isn't in them as for what is.
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Dr. Hauschka
Weleda
Jurlique Skin Care
Burt's Bees
Softlips Pure -
Korres Natural Products
Ecco Bella
Tarte Cosmetics
Perfect Organics - And my hair is always maintained by Jason Hagemier of Luxe Design Studio: 317-490-6745
For more product recommendations, see Sara Snow's Fresh Living.
Q: Organics can be expensive. Where should I spend my money?
This is a common question and a good one, especially with food and fuel prices on the rise.
My first recommendation is to look at the foods your family likes to eat most. If you eat a lot of apples, lettuce and pasta then buy organics for those foods first. This will have the greatest impact on your health as well as the health of our environment. If you eat animal products (meat, milk, eggs, cheese, etc.) you'll want to switch those over as soon as possible. If you can't find or can't afford organics for your animal products, at least select hormone and antibiotic free.
There have been a couple of studies done on fruits and vegetables to determine which are the cleanest (without pesticide and chemical residues) and which fall the other way. The Environmental Working Group did one such study and it resulted in a list they call the Dirty Dozen. It makes sense to buy organic for the items that fall into their dirty category; and that you might be able to save some money by sticking with conventional varieties of their cleanest twelve. According to the EWG list the following fruits and vegetables are the dirtiest twelve: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. On the other hand, onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mango, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and papaya are the cleanest. Find the full list at www.ewg.org or www.foodnews.org
Q: How can I buy organics in a small town with no Whole Foods?
Today many big box stores are stocking organic and natural foods in great amounts and variety. This is one trend that absolutely should be supported as it's making a difference for a lot of shoppers and healthy food producers all over.
Beyond that, shop your area farmers' markets or try a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it's a system by which you become a member of a farm by paying a seasonal membership fee, and, in exchange, you share in the farm's harvests. Because you're bypassing the middlemen in either case (CSA or farmers' market) you can get locally grown, usually organic produce for typically lower costs than you'd find in your grocery store.
It is worth mentioning that though many small farms are not USDA certified organic (the certification process can be quite expensive), farmers' markets offer the distinct advantage of allowing you-the shopper- to ask questions of the farmer himself. Ask if he sprays his crops with chemicals, or if he beef is grass fed, and so on. If you like what you hear, buy all that you can from him! Visit www.localharvest.org to find farmers' markets and CSA's by zip code.
Q: Which is better, organic or local?
Considering that the average American meal (or snack) travels 1500 miles to get to the plate we would do good to spend more time thinking on this. In fact, as your food travels it wastes a lot of two key things: (1) petroleum as it is carted by boat, plane or truck to your grocery store, and (2) freshness because foods that have to spend a week on a truck are picked well before they ripen, leaving you with a less nutrient dense and less nutritious food to eat.
I always choose local over organic if I know it came from a farm that grows without chemicals. Because I don't want to ingest unnecessary pesticides and other chemicals (and in the case of animal products: hormones and antibiotics) I seek out organic farmers that are local to my home. Then I buy as much as possible from them. One of the best ways to do this is to shop your local farmers markets or join a CSA. See the above question for more on this.
Q: How do I green my cleaning?
There are a number of natural cleaning product lines that clean extremely well and leave your home smelling more like a fresh field and less like a chemical spill. These are available at natural foods stores like Whole Foods and many are now carried in big box stores like Target and Walmart. Ecover makes my favorite dishwasher detergent, Method makes great sprays and soaps, Shaklee is excellent for basic cleaning, and ECOS makes an absolutely delicious smelling magnolia-lily laundry detergent. I also like Mrs. Myers for dish soap and Seventh Generation for their fragrance free sprays and their great wipes.
But, forget the products because there are a number of kitchen staples probably already in your pantry that will do a number on even your toughest cleaning challenges. And the best part is that they're natural and non-toxic. Baking soda is an excellent scouring agent, while tea tree oil (you'll find that among the supplements in your natural foods store) naturally inhibits bacteria, mold and fungus growth. For an all-purpose cleaner, fill an empty spray bottle with equal parts white distilled vinegar and water. This can be kept on hand for all-purpose cleaning around the home: use on countertops, glass surfaces, and tile. Combine two parts olive oil to one part lemon juice for a natural furniture polish. An old t-shirt makes a perfect "recycled materials" housecleaning rag for dusting and polishing. Mix a small amount of baking soda with liquid castile soap to get your countertops, sinks and tubs shiny. For a 'fresh smell' try adding a few drops of an essential oil like rosemary, orange or lavender. And a half-cup of distilled vinegar in your washing machine's rinse cycle will work like a natural fabric softener.
Q: Where can I find the Oatmeal Fruit Bars you made with Kate on "Jon and Kate Plus Eight?"
You'll find that recipe (Healthy Oatmeal Cookie Snacks) and many others on the Recipes page of this website.
