The soap kitchen's blog has been around long enough for me to realize there are many people that read our blog there is a mix of all kinds of people, good friends, family, our competitors and of course all the little haters. But,you will also notice I pretty much never mention their name. the main reason I do not mention my competitors name is that under no circumstances do I plan on giving them free advertising.

I think competition is one of the single most important things in business, I feel that it is one of the very few things that will keep business honest and give customers the best value without being ripped because there is no competition. Now with that said I think it’s important to point out that I treat all competition the same once they make it known that they are targeting our business, I try to make it very clear that The soap kitchen (TSK) is extremely competitive and DEDICATED ADDICTED to providing the best service, product, quality and prices PERIOD.

We very rarely will go after competition this is our first time writing about competition the first most important fact to remember is that we never attack a competitor first. As much as I love competition I also respect the fact that in small business there are families being directly impacted by today’s economy and a very competitive market. One thing I can thank my retail past for is my aggressive nature in ensuring that our customers know that we are damn serious about our customer service standards and commitment to the best prices.

Now, it was made very clear to me sometime ago while we participated at a fair a local craft store in Belmont hosted that for no reason what-so-ever would "they" our competition allow our prices to be lower than theirs and we were not welcomed in the soap industry at all! actually "they" would do what ever it takes to ensure our market share does not grow any further and they shall take what ever market share we have now.

Over the years we have had competitors that tried to challenge our pricing structures or just copy us period, just recently this same competitor specifically targeted one of our marketing terms that we have been using for years, I am more than confident that they are reading this now.. Let’s pause for a message to them real quick.

All products are all natural with no chemical preservatives or synthetic fragrances. Products are preserved naturally with Vitamin E or grapefruit extract. To provide fresh products using pure essential oils for their scents, therapeutic and anti-bacterial properties. We use only natural coloring, herbs and botanicals and other elements from the Earth.

This particular competitor has continued to do some very under-handed things to the soap kitchen.

Most of the competitors that have specifically targeted us over the years learned that I really have no fear in taking it to the max at any time, we take competition very seriously and if your going to target us you should probably make sure your ready to take it just as serious as we do.

The soap kitchen has been able in a short period of time to achieve great things, our business stands firmly planted on the ground and what ever we have accomplished thus far we have done it with lots of hard work and lots of sweat equity and not out of our affiliation with any "sweet daddy" that has political affiliations!

so bring it on we are ready!

 
 
We are ready to go! After months of preparation i can now say we are ready. Our soaps are made and packaged and looking beautiful.

The  CHOGM  Village  will  be  open  to  the  public  from  Saturday  14th  November  2009  to Thursday 24th December 2009. Only accredited persons
can access the village from 6pm Thursday November 26th to midnight Sunday November 29th 2009.   Like many of the successful events TDC has planned CHOGM village2009 would be an open forum where visiting delegates and media can learn  about Trinidad  and Tobago,  as well  as purchase  local  art,  food, souvenirs and other indigenous items from local artisans. The CHOGM  Village will be located at the Waterfront Area next to Hyatt Regency Hotel.

The Soap Kitchen's booth is strategically placed to ensure maximum access from all points of entry. You can't miss us!

As with most of these events there is always something to deal with. We had a bit of a problem to handle as we neared the start of CHOGM village, of course it could have been avoided if the persons that were responsible for planning did so effectively but The soap kitchen is always prepared to stand above the rest and above our competition and that's excatly what we did!
 
I must say thanks to our supporters, In the weeks leading up to Chogm 2009 we had lots of visitors to our website, we hope our participation in chogm 2009 would be an opportunity for many to experience for the first time some of the very best of local traditions old and new, it is also our hope to meet some of our avid followers and to continue to make our mark in making the best handmade soaps available in Trinidad and Tobago.  Soaps that actually work! soaps that are free from parabens, sls, synthetic additives and all other yucky stuff. Those of you that have been keepng up with the soap kitchen know when we say our prodcut is free from chemicals we mean it. we use essential oils to scent our prodcuts not fragrances (which are artificial. There's no such thing as a "natural fragrance"dont be fooled.


One of the things I love about making soap is that it’s functional art; it’s practical, accessible everyday luxury. I enjoy setting up my booth next to other artists and that’s a wide spectrum. I’ve been near artists who create everything from oil paintings to glass blowing to metal working to handmade soaps to handmade chocolates.

At the beginning of a show the buzz of setup is thick, everyone scurrying around unpacking boxes and plastic crates, hauling stuff here and there, checking their watches, saying their prayers. “Good luck,” “Have a great show, “etc. I am more the easy going type of girl i know my booth needs to set up and that's what willl be done. I enjoy sitting and watching the cast unfold :)

Some of my unsung favorites in this cast of characters: The Organizers: the folks who organize the show- who run things, and I’m not joking here. They carry measuring tapes, frowns and clipboards and are deadly serious about inches and combustibility. I’ve learned to steer clear whenever possible, without making eye contact.


The Competition: I don’t identify these people, they self-identify and most of the time they’re selling something totally different—doesn’t matter, they don’t want to meet me, they don’t want to chat business or weather, they don’t want to trade goods and they certainly don’t want me in their booth where I just might get that great idea and Steal the Show. I get a kick out of this scarcity driven phenomenon. lol..lol


The Look-ies: They wander in, wander by, wander around and never ever buy anything, from anyone. Perhaps this is a good past-time. 

My wonderful Assistant: I couldn’t do most anything without him, my soul mate. Who is always game for small talk with locals and tourist alike and making tedious change when needed while I stand up front and talk endlessly about scents and lather, natural and not natural. He boosts me up with support and lovable kisses. 

I’m consistently sleep deprived before a show, getting all… that… product… ready. It’s a dreadful amount of work. But once the show begins and the crowds come through, it’s like grown up show and tell for me– I’m adrenaline pumped and ready to rock. This brings me to my favorite show characters:

My Customers: I adore my customers, (that’s you)—I adore you. And if I get the opportunity to talk to you in person, it’s flat out nirvana. And it’s obvious. Ask me how to make soap and see me light up like a Christmas tree. Ask me how I get my inspiration and I might just scare you with my intensity. Tell me how much you love a certain soap and I’ll blush (yes, still) and we’ll be instantly bonded with the glue of shared pleasure. Tell me what doesn’t work for you about a certain soap and I’ll rope you into the whys and hows and whats of you, your nose, your tastes, your experiences and loves.I will even create your own special soaps if you want me to.


So there truly is No business like show business. I’m looking forward to it, all of it.


I hope you my customers would be pleased with the selection of soaps we would have available.
 
 

PARASITES THE ENEMY WITHIN

  Researchers say parasites and toxins make millions sick. This epidemic could be the underlying cause of SARS, aids, cancer, diabetes, obesity, cold/flu, sexual dysfunction, addictions, and many of today’s growing illnesses.

Most persons have some sort of illness. One of the leading causes of illness today is the existence of parasites in the human body. This fact, along with nutritional deficiencies, and the many poisons we intake daily make our body much like a toxic waste dump. This effects our body’s defenses and it becomes the perfect breeding ground for colonies of millions of life threatening parasites and disease. If we think the parasite problems only exist in third world countries, we are dead wrong. These disease causing pest are alive and well in the USA. Parasites are fast becoming the equivalent of a modern day plague and most humans don’t know they have them until it’s too late. Dr. Ross Anderson says. "I believe, the single most undiagnosed health challenge in the history of the human race is parasites." Dr. Hazel Parcels, DC, ND, Ph.D. says, "Make no mistake about it, worms are the most toxic agents in the human body. They are one of the primary underlying causes of disease and the most basic cause of a compromised immune system."

The definition of parasite is: A harmful organism that lives on or in another organism (the host) obtaining nourishment from it and giving nothing in return. [Parasites should not be confused with friendly bacteria: they are essential for good health.] There are basically two types of parasites: Large ones, which are worms that can grow up to 33 feet long and the small ones which are mostly microscopic. Some parasites can reproduce at an alarming rate, laying over 5000 eggs a day. Others reproduce without even laying eggs, while some, like bacteria or viruses just duplicate themselves. Often a large number of parasitic infections are misdiagnosed for some other disease and the wrong treatment is prescribed causing further illness and even death. This is very unfortunate and easily preventable.

Here are just a few parasites that live in humans: The deadly SARS is said to have come from animals. Tapeworms can grow up to 33 feet and can lay 1 million eggs a day. Pinworms live in the anus they come out and lay eggs in bedclothes at night while we sleep. Whipworm feeds off colon tissue, and could cause cancer. More than 644 million people are infected with Whip and Hookworm around the world. Hookworm can drink up to 1cc. of blood from the intestine a day. This could be the reason for wide spread anemia. The American Hookworm is called "Necator Americanus" which means "American Murderer". Why? Because it KILLS! Strongeloides is a worm that lives in muscle tissue causing pain and weakness. Leach Moniathin comes from desert flies and could be the cause for gulf war syndrome. Giardia Lambia lives in drinking water, chlorination has no effect on it. It causes severe stomach infections in millions of people each day. Many times it is misdiagnosed as the stomach flu. Cryptosporidium comes from cattle farm’s contaminated run off water. The Center for Disease Control reports that no conventional water treatment kills this parasite. It is an ideal carrier for many of today’s immune diseases. Tuberculosis is a parasite that lives inside white blood cells and kills 3 million people a year. Malaria is a parasite that lives in the blood of mosquitoes and is easily transferred to humans with one mosquito bite. Fleas carry Bubonic Plague. The Flukeworm is very dangerous, as recent studies have found that this parasite helps to cause HIV, AIDS, CANCER, DIABETES, MENTAL PROBLEMS, and many other health related problems according to many professionals. It is found in pork, chicken, and beef. Almost all disease comes from parasites and the toxins in the chemical products we use which weaken the body. When both of these things are eliminated, then the body is able to heal itself. The Dog Heartworm can live in the human heart given to us by "man's best friend." They can cause heart disease. We constantly hear about parasites in the news like, E coli in the meat, this normally lives in feces. How did it get in the meat? Pfisteria is in fish and dairy. Listeria is in chicken, and deli foods. Pigs carry Trichinella worms and cause trichinosis. The list goes on and on, but don’t worry there is a bright side.

It can be very frightening to know that we have these unclean, unhealthy, uninvited organisms living a parallel life within our bodies robbing us of a full life. This unbelievable fact is true and 92% of us have these parasites and are the host to a hidden terror from within. Parasites live in the water, air, soil, plants, pets, and some of the worst types live in meat, fish, and dairy products.

The increase in travel, people not washing hands, the sexual revolution, unsafe sanitary habits, contaminated water, food, stress, drug use, the destruction of rain forest, and the forgotten yearly task of purging parasites among other things has put us in a state of emergency, a plague. Dr. Ross Anderson says, "There are over 1000 species of parasites that can live in the human body, tests are available for approximately 100 or so types. This means doctors may be only testing for about 10% of the parasites. This brings the ability to clinically find parasites down to 1%. If you had a 1-% chance of winning on the stock market, would you invest?" Many of the food cravings we have come from the many organisms we carry. They like what you like and they have cravings too. Parasites live off the food we eat and leave us the scraps, and suck the nutrition from our cells. These little monsters even love to eat the many supplements, and vitamins we take before our bodies can even use them. They live, defecate, reproduce, and die in all parts of our bodies even the eyes, teeth and bones, secreting toxins into our bodies, causing premature aging, and countless diseases. They can quickly over run the body and they destroy our bodies delicate defense systems, which can open the door to very serious problems and cause toxic overload, and even death.

THE GOOD NEWS The good news is that the parasite problem is easy to control. Many diseases of today are new, created by our modern condition. Most of us can remember when we were young our parents would give us some sort of de-worming formula, most times it was home made. Things like garlic, caster oil, wormwood, walnut hulls, and a host of other formulas were used on a regular basis. Many of the old formulas for parasites don’t work any more because most of today’s parasites have mutated and there are many new stronger strains that are much harder to kill; now they’re called "super bugs". Some also remember the natural cleaning products like borax, vinegar, pine needles, and lemon that were not toxic. Since we entered the computer / petrochemical age many simple natural ways were forgotten for the sake of convenience. The many herbal remedies that worked for thousands of years were abandoned for modern medicine and chemical formulations. If you take a good look around, people are sicker than ever. If these old remedies did not work, our ancestors would have all died and we’d be extinct. Our ancestors understood the simple concepts of "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and "Herbs are for the healing of the nations." Today we wait until a condition becomes unbearable and many times this is too late.

The key to eradicating the parasite problem is as follows: Do an herbal parasite cleanse program 4 times a year. Make sure the program you choose kills the eggs, the larva (babies), and the adults at one time. Most of the formulas on the market only kill or stun a few types of parasites leaving many others to flourish. The best is DOCTAH’B BASIC AND TOTAL BODY PARACLEANSE PROGRAMS. It’s the only one that combines traditional African, Asian, East Indian, South American, Native American, and Biblical parasite herbs and formulas together, because today’s parasites come from the world over. These programs are easy to take and are mostly liquid tonics. These tonics of natural herbs have been known to help cleanse and help the body kill most parasites in 28 days, chronic conditions in 90 days. It also comes with herbs to help rebuild the body and balance the immune system. THE BASIC PARACLEANSE is for parasite cleansing only. THE TOTAL BODY CLEANSE helps detoxify and balance the total body system, energize, rejuvenate, and give nutrition to all organs while helping the body get rid of dis-ease causing parasites. The parasite problem is very serious but easy to get rid of with periodic cleansing and a change in eating and living habits.

By: Doctah B Sirius

 
 

I just watched the shocking hidden-camera footage obtained by PETA's undercover investigators while they worked at a factory farm in Iowa that supplies Hormel and other meat companies. The cruelty documented by Peta's investigator is beyond comprehension. Please watch the video and do all that you can to make sure that anyone who still eats ham, Spam, sausage, or bacon sees it.

A man was video taped saying - "when he gets angry cause a sow won't move, "I grab one of these rods and jam it in her (anus). Abuse on factory farms is normal, and anyone eating factory-farmed meat is paying to support it.

The following are just some of the abuses that were documented:

* • A supervisor shoved a cane into a sow's vagina, struck her on the back about 17 times, and then struck another sow.
* • Multiple pigs were beaten with metal gate rods, and lacerations were found on more than 30 sows - which is probably evidence of more abuse.
* • A worker hit a young pig in the face four times with the edge of a herding board, and investigators witnessed dozens of similar incidents involving this worker and 11 other workers.
* • Two men - including a supervisor - were witnessed jabbing clothespins into pigs' eyes and faces. A supervisor also poked two animals in the eyes with his fingers.
* • A supervisor kicked a young pig in the face, abdomen, and genitals to make her move and told PETA's investigator, "You gotta beat on the bitch. Make her cry."
* • A worker who weighed an estimated 315 lbs. punched a sow on the back three times and said that he sat on a sow's head.
* • An employee sprayed blue paint into the nostrils and face of a sow for over 30 seconds.



Pigs have to be kept in the dark for nearly 24 hours to keep them calm. As from 2002 pig breeders were compelled to keep pigs on two thirds of solid floor. One third of a pig's floor is made of grid, to let the manure fall through. For this reason they are in the smell of ammonia all day long. The animals stand on the grid floor all day, which cause them to suffer from foot injuries. Because they live almost permanent in half or complete darkness (to keep them calm) in very small cages, they are not used to anything and they panic when they have to be transported to the slaughterhouse (usually after 3 to 6 months). This is all the worse during long distance exportations. Just in the Netherlands alone, about 10.000 pigs and piglets are transported every day, to go to the slaughterhouse or to be fattened up in a far away country. Pigs are bad travellers. They are very sensitive to stress and get sick very easily along the way.

When they have youngsters, sows are jammed between two rails, so that they cannot turn around and take care of the piglets, only feed them. This is done to prevent the sow from crushing a piglet to death, because of the lack of space. The piglets are brought to the weaning section after the nursing period of 3 to 4 weeks (instead of the natural 14 weeks). At the age of about 72 days they go to the fattening farm, where 14 of them are put in a sty of 10 m², usually on a grid floor without straw.

The males (boars) are castrated without anaesthesia, in order to satisfy the foreign market, because of the alleged influence of male hormones on the scent of the meat. This actually isn't the case with pigs that are slaughtered at such a young age.
Sows suffer from severe stress (e.g. heart- and stomach symptoms) because of the limitation of freedom of movement. Out of frustration they often chew on the rails of their cage. Naturally, pigs are very playful and intelligent animals.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

By purchasing pigs born on this farm, Hormel is financially supporting an operation whose employees abuse animals. And if you eat these products or hot dogs, ham, sausage, or bacon, then you, too, are supporting this suffering. Please stop eating pigs. Then take action against Hormel.

Please contact Hormel and demand that they follow PETA's 8-point policy to govern future pig-farming operations. The plan includes calling for the immediate termination and criminal prosecution of anyone who is caught abusing or neglecting animals. It also includes improvements to the company's animal welfare guidelines.
Take Action.

Go to this link http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse and take action today!

Take a look a some animal cruelty below. This is just like my last note- What is the right way to kill http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/note.php?note_id=35247106807&ref=mf stand up for what you believe in and STOP animal cruelty now. We would not like it if someone was treating us humans like this.

 
 

Sustainability means different things to different people. The word “sustainable”, according to the Encarta World English Dictionary, means “able to be maintained”. This definition can be applied to various subject matters, including society as a whole, industry, agriculture, or family values. The concept of sustainability can be over-whelming because of the comprehensive nature of the word, but the root meaning is actually a simple concept that is nearly intuitive to most people.

The widely accepted definition of sustainability is the ability to provide for the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. With so many billions of people on Earth now, we must find ways of reducing consumption of resources if we are to avoid dramatic environmental degradation and the potential of global ecosystem collapse. This is a particularly important challenge for Americans who consume more per person than any other people on the planet. If everyone on Earth (just the current population) consumed as much as the average American, we would need four more Earths just to harvest for resources! We have the knowledge and technology to change, but we also require the will to make it happen.

What does an ant colony need to sustain itself? It needs access to fresh water, clean air to breathe, healthy food, and a suitable location for the colony. The natural world has supplied these necessities to the ants and the only waste produced is a fertilizer for the soil. Therefore, the ant colony is an example of a sustainable society. Rather intuitive, right? The way we live our lives today, the way our products are manufactured, transported, and disposed of, the energy systems we employ, and even the way our food is grown is threatening our future. However, there is some good news!! Principles of sustainability can be used to restore and nourish these environments, while maintaining or improving our current standard of living.

key concepts within sustainability come directly from the natural world. Nature uses sunlight as an energy source for all species. All waste is food for other species. Ant waste provides food for the microorganisms that enhance soil productivity. Natural systems also respect diversity. If a natural disaster eliminates a particular food source, the ants simply shift to another food source.
Not only can sustainability be applied to ant colonies, but it can also be applied to human societies. A sustainable society will be able to continue indefinitely into the future.

Sustainability can be described as each of us doing our part to build the kind of world—economically, environmentally and socially—that we want to live in, and one that we want our children and grandchildren to inherit. It means becoming aware of all interconnections—visible and invisible—in which our day-to-day choices affect the intricate balance of social, economic and ecological systems.
Sustainability is a way of thinking and living. It involves making conscious decisions about how your actions (how and what you consume) impact the environment, your community, people around you and across the world.

At the end of the day, sustainability is about using less; hence the popular sustainability slogan Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

REDUSE:
Minimize the amount of things that you use and throw away, if it doesn’t have to be produced in the first place then it doesn’t have to be discarded. For example, don’t buy anything that you don’t need (the key word here is need), produce less waste (avoid things with lots of packaging) and buy products that can be reused (like rechargeable batteries).

REUSE:
Most things can be used for different purposes, use what you have to its fullest capacity. For example, buy second hand clothes (or better yet organize a clothing swap), reuse glass jars to store food or other items, and reuse envelopes.

RECYCLE:
recycle glass bottles, cans, paper, newsprint and clothes. You can also find facilities to recycle computers, TVs and other electronics.

Sustainability goes beyond the environment, it involves people too. Be critical, ask questions: is the most sustainable option the best? Why is organic food more expensive? Who has access to the more sustainable choices? Where are my clothes made? Where is my food grown? Who is growing my food?



Principles of Sustainability:
Recognise your ability to act sustainably in all you do
Play an active role in promoting more sustainable practices
Through education, promote a behavioural change which exemplifies sustainable practices
Do not compromise the possibilities of future generations through unsustainable activities
Encourage consideration of alternative and more sustainable solutions, strategies and perspectives in addressing concepts, problems or issues in business, government and communities.

Guiding steps towards sustainability:
1. Develop an environment which supports human dignity through gender and racial equality and promotes intergenerational respect.
2. Develop honesty and integrity in daily life.
3. Encourage the fair distribution of wealth.
4. Work to strengthen local communities and safeguard the health and safety of all.
5. Commit to maintaining and enhancing the integrity and biodiversity of the natural environment
6. Use natural resources, such as water and land wisely and aim to reduce consumption.
7. Refuse, reduce, reuse, repair and recycle.
8. Where possible buy “green” products, locally produced with reduced packaging.
9. Understand the synergies between advances in technology and behavioural change to achieve sustainability.
10. Encourage ethical business practices.
11. Develop business strategies which promote good corporate governance.
12. Encourage financial success through openness and transparency.

 
Using a fan 02/12/2009
 

There is no doubt that heat is bothersome to many. It doesn't matter if the heat is from a hot stuffy room or the sun beating down on you while you are at the beach. Heat that we are exposed to on a daily basis is either dry heat or moist heat. Dry heat is troublesome because it makes breathing difficult as you try to pull hot dry air into your lungs. Moist heat, which is called humidity, can cause rapid dehydration due to excessive sweating. No matter which type of air you are exposed to, heat can affect your thinking ability, and makes everyday tasks that would have been easier in cooler weather, harder to perform. For those of us that liv in the Caribbean heat can be oppressive. Often the only solution is to spend the day confined to an air-conditioned room.

In these economic times, air conditioning may be a luxury few can afford. Running an air conditioning unit can be expensive. Add to that the purchase cost, maintenance, and the need for routine cleaning; air conditioning may not be an option for the poor or elderly. Fixed incomes may not be able to handle the cost of running an air conditioning unit on a regular basis.

If dealing with the heat doesn't give you a headache, your monthly electric bill while using an air conditioner certainly will. A relatively inexpensive alternative to air conditioning is the use of electric fans. Fans are inexpensive to purchase, fairly easy to install, and easy to maintain. They are inexpensive to repair and replacement costs are low. During times of extreme heat, arranging your fans properly can help you bring in cool air and keep warm air out of the home.

Choosing the proper type of fan for your circumstances is important. There are 4 basic types of fans that you can choose to effectively cool your home.

A pedestal fan can be adjusted to various speeds and its height can also be controlled, so you can direct the air to the area where you are working.

A box fan is a smaller electric fan with a rotating face. This type fan is designed to push air and then circulate it into different parts of a room.

A ceiling fan, as its name implies, hangs from a ceiling and pushes cool air downwards.

The final type of fan is an exhaust fan that is built into a wall. This type fan helps air circulate, especially in closed surroundings such as warehouses, attics or garages.

All four of these types of electric fans can help lower your electric bill.

Air conditioning units operate by using cooling fluids and it takes much more energy to convert hot outside air to cool air and to remove water vapor from the air. Fans, on the other hand, just circulate air around the room and use much less electricity.

When shopping for a fan, choose a brand that is inexpensive but carries and energy star rating. This will give you a fan that gives you the most power, while using the least amount of energy.

In order to achieve maximum benefit from a fan, be sure they are properly located. You don't want to bring additional warm air into the home where it is not wanted. Drawing air in from the sunny side of the home will only increase the discomfort level.

Tips to Cool Your Home Using Fans

The following tips will help you use your fans effectively to cool your home.

Use cross ventilation. You shouldn't need a fan going in every room to cool your home. By placing a powerful fan in one room and then opening any adjoining doors, you can direct the fan to blow the air to the next rooms. Placing an exhaust fan high on the ceiling will also help to keep air in constant motion. To cross ventilate a home, open any windows that arent' facing the sun to allow cool air to enter.

By closing windows that are facing the sun, and shielding them with curtains, you can lower the temperature of your room quicker. Position electric fans perpendicular to open windows, so any incoming air is circulated immediately. On calm, windless days, position the fan at the other end of the room, facing the window.

If it is very hot and humid, then an electric fan may do you little good on its own. If you have an air conditioning unit, turn it on low cool or fan mode, then use the electric fan to circulate the hot air. On its own, the air conditioning unit will take up more energy as the humid air will be difficult to cool. The electric fan, on its own, will use more energy, as it will have to be operated at higher, faster settings, and for a longer time, before it can finally cool the air.

Running fans in rooms that are not occupied is not an energy efficient way to use a fan. If a room is not use, close the door and turn off the fan. Remember to open the door in the evening when it is cooler to allow air circulation so a buildup of mold is not created, especially in humid conditions.


 
 

We all know we need to eat protein, but many say the best sources are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products.

But nuts, seeds, and legumes like black beans and lentil protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues in our body even more than animal protein and our muscles and organs, and your immune system are made up mostly of protein.

Your body uses the protein you eat to make lots of specialized protein molecules that have specific jobs. For instance, your body uses protein to make hemoglobin the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of your body. Other proteins are used to build cardiac muscle. In fact, whether you're running or just hanging out, protein is doing important work like moving your legs, moving your lungs, and protecting you from disease.

When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive juices in your stomach and intestine go to work. They break down the protein in food into basic units, called amino acids. The amino acids then can be reused to make the proteins your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.

Our body can make 13 of 22 amino acids we need without us ever thinking about it. Your body can't make the other nine amino acids, but you can get them by eating protein-rich foods. They are called essential amino acids because it's essential that you get them from the foods you eat.

Protein from animal sources, such as meat and milk, is called complete, because it contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Most vegetable protein is considered incomplete because it lacks one of the essential amino acids. This is not a concern for someone who doesn't eat meat or milk products because people who eat a vegetarian/vegan diet can still get all their essential amino acids by eating a wide variety of protein-rich vegetable foods.

For instance, you can't get all the amino acids you need from peanuts alone, but if you have peanut butter on whole-grain bread you're set. Likewise, red beans won't give you everything you need, but red beans and rice will do the trick. Don't got me wrong, I am not saying that eating just beans and rice is sufficient we still need to plan our meals wisely taking into account the food pyramid. The good news is that you don't have to eat all the essential amino acids in every meal. As long as you have a variety of protein sources throughout the day, your body will grab what it needs from each meal.

So after all that was said how much is enough protein?

You can figure out how much protein you need if you know how much you weigh. Each day, kids need to eat about 0.5 grams of protein for every pound (0.5 kilograms) they weigh. That's a gram for every 2 pounds (1 kilogram) you weigh. Your protein needs will grow as you get bigger, but then they will level off when you reach adult size. Adults, for instance, need about 60 grams per day.

To figure out your protein needs, multiply your weight in pounds times 0.5 or you can just take your weight and divide by 2. For instance, a 70-pound (or 32-kilogram) kid should have about 35 grams of protein every day. If you only know your weight in kilograms, you need about 1 gram of protein each day for every kilogram you weigh.

You can look at a food label to find out how many protein grams are in a serving. Here's an example of how a child might get about 35 grams of protein in a day:

* 2 tablespoons (15 milliliters) peanut butter (7 grams protein)
* 1 cup Soya milk (7 grams protein)
* Tomato sandwich (9.6 grams protein)
* Brown rice with stir fried veggies and vegan soy sauce (20.1 grams protein)

So you see it is not difficult to get your required amount of protein daily, even for a vegan.

Of course, you can choose your own favorite combination of protein-rich foods — now that you're a pro at protein! Don't let anyone tell you you need to eat animals in order to get your required dose of daily protein.  

 
 

Toxicity has become a way of life. Because we insist on breathing and eating, we are constantly exposed to pesticides and pollutants--some of them stored right under our kitchen sinks


Store bought disinfectants used in cleaning can contain all sorts of nasty chemicals, some of which should really only be used in controlled settings such as hospitals.

The reason for this is that when used around the home inappropriately, they can actually help bacteria become resistant to the chemical, creating superbugs.

The heavy duty disinfectant artillery should be left to health professionals as a last line of defense. As has been noted in the case of staph, the excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics has created super-strains which are now resistant to practically *all* antibiotics.

A chemical of particular concern is triclosan. Used in everything from bar soaps to toothpaste, it can also be found in some commercial disinfectants. According to Beyond Pesticides, researchers who added triclosan to river water and shined ultra violet light on the water found that between one and twelve percent of the triclosan was converted to dioxin.

Greener disinfecting alternatives

Making your own environmentally friendly disinfectant is very cheap and extremely quick to do using just eucalyptus oil and water.

Simply mix 1.6 oz of eucalyptus oil with a liter of water. Be sure to shake well before use and use as you would a store bought disinfectant.

Not only will you have a greener disinfectant, but by making your own, you're more likely to use the same container, therefore cutting down your plastic consumption.

Eucalyptus oil
is amazing stuff and you'll see it mentioned regularly throughout this site. I've read that European doctors used to use eucalyptus oil to disinfect and sterilize their equipment. Do be careful when handling eucalyptus oil as it's quite potent and can cause skin irritation in it's undiluted form.

Here's another disinfectant recipe if you're not particularly fond of the smell of eucalyptus:
Grapefruit Seed Extract Disinfectant Spray

Ingredients:

1 gallon warm water
20 drops grapefruit seed extract
Mix and pour in a spray bottle

That's it! how simple is that?

Some other earth friendly disinfecting agents:

Vinegar
with a few drops of essential oil to mask the scent
-3% hydrogen peroxide

Grain alcohol mixed with 30% water to stop it from evaporating too quickly (or even cheap vodka!)

BAKING SODA
(sodium bicarbonate): An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics.

BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note safety precautions at the bottom of this page.

CASTILE and VEGETABLE OIL BASED SOAPS: Cleans everything

CORNSTARCH: Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease

HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS: For disinfecting and fragrance

LEMON JUICE: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing.A bleach alternative.

SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive

TOOTHPASTE A mild abrasive

VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.

WASHING SODA (sodium carbonate): Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power of soap.


If you have some earth friendly disinfectant tips you'd like to share; please add them below!


 
Post Title. 12/04/2008
 

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    One of the most dangerous chemicals being added to virtually every personal care product you can imagine, including toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, cosmetics, is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

    SLS is an anionic surfactant and the most commonly used chemical in car soaps, garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and personal care products.

    SLS has been found to have many side effects:

    • eye, skin and mouth irritations
    • membrane alterations
    • may be harmful for the brain, heart, spleen and liver
    • chronic irritant contact dermatitis
    • compromising the overall integrity of your skin barrier, rendering it open to exposure to bacteria
    • may actually harm cell function
    • can corrode the hair follicle and cause hair loss

    Fragrance

    95% of the chemicals used in fragrances are petroleum-based synthetic compounds. Most of these chemicals are not tested for safety. Manufacturers are only required to print "fragrance" on the label, nothing more.

    Additionally, a product labeled "unscented" may contain a masking fragrance. A product must be marked "without perfume" to indicate no fragrance has been added.

    Leigh Lopez

    Leigh is a writer and blogger specializing in environmental and green living topics. She is the lead writer at The Soap Kitchen blog, beauty and herbal medicine correspondent for TSK's Green Earth, Product manufacturer for Handmade Caribbean and a regular contributor of shah training. Where she writes articles on healthy eating. She is also the writer of two web books on all natural beauty products and making handcrafted beauty products.

    Leigh specializes in full-length feature articles, opinion pieces, viral blog posts and green tips & guides. She also writes content and copy for both print and the web.

    When she’s not painting in her studio or tending her organic garden, Leigh 's most likely typing away on her laptop. She’s thrilled to have turned her long-held interest in environmentalism into a career that spurs her to write blogs and articles each and every week, on topics ranging from renewable energy and green business to eco beauty products and amazing natural phenomena. A perpetual student, Leigh is always seeking more environmental and green living topics to write about and reads dozens of books annually, In fact, her love of reading is what led to her love of writing, and she is working toward her lifelong goal of writing a book of her own someday.


    Leigh:
    I am very passionate about using and making eco-friendly, botanical based products.

    I have been learning about environmental issues since I was a teenager, and aromatherapy and herbalism since 2003. I am currently learning Environmental Studies, I would like to do a master's in Environmental Science and Policy.


    My environmental interests include conservation, mammals, urban wildlife issues, environmental education/awareness, ethnobotany, and public perception.

    Crafting interests include all natural and organic plant based cosmetics (skin and hair care), vegetarian and vegan products, kitchen cosmetics, aromatherapy, herbalism, eco-friendly house cleaning products, mineral makeup, paper making, book binding (journal making)and of course soaps and more soaps.

    In the near future, I plan to start making all natural, vegan make-up.

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