cosmetics consumption and conflict

There was a time in my life when I wasn't a terribly conscious consumer. I would compulsively buy things like inexpensive clothing and makeup without really thinking about where it came from or what it was made of. Those days have long since passed, but I still hold onto some small reminders of that less mindful time. What were these little reminders? A crapload of makeup sitting in bags in my closet.

I don't even really wear makeup. Maybe a little mascara every once in a blue moon. That's about it. So why was I still holding onto these whispers of habits past collecting dust, taking up physical and mental space? Because I simply didn't know what to do with them. I have a really hard time throwing things out that will just end up in a landfill.

Until... I got a tip-off from a fellow twitterer (thanks, Melissa!) about a place I could recycle these wastes of space.

An Origins store.

So inspired was I by this news (and by the book I'm currently reading Throw Out 50 Things - more on that in a later post) that I collected all of this old makeup and brought it to the Origins store on West Broadway and Spring Street. Before I made my way over there, I had to clean out all of the lipstick tubes, eyeshadow palettes, and blush compacts. When I was through, my hands were covered in nasty makeup and the trash can looked like a fairy threw up into it - all pastel and glittery.

When I got to the store, the sales woman was so enthusiastic about my decision to turn in these old conveyances. She rewarded me with the news that this weekend, the store was holding an Earth Day event offering free mini facials to its customers. She also gave me a couple of samples of products from their Perfect World line.

I didn't think much about the exchange, other than feeling good about ridding myself of that old makeup and not having to resort to just tossing it all in the trash.

When I sat back down in front of my computer however, I had to look up the new samples I had acquired to see what their contents really held (ingredients lists don't fit on those tiny tubes of product). Much to my dismay, they're full of all the no-nos in beauty products today: parabens, petroleum, and some other nasty fillers. Check out the full list of what Origins uses at CosmeticsDatabase.com. Not such a Perfect World after all.

So I'm left with mixed feelings. I'm glad that Origins accepted all of my old cosmetics vessels for recycling, but can't really support their products because of the dubious contents. I've even taken down the banner I used to have promoting them (in the right-hand column).

What are your thoughts on this beauty product paradox?

what do you know for sure?

by Bob Hicok

Some people, told of witness trees,
pause in chopping a carrot
or loosening a lug nut and ask,
witness to what? So while salad
is made, or getting from A to B
is repaired, these people
listen to the story
of the Burnside Bridge sycamore,
alive at Antietam, bloodiest day
of the war, or the Appomattox Court House
honey locust, just coming to leaf
as Lee surrendered, and say, at the end,
Cool. Then the chopping
continues with its two sounds,
the slight snap to the separation
of carrot from carrot, the harder crack
of knife against cutting board,
or the sigh, also slight, of a lug nut
as it's tightened against a wheel. In time,
these people put their hands
under water and say, not so much to you
but to the window in front of the sink,
Think of all the things
trees have seen. Then it's time
for dinner, or to leave, and a month passes,
or a year, before two fawns
cross in front of the car, or the man
you've just given a dollar to
lifts his shirt to the start
of the 23rd psalm tattooed
to his chest, "The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want," when some people
say, I feel like one of those trees,
you know? And you do know.
You make a good salad, change
a wicked tire, you're one of those people,
watching, listening, a witness
to whatever this is,
for as long as it is
amazing, isn't it, that I could call you
right now and say, They still
can't talk to dolphins
but are closer, as I still
can't say everything I want to
but am closer, for trying, to God,
if you must, to spirit, if you will,
to what's never easy for people
like us: life, breath, the sheer volume
of wonder.

Bob Hicok is the author of This Clumsy Living (University of Pittsburgh Press) and associate professor of English at Virginia Tech.

great scott, some good environmental advertising!

Brought to you by Greenpeace

After watching this I decided to take a look at Kimberley Clark's website to see if they've done any cleaning up with regard to their environmental image.

It looks like they're greening up their act, albeit a little half-heartedly. They've launched Scott Naturals line of paper products, "green Done Right." They think "done right" is a "sensible" blend of sometimes up to 80% of recycled content. Some might think this is a step in the right direction, but I'm not sold. There are plenty of high quality 100% recycled paper products out there that, excuse the pun, wipe out Kimberley Clark's attempts at greening.

Here they are:

• Marcal
• Seventh Generation
• Green Forest
• Natural Value

listen to this man

Van Jones on Focus the Nation

pier observations

Two boys kiss
Muscleheads sun
Dogs get relief

Girl sips lemonade
Strollers align
Moms picnic on the lawn

A pick-up spot
A tanning salon
A dog run
A lunchtime refuge
A gym

A place for watching
A place to rest your eyes
A place for grass to grow

Sparrows perched under the bench
They see that I see them,
They flee

Hello sea gull
Hello water fowl

JC to the west
HH to the east
WTC was south
Chopper overhead

Tip of the ESB over my shoulder

A plane descends for Newark
Sky meets land

Bicycles, rollerblades, scooters
Sailboats, ferries, yachts
Man-made land meets river meets sea

Men in skirts or no shirts
Tank tops, flip flops, boots, coats
Winter meets summer

Labs, poms, mutts, a Chinese crested
Tourists, locals, straight, and gay

All colors and stripes meet here
At Christopher Street Pier


(Not my shot... image via NewYorkDailyPhoto)

afternoon thrift shop find

On my way back from lunch at the Christopher Street pier, I decided to pop up into St Luke's Thrift Shop on Hudson St (South of Christopher) when I saw the sign out front announcing "dresses on sale, 50% off."

I walked through the door and the first thing I saw was this adorable early 60s style red dress with white polka dots. I took a look at the back and that's what got me.



"Try it on," said the lady working there. "It's so cute, and look, it's new." The tags were still on it. Such is the way of ladies of means - buying dresses, never wearing them, then donating them to a thrift shop. I can't say I'm not completely innocent of this. At least one pair of shoes in my closet have met the sidewalk only once or twice.

I tried it on and it fit perfectly. The tag said $40, but I got it for $20. Thrifty is nifty.

big sale on edun duds @ greenloop

Now at Greenloop, get 50 to 75% off ethically and ecologically minded clothing line Edun - the brainchild of Ali Hewson and Bono (with some help from New York clothing designer Rogan Gregory).

Por ejemplo:

Men's Eclipse jeans were $175, you can get 'em for $79.99 (save $95.01, hey every penny counts!)


Ladies' Calliope dress was $325, now $169.99 (that's $155.01 off, yeow!)



Get 'em @ Greenloop while the gettin' is good.

making earrings with bonbon oiseau

I've always had the desire to work with my hands, though I hadn't really given myself the opportunity until recently. Partly inspired by the resurgence of DIY, and partly by the budding craft movement, I've begun to pick up a range of new skills.

Over the last year, I reintroduced myself to the sewing machine, taught myself crochet, learned block printing, got into baking & soupmaking, and got acquainted with street tree bed gardening.

Tonight, I added a new skill - jewelry making. Through make workshop (run by sewing guru Diana Rupp), I learned the art of earring assemblage from Deb Stein of Bonbon Oiseau. Deb is super down to earth and seriously encouraging of her students. She'll be teaching another class in memento assemblage with bracelets and necklaces next month (details).


(Focusing on tiny beads and delicate chains. Deb Stein at right.)

Deb makes it a point to use ethically sourced materials -- like antique beads -- in her jewelry line, which is made at her studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Her beautiful baubles are available in the US, Europe, and Japan (she's especially popular there). Deb will also be at the Brooklyn Flea for its Spring re-opening this weekend. She's also designing jewelry for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cherry Blossom Festival.

I walked away from class with two pairs of dangly earrings and a new skill to add to my DIY bag of tricks.

celebrate earth day with peaceful valley

Attention conscious consumers: Shop at Peaceful Valley between now and April 25th and you'll be doing something good for your health (and the planet). For Earth Day, this eco-friendly e-tailer will plant 10 trees in your honor when you purchase from their shop.

Some of the great stuff they sell: organic cotton clothing, tree-free greeting cards, earth-friendly jewelry, natural beauty products, organic treats, and so much more!

Shop Peaceful Valley Earth Friendly Clothing & Gifts - for the trees, for the planet, for peace.

habana outpost grand re-opening

The weather is warming, and so is the globe. So get on over to hot, hot Fort Greene favorite eco-eatery, Habana Outpost to celebrate Earth Day this weekend. Full deets (via Brooklyn Based) below.

Habana Outpost will re-open this weekend, kicking things off with an Earth Day bang. It’s a fitting start to the corn-grilling season for a place that has claimed the title of being Brooklyn’s first eco-eatery. Whether you show for the solar panels and green design or for the Cubans and frozen mojitos, be sure to bring the little ones — the Earth Day Expo includes arts and crafts, face paining and DJs. Noon-6pm, Sat. & Sun., 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene.

land, people, food... happy days

Not exactly. This isn't your abuela's garden. The Garden follows a South Central LA community fighting to keep their 14-acre garden. The trailer alone was enough to get me riled up about the "powers that be." This one's going on my Netflix queue, stat.



Read more at Black Valley Films official film site.

diy yogurt

I've been wanting to make my own yogurt for a while now. I just read a great tutorial in the NY Times on how to do it. The thing is, I've come to prefer goat's milk yogurt to cow's milk. It's supposed to be easier to digest. I might not have an easy time tracking down goat's milk to make it a regular practice.

(Goat image via Redwood Hill Farm)

Maybe I'll experiment with other types of milk, though I'm not sure if it'll work... hemp milk yogurt anyone?

To make yogurt, first choose your starter yogurt. If no one offers you an heirloom, I recommend one of the ubiquitous global brands, sweeteners and stabilizers included. They tend to have very active bacterial cultures, including EPS producers, and the additives end up diluted to insignificant levels. Delicious specialty yogurts make less predictable starters.

Then choose your milk. I prefer the flavor and consistency of yogurt made from whole milk. Many types of reduced-fat milk replace the fat with milk solids, including acid-producing lactose, and make a harsher tasting yogurt. Soy milk sets into a custardy curd that becomes very thin when stirred.

Heat the fresh milk at 180 to 190 degrees, or to the point that it’s steaming and beginning to form bubbles. The heat alters the milk’s whey proteins and helps create a finer, denser consistency.

Let the milk cool to around 115 to 120 degrees, somewhere between very warm and hot. For each quart of milk, stir in two tablespoons of yogurt, either store-bought or from your last batch, thinning it first with a little of the milk.

Then put the milk in a warm jar or container or an insulated bottle, cover it, and keep the milk still and warm until it sets, usually in about four hours. I simply swaddle my quart jar in several kitchen towels. You can also put the container in an oven with the light bulb on.

Once the yogurt sets, refrigerate it to firm its structure and slow the continuing acid production. To make a thick Greek-style yogurt, spoon it into a fine-mesh strainer or colander lined with cheesecloth, and let the whey and its lactic acid drain into a bowl for several hours. (Don’t discard the whey, whose yellow-green tint comes from riboflavin. It makes a refreshing cool drink, touched up with a little sugar or salt.)

Read the rest

reflecting on l.o.v.e.

A reader requested that I post a summary of how I felt on last week's raw, vegan adventure. Not a bad idea. Here are the highlights of the physical, mental, and emotional roller coaster that is l.o.v.e. (live.organic.vegan.experience).

For the full experience, start reading here and work your way to today.

l.o.v.e. - the recap

On Monday, I took on l.o.v.e. with few expectations. I knew a little bit about what I was getting into. I knew it would be raw. I knew what there wouldn't be -- animal products -- and that was fine with me. I knew there would be juice. I'm generally not a juice drinker. I like to sink my teeth into what I consume. I tend to feel hungry often. Whether this is a real physical hunger or a pattern ingrained in my brain, I would figure out as the week progressed.

During the week I felt hungry alright. Especially in the morning. I drank my juices and I felt hungry. I tried to breathe deeply and focus on work, but that was a challenge. I realized how much I think about food, what an integral part of my day it is. Every meal is a question. Fortunately for me, it's not 'will I eat,' but 'what will I eat.' I thought of this often. How fortunate I am to have this basic need covered. There is never a doubt in my mind that I will be able to acquire something to eat, let alone something healthful and nourishing.

During the raw detox, I didn't need to think about what to eat. All of my meals were prepared for me, I just had to pick them up every morning.

What I needed was self-control.

Before I'd pick up my meals, I would read an email with the menu and instructions for the day. Next to each meal was an approximate time for consuming it.

For the first 3 days, this is how it went. First, the energy elixir at around 8 or 9am. Then, a little bit of self-control. Drink some water. Next, fruit juice at around 10 or 11am. Then a little more self-control. Don't look at the clock, stop thinking about food. Stop salivating when the person next to you is eating an egg and cheese sandwich. Drink more water. At around 12 or 1pm, it was time for veggie juice. Sip it slowly. Make it last. Enjoy the savory flavor. Think about how good this is for you.

At 2pm, time to rejoice. It's time to really eat. This might have been my favorite part. Every day was a new inventive lunch. Spicy burrito, chipotle nappa wrap, sunflower falafel. It was divine. I resisted the urge to just shove it all in. I took my time. I savored each bite. And the funny thing is, it wasn't so hard to do. Eating slowly made the enjoyment last longer, and it fulfilled me even more than if I would have scarfed it all down at once.

Another meal came at around 4pm. Usually something light, a salad of beets or edamame. I had something planned after work every day that week, so I wouldn't be able to eat meals 6 and 7 until at least 8pm. I found I wasn't really hungry in the evenings. I felt really calm. I'd still think about eating my last two courses, both dessert in my mind. But I think I could have done without them, or at least not finished them.

I grew up with the rule of 'no dessert until you finish your dinner.' I don't think it's a bad rule, but it definitely trained me to think that I should always finish everything on my plate, regardless of how full I feel. I try to be mindful of whether I'm eating out of habit or desire, or eating because I'm still hungry. It's amazing how little it takes to truly satisfy physical hunger. The hard part is telling my self that I don't need to keep eating.

And then something clicked

On day 4, something magical happened. My whole body buzzed with energy. I felt euphoric. I didn't need to watch the clock. When it was time to eat, my body knew it. I'd float out of my chair and calmly go to the fridge. Sit down and enjoy. I'll admit that I was getting a little bored with the juices, even though I knew they had something to do with the amazing feeling coursing through me. That night I went to yoga, uncertain of whether I could make it through class. I more than made it through. I could see myself shining in the mirror. A friend and teacher who was in the same class later told me that my aura was aglow. I believe it.

If day 4 was the pinnacle, day 5 was the descent. If you've been following these posts you'll know, that was at the end of day 4, the monthly visitor came to ravage my insides. I thought I had it covered with a hot water bottle and ginger tea, but when I awoke on Friday at 4:45am, I had to give in and pop a couple of pain killers. I felt a twinge of failure, having to poison my newly detoxified insides. But there wasn't really anything I could do. I knew the pain would be even more distracting than any amount of hunger I felt all week would be.

On my last day of the fast, I felt ready to move on. I also felt a bit conflicted. What should I eat tomorrow? There were some basic instructions about coming down from the detox, like eating fruit and salads (which I partly followed). But after having gone through this, I didn't want to screw it up and return to old eating habits. Not that I was an unhealthy eater before. A friend once told me that of everyone she knew, if she had to lick anyone's sweat, it would be mine. (I'm not sure what would warrant that kind of action, but hey, I took it as a compliment.)

Before the fast, I already thought a lot about what I put into my body. I cut back on meat and dairy, I tried not to eat highly processed foods (though one of my vices is Mallowmars, thankfully, they're a seasonal food). I ate veggies, fruits, and nuts regularly.

Now, I have an even greater perspective.

I have a better sense of when I'm really hungry, or just falling into a pattern of eating. And I've been exposed to another way of enjoying food (isn't that what it's all about?). I feel fortunate to have been able to experience this pure way of eating, and the pure feeling of bliss it can bring.