Monthly Archives: May 2011
My Food Policy
| May 24, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Real Food |
I get a lot of questions about what I eat and don’t eat. Here are some of my food rules and like all rules they do sometimes get broken.
- No high fructose corn syrup, other fake sugars, artificial dyes, msg, trans fats, or nitrates.
- I avoid soy.
- Meat is limited and only organically and humanely raised meat. (I’m a flexitarian/semi-vegeterain)
- I avoid low fat dairy. When possible I buy full fat dairy.
- I eat organically as much as possible.
- I buy as little packaged food as possible.
- I eat grass-fed bison for red meat. Sometimes I eat some grass-fed beef but not often.
- I don’t use shortening or fake butter. I use olive oil, coconut oil or butter for all baking and cooking.
- I buy Fair Trade when ever possible.
- I boycott Nestle. For me this includes joint companies like Cascadian Farms.
- I avoid plastic packaging when possible.
- I boycott Walmart.
- I shop locally owned stores when possible.
Those are a lot of my rules. What are your food rules? Be honest, think mine are extreme, to mild, or just right?
Exploding Food
| May 19, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Uncategorized |
Have you heard this story? Makes me very glad I buy organic (and local if possible) produce!
Selling to Children
| May 13, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Uncategorized |
Marketing to children is out of hand. Everywhere you turn companies are trying to make kids consumers of their products. While marketing to children has been around for a long time, it’s getting much worse. It’s hard to go anywhere without seeing an ad that is geared to children. You even find it in schools!
Scholastic has even made teaching materials that are painting a pretty picture on our dirtiest energy, coal. This material is being sent to schools all over, for 4th graders! These materials don’t share any disadvantages to coal, just the advantages. When need to tell Scholastic to stop selling coal to our children. Click here to let them know you don’t approve.
Getting Back to Nature
| May 10, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Green Mom's Carnival, Green Parenting |
It surprises me how little time kids spend outside these days. When I was a kid I was outside all the time. I rode my bike for hours everyday, my best friend and I loved to walk in the woods, my brother and I would do our school work out on our paddle boat, in the summer we had many lemonade stands, and really most of my childhood memories are outside.
According to a study by the University of Minnesota unstructured free time has greatly decrease in the last 30 years. Unstructured outdoor activities have fallen by 50%. American children now spend an average of seven hours in front of electronic screens. And childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last 20 years, while many things are adding to those numbers, a decrease in childhood activity levels plays a big role.
Another problem for American children is vitamin D deficiency, a shocking 70% of children aren’t getting enough vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D puts children at risk for many health problems including heart problems and diabetes. Vitamin D is required to absorb calcium and promotes healthy bones. Vitamin D also helps make us happier, a lack of vitamin D is linked to depression. Just 10-15 minutes a day can greatly boost the amount your body makes.
Another great reason to get outside is it helps children connect to nature and if they have that connection they are more likely to understand how important it is that we take care of it. There are many learning opportunities outside, your child can learn about science, nature, animals, and more.
There has also been a decrease in how much time families spend together so why not make time outside a family activity? It’s not just children that need more exercise and vitamin D, adults are lacking in both as well. There are many great things to do outside, riding bikes, walking the family dog (yes even dogs are more often obese these days!), playing sports, games like hide-n-seek, using sidewalk chalk, blowing bubbles, and so much more. This time outside will make your family healthier and happier.
If you don’t have children you can likely still use more time outside. Just last night my husband and I spent several minutes playing basketball outside. We got in some exercise, got vitamin D, and spent quality time together all at once. And the best part was, it was free. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Did you spend a lot of time outside as a child? Do you find that your children are spending less time outside than you did? What are your families favorite outside activities?
This is my post for Green Mom’s Carnival which is talking about “Inspiring Ideas for Getting Back to Nature with the Kids” this month. It is hosted at the Green Phone Booth and will be live on May 12 so be sure to check it out.
Photo credit: thisgeekredes
Giveaway: Nature’s Path Organic Hemp Food
| May 9, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Giveaway, Review |
Nature’s Path Organic makes several great organic foods including some great products that contain hemp. Hemp is a wonderful source of protein and omega fatty acids. In honor of Hemp History Week they have offered some great products for one lucky winner. Here are the products you can win.
And now for the rules-
1. Post your e-mail!!!!! Every time people forget, you can’t win if you don’t leave an e-mail address. (if you have a blogger account that has your e-mail that works as well, or if you fill it out in the info, just somewhere please!)
2. Go to Nature’s Path Organic and have a look around, come back and tell me what other product(s) you like. This is the mandatory entry.
3. Enter by May 18th at 11:59 p.m.
Extra Entries (post separate comment for each):
1. Blog about the giveaway, post link.
2. Post on Twitter, post link.
3. Add me on Twitter @retrohousewife5, leave username in comment.
4. Follow me, let me know which way you are following. (Google, NetworkedBlog, E-mail, other)
5. Add my button to your site. (the button and code are on the right side of the page) Be sure to leave a link for where you put the button.
6. Subscribe to the Retro Housewife Goes Green newsletter. (Find the link on the top of the page)
7. Like Retro Housewife Goes Green on Facebook.
8. Like Nature’s Path Organic on Facebook.
9. Follow @NaturesPath on Twitter.
Remember post a separate comment for each of the above ways to enter! They will only count if they are separate.
*This giveaway is sponsored by Nature’s Path Organic. The prizes comes from them. I was not paid for this post. These are my honest opinions.
Eco-Friendly Hemp Products
| May 8, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Review |
Hemp can be used for many products, here is just a small sample of some of the great eco-friendly products you can find that are made from hemp.
Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Adjustable Dog Collar
FuzziBunz One Size Hemp Diaper
GlassDharma Accessories (For their awesome glass straws)
These are just a few of the great hemp products you can find. Don’t forget to enter to win a few from Reuseit.com and check back tomorrow for another hemp giveaway.
*Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I am however an affiliate for these sites. I earn a small percent if you buy from these links. This doesn’t effect my views.
Review + Giveaway: Hemp Products from Reuseit *Closed*
| May 4, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Giveaway, Review |
*Winner: ntiveheart aka jayedee*
Reuseit is helping me promote Hemp History Week by providing me with some great hemp products to review as well as some to giveaway. They are big supporters of hemp and know how awesome this plant is. They even sponsored a giveaway last year during Hemp History Week on my blog.
My favorite product they sent me to review was the hemp Workhorse reusable bag. It’s great compact bag made from 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton. It’s one of the few cloth bags I have seen that is very compact and has a pouch to fold into. This is the bag I’m currently carrying in my purse. I also love the stitched design. Also the Workhorse design is based off of the traditional plastic bag so it works like a plastic bag but it’s so much better for the environment. Right now these bags are up to 30% off! You can get them with or without the stitching.
Another very useful hemp product carried by Reuseit is the Everything Cloth. Their name really does describe the cloth well, they can be used for just about everything. They are great for cloth napkins, tissues, cleaning, and more. They are made of 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton, and come in five colors. These are some of the most affordable organic cloths I have found.
If you prefer your shopping bags to be more of a tote style Reuseit has this great hemp bag. It’s made of 55% hemp and 45% cotton. The ink used is PVC free. This bag also comes in the classic smiley face style.
This is just a small sample of all the great hemp products Reuseit carries so be sure to check out the site to find more. They also carry other great green products made from other eco-friendly materials. And because they are so nice they are offering all three of the above products to one lucky reader, just follow the rules below to enter to win.
And now for the rules-
1. Post your e-mail!!!!! Every time people forget, you can’t win if you don’t leave an e-mail address. (if you have a blogger account that has your e-mail that works as well, or if you fill it out in the info, just somewhere please!)
2. Go to Reuseit.com and have a look around, come back and tell me what other product(s) you like. This is the mandatory entry.
3. Enter by May 12th at 11:59 p.m.
Extra Entries (post separate comment for each):
1. Blog about the giveaway, post link.
2. Post on Twitter, post link.
3. Add me on Twitter @retrohousewife5, leave username in comment.
4. Follow me, let me know which way you are following. (Google, NetworkedBlog, E-mail, other)
5. Add my button to your site. (the button and code are on the right side of the page) Be sure to leave a link for where you put the button.
6. Subscribe to the Retro Housewife Goes Green newsletter. (Find the link on the top of the page)
7. Like Retro Housewife Goes Green on Facebook.
8. Like Reuseit on Facebook.
9. Sign up for the Reuseit mailing list. (The link is on the bottom of their page)
10. Follow @Reuseit_store on Twitter.
Remember post a separate comment for each of the above ways to enter! They will only count if they are separate.
*This giveaway is sponsored by Reuseit. The prizes comes from them. I was not paid for this post, I did receive the products featured to write the review. I am an ambassador for Reuseit as well as an affiliate and I earn a small percent if you order from them from a link on my site. This does not effect my views and these are my honest opinions.
The History of Hemp in the U.S.
| May 4, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Uncategorized |
Hemp’s uses are almost endless and it has a rich history in the U.S. It was even required at one time that farmers grow hemp. Some of our presidents even grow the plant, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. The Declaration of Independence was drafted on hemp paper. Hemp was banned in 1937, however it was brought back for brief time during WWII.
It’s been known for a long time that hemp is great for the environment. In 1916 the USDA Bulletin No. 404 showed that per acre hemp produces four times the amount of paper that trees do. Sadly we seem to have forgotten all of the great things this plant can do. The last hemp grown in the U.S. was in 1957. The government confused hemp and marijuana and ultimately bankrupted the hemp industry.
We are starting to see some progress in bringing back hemp. In 1998 the U.S. started to import food grade hemp seed and hemp oil. In 2004 Ninth Circuit Court ruled to permanently protect sales of hemp foods and body care products in the U.S. A bill was introduced in 2005 to allow states to regulate hemp farming but so far no committee hearing or floor vote has taken place. However, in 2007 North Dakota gave out two hemp licenses, the first in over 50 years. And last year Hemp History Week started and even gained support in congress from Rep. Ron Paul.
If we can work together we can bring hemp back to the U.S. Don’t forget to send a virtual postcard to President Obama, letting him know we want to bring hemp back. And check back here all week for more information on hemp, including some great giveaways.
Hemp History Week
| May 2, 2011 | Posted by Lisa Sharp under Uncategorized |
Today starts Hemp History Week, a week designed to help education the American people about hemp and to change our current hemp policies. Hemp is not the same as pot, they are similar plants but are not the same. Hemp contains such small amounts of THC -the chemical that gets you high- that you would have to smoke a joint the size of a telephone pole in a short amount of time, so it’s not possible. Also many growers are even working on growing hemp totally free of THC. And did you know you can already buy hemp in any form in the United States other than the plant itself? We import most of our hemp from Canada were it is legal to grow hemp. In your local natural food stores you will find hemp foods and many other products made from hemp in the US.
Hemp History Week is important in part because we want hemp to be able to be grown in the US. It’s an easy crop to grow, requires little or no pesticides, will grow just about anywhere, can make products from food, to fibers, to fuel and more. It’s a crop that could really help American farmers, our economy and the environment. Hemp has been shown to help remove C02 from the air at an amazing rate and it requires few resources to grow it, making it a wonderful plant for a cleaner future in the United States.
All this week I will be sharing information about hemp and also will be having some great giveaways of hemp products. We have some great sponsors this week including Reuseit.com and Nature’s Path Organic Foods. So be sure to come to the blog each day this week to learn more about this amazing plant.
Don’t forget to visit Hemp History Week and fill out a virtual postcard to send to the President letting him know we want to be able to grow hemp in the United States.
