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The Worlds Only Eco-Friendly Coffee Firelog! Coffee is the beverage of choice for millions of Americans. Hot, iced, or garnished with steamed milk and frothy foam, we love to drink our coffee. Coffee loyalists make it a regular part of their morning routine and often make it the star of a social outing with friends. The more adventurous coffee lovers will use it to bake a cake or marinate a steak. Still others have found wild and wonderful new uses for this most beloved beverage. From art to soap…from eye cream to fireplace logs…coffee-infused products offer consumers great innovation as well as environmentally friendly options.
Named one of the Coolest Inventions of 2003 by Time Magazine, Java-Logs ignite more quickly and produce larger, more attractive flames than other fire logs. Java-Logs have a faint sweet scent arising from the mixture of molasses and coffee. Most people don't smell anything while others smell a faint sweet coffee aroma, not a chemical scent. They crackle just like wood, they are easy to light, and they burn for 2-3 hours (the same amount of time as other 5 lb firelogs). Check the company’s website and store locator search to find out where java logs are sold in your area. www.java-log.com ___________________________________________ BISCOTTEA's popular line of tea-flavored, Scottish-style shortbreads has expanded to include three flavorful gluten-free varieties—Chai, Blueberry with Organic White Tea, and Earl Grey with Organic Darjeeling Tea. Introduced to market at the recent Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, the positive feedback continues to swell. The delicious, new, gluten-free shortbread cookies were selected as "Top Pick of the Week" by the editors of The Nibble, who calle The gluten-free varieties join BISCOTTEA’s existing highly praised line-up, including Mint, Chai, Honeybush, Earl Grey, and the popular Blueberry. Click here to see BISCOTTEA owner, Laurance Milner, and his BISCOTTEA cookies on the Food Network hit show Unwrapped. The decision to launch a gluten-free line came from co-owner Nicci Milner's work with autistic children. "It was evident in my work with kids with autism that they show great progress when they are on a gluten-free diet. The increasing number of children with celiac disease needing gluten-free diets motivated us to develop sophisticated gluten-free shortbreads that replicate the crunchy mouth-feel and rich flavors of our wheat-based BISCOTTEA," said Ms. Milner. The new line of gluten-free cookies provides safe, delicious treats to a growing population of people with gluten sensitivity or intolerance. Each batch is tested for gluten by an independent testing agency, and BISCOTTEA reports that its gluten-free shortbreads have less than four parts per million of gluten. A portion of each sale will benefit autism research. Seattle-based BISCOTTEA has experienced rapid growth since opening 16 months ago thanks to the uniqueness of their product. BISCOTTEA cookies are baked with organic and all-natural ingredients and combines the richness of a traditional Scottish shortbread recipe with the health attributes of the teas. The new gluten-free varieties are sure to follow in the success of the predecessors. For more information about these deliciously dunkable delights, visit www.biscottea.net. ___________________________________________ Skating
around town in your size 7 1⁄2 rollerblades not your idea of fun
anymore? Starting a business and in need of a three-draw file cabinet?
Looking to find a new home for the videos and cds your kids no longer
enjoy? What if there was a place where you could connect with someone
in Welcome to Freecycle.org where the mission is simlple: to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources and eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community. Now living clutter free also means keeping your community clean and green. Freecycle™ was launched on May 1, 2003 by Deron Beal, an environmentalist who at the time was working for a small nonprofit recycler in Tuscon, Arizona. Through his job, he saw firsthand, the items people were discarding and thought that some of the items, while no longer useful to their present owner, would make a welcomed gift for someone in need. The wheels started turning, the give and take idea was massaged, and the freecycle concept took flight.
Freecycle exists because of the volunteer moderators who “own” the local freecycle groups and manage its activity. Owners like Erika Muller who has been volunteering and operating New York’s Nassau County group for the last four years. When asked how much time she devotes to managing her Freecycle group, she replied “probably more than 40 hours a week”. That is in addition to her full time job in New York City and raising her family on Long Island. Like the other “owners”, she doesn’t get paid with money, but is rewarded with the result of doing something good for people and great for the environment. “I do it because it is my way of giving back,” she said. “I don’t have lots of money to donate to charity or lots of free time to volunteer somewhere. This is something I can do that fits into my life and lifestyle. I love doing it. I was raised to understand the importance of giving back.” Muller’s Nassau County group has nearly 8,000 members who, with another 15,000 or so from the two neighboring Suffolk County groups, bring the total Freecycle membership on Long Island to over 23,000. Part of the owner’s responsibility is to enforce the rules—and there are many. All of them aim to keep the members safe (some of the more obvious rules include forbidding the exchange of tobacco, guns, drugs, or pornography) and to make the experience rewarding. The rules, along with Freecycle etiquette tips are posted online.
In five short years, Deron Beal’s idea is now a success on so many levels. His Freecycle concept has inspired a grass-roots altruistic trend that has spread to over 75 countries and includes thousands of local groups representing millions of members—people helping people. As a result, the Freecycle website reports that “we are currently keeping over 300 tons a day out of landfills! This amounts to four times the height of Mt. Everest in the past year alone, when stacked in garbage trucks!” Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box on the network’s website (www.freecycle.org) or by clicking on “Browse Groups” to locate one closest to you. Chances are there is a group already established in your local area, if not, you can volunteer to start one following the posted instructions. The benefits of the Freecycle Network are many: keeping things out of the local landfills, giving away something that has no use in our life anymore to someone who could extend its usefulness a little longer, giving gifts to people while clearing out our own clutter, and creating, building, and sustaining an environmentally aware community. The Freecycle Network is a private, nonprofit organization based out of Tucson, Arizona, and stewarded by many volunteers like Erika Muller. Visit www.freecycle.org to find the Freecycle group in your area. ___________________________________________ Used Tea Bags Lift Women from Poverty The artists from Original T-Bag Designs live in an informal settlement located in Mandela Park, South Africa, just outside of Cape Town. Their homes are nothing more than bits of tin and wood nailed together and they have had no formal schooling. But what they do have is grit, imagination, talent, and a desire to make a better life for their families. Leading them on their self-improvement journey is Jill Heyes. Driving
through town on the way to her beautiful new home, Jill was shocked
by the poverty she witnessed and was determined to do something
to help. Thelma, a neighbor's maid, saw an opportunity
for additional work when Jill and her family moved into the neighborhood. Jill
wanted to help Thelma, not by hiring her to clean, but by teaching
her a craft to market and sell. Thelma gathered five women
and started meeting weekly with Jill at the community center. The
group started working with paper mache, moving on to potato printing,
and finally, after three years, to creating crafts with used tea
bags. Original T-Bag Designs was created! One of the artisans, Nomsa, recently earned enough money from painting tea bags to move from an inadequate shack to a solid new house. Nomsa said, “The most wonderful thing in the world is hearing the rain on the roof and knowing that my children are warm and dry.”
The original group of five artists now numbers 23 and supports 125 people. They still make the coasters and greeting cards but continue to expand their offerings. They recently finished a private commission for Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy. They hope to open an on-site teashop where tourists can visit while they paint; eventually, they plan for other craft groups to work at the location. To learn more or to place an order, visit www.originaltbagdesigns.com. ___________________________________________
Wear Your Music is offering fans of everyone from Avril Lavigne to Ziggy Marley a chance to take home a piece of rock and roll history, while supporting charities such as Unicef, Rock the Vote The New York-based group creates 100% eco-friendly jewelry that rocks—literally, turning used guitar strings from artists spanning the musical spectrum into stylish bracelets, which are sold with a certificate of authenticity. “These are strings that these musicians have used and would normally throw away,” said co-president and designer Hannah Garrison. “It’s great that we can recycle them and also offer people a chance to wear rock and roll on their wrists.” In addition, the fine silver used on each bracelet and the DVD case packaging for each bracelet is 100% recycled as well. Each bracelet comes with a certificate of authenticity. 100% of the profits are funneled back to each musician’s charity of choice, many of which are environmental non-profit groups. The bangle-style bracelets, crafted from guitar strings donated by over 150 artists, include rock luminaries Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, and Pete Townshend, as well as members of Widespread Panic, My Morning Jacket, Metallica, Phish, The Allman Brothers Band, Death Cab for Cutie, and Social Distortion. The most recent donors include Marley, Jack Johnson, Carrie Underwood, Zakk Wylde, and Ani DiFranco. “Supporting good causes and the environment have always been important, but even more so now,” says Garrison. To view complete lists of available bracelets and participating charities, visit: www.WearYourMusic.org. ___________________________________________
Poo-Pourri Nature’s Call is a natural blend of Organic essential oils that create a film on the surface of toilet water, trapping odor at its source and eliminating it, instead of masking it. A few sprays in the water before you go, and the essential oils in Nature’s Call will create a physical barrier around od Nature’s Call is a fresh citrus blend of Organic essential oils, including lemongrass, orange and grapefruit to leave the bathroom smelling clean and fresh. It is available in a 2 oz. size (up to 100 uses) and a 4 oz. size (up to 200 uses). Each Poo-Pourri product includes a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee. For more information, to find a retailer near you or to make an online purchase, interested readers should visit www.poopourri.com. ___________________________________________
After 9 months of taste-testing and analyzing over 1,000 products, Good Housekeeping revealed their top “100 Healthiest Convenience Foods”, helping i Aunt Trudy’s Roasted Vegetable Fillo Pocket Sandwich, 240 calories, offers an array of organic veggies delicately wrapped in a light, flaky crust. The 3 Bean Veggie Chili Fillo Pocket Sandwich, 260 calories, is full of zest and a vegan favorite. Made in the U.S. from premium organic ingredients, the gourmet meals are microwavable and ready to eat in under ten minutes. Loaded with flavor, it’s easy to forget these tasty treats are so healthy; trans fat f The intense process of narrowing down the top choices started with Good Housekeeping Research Institute nutritionists searching supermarket shelves and food trade shows for potential candidates. Next, ingredients were analyzed and labels inspected for vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Finally, dozens of volunteers, ages 5 to 85, taste tested each product. “It’s an honor to be selected by such a well respected publication,” stated Ron Rexroth, CEO of The Fillo Factory. “Aunt Trudy’s will continue to create products that Good Housekeeping’s readers will enjoy for years to come.” In the Green Living Newsletter “test kitchen” we tried a variety of the Convenient and delicious, Aunt Trudy’s fillo pocket sandwiches are easy to prepare. They go from freezer to microwave to plate in just a few minutes. The fillo is flaky and the fillings are tasty and nutritious. Available in 12 organic vegetarian varieties, you’ll find Aunt Trudy’s fillo pocket sandwiches for around $2.89 at retailers nationwide, including Trader Joes, Wegmans, Shop Rite, Whole Foods. To find out more about Aunt Trudy’s or to find a retailer in your area, visit www.AuntTrudys.com. ___________________________________________ The Yellow Pages industry’s two leading associations earlier this month announced the launch of www.YellowPagesOptOut.com to help consumers choose which print directories they want delivered to their door steps. “We want to give consumers a choice on how they access our local business information, whether it’s through print directories, internet Yellow Pages, mobile apps, or search engines,” said Neg Norton, president, Yellow Pages Association. “YellowPagesOptOut.com makes it simple for consumers to find information about managing home delivery of print directories.”
Because some consumers receive directories from more than one publisher, a critical feature of YellowPagesOptOut.com is the freedom for consumers to truly customize delivery. With YellowPagesOptOut.com, consumers can decide to continue receiving all directory products available in their area, keep some but not others, or stop all directory deliveries. “Research shows that the vast majority want to keep at least one print directory in their home – no surprise since consumers reference print directories more than 12 billion times per year,” said Larry Angove, president and CEO, Association of Directory Publishers. “YellowPagesOptOut.com is all about choice. Consumers can review the list of publishers in their area and determine which products they want to receive.” A number of third-party Web sites not affiliated with Yellow Pages or telephone companies offer to add consumers to do not deliver lists on their behalf. “We are asking consumers to use caution when providing personal information to third-party websites,” Angove said. “It’s best if consumers work directly with the publishers that deliver to them, and YellowPagesOptOut.com is an e The industry’s two leading associations, the Yellow Pages Association and the Association of Directory Publishers, joined together to announce the new website, www.YellowPagesOptOut.com which will be managed by the Yellow Pages Association. Working with members of both associations will ensure information on the site is up to date. Yellow Pages companies are transforming from directory publishers to central players in the fast-growing local search industry, helping connect small businesses with consumers who are most ready to make a purchase. “Our local data is available in a number of ways, including print phone books, internet Yellow Pages, Google, and Yahoo! Local, for example.” Norton said. “Whatever way consumers choose to find a local business, chances are the last mile of the search was supported by Yellow Pages, whether the consumer knows it or not.” ___________________________________________ Hemp foods are hot, and much of the excitement in this emerging category is being driven by the recent introduction of organic hempmilk. Consumer dem Hemp foods pioneer Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils (www.manitobaharvest.com) has created the first organic hempmilk called Hemp Bliss. Hemp Bliss is an award-winning beverage that stands out from the herd of dairy milk alternatives including soy, rice and almond because it has a strong nutrition profile, a pleasant flavor and texture, and it does not raise concerns regarding food sensitivities. Hemp Bliss contains more Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fats than any other dairy or non-dairy milk alternative. Hemp foods also contain an abundance of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. In each serving, Hemp Bliss provides 250 mgs of Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) – a rare and powerful nutrient that is not in any of the other milk alternatives. Offered in Original, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Unsweetened Original varieties, Hemp Bliss does not contain synthetic flavors, vitamin and mineral additives, preservatives, or other additives, and is free of Lactose, Soy, Nuts, and Gluten. In addition to being a deliciou Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils is the largest farmer-owned, vertically integrated hemp food manufacturer in the world. The company strives to create the healthiest hemp foods, to educate the public about healthy lifestyle choices and to support sustainable and organic agriculture. Manitoba Harvest is proud to partner with Renewable Choice Energy to reduce their environmental impact through wind power and carbon offsets. For more information, please visit www.manitobaharvest.com.
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Java-Logs
are made from recycled coffee grounds and 100 percent renewable
non-petroleum wax. The product produces 80 percent less carbon
monoxide and particulate matters (air emissions) compared with
wood. "Today’s consumers want quality products that
are convenient, efficient and environmentally-friendly," said
Karen Bennett, Java-Log Marketing Brand Manager. "Java-Log meets
those demands with superior firelogs that burn brighter and cleaner
than other firelogs on the market. This new formula allows us to
offer our environmentally conscious consumers a new option they will
feel even better about using in their home fireplace."
d them "a real find for anyone in need of a gluten-free treat".
e 
The
Freecycle Network™ as we know it today is made up of nearly 5,000
groups with nearly 6,000,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots
and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff
for free in their own towns. The Freecycle community uses the power and
reach of the internet to connect local individuals looking to give something
away with those who would like to acquire it. The guiding principle is
that everything be free with no strings attached. It might be described
as a virtual yard sale of sorts, where no money ever changes hands, where
communities are strengthened and where the evironment is preserved. Each
local group is moderated by a local volunteer who very closely monitors
the interaction between the givers and the takers.
According
to Muller, “the most popular items are those for babies and kids—cribs,
toys, clothes, games, DVDs, CDs, and VHS tapes. And maternity clothes
too.” On the day we visited our local Freecycle group online, we
found a number of posts including one from a member offering a black office
chair, another member in need of a microwave, and another looking for
a baby-jogging stroller.
After
suffering a brain aneurysm at the age of 35, Jill Heyes, an art
teacher was just lucky to be alive. Not long after Jill’s
struggle and recuperation, her husband’s job transferred him
from England to South Africa. So, with her two small children
in tow, the family was now on their way to a new life in a new country.
Used tea bags come from individuals and groups from all around the
world—most come from South Africa where drinking a cup of tea
is a ritual that takes place about five times every day. The
bags are then dried in the African sun, emptied of their leaves and
carefully ironed. Finally, each tea bag is painstakingly hand-painted
with warm shades of bronze, gold, silver, and black—colors
that celebrate African culture. 
“Everyone
earns a very good daily wage,” says Heyes. “We
can see the difference in many of their lives as they begin to gain
confidence and have pride in themselves.” 
and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
You wipe your bathroom surfaces with organic cleaner, you stock your bathroom with organic soap, you use organic toilet paper, but something else is not in sync: the aerosol spray you use after you go to the bathroom. Introducing “Nature’s Call,” an all new organic bathroom spray by Poo-Pourri. Nature’s Call is sprayed directly into the toilet bowl before you go to trap and eradicate embarrassing odors at the source.
ts 26 million readers live better lifestyles. Taking not one, but two of the coveted spots on the list is Aunt Trudy’s, by The Fillo Factory, with a pair of their most popular Fillo Pocket Sandwich selections.
ree and containing no preservatives.
fillos from Aunt Trudy’s product line and all were truly outstanding. In addition to the award-winners, the Roasted Vegetable Fillo Pocket Sandwich and the 3 Bean Veggie Chili, we just loved the Roasted Sweet Potato pocket sandwich.
YellowPagesOptOut.com aggregates delivery information for Yellow Pages publishers in one place, making consumer choice simple, secure and effective. Users type in their zip code and receive a list of local publishers with the appropriate steps to stop delivery or adjust the number of directory products they receive. 
asy starting point for that process.”
and for dairy milk alternatives has been growing for many years due to vegetarian preferences and concerns about dietary sensitivities to dairy and questions around production processes.
s beverage, Hemp Bliss is a nutritious ingredient in recipes, including Cherry Chocolate, Berry Basil, Sweet Orange Vanilla and Banana Hemp Bliss.