Dreaming of Italy

If you are like me...you dream of going to Italy. Drinking wine, eating fabulous food and seeing the sites in the Eternal City and beyond. Some of you may have been blessed enough to have already traveled to this amazing country, but I know until Jenni Woodward shows you her Italy, you haven't seen it all.

My dear friend left the good old USA two and half years ago to travel. She fell in love with Italy and the rest is history. She has discovered the best that Rome has to offer and created a personal concierge business with her extensive knowledge. Her planning is detailed and she doesn't miss a beat. Her website http://allroadstorome.com/ has just launched and it is well worth a look. Contact her if you are planning a trip to Italy and she will take care of everything from your transportation to meeting The Pope!

Plastic Bag Suits

These plastic bag suits were made for some folks in the bay area. They were protesting the use of plastic bags in San Fransisco. Great idea and it looks like they got their point across, since now plastic bags have been banned up there. Way to go! Can you head south??

Growing Numbers

It seems as if our fan base is growing. I have been asked today by a couple people why I haven't done a post. I love that.....that means you are reading us! We want you to come back often and see what is happening with the greengirls. We are getting closer to launching our website but we have some bags ready for viewing. I will be sharing with you a few of our latest designs over the next few days.

Feel free to comment....we welcome feedback.

GreenGirl Bag

Made with 100% cotton, our stylish canvas bag is strong, reusable and comfortable to carry. It has plenty of room for groceries, books or even stuff for a trip to the beach. They make a terrific gift. We're happy to be doing our part to look after our planet and we have several design options in our collection . Pick up a greengirlbag today!!

Email us to find out more at info@2greengirls.com

Canine Family Members

Exposing our dogs to toxins means that we exposing ourselves to them too. So I have started looking for ways how I can keep my family and our puppy safe at the same time. Here are a few easy tips to follow.

Wash your dog with organic shampoo, and keep fleas at bay with non-toxic remedies. Try one of the following:

Vinegar. Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with 1 quart water (per 40 pounds of pet weight). Add to your pet's drinking water. A couple drops for a pup would be plenty.

Spread leaves or shavings of eucalyptus, fennel, rosemary, red cedar, sassafras or pennyroyal under and around your pet's bed.

Did you know doggie waste can be a major source of bacterial pollution when rain washes it into waterways and onto beaches? Keep biodegradable, non-petroleum-based bags on hand, like biobags (http://biobagusa.com/) and always clean up after your pooch. I have this cool bag holder (shaped as a dog bone) attached to the leash and it comes in handy when we are out and about.

As far as dog food goes, ingredients are regulated in the U.S. However it is legal to contain factory byproducts in kibble and some brands include all kinds of filler. So they key is to look for natural and organic dog food. It is good for them and supports responsible land management.

Kids Going Green

As parents we need to encourage going green to our kids and set a good example. After all this is going to be their earth when we are gone. Some schools are teaching our children how to protect the environment, but honestly I think it is a learning process for all of us. Let's start living a more natural and environmentally friendly lifestyle by instilling green values.

Here are some ways you can get your kids to go green!

Conserve Water
*Shut off the water while they brush their teeth.
*Keep the water flow to a low stream when they are washing their hands.

Refill Water Bottles
*Have kids refill their plastic bottles with filtered water.

Share Toys
*Instead of throwing toys aways pass them on to a shelter, orphanage or a doctor's office.

Recycle
*Play a more advanced recycling game and have kids guess what can and cannot be recycled.
Challenge them with the following stumpers

Question: Pizza box with grease on it?
Answer: No, because the grease disrupts the recycling process. The clean top, however, can be torn off and recycled.

Question: Milk carton
Answer: No because the wax coating keeps it from by recyclable.

Question: Metal bottle caps?
Answer: Yes

Question: Pet food cans (aluminum or steel)?
Answer: Yes

Question: Detergent containers (HDPE #2)?
Answer: Yes

Question: Bubble wrap envelopes?
Answer: No

Question: Enveloples with labels?
Answer: Yes

Question: Post-It notes?
Answer: Yes

Lunch
Get a cool reusable lunch bag.
Pack sandwiches, fruits, veggies and treats in reusable food containers.

Green Things We Can Do

Here are some little things we can do to make a big difference.

1. Bring your GreenGirl Bag when shopping

2. Wash clothes in cold water.

3. Turn off lights when you leave the room.

4. Cut back on watering the lawn.

5. Cut back on shower time.

6. Cut back on bottled water, use a water filter such as Pur or Brita.

7. Buy locally produced meats and produce.

8. Turn down the water heater to 130 degrees.

9. Turn up the thermostat 3 degrees in the summer.

10. Walk, bike and carpool.

The Freecycle Network

In my recent searching, I found the most interesting non profit group called The Freecycle Network.

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,566 groups with 5,605,385 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 and thus keeping good stuff out of landfills.

Membership is free, and everything posted must be FREE, legal and appropriate for all ages. To view the items being given away or sought in OC - Santa Ana, you must be a member of the local group. To view the local group posts, visit the local Yahoo Group where they are located by clicking on the link below.

http://www.freecycle.org

The Plastic Ban in LA

The Los Angeles City Council voted a couple weeks ago to ban plastic bags in the city's supermarkets and stores by July 2010, but only if the state fails to impose a 25-cent fee on every shopper who requests them. Council members hope that this will encourage consumers to begin carrying canvas or other reusable bags, which would reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our storm drains and the ocean.

While environmental groups celebrated the ban, the opponents brought to attention that this policy will have a devastating effect on regional packing companies. City officials estimate that LA consumers use 2.3 billion plastic bags each year and only 5% are recycled statewide. I think we are heading in the right direction with this ban.

After doing many hours of research we decided that we would make an eco friendly alternative. Our greengirl bag shopping tote is made locally and made out of cotton. The twist is...we are making it sylish.

What type of bag do you use?

Green Dog

In the Bag

The greengirl bag is big and sturdy!
It will hold a large amount of groceries and even a small child!

100% cotton
Made in the USA!

Here is the bag...child not included!

Going Green

California uses 19 billion plastic bags and 3.8 billion paper bags annually, according to reports.
This is a staggering number which translates into waste. Waste that ends up on our highways and in our ocean, which is dangerous to the marine environment. If we can make a difference by encouraging people to get away from using plastic bags and make our totes fun at the same time...by all means, lets do it. It's not really a need to have a cute bag, the need is in protecting our environment and we are taking a step by supplying people with this locally made alternative. It's all made here in California! 2greengirls have good intentions and are committed to making a difference. Our children are counting on us!

Thank you Knowledge is Power for finding us...we hope you stay with us and live a green life as well.

Getting Green

We all can do little things to "Be Green". I think most people aren't educated on the right steps to take to help save our planet. This blog and company (2greengirls) have been created to both educate people on green practices and to make a difference by selling a cool alternative to the plastic/paper bag. Visit us often and share with your friends and family our information. Together let's make a difference...One Bag at a TIme!