Green Magazine

Carrot and apple salad

When summer comes with its warm days the desire to stand at the stove fades quickly and we just want to eat fresh and light. At home we’re eating so much salad. Yesterday I prepared a salad with a few different ingredients, but at the same good and tasty: carrots and apples. I grated (like  julienne) 2 carrots and 2 yellow apples from organic agriculture, I added the almond kernels and bathed with the juice of a half lemon. I seasoned with soy oil, salt and a little pepper and flavored with fresh mint leaves. Very delicate and refreshing. I eat it with bread with green olive paste. This salad has to be prepared and served immediately.

Remember that in summer are very useful those foods that stimulate skin pigmentation, which makes it more resistant to sunlight. Foods rich in carotenoids,ate  able to stimulate the melanocytes to produce melanin. They are fat-soluble pigments that are perfectly assimilated fats made with food. Among them there is the beta carotene, which is the precursor of Vitamin A and it also protects from sunburn because of the dissolved fat cells in the skin helps to filter out ultraviolet radiation.
Some fruits are veggies rich in beta carotene are cherries, pineapple, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, carrots, tomatoes, apricots, peaches and melon.

Aspartame and Acesulfame

Aspartame, or APM and also known in Europe by it’s additive code E951 is the name of an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in many foods and beverages.Aspartame is the methyl ester of a phenylalanine/aspartic acid dipeptide. Blends of aspartame with acesulfame potassium—usually listed in ingredients as acesulfame K—are alleged to taste more like sugar, and to be sweeter than either substitute used alone. Aspartame was discovered as an ulcer drug, not a sweetener. Every diet drink you used to drink was a dose of medication .
The concern of aspartame ingestion during pregnancy is not limited to obvious birth defects, but changes or damage to certain areas of the brain. The potential damage includes parts of the brain involved in complex learning as well as hormonal control (e.g., hypothalamus). Problems resulting from this sort of damage would not be seen until after the child reaches puberty.
Reactions or side effects of Aspartame:
Long-term exposures to Aspartame can cause following reactions or side effects:
Abdominal pain, anxiety attacks, arthritis, asthma, asthmatic reactions, swelling, edema (fluid retention), hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, brain cancer (animal studies conducted prior to approval), breathing difficulties, laryngitis, burning on urination, poor concentration,chest pain,chronic cough, chronic fatigue, confusion, death, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, excessive thirst or hunger, fatigue, distortion of reality, redness of the face, hairing loss (baldness) or thinning hair, problems and change the menstrual cycle, muscle spasms, nausea and vomiting, clouding of thought, memory loss, panic attacks, convulsions, tachycardia, loss of vision, weight gain.
Acesulfame K: Acesulfame K does contain the carcinogen methylene chloride. Long-term exposure to methylene chloride can cause headaches, depression, nausea, mental confusion, liver effects, kidney effects, visual.
The best thing to do is avoid all artificial and chemical sweetener substitutes. They have NO food value, trick the body into thinking it is eating something sweet, and they have by-products of harmful toxic side effects.

http://www.disinformazione.it
http://www.holisticmed.com
http://www.sweetpoison.com
http://www.medicinenet.com

Green at work

Getting your office staff to buy into the concept helps hugely to going green. These are some top tips that could be an easy starting to think and behave green:

1.Avoid stand- by status.
You can save energy by optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices . Set computers to energy-saving settings and make sure to shut them down when you leave for the day (“standby” settings will go ahead drawing power even if not in use). Printers, scanners, and other peripherals that are used occasionally can be switched off until they’re needed. And of course, turn off lights in spaces that are unoccupied.

2.Digitize
Keep things digital and dematerialized whenever possible. The more you do online, the less you need paper. Keep files on computers instead of in file cabinets (this also makes it easier to make offsite backup copies or take them with you when you move to a new office).

3.Printing green .
Review documents onscreen rather than printing them out. Send emails instead of paper letters. Eliminate blank pages from documents before printing and convert to PDF for paperless document sharing. Print on both sides of the page when appropriate and use misprints as notepaper. Try to choose printers and photocopiers that do double-sided printing.

4.Packaging green.
If your office delivers packages, reuse boxes and use shredded waste paper as packing/ refilling material.

5.Commute green
When possible go to work by carpooling, taking public transit, biking, walking, or a creative combination thereof. For those who think bike riding is for kids and tattooed couriers, consider a high-tech folding bike or an electrically assisted one.

6.Green dressed
If you buy new, get clothes made with organic or recycled fibers. Avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and if they so demand it, seek out your local “green” dry cleaner.

7.Use Green Materials
Use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and colored using eco-friendly methods. Pens and pencils can also be made of recycled materials, and refillable pens and markers are preferable to disposable ones. Use biodegradable soaps and recycled paper or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen, and provide biodegradable cleaners for the custodial staff.

8. Lunch Time
Bringing lunch to work in reusable containers is likely the greenest and healthiest way to eat at work. Getting delivery and takeout almost unavoidably ends with a little mountain of packaging waste. But if you do order delivery, join coworkers in placing a large order. Also, bring in a reusable plate, utensils, and napkins. If you do go out for lunch, try biking or walking instead of taking your car.

9.Green cofee break
* Ask the office manager to get fair trade coffee for the break room and make sure everyone has a small recycling bin so that recycling is just as easy as throwing paper away.
* Use Ceramic coffee mugs instead of paper or Styrofoam cups.and keep some handy for visitors so that you reduce or eliminate use of paper cups.
* Purchase sugar in large quantities and use a sugar bowl.

10. E-fax better :
Fax confirmations are emailed (not faxed, because that is two pieces of paper per confirmation: one for you, one for the receiving end). If you must fax, then efax works the best.

Conference Bike

Conference bike is a revolutionary way to bring people together. The ConferenceBike is pedalled by 7 riders sitting in a circle. One person steers while the other 6 pedal (or not) as the bike moves effortlessly along. It was originally conceived as an artwork by Eric Staller, who today is known as the father of the art movements “linght painting”  and “art cars”. Actually the CoBi are being used in many places around the world. The Earth Center – a ‘green’ theme park in York, England,  the bike has become a symbol for sustainable transportation.

Some example of its usage are:

Pennsylvania - work with visually impaired

Family riding - In cape Cod

Conferencebike Berlin -DonBikes.com

Conferencebike Scotland

shakira - Pies descalzos

Shakira will release her brand new album, Sale el Sol/The Sun Comes Out, on October 19th and we are sure her new single “Loca” will be a hit. “Loca” is Shakira’s interpretation of Dominican artist El Cata’s song “Loca Con Su Tiguere” featuring a guest appearance from Dizzee Rascal, the UK’s number one rapper.

Here a preview of the single:

Shakira is a celebrity that we will not define “Loca”, we admire her because she has been working hard with her charity projetcs which are a reality. In Barranquilla, Colombia, she founded “Pies Descalzos”. “Pies Descalzos” is a NGO foundation created with the purpose of finding opportunities for vulnerable and displaced children. Within their programs they offer:
-If I eat well, I will learn more : Malnutrition causes delayed and stunted growth, poor motor development, lower IQ scores, decreased attention, behavioral deficiencies and lower educational achievement. This program combats malnutrition, providing students with nutritious meals. Through it, Pies Descalzos evaluates nutritional status, fosters a culture of participation in meals and nutritional issues, and encourages healthy lifestyles which improve the nutritional security of the communities.
-If I learn more, I can be more: Pies Descalzos implemented building improvement projects to help these children access a quality education. Thanks to this program, the kids now have more space and improved facilities at the schools where Pies Descalzos operates.
-If I smile more, I can achieve more: Children who survive terrible traumas are often haunted by their experiences. Through this program, Pies Descalzos assists children who have recently arrived in the city with their families or who have been the victims of violence in their homes. Shakira and our Foundation understand the healing power of creative expression, so they use art, music and recreational activities to enrich the children’s education. In addition, they can receive psychological counseling and support for themselves and their families.
-Family income: Desperately poor children must often work to support their families if the families are to survive. Child laborers are denied the chance for education and are subjected to dangerous working conditions. Through this program, Pies Descalzos provides economic opportunities for families, thus fighting child labor and improving socio-economical conditions for the families they help.

Pies descalzos school

Sephora Naturally gorgeous

Sephora has a range of beauty products which components are natural and they have created an inernal logo to help consumers recognize the products and inform which ingredients are or are not contained in the formula.
A minimum of 90 percent of a natural brand’s assortment carried at Sephora (as reported by each brand) are formulated with high concentrations of: antioxidants, ,botanicals, essential oils, fruit extracts, marine bioactives, minerals, vitamins and
are formulated to exclude a minimum of six of these eight ingredients: GMOs (genetically modified organisms), parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, triclosan.

A product we liked is their Tarte Spring Greening Reusable Straw Palette. It is a sustainable straw palette filled with six new mineral eyeshadows, three new lip glosses, and a bamboo-handled eyeshadow brush. Everything is tucked in a compact composed of sustainable straw to help protect and replenish the Earth’s natural resources. The foam tray is made of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), a post-consumer recycled material—so when you’re finished using the eyeshadows you can remove the tray and reuse the straw palette. This tarte is formulated WITHOUT: Parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, sulfates, propylene glycols, butylene glycols, synthetic fragrances

Tarte Spring Greening reusable straw palette