Kandals Scented Organic Earth-Friendly Shoes {Review}

Kandals-shoes-flats-scentedWhat is it that you look for in shoes? Is it the durability? The style? The brand? For me, my favorite kind of shoes are light weight, stylish and versatile. I am not a big sneaker person, I use sneakers for their main purpose – working out – but for everyday wear, I choose a flat casual shoe first, like the earth-friendly KANDALS shoes.

About KANDALS

KANDALS is a shoe company that is based out of San Diego and manufactures their products in Spain. They produce scented (strawberry, in case you were wondering), earth-friendly shoes that are made with premium, natural and eco-friendly materials.Kandals-shoebox-packagingI received the Envir Women’s Classics style in grey. The shoe was shipped right to my door in only 3 days! Talk about fast shipping! Speaking of shipping, KANDALS ships to US, Canada, Chile, UK and beyond.

Design

I love the look of these shoes. Right out of the box, I knew they were shoes that I would be wearing frequently with a variety of outfits. Skinny jeans, skirts and more, these flat soled shoes are very versatile to pair with many outfit changes. The grey color is a nice light, attractive color that works well with black, white and even splashes of color. The premium canvas fabric gives this shoe a casual and comfortable look. Kandals-Scented-shoesKandals-shoes-scented-strawComfort & Fit

When I was done admiring the attractive style of the shoe, I slipped them right on my feet. Holy comfort batman! So this is what 100% green certified European cotton feels like? Heaven to my feet. The shoe is completely flexible and cushion-y, yet there is durability in the natural rubber sole.

Walking around in these shoes felt like I was on the clouds. I am sure this is due to the two canvas linings and the sponge layer in between the shoe insole and outsole. This makes the shoe uber-flexible and it just molds to your feet. When you walk, the shoe moves with you!

Sizing

I typically wear a 7.5 – 8 US. I ordered a 38 EU (7.5-8) since these shoes are not available in half sizes. They fit great! There is room for my toes and they are oh-so comfortable on my heel. Since KANDALS should stretch and mold to the shape of your feet, even if you are a half size, they should fit great. The shoes are a medium width, so if you are a half size, or have wider feet, it is recommended to order up. Oh, also they are in EU sizes, so don’t let that confuse you. For example: if you wear a size 7, get a EU 37 (US 6.5-7) in KANDALS.scented-shoes-kandals-reviekadals-shoes-grey-scentedScented Feature

So the shoes are scented – not for solving stinky feet or odor problems, but for the fun of it. Their mission for this is simple: every time you wake up in the morning to put on your KANDALS, you get a fresh newness to your shoes. The scent is not perfumed on the fabric but dyed internally with the rubber sole prior to being assembled. My dog got a kick out of the scented shoes. Her sniffer was going nuts when I set them beside her, this could be a problem. (Note: Hide shoes from dog.) Personally, I wasn’t a big fan of the scent, but my husband thought it was great. He compared it to a car air freshener. And I think he is right. So if you like your car to have that Strawberry Air Freshener smell – you’ll be thrilled with the neat scented idea that is KANDALS!kandals-the-scented-shoesSustainable – Yay Earth!

KANDALS partners with Trees for the Future, a non-profit. For every pair of KANDALS sold, a tree will be planted to aid deforested areas of lower income countries. KANDALS strives to give you the power to show your support for sustainability by wearing their shoes.  Last month alone, thanks to KANDLAS customers, they donated 500 trees to plant in Ethiopia!

Final Thoughts

Although I could do without the scent, I am completely in love with these shoes! They are so cute, so comfortable and so so so versatile! I love that they easily fold and bend  – so they can be slipped into my luggage easily. I’m telling you, they are the ULTIMATE traveling shoe.

Connect

Join in with KANDALS on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter @kandalsshoes. KANDALS can be purchased online at www.kandals.com.

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor for the purpose of this honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

Seventh Generation ‘Cold Care Kit’ for Flu Season Protection!

Seventh Generation Flu Season ProductsSeventh Generation product cleaningHello flu season, we meet again!

Although the flu season isn’t something you can avoid (unless you are from another planet maybe… like the planet they discovered recently made of diamonds… have you heard?). Anyway, since flu season is here to stay – you can be prepared for it – and maybe be healthy enough not to catch a cold!

Seventh Generation has some great products to clean your hands, your house, and to stop that runny nose if you have one. Here are some Seventh Generation Flu Season Necessities:

Hand Wash – I really can’t decide whether or not I like the mandarin or the lavender hand soap more. They both smell luxurious. They are natural, plant-derived cleaners that give a foamy lather when washing your hands of those nasty germs floating around!

100% Recycled Facial Tissue – HEY! I never knew that Seventh Generation carried nose tissues! I always though that they sold natural household cleaners. To my surprise they have a bunch of recycled paper products – bathroom tissue, paper towels, etc.!  Well these tissues are great if you do end up getting sick because they are soft and environmentally conscious (made from 100% recycled paper, minimum 50% post-consumer content.)!

Natural All Purpose Cleaner – This non-toxic all purpose cleaner is a handy product to have after those germy hands touch most household surfaces. Just spray away and wipe with Seventh Generation paper towels. It effectively removes grease, grime and dirt – without the harsh chemicals and fumes.

Disinfecting Wipes – These are my go-to superhero wipes! I wipe down the counters, doorknobs, tables and railings with these. They get used up faster than any other cleaning product in my house – and it is no wonder, they are so convenient! I love the handy jar, and the quick all-in-one 99% disinfectant power!

Well, I hope you all can manage to stay away from the flu this season! As for me, I test my luck every time I go to work, but thanks to Seventh Generation I keep my home germ free (mostly)!

Connect with Seventh Generation on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @SeventhGen . Connect with them, share with them and join them! You might snatch a great coupon or an online giveaway when you join them on their social networking sites! You can purchase Seventh Generation products at many retailers including Wal-Mart, Target and online at amazon.com.

Extra, Extra, Extra!! Also, you’ve got to check out this fun DIY video that Seventh Generation created showing how to turn an empty tissue box into a scary (but cute) germ monster!

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor for the purpose of this honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

Repurpose Compostables Insulated Hot Cups {Giveaway}

repurpose-coffee-cups-compoI work fairly hard to use only reusable dining and glassware. When hosting guests, I prefer to use our own plates, utensils and cups, if the number of guests allow. But sometimes there is good reason to use throw-away products. Like certain on-the-go occasions, large parties or picnics. The "green" in me looks for products that are better for the environment, like those from Repurpose Compostables, for times when items are destined to get thrown away.

About Repurpose Compostables

Repurpose was founded in 2009 by a group of environmental entrepreneurs who were looking for quality solutions to the problem of – single use petroleum based plastic products. After searching and finding few quality or cost competitive compostable solutions, they decided to manufacture their own. Repurpose had a mission to replace all single use disposable plastics with high quality, innovative, plant based alternatives.

Repurpose products are now available to consumers and to businesses allowing everyone the opportunity to lessen their dependence on oil, lower their carbon footprint, and find non-toxic, safe alternatives to plastic.

About My Experience

These repurpose cups didn’t feel like your average coffee cup. Of course not! The first thing I noticed – they were just as sturdy, but had a textured, plush feel to them. This was because of the "no sleeve required" outer layer. It keeps the beverage warm, but doesn’t burn your hand, without the need of a sleeve "jacket". I was excited to be using the "greenest cups on the market" and appreciated the fact these cups were non toxic, use less C02 to produce, and can be composted in a commercial setting in 90 days! These repurpose cups are a fabulous green alternative to Styrofoam and other non-compostable cups.

purchase-on-amazon-or-bed-bJoin In!

    Purchase Your Own: There are a few options for retail locations to purchase the products made by Repurpose – but the most popular would be in-store at Bed, Bath and Beyond and online at amazon.com.
    Reader Follow-Up: Have you tried compostable products? What are your thoughts?

:: Giveaway ::

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Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor for the purpose of this honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

A Plant-Based Compostable Toothbrush… neat!

World-Centric-LogoIn honor of Earth Day this weekend… I would love to take a moment and tell you about a company that is doing some really cool environmentally friendly things…

World Centric is dedicated to making compostable products, of items that normally just get thrown into the trash. They make cups, plates, and food storage items out of annually-renewable plants that are non-toxic, require less energy to produce and are fully biodegradable. These products are helping to reduce the environmental pollution and toxicity caused by petroleum-based Styrofoam and plastics.

Compostable-Toothbrush-WorlAnd they are the company that has introduced the compostable toothbrush and compostable travel case to the USA! I got to try out the first USA compostable toothbrush, thanks to World Centric!

This fully-compostable toothbrush (except for the bristles) was better than expected! It came in a hard compostable and reusable plastic case that is great for keeping your toothbrush clean when traveling! The toothbrush felt like your everyday average toothbrush – even though it was made from corn instead of petroleum based plastics! Call me naïve, but I was expecting it to feel kind of grimy – not at all!

So how exactly is this toothbrush compostable? Well, I haven’t had it for long enough to use and compost it, but ideally it breaks down in six months in a commercial composting system. All you do is break off the head – there is a handy notch to help do this (remember, the bristles aren’t compostable) and compost it yourself or send it back with a prepaid label to have World Centric compost it for you! What a great system they have developed to make it easy to properly dispose of the brush!

Every year in the U.S. some 450 million plastic toothbrushes make their way to landfills nationally. So with small steps like this compostable toothbrush, we ALL can make a big impact.

So, if the fact this company is making great environmental strides and has a compostable tooth brush still wasn’t enough… they also give back to the earth in other ways. World Centric donates 25% of its before-tax profit to social and environmental grassroots organizations while simultaneously providing discounts to schools and non-profits. Overall. this is a great company to support if you want to be a part of creating a more sustainable world! Happy Earth Day!

:: Follow ::

Join World Centric and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter @worldcentric

:: Purchase ::

This Earth Day, grab your own World Centric compostable toothbrush! The 7-inch brush comes in blue, green and orange and sells for $4.55 and available at natural grocery stores, some Whole Foods stores nationwide and online at: www.worldcentric.org World-Centril-compostable-i

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor for the purpose of this honest review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Celebrating #fritolaygreen at Casa Grande

Frito-Lay-Solar

Being 75% net zero is a huge accomplishment for a large company! This accomplishment is something Frito Lay is very proud of at their Casa Grande, Arizona facility. The facility now operates mostly on renewable energy and recycled water while producing nearly zero waste!

Casa Grande production facility facts:

  • 1% or less of their waste is sent to the landfill
  • 75% of the water used at this plant is recycled
  • 50% of greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced
  • 80% of natural gas use has been reduced
  • 2/3 of all energy used is from renewable sources

This facility does all this all the while producing 100 million snacks a year, including your favorite Lay’s and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos, Tostitos, Fritos, Cheetos and (my favorite) SunChips!

    The Frito-Lay Casa Grande plant has implemented technologies to recycle water, generate electricity and steam from renewable energy sources, achieved LEED certification and succeeded in sending nearly zero waste to the landfill.
    The Casa Grande plant is a great example of how Frito-Lay is working to minimize its impact on the environment. Way to go Frito-Lay with your Casa Grande facility! Keep up the good work!
    Learn more about the Casa Grande plant and Frito-Lay’s groundbreaking sustainability efforts here.

Disclosure – I was sent a Frito-Lay snack pack of chips to celebrate the “greening” of the Casa Grande plant! My opinions are  my own.

Product Review: Green Works Cleaners

Green-works-logo

Green-Works-Clorox-Laundry-ProductsI like Green Works products for many reasons. I like that the ingredients for their products come from renewable resources, are biodegradable, and are free from petrochemicals. I also like that all of Green Works cleaners are at least 99% natural.Green-works-cleaning-wipes

But do they stand up to the cleaning test? Because let’s be honest, a cleaner that doesn’t clean, isn’t worth much in this dirty house!

Well it is no question that one of my all time favorite cleaning products – the natural wipes stands up to the test! These handy cleaning wipes can be used almost anywhere! There is a mess? Just wipe it up with one of these guys! Dirty counter, dusty head board? The Green Works natural wipes to the rescue!

I also got a chance to review a product I had never used before, Green Work’s Oxi stain remover. The Oxi stain remover was great at getting our stained clothes clean in the washer, but not as much with tough stains in the bathroom. While it was easy to add to our laundry load, when we attempted to clean with this product in the tub, it was a scrub fest for hours. It didn’t put up a good fight, and I find that other products do the trick better.

I will be using this product for my laundry though because the items out of the wash appeared sharper and crisp. For the best results I pre-treated with the Oxi stain remover, by soaking and gently rubbing. Then I put it is the bottom of the drum in my washer and loaded my clothes up. I will be using this natural product to fight laundry stains like grass, coffee, spaghetti sauce, juice, chocolate and gravy. And I’ll save the bathroom tile for my trusty other (not natural :( ) cleaner. Green-works-Oxi-stain-remov

Green Works is a line of cleaning products from Clorox that clean without harsh chemicals, fumes or residue. All of the product I tested come in fragrance free, natural scents. These products are refreshing and light. Nothing too fume-y! They have a glass and surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, laundry detergent, bleach, and cleaning wipes!

Buy Your Own!! You can find all of the Green Works Cleaners at a store near you, like Wal-mart or Walgreens and online at Drugstore.com, and Amazon.com.

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor and Mom Bloggers Club for the purpose of this honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

Earth Day–Potted Pudding Dessert

Potted Chocolate Pudding Recipe with Mint!

Earth Day fun for the family! I love this simple DIY from Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine. It is soooo incredibly easy, why not? Wouldn’t it be the perfect idea for a spring party, a bridal or baby shower?

You could join Martha and make homemade pudding {recipe below} or you could get the box pudding, top with crush some Oreo cookies, stick a mint spring on top, and your done! I’m all about simplicity!

Potted-Pudding-Chocolate-Martha

Makes 20 three-ounce servings (5 1/2 cups)

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Salt
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure mint extract
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 10 chocolate wafer cookies
  • Garnish: mint sprigs

  1. Pour 1 cup cream mixture into sugar mixture, and whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Add remaining cream mixture, and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts, about 1 minute.

  2. Remove from heat. Add mint extract and butter, and whisk until butter melts. Quickly divide pudding, whisking as you work to prevent sides from setting up, among eight 4-ounce glasses or glass flowerpot votive candle holders (candle4less.com), leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top of each. Refrigerate until set, about 1 1/2 hours.

  3. Just before serving, pulse cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Top each pudding with 1 tablespoon ground-cookie "dirt," and garnish with a planted mint sprig. Serve chilled.

Free Tree to Plant Celebrating Earth Day with Lowes!

Lowes-Earth-Day-Promo

Lowe’s is celebrating Earth Day by giving away 1 million trees on Saturday, April, 23, 2011. Visit your local store to get your FREE tree.

Go Green! Earth Day–Turn off those lights!

Check out this seriously disturbing satellite picture of the USA at night time! Blinded?

Satellite-image-of-U.S.A.-at-nightThis is shocking to me, and I hope you too. It’s not that I didn’t realize that we had so many lights on, all the time, I realize this – I can see the lights of downtown from my house, but this is from space, PEOPLE!

We don’t realize the beauty of the night and the stars, until we can’t see them anymore. And light pollution causes us to not see the sky like it is meant to be seen. We know too little about “light pollution”, a very serious and growing problem!

Light pollution does more than block our beautiful star system, (according to the IDA – International Dark-Sky Association) wasted light is the equivalent of 32 million barrels of oil each year!!!

Also, migration of animals from cities might happen because they become confused with the light all the time, since many animals hunt and mate at night and birds rely on the moonlight and stars to guide them!

Most of the light pollution is in the big cities, obviously, but as you can see it is all over the U.S.! I can see the outline of ALL of the Great Lakes!! And look at the east coast… yikes!

Sure, much of this light pollution is from building, parking lots, and stadiums… but also from the light fixture on your garage or front door!

Earth Day is April 22nd and I encourage you to think twice about hitting that porch light switch!

Free Starbucks coffee or Tea for Earth Day!

 
Starbucks-Logo-Earth-Day
Earth Day is April 22

 

Bring a mug

Bring in a travel cup on EARTH DAY and receive a free coffee or tea at participating Starbucks stores.