Nest Celeste's Blog

Eco Threads, Dry Cleaning, Frozen Foods . .

Nest Celeste — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:20:00 GMT

I’ve whined in the past in this space about the lack of great eco fashion options, but it looks like the possibilities are getting better every day. I just found out that there’s now an entire “Earth Friendly” category on Shopbop.com, the online retailer that ships the latest chic treats to every corner of the country (but which is also beloved by fashionistas and celebs—in fact, an actress I interviewed last week confessed that she has a serious addiction to late night Shopbop-ing). They carry 20 different brands including organic cotton offerings from some mainstream labels (Juicy, C+C California, Joe’s Jeans), and entire lines from some cool sustainable designers I’d never heard of before (Larsen Gray and Beau Soleil are two). I’m especially into this organic linen dress by Theory—just steer clear of your favorite biodynamic Pinot Noir and free trade chocolate when you’re wearing it, so it doesn’t spend too much of its life at the drycleaner (btw, ALL of the drycleaners in LA are suddenly touting their “earth-friendly” methods—is that true where you are too? This piece from the Green Guide explains the different techniques out there, and why some are greener than others).
On to more mundane things, I also just learned about a frozen food brand that’s making strides to be earth-friendly: Green Cuisine by Contessa. They have a new LEED-certified manufacturing plant, and farm shrimp sustainably, and claim to be aiming eco-consciousness throughout their operations. Has anybody tried it? Sounds like it could be a good option, since there are always those nights when you can’t muster the energy to chef up a meal of locally grown produce and heirloom grains, and, after all, the microwave has a far lower carbon footprint than the oven or the stove . .

Posh Organic Perfumes

Nest Celeste — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:44:00 GMT

Not so long ago, I was a total fragrance junkie. In my twenties I edited beauty stories at a women’s magazine, and had access to a closet full of fancy perfumes at the office. I loved sampling all the latest scents as they were launched, and adored the way my favorite bottles looked arranged on my dresser at home. When I look back on different periods of my life, I can almost smell the scent I was wearing at the time—the heady gardenia aroma of Michael when I was 27, the sweet cassis-laced scent of Enjoy when I was 28, the Bond No. 9 Chelsea Flowers that I favored at 30. But sometime during the Chelsea Flowers days I abruptly stopped wearing perfume, because I learned that artificial fragrances (the high-end parfum variety and the cheap air freshener kind alike) usually contain nasty chemicals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors and even suspected carcinogens. (Right around then I had a serious health scare and also began thinking about getting pregnant, so I got a little fanatical about eliminating all possibly toxic stuff from my life). You can learn more about the dangers of artificial fragrances in this article on the Children's Health Environmental Coalition site.
Anyway, it’s been years since I’ve worn any sort of scent, and every once in a while I really do miss it. When getting dressed up for any sort of occasion I feel sort of incomplete and unfestive if I don’t spritz something on my neck or wrists. So I decided to seek out a nontoxic scent that smells every bit as good as the ones I used to love (Totally off topic: When I was editing beauty copy about fragrance I learned that you’re never supposed to use the word “smell” in reference to it—it’s some sort of unwritten perfume industry rule—weird, right?). So I ordered up some samples from Strange Invisible Perfumes, an artisanal perfumerie that creates its scents using organic essential oils and no chemicals like phthalates or parabens (you can order samples online for $5 each, so you have lots of time to try them out before making a purchase). I’m loving Fair Verona, a sparkly, citrus-heavy aroma, but am also a fan of the more intense and mysterious L’Invisible. What’s so wonderful about Strange Invisible Perfumes is that they’re 100% natural but also totally posh. The website is high design and the samples arrived in a box wrapped up with a silky purple ribbon with a tiny peacock feather tucked inside—meaning the days when organic fragrance meant patchouli oil purchased at a healthfood store or a head shop are definitively done! A similar brand which I’d like to try is Rich Hippie perfumes, which has even more scent options than Strange Invisible, all with fun names like Rock Star, Maharishi and Bohemian Wedding. Do you have a favorite non-toxic scent?

7 Little Musts for a Greener Life

Nest Celeste — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:46:00 GMT

Suddenly it seems like everyone is going green, so if you’ve been doing the eco-living thing for a while you may be feeling the need to up the ante. After all, when all of your formerly shallow, materialistic friends are suddenly bringing their own bags to the supermarket and using Seventh Generation cleaning products those moves don’t feel as virtuous as they used to, right? If you’re looking for new ways to feel greener than thou, I’ve got some suggestions for you . .
Okay, I am kidding, mostly. This is just a list of cool eco items I’ve discovered recently that can help you green every little corner of your existence (if your friends are impressed, that’s just a bonus). I discovered a number of them at a new “green general store” called Green and Greener, which also has a website.

Further hand soap: Sure, that nontoxic, biodegradable soap you’re using now is nice, but this stuff is also recycled from biofuel byproducts.

Organic cotton catnip mouse: Making your feline friend’s eco-paw print even tinier.

Organic cotton swabs: Even the tiny tools you use to apply eye makeup and sweep out your ears can be earth-friendly.

Rechargeable batteries: Swap alkaline batteries (which contain metals and toxic chemicals) for rechargeable ones, which last (almost) forever and are easier to recycle.

Organic loofahs: Smooth your rough spots with scrubbers that are organically grown, colored with veggie dyes and compost-able.

Nontoxic rubber duckie: Make bath time lots of fun the green way, with a toy duck that’s made of natural latex, phthalate-free and colored with nontoxic paints.

Organic lollipops: Even your totally unnecessary indulgences can be good for Mama Earth.

What new green products are you loving lately?

Any Green (ish) Rug Recommendations?

Nest Celeste — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:59:00 GMT

I desperately need a new area rug for my living room. The beige-y wool/sisal one I have is looking a little haggard, and I don’t want to pay to clean it again. I’d thought the beige would be okay because somebody told me that wool is easy to clean, but it turns out it’s only easy for professional rug people to clean, which gets expensive. In what I’ve paid to have it cleaned I could have bought two new ones but, of course, that would not be very eco of me. And I will continue to use it, just in more of a low-traffic area like a guest bedroom. Plus, I am just over the beige and ready for a change.

So, what’s a green-minded girl to use as floor covering? That turns out to be quite a tricky question. The ideal green rug would have all of these qualities: Organic fibers, no toxic glues or bindings or backing, natural, low-impact dyes, and a production process that pays all the rug-makers a living wage. Oh, and it would ideally be made locally too. All that is a very tall, and possibly impossible, order. And did I mention that I need my rug to be 9x12 and cost less than $1000? Domino magazine has a slideshow of chic eco rugs on their website, but none of them work with my budget. Making this even more complicated, I need my new rug to be reasonably stain-resistant (but not covered with chemical stainguards, natch) and easy to clean, since I have two kids and magic markers and raspberry jam-covered hands inevitably wind up in the living room no matter how hard I try to keep them out of there. And I’m over the whole sisal/seagrass/jute thing because I’ve been down that road and had a terrible time with stains. Anyway, I think I am in search of a dhurrie-style rug. These flatweave cotton, usually Indian, rugs are inexpensive and, I’ve been told, easy to clean. They’re even reversible so you can just flip them over before bothering with cleaning at all. I have yet to find one that meets all of my criteria, but dhurries do tend to be eco-friendly by nature since they don’t have any of the backings that often contains toxic chemicals. And cotton, even if it’s not organic, is at least easier on the planet than some sort of petroleum-based, chemical-coated wall-to-wall carpet, right?

So I’m thinking of buying one of these Dash and Albert rugs. Although they’re a little country-ish for me, I think one of the striped ones will work with more contemporary furniture. Any thoughts for me? Should I be trying to find something more eco? I’d love to hear any ideas anybody has for earth-friendly floor coverings.

Rogan @ Target, and other eco style options

Nest Celeste — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:09:00 GMT

Clothes and fashion are the aspect of life that I’m finding hardest to green-ify. Choosing eco cleaners, beauty loot and home gear doesn’t involve much sacrifice and feels satisfying, but usually when I try to buy clothes made of sustainable or organic materials I feel like I’d look better if I chose an outfit that was less friendly to the earth, friendlier to my butt and thighs. I bought new jeans recently and really, really wanted to choose a pair from one of the cool eco lines out there (Loomstate, Del Forte, Aristocrat . . ) but, alas, none of those brands was doing my backside any favors, while the J Brand “Love Story” cut made me feel like I’d just come back from some sort of raw food/Pilates spa vacation—so, obviously, those are the ones I chose. I comforted myself with the fact that they’re made locally in LA, and have since learned that J Brand now makes that exact style in organic cotton (photo above), so maybe next time I can get flattering denim that I can also feel good about. This week Splendora has a gallery of eco-friendly fashion, and while lots of it looks very stylish, few of the pieces are workhorse basics you can really build a wardrobe around, you know?

Although organic cotton and other sustainable materials (bamboo, hemp, recycled fabrics) usually cost more, Rogan’s line for Target may be a sign that that is changing. I haven’t seen the Rogan for Target stuff in person yet, but based on the website photos it’s not looking like something that will work for me. A friend in NY picked up a bunch of the pieces when the line previewed at Barney’s and swears that they’re really cute, but said friend also weighs 110 pounds soaking wet and has an unreasonably perfect bod for clothes, so she can’t really be trusted. Have any of you tried the Rogan stuff? Or are there any other sustainable fashion brands you’re a fan of?

50 Cheap Ways to Go Green

Nest Celeste — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:21:00 GMT

There is so much media attention on being eco-conscious these days, which is fantastic, but sometimes it makes me feel a little overwhelmed and bummed out that I can’t take more drastic actions. I’d love to swap my car for a hybrid, switch to all Energy Star appliances, etc., etc., but simply can’t afford to do it all right away (especially since I recently read that college is going to cost $500k by the time our kids get there—which makes saving for that a top priority, since if my offspring are at all like me then athletic and musical scholarships will not be forthcoming!). Anyway, I just came upon this list of 50 simple, mostly affordable daily actions you can take to help the planet. Many of them are things that you already probably do, but it’s great to be reminded of the impact of little acts like using cloth napkins, and to get a few new ideas too.
One bit of data from the list that I found especially shocking: It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, and can take 55 square feet of rain forest land to make a hamburger! Although I don’t eat beef I do eat lots of dairy, and lately I’m trying to cut back on that. Cows (both the dairy and destined-to-be-burgers kinds) are responsible for tons of greenhouse gas emissions, so one of the biggest, easiest and cheapest things we can do to help the planet is to eat non-cattle protein sources instead— think poultry, eggs, nuts, and beans. Oprah is trying a vegan diet for a few weeks, and writing about it on her website. I’m not really an Oprah acolyte, but am hoping that reading about her meat/dairy-free meals will inspire me a little to cut back on my cheese habit. What easy, inexpensive things have you done lately to help the planet?

Lovely Green Home Loot

Nest Celeste — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Lately I’ve been writing about un-fun stuff like fuel economy, so I thought this week I’d share one of my favorite sources for lovely earth-friendly home gear. French General is a totally unique little shop in Hollywood devoted to the pursuit of a sweetly old-fashioned life with a touch of French style. Most of their wares (which are all available online and by phone order) are very eco, and owner Kaari Meng has been living that way since long before it was fashionable. They sell lots of hemp textiles, both antique and new, which I know sounds hippie-dippy, but really isn’t in this case. The stuff is all really chic in an understated French Country way, and Kaari swears that sleeping on hemp sheets is an indulgent experience—they keep you cool in the summer, warm in the winter and will last for 100 years. I’m dying to try them but recently bought new organic cotton ones so can’t justify it right now.
   But I have bought some of the antique hemp tea towels (which I use constantly in my attempts to eschew paper towels in the kitchen), and I love French General’s line of all-natural beauty and laundry products, which are scented with organic herbs and feel much more indulgent than most green potions. And the lip balms and body butters come in flavors that are much more fun than the standard lavender: for instance, Lemon Blossom & Sage, Fresh Ginger & Honey, Blood Orange & Linden (I’m wearing that lip balm right now, and it’s so much more moisturizing than a mass-produced, petroleum-based balm). Kaari also sells a house line of deliciously scented soy candles (above) made with essential oils and cotton wicks, as well as kits of antique beads, ribbons and other “notions” that are perfect for making jewelry or other crafts with a “re-use, recycle” mentality (I’m so not crafty, but the French General “Notions Kits” are tempting enough to make me consider DIYing a necklace . . ). Plus if you are doing a major decorating project you should check out the gorgeous fabrics, many of which are made of hemp and/or printed with nontoxic vegetable dyes.
   This blog post is sort of an unrepentant love letter to the shop/website, because I think it’s refreshing to discover a business that’s been doing “green” stuff for a while, not because it’s trendy but simply because it’s a more authentic and satisfying way to live.
    Have you discovered any cool, below-the-radar sources for green style?

6 Gas-Saving Tips

Nest Celeste — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:19:00 GMT

With gas prices at all-time highs this isn’t just an eco issue—it’s an economic one! Sure, public transport, walking or riding a bike are all great alternatives, but they’re obviously not always possible. And hybrid cars are in most cases still more expensive than regular ones—though I think with tax incentives and all the $ you can save on gas they can work out to be a good deal, right? When it comes time to replace my six-year-old VW Jetta, I’ll definitely go hybrid, but for now I’m looking for simpler ways to save gas. Here are some pretty painless ways to get more mileage out of that tank of gas you just shelled out $50+ for (the Environmental Defense Fund estimates that moves like these can save you between $200-$500 each year):

Slow down. Fuel economy goes down by 5 to 10 % for every 5 mph above 60 you drive.

Don’t idle. It’s a myth that your car needs to “warm up,” and letting it idle wastes gas and causes polluting emissions. If you need to wait more than 10 seconds, turn off the ignition (unless you’re actually in traffic, obviously).

Keep tabs on your tire pressure. Properly inflated tires improve fuel economy by 3% or more a year, because your car has less drag to overcome when its wheels are full of air. (Though I have never actually done this, I remind my husband to. Yes, I need to find a secret passageway out of the 1950’s)

Go easy on the AC. Using your car’s cooling system burns through fuel, so it’s usually a better idea to open up windows to cool down. However, if you’re moving along at 45 mph or faster then open windows will create drag on your car that cuts down on fuel economy even more than the AC would. Another tip: If you are doing the open window thing, crack all four windows so the air will move through the car more easily and create less drag.

Don’t put pedal to the metal. Try to cruise as much as possible—it wastes gas to speed up and then lay on the brake at a red light or when traffic slows.

Avoid left turns. Have you heard this thing about how UPS started designing routes for their drivers that include as many right turns as possible? They found that waiting for left turns was causing their trucks to waste time and gas. So, when you can, try to plot your errands in a clockwise route so you won’t have to linger at lefties.

Are you working on cutting back on gas? Have you tried any of these tips, or any others that allow you to go to the pump less often?