The relaxed vibe of the cross body bag has found it's way back from the 80's!

For the girl on the go, the hands-free option is quite liberating! Remakes of the trademark look are now in stores, but why settle for anything less than the O.G.? VintageFirm.com's got your back!  

VintageFirm.com feels that wearing vintage is a highly rewarding way to style. With the fun of reminiscing for an era, you are reusing products and giving it a whole new appreciation.

Here's our top picks from our Eco chic sister site, VintageFirm.com

	1980's Vintage Red Cross Body Bag w/ Gold Hoop Detail This red soft vinyl zip top cross body bag by Bueno speaks 80's out loud.  (more)
	1980's Vintage Black Chain Strap Shoulder Bag by Ande The quilted front flap with gold chain strap bag by Ande draped over a dress is classic chic  (more)
	1980's Women's Vintage Croc Print Abstract Cross Body Bag Awesome black faux croc leather bag with bursts of colored patches and a faux silver buckle on the top flap.
	1980's Vintage Cross Body Shoulder Bag w/ Gathered Exterior This black soft vinyl zip top cross body bag is 80's toned down. Worn with a simple outfit or a more detailed wear, this bag will put the look together.  (more)
	1980's Women's Vintage Cross Body Rectangular Front Flap Leather Purse This flap top rectangular bag would be perfect for a laid back day in cut off jeans and a cotton T.  (more)

Check out more 80's bags at VintageFirm.com!

Oddly enough, there is currently no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer. The FDA’s 2007 draft sunscreen safety regulations say: “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer”.

We can’t get away from exposing our skin to the sun but if you are going to be in direct sunlight; sunscreens can help prevent sunburns, skin aging, wrinkles, and cell damage.

Here are tips for to keep your skin beautiful, healthy, and toxic-free while in the sun:

1. Use a Cream-based Sunscreen with SPF 30
Avoid sprays and powders which may not be safe to breathe. Choose cream sunscreen instead and make sure the SPF is 30 or higher.
 

2. Read the Ingredients
Avoid sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, it’s a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and low birth weight in baby girls. Instead look for sunscreens that contains zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX. These ingredients protect skin from harmful UVA radiation, with little penetrating into the body.
 

3. Avoid Sunscreen with Vitamin A
Eating foods rich in vitamin A is great for your skin, but new FDA data shows that tumors and lesions may develop sooner on skin coated with creams containing vitamin A when exposed to direct sunlight. Vitamin A, may be listed as “retinyl palmitate” or “retionol” on sunscreen labels.
 

4. Get Lost of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is very important – it strengthens bones, our immune system, and reduces the risk of various cancers. While the main source of vitamin D is sunlight – experts dissagree on if it’s safe to get it from the sun. Eitherway you can get adequate amounts from a healthy diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D: like dairy products and fish, fortified milk, cereals, and vitamin D supplements.
 

5. Avoid Tanning Beds
Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds dramatically increase the risk of Melanoma, which is the most deadly form of skin cancer. This type of light can also increase skin aging, wrinkling, and cause cell damage.
 

So what’s the best sunscreen? The Environmental Working Group releases each year, a report of the safest, least toxic, and most effective sunscreen products available to consumers.
 

This year the top sunscreens include:

• Badger Balm
• Karen’s Botanicals
• California Baby
• Soleo Organics
   

Checkout the full list of sunscreens to find the best sun protection for you.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 
 

Health has always been priority for me and my family. We try to eat organic as much as we can and now that includes our chocolate! 

TRŪ Chocolate ® ™ is an organic dark chocolate that's sugar free, loaded with antioxidants and has no preservatives.

TRŪ Chocolate ® ™ Ingredients:

• Organic Cocoa Liquer
• Organic Cocoa Butter
• Xylitol
• Proprietary Herbal Formula
• Naural Vanilla Extract
• Organic Lecithin

Green Business Idea:

TRŪ Chocolate ® ™ is looking for distributors! If you are looking to start an Eco Business, here's a delicious idea!

Learn more at CocoaProsperity.com

We know it's early to start thinking about Halloween, but as you probably realize, one of the keys to living and celebrating green is to plan ahead.

Swapping, as you also may realize, has come into its own. The stars are doing it (U.S. Weekly reported that Reese Witherspoon loves to get together with girlfriends and swap away!), so why not the rest of us? It makes sense financially, but when you throw in the earth-friendly aspect, it's a no-brainer.

And when it comes to kids clothes and especially something like costumes which most children wear once, it's a double no-brainer!

That's why, Green Halloween, in collaboration with KIWI magazine, is launching National Costume Swap Day on October 9th.

We want to raise awareness about swapping as a habit, but especially when it comes to Halloween costumes. Setting up a costume swap among your friends, child's school, at your church, community center or in collaboration with a thrift store, can be a great way to do something positive for your community with relatively little work (don't you love that last part?).

On the National Costume Swap Day site, you can find tips for setting up, as well as listing a swap. If your swap is only for friends and family, the listing will show the city and state. If it's public, the listing can include all the details about time, place etc. 

And by the way, swapping isn't just for kids. Over the last several years, there's been a surge in adults of all ages buying costumes.

So whether for you or the kids, join the fun. Put together a swap and get a jump on greening your Halloween.

And let us know if you've got questions.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are a mother-daughter team and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net.

I'm a little behind on my blogging, I have to admit. Wedding planning is an entirely different animal than the other events I've thrown. It's all the "little" things that go into this ritualized celebration that take so much time. You need to research, make decisions, decide, possibly go back and forth several times between you and your to-be spouse, vendors, family, etc. So ... anything that makes life a little easier (and of course, greener) is welcome by me. I am proud to present to you, MyRegistry.com !
 

MyRegistry.com or "MR" as the company abbreviates for branding, is a treasure. It allows you to pick out items from ANY online store, enabling you to obviously have more of a selection but also it eliminates the redundant work you might have to do to register in several places for the items you want or "need" (if we're breathing and can manage a smile, what more do we really "need"?). If you don't know, I would say most of us greenies fall under the "LOHAS" demographic. Visit their website for more information, however, it basically means 1 out of every 4 of us may be a conscious consumer. Last time I checked, 25% did not create a majority, although it is a significant percentage. My point being, I feel like it is very hard to find everything a greenie would want on any one green online website. I created one for our wedding, and my bridal shower. Here is a list of the websites of the conscious companies we chose items from:


Gaiam
Vivaterra.com
Greennest.com
Greenfeet.com
Matteriashop.com
Yankodesign.com
Inhabitatshop.com
Ttheultimategreenstore.com
Buildanest.com
Cc-dt.com
Eatorganicpanties.com
Eberjey.com
Econsciousmarket.com
Elementskateboards.com
Enamore.co.uk
Greenknickers.org
Mcssl.com
Naturalluxe.com
Noblivity.com
Theokobox.com
Toms.com
Urbanfoxeco.com
Us-appliance.com
Rre-modern.com
Solarovens.org
Ttenthousandvillages.com
Worldofgood.com
Uncommongoods.com
Green & Greener

MR made this easy on us. All of the items are on one registry site. When people ask, we only send them there. The beauty however is that your guests will still be redirected to the site that the item will actually come from. I am all about subtle education through exposure. I don't want to be high pressure ... this is a way for our friends and family to become familiar with our living values, see that there are not only green products out there alternative to non-eco options, but where these items can be bought at any time. I partially took it upon myself to try and expose as many companies as possible with this rationale. As you will see, we do have several items on our registry but also several green companies :) So much for "reduce" I guess, but we are trying to replace old items that need to go. We will be donating all of our old items to the most appropriate agencies -old bedding, for instance, will go to Blankets4Buddies.


So where's the green? Well, it's not like they offer any offset to the shipping, like a company such as Better World Books, but again it allows you to choose where you want your items from (so pick conscious companies my greenies :) but also, it allows you to send out nice looking digital announcements and thank you cards! So it helps you cut down on A) Effort :), B) Gas from transport but most importantly, C) PAPER!


When an item has been bought for you, you get an email alert. So easy. I'm so grateful!


What if you don't want gifts? MR will allow you to set up a "fund" -we have one for our honeymoon :) This ties into the last thing that I find really great is, that a non-profit can either set up a registry or fund. For a baby non-profit like mine, Green Wave, this will make our charity easy and green. I actually set one up for Green Wave already. If you're feeling in the spirit to give, although we'll always take money, we are looking for fair trade soccer balls, a projector and screen, and some documentaries. You can check that out by visiting a either of our registries online. Get acquainted with it, and fall in love with it ... MyRegistry.com is definitely a MR right :)


Learn more about Janine at Green Wave

You can follow me on Twitter @GreenGeisha
Green Wave: www.InspiringWavesofChange.org