Great Event in the Kawarthas!

If you like handicrafts, vintage items and vegan and gluten free baking, and you're in the Peterborough/Kawarthas area, you need to see this! My crafty friends over at Rabbit & Bumble are hosting an open air market on Saturday August 18th. Check out their fabulous poster and visit their blog and facebook page for more info! I wish I could go, but alas, I'm working that day.

Eco Swimwear

Here we are in the middle of another heatwave! All I can think about, as I sit here in my un-air-conditioned house is pool, pool, POOL! Us lady-folk know how hard it is to find the right swimsuit. When you throw in a desire to be planet-friendly, it gets even harder! But I have good news. I've been searching every corner of the internet for swimwear that's both eco-friendly and cute. I've found some great options, but I have to tell you, they don't come cheap. Today, I stumbled upon a swimwear line that meets all my criteria! Let me introduce you to La Isla.

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Their bikinis and swimsuits come in a variety of great cuts, bright colours and cool patterns. But what I love about this company is their commitment to the environment and ethical business practices. They use organic cottons and Oeko-Tex certified fabrics. They use FSC approved printing facilities, and solar-powered internet hosting. They also give back to a number of worthy causes, including Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society. I highly recommend checking out their website if you're in the market for a new bathing suit!

Shop Local!

I'm lucky enough to live in a city with a thriving downtown. Beautiful historic buildings, unique shops, great restaurants and coffee shops, and a friendly atmosphere. Sure, we have the big box stores too, but downtown is the place to be. Its where you find the coolest clothes and decor, unique items that not everyone has. I can literally wander for hours, window shopping, actually shopping, enjoying a cool beverage on a sunny patio, and running into familiar friendly faces. It just feels like home. But I wonder if people realize that these amazing areas in every town are in constant jeopardy. Big box stores come to town, offering low low prices on cheap merchandise shipped in from the other side of the world. The more we give in to the lure of convenience and rock-bottom prices, the more our local businesses suffer. The thing is, WE decide what kind of town (and what kind of world) we want to live in, and we cast our vote with ever dollar we spend. Who do you want to support? The giant, multinational, faceless corporation, or Mr. Smith, who lives down the street, and makes his honest living in your town, and in turn, spends his money in your town, and gives back to your community? When you support local businesses, you support your community. Here's a quick read on some of the many reasons to shop local: article.

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Mean 15

While we're on the subject of beauty products and toxic ingredients, I thought I'd share this handy tool. Visit the Ecoholic website to download and print the Mean 15 pocket guide. Keep it in your wallet, and whip it out next time you visit the drugstore for shampoo, deodorant, moisturizer and more. Do yourself and the planet a BIG favour and become a label-reader. It may take longer, but its well worth the effort.

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