As we prepare for a vacation to Mexico, I have discovered a few things... I have spent weeks trying to track down organic food sources in and near Cancun. I figured how hard can it be - there is a lot of organic produce at the grocery stores from Mexico. When I called the resort just outside of Cancun, they had no idea what "organic" was - including the chef.  So in my very limited Spanish I searched the very few English websites looking for organic foods. I found some reviews for restaurants in Cancun. %100 Natural was at the top of the list - but the site was completely in Spanish. I managed to find contact info and emailed them to see if they sold organic foods - or hoped they would pass on their suppliers info. Even better! The restaurant emailed me back - in English - thank goodness, and although they did not have any organic items (%100 Natural though), they did forward me a list of grocery stores that did carry organic products. Finding the organic source reduced my stress level immensely - I was actually able to get a little excited about our adventure.

We are attending a wedding between an Acupuncturist & a Naturopathic Doctor - however, this would be the least 'Green' wedding I have every been to - whether as a guest or as the Professional Wedding Photographer. It is such a stark contrast to the eco-wedding I attended in the summer. The eco-wedding focused on local resources, reduced carbon emissions, all the details focused around sustainability and environmental consciousness, right down to the food and flowers selected. They were a wedding on a dime - but you could never tell - it was beautiful - the decorations, the food, the ceremony... But the Mexico Wedding - oh my. Over 40 people flying from Canada and the US to Mexico to stay at an all inclusive resort.  I am sure it will be a beautiful and exotic wedding, but the carbon emissions alone for this wedding are phenomenal. 

While researching organic food suppliers for this trip, I came across two articles from mindfully.org that I found very educational. The first one is about banana plantations and the second about the inert ingredients in pesticides. (click on highlighted words to read original articles)

Who knew bananas were so toxic? No wonder they are at the top of the list for inducing migraines!  In the article, "Life on a banana plantation; Growing Chiquita bananas: pesticides and hard work," the process of pesticide use on banana plantations is thoroughly described. I was shocked to find out how many times pesticides were applied to bananas - and in such an environmentally sensitive area. Herbicides, Nematicides, Pesticides, Fungicides... several applications by crop dusting, hand application, water spray - even after they are picked more pesticides are applied! Not only is the banana industry slammed for the use of pesticides - but also for the conditions under which the employees work - it is devastating to think that purchasing non-organic/ non fair-trade bananas are perpetuating this behaviour. It is both a social and environmental injustice. 

In Ecuador it is "estimated 30 kilograms of pesticides blanket each hectare of plantation in a given year." The other ugly truth is that less than 1% of bananas imported to Canada are fair trade (Toronto Star Aug 2009). Looking for safe bananas, not a banana cocktail? Organic fair-trade is the only way to go. Loblaws, Whole Foods, Nature's Emporium, The Carrot, and various other Health Food/Organic produce stores have organic fair-trade bananas available.

What is in pesticides - besides cancer causing agents, genotoxicity, endocrine and neuro- disruptors? "Inert" ingredients are in pesticides... There are two categories with respect to pesticide ingredients  'active' and 'inert.' The article "Unidentified Inert Ingredients in Pesticides" explains how the active ingredients are the only ingredients that are really investigated or regulated by the government - even though the inert ingredients (which may not even be listed in many products including household cleaners, and various other products humans come into contact with/ingest) can be extremely toxic as well. 

"The U.S. EPA has identified almost 3,000 substances, with widely varying toxicity, that are used as inert ingredients in the U.S. (U.S. EPA 2004)... Numerous studies indicate that inert ingredients may enhance the toxicity of pesticide formulations to the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, mitochondria, genetic material, and hormone systems." The article further moves to express concerns regarding how the combination of active and inert chemicals is more toxic than when they are studied as separate ingredients. In addition the combination also appears to render protective wear ineffective. At the time of this article (2006 - not long enough ago for any significant change to have taken place in legislation), despite moving evidence of the toxicity of combining inert and active ingredients in pesticides, these chemicals are still being used liberally on our food. If you are not purchasing organic food - you are eating more than just a piece of fruit, a slice of bread, or even a rather benign looking box of cereal. You are eating a cocktail of chemicals in every mouthful. 

So when you look in the mirror and wonder why you can't get rid of that last 10 or 20 lbs, or why you feel tired all the time, or why - regardless of your best effort to eat healthy,  you still don't feel as healthy as you think you should - take a closer look at your diet. Try substituting your conventional produce with organic produce. As you finish a box of cereal, a loaf of bread, pasta... replace it with organic foods. Once you have transferred over completely - then take stock. Besides the significant improvement to your health - you have made an even greater impact to the global environment and social justice in many countries around the world. 

For more information on Pesticides and Endocrine Disrupters visit www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/2005/pesticide2005.htm
Click any of the highlighted links above to visit the original articles.

This is a fantastic conception! Check it out...

"Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world

 Now, musicians from all over the world are brought together to perform benefit concerts that build music and art schools in communities that are in need of inspiration and hope. In addition to benefit concerts, the Playing for Change band also performs shows around the world. When audiences see and hear musicians who have traveled thousands of miles from their homes, united in purpose and chorus on one stage, everyone is touched by music's unifying power."

 www.playingforchange.com

If you haven't already seen Woody Harrelson's "Go Further" - definitely take the time to watch this humorous eco-doc.
The documentary follows Woody Harrelson and gang as they travel 1500 by bike down the west coast accompanied by their hemp-burning bus. The tour makes several stops along the way tooting the benefits of living lighter on the earth. It is highly entertaining to watch one of the characters evolve from a junk-food junkie  into an advocate against milk products. Equally great for those new to environmental choices for change and those who are veterans on the scene.

Here is the trailer...

We are more than half way through our year, and I have witness an amazing evolution over the months. In January when we first began our organic diet, and switched to environmentally friendly products, our selections were slim. It was almost impossible to find 100% organic hair and body care, and those we tried out weren't always effective. The great thing is a "green" lifestyle is becoming much more mainstream - Eco-Chic. As long as this trend continues it will become easier and easier to access a variety of organic and eco-friendly products. A consumer no longer needs to find specialized health-food stores, large chains carry a wide selection of organic and eco products... Loblaws Super Stores, No Frills, Metro (Formerly Dominion), Shoppers Drug Mart, and even Wal-Mart (which leads to a whole other host of consumer moral dilemmas). However good or bad it is to buy from Wal-Mart, if it is the difference between buying green or not, maybe it is a consideration a consumer needs to make. 

If you are interested in more information about conscious business practices and Wal-Mart here are some links to look at -
www.ideamouth.com/politics/walmartflyer.pdf
www.helium.com/items/980272-the-impact-of-wal-mart-on-the-local-economy
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/25/us/suits-say-wal-mart-forces-workers-to-toil-off-the-clock.html
http://www.walmartmovie.com/

Here are some of our discoveries in body-care products and cleaners...

Shampoo:
We have tried many brands of organic shampoo and have come to two favorites...
Organic: Aubrey Organics, this brand offers many varieties, scented, unscented...
Mostly Organic: Giovanni, this brand has a great line of tea tree shampoo & conditioners

Body Wash:
Desert Essence Organics, a very fruity line of body wash (if you dont have any sensitivities this is a great product)
Dr. Bronners offers a hypoallergenic, baby friendly all purpose cleaner for body, laundry and dishes, very compatible for those who have allergies or sensitivities - I like to add a couple of drops of an essential oil to add a scent

Toothpaste:
Miessence: an Australian product completely Organic but strong baking soda taste
Burts Bees Baby Toothpaste: made of chalk and clay with an orange flavor, the kids have liked this one

Dish Soap:
We tried Seventh Generation, Bio-Vert, and EcoVer.
The longest lasting suds, and easiest to use by far is Bio-Vert Dish Soap. 
We did not have much success with the Seventh Generation. The suds lasted 5-10 minutes and dishes required scouring to get any grime off.

Dishwasher Detergent:
While Bio-Vert was our favorite dish-soap, the dishwasher detergent did not clean as well as EcoVer.
**Here is the trick: When using EcoVer dishwasher detergent also use the EcoVer Rinse Aid - what an amazing job!

Laundry Detergent:
This was TOUGH! With two boys playing in the grass and dirt all summer we put detergents to the test! Many failed.  With Bio-Vert the cloths always seemed dingy. We added Borax to a few loads and that seemed to help. EcoVer didn't do any better, the stains, dirt and grime all stuck with the clothes. I had heard RAVE reviews about "Nellies Washing Soda," but even that didn't pass the kid's clothes test. President's Choice Green Cold Water did about the same as the other brands for a much cheaper price. But we needed out clothes cleaned! Recently we tried the New Tide Green Choice - Phosphate Free, Dye and Fragrance Free, Hypo Allergenic, and 100% biodegradable - and Tide won hands down! For the first time in many months our white clothes came out white, stains came out, and our clothes were clean. We are also going to try the new Green Sunlight.

I have two thoughts to share about the large name brands adding green products to their cleaning product lines...
1. Although I like to support companies that are entirely eco-friendly and that is their entire mandate - I also like to support companies who are changing to become more environmentally friendly. By increasing the sales of the green products in large companies we are investing in these companies and showing that these are the products in demand. 

2. COUPONS! I have yet to come across coupons for the smaller green companies, but coupons for Tide, Sunlight, Arm & Hammer... are in abundance. Which also helps these products to become more accessible for everyone. 

Other Cleaning Products:
As for bathroom cleaners and disinfectants we stick with homemade staples... all of which can be found in the baking isle at your local grocer.
Vinegar & baking soda: sprinkle baking soda over surface then spray with vinegar (dilute 1:1 with water), wipe down surface (scrub as needed)
This mix can clean toilet bowls, stove tops, counter tops...
Cream of Tartar, salt, baking soda & vinegar: cleans porcelain surfaces: sprinkle powders in bathtub or sink. SALT IS AN ABRASIVE USE SPARINGLY OR IT MAY SCRATCH YOUR PORCELAIN SURFACE - if you are concerned omit the salt and add more cream of tartar
Tea Tree & Water: 10 drops of the essential oil to 500 mL of water. Use in a spray bottle  to disinfect counter tops, tables, floors, door knobs, bathrooms, kitchens... you can even use it as a hand sanitizer.  

Hope this helps you find some body-friendly & eco friendly choices...