I had another opportunity to review a fantastic product from Neuma.
They sent me a wonderful shampoo sample set complete with a recycled box and totally recyclable containers.
Neuma definitely thinks Earth first! The box quotes, Beautiful Sustainable.
Neuma’s products contain: ZERO synthetic fragrances, sulfates, parabens, phthlates, just renewable plant-based ingredients!
The shampoo felt like a spa experience, the moisturizer completed the transformation….
they added a body lotion and it further added to that feeling that I was at a spa getting a treatment.
What a delight to experience a company focused on the Earth and it’s union with it’s inhabitants (we beauty mavens) don’t have to pollute to get the beautiful hair and makeup…. Neuma personifies Nature!
Discover more at www.neumabeauty.com or
800-333-0707

So, years ago I picked up a wonderful Glitter lotion by Pure and Basic…..
I fell in love with their natural shimmering body lotion.
Once I began to review natural products, I contacted this fantastic company and they sent me the newest bottles.
I am in love with the Opalescent and Gold Glitter, just the right amount of sparkle without the harmful ingredients, NO PARABENS!
Movie star effects naturally, truly Oscar worthy!
Check them out at www.pureandbasic.com

While at lunch today I had a discussion about the Green Living suggestions I made to the Nordstrom stores last year. The manager of the Bistro in the Nordstrom at Twelve Oaks Mall began to tell me how the store listened to my suggestions and have made some great green changes. They’ve begun using Green recycled To Go containers, they’ve got plans to change all Nordstrom brand water bottles to a biodegradable material. They’ve begun to recycle waste in many restaurants and are working on getting more local produce and meats with a bigger emphasis on Organic foods.
I was so happy when they opened up a few years ago because I had heard they had antibiotic free chicken, and organic salad mix. And now the additional Green initiatives have made me a very happy Green customer! You Go Nordstrom!

Hello all,
For the next few months, check out my Green and Organic Reviews of makeup, holistic medicines, and natural soda. You’ll love the research results!
Things are looking good for not only us but our sweet Mother Earth!
There’s proof that living Green and Organic doesn’t have to mean sacrificing!
Live Green, Live Well…..

Josephine

It’s that time again, I begin to think about our son’s birthday and the cake is the focus at the moment.
While the theme is a huge part of the decision… to the organic mom the ingredients are also an integral part of the decision making.
Several years ago, I had a chance to read the ingredients label of the cakes available at four grocery stores.
One being that superstore we all love for the bulk toilet paper!
The list of ingredients went on and on….and many linked to some serious diseases…
I found that the nicer supermarkets in the area also stocked the same cakes..
undoubtedly ordered from the same “artificial” bakery.
Along with the “heart clogging fat” was a horrible preservative found in most deodorants, YUCK!
I called the local Whole Foods and the list of ingredients were quite simple: eggs, butter, natural flavors, natural colors and I was sold…
basically like I would make it at home from scratch if I had the time!
I decided right there and then, I would “never” buy those other cakes and I’d tell as many moms as I can.
I’ll be calling Whole Foods this week to design my son’s cake.. and I can rest easy, knowing it’ll be a safe treat for the kids!
Send this around, tell your friends, “really people,” do you want your kids eating that junk that causes heart problems, and possibly cancer?
Speak up the next time you go to your local grocery store, ask them to find alternative ingredients, talk to the bakery, show them the ingredients…
have them contact the supplier…. do it for our kids that go to these birthday parties, and love to eat cake or what looks like a cake in disguise!
Live Smart,
Green Josephine

I made the usual stops last week, and found myself in a Starbucks.
A cup of tea sounded real nice to curb the freezing temps that are usual for January days in Michigan.
As I made my way to the cashier, I found the mug display and browsed.
I stumbled upon a box that read, “Made from Recycled Clay.”
Being the Green girl, I immediately found myself grabbing a few of the mugs that read:
Well-loved ceramics that chipped or broke were given back to a factory in Japan so that they could become something new and wonderful again.
And that’s all it took for “Green Josephine” to fall in love with a mug.
The mugs have some very cool messages: Reinvent, Renew, Reincarnate…
Get yourself a piece of the recycled action.
The service at this Starbucks is amazing, they are the most accommodating bunch!
Visit them at 3584 Maple Rd. in Bloomfield, MI and say hello to Brett!

The next time you see a lovely package of cookies and think “oh the kids would love these,” think again….
Artificial colors have been found to be linked to serious health issues!
Artificial colors are added to products to make them look pretty and we are attracted to COLORS! Our love for colors started in preschool!
And companies “love” that you love colors, that means more profits for them!
Did you know: Green has been banned in many European countries because it has been linked to bladder cancer? A study done in 2004 right here in the US, found 1300 kids behaved like they had ADHD when given artificial colors and when it was taken away the symptoms went away.
Last year I read an article about Maryland proposing to ban artificial colors from school lunches. What if we all got into a major battle against artificial ingredients? What if we call upon companies and make suggestions to eliminate harmful ingredients?
I called a major soup company in 2006 and complained about the MSG, I kept on calling until they finally switched to sea salt. Consumers have great power, we simply have to use it!

When I began to buy Organic products six or seven years ago, I found some things pricey while others were priced the same as conventional products (the harmful pesticide sprayed ones).
I began to decipher what’s worth buying organic and what’s not.
Today, I consider myself a “Professional” Organic Shopper!
As I journey from week to week shopping the best deals in Organics, I stumble upon good buys from time to time.
My favorites are Private store brand Organics!
Whole Foods has the now famous 365 Brand.
The selections is outstanding!
Everything from Organic chickpeas to Organic cheese!
Prices that are sure to turn the conventional shopper into an Organic shopper!
So before you say I can’t do Organic, it costs too much, look again…
There are affordable, great tasting alternatives out there!
Meijer came out with Meijer Organics.
I’ve taste tested and found their products right up there in taste with the national brands.
They have a cereal called Fruit Rings, and quite honestly, I found it because our son requested Fruit Loops and I detest the artificial ingredients!
I stumbled upon the cereal early last year while checking out the new Meijer Organics.
While the cereal boxes look plain, recycled, dull in color…
The cereals are absolutely delicious without the harmful colors!
They also have a great Honey Nut cereal, similar to Cheerios!
Competitely priced, in fact I believe it cost less than the average brands.
Who says you have to sacrifice flavor and money to Go Organic!

As I work in the Green industry, I find many great Green products.
One thing that drives me crazy is the lead and BPA in toys.
The talk about lead and BPA has been huge this past year!
That’s why I decided to blog about our favorite safe toys.
We’re the biggest fans of Green Toys!
I’ve been buying them for our son and friends since they debuted at our local toy store.
I love them because they are BPA and lead free!
Last year I swapped out kitchen toys at one of our local preschools. I simply didn’t trust the ones that were there being used by the students. I felt it had to be done, too much suspicion of lead in many of the older toys.
We stocked the play kitchen with a few tea sets which are made from recycled milk jugs. How cool is that??
Visit these wonderful Green people at www.greentoys.com