Aveda Gives You A Present For Saving The Planet

Although I've gotten multiple flyers from the recycling company stating the things they can and cannot take, I still have a hard time throwing away things that seem like they should be able to be recycled, like pizza boxes and the tops to plastic bottles and other containers.

Thankfully, Aveda has stepped in to assuage me from a little bit of my guilt and is stepping up to the recycling plate. From now until May 10th, gather up your tops of your plastic bottles - that's everything from bottles of water to the tops of shampoo - and take them to your nearest Aveda store.  The company will then recycle them to make new caps for their retro Clove shampoo bottles coming out this fall in honor of Aveda's 30th anniversary. As a thank you for helping them with this project (and to reward you for recycling), Aveda will give you a product sample or two in return for every 25 bottle tops you collect.

If you don't have an Aveda store nearby, you can still get in on the action by mailing the caps to Aveda Re-Cap Program, ACA Waste Services, 40 EADS St., Babylon, NY 11704.

Read more about Aveda's project and partnership with Shape magazine.

Shop for Aveda products at drugstore.com.

And click here to let SheFinds know just how green you would go when it comes to being all around eco-friendly.

Round-Up: Just How Green Are You Willing To Go?

In honor of Earth Day (which is today, everyone who has forgotten, or had no idea in the first place), SheFinds has presented you with different ways to go green for the past week. But these choices are a little more complicated than just sorting your plastics from your perishables. We've asked if you'd give up the comforts of luxe leather handbags for animal happy alternatives, or if you would risk offending your office mates by switching from your trusty anti-perspirant to a new age crystal deodorant. Below is a recap of the week's topics.

Which one would you draw the line at when it comes to saving Mama Earth?

Natalie Portman won't go near leather. She went so far as to create her own line of vegan footwear. Would you support the cause and only sport vegan bags and shoes?

You may consider yourself a diva in every other aspect of your life, but would you use a Diva Cup or any other eco-friendly feminine products? 

Would you turn in your designer jeans (you know, the ones that go with everything and magically make your butt look smaller) for a pair of organic Levi's? 

Just how much willpower would it take to put down that fierce red shade of eco-unfriendly lipstick and carry around some Burt's Bees Balm instead? Fave cosmetics are hard to part with - even if they're anything but green.

Personal hygiene is very, well, personal. So you may not want to mess with your already established choices when it comes to toothpaste or deodorant. But who knows, maybe that crystal deodorant really does work just as well as an anti-perspirant..

What do you think? Which change wouldn't you be willing to compromise on for the sake of going green?  Take our poll below and air your thoughts in our comments section. 

How Green Would You Go?: Would You Risk Getting Sweaty To Save The Earth?

You try to clean your house with green, eco-friendly products, so why wouldn't you do the same thing with your body?  Although eco products got a bad rap in the past – some people claim they don’t clean as well as conventional products – better development, marketing, and willing testers have shown there are plenty of things worth integrating into your routine.

Some people might be a bit intimidated by eco-friendly hygiene, but I'm a total convert. I believe it's just as effective as all those major brands out there. If you're with me, try out some of these products below:

Start off your day by brushing your teeth with natural toothpaste. One brand that’s easy to find in your local supermarket is Tom's of Maine. Tom’s products are never tested on animals and rely heavily on ingredients derived from natural, regenerating resources like seaweed.

In your shower, reach for a soap that's certified organic – or one produced without animal fats if organic isn’t available. Dr. Bronner's has been making soaps for years – their body washes are certified organic and fair trade. For a fresh scent, check out lemongrass lime.

After you get dressed, forget about using your regular deodorant to stay dry. These can cause breakouts and irritate the sensitive skin under your arms due to the harsh chemicals found in anti-perspirants. Instead, reach for Crystal Body Deodorant. These deodorants are made from 100% mineral salt. This natural element helps eliminate odors without fragrances, dyes, or chemicals.

SheFinds wants to know - would you take the leap and go green with your hygiene routine? Is it worth it to ditch your Secret anti-perspirant and use Crystal instead? Let us know in our comments section: Just how green would you go? 

How Green Would You Go?: Would You Toss Your Eco-Unfriendly Cosmetics?

Of all the products out there to help green-ify your life, eco-friendly cosmetics are one category I can consistently get behind. Just like discovering that my body feels better when I don’t feed it with multi-syllabic pseudo-food ingredients (shocking, no?), my lips seem to like balms that contain things like olive oil and shea butter. That said, I can’t bring myself to part with some of those super-packaged, chemically concocted products that reside in my makeup bag – because even though I know the banana scent in my banana moisturizer is completely artificial, it smells good all the same.

What I will do is start seeking out eco-friendly brands more often, looking for less packaging, local products, and more natural ingredients. Below, some products to start off your earth-friendly cosmetic kick.

Last summer, Lush Cosmetics started using popcorn in their packaging, instead of packing peanuts or shredded paper. The company’s solid shampoos ($9.25 for 1.9 oz.) are a packaging- and preservative-free alternative to the bottled stuff.



Strange Invisible Perfumes makes perfumes, lotions, and body wash “solely from ingredients found in nature.” The body wash ($35) and lotion ($40) come in scents like Sicilian Lemon and Wild Orange, and the bottles are made of 100% recycled plastic.



Bestselling Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm ($2.99) contains sunflower, peppermint, and coconut oils, and the tube is made from 50% post-industrial recycled plastic.

We want to know your take: are the skin-saving benefits and good cosmetic karma worth tossing the make-up you already own? 

How Green Would You Go?: Drop Your Designer Jeans For A Pair Of Eco-Friendly Levi’s

I still start to giggle when I think about those old Fruit of the Loom commercials with the dancing apples and grapes, so I was dismayed to find out recently that the process to make those 100% cotton underoos is more puce than green.

As it turns out, cotton is one of the most pesticide-dependent crops in use today, accounting for over 25% of the world’s pesticide pollution and contributing heavily to the contamination of ground water and soil. In other words, your “but-I-need-a-new-pair-of-jeans” habit may be encouraging the damage of local ecosystems across the world! Eeek.

The good news is that several designers are now producing denim lines made from 100% organic cotton. (Think washed dancing apple and grapes.) Like other organic products, this cotton is produced under strict processing regulations to ensure that it is free from any harmful toxins or chemicals. The result? All-natural jeans to satisfy your habit and help you treat the world a little more kindly.

Levi’s has led the pack in the organic denim movement, when in comes to established, big-name jeans brands. The company introduced their “Levi’s Eco” line a few years ago, which are not only made entirely from organic cotton, but boast recycled zippers, rivets, and buttons and colored with a special dye made from potato starch, mimosa flower, and Marseille soap. The eco-friendly Levi’s are available in several popular fits and finishes and are embroidered with a lowercase "e" either inside the front pocket or at the bottom of the right leg of each jean to signify their green-ness.

The Levis Eco mid-rise bootcut ($68) has a great, modern silhouette and comes in three washes: midnight sheen, wendy (indigo with a soft yellow tint), and Abby (bleached-out blue).

New for spring are the Eco Skinny Jeans ($59), which are perfect in purple or one of their other pastel washes.

Boutique brand Loomstate also has a great selection of styles, fits and colors, ranging from skinny-leg pants to mini skirts. Loomstate’s Justice jean ($70), which has a bit of stretch and a classic bootcut leg, is best in the chic dirty dark wash.

Although I harbor a hippie streak, the idea of organic clothing initially gave me visions of scratchy hemp lounge pants in earth tones. This new wave is certain a welcome alternative and a move towards the positive. But all things considered, it seems to like there’s only one really effective way to go green: cut back on your clothing consumption! I propose you wear your jeans out and cut them into cute shorts when the knees rub bare. Now that’s an idea. Are you up for it? Let us know if you'd part with your favorite, but not so eco-friendly denim to go green.

Deal Of The Day: Up To 40% Off Green And Natural Beauty At Drugstore.com

Earth Day is less than a week away, and preserving the planet is at the forefront of our consciousness. So while we're busy switching from bottled to tap, plastic bags to reusable, and mass-produced to organic, let's make a little time to update our beauty routine as well. Drugstore.com is making it easy, with up to 40 percent off their entire collection of green and all-natural beauty and personal care products. When it comes to makeup, you may not look great in green the color, but you'll certainly look and feel fabulous in green the idea.


Doesn't the term "synthetic" just send chills down your spine? When there are 100 percent organic and non-synthetic beauty products—like Physician's Formula Organic Wear Blush ($8.96, was $11.95)—out there, why would you torture your skin with harsh chemicals and preservatives? Pick from pretty, natural shades like Blushing, Warming, and Rosy to get a healthy flush that's actually healthy for your skin, too.


Just say no to animal testing! With products like Beauty WIthout Cruelty's Purifying Facial Mask ($7.50, was $10)—which is 100 percent vegan and contains organic botanical infusions instead of potentially harmful chemicals and toxins—there's no need to test on our furry friends. It comes from nature and isn't chemically altered, so you can unclog pores, deep clean, and brighten skin with reckless abandon.


You use shampoo to clean up your funky tresses, so it only makes sense that you pick a shampoo that works the same cleaning magic on the planet, too. De-luxe Rosemary Mint shampoo ($6, was $10) comes in biodegradable, recyclable PET packaging, so your used bottles won't be cluttering up landfills forever. The invigorating, refreshing scent comes from pure essential oils, not lab-created fragrance technology, and there are no preservatives to strip your locks of their natural oils, so you can use it every day guilt free.

More sales and deals:

Bliss Blowout Sale.  Save up to 80% off Select Items.  4.16.08 - 4.19.08  

Select styles of Red Engine, Gold Sign and Siwy jeans are up to 40% off at True Jeans.

Time is running out to enjoy free shipping on $75+ purchases at Macy's. Enter the code SPRINGFS at checkout.

Anne Klein and Nine West flats are up to 30% off at Endless.

 

How Green Would You Go?: Your Period May Put A Damper On The Planet, But How Far Is Too Far?

We're eco-friendly from our organic shampoo right down to our vegan sneakers. But when that time of the month rolls around, we unwittingly become planet crushing nightmares. In North America alone, women add 12 billion pads and 7 million tampons — plus all that packaging — to landfills every year. They may be called "sanitary pads", but there's nothing sanitary about the thought of used, chemical-laced feminine hygiene products polluting our planet. As if getting our periods wasn't punishment enough, now we have to live with the thought that the impact from our monthly visitor lasts a whole lot longer than a month.

So how far should we go to keep our periods from negatively impacting our planet? One simple switch: opt for organic cotton pads and tampons that aren't bleached with chlorine. Seventh Generation has an eco-friendly line of pads and tampons that are chlorine free. That means they're safer for our bodies and for our planet. Think about it: if toxic chemicals are so harmful to our soil, what good could they possibly be doing to our most delicate body parts?

Take it one step further: eliminate as much waste as possible. I have yet to see a public restroom that has sorted recycling for tampon applicators, pad pouches, and paper strips; we're lucky if we even get a brown paper bag to stash our sanitary trash. So go applicator-free with tampons like O.B. It can get a little messy, but we're washing our hands anyway, so why not skip all that excess waste and get right to the point? It's easy to get over the ick factor when we picture the alternative: wastebaskets, and then landfills, overflowing with used applicators. Gross!

Finally, take the ultimate step - if you dare. Switch to a Diva Cup ($33). The silicone cups are reusable for up to 10 years, create no waste, and are making eco-friendly converts left and right. Sure, they're tough to market (no ad exec is going to jump for joy over the idea of showing us emptying our Diva Cups), but just because you haven't seen commercials doesn't mean there aren't plenty of women out there who will never go back to bulky pads and ineffective tampons. Investing in a Diva Cup is investing in our future. We save $400 a year in feminine hygiene expenses (that's enough to take a trip, donate to a green organization or use an I'm Not a Plastic Bag!) and countless dollars in waste disposal.

Just as we've switched from sipping wasteful bottled water to carrying a re-fillable Nalgene, isn't it time to take a better-for-us better-for-the-earth stand when it comes to our cycles? What better way to show we're pro-planet than by putting our bodies on the line for it?

We're all for it, but we see how concepts like the Diva Cup and the absence of mess-free applicators would make any gal a little uncomfortable. So we want to hear your thoughts: how green would you go when it comes to your feminine hygiene choices?

Banana Republic’s Going Green: Or Are They?

Whenever you read about shopping for organic foods or integrating organic products into your household, the experts seem to advocate taking small changes. They know that going all green, all at once isn't very feasible, but trading out just one plastic bag for one made of a reusable material is a right step.

Channeling this one-step-at-a-time philosophy is Banana Republic, with a new Green Collection that incorporates not only organic cotton but soy silk, hemp, and bamboo. Although the level of 'organic' varies (much like non-certified organic foods), they are at least making an effort. However, the collection has sparked some controversy due to the fact that not all materials in the clothes are eco-friendly, and critics argue that this might be a form of false advertising. Is it ok to pair organic cotton with foam pads in a dress? We see their point, but we actually think that baby steps are better than no steps at all. And the pieces are actually quite adorable. The colors are generally limited to beige and green, but the classic looks like this short belted trench coat make up for the limited color palette.

But take note: the Green Collection won't debut in stores until April 22nd (Earth Day). In the meantime, go to BananaRepublic.com for 40% chic spring styles. We especially love the retro-inspired accessories and bags. 

What do you think? Is Banana right in advertising this collection as green?