Greening My Mother

Hey, bringing back an old favorite of the blog, where I pass along a helpful link or idea that is rather earth-friendly in the hopes of swaying my mother into the 21st century. She recently got an iPhone, which is something massive to celebrate because it means she has a phone that no longer flips (now that just leaves my technology-challenged sister as the last family member living in 2002).

Anyhow, this edition is about a new store that does double duty in the green/eco department. It's called Herban Lifestyle (oh yeah, good work with the name). They are based over in Alexandria and they sell bath products for the ladies and the fellas. I heard about them well over a year ago but wanted to test drive as many of the MEN products as possible before deciding whether to give them the thumbs up or not. So it's awesome that they not only ply their trade in chemical-free products, but since they are local it reduces the footprint for not having to ship it from all over.

Well, guys, feel free to give them a ring or order from the website because the stuff is legit. I started with the aftershave, which takes a little getting used to at first but is quite good. It helps that it features rum as a base (for that stingy effect) but also a bunch of aloes and and dolphin tears to help keep the post-shave skin from bursting into flames. The other two products I gave a spin and like very much is the face lotion (because let's be honest, this ugly mug ain't getting younger) and the soap. And before you make fun of me for buying soap, just know it's beer soap. Oh yeah, beer and soap. Together. Thank you, I'll have another. I'll admit the bars are a little small and don't last as long as your typical Irish Spring or whatever, but it's better for you and is a lot more fun to say "I use beer soap" as opposed to saying, "honey, buy me some Dial at the store, will ya?"

As you can imagine, I haven't taken any of the women's products for a spin, but I'm going to trust they are going to do you just fine. I've heard of some other companies like Urban Cowboy and others that sell all-natural/chemical-free stuff for men, but they didn't impress me with the descriptions or product listings so for the time being I'll keep hunting for other products like deodorants and let you know if I discover something good.

In the meantime, if you're considering some aftershave or some lotion or something, give Herban Lifestyle a chance because you're doing good for your body and the planet all at the same time. As the knight in "Last Crusade" would say, you've chosen ... wisely.

Greening My Mother

It's been awhile since I've greened my mother, so it's time to bring back this popular feature, which is more about passing along green/eco tips to everyone, but putting my mother in the spotlight because ... well ... it's always enjoyable to poke fun at my mom. She knows it's from a place of love.

This time I'm here to talk about toothbrushes. You see, a company called Preserve has created a nifty little system where you can buy their toothbrushes – made from 100% recycled #5 polypropylene (same that is in old yogurt cups) – but when you are done with it, you mail the toothbrush back to them in the package you bought it in. It's already prepaid, so it's a great way to complete the circle of production instead of just tossing it in the garbage. And these toothbrushes are available at Whole Foods and Target and other stores, so it's not hard to come by and they are not expensive at all.


This is one of those rare occasions where I will not be walking the walk because I am hopelessly addicted to my Braun rechargeable toothbrush, but I know many of you use standard toothbrushes so this is a great way to make a simple switch and make another great stride toward a better world.

Greening My Mother

For Christmas this year my mom got my sister and I "green gifts." Because she knows Chelsea and I embrace the green movement fervently, this seemed to be her attempt to show that she pays attention to us when we talk. I don't blame her, most of the time my sister only talks about drinking with her friends and I am usually going on about how much I hate W and why living in DC is fun. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to imagine her zoning out every once and awhile.

But when she gave us our green gift, she made the point of saying this was her first foray into the green lifestyle. I spent the next few days looking around the house and realizing my mom has indeed not embraced the movement. And that is when I knew I had a project for the year. I've got other projects and things planned as well, but this one is of top priority, because I subscribe to the mantra that movements start from the ground up. And there is no better way to keep the green movement growing than by simply helping those closest to you embrace it as well.

My first task is a simple one ... get my mother to replace all her lightbulbs with the energy-saving compact fluorescents. As far as I could see, she didn't have a single one, and there are a lot of lights in our house. Completely unacceptable. Plus, for pete's sake, she works for General Electric, and they MAKE the damn bulbs. She can probably get them for free by stealing them out of a supply closet where all the pen, paper clips and notebooks are kept, for all I know.

So get ready, mom. Greening you is one of my projects for the year. Yes, I have no problem shaming you into change.