The different shades of OnlyGreen

OG EcoTip!

2012-01-05T08:16:00.000-08:00

Green New Year`sResolutions!

As we head into the New Year,resolutions tend to be on the forefront of everyone`s mind. As you make yoursthis year, try to keep in mind some extra little things you can do for ahealthier lifestyle and a cleaner environment in 2012.

Below are some green resolutions thatare easy to implement and just take a bit of focus and dedication to stick to!

Stop buying bottled water! This is aneasy one that many of us are still guilty of. Bottled water is easy and convenient,but is not a healthy option. Keep a reusable bottle, filled up everywhere yougo to avoid the need to buy disposables.
Buy local and organic when possible.While it may not be the season for farmer’s markets, you can also make surethat many of your produce are purchased locally. Join a local food sharingcooperative or simply read the country of origin signs at the grocery store.Buy items that are in season for your climate and purchase the organicalternatives when available to avoid added chemicals and preservatives.
Read the all labels before you buy!Whether it is beauty products or food, make sure that you read the labels forall items before you purchase them. Start to get familiar with the ingredientsthat you want to avoid and make sure that you select products that are free ofthose ingredients.
Bring reusable bags whenever you shop.Although this is becoming a common task for everyone, many people still forgetto grab their reusable fabric bags when they head out to go shopping. To avoid gettingcaught without yours, make sure you keep a few on hand in your vehicle at all times!

These are just a few of the simpleresolutions you can make this year to make your 2012 that much greener!

Have a fantastic New Year!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

EcoTip of the Week!

2011-12-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

One of a kind, recycled gift wrap!

With The Christmas season in full gear, Its time to pull out the decorations and put on some soft Christmas tunes. We dream of a white Christmas...but really want to make it a green one!

For the last 3 years my family has decided to make our own Christmas wrap. Its tones of fun and great bonding time too. We gather up all the Christmas Cards from the previous years. By now friends and family know what we are doing and donate their past cards to the cause. With a large selection of cards to cut up, the decorative options are limitless!

First wrap your gift in brown paper. This works best if you recycle a box for your gift. We have saved paper bags cut them up and put logos to the inside or use the brown paper that come from packed items purchased on line and delivered to your home.

Then all you need are your recylced Christmas cards, scissors, glue sticks and glitter glue. Use the cards and glitter glue to decorate the brown paper.

A glass of Organic Hot Chocolate and Christmas music helps to get the creative juices flowing :)

Some of this years gifts with beautiful and unique gift wrap!

There you have it, a great days fun and the most beautiful wrap you have ever seen! Don't be surprised if the recipients have a hard time opening their one of a kind, over the top, love filled gifts!

Merry Christmas & a Healthy New Year

Christy Petersen, OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor.
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*A BIG thank you to our EcoAdvisor, Christy for submitting this great holiday craft tip! *

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG #EcoMonday!

2011-12-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

It's about time we get back into the #EcoMonday swing of things! With the holidays right around the corner, I thought I would feature two accounts that I know will help you find what you need to look good and be creative for the holidays! From organic fashion, to DIY gifts, these two tweeps are full of information!

@CocoEcoMagazine is a great source for all things chic and green. They provide updates from their digital publication on sustainable fashion, beauty and culture. They do an amazing job at highlighting the more glamourous side of going green!

@Greenmoms is a fantastic feed to follow for a constant flow of sustainable updates. With a few awards under their belt for Green Content, their twitter account is a great way to scan the updates from the very popular blog, organicmania.com.

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

EcoTip of the Week!

2011-12-02T11:35:00.001-08:00

A Green Holiday Season!

The holidays are fast approaching, bringing with them tons of fun, laughter and great times with family and friends. Unfortunately the holidays can also bring a lot of toxins and waste. As you make your merry way through this season, here are a few tips to help reduce your personal impact.

When it comes to gift giving, a common idea for many people is the typical bath sets that are pre-packaged in the gift sections of major department stores. These sets tend to be made using low quality health and beauty products that are riddled with sulfates, parabens, and fragrances. In order to give your loved ones gifts they can feel safe about, source products that are made naturally, using pure essential oils and organic ingredients where possible. OnlyGreen currently has some amazing gift bundles on sale for $10 off just for the holidays! Find what you need for everyone on your list!

For wrapping and addressing your gifts, try to avoid cards and wrapping made with metallic or plastic coatings, which can't be recycled again. Source cards and gift wrap that made from recycled paper and printed in non-toxic inks, or maybe even saved and reused from previous gifts. Some great added tips is to use old holiday cards as unique decorative gift tags, and giving items in reusable boxes and baskets.

Lastly, the part that everyone loves the best, the food! Lower your personal carbon footprint this year by sourcing your holiday meal as locally as possible. You can connect with local farmers and markets to ensure that your ingredients are fresh and found close to home!

Here’s to a very festive, very green holiday season for all!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-10-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Planning a GREEN Tradeshow Booth!

Tradeshows are a staple in the marketing plans of most companies. However, they can have quite an impact on the environment when you add up vinyl banners, giveaways, printed materials, flooring and temporary furniture. While some of these things are unavoidable, there are alternatives for better options.

First off, banners and displays. Most booths will play host to at least 2-3 large sized signage pieces that are made out of plastics and vinyl and typically have metal bases and hardware. One choice is moving to fabric displays, where your company’s images are printed on a large sheet of fabric, which can be organic cotton canvas. Another option looks and feels like the traditional banners, but are made using biodegradable vinyl and displayed using recycled aluminum bases. Both of these options are extremely durable and light weight, making them the perfect choice for travel and set up.

Moving on to the swag and printed materials, it’s no secret that everyone loves a freebie. That being said, there are tons of new promotional items available that have the environmental twist. You can get pens made from corn, led flashlight key chains, reusable cotton bags, recycled notebooks, recycled coasters, and the list goes on! Likewise with all of your printed materials, all brochures, business cards, folders and info packs can be completed using recycled and/or FSC certified stocks.

Overall, although planning a green tradeshow booth can take a bit more research, the choices are certainly there. This is something we hope to see more companies embrace going forward, making tradeshows a better experience for everyone, including the planet!

OnlyGreen is currently into the heart of our fall tradeshow season! We have an exciting lineup all over the province of Ontario. Our booths are always fully furnished with biodegradable banners, recycled aluminum bases, FSC Certified and recycled paper materials and catalogues, and of course, our high quality, natural and organic OnlyGreen products!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG #EcoMonday!

2011-10-17T13:40:00.000-07:00

It is that day of the week again! Here is our #EcoMonday post for this week!

First up is Orange Drop, @makethedrop, who I had the pleasure of meeting this weekend at the Guelph Fall Home Show! Orange Drop is a great organization that provides drop sites for household hazardous waste. Visit makethedrop.ca and punch in your postal code to find local drop sites in your area! This is definitely a green tweep that you need to check out!

Next up is @EarthShare, a fantastic organization that connects other organizations to companies and individuals who are all working towards the same green cause. They post a lot of great information from eco news, to tips for going green, and much more. Connect with them to learn all about the fantastic green connections going on around our world!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OnlyGreen EcoTip!

2011-10-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Benefits of Mineral Makeup!

Every day, more and more consumers are becomingaware of the impact their beauty products have on their personal health. One ofthe current hot topics for many women is finding the health benefits inswitching to a mineral based cosmetics line. Although most women understandthat minerals are healthier to use, they may not fully know why.

So what are the benefits to mineral basedcosmetics?

Natural mineral make up is composed of pure,cosmetic-grade minerals such as mica, titanium oxide, and zinc oxide. They arefree from fragrances, animal by-products, talc, fillers, parabens, and binderswhich are commonly found in ordinary chemical based cosmetics.

Mineral makeup doesn't support the growth ofbacteria, meaning mineral makeup is less likely to become contaminated thanother makeup types.
Since many of the minerals also naturally reflectlight, they also help aid in minor sun protection and can reduce the appearanceof aging.
Mineral cosmetics can be a great choice forpeople with skin allergies and irritations, because it is much gentler thanchemical makeup.
Rather than covering up flaws and blemishes, thegoal of minerals is to highlight the natural beauty of one's self. Since itoffers excellent coverage, the result is flawless-looking skin.

At OnlyGreen, we are proud to offer our Opal lineof mineral based cosmetics. This line has been formulated using all naturalingredients and is made in Canada. To reduce the packaging, this line is soldcompletely in biodegradable, plantable seed boxes, which sprout wildflowerswhen planted!

Need one more reason to check out the Opal lineof mineral cosmetics by OnlyGreen? It’s ON SALE! Receive 15% off everything inthe line for the entire month of October. Check it out now!

2011-10-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Another #EcoMonday is here again! October is Energy Awareness Month! As such I thought I would feature on a couple key Green Tweeps that focus on energy saving and climate change with their organizations!

First off is @ENERGYSTAR, who leads the charge in energy saving! Everyone knows of Energy Star as the official certification for choosing appliances that are energy efficient. They use their twitter account to spread the word and have hosted a couple twitter parties to spark great energy saving conversations!

@tcktcktck is the twitter account for the Tck Tck Tck organization, which is an alliance of 270 global nonprofit organisations working for global climate change. They are a great reliable source for climate change news and promote actions being taken around the world!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

#EcoMonday!

2011-09-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Happy #EcoMonday everyone! Below are some GREEN focused twitter accounts that you should be following!

@women4earth is the twitter account for Women's Voices for the Earth, a fantastic organization that works to eliminate toxic chemicals that impact women’s health by changing consumer behaviors, corporate practices and government policies. Their tweets share a lot of great information about safe cosmetics, green news and tips. They are strongly geared towards helping women live cleaner lives! Definitely check them out!

@SandyGuerriere is a hard working 'Green Girl' who loves to share different bits of green news from different communities all over North America. She runs a couple of websites, one being greenecocommunities.com, which lets the readers know what is happening at a community level all around. She has her ear on the pulse of what is going on and is a great resource for learning what other cities and towns are doing to improve their area!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OnlyGreen Press Release - OnlyGreen Releases New Line of Natural Children’s Products

2011-09-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

September15, 2011

OnlyGreenPress Release

OnlyGreen Releases NewLine of Natural Children’s Products

MIDLAND– OnlyGreen has just released a new line of natural products completely gearedfor children. This new line, called VADA Jr., includes Bubble Bath, Shampoo& Body Wash, Body Lotion, Hair Conditioner and Foaming Hand Wash. Theproducts come in a variety of fun scents including Bubble Gum,Eucalyptus-Peppermint, Calming, and Unscented.

“Weare very excited to be introducing the VADA Jr. line to our Independent EcoAdvisorsand their customers. Our EcoAdvisors suggested that we introduce this line ofnatural products specifically for children and after just two weeks it is wellahead of our sales expectations” says OnlyGreen Marketing Manager, CrystalWiltshire.

“TheVADA Jr. line is awesome! My kids were excited to be "officialtesters" and are so happy that we can finally order some more!” saysFerrah Graham, OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor.

TheVADA Jr. line is manufactured in Canada and is a wonderful compliment to thepopular line of VADA natural products for health and beauty, men’s care andbaby care categories. It has been formulated using organic and safe ingredientsand is free from sodium laurel sulfates, synthetic fragrances andpetrochemicals.

Inorder to celebrate the launch of the VADA Jr. products, OnlyGreen is running aGreen Bubble Bath sale, giving customers the opportunity to purchase a limitedtime set including the Bubble Bath, Shampoo and Body Wash and Body Lotion,together at 15% off the regular retail. For more information, please visit https://www.onlygreen.com/shop/catalogue/?catID=33

Our brand new VADA Jr. line of products for kids!

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AboutOnlyGreen:

OnlyGreenis the first Direct Selling Company to manufacture and sell a complete range ofconsumer products that promote a healthier lifestyle and a cleaner environment.Using a six step Product Selection Criteria, the company is dedicated toproviding products which are free from harmful chemicals can be reused orrecycled and that have virtually no impact on the environment. Through their teamof Independent EcoAdvisors located across North America, OnlyGreen helpsconsumers make informed purchasing decisions as they transition into ahealthier and environmentally conscious lifestyle.

ContactOnlyGreen:

CrystalWiltshire, Marketing Manager

281Cranston Cres., Midland, ON

877.527.8910x 102

cwiltshire@onlygreen.com

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Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-09-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

Choosing the best for your children!

When selecting bath and body care products to use on little ones, it’s no secret that parents look for the safest items available. The problem with today’s marketplace, is how do you truly know what’s safe?

According to the results of a 2009 study by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics two known carcinogens, 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde, were found in dozens of bath products for babies and kids, including major, well known brands. The study was done in order to follow up on test results released in February 2007, which found the chemical 1,4-dioxane in 18 popular baby soaps, bubble baths and shampoos. None of the products tested in either round listed 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde on the label.

"Our intention is not to alarm parents, but to inform parents that products that claim to be gentle and pure are contaminated with carcinogens, which is completely unnecessary," Campaign for Safe Cosmetics spokesperson Stacy Malkan said.

To steer clear of these contaminates, avoid using products containing sodium myreth sulfate, PEG compounds and chemicals that include the clauses "xynol," "ceteareth" and "oleth." Similarly, avoid products that contain formaldehye-releasing preservatives, including quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea. You should also avoid sodium lauryl sulfate, an unnecessary ingredient usually used to increase foaming and lathering, which may cause skin irritation.

OnlyGreen’s Baby Care products and new VADA Jr. products for children are made with 100% natural ingredients, preservatives and essential oils. Check out the Baby and Child Care section of our website for complete ingredients of each product.

More great news! Some items in our new VADA Jr. line are now on sale with our Green Bubble Bath promotion. Learn more…

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoTip of the Week

2011-09-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Bacteria free brushes, naturally!

Cleaning makeup brushes is an important task that most women overlook. As you use your cosmetic brushes, they accumulate not only makeup, but also the oils, dead skin cells and other products that may be on your face. They can also attract dirt and dust particles from the air around them. This can create a happy home for harmful bacteria to grow and thrive.

To help keep your cosmetic brushes clean and healthy, you have to remove the buildup on a regular basis. However, doing so naturally can be a bit tricky. There are a lot of conventional brush cleaners available on the market, but then you are simply replacing the bacteria build-up with a chemical build-up! Using a natural brush cleaning solution is the best way to keep your brushes free and clear of anything!

To clean your cosmetic brushes, spray each brush 2-3 times, then gently pat them onto a dry microfiber towel and let them sit to air dry. This should be repeated at least once a week in order to maintain the quality and life of your brush set.

Looking for a natural cleaning solution? OnlyGreen has just released a natural Cosmetic Brush Cleanser in our Fall/Winter 2011 Catalogue today! Check it out here!

#EcoMonday!

2011-08-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

Another #EcoMonday is here again! Below are some great green tweeps for you to check out! Without really meaning to, my #EcoMonday post has a food theme. Yum!

Monica Ralli, aka @AGreenLady, has a strong passion for all things green! She focuses strongly on health and diet, letting people know the ways they can go raw and vegan with their food choices. She also has a passion for green fashion and accessories and can always be counted on to carry on a great green conversation!

@HHFusion is the twitter account for Holistic Health Fusion. Although this tweep will discuss all kinds of green topics, her focus is mainly on nutrition and how to eat a healthy, more natural diet. She is also always a very lively participant of the #ecowed chats, which I hardly ever miss!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-08-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

What are Phosphates?

Phosphates are one of the most popular ingredients in conventional detergents, because of their strong cleaning ability. However, this has increasingly been overshadowed by their harmful effects on rivers, lakes, streams, and other fresh waters.

Levels of phosphates in these fresh water bodies can be much higher than normal as the result of contamination from municipal and domestic wastewater that contains phosphates. Much of this comes from phosphate-containing detergents that are washed down the drain.

Although phosphates are an important plant nutrient, higher than normal phosphate levels can destroy the health of the lake, stream or other fresh water body, as they allow algae in the water to grow faster than would naturally occur, turning clear lakes and rivers green and cloudy. It can also make drinking water more expensive to filter and can spoil the taste or smell of the drinking water.

In the long run, the excess algal growth can have devastating impacts on the health and age of a fresh water lake or river, causing eutrophication to speed up, where lakes and other water bodies fill in with dead algae and other organic matter and eventually turn into dry land.

All OnlyGreen Cleaning products are 100% phosphate free. They are a great, safe alternative when selecting the items you will use around your home.

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

#EcoMonday!

2011-08-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's time for another #EcoMonday post! Here are just a few of the green tweeters that you should be following!

@PeopleTowels is a fantastic company that offers an alternative to disposable hand towels. They use their twitter account to talk about their creative and innovative product, as well as to connect with other green enthusiasts. They a great tweep to follow when you want a stream of positive tweets :)

@MyGreenEducate is a very active twitter account, posting tons of tips, news updates and green facts throughout the day. They focus largely on educating the younger generation, promoting sustainability and highlighting clean energy career opportunities. You can always count on MyGreenEducate for at least 1-2 informative tweets each hour!

@JustAddCloth is a tweeter dedicated to promoting reusable cloth items! If you have ever considered using cloth diapers, nursing pads, baby wipes, etc, this is a must follow for you. They share plenty of information in their tweets, as well as being great for passing on green info they spot online.

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoAction!

2011-08-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

Go fly a kite!

No, seriously. Think back, when was the last time you took the time to go fly a kite? For being one of the most traditional outdoor activities, many of us haven't had the chance to do it in years.

Flying a kite is a highly relaxing activity that gets you and your family out for some fresh air and fun in the sun. Weather you decide to fly the regular one liners, or take the challenge of controlling sport or stunt kites, the unpredictable wind makes for a fun exercise for everyone.

Want to add some creativity to this family activity? Why not make your own kite out of recycled materials? This great website lists tons of resources to do just that. Check it out and great crafty!

Are you hooked on kite flying? Click here for a list of Kite Clubs around Canada.

Beautiful kite illustration that caught my eye during my research.
Click to see more

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-08-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

Back to school green shopping guide!

It’s that time of year again! That wonderful time when the kids prepare to head back to school and parents prepare to regain their sanity. Most kids actually love the thought of a shopping spree focused solely on them, getting the latest Miley this and Bieber that, but how do you ensure that their back to school items are the best for our rock star of a planet?

The problem associated with traditional school products is the overuse of paper and plastics during the manufacturing process. The demand for new paper stock is a major cause of deforestation, and the use of chemicals and bleaches during production is a key contributor to water pollution.

The alternatives are there when you know where to look. There are a wide variety of school supplies that are now being made out of recycled paper, cardboard, post-consumer waste, organic cotton and other great recycled or sustainable materials.

Here is your back to school shopping list:

100% recycled paper - available at most major retailers
Recycled backpack - Eco-Handbags.ca
Eco-friendly lunch containers - Great selection at Fenigo
Recycled stationary, binders, folders, etc. - available at most major retailers
Recycled pencils - TreeSmart makes a very cool line from newsprint!
Recycled or reusable tissues - OnlyGreen makes very soft reusable hankies!
Look for green back to school bundles - Check out the School of Green bundle sale on now!

Have more great places to pick up green school necessities? Feel free to leave them in a comment below!

Proof that the green school of thought will do some good...
Recycled paper generates 74% less air pollution and uses 54% less water versus making new paper. Overall, it uses only 60% of the energy it would take to make paper from virgin wood pulp. (www.articlesbase.com)

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

#EcoMonday!

2011-08-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

It's Monday again! Yes, I do in fact know what I'm saying :) But to be more clear, it's #EcoMonday again! Here are my picks for this week.

@Greenopolis is the twitter account for the Greenopolis website, which has a very focused mission of doing good, educating the public about recycling and giving the younger generation the tools they need to preserve the planet. Their twitter account is a great way to get the highlights and bits of information on their online and on-the-street initiatives.

The ever-growing famous Lindsay Coulter, of the David Suzuki Foundation, runs @DavidSuzukiQoG. She has been crowned the Queen of Green by David Suzuki himself and lives up to it! She shares information on all things green from composting to nature news. One of the best things about Lindsay's twitter account is that she goes out of her way to answer questions that her followers send to her!

@ecorazzi is one of my personal green guilty pleasures. Their tweets are full of gossip....but the good kind! Ecorazzi covers the latest news from the eco-fashion world, including releases from conscious designers, trends and celebrity green wardrobes. Anyone who considers themselves a 'Green Fashionista' should definitely be following this tweep :)

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoAction

2011-08-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

Go on an epic bike ride!

Everyone loves a good old bike ride, but taking the whole family and making a day of it is a great way to turn the average bike ride into a cycling adventure! Choosing the right location, planning ahead and setting the right goals, can really help to create a day your family will always remember.

So how do you get started? The first task is to figure out where to go biking. There are thousands of bike paths specifically laid out all over Canada. Check with Trans Canada Trail to find the best route close to you. Plan out what part of the trail you will set out to do, and where you will be leaving your vehicle if need be.

Be sure to plan ahead! Think about how long you will be on the trail and pack the appropriate necessities for the day. Include enough water, light food and snacks for the stops that you will make along the way. Investigate your trail and see how much of it will be spent in the bush versus in the sun. Make sure you pack your Halsa Forest Spray to make the ride through the trees a more pleasant one!

Set attainable goals that suite the skill level of everyone in the family. Only take on as much of the trail as can be handled by everyone in your party. This will help to make sure that the day stays fun and exciting for each member. Keep in mind that if there is more of the trail you want to see, it can always be saved for another day!

Feeling up for more of a cycling challenge? CTS Bike Club is our local mountain bike club here in Midland, ON. They get together once a week, rain or shine, for a trail ride around the Midland area. OnlyGreen is proud to be a sponsor of the club and their annual Midland Bike Day! Check them out here!

Happy Cycling :)

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

Feature EcoLeader

2011-08-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

This week's Feature EcoLeader is a little closer to home for OnlyGreen, being one of our own EcoAdvisors!

Ferrah Graham is a very successful OnlyGreen Independent EcoAdvisor who runs a highly motivated team in Saskatchewan. She holds regular team meetings and offers them various incentives to work toward their goals, just as she has.

So what makes her an EcoLeader...other than the fact that she sells great natural and safe green products to people every day :) ....she has chosen the fabulously green prize of PeopleTowels as one of the rewards she gives her team members. For anyone who is unfamiliar, PeopleTowels offer a great product to use as an on-the-go alternative to using disposable paper towels. They are sold in a convenient size and with fantastic fun designs, making them easy to have on hand!

Ferrah got hooked on PeopleTowels back in March after placing her first order. "My kids loved them and have their own." says Ferrah. "I found them to be great conversation starters when I was out and about in the community and a great way to walk the talk."

After that, Ferrah decided to try out PeopleTowels as the reward for a team challenge. "In May, I put out a one week challenge to my team. Sell $350 in that week and receive 1 PeopleTowel or sell $600 and win a gift set (2 towels and a bag). They earned 14 towels and 4 gift sets and everyone is so pleased with them! It was our biggest group sales month ever! As a People4PeopleTowels embassador, others are also able to order their own towels using my coupon code and receive 10% off (ambassadorgdogp)."

Ferrah's team drying their PeopleTowels during their roadtrip to our EcoAdvisor Conference!

At OnlyGreen it makes us truly proud to see our EcoAdvisors take on other green initiatives in heir daily lives. It really shows that we have a team of dedicated individuals that care about the environment and those around them.

Great work Ferrah!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-08-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Getting to the deep down dirt in your bathroom, naturally!

Anyone who owns a home with hard water knows just how hard it can be to get the bathroom sparkling clean! Hard water stains are some of the toughest to get rid of, especially if you are trying to remain natural while you tackle it. The easy solution is to buy a chemical cleaner specifically meant for taking care of the rust and lime build up. However as soon as you crack the cap, you get a whiff of why that's not your top choice.

The good news is that there are some great products on the market that are meant for bathroom cleaning or general cleaning. Unfortunately, in a diluted state (as many are sold) they may not be strong enough to cut through the build up caused by hard water. The solution to this is to buy a strong concentrated formula and use the concentrate directly onto the stains. For instance, OnlyGreen makes an all natural, SoapBerry based All Purpose Cleaner and Bathroom Cleaner, both in 4x Concentrates. Normally, these would be mixed with water into a spray bottle for easy general cleaning. They can fight just about any cleaning problem you have! Hard water however, is a completely different animal!

When faced with the question of handling bathroom build up, many OnlyGreen EcoAdvisors have been advising their customers to use the pure concentrate onto the area, leave for a few moments and then rinse clean. This tactic is not always necessary, but can help to combat the deeper issues that some bathrooms offer.

This tip comes from a tried and tested method from many of our EcoAdvisors in their own bathrooms!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

#EcoMonday!

2011-08-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

Another #EcoMonday is here again! Start off your week right by checking out these great environmentally focused twitter accounts.

Huge Bryne runs @greenbiztweets, a twitter account completely focused on all things green in the business sector. He covers news from green businesses, as well as those that are making steps towards improving their impact. He tweets about sustainability, clean technology and general green business news.

@teensturngreen is a highly motivational organization that posts all kinds of tips, services and products specifically to help teens going green in their daily lives. They invite other teens to get involved and take up the Project Green Challenge and are constantly keeping their peers to stay informed with the latest green news.

DavidQ of @thegoodhuman tweets all about green tips and tricks for around your home. Everything from collecting rainwater to recycling and more. He covers a lot of news tidbits from the green industry and has a 'Greenwasher of the week' segment to help spot consumer greenwashing.

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoRead: Heroines for the Planet on Earth Hour!

2011-08-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

Heroines for the Planet: Green For All’s Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins

The latest post from the Earth Hour Blog takes a close look at a very motivational women who is working hard to make serious change on the environmental front in the US. Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins is the CEO of Green For All, an organization that builds relationships and leverage investments to help facilitate the creation of quality green jobs.

Starting off with a heart-warming story of how Phaedra’s past inspired her to start this movement, the article goes on to cover some of the back story for Green For All and the successes that they have seen.

Throughout the interview, Phaedra covers many topics including the benefits of a Green Collared Economy and how everyday individuals have inspired her. “The green movement is made up of heroes — both quiet and well-known. Their selfless service inspires me every day,” says Phaedra.

With some additional discussion about US energy policy and future initiatives for Green For All, there is some very valuable information to take in.

Head over to Earth Hour and read the interview now to learn more about this great movement, and how you can possibly incorporate some of this green motivation into your own life!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

Feature EcoLeader

2011-08-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

For anyone who follows me on twitter, it has become very obvious that I have developed quite the eco crush on a great going green tip based website called Practically Green.

PracticallyGreen has created an incredible robust online quiz to help people assess the impact of their personal green initiatives. You answer a series of questions about the actions you have taken (there are over 400 listed on the site!) and the results categorize viewers into one of ten green profiles, from Barely Green to Superbly Green.

For bragging purposes, I am Superbly Green :)

The actions you can choose from spread over four main areas of green living - Energy, Health, Stuff, and Water. You can go through and mark each action as something you do now or will add to your action plan. This is an amazing feature that helps you clearly lays out a course of action for what to do next. As you increase the amount that you are doing now, your score goes up and you earn great badges to add to your profile. It’s a bit like Scouts, but for green-loving grownups!

What really makes site fun and exciting is the incredible ease of use and ability to share. It really takes very little time to get set up and begin analyzing your actions, and you can instantly share your progress with the click of a button! Practically Green offers full integration with Facebook and Twitter to allow users to talk about what they are doing, as well as make recommendations to their friends.

So how well does the sharing work? I fell in love with the user experience of this and decided to share it with the OnlyGreen EcoAdvisors on Facebook. Within days, many of them have joined on and started to count their actions. It has been fantastic to read everyone’s posts of how well they each score and how many of them intend to share this site in the newsletters they create for their OnlyGreen customers!

To me, this type of quick spreading motivation is what sets a site like Practically Green apart from others. For this, they are most certainly a great Feature EcoLeader!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-08-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

There’s something about triclosan.

Triclosan, a commonly used preservative and anti-bacterial agent, has recently obtained its 15 minutes of fame thanks to the CBC series, Marketplace. Marketplace took a close look at the ingredient, what it is used for and weather it really does any good. Since their coverage, triclosan has become a topic of conversation for many around the water cooler, social media networks and many other mainstream media outlets.

“The use of triclosan is widespread. It's most commonly in hand soaps, cleaning supplies and dish detergents, but also in products that don't claim to be antibacterial. Some toothpastes, kitchen utensils, garbage bags, toys and bedding contain triclosan. Health Canada has also registered 1,200 cosmetics with the ingredient.” www.cbc.ca
One of the issues surrounding triclosan is that it can absorb through the skin and potentially disrupt hormone function. It is also seen as toxic to aquatic life, as categorized by Environment Canada, which basically means “it doesn't easily degrade and can build up in the environment after it has been rinsed down the shower drain.” www.davidsuzuki.org

The largest does of controversy being discussed with triclosan is that it may not even be necessary. Period. Health Canada has recently recommened that consumers avoid using antibacterial products because they can kill off good bacteria that we need to fend off bad germs in our systems. In fact, a recent study of over 200 households found that people using antibacterial products didn't reduce their risk for contracting viral infections. www.cbc.ca
To learn more about this newly popular toxic starlet, check out the resources sorted for this post:
CBC Marketplace
David Suzuki Foundation

OnlyGreen is proud to state that we have never used triclosan or any other chemical antibacterial agent in any of our personal care or cleaning products.

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoAction

2011-07-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Green Camping!

With the long weekend already upon us, I am sure many of you already have your plans laid out. However, if camping is what your family is out to do for the next few days, make sure you take a quick read through this first!

Many people who go camping understand the importance of being as gentle as possible while your there. You know that much of what you take will wind up interacting with the very nature you are enjoying. Below are a few key points to keep in mind so that your camping excursion can be as gentle as possible!

Ensure that everything you bring into a campsite leaves when you do! Make sure that all garbage is either taken to a designated area or that you bring it home with you. Leaving it behind can be hazardous for the vegetation and disrupt the wildlife.
Stay on the beaten path! Make sure that you set up your equipment and run your activities in areas that are outlined to do so. The delicate ecosystems can be severely damaged when we decided to tread off into naturally preserved sections of the woods. Not to mention you could encounter plant life - or wildlife! - that you don't wish to tangle with.
Use natural and biodegradable personal care and cleaning products. When you’re out camping everything you wash including your own body produces runoff directly into the ground. Using safe, biodegradable products to cleanse will help to ensure that no chemicals are being left behind.
Pack reusable items. It is very tempting to want to take disposable items to avoid more clean-up, but the impact of that much added waste can be large. Try to use reusable dishes, cutlery and food-storage as much as possible.

EcoAdvisor Ferrah Graham on a hiking trip with her family, armed with the Halsa line of products!

Your OnlyGreen Camping Packing List!
Halsa Forest Spray
Halsa Forest Lotion Stick
Halsa Bug Bite Relief Gel
Halsa Outdoor Body Lotion
VADA Natural Shampoo
VADA Natural Conditioner
VADA Natural Shower Gel
OnlyGreen Natural Dish Soap
OnlyGreen Natural Laundry Wash
OG Klean Kanteen
Degradable Garbage Bags

Now get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoRead

2011-07-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Optimism for the future of Lake Ontario

I first read this Toronto Star story a while back when it was shared by Margaret Atwood on twitter. This article outlines some of the little-known positive developments that are happening with Lake Ontario right now. I remember reading through it and thinking how great it felt to hear some good environmental news for a change!

Feature writer, Leslie Scrivener, starts off by reminding us all of the state in which Lake Ontario has been for some time now. Over the years, the lake has lost much of the wildlife that had inhabited it and many believed it was beyond the point of saving. "Those would be the days when algae bloomed, when dead smelt littered the shoreline, when foam bubbled grey and noxious," Scrivener writes.

However there are many new reasons starting to emerge to show that we can hold out hope for the future of this great lake! With salmon being re-introduced and many large-winged bird species returning, the lake is starting to show signs of life. To top it off, researchers have seen the return of minnows! "Shimmering fish sparkle beneath the water’s surface, tiny glimmers of hope that Lake Ontario can be renewed and return to full health again."

Take a moment to read this great, upbeat article and give yourself a dose of great green news!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

#EcoMonday!

2011-07-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

Another #EcoMonday is here again! Start off your week right by checking out these great environmentally focused twitter accounts.

First up is @hipmomsgogreen! I love the updates that come from Hp Moms. They post on everything from gardening, to food, to beauty, to health and so much more. Their tweets are usually links to their well-written blog, which features quick reads on green tips. They are the perfect tweep to follow if you want a quick dose of mom-friendly greening! I could say more, but the name Hip Moms Go Green kind of says it all.

Next is @planet_forward. This is the supporting twitter account for the Planet Forward website, which is an idea-generating initiative that motives the general public to weigh in on various topics surrounding the planet. They have very strong media collaborators, including National Geographic and keep a very active and informative twitter feed going!

Last but not least, @inhabitat is a green home decor company whose tagline is 'design will save the world'. They provide innovative and unique design ideas with a green feel. While they do focus on their own products, they also follow the trends of what other major brands are doing in terns of creating green products. Definitely one to watch.

Happy Green Tweeting!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoAction!

2011-07-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

A Green Day at the Beach!

Each Friday we will pass along a great activity that you can do on the weekend that doesn't involve a movie theatre, game console or cell phone!

In light of the severe heat we have been feeling this week, I thought the perfect eco-friendly activity yon do with your friends and family would be a day at the beach! When done right, this activity can be tons of fun with very little environmental impact.

First off, make sure that everyone heads to the beach in as few vehicles as possible. Carpooling when you're all heading to the same location is ideal for cutting down your gas costs and emissions, especially if the beach is a fair distance from home.

Next, make sure you've packed plenty of delicious foods and snacks. This will help to reduce the amount spent on fast food and will ensure that everything you need is on hand beside you. Include fresh cut fruits and veggies from your local farmers market!

Lastly, make sure that you bring lots of water! Spending the day in the sun can be draining on your hydration level. Pack enough water for everyone to have more than they need and carry it all in reusable water bottles. This reduces the possibility for excess waste on the beach.

Above all, have fun and enjoy a nice cool down in the water!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

OG EcoRead

2011-07-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Learn How To Start Your Own Herb Garden!

With a clear theme this month of gardening, I thought this great little blog post about growing your own herb garden was perfect. It may not exactly be the vegetable style of green-thumbing that many people think if, but the great thing about a herb garden is that it can be done anywhere by anyone!

This article from Hip Moms Go Green tells you exactly what you need to do to successfully grow your own herbs right at home.The article explains the basics of choosing the right seeds, understanding the proper care in terms of soil and sunlight and making sure that they are watered well.

Growing your own herbs has definitely become a trend for many people in the last several years. More and more people are learning how to grow these delicious little leaves right within the comfort of even a condo! If it has ever crossed your mind to produce fresh herbs for your cooking, make sure you check out this article first!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys
Check out our online catalogue! Natural, eco-friendly products, made in Canada!

Feature EcoLeader

2011-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

David Suzuki Foundation

When thinking about the environmental movement in Canada, one individual instantly comes to mind as a constant figure for more than 30 years. David Suzuki started out on his quest to educate the world about the environment around them in the mid 70s. Since then he has become a leading voice for Canada and beyond about caring for our planet.

By 1990, after much public interest to learn ideas of how to correct our action towards the planet, the David Suzuki Foundation was formed. They have had an evolving dedication to climate change, forestry, fisheries and general public awareness and education. They have lobbied to help grow support in Canada for the Kyoto Accord, successfully getting Canada to become a signer. They have also developed highly followed programs such as Musqueam Watershed Restoration Project, Pacific Salmon Forests Project and recently David Suzuki Digs My Garden, among so many others.

They continue their regular education and awareness through regular e-newsletters, news releases, a regular blog and various publications. They are of course also present on all the newest social trends with a David Suzuki Foundation age on facebook as well as a very popular and active account on twitter!

To learn more about how you can get more involved with this great organization, visit their site!

Crystal Wiltshire
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen
Follow @OnlyGreen_Crys

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2011-07-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Produce bags...the unnoticed threat!

Odds are that when you walk into a grocery store, you don't have to be reminded to bring your own reusable bags. Many of us have become accustom to keeping them on hand in trunks, purses, or anywhere else we can stash them so they won't be forgotten on a last minute trip out. It has finally become basically taboo to leave the grocery store with plastic bags in hand...honestly, you feel like you stand right out when you do!

While this newly mainstreamed mentality is great, there is another plastic culprit that has been contributing to landfill waste without nearly the same level of bad rep. Clear plastic produce totes are the absent minded plastic contribution that many of us are still making. Think back to your last trip to the grocery store. How many different types of fruits and vegetables did you purchase? Did you tear off a separate little flimsy clear bag for each of them? It can add up pretty quickly!

There are many options for how to avoid taking these little waste contributors home. For instance, depending on the produce, you may not need a bag at all. If it is something that will not ruin anything else in your basket and will be washed when you get home anyways, you may be able to take it as is. There is also the option of reusing plastic bags that you have collected from other purcases, such as milk or bread bags.

One trend on the rise is to purchase reusable produce totes. They can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes suited to exactly what you are looking for. They are most often mesh, allowing the cashier to clearly make out what you are purchasing, as well as to allow the produce to breath.

OnlyGreen offers two sizes of produce totes in 2 packs. These bags are compact and easy to slip in with your regular shopping bags. The best news, they are on sale for the month of July! Learn more now...

#EcoMonday!

2011-07-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first of a new regular segment for The Different Shades of OnlyGreen! Each Monday, we will choose 3-5 green focused twitter users (aka tweeps!) that you should be following! We will provide a brief description of each user and will provide a link to check out their profile!

I thought it was fitting if we kicked this off by highlighting the actual official @ecomonday account. EcoMonday is run by Max Gladwell. A key focus for Max is Green Living. He uses the @ecomonday account to monitor what is being said in the #EcoMonday stream.

Next up is @WWFCanada. This tweep is particular addiction of mine :) I have a compulsion to read and retweet much of what they post. Being a well known environmental leader for Canada, it is critical that they post relevant information to keep their followers well informed of various environmental and wildlife concerns as they happen. @WWFCanada does exactly that and they do it very well. Definitely check them out!

Another great tweep to follow for green news is @GreenNewsDaily. They provide real-time, up to the minute updates on all the green news that you can find. They have a strong focus on green energy in specific, which is great since that is a sector that really concerns everyone.

Lastly, a new twitter profile that I have recently come across is @practicallygrn.This is a great tweep to follow to learn all the quick little ways that you can go green in your day-to-day life. They provide fantastic little tips and tricks to help give everyone the confidence to start living a healthier and greener life today! I can already see this one is going to become another twitter addiction of mine....

That is all for today. Make you you check back in next #EcoMonday for more Green Tweeps you need on your radar!

Crystal Wiltshire,
Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen

OG EcoTip

2011-07-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Are you a conservationist?

So I recently read a great short post by Lisa Horvat for the WWF Canada blog, where she examines the term conservationist and what it really means. It forced me to really look at my life and my household and ensure that I can make the same declaration for myself.

What exactly is a conservationist? In the words of Lisa, “If you turn off the lights when you leave the room, you are a conservationist. Or, if you bike to the store or eat local or…” This brought up a great point for me. Being a conservationist is not necessarily judged based on specific measurable since each of us runs our lives and daily activities in different ways. Being a conservationist is more about the sense of pride and mission that comes from making that declaration. You take a stand to say that you will be conscious of your efforts and your impact with the little things you do each day.

So on that note, here is a list of great little things you can do in order to conserve more!

Turn off lights when leaving a room
Ride bike/take public transit when possible
Take reusable bags/baskets to store…OnlyGreen sells some great reusable produce totes…on sale now ;)
Keep your AC temp 72 or higher…or don’t use it at all!
Shut your blinds during the day to keep home/office naturally cool
Ensure plugs, windows, etc. are sealed in winter to avoid drafts
Use concentrated cleansers and detergents to reduce packaging and water waste…OnlyGreen makes these as well!
Start composting to reduce your landfill impact
Shop and eat local whenever possible
Use reusable water Kanteens and coffee mugs…I personally go through at least 2 coffees a day!
Shop vintage! It’s fashionable and eco-friendly!
Reuse paper in your office or at home for crafts!
Etc., etc., etc.

There are so many more to choose from…I’d just run out of room! Do you have one you’d like to share? Comment below and let me know!

Crystal Wiltshire

Marketing Manager, OnlyGreen

Twitter - OnlyGreen_Crys

OnlyGreen EcoTip!

2011-07-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

What’s on your fruits and veggies?

Last year we wrote a blog post about the importance of properly washing your fruits and veggies. With our Garden Essentials sale this month, plus an update of The Environmental Working Group published list of the good and the bad in produce, we figured it was time for this info to be revisited!

With a focus on 5 servings each day, it’s no secret that we all have to love our fruits and veggies. They are extremely beneficial and packed full of essential fibers and vitamins. With this in mind, we all know that they are a must in our daily intake…but how do you ensure that you are just ingesting the benefits?

When you walk into your local grocery store, the variety of fresh produce that is available to you is astounding. However, it has to make you wonder, how do they get perfectly fresh looking strawberries in the dead of winter? What pesticides and insecticides did the producers use to grow them? What waxy, synthetic preservatives were used to keep them looking so great on their long journey to get here?

The Environmental Working Group recently updated their published lists “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Clean 13” (formally called the ‘Consistently Clean’). These lists were based on a five-year analysis that shows which foods consistently scored the highest in pesticide levels and toxicity and which scored the lowest.

So how do we take better care of exactly what is going into our bodies from our necessary fruits and veggies? A couple of easy ways are to try and buy organic and locally as often as you can. You can also add a safe and high quality fruits and vegetables wash to your meal preparations.

OnlyGreen’s Soapberry Fruit and Veggie Wash is a gentle yet effective way to thoroughly clean waxes and insecticides from all of your produce. It is made using a perfect blend of saponins from the soapberry fruit and other natural and effective ingredients to help you safely enjoy the true flavors of nature.

Even more great news! For the month of July OnlyGreen is offering a Garden Essentials Sale! Purchase our Natural Fruit & Veggie Wash with a set of fantastic, reusable Large Produce Totes, as a set at a discounted price! more...

Please feel free to contact us if there is a specific topic you would like us to cover in our OnlyGreen EcoTips!

OG EcoTip!

2011-05-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Benefits of the Dead Sea!

The waters of the Dead Sea are unique, having a total salt concentration that is 10 times higher than ocean water, reaching 33 % versus 3%. This extraordinary chemical composition has made the Dead Sea an ideal spot for people seeking relief from skin and rheumatic disorders.

Dead Sea salts are comprised of a wide variety of minerals which are present in a high concentration. Whereas regular sea salt is made up of over 90% sodium, salt from the Dead Sea is only about 10% sodium and the rest is made of minerals which are essential for the proper function and health of skin. Dead Sea Salts have a Safe Cosmetic Database ranking of 0, making it a great, natural choice over traditional spa or bath salts.

OnlyGreen uses Dead Sea Salts in all of our Bath Salts and various scrubs, such as the Sea Salt Hand or Foot Scrubs.

Want to give Mom the benefits of the Dead Sea? OnlyGreen's Mother's Day Sale includes a Lavender Bath Salt, along with other great Lavender products for the perfect relaxing spa experience at home!

Please feel free to contact us if there is a specific topic you would like us to cover in our OnlyGreen EcoTips!

OnlyGreen EcoTip!

2011-04-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Understanding Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Sodium lauryl sulfate is most commonly found in shampoos, toothpaste, bubble baths and shower gels. It is used primarily because it is a cheap, harsh detergent known for its powerful cleansing properties. It is also an inexpensive foaming agent used heavily to create suds in the products containing this ingredient.

Although sodium lauryl sulfate is often derived from petroleum, it is frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the phrase "comes from coconuts," appearing on many labels. The main concern with this ingredient is that it causes eye irritation, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, skin rashes and other allergic reactions, when used in direct contact. This is a problem for many consumers, since this ingredient is so common in beauty care products that are used directly with the consumer’s skin and scalp.

Even though it is so widely used, this ingredient is definitely one that should be avoided whenever possible. With all the healthier alternatives for natural cleansing ingredients available, there is really no need to use sodium lauryl sulfate. It is because of this fact that all OnlyGreen products are completely sodium lauryl sulfate free.

Earth Day 2011

2011-04-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is nearly here!

Founded in 1970, the first Earth Day involved more than 20 million people in the US! Peaceful demonstrations and celebrations took place across the country, quickly turning it into a popular annual activity. By 1980, the movement had moved north and the first Canadian Earth Day was organized. Now, this amazing day is coordinated globally in more than 175 countries!

Although the environment should be in consideration every day of the year, it is great to know that there is a specific yearly reminder to help re-energize efforts across the planet!

To celebrate and help spread the word, OnlyGreen has a couple of initiatives on the go for Earth Day 2011. You can weigh-in on the OnlyGreen Facebook Poll: What are you doing for Earth Day? You can also learn how OnlyGreen is planting trees for Earth Day here!

OnlyGreen EcoTip

2011-04-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Soy Wax Candles - A Healthier Choice

The first and most obvious benefit to soy candles is that they are clean burning. Unlike paraffin, soy wax is non-toxic, with no petrol-carbon soot which can blacken walls, ceilings, and furniture. Paraffin wax can also add toxic carcinogens into the air you breathe.

The next benefit to soy candles is that they burn much slower and cooler than paraffin wax, creating a longer burning candle. This makes them a much more cost effective choice for consumers.

Next, soybeans are renewable source, unlike paraffin, which consists of petroleum. Also, since soy is a locally grown crop, purchasing soybean products creates important economic growth for the agricultural sector of our economy.

Lastly, because of the fact that soybeans are vegetables, soy wax (basically made from hydrogenated soybean oil) is naturally biodegradable. Soy wax is also easier to remove from materials and other surfaces than paraffin wax.

OnlyGreen offers a variety of Soy Cup Candles that are made using non-Genetically Modified soy and handmade using lead-free wicks.

Take a look at our great selection of long-burning, clean Soy Cup Candles here!

Please feel free to contact us if there is a specific topic you would like us to cover in our OnlyGreen EcoTips!

OnlyGreen EcoTip

2011-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Very Beneficial Jojoba Oil

The structure of jojoba oil closely resembles that of the skin's sebum; therefore it is an excellent moisturizer and is ideal for all skin types. Jojoba contains myristic acid, which is anti-inflammatory.

In reality, jojoba oil is not oil at all; it is a liquid wax. Since it is comprised of wax esters, it is an extremely stable substance, naturally resisting rancidity. In most cases, jojoba oil can be used on acne-prone skin without any problems and may even help control the acne.

Jojoba oil is also a good choice for use on mature, aging skin and wrinkles. With so many good benefits, jojoba is an all-time favourite and is included in VADA's natural bath and body products wherever possible.

Please feel free to contact us if there is a specific topic you would like us to cover in our OnlyGreen EcoTips!

OnlyGreen EcoTip

2011-02-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

Understanding Nanoparticles.

Over the past year, there has been a lot of discussion about the use of nanoparticles in skin care and cosmetics. Nanoparticles are particles that have a dimension that is 100 nanometers or less in size.

While they are very widely used through the Health and Beauty industry, much of the controversy surrounding them is due to the lack of knowledge regarding long term effects on a consumer’s body. The nano- sized particles have the ability to absorb into skin and blood stream much faster compared to regular ingredients.

“Nanoparticles are unbelievably tiny, man-made chemicals. They are so incredibly small that tens of thousands of them can fit on the point of a needle. Remember how we were taught that the atom is the smallest component of matter? Well, nanoparticles of various substances are made to be so small that they can be inserted into atoms. Once there, they may undergo a change in the way they normally function, and sometimes their toxicity can be enhanced with a potential for more severe action than normal chemicals.” (ewg.org).

Many lobbyist groups are now fighting to ensure that companies that use nano technology in their manufacturing will be forced to disclose that information on the labels of their products. Right now there is no distinguishing between products which contain an ingredient in a nano- size versus a full particle size.

At OnlyGreen, we have never used nanotechnology to create our products. Any minerals that we use, such as titanium dioxide or mica, are only used in full particle format.

The Story of Cosmetics – A must-see for everyone!

2010-09-02T19:10:00.000-07:00

From the geniuses that brought us the Story of Stuff comes The Story of Cosmetics; a detailed look at the hard truth of the cosmetic industry and what each consumer should be aware of when making a purchasing decision.

Similar to the style of the original Story of Stuff, this latest video explains the cosmetics industry from an educated perspective, but using language and examples that each viewer can associate with. Story of Stuff Project creator, Annie Leonard, walks us through the ingredients, laws and regulations and process that few consumes understand when buying and using health and beauty products. “I like that Annie says it isn't our fault that there are chemicals in our products. She is absolutely right. But, now that we are aware of this, it is our fault if we continue to support these companies that are greenwashing their lines or using chemicals despite the growing evidence against them.” says OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor Tanis Danyluk.

To lend even more clout to an already great film The Story of Stuff Project collaborated with safecosmetics.org to produce this latest video. Safecosmetics.org, creators of the safe cosmetic database, are leaders in bringing cosmetic product knowledge to everyday consumers.

Following suit with product lines VADA and Halsa, the new Opal line of cosmetics from OnlyGreen is formulated using the safest possible ingredients, giving consumers a healthy alternative while maintaining great quality. The Opal line comes packaged in 100% recycled, handmade and biodegradable boxes that contain wild flower seeds, allowing them to be planted and making this line a zero waste product. “I cringe when I think of all that goes into what we put on OUR FACE, of all places. Not only is the Opal line beautiful but you genuinely feel confident that you are doing the best for your face, your conscience and the environment when you are "beautifying" in the morning. The cute packaging that can be planted to grow flowers is an added bonus!” adds EcoAdvisor Ferrah Graham.

OnlyGreen is already a proud signer of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and will have all of our health and beauty and baby care products uploaded to the Safe Cosmetic Database by October 1st, 2010. We are excited to take the proactive step of having our brands added to this great initiative.

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2010-05-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

What’s on your fruits and veggies?

With a focus on 5 servings each day, it’s no secret that we all have to love our fruits and veggies. They are extremely beneficial and packed full of essential fibers and vitamins. With this in mind, we all know that they are a must in our daily intake…but how do you ensure that you are just ingesting the benefits?

When you walk into your local grocery store, the variety of fresh produce that is available to you is astounding. However, it has to make you wonder, how do they get perfectly fresh looking strawberries in the dead of winter? What pesticides and insecticides did the producers use to grow them? What waxy, synthetic preservatives were used to keep them looking so great on their long journey to get here?

The Environmental Working Group published a list based on a five-year analysis, completed in 2005, that shows which foods consistently scored the highest in pesticide levels and toxicity and which scored the lowest. Below are the charts with their findings, commonly called ‘The Dirty Dozen’ and ‘The Consistently Clean’

*Contamination was measured in six different ways and crops were ranked based on a composite score from all categories. The higher the score, the higher the pesticide load. Get the full results of the study at www.foodnews.org. SOURCE: ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP

So how do we take better care of exactly what is going into our bodies from our necessary fruits and veggies? A couple of easy ways are to try and buy organic and locally as often as you can. You can also add a safe and high quality fruits and vegetables wash to your meal preparations.

OnlyGreen offers a new all natural Fruits and Veggies Wash, specially formulated using some of the key gentle ingredients from our popular SoapBerry line. Learn more…

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2010-04-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Planning a green tradeshow booth

Tradeshows are a staple in the marketing plans of most companies. However, they can have quite an impact on the environment when you add up vinyl banners, giveaways, printed materials, flooring and temporary furniture. While some of these things are unavoidable, there are alternatives for better options.

First off, banners and displays. Most booths will play host to at least 2-3 large sized signage pieces that are made out of plastics and vinyl and typically have metal bases and hardware. There are a couple different options for these materials. One choice is moving to fabric displays, where your company’s images are printed on a large sheet of fabric, which can be organic cotton canvas, and is draped over a metal frame. Another option looks and feels like the traditional banners, but are made using biodegradable vinyl and displayed using recycled aluminum bases. Both of these options are extremely durable and light weight, making them the perfect choice for travel and set up.

Moving on to the swag and printed materials, it’s no secret that everyone loves a freebie. Having items you can hand out at your booth can be one of the best ways to draw someone in. That being said, there are tons of new promotional items available that have the environmental twist. You can get pens made from corn, led flashlight key chains, reusable cotton bags, recycled notebooks, recycled coasters, and the list goes on! Each of these items can be personalized with your company’s information and put into the happy hands of tradeshow goers. Likewise with all of your printed materials, all brochures, business cards, folders and info packs can be completed using recycled and/or FSC certified stocks.

With flooring and furniture, things get a little trickier. Both of these are aspects of a tradeshow that are hard to escape, but there are some options available to you. In terms of flooring, many booth exhibitors have begun to use choices like bamboo, eco-friendly carpeting or recycled cork to cushion their staff and guests’ feet. For furniture and display stands, one option is to use furniture you can take down and reuse or to take it a step further, using items that have been made using recycled materials, such as reclaimed wood.

Overall, although planning a green tradeshow booth can take a bit more research, the choices are certainly there. This is something we hope to see more companies embrace going forward, making tradeshows a better experience for everyone, including the planet!

Check out OnlyGreen at the Green Living Show in Toronto, this Friday, April 23rd – Sunday April 25th. Our booth (#330/332) will be fully furnished with biodegradable banners, recycled aluminum bases, reclaimed wood display units and of course, our high quality, natural and organic OnlyGreen products!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2010-02-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

Oh so soft – and safe – for baby.

When selecting bath and body care products to use on a baby, it’s no secret that parents look for the safest items available. The problem with today’s marketplace, is how do you truly know what’s safe?

According to the results of a 2009 study by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics two known carcinogens, 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde, were found in dozens of bath products for babies and kids, including major, well known brands. The study was done in order to follow up on test results released in February 2007, which found the chemical 1,4-dioxane in 18 popular baby soaps, bubble baths and shampoos. None of the products tested in either round listed 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde on the label.

"Our intention is not to alarm parents, but to inform parents that products that claim to be gentle and pure are contaminated with carcinogens, which is completely unnecessary," Campaign for Safe Cosmetics spokesperson Stacy Malkan said.

To steer clear of these contaminates, avoid using products containing sodium myreth sulfate, PEG compounds and chemicals that include the clauses "xynol," "ceteareth" and "oleth." Similarly, avoid products that contain formaldehye-releasing preservatives, including quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea.

OnlyGreen’s line of Baby Care products are made with 100% natural ingredients, preservatives and essential oils. Check out the Baby Care section of our catalogue, or view a complete list of ingredients for all our Baby Care products online.

To learn more about using safe and natural baby products you can feel confident it, contact your local EcoAdvisor.

Resources: www.safecosmetics.org

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2010-01-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

Light A Candle, Ignite A Toxin.

For most people, lighting a few candles is a great way to unwind and relax after a long, grueling day. Unfortunately, they don’t really know exactly what they’ve lit.

When looking over the list of pollutants and toxins that are emitted from the majority of candles, you quickly realize there is nothing relaxing about them. A standard paraffin wax candle can give off things such as benzene, formaldehyde, soot and lead, just to name a few. So what exactly is this paraffin that’s ruining your calming vibe? Paraffin is simply a waste product of the petroleum industry, used most commonly in candles for its white, waxy texture.

One of the biggest problems is that burning paraffin doesn’t last very long. In order to increase the burn time, many candles also contain a lead-soaked paper cotton wick. This means that on top of the chemical toxins you are already breathing in because of the wax, you also have to deal with the excessive level of lead filling the room.

So how does one enjoy the incandescent serenity of candle light without polluting their home? Many healthier choices are available in the candle industry. The two most common would be beeswax and vegetable based soy. Both of these substances provide a clean and long-lasting burn. Also, because they have a natural long burning time, they are commonly made with lead-free wicks. The one thing to watch for with these options is that the candles you are purchasing are in-fact 100% beeswax or soy and have not been diluted with paraffin or bleach.

OnlyGreen’s Soy Cup Candles are made with 100% vegetable based soy, pure essential oils and lead-free wicks. They are hand poured into beautiful glass jars that can be reused over and over again. Our candles are available in Amber & Sandalwood and Lavender scents. Plus, 50% of all profits made from the sale of our candles go towards OnlyGreen’s charitable efforts!

Contact your local OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor to learn how to get your hands on a cleaner burning solution today.

Resources:
Ecoholic, A. Vasil

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2010-01-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

Put A Stop to Junk Mail!

Attention e-newsletters, trees around the world thank you.

Really, how can they not? Before the invent of digital mailings, advertisers relied even more heavily on sending their messages directly into the consumers mailboxes. Having the ability to send a message through an e-mail has cut down drastically on the amount of paper mail being produced.

That being said, did you know that conventional junk mail or direct mail as it’s called in the marketing world, still accounts for the destruction of more than 100 million trees each year! The worst part is that we don’t even really read this junk! More than 44% of unsolicited mail winds up in a landfill completely unopened. Without even realizing it, the average person will receive approximately 560 pieces of junk mail in one year. (www.globaljunkmailcrisis.org)

So how do we quit this endless cycle of junk? There are many websites that will assist you in putting a stop to the constant bombarding of direct mail. Two of the most credible are listed here:
Canadian Marketing Association, Do Not Contact Service: www.the-cma.org
US Residents – Do Not Mail: http://donotmail.org

In future, if you want to gain updates, promotions and info from a company, most now offer an online solution. You can stay up to date with OnlyGreen, by joining our mailing list and receive our monthly newsletter, OG EcoBits!

Another EcoAdvisor makes it to Gold!!!

2009-12-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

OnlyGreen is proud to announce that Heather Alvas from Alberta has become the second Gold Level EcoAdvisor! Over the past 8 months, we have seen Heather work extremely hard and put her whole heart into her OnlyGreen business. Seeing her reach the next level is truly a great moment for those of us at Head Office, as well as her team.

Heather has shown tremendous skill as a leader. She supports her team with regular communication, encouragement and an openness that we know will continue to take her far in her business.

"I am very excited to receive Gold Status with OnlyGreen. I have an amazing team of ladies under me who have helped me to achieve this goal by their amazing dedication and commitment to OnlyGreen. Thank you to all my ‘Green Gals’ ! I look forward to 2010 with OnlyGreen and the new goals that we will all achieve!" – Heather Alvas, EcoAdvisor and Founder.

Keep up the great work Heather!

Another EcoAdvisor makes it to OnlyGreen Founder Status!

2009-11-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

OnlyGreen is proud to welcome Susan Schiering, from Ohio, as the latest addition to the OnlyGreen Founders Club. Susie is a very determined, hard working EcoAdvisor who came into OnlyGreen with a clear idea of what she wanted and went for it! She shares a fantastic outlook and drive for the future with those around her, as well as with those of us here at Head Office!

“I am so elated and proud to have achieved Founder! What a great incentive for all EcoAdvisors. OnlyGreen is a wonderful company with a great mission and I cannot wait to see where this company goes in the future! I am so glad I went outside of my comfort zone to try this opportunity.” ~ Susan Schiering, EcoAdvisor and Founder.

Susie is already showing her strengths as a strong and knowledgeable leader and we know that her and her OnlyGreen team will continue to be successful.

Way to go Susie! Keep up the great work!

OnlyGreen's First Gold Level EcoAdvisor!!

2009-11-06T06:29:00.000-08:00

We are very proud to officially announce that Michelle and Kris Harvey, from Alberta are the first EcoAdvisor to reach Gold level. This is truly an exciting accomplishment for them, as well as for those of us at the OnlyGreen Head Office! We have watched as Michelle and Kris have worked hard to grow their business and build their team. We knew it was only a matter of time before they reached this goal.

“We are so excited that we have had the chance to be a part of something so amazing. This last year has been so much fun for our whole family. We are extremely proud of ourselves for achieving Gold but our growth was definitely not achieved alone. We believe that this level is one to recognize and celebrate with our whole team. All of us achieved this together with our belief, determination and friendships. We are so thankful for the opportunity to work beside such an amazing group of men and women with at least one common goal that we share... prove that every little step DOES make a difference. We look forward to what the future holds for all of us!!” ~ Michelle and Kris Harvey, Founder & EcoAdvisor Gold

We look forward to seeing Michelle and Kris move straight through to EcoDirector. Congratulations from everyone at OnlyGreen!

OG EcoTip of the Week

2009-11-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

What do you feed your four legged friends?

They are at the door to greet us when we get home. They curl up at our feet or make themselves at home on our laps. They are trusting, loving and dependable. For many pet owners, their furry friends are valued members of the family. So why don’t we pay better attention to what we feed them every day?

It’s tricky when we have major pet food companies promoting a “premium” or “healthy” choices that we’re supposed to be able to trust. The truth however, is that the pet food industry has been built on scraps, waste, chemical preservatives and animal by-product based fillers.

Here’s the dirty facts and be warned, this next part is disgusting. Some of the most common ingredients in pet treats and food are hydrolyzed (pressure treated) poultry feathers and hair, dried swine or poultry waste. They add to that a variety of chemical preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and propylene glycol (also used as automotive antifreeze).

When we decided on the materials and ingredients for OnlyGreen’s Pet Care Line, all aspects of safety and health were taken into account. With the OnlyGreen pet treats, ingredients for the optimal health of each variety of pet were evaluated and blended accordingly. As a result, our Yippies Mini Bites, for instance, are specifically formulated with the health of a small dog in mind. Please see the list below for the individual ingredient list of each product.

Finicky Friend Cat Treats
Ingredients: Millet Flour, Nonfat Powdered Milk, Egg, Water, Wheatgrass, Tuna.

Barkers Big Bites – Treats for Large Dogs
Ingredients: Barley Flour, Chicken, Hemp Seed Meal, Sweet Potato Flour, Spinach Flour, Dehydrated Carrots, Chopped Garlic, Whole Flax Seed, Rosemary, Spelt Flour, Kamut Flour, Millet Flour, Honey, Cranberries, Blueberries, Cinnamon, Water.

Yippies Mini Bites – Treats for Small Dogs
Ingredients: Barley Flour, Oat Flour, Turkey and Cranberries or Chicken Liver and
Romano Cheese or Peanut Butter, Hemp Seed Meal, Rosemary, Water.

To get OnlyGreen Pet Treats for your fury family member, contact your local OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor today.

A New OnlyGreen Founder!

2009-11-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

We are tremendously proud and excited to welcome Tanis Danyluk as our newest EcoAdvisor to reach Founder status. Over the past couple of months, we at OnlyGreen Head Office have seen Tanis work extremely hard to reach this goal. She showed a great level of understanding for the business as well as a passion for the products offered with OnlyGreen.

“After plenty of hard work and dedication my dream of becoming a Founder has been realized. I could not be happier,” said Tanis. “As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist I have always provided recommendations to my clients on how to reduce their toxic load and choose from an ecological standpoint. OnlyGreen had many of the products I already recommended! It was a natural fit and reaching Founder has just solidified that. Thank you all that have supported me this far in my journey. I look forward to sharing my passion for health and wellness with each of you every day! I love OnlyGreen!!”

We know that with her extensive knowledge and appreciation of living a natural, green lifestyle, Tanis will continue to be successful with her OnlyGreen business and the targets that she has set out for herself.

Way to go Tanis! Keep up the great work!

OG EcoTip of the Week

2009-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

The word 'organic' is not always a good thing.

Ever heard of volatile organic compounds? It’s not exactly a household term, but rest assured, it is likely present in the majority of your household cleaners.

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs as they are more commonly referred to, are gases and vapors which contain carbon and evaporate quickly into the air around you. VOCs are most often found in items such as paints, inks, pesticides and cleaning products. VOCs even have the ability to off-gas from solid objects such as bedding and linens or furniture.

Aside from their nasty habit of contributing heavily to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, exposure to VOCs can also cause breathing problems, headaches, dizziness and nausea. When exposed to higher amounts, these compounds can even increase the rate of asthma attacks and aggravate symptoms of pulmonary diseases.

The best way to avoid spreading VOCs on and around the surfaces of your home is to use paints, cleaning products and air fresheners that are low in or free of VOCs. The new OnlyGreen Cleaning Line is 100% VOC free and has been formulated using pure and natural sources, while keeping quality and cleaning power in mind. Many of the OnlyGreen Cleaning Line products were formulated using the natural SoapBerry as a base ingredient. The SoapBerries contain naturally occurring saponins that provide effective cleaning power in a way that is safe for you, your family, and the environment. We add to the SoapBerry a host of other natural and organic ingredients to bring you a cleaning line we are proud to offer.

Find an OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor near you and begin getting a natural, VOC free clean around your home!

OG EcoTip of the Week

2009-09-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Understanding FSC Certified

You see this symbol just about everywhere these days. It’s present on books, business cards, posters and even most junk mail! Although most consumers recognize that it is a display of environmental standards, many do not realize the level of development that has gone into it or the approval process that a product must meet in order to use it.

The FSC portion of this logo stands for Forest Stewardship Council, an international non-profit organization that oversees management standards of our planet’s forests. Founded in 1993, the FSC maintain these standards from an environmental, social and economical standpoint. To date, their membership has grown to nearly 700 members in 70 countries, with over 100 million hectares of forestry around the world certified by FSC standards.

Using the FSC logo is a whole process all in its own. Only FSC Chain of Custody certified companies may place an FSC label on printed documents. In other words, in order to have this certification placed on an item, you would need to have your item printed with an accredited printer, who in turn, still has to have that item approved by the FSC board to verify that the appropriate paper source is being use.

The FSC on-product label identifies forest products that meet FSC’s environmental and social standards. There are three types of FSC labels that can be found on FSC-certified products.

FSC 100% label: Products carrying the 100% FSC label come only from well-managed forests that have met FSC’s high social and environmental standards.

FSC mixed sources: Products with a Mixed Sources label support the development of responsible forest management worldwide. The wood comes from FSC-certified well-managed forests, recycled material and/or controlled wood which come from non-controversial sources.

FSC recycled: Products with 100% Recycled label support the re-use of forest resources which helps to reduce the pressure on natural forests.

The OnlyGreen Catalogue is always made completely with FSC certified paper sources. Check out the new Fall/Winter 2009 Catalogue and order a copy in the mail today!

Meet our newest OnlyGreen Founder!

2009-09-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

We are very proud to congratulate and welcome Lee Horbachewski from Alberta, as our newest OnlyGreen Founder.

Achieving Founder status takes a high level of dedication and hard work that Lee has clearly demonstrated during her first months in business. Lee has shown remarkable commitment and communication with her OnlyGreen team and we know she will continue to grow her business and meet the goals that she has set out for herself.

“Together, we offer a smarter way to adopt a healthy and ecologically-friendly way of life – for me personally, this is a key part of the OnlyGreen Mission. Educating people, including myself and my family has brought me great rewards and a sense of pride that I am playing a part in bringing awareness to our environment,” says Lee. “My 9 year old daughter took it upon herself to start writing a book, about the environment, Chapter 1 is “Garbage, Garbage”. What she has created all by herself deepens my belief that OnlyGreen is and will be a big part of our life for a long time to come. I am thrilled and honoured to be an OnlyGreen Founder and have no doubt together we can, as Gandhi famously quotes – Be the Change we wish to see in the world”

Congratulations once again, Lee! Keep up the great work!

Want to learn how to be successful with your own eco-friendly business? Contact us today to get started with OnlyGreen!

OG EcoTip of the Week

2009-08-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

Go back to school and reduce your footprint getting there.

It’s no secret that students all around the world are dreading the fact that it is already a week into August and the back to school era is just around the corner. What they may not know, is that the planet’s forests are dreading their return as well!

Between handouts, lesson plans, administrative documents and pop quizzes, schools consume tons of paper in one school year. Add to that the fact that each student comes equipped with countless binders, notebooks, accessories and hordes of freshly lined paper. It doesn’t take long for one school to start consuming trees!

Now, to be fair, schools are not the only culprits on the rate of deforestation. The average US office worker uses over 10,000 sheets of printing and copying paper per year. Dig a little deeper and you find that the average office worker also generates 2lbs of paper waste each and every day.

As of 2005, paper and paperboard (used for binders, etc) consumption, in the United States of America, grew 154% from 1961 levels and peaked in 1999 at a 174% increase from 1961. It is estimated that 20% of deforestation is due to paper consumption; and to manufacture one pound of paper requires three and a half pounds of wood and produces three pounds of carbon dioxide.

So how do we rectify a problem of this magnitude? Eliminating paper completely from your daily life is likely highly unrealistic, but you can get much smarter about the paper products and school/office supplies that you have to purchase. Fortunately, most major retailers offer a large variety of paper goods that contain a high level of recycled materials and many have begun to carry 100% post consumer or recycled products. You can also look at purchasing all recycled supplies, such as recycled cardboard binders and divider tabs, pocket folders, presentation folders and recycled paper notebooks. If we add these types of products to our daily lives, in addition to being more conscious about the amount of paper we use, together we can start to lessen our impact on our trees.

To find out how you can purchase recycled school supplies for your children, contact your local EcoAdvisor. Also be sure to ask them how you can turn your office OnlyGreen Qualified!

Resources:
www.federalsustainability.org

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2009-07-31T10:04:00.000-07:00

Nasty, naughty Parabens!

Do you know what’s in your skin care and cosmetic products? Unfortunately, most consumers don’t. Over the last few years, a lot of light has been shed on the dangers of conventional skin care products and the preservatives and additives that are used to manufacture them.

One of the leading questionable types of ingredients is parabens. Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They are inexpensive and highly effective as a preservative, which makes them a very popular choice among many brands.

The problem with parabens, is that all types (methyl, ethyl, etc) have been found to be estrogenic – meaning they mimic female hormones. While parabens have been found in breast tumour samples they haven’t been conclusively linked to cancer. (Vasil, 2007, pg 315) However, estrogenic ingredients can cause hormone disruption which can have various effects on the body and interfere with the normal hormone balance for both men and women.

So how do you spot a paraben? The best way to arm yourself against the use of parabens is to read the labels of the products you buy and switch to brands that do not use these preservatives in the first place.

The VADA Body Care line of products, by OnlyGreen, is made without the use of any synthetic dyes or chemicals, is handmade using only natural ingredients and is 100% paraben free. VADA Body Care products include hair care, face care, body care, baby care and products for men. Click here to connect with your local EcoAdvisor and learn more about how to get VADA products for you and your family.

Resources:
Vasil, Adria, Ecoholic, 2007
http://ezinearticles.com/

Two new Founders for OnlyGreen!

2009-07-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

Our Founders Club has expanded once again! We are very proud to congratulate and welcome Martha Sterne from California and Heather Alvas from Alberta as our latest EcoAdvisors to receive this prestigious title.

Becoming an OnlyGreen Founder takes a high level of dedication and hard work that both of these women have shown from the very beginning. Each of them has set out with very unique and determined business models which they have developed and continue working towards. We are very eager to watch Heather and Martha grow their OnlyGreen businesses and achieve all future goals they reach for!

“I am very excited to reach Founder status. OnlyGreen is certainly in the right business at the right time and I feel fortunate to be a part of it. Through my efforts to build an OnlyGreen business, a big, unexpected win has been that my children have taken an interest. So they are learning what ‘organic’, ‘fair trade’, and ‘eco-friendly’ mean; they are learning how choices we make can impact the environment; and they are learning how to start and run a small business---all great bonuses while doing something I really enjoy!” – Martha Sterne

"I am so excited about becoming a founder with OnlyGreen. I love what this company stands for, their mission, the lifestyle they promote and their products. What a great company to get involved with. My family is such a great support for me and faithfully uses all the products I get for them and even help promote the company for me.... My little boy is always saying... "Mom, are you having another OnlyGreen party so I can have those yummy cookies again" (the Late July Organic Cookies). I can't wait to see what the future holds with me and OnlyGreen." – Heather Alvas

Congratulations once again, Heather and Martha! Keep up the great work!

Want to learn how to be successful with your own eco-friendly business? Contact us today to get started with OnlyGreen!

OnlyGreen featured as Top Green Business in Opportunity World Magazine!

2009-07-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

We were recently featured in the Green focused edition of Opportunity World Magazine, a national bi-monthly news stand publication targeting business professionals, entrepreneurs and home business owners. The magazine profiles top business opportunities, franchise opportunities and network marketing opportunities and is a trusted resource for those looking to become home-based entrepreneurs.

OnlyGreen is excited to have had this level of exposure. By being profiled in a magazine which appeals to entrepreneurs, hopefully more individuals will enjoy the benefits of being their own boss, while helping the environment and feeling great about what they do. Click here to view our full company profile.

We also participated in a roundtable style discussion titled, Getting the Word out about Green Business. This provided us with an opportunity to share information pertaining to current trends and the unique benefits of starting a business focused on the green industry. Click here to read our interview.

To find out how you can get started with your own Green Business, contact us to learn more about the OnlyGreen opportunity!

Congratulations Molly - Founder and Silver Level!!

2009-07-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

We would like to extend a very heartfelt congratulations to Molly Pittelkow, of Minnesota, for being the newest EcoAdvisor to reach OnlyGreen Silver Level and Founders Status!

Molly has shown unbelievable dedication and perseverance in the start of her OnlyGreen business. She set out with very specific goals in mind and worked very hard to achieve them. Molly would often call through to the OnlyGreen head office whenever she needed words of encouragement, marketing advice or general guidance on building a successful team. She always joked that she was calling too much - but we honestly love to hear from our EAs and giving them all the support they need - Molly is no exception to that rule :)

"I'm absolutely thrilled that I met my main goal of becoming a Founder! Next is gold so I can come meet everyone at the office. I hope they don't all take vacation that week when they hear I'm coming! Haha!"

We are very proud to have Molly as a member of the Founders Club and are excited to see her continue to grow her business and build her team. We know she has much bigger goals ahead of her and that she will maintian her committment and drive to achieve them.

Way to go Molly! Keep up the great work!

Want to learn how to get started with your eco-friendly business? Contact us today to get started with OnlyGreen!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2009-07-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Understanding the impact of plastic

It’s easy enough to say that we all grasp the idea of plastic being harmful to the environment, but do we really understand just how much damage is being done? Toxic chemicals such as benzene and dioxin are released into surrounding communities during the manufacture of certain types of plastic, and some types leach chemicals as we use them. A plastic bottle tossed into a landfill will take hundreds of years to break down, while plastic bags that litter the landscape will kill animals that try to eat them. (www.coopamerica.org)

These are scary facts when you take into account that approximately 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags are thrown away each year, (www.worldwatch.org), and 2.5 billion plastic bottles are tossed each hour, (www.cleanair.org), in the United States alone!

So where do we go from here?

While recycling is a step in the right direction, the reality is that it’s not happening. Less than 25% of the plastic bags used in the US are recycled. Bioplastics are a great new trend that offer a cleaner alternative while maintaining convenience, but is still gaining momentum and don’t always make it into a proper composting environment.

The best option by far is to cut down on the need for disposable products in the first place. Reusable items are available in almost every instance where plastic has held dominance. Parched? Reach for an OnlyGreen Kanteen, made from high-grade stainless steel, durable and ready to be used over and over. Shopping to your heart’s content? Store a steady supply of reusable bags in your home, purse and car for an on-the-go substitute to conventional plastic bags.

If each of us lost our dependency on plastic, imagine the impact we could have then!

OG EcoTip of the Week

2009-06-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

What is Organic Cotton?

Cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed agricultural crops in the world, using chemicals that are harmful in many ways. Cotton accounts for more than 10% of pesticide use and approximately 25% of insecticide use worldwide. Organic cotton farming avoids the use of chemicals by promoting healthy plants and soil to control the pests and weeds, and eliminates the need for genetically modified crops.

While conventional cotton farms use spray chemicals as insecticides and pesticides, organic cotton farming involves physically removing the weeds by hand hoeing and cultivation, working the land as we have done for centuries. Nutritionally rich soils are established by proper crop rotation – letting the earth naturally run it’s cycles. Insects are controlled by planting other crops used to lure the insects away from the cotton. All in all, it’s a much healthier and beneficial means of farming – following our roots and bringing farming back to the way it was.

It is said that nearly ½ lb of chemicals are used for each regular sized t-shirt produced using regular cotton. This is a frightening thought. Thankfully, with organic cotton production doubling year over year, more products are becoming available that are made from this fantastic all natural material. OnlyGreen is proud to say that we offer a wonderful line of organic cotton products, from clothing to baby wipes, bath mitts, cosmetic squares and kitchen towels.

Speak to your local EcoAdvisor today to make the change to organic cotton, as well as learn about the many other great eco-friendly alternatives OnlyGreen has to offer.

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2009-06-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

Become an Energy Vampire Slayer

They only enter your home when invited, never see the light of day, and lurk in the dark corners . . . of your entertainment center! Energy vampire is a common term given to an electronic appliance that continues to consume power even when you believe it is turned off. This is because many major appliances never actually turn off, they simply enter stand-by mode. Although the power consumed in stand-by mode for each device or appliance is relatively low, the combined effort from all of these items throughout your home can add up very quickly.

To vanquish these energy vampires, ensure that you are cutting all power to an appliance by pulling the plug when you are not using it. When it comes to areas of your home that use many appliances at once, such as your TV system or home office, plug all devices into a power bar and flick the switch to cut all power in one shot. Implementing these techniques can help to cut down the power consumption in the average home by up to 10% each year.

Want to go more green in your home? Connect with your local EcoAdvisor today and host an OnlyGreen EcoWorkshop!

OG EcoTip of the Week!

2009-06-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Compostable vs. Degradable: Know the difference!

With interest in composting on the rise, one question I get asked a lot is the difference between products that are compostable versus degradable. This issue relates to various products in the OnlyGreen catalogue, and our EcoAdvisors want to ensure that they are passing along the correct info when selling these items.

Compostable products, such as OnlyGreen’s BioBags, hot cups, plates, cutlery, etc, are made from plant materials, including corn, potato, soy and sugar, which will all naturally break down in a compost environment. Under the right conditions (ie. warm and moist) these items will fully compost anywhere from 30-90 days. Using compostable products wherever possible will help to eliminate the need for landfill sites at all.

Degradable products, however, are made from traditional oil based plastics. Although these cannot be composted, they are designed to break down in a landfill setting, over a longer period of time. This gives all of the waste inside the bag a chance to decompose as well, which can reduce our landfill levels in the long run. Degradable garbage bags, such as OnlyGreen’s Bully Bags, offer a safer alternative than traditional black bags, but maintain a stronger durability.

Planting Trees for Earth Day!

2009-05-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

We are incredibly proud to announce that our Earth Day Tree Planting promotion was a complete success. Thanks to the participation and dedication of our EcoAdvisors, OnlyGreen was able to plant many seedlings at Old Fort Trees, a local tree farm.

This allowed members of the OnlyGreen executive staff to literally get our hands dirty and actually plant the trees ourselves. Aimee, Lori, Rich, Crystal and Jamie all took part in the event, planting over 3 rows of trees to promote reforestation and cleaner air.

We would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to all of our EcoAdvisors who helped us carry out this rewarding accomplishment. We look forward to creating more opportunities like this in the future!

To check out more photos of the OnlyGreen team hard at work, check out our facebook page!

Our first two Silver EcoAdvisors!

2009-04-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

After more than two years of researching and laying the foundation, OnlyGreen has officially hit the ground running. We now have a strong base of EcoAdvisors across Canada and the US that are working hard to expand their businesses and encourage those around them to go green.

Proof of our growth can be seen in the promotion of two of our most active EcoAdvisors. Michelle Imgrund and Melissa Urbinsky, both of Alberta, are our first two EcoAdvisors to reach the Silver level with their OnlyGreen business. These two individuals have worked extremely hard to promote and grow their business and have built a strong team in their area.

After all of the effort that has gone into getting OnlyGreen up and going, it makes all of us here very proud to have our first two Silver EAs.

Here’s to the development of one strong team of OnlyGreen EcoAdvisors everywhere! Keep up the great work everyone!

Welcome to our blog.

2008-06-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

The environmental industry is growing and constantly evolving and we want to ensure that we keep you abreast of the issues and changes. Our blog will be a way for the OnlyGreen team to weigh in on pressing topics and communicate the latest eco-related innovations, products and services.

We also figured that this blog would allow you, our customers, business owners and team members to get to know us better and explore the different issues arising in the world of being OnlyGreen™.

Enjoy!