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Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation


Last Updated: 11/20/2009

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Gender: Female
Status: Single
Age: 21
Sign: Capricorn

City: Burlington
State: Vermont
Country: US
Signup Date: 6/23/2008

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Monday, December 14, 2009 
Child Hugging the EarthJust as winter begins to tighten its grip on our home state of Vermont, a trip to an even darker and colder place would not typically be on my itinerary. But in a couple of days, I head to Copenhagen, Denmark, site of the UN's international conference on climate change.

Seventh Generation was founded in Vermont more than 20 years ago, and in many ways our commitment to producing the best non-toxic, eco-friendly home and personal care products was born from the state's tradition of respect for the land and ecosystems that are so important to us all. World leaders from 192 nations are gathering in Copenhagen, a place that seems so far away from Vermont, but it is small, out of the way, special places like Vermont that are at risk if world leaders fail to forge a global agreement to tackle climate change.

Just yesterday, a freak storm ripped through the Green Mountains. Hurricane strength winds were measured in several communities not far from the Seventh Generation office. The meteorologist in our local daily, the Burlington Free Press wrote, "Global warming experts say that the warming atmosphere could create more intense storms in Vermont. And in general, we've had an uptick in the number of reports of strong storms, heavy downpours and severe weather in recent years".

But Vermont is not unique in its vulnerability to global warming. Another special place, on the other side of the world, is the tiny Pacific Island nation of Palau. Small island nations, like Palau are on the front lines of global warming. Already, expanding seas and rising tides are causing shoreline erosion, more intense storms are battering their coasts, and rising ocean temperatures are causing coral bleaching. Palau's economy is based on tourism and the extraordinary diving along the reefs that surround it, referred to as one of the "Seven Underwater Wonders of the World." The reefs contain more than 350 species of hard corals, 200 species of soft corals, 300 species of sponges, 1,300 species of reef fish, and endangered species such as the dugong, saltwater crocodile, sea turtles, and giant clams.

So what do Vermont and Palau have in common, besides being at risk from rising temperatures? Local Vermont attorney, Brian Dunkiel. Brian, former lead council for Friends of the Earth, has been invited to join the official Palau delegation in Copenhagen. Seventh Generation is really pleased to help make Brian's trip possible, by sponsoring his participation in the conference.

Both Brian and I will leave for Copenhagen in two days. We are extremely excited to join more than 30,000 people from all countries of the world at the conference. Already underway, there is great hope that broad outlines of a global, legally binding agreement will be the result of this historic meeting. Brian and I will be posting updates on our trip and on the progress of the negotiations over the course of the final week of the conference.

I hope you will check back for updates, and please post your responses!


2:29 PM 
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Monday, December 14, 2009 
Sustainable Health Enterprises LogoThroughout my life, I've been lucky enough to meet many inspiring and successful women on various journeys to help others lead a better life. What I've always found most compelling is the dedication and drive I see in them to take up causes on behalf of their fellow women all over the world.

Recently I met someone doing some absolutely amazing work. Elizabeth Scharpf is Chief Instigating Officer of Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE). Elizabeth started SHE after a study she conducted found that girls and adult women are absent from school and work in developing countries up to 50 days a year simply because they lack access to affordable sanitary pads. That's 50 whole days of desperately-needed education and wages lost every year for a reason so unnecessary it boggles the mind.

Elizabeth decided to do something about it. But she's not donating sanitary supplies. Instead she's helping women in developing countries start their own businesses manufacturing sanitary pads from banana fibers (a renewable resource) and selling them at an affordable price to women in their communities. Her approach creates a sustainable local supply for these necessities while providing new and lasting economic opportunities for women trying to lift their families up out of poverty. SHE provides the training and seed money. The women who own these new micro-enterprises take it from there, and everybody wins: for every new SHE business established, 100 jobs are created and 100,000 women gain access to affordable sanitary pads.

But only if we help, because SHE depends on contributions from people who care. Without us, things won't change when they need to very much. So if you're looking for a different kind of holiday gift this season, make a donation to SHE in the name of someone you love. There's no greater way to give back to a world that has given us all so much this year and no more powerful way to spread the real meaning of the season.
Visit the SHE website and make a difference in the lives of women for whom a simple thing like a sanitary pad is sometimes all that stands between their families and a brighter future. Give the world something we can all celebrate.

1:48 PM 
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Friday, December 11, 2009 
Free Tote BagTell us and you could get a free tote bag.

Here at Seventh Generation, we are gearing up for 2010 with a Resolution to bring you great new products that help you protect your environment.

What are your Healthy Household Cleaning Resolutions for the new year?

Post them on the page linked to below, and we'll choose 25 Nation members at random to receive free Seventh Generation tote bags.

2:30 PM 
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Thursday, December 10, 2009 

New BabyI'm 40 weeks pregnant with my first baby and very ready to meet this child. My body is tired and the anticipation clock is tick tick ticking. There is little to do to prepare for his arrival. Everything is buttoned up -- the gutters have been cleaned, the floors are shining, the freezer is stocked full of meals (thanks, friends!), and the car seat has been installed by our local fire department. So now all we need is the baby! I know I should take these last few days to rest but a carnal instinct keeps me moving.

So what is there left to do?

WAIT! I've missed something huge. While I've read all the pregnancy books and magazines in sight, I haven't read any books on how to raise the baby! OH NO! How could this happen? This realization has spun me into panic mode. I have a few hand-me-down parenting books but they are outdated and traditional. I want advice for the "natural" parent and I want it now! So I tap into my social network and ask friends and family to give me their top three pieces of parenting advice. What they told me made me feel a much better. Here are 10 of these mother-to-mother highlights. Please take a look and please share more!
    1. Naturally healthy babies come from naturally healthy mamas! Take good care of yourself.

    2. Newborns don't need a lot of gadgets. Get the basics and add as your baby grows.

    3. Breastfeeding can be a lot harder than you'd think. Not all babies, nor all moms, are "naturals." It often takes work, and in some cases, doesn't work at all. So don't beat yourself up if it just isn't happening.

    4. If you do breastfeed, don't worry about working in some feedings of bottled formula. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition, especially if you'd like a little time to yourself. You can also pump and freeze breast milk.

    5. Feed your baby veggies, and he or she will grow up to be a good veggie eater.

    6. Trust your instincts.

    7. Stick to your guns! Lots of people will tell you that natural doesn't matter.

    8. Instead of off-the-shelf teething gels, find a local aromatherapy shop to create a blend of essential oils for baby's sore gums.

    9. Make your own baby food and freeze it in ice cube trays.

    10. You don't have to be Super Mom. Let your husband, your parents, and your friends take care of you.
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/10-tips-natural-parent-be

photo: Tom Purves
3:25 PM 
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Wednesday, December 09, 2009 

Tree SwirlAnd so it begins. By "it," I mean the annual flood of holiday packaging that stuffs our stockings with enough waste to bring out the inner Scrooge in everyone concerned about the environment.
In my neighborhood, mailmen and delivery trucks are already bringing daily mountains of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. What's a responsible elf to do?

Here are some ways to beat the holiday packaging Grinch and enjoy a more sustainable season.


5:04 PM 
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Tuesday, December 08, 2009 
Leave your shoes outside (please)!I love the environment as much as the next greenie; I'd just rather you leave it at the door. In other words, please lose the shoes before you cross my threshold. This policy elicits strong passions, both for and against. With holiday parties fast approaching, I decided to get to the bottom of the Great Shoe Debate.

The practice got its 15 minutes of fame in 2003, thanks to a memorable Sex & the City episode that, unfortunately, gave shoe-shucking a bad name. In order to enter the inner sanctum of a friend's baby shower, a horrified Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is ordered to add her Manolo Blahniks to a pile by the door. On the way out, she discovers her pricey footwear is missing, forcing her to head home in a ratty loaner pair of sneakers.

BTK -- Before the Kid -- my foot fetish only kicked in after the cleaning person did her magic, leaving us with a "go-ahead-and-eat-off-me" floor. On those occasions, I'd stop the DH at the door with an urgent "Take off your shoes!" Eventually, he got the hang of it.

But children really do change everything. Once I had a smiling, sweet-smelling babe scooting around on our wood floors, the thought of all the disgusting, uninvited debris visitors were tracking in made my skin crawl. Suddenly I was a lioness, willing to brave undarned socks and smelly feet -- not to mention nasty looks -- to protect my cub. Matthew's thumb-sucking only added to my anxiety. (On the other hand, some experts now say it's not a bad thing for kids to eat dirt -- that it might help build their immunities. I will try to remember this research when we're taking a second mortgage to cover his braces.) And so I embraced the shoes-off policy.

In my social circle, enforcement usually isn't a problem. Most guests assume they'll be performing a below-the-ankle strip tease, or think to ask before stepping inside. At parties, I almost always see piles of big and little boots, ballet slippers, and running shoes in the front hallway.

But then I got to wondering: What do my friends around the country think of this practice? So I asked them. It turns out that most like the idea.

Susan, the pearl-bedecked pal you met in my post Julia Child: Green Goddess wrote, "I always say I only did three things right as a parent: 1) the remove-your-shoes-at-the-front-door rule; 2) I never kept soda in the house and 3) I can't remember this one, but it does exist!"

Tim commented, "Living in Asia converted me to a shoe-less lifestyle at home and I've never looked back. Once I started thinking about what my shoes walked through during the day, I never wanted to track them through my home again."

Some go out of their way to accommodate their shoeless guests. Stef, who recently instituted the policy, wrote, "We had more than a dozen people over last week for a dinner and no one complained. But one guest asked if I had slippers for her; I gave her socks." Tim added that in Asia, people would generally provide slippers, sandals or flip-flops. "Alas," he admitted, "I'm not that gracious of a host. You'd be stuck in your stocking feet. Sorry!"

The kids, teens, and twentysomethings who were raised on the practice go with the flow. Elise has a "no, really kids, you don't have to take off your shoes here" policy, "but nine out of ten of my son's friends do it, anyway. It's been a hoot to watch the footwear go from size 10 Stride Rites to mammoth, stinky Etnies, Converse, Vans, and Birkenstocks." Robyn, who relishes rural living outside of Austin, wrote, "We live on a farm and consequently, all kinds of stuff gets tracked in. I've noticed, however, that the kids prefer to remove their shoes, even at other folks'."

Turns out it's mostly adults who balk at the idea. Nancy reported that her Dear Husband isvery offended, à la Larry David, and "pretty much refuses to go inside if people insist."

However, I was most surprised by Michael's venom. "I HATE, HATE, HATE having to take my shoes off at someone's house," he wrote. "What if my socks smell or don't match?" If you're having guests over, he reasoned, aren't they going to show up nicely dressed, on their best behavior? "Your first job as the host is to make your friends comfy. Your second job is to not freak out if they track something in."

Francine shared Michael's sentiments and offered a friendly suggestion: "If someone has a shoes-off policy, they should put that on the invite so there won't be a roomful of embarrassed people with holes in their socks."

And now, let us return to my house. After I instituted The Rule six years ago, every time my father-in-law came over, he eyed me as if I were a Gulag commander, then marched in fully shod. Finally, my diplomatic mother-in-law put an end to the Cold War by supplying slippers for both of them.

Like AJ, who maintains an "if you'd like to take off your shoes, that'd be great" kind of policy, I've mellowed over time. I pick my battles, especially when it comes to my DH's dad. Truth be told, I don't have a leg to stand on now that my former rug rat has morphed into a kid who cruises through our apartment on his dirty scooter. (When you lack a backyard, basement, or Bungee jump, concessions must be made.)

Which leads me to an even bigger confession: I wear shoes. In the house. All the time.

For the last couple of years I have suffered from painful heel spurs, so when I broke my foot in the summer of '08, it sealed the deal -- I had to opt for support over spotless floors. Now it's a "do as I say, not as I do" rule. I vacuum on a semi-regular basis -- please don't ask how often I pull out the sponge mop -- and try to remember to wipe down my soles. But the only real solution will be springing for a house-only pair of lace-ups.

I guess my father-in-law has the last laugh, after all. Let's just keep it to ourselves.

So when it comes to the Great Shoe Debate, where do you stand? Post away!

8:10 PM 
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Thursday, December 03, 2009 

Seventh Generation Gift ShopGive the gift of Seventh Generation this holiday season, and help your friends and family protect their environments. Now through January 15, you can save 15% on our Healthy Home, Free & Clear, and Green Baby kits, which come with a free tote bag.

Click here for more information and to purchase. Use code SGKITS15 at checkout.

Helping someone switch to a natural clean is a gift you can feel good about.

6:21 PM 
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Thursday, December 03, 2009 

Million Baby CrawlYour family could join Seventh Generation on Capitol Hill as we demand chemical policy reform from Congress.

Join the Million Baby Crawl today. Create a crawler, then ask you friends and family to send your crawler a support message. You’ll receive a sweepstakes entry for the Washington, D.C. trip for each person who supports your crawler.

Seventh Generation believes every home should be free from toxic chemicals. Spread the word and win a chance to be there as we all make history together!

6:21 PM 
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Thursday, December 03, 2009 
Holiday Window ShoppingThe Sunday before Thanksgiving, my son, Matthew, and I strolled hand-in-hand up Madison Avenue toward Central Park in New York City, passing boutique after boutique, already done up in tony glitz and glitter. Over the years, I have developed a distaste for the commercialization and crazed gift-giving of the season. So when my 6-year-old asked, "Why are all the windows decorated, Mommy?" I couldn't help myself.

First, I told him the stores were trying to get people to come in and buy lots of presents. Then, while attempting to avoid sounding sanctimonious, I reminded the kid who gets to celebrate two holidays -- Chanukah and Christmas -- that the true meaning of the season should be less about giving stuff and more about giving from our hearts.

I recently shared my wish to teach my child well on this subject, especially when food banks are struggling to meet the growing demand in this time of rising unemployment. Given that food stamps are helping to feed one in eight Americans and one in four children, I wonder how many of us know someone using them, whether we realize it or not.

At the end of my last post, I asked Seventh Generation Nation members what, in the words of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, they're doing to help "make a world that we can live in." Here are some of their wonderful ideas.

Undomesticated Me made sure her children came along when she dropped off her donations at the local school's Thanksgiving food drive. She wanted to show, not just tell, her daughters that they can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Not only did they help feed the hungry, she writes, she "made a point of buying [organic] products that we use at home, so they not only see that it's important to contribute to the community, but they learn that everyone deserves healthy food."

Emily, commenting on the Seventh Generation Facebook page, noted that even those who don't have much themselves can still find ways to give, and not just during the holidays. The unpaid intern wrote, "My mother and I pick up day-old pastries from Publix and deliver them to a local food shelter every Saturday morning." The only cost? "Gas."

Last, but certainly not least, came Carolee who has really taken the Pay It Forward philosophy to new heights. Back in August, this 7Gen member noticed a distraught fellow shopper at a grocery store; it turned out the woman had discovered her wallet missing. Carolee came to the rescue, paying the stranger's $207 bill. The next day, the good samaritan received a $300 check, along with a note from the grateful woman suggesting that she spend the extra money on a massage. Instead, Carolee took the advice of Facebook friends and ending up matching and donating the $93 "thank you tip" to the Bay Area's Second Harvest Food Bank.

Then, as Carolee wrote, "a crazy, wonderful thing" happened. Facebook friends began matching her $93 donation, and the movement spread like a very good virus. According to the 93 Dollar Club's Facebook page, children have donated 93 cents of their allowance, while one single mom, working 20 hours a week while in grad school, offered $9.30 because she couldn't afford $93.

Thanks to posts and reposts and media attention, in just three months donations to Second Harvest have swelled to more than $23,000, a huge step toward meeting the 93 Dollar Club's $93,000 goal. To help you find your local food bank, the club's page includes a link to Feeding America, which, with its 200 member food banks, is the country's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.

While my last post focused on food donations, I also mentioned that I'd be helping Matthew sort through his old toys, books and clothes, many of which are in like-new condition, so he can share with children who have so little. But nes121 added an important word of caution, noting that toys made or sold before February 10, 2009, should not be donated since they may contain lead or phthalates.

Thanks, Seventh Generation Nation members, for sharing the inspiring ways you help make the holidays happier for so many others. Now go enjoy yourselves!


2:39 PM 
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Wednesday, December 02, 2009 

B CorpIn this season of giving, B Corporation wants to draw your attention to companies that strive to do more than just maximize profits. These are companies that care about things like the environment, the communities their customers live in, and their employees. Seventh Generation is one of these "for-benefit" companies. Each of these companies formally meets a higher standard of social, environmental, and corporate responsibility.

During this holiday season, we encourage you to put your money where your heart is and consider shopping with a B Corp member for your gift giving. You can find many of these B Corps and their terrific seasonal offers here. Gifts ranging from jewelry to gourmet food to clothes to health and beauty products -- and you can buy all of them knowing that the companies behind these gifts are working to make our world a better place. Learn more about all 240 B Corporations.

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/benefit-great-gifts-good-companies
3:43 PM 
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