By Jessica Merritt

Much has been said about blood diamonds, but many people don’t realize that there are a number of other conflict resources that facilitate violence around the world. Products from lumber to your cell phone all play a part. Here we’ll take a look at these products, and discuss how you can help to reduce their impact.

1. Gold

   So, you’ve taken every step to ensure that you’ve purchased a clean diamond, but did you know you’re probably putting it in a bloody setting? The mining of gold is responsible for both environmental and human rights atrocities. In a 2005 report, armed groups and international companies in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo were found to have caused ethnic slaughter, torture, and rape of indigenous people.

   Often, the mining companies develop relationships with armed groups who will grant them access to new sites. One company, AngloGold Ashanti, refused to wait until peace agreements were signed in the Mongbwalu area of Congo to start mining, and had to interact with warlords to do their work. It’s estimated that between June 2002 and September 2004, up to 2,000 civilians have died as a result of fighting between armed groups just in Mongbwalu alone. What’s worse, the same people who are suffering are the ones who work in the mines, often forced into labor by combatant groups.

What can you do about it?

Unlike blood diamonds, there is currently no official process for finding "clean" gold. However, there are a few steps you can take.

• Instead of purchasing new gold, you can recycle old jewelry. Bring in old rings and other gold items and have them melted down to create a new piece.
• Support retailers that create recycled gold products.
• Buy vintage and antique jewelry.
• Only shop with retailers that support the Golden Rules. This includes Tiffany & Co., Brilliant Earth, and even Wal-Mart.
• Sign the No Dirty Gold Pledge.

2. Wood

   Forests are perhaps one of the worst natural resources to be exploited, because they’re not just a source of revenue-they’re home. People live in them and depend on the vital resources forests produce. Furthermore, cutting down forests only serves to make global warming worse, as trees are excellent at absorbing CO2.

   In 1992, the Khmer Rouge’s war against the Cambodian people was being funded by a secret timber trade by up to $20 million every month. Now, Burma’s corrupt military regime gains power and revenue from granting logging concessions. In Liberia, former president Charles Taylor used illegal logging earnings to finance a civil war that killed nearly 10% of Liberians. In fact, investigations revealed that the Liberian government facilitated the use of a timber company warehouse for storage of weapons as well as housing. Even when timber does not support conflict, illegal timber logging steals revenue from the countries and people that need it to survive.

What can you do about it?

The obvious question is, how can you make sure that your building materials and furniture in your home aren’t made of conflict timber? There’s not a lot you can do, but we’ve highlighted a couple steps that you as a consumer can take.

• Write to Congress. In 2003, Congress passed a law against conflict diamonds, and the Sierra Club is working to support a similar law for timber.
• When purchasing wood, ask about the origin of the products you’re buying.

3. Oil

   In the past, oil has motivated violence in a number of situations, from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Gulf wars. Perhaps the most high profile example of oil-fueled violence is Saddam Hussein, who used resources from oil to arm himself for attacks on Kuwait and his own people.

   Even when oil companies attempt to provide aid to indigenous communities, it often ends in violence. Specifically, ChevronTexaco’s attempt to aid communities has left those who don’t get aid feeling underprivileged, and sparked conflict between the communities. Another failure is the practice of paying "ghost workers," who are really local troublemakers, a salary for doing nothing at all. The Royal Dutch/Shell Group says that it supports human rights, but they have allowed death and violence by supporting militarization and repressive government acts.

   Even more painful is the knowledge that oil revenues could do much good if they stayed in the communities that actually own the oil. Every year in Angola, $1.7 billion in oil revenue goes missing, an amount that would be more than enough to solve major health problems like AIDS in the country. More recently, China has been linked to violence, selling arms to Khartoum while increasing Sudanese oil imports. These arms are used in the genocidal conflict going on in Darfur. Examples like these are plentiful, but the point is obvious: oil is perhaps one of the most violent products in the world.

What can you do about it?

Oil violence is an ongoing problem that has entangled most of the world. When faced with such a large problem, what can you do?

• One obvious way to help is to cut down on your personal fuel consumption. The more demand there is for oil, the worse violence is.
• Consider alternative fuels. Great strides have been made in recent years to make fuels like biodiesel, vegetable oil and electricity more viable.
• Contact oil companies and US officials. Let them know that you’re painfully aware of the problems oil consumption is causing, and that you want them to do something about it.

4. Cocoa

   Chocolate may be sweet, but the process that brings it to you is not. In the Cote D’Ivoire, the government, along with rebels, has used cocoa to fund a civil war. In fact, President Laurent Gbagbo, combined with opposing rebels, has used more than $88 million to fight in the civil war from 2002-2003. There is fear that, given the resources, these groups would be free to create conflict once again.

   More recently, Gambit Investment is facing allegations that it traded cocoa for military helicopters that are suspected to have been used in attacks on civilians. Between October 2002 and April 2003, government helicopter attacks killed 370 civilians.

What can you do about it?

• Support companies that offer transparency in their records. NGO groups have requested that cocoa exporters publish their levies and tax payments so that corruption will be easier to find.
• Buy fair trade chocolate. By purchasing this type of chocolate, you’ll not only ensure you’re helping to stop violence, you’ll also be supporting better labor conditions, human needs, and environmentally sustainable chocolate production.

5. Tech toys

   Miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo work extremely hard in dangerous situations, just to get the cassiterite that goes in your cell phone, laptop, and other high tech devices. When they come out of the tiny holes in which they have to dig for the mineral, they’re greeted by soldiers at gunpoint that will take it. Other miners work on sites that are directly operated by the military and other armed groups. Even when they’re not working directly for these groups, they’re heavily taxed by them, or just robbed outright. Often, these mines collapse, leaving many miners and their rescuers dead.

   The war over coltan has caused the death of more than 4 million people in central Africa, mostly civilians who have died from starvation, disease, or displacement. In addition to human life, the Eastern lowland gorilla is being driven to extinction through poaching and habitat loss tied to mineral mines.

   Even worse, as phones become "greener," the demand for cassiterite, coltan, and other high-tech minerals like them has risen, and violence along with it. Although the amount of these minerals in each individual electronics device is small, it all adds up.

What you can do about it?

• Recycle your devices. By donating your cell phone or laptop to services that know how to properly disassemble them, you’ll help reduce mining for the minerals it contains.
• Buy used or refurbished. With technology growing at an ever-increasing rate, the turnover for devices is high enough that you can purchase a used or refurbished cell phone, laptop, or other device that is perfectly able to stand up to your demands.
• You can cut down on this turnover yourself by avoiding full upgrades as long as possible. This can be achieved with proper maintenance, repairs, and upgrading specific parts rather than your entire device.
• Buy for quality. If you’re going to buy a new device, make sure that you’re purchasing one that will be functional for years to come, rather than one that will be discarded within a few years or months.

More Actions You Can Take

In addition to specific product cautions, there are a few general actions you can take to help ensure that the products you buy aren’t responsible for violence in other parts of the world.

• Donate to Global Witness: This organization works to expose exploitation and end resource-linked conflict. In the past, they’ve helped to close down the Khmer Rouge and instigated the Kimberley Process. Currently, they’re the leader in research devoted to stopping resource violence.
• Purchase fair trade products: Although not directly linked to stopping resource violence, fair trade certifications can offer the assurance that the products you’re buying are made in a socially responsible way.
• Educate yourself: We’ve highlighted just a few of the products that have a socially negative impact on our world, but there are many more out there. Do some research to find out more about how you can be a socially responsible consumer.
• Invest responsibly: All of these human rights atrocities are enabled not just by consumers, but by investors who make these ventures possible in the first place. Be sure that any investments you make are good not just for your personal finance, but for the world at large as well.

By Jessica Hupp

By now, you probably know that buying locally produced, organic food is best for both your health and the environment. But why not take it a step further, and create that food right in your own backyard? Here we’ve compiled a number of top-notch resources devoted to helping gardeners create their own personal organic farms.

Basics

Whether you’re new to gardening, or just organics, these resources can provide lots of guidance.

1. Basics of Home Vegetable Gardening: This document offers 7 basic rules for organic gardening.
2. What is Sustainable Agriculture?: Get a look at sustainable concepts in gardening and farming here.
3. The Future is Abundant: This publication offers resources for sustainable agriculture.
4. Organic Guidelines: Read about what exactly goes into gardening organically here.
5. How to Grow Your Own Organic Vegetables for Frugal Sustainability: This guide offers tips that even novice gardeners can appreciate.
6. Organic gardening: Kick the chemicals: This article recommends that you carefully look after your soil.
7. Organic Gardening Techniques: Take a look at this guide for in-depth information on organic gardening.
8. Gardening at a Glance: Check out this chart for planting dates, distances, and preservation techniques.
9. Grow Your Own Organic Garden: This guide walks you through the steps of organic home gardening from soil to harvest.
10. Organic Gardening Tips: Find tips for organic gardening in this resource.
11. Organic Vegetable Gardening: This guide covers vegetable gardening from planning to selling.
12. Growing a beautiful edible landscape in an urban neighborhood: This guide takes a look at gardening in a restricted area.
13. Organic Gardening: This guide offers a quick look at organic gardening principles.
14. Plant Glossary: This glossary will help you build your organic gardening vocabulary.
15. You’re a What? An Organic Gardener?: This article offers an easy guide to answering questions about organic gardening.
16. Organic Vocabulary: Check out this glossary so you’ll always know what you’re talking about.
17. Organic Gardening Essentials: This article describes the benefits and requirements of organic gardening.

Inspiration

Take a look at these urban gardeners to see what can be achieved when you work hard on your organic garden.

18. Path to Freedom: This family is part of the homegrown revolution.
19. Reasons to Garden Organically: If you’re not already convinced you should garden organically, check out this article.
20. A day in the life of an urban farmer: See how families are developing their own small-scale farms.

Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation for every successful garden, so be sure to pay attention to these helpful resources.

21. Garden Soil: Why it Matters-Making it Great: Find out how to create healthy organic soil with this guide.
22. Soil Biology Primer: Learn all about microorganisms and other important components of healthy soil in this book.
23. Managing Clay Soils in the Home Garden: Learn how to deal with hard clay soil using this guide.
24. Factors Influencing Soil Health and Quality: Check out this animation to get a good look at what makes up healthy soil.
25. Soil Health: This site has a number of resources and recommendations for healthy soil.
26. How to build new topsoil: Follow this guide to create healthy new soil.
27. Amending Your Garden Soil-Making Good Soil out of Bad: Get the dirt on how you can make any soil good for gardening here.

Composting

Follow these guides to turn household scraps into rich fertilizer for your garden.

28. Compost: The Backbone of an Organic Garden: Find out why compost is important, and how you can make your own.
29. How to Make Compost, a Composting Guide: This guide will help you create rich, cheap compost.
30. Organic Gardening Compost: Consider composting’s benefits and how you can use it with this guide.
31. How to Know when the Organic Compost in your Bin is Ready: This video explains when your compost is ripe.
32. Composting: Find out what the Veggie Lady has to say about composting.
33. Make your compost bin work: This gardener runs down what you’ll need to do to create a good compost.

Planning

Check out these resources for help in creating the perfect organic garden.

34. Planning Your Vegetable Garden: Here you’ll find information for planning your location and space as well as plant selection and schedule.
35. Easy Garden Anyone Can Make: Plan your garden the easy way with this resource.
36. Hey Grow UP!: This article explains how you can make use of more space with fences, trellises and stakes.
37. My Ideal Garden: Use this resource to create a garden you can love.
38. Planning a Child’s Garden: Check out this resource to learn how to create an organic garden your kids can help with.
39. Plan and Prepare: Figure out where to plant your garden and what to put in it with this guide.
40. When You Plan Your Garden, Here’s Some Things to Know: Keep these tips in mind when planning your garden.
41. Plan a Beautiful Vegetable Garden: Follow this guide to create a gorgeous vegetable garden.
42. The Gardening Calendar: Check out this calendar to see what you need to be doing in your garden each month.
43. Fruit Salad in a Pot: Make the most out of a small space by growing fruit in a pot.
44. How to Plan Your Organic Garden: Check out this video for tips related to planning an organic garden.
45. Getting Ready for Planting: This guide offers information on purchasing seeds and plants, as well as getting started before you plant.
46. Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date: This guide will help you figure out when you need to start planting.

Maintenance

Once you’ve created your organic garden, keep it up with the maintenance recommended by these resources.

47. Caring for Your Vegetable Crop: This document discusses irrigation, weeding, and thinning your garden.
48. Fertilizer Products for Organic Gardening: Check out this report that helps make sense of organic gardening product labels.
49. Vacation: Read this article to find out how to deal with your garden before you leave for vacation.
50. Organic Fertilizer: This resource describes a number of different fertilizers you can use.
51. Garden mulch: Look at different kinds of mulch and how you can use them here.

Pests & Weeds

Staying organic is a challenge for some when confronted with pests, but these resources offer a wealth of chemical-free solutions.

52. Organic Insect Repellents and Insect Control: Find out how to control insects in your organic garden here.
53. Slug & Snail Trail: Check out this site for advice on keeping snails and slugs at bay.
54. Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide: See how others are using baking soda to keep mildew and other diseases away from their gardens.
55. Ten Steps Toward Organic Weed Control: Follow this guide to take care of your weed problem organically.
56. Plant Disease Control: Take a look at organic disease control methods here.
57. Weed Photo Gallery: Check out this photo gallery to find out which weed you’re up against.
58. Organic Weed Control: Find out how this gardener controls weeds organically.
59. Mulch: The Organic Solution for All Your Weeding Worries: This article discusses mulch as a way to keep the weeds at bay.
60. Plant-Disease Index: In this index, you’ll find details for the various pests that affect gardens.
61. Weeds, Guardians of the Soil: This publication discusses weeds as a positive gardening tool.
62. Beneficial Insects: Find out about the beneficial insects you can make use of in this article.
63. Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America: This site offers lots of information for combating pests.
64. Management of Insect Pests in Organic Vineyards: Find out how the wine business takes care of pets.
65. Insect Pest Finder: Check out this tool to identify pests.
66. Fly Predators: Make use of fly predators for a natural fly control method.
67. Organic Apple Disease Spray Guide: Here you’ll find organic methods for protecting your apples and other crops.

Harvest

Check out these resources to make the most of your harvest with storage, pickling, and more.

68. Harvesting and Storing: Find out how to make the most out of your harvest here.
69. When to Harvest: This guide will tell you when the right time to harvest is.
70. Secondary Edible Parts of Vegetables: Take a look at parts of vegetables you never thought about eating.
71. How to Store Your Garden Produce: This article takes a look at food storage and waste.
72. Home Canning Basics: Get the lowdown on canning here.

Techniques

Here you’ll learn about specific organic gardening techniques like hydroponics, moon cycles, and greenhousing.

73. Grow Biointensive: This technique makes growing large amounts of food in a small area possible.
74. Organic Hydroponic Gardening: This article has great information on the hydroponic technique.
75. Water Features: Check out this article to find out how you can bring water into your garden.
76. Garden Beds: Follow this guide to digging excellent garden beds.
77. Gardening by the Moon: Find out how to garden based on the moon’s cycles with this article.
78. Year Round Gardening with a Greenhouse: Check out this guide to find out how you can use a greenhouse to grow your garden throughout the year.
79. Hanging Basket How-to: Here you’ll find out how to grow in a hanging basket.
80. Saving Water in the Vegetable Garden: This guide has practical tips for conserving water in your garden.
81. Sustainable Soil Management: Here you’ll find out how to create high quality sustainable soil for your garden.

Specific Crops

Here you’ll find a bit of advice with specific crops in mind.

82. Growing Cantaloupes: Find out how to grow cantaloupes with this guide.
83. All About Growing Lettuce: This resource discusses everything you need to know about growing organic lettuce.
84. Herbs: Find out how to make the most out of herbs in your home garden.
85. Blueberry Planting Guide: Check out this guide to get the most out of your blueberries.

Products

Check out these product resources to find tools that will make organic gardening easier.

86. 11 Useful Organic Gardening Products: Here you’ll find 11 really neat and useful products for organic gardeners.
87. Organic Materials Review Institute: Find out how your products stack up with this resource.
88. Garden Seed Catalogs: This resource has great advice for saving money on seed orders.
89. The Organic Pages: Here you’ll find loads of links to useful organic gardening products.
90. Clean Air Gardening: This site features lawn and garden supplies that are environmentally friendly.
91. Better Grow Hydro: This hydroponics supplier is helpful for indoor gardeners.

Blogs & Communities

For ongoing knowledge about organic gardening, check out these blogs and Internet forums.

92. Tiny Farm Blog: Check out this blogger who is working on an organic microfarm.
93. Down-to-earth: This blog discusses the life of a family living simply on the outskirts of a rural town.
94. Seed Swapper: Check out these forums to get your hands on some excellent seeds.
95. Calendula & Concrete: See how well this urban gardener is doing.
96. Organic Gardening Information: This blog offers lots of great links and ideas.
97. Organic Gardening Forum: Share tips and advice on this organic gardening forum.
98. Veggie Gardening Tips: Here you’ll find lots of great tips for cultivating your organic garden.
99. Garden Rant: Check out what these opinionated organic gardeners have to say.
100. Organic Flower & Garden Tips: Follow this blog to make your garden the envy of the neighborhood.

By Jessica Hupp

Water conservation is an important part of responsible living. Water is a precious resource which is not to be squandered. Fortunately, there are a number of really easy ways to save water without a whole lot of hassle, and we’ve compiled some of the best here.

In the Kitchen

Cut down on water usage in your kitchen using these methods.

1. Wash only on a full load: This is true for both washers and dishwashers. By washing in bulk, you’ll cut down on the number of cycles you need to run. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that most dishwashers on a full load can clean dishes more efficiently than a hand wash.
2. Cut down on your disposal: Instead of using your disposal, start a compost pile for food waste.
3. Buy foods close to their natural form: Water is needed to produce just about everything from Coke to boxed mashed potatoes. You can cut down on your water consumption by avoiding processed foods that require lots of water to make.
4. For large washing jobs, fill your sink: Instead of running water to wash dishes or produce, fill your sink to wash them all at the same time.
5. Cut back on rinsing: If you’ve got a fairly new dishwasher, it should be powerful enough to clean your dishes thoroughly without pre-rinsing.

In the Bathroom

Save water while still enjoying good hygiene using these tips.

6. Check for toilet leaks: Drop some food coloring into your toilet tank and let it sit about half an hour without flushing. If you see color in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired. This is generally easy to take care of, as replacement parts are cheap and install easily.
7. Avoid using your toilet as a trash can: Throw tissues, insects, and cigarette butts in the trash instead of the toilet. You’ll save about 6 gallons with each flush you avoid.
8. Turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth: Certainly you’ve heard this one before, but it’s simple and important enough to be repeated. Turning off your faucet while brushing can save up to 10 gallons a day.
9. Make your toilet low-flow: Place weighted plastic bottles in your toilet tank to save water in your tank. You’ll need to make sure that there are at least 3 gallons remaining in the tank so that your toilet will flush properly.
10. Replace your flush handle: If your flush handle sticks and lets water run, it needs repair or replacing. These can usually be found in the hardware store for a few dollars, and are incredibly easy to install.
11. Take showers instead of baths: Showers generally require less water than baths, coming in at 20 gallons versus a bath’s 50 gallons.

Outside

Water conservation doesn’t have to mean a dried out lawn. Follow these strategies for a lush outdoors without a huge water toll.

12. Insulate water pipes: Pre-slit foam pipe insulation is cheap and easy to install, so it’s a convenient way to get hotter water, faster. By getting faster hot water, you’ll cut down on the time you have to run your faucet while waiting for water to heat up.
13. Bathe your pets outdoors: By washing your pets on the grass, you’ll water your lawn while getting Fido clean.
14. Give your lawn a deep soak: Although it may seem counter-intuitive, water your lawn for a long time so that the moisure will go town to the roots and encourage a deep root system. When you’ve achieved a deep root system, grass can get more natural moisture from below.
15. Water strategically: Pay attention to the time of day you water. Water early in the morning and late in the evening so that you’ll lose less water to evaporation. Watering early is also great because it defends against garden pests and fungus.
16. Collect rainwater: Put a water-catching barrel outside to collect rainwater that you can use for your garden, lawn, or cleaning.
17. Lay down mulch: Put down bark, peat moss, or gravel to slow down evaporation. This is an easy way to save literally hundreds of gallons a month.
18. Be a lazy waterer: Water only when you absolutely need to. A good rule of thumb is to check it by stepping on your grass-if it springs back when you lift your foot, you can put off watering for a bit more.
19. Never use a hose when you can use a broom: Don’t clean sidewalks and driveways with water-use a broom instead.

Everywhere

These tips will help you just about everywhere around the house and in daily life.

20. Install an aerator: Easy to install, and often quite cheap, aerators are about the easiest way you can save water at home. Water aerators in your showers and faucets will help you use less water while still enjoying high pressure, achieved by putting extra air bubbles in the water flow.
21. Reuse excess water whenever possible: Instead of pouring old water glasses and boiling pots down the drain, reuse the water for pet dishes or plants. You can also use fish tank water on household plants.
22. Dispose of hazardous materials properly: Keep oil, prescriptions, and other contaminants out of the water, as these items can effectively eliminate water from our supply. Do some quick research to find out how you can properly dispose of them.
23. Use a commercial car wash: Often, car washes can wash your car more efficiently than you can in your own driveway. To save even more, find one that recycles their water.
24. Fix leaky faucets: If you’ve got even a slow drip, you’re letting money go down the drain. Even more importantly, you’re wasting hundreds of gallons over time. Pick up a wrench and fix your leaky faucets for a quick and easy way to curtail water usage.
25. Locate your master water shut-off valve: In case of a pipe burst, you’ll need to know how to shut off water in your home. This will not only save gallons of water, but potentially your property as well.

By Christina Laun

When people talk about organics, generally they are referring to foods that have been grown without the aid of harmful chemicals. But organic products aren’t just limited to foods that you put into your body-what you choose put on your body can have an impact as well. Buying clothing and accessories that come from wholly organic and environmentally friendly sources can be an important part of doing your part to reduce the amount of chemicals released into the environment as well, both in the growing process and during manufacturing.

While organic clothing will likely always be a little pricier than its mass produced counterparts, that doesn’t mean that wearing it has to break the bank. Here are some tips and resources for buying clothes that both you and the earth will appreciate.

Quick Tips for Buying

These are some basic tips and guidelines to pay attention to when you make your next organic clothing purchase.

1. Learn what makes clothes "organic." A lot of things nowadays have an organic label slapped onto them for the purpose of enticing consumers to buy them rather than because they’re truly an organic product. Do a little research about the clothing you’re thinking of purchasing to make sure it truly is created using a more earth friendly process.
2. Look for certification. The Organic Trade Association has created a certifcation process for fiber processing and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements monitors and rates how cotton is grown worldwide. Look for approval from either of these groups or from other reputable organics organizations to ensure you’re getting the highest quality and most authentic organic clothing.
3. Buy clothes that require no dry cleaning. Perhaps the biggest impact clothes have on both the environment and your wallet is in the cleaning process. Clothes that allow cold washing and that can be line dried are the most environmentally friendly, while those requiring harmful chemicals to be cleaned should be avoided. If you’re going to take the trouble to buy organic, ensure that your clothes will stay that way.
4. Look for longevity. The best organic clothes you can buy are those that are durable enough to last you through several years of wear and classic enough not to go out of style before you’ve even broken them in. Many organic clothing manufacturers produce a large number of items that fit this bill and can help you get your money’s worth.
5. Sometimes compromise is OK. While organic fibers are ideal for many who would like to go green, sometimes a compromise of synthetic and organic fibers can help a garment to last much longer than it would otherwise, delaying its trip to the garbage. Additionally, some labor intensive processes that use bamboo and soy to create sythetic-like fibers can be a way to wear clothing that will eventually biodegrade while getting the look and feel of a synthetic.
6. Realize that more expensive doesn’t always equal better. Just like anything else, the most expensive organic clothing isn’t always going to be the highest quality or the best investment. Some manufacturers will use the organic label as an excuse to bump up the price without any real change in quality. Whether you’re buying in person or online, take a look at reviews of other customers or use your own judgement to choose fashions that will last longer and fit into your budget.
7. Learn about the fibers. A vareity of different kinds of plants are used to provide the raw materials for organic clothing. These can include hemp, bamboo, cotton, modal and linen. Some companies even create a more environmentally friendly type of silk. Each has its own pros and cons, so read up before you make your purchase.

Guides and Articles

If you’re looking for some additional guidance on buying an organic wardrobe, check out these articles.

8. Green Basics: Organic Cotton: Learn all there is to know about organic cotton including how and where it’s grown, harvested and manufactured as well as a few reasons why you might want to add it to your wardrobe.
9. How to Green Your Wardrobe: Get the facts, figures and basics on how to make every part of your wardrobe a little more earth-friendly with this informative and comprehensive guide from Treehugger.
10. Organic Clothing Blog: Here you can read about how to green up your wardrobe for everything from a walk down the aisle to a hike in the woods. Articles focus on eco-fashion and the use of hemp, bamboo and organic cotton.
11. Guide to Modern Organic Clothing and Fabrics: Get the lowdown on the makers and materials involved in organic clothing. You’ll learn what to look for and where you can get the best deals.
12. How to Buy Earth Friendly Sustainable Clothing: This guide from eBay will give you the basics of organic clothing as well as provide some guidance on what you should look for when you’re shopping.
13. How Organic Clothing Works: Interested in how organic clothing is produced, manufactured and sold? You’ll find the answers from How Stuff Works and get to know why you should wear organic clothing as well as a few places to go for more information.
14. Organic Clothing Not Just For Hippies Anymore: This article from MSNBC outlines the organic clothing movement and gives you some suggestions on where you can shop for the hottest organic fashions.

Online Organic Clothing Stores

You don’t even have to leave your house to get deals on organic clothing. Check out these online stores for earth-friendly options.

15. Better for Babies: Babies have soft, delicate skin and the chemicals used in clothing manufacture can sometimes irritate their skin. This online retailer sells a wide variety of products that are totally organic, practical and not outrageously priced.
16. Loomstate: Loomstate specializes in designer organic clothing that is modeled after classic casual wear. The New York based company works to ensure that every stage of the design and creation process is fully organic so you’ll not only look stylish in their designs, but will feel great about helping the environment as well.
17. Beklina: Find adorable and eco-friendly organic clothing from this online women’s clothing boutique that specializes in green designs and materials.
18. Coco’s Shoppe: This online retailer sells a wide vareity of organic clothing brands in styles that are so fashion forward you’d never even think they were organic.
19. The Green Loop: This site is a one stop shop for men or women looking to buy organic clothing. Dozens of organic brands are listed and visitors can find everything from t-shirts to sunglasses that are earth friendly and fashionable.
20. Kaight: Women looking to stay on the cutting edge of trends while still looking out for the environment can do both with this upscale New York company. Like any other designer brand, the clothes aren’t on the cheap side, but if you want to look your best and stay green they can be a great investment.
21. Panda Snack: While other brands may focus on materials like cotton and hemp, Panda Snack is all about the organic bamboo. Both men and women can find casual and dressy fashions that fit their needs and their budget
22. howies: This British company sells organic clothing for men, women and children and provides great casual options that not only make a statement fashion-wise, but environmentally as well.
23. Janano: Whether you’re looking for environmentally friendly cashmere or a simple organic cotton t-shirt, this shop has what you need. With both men’s, women’s and baby fashions, you’re bound to find something that fits your budget and your style.
24. Rawganique: This shop specilializes in selling organic hemp clothing in styles that will fit every lifestyle. They also carry a full line of organic linens and cottons as well.
25. Earth Speaks: Find organic hemp clothing on this site in designer styles. From flirty skirts to winter coats, all products are completely organic.

While it’s unlikely that your wardrobe will ever be completely organic, you can begin making a few steps towards reducing the pollution that mainstream clothing produces through farming and manufacture. Some studies have shown that for each organic t-shirt you buy, 4 ounces of chemicals are prevented from entering the environment. It may not seem like much, but every little bit helps!

By Jessica Hupp

As many lifestyles continue to get busier at a breakneck pace, people often wonder how they can increase their energy level. Generally, this just means drinking another cup of coffee, but there’s so much more that you can do. Read on to learn about 69 methods that will help you improve your energy in a natural way.

Habits

Daily habits can be a leech on your energy, so take these steps to change your habits for the better.

1. Practice deep breathing: Try breathing with your abdominal muscles to improve your energy.
2. Give yourself a more flexible schedule: Work on tasks when they feel appropriate to your energy level, or pick up something else to do.
3. Turn on the lights: When you wake up in the morning, turn on all of the lights to trick your body out of bed.
4. Always eat breakfast: Breakfast will give your body the fuel jumpstart that it needs.
5. Schedule down time: Regularly give yourself time to recharge and relax.
6. Spend your energy wisely: Know when your energetic moments are, and don’t waste them on trivial actions.
7. Stay organized: Avoid losing energy by keeping everything in its systematic place.
8. Act like you have energy: Trick yourself into feeling more energetic by moving faster, like pacing while you talk on the phone or putting more energy into your voice.
9. Keep a manageable, even pace: Manage your time and energy more efficiently to avoid burnout.
10. Take up a hobby: Make a habit of nurturing a hobby, and you’ll always have something energizing to look forward to.
11. Practice altruism: By doing good work, you’ll help your energy with enhanced happiness, satisfaction, and health.
12. Eat 3 meals a day: Give yourself lasting energy by eating on a regular schedule.
13. Don’t smoke: Smoking deprives you of oxygen, which is necessary for energy.
14. Avoid late night TV: The light emitted from your TV and computer can confuse your hormones by telling them it’s still daytime.

Exercise

Take on these exercise strategies for lots of added energy.

15. Stretch: Maintain a good blow flow to your brain and the rest of your body by practicing stretches daily.
16. Exercise in the morning: Shake off sleepiness and snap out of your grogginess with a bit of exercise in the morning.
17. Find the right balance of exercise: Don’t exercise too much or too little-either way can cause you to lose energy.
18. Exercise on a gradual, steady basis: Ease into exercise, and then keep it up. You should aim to be active for 20 to 30 minutes each day.
19. Play a competitive sport: By playing a sport that requires thought, you’ll spark your mental energy.
20. Go for a walk after lunch: Shake off post-lunch sluggishness with a short energy boosting walk.

Sleep

We all know that sleep is essential to energy, but are you getting the best rest possible? Take these steps to make sure.

21. Sleep according to the sun: Sleep hormones are linked to natural light exposure, so you’ll get better rest if you do most of your sleeping when the sun is down.
22. Establish a sleep ritual: Improve the quality of your sleep with a ritual such as book-reading before going to bed, and you’ll enjoy more energy in your waking hours.
23. Kick your animals out of bed: Pets can hog the bed, make noise, and otherwise disturb your sleep, so you’re better off giving them their own separate place for rest.
24. Wake up without an alarm clock: Go to sleep early enough so that your body can wake up naturally when you’ve gotten enough sleep.
25. Take a nap: An afternoon nap can be refreshing, and won’t interfere with regular sleep patterns if you do it early enough.
26. Turn off the lights: Keep your bedroom as dark as possible to ensure your sleep hormones stay on track.
27. Avoid alcohol before bed: Alcohol may put you to sleep, but it makes for a lesser quality rest.

Food

Follow these tips to make sure you’re getting the proper fuel for your energy.

28. Decrease sugar consumption: Sugar will cause fluctuations in energy that can leave you feeling burnt out.
29. Increase your iron intake: An iron deficiency can cause chronic fatigue, so make sure you’re getting enough.
30. Eat a snack if necessary: Keep your blood sugar levels consistent with snacks throughout the day.
31. Eat smaller meals more often: By eating smaller, more frequent meals, you’ll avoid the groggy feeling that comes with eating large meals.
32. Drink enough water: Don’t leave your body dehydrated-drink enough water so that your body doesn’t need to conserve resources and zap your energy.
33. Eat "brain food": Eat healthy fats like those found in fish and green, leafy vegetables to increase your brain power and energy.
34. Eat more protein: Protein offers a great way to combat fatigue.
35. Eat whole grains: Whole grains have complex carbohydrates that take a while to break down, providing you with energy that lasts.
36. Drink juice: Energy from juice separated from the pulp has been found to provide lots of energy.
37. Cut down on coffee: Although coffee can give you a rush of energy, in the end it will cause fatigue. Coffee does not have to be eliminated, but you probably shouldn’t drink more than one cup a day.
38. Eat your largest meal at lunch: Instead of eating a large meal for dinner, do it at lunch while your digestion is more active.
39. Eat lots of fiber: Fiber’s time-release effect will help give you sustained energy.

Health

Take these steps to make sure you’re in top-notch health for lots of energy.

40. Check for allergies: Decreased energy levels could be due to an intolerance or allergy, so try eliminating a specific food for a few weeks to see if you have any improvement, or see a doctor for a full allergy screening.
41. Take supplements if necessary: If you don’t get enough vitamins, consider taking supplements to cover deficiencies.
42. Lose weight: Carrying around extra weight takes a toll on your body and energy, so take off a few pounds to get more energy.
43. Try yoga: Yoga poses like the Breath of Fire can energize your body.
44. Take a hot and cold shower: Take a shower in which you alternate between hot and cold water to get energized.
45. Get a massage: A massage will help stimulate blood flow and relieve tension. You might even catch a refreshing nap at the same time.
46. Get your thyroid checked out: It’s been suggested that between 70 and 90 percent of Americans have an imbalance in this energy-regulating gland.
47. Ask your doctor about fatigue: Low energy can be brought on by a number of different conditions, like iron imbalances and low thyroid function.

Environment

Make these small changes in your environment to improve your energy level.

48. Listen to energetic music: Find music that motivates you and wakes you up for an energy boost.
49. Clean up: Clear your clutter both physically and emotionally, and you’ll feel better.
50. Go outside: Take advantage of sunshine and fresh air for some energy.
51. Put a fresh plant on your desk: By placing a plant on your desk, you’ll increase energy-bearing oxygen.
52. Listen to classical music: Classical music will stimulate your mind while relaxing you at the same time.

Emotional Boosters

These strategies will help you clear your mind and improve your energy.

53. Have something to look forward to: Having something to look forward to is a great motivator.
54. Practice meditation: Get your worries off your back for a while, and you’ll come back more refreshed.
55. Talk to an energetic friend: Gain energy by interacting with an upbeat friend.
56. Avoid energy "vampires": Energy vampires always have something to complain about, or a problem that needs to be fixed, and they’ll drain your energy by making you listen to them about their problems or by giving them attention.
57. Start your day with active work: Get started with something that requires you to use your brainpower instead of doing passive activities that will allow you to stay drowsy.
58. Wear something nice: Put on something you love to shake off the blahs.
59. Discuss something that interests you: Get your mind firing on all cylinders by talking about something you feel passionate about.
60. Let loose: Schedule time for leisure so that you’ll have an emotional outlet.
61. Practice visualization: Try imaginging a place or feeling that gives you energy, even if you can’t experience it at the moment.
62. Eliminate worry: Get the monkey off your back by taking action, making decisions, and dealing with problems right away.
63. Let it out: Find an outlet for your feelings so that they can’t drain your emotional energy.
64. Practice stress reduction: Use stress-busting techniques like deep breathing or meditation to take a load off and improve your energy.
65. Get things done: Do you have a task that’s weighing heavily on your mind? Just do it, and get the monkey off your back.

Other

These are just a few more helpful strategies for increasing your energy level.

66. Give up on pleasing people: Don’t spend your time and energy making others happy-do what you want to do.
67. Go with the flow: Accept that you’re not always going to feel your best, and learn to take advantage of the times when your energy is higher.
68. Fix your squeaky wheel: Upgrade your computer that can’t keep up, or replace your dishwasher that requires you to spend time washing before and after.
69. Put an end to your Internet addiction: Spend less time surfing the Internet, or at least make it more efficient with technologies like RSS.

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