Carebags: The Perfect Companion for Grocery Shopping

It's rare to find a product that truly works for you, but when you finally do find one, you never want to let go.  Carebags is just such a product. 

As we become more conscious of our Earth and how we want to treat it, we have changed many parts of our lives.  Parts, that many of us, never thought twice about changing before.  A big part of this movement, and one of the easiest adjustments to make, is using reusable bags.  I can remember a time, not so long ago, when check-out clerks at grocery stores would encourage you to double bag your items.  Millions of plastic bags later, we seem to have evolved an innate conciseness about it.  No more are the days of being wasteful, we are now encouraged to bring our own bags to shop.  Although this is a noble act, we are still faced with the dilemma of actually storing the items once home.  Our old plastic bags used to serve not only the purpose of transporting the product, but also storing it neatly and cleanly away.  What's an environmentally-friendly-being to do?

The answer: Carebags.  Developed by two moms in the early 90's in Vancouver B.C. this bag allows you to carry, wash and store your produce all in the same bag.  It can hold up to 10 lbs, it's machine washable, is fast drying, and resistant to mold.  Its hard to believe that there is anything this bag cannot do. Transparent, strong, stretchy, Carebags are the top shelf of reusable bags.

Thanks to an email we received from ecocentricguide.ca we were able learn about this amazing product.  Other suggested ways to use Carebags: Grow sprouts, dry herbs, a strainer, in the laundry to wash delicates. 

Fall Foliage

Fall has arrived.  To many people, this can only mean one thing; the next step is winter!  To most of us, winter is a word that strikes fear into our hearts.  However, with all this dreaded doom hanging over our heads, we rarely take in the benefits of fall itself.  This is the time when nature seems to show off the most.  Acting as the finale to an amazing summer show, the leaves light up like bursts of colourful fireworks.  Luckily for us, Canada has a wide variety of scenic routes that are perfect to take it all in.

A scenic drive out of the city and back to nature, is a perfect way to spend a weekend.  After driving through beautiful country landscapes, stop at one of the many trails and take a hike.  Make sure to be prepared, and bring along a picnic and a warm blanket.  Sipping warm hot chocolate from a thermos, while over looking all that nature has to offer.  Afterwards, maybe stop by a little town and check into a little B&B.  Roots Small Banff Bag is the perfect weekender  bag.  This is a trip with a small cost and big reward. Get back to your ‘Roots’. 

Need some inspiration to plan this adventure?  Quebec has some beautiful routes to enjoy.  For routes and trails in Ontario go here, the site is completely equiped to plan your fall adventure.  Want to see it all? Here are the Top 10 Canadian foliage picks. 

 

Blog Action Day 2009 - Climate Change

Today is Blog Action 2009 and the theme is Climate Change. So here's a few things to get you thinking about climate change.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Planet Green has pulled together a short quiz to test your knowledge on climate change and science. Take the quiz, share with friends, compare your scores.

Start Now

READ A BOOK
Sleeping Naked is Green: How an Eco-Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 366 Days by Canadian journalist and blogger Vanessa Farquharson.

From the Publisher: "Farquharson takes on the intense personal challenge of making one green change to her lifestyle every single day for a year to ultimately figure out what's doable and what's too hardcore.

Vanessa goes to the extremes of selling her car, unplugging the fridge, and washing her hair with vinegar, but she also does easy things like switching to an all-natural lip balm. All the while, she is forced to reflect on what it truly means to be green.

Whether confronting her environmental hypocrisy or figuring out the best place in her living room for a compost bin full of worms and rotting cabbage, Vanessa writes about her foray into the green world with self-deprecating, humorous, and accessible insight. This isn't a how-to book of tips, it's not about being eco-chic; it's an honest look at what happens when an average girl throws herself into the murkiest depths of the green movement."

Pick it up

GET CRAFTY
Lindsay Coulter, the David Suzuki Foundation's Queen of Green, shows you how to make a brighter -- as in smarter and better -- candle; one without the paraffin and other potentially toxic ingredients.

WRITE A STORY
The United Nations Foundation is giving you the opportunity to share what you'll miss most due to the effects of climate change - whether it's people, places or things.

Share your thoughts and read what others had to say. 

START A COMPOST
Building a compost pile is a great way to recycle organic waste (like food, weeds, wood products, animal waste, etc.) that are normally thrown away and left unused into fertile garden fertilizer. Watch this video and learn how to make your own compost pile.

Eat. Live. Be Happy.

Eat. Live. Be Happy. That's the motto of our West coast friends, Spud!.

Spud! is North America’s largest organic home grocery delivery service, supporting local, small-scale farmers and suppliers. Customers order their produce and groceries online and have them delivered to their home or office in reusable rubber bins.

Their mission? To be the most socially responsible, environmentally sound and financially sustainable organic delivery company in North America, while simplifying and enriching the lives of our customers, staff, suppliers and community partners.

They're committed to the environment... Spud! buys from local, independent suppliers whenever possible and clearly identifies those products as locally-sourced. And to you... Spud! provides credible information on key food issues, such as labeling, nutrition and animal welfare so you can make the best food decision possible.

Here's a few more interesting bits of information:

• Spud! is the only 100% neutral online grocer. Nice!
• The number of car trips avoided by each delivery van carrying an average of 60 orders - up to 120.
• Spud! buys fresh every day - 95% of the produce leaves the warehouse within 24 hours. Any surplus food is donated to hunger relief charities.
• They're Canadian, started by 1998 by David Van Seters in Vancouver, British Columbia.

So next time you need groceries, give Spud! a try.

Shop Spud! in Canada (Vancouver Island, Vancouver and Calgary)

Shop Spud! in U.S.A (Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles)

Localicious = Yummylicous

Earlier this week I received an email from WWF Canada announcing their Localicious event. Personally anything to do with good food, I'm in! But good (local) food and great cause meant that I needed to know more. 

So here's the scoop:

From October 2 - 18, 2009 a select group of restaurants across Canada will be preparing local and sustainable food dishes. Partial proceeds from every Localicious meal served will be donated to WWF Canada's conservation work. All you have to do is eat and enjoy!

Visit WWF's Living Plant Community to choose your city, pick your restaurant and invite your friends. 

But don't stop there.

WWF has pulled together some solid information to help you understand what the local movement is all about. My favourite feature is the comparison between two identical meals and the total kilometers each ingredient travelled to get there. You'll also learn where to shop and what to look for when shopping.

Image courtesy of Dana Harrison, wellpreserved.ca

If you can't make it out, no worries. You can go local in your very own kitchen! Try the recipe for New Potato and Niagara Gold Melt with Pickled Beets supplied to WWF for this event from chef Jamie Kennedy of the Gilead Café in Toronto and invite your friends over. Your belly, friends and environment will all thank you for it!

Health Tips: Sleeping Better

Ok, so you accomplished all your tasks during the day; you even managed to get some stuff ready for a head start the next day, and now it's time to fall asleep. Easy, right?  It is, for those who lie in bed and wake up the next day fresh and ready to go... But if you are you one of those that go through your entire to-do list (5 times) or think about all the stuff you were supposed to do during the day and just can't manage to fall asleep, it sounds as though you may have insomnia.

           

 Some Quick Facts about Insomnia:

• It's the most common sleep disorder.

• Insomnia may involve difficulty falling asleep, difficulty remaining asleep, early morning awakenings or non-restorative slee.

• An estimated 13.4% of the household population aged 15 or older—that is, 3.3 million Canadians—had insomnia. * 

So if you find yourself in the 3.3 million bunch, you are not alone. Now let's turn the page over and let's review some tips and medical recommendations that can help you accomplish a good night's sleep.

Schedule "Worry Time:" The number one recommendation made by physicians is to schedule what they called "worry time." In other words, this is the time we set aside to write down your thoughts or feelings. This helps break the vicious cycle of going through the "worry" list at the time that you're supposed to rest and recover. At the end, there's not much you can do until the next day.

Stick to a Schedule: Health experts recommend making sure you adhere to a schedule. They suggest going to bed and getting up at about the same time every day, even on the weekends. Following a schedule will help your body get into the routine and will help you go to sleep more easily.

Watch you eat and drink before bed: The tips are simple. Eat a light dinner between 2-3 hours before going to sleep. A full stomach may disrupt sleep. Also, limit how much you drink at night to save you a few trips to the toilet.         

Exercise regularly: The rationale is actually very simple. Human body uses sleep to recover, but if there's not too much from which to recover, then you are going to have trouble sleeping. At the same time, experts recommend avoiding strenuous exercise in the evening as it may stimulate the body and keep you up. So try to get your exercise around your schedule to meet this criteria.

Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening: Yeap, there's no way around it. These are all stimulants, the worst offenders for disrupting sleep. As much as you love you latte in the evening, it may be better if you skip the caffeine and switch to a decaf drink and avoid tea, cocoa and cola drinks. Health experts recommend eliminating the sleep offenders as much as 8 hours before bedtime. 

Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable: Melatonin, the main hormone for balancing sleep needs darkness, so use thick curtains or blind, and even try eye masks to help you set the darker, quieter atmosphere for a good night's sleep.

There you have it. Incorporating these easy tips into your daily routine could help you ensure a peaceful and restful night. Have a good night's sleep...

             

Related Posts:

Roots Green: the 100 Mile Diet, Could You Do it?

Nutritional Tip From Tom

Healthy Living: More Superfoods to Eat for your Health, Brains & Beauty

Healthy Living - Getting Started on a Workout Plan

Sources:

http://www.cand.ca/index.php?90&L=0

http://mayoclinic.com/health/sleep/HQ01387

http://www.wikihow.com/Sleep-Better

* http://www.statcan.gc.ca/ads-annonces/82-003-x/pdf/4225221-eng.pdf

Yoga 101

It seems like every gym, fitness centre, neighbourhood, and even retail stores are offering yoga classes, yoga memberships and yoga apparel. For those of you who haven't tried yoga, do you ever wonder what exactly yoga entails, or why so many people have professed their love for it? The truth is, yoga is a great way to maintain your health in all sorts of ways: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are tons of beginner, intermediate and advanced classes available at a variety of fitness establishments (including Roots Yoga Studio in Toronto, Canada).

Definition: What IS Yoga?

The origin of the word "yoga" comes from the Sanskrit word meaning union. It is a union of the organ systems in the body with the consciousness in the mind. Yoga is defined as a systematic practice of physical exercise, breath control, relaxation, and positive thinking aimed at developing harmony in the body, mind, and environment. The practice entails low-impact physical activity, postures, breathing techniques, relaxation, and meditation.

Benefits: Why Should I do Yoga?

The benefits of various yoga techniques range from improving body flexibility and performance, to stress reduction, attainment of inner peace, and self-realization. Yoga has been advocated as complementary treatment to aid healing of ailments like coronary heart disease, depression, anxiety disorders, asthma, and substance abuse.

If you practice yoga, you may receive these benefits:

Physical

• Improved body flexibility and balance
• Improved cardiovascular endurance (stronger heart)
• Improved digestion and abdominal strength
• Enhanced overall muscular strength
• Weight control
• Increased energy levels
• Enhanced immune system

Mental

• Relief of stress resulting from the control of emotions
• Prevention and relief from stress-related disorders
• Intellectual enhancement, leading to improved decision-making skills

Spiritual

• Life with meaning, purpose, and direction
• Inner peace and tranquility
  
• Contentment
  

How to Get Started

Because there are many different styles of yoga, ranging from gentle to vigorous, you will want to find a teacher and style that suit your needs, abilities, limitations, current physical condition, and class schedule.

• Shop around for gyms and studios that offer yoga classes. Make sure to choose one for beginners.
• Wear comfortable stretchable or slightly loose clothing and expect to take off your shoes.
• Don't attempt yoga on a full stomach, and remember to bring water.
• Use a nonslip mat that is long enough for you to lie fully stretched on your back.
• Make sure the teacher knows about any limited health conditions and your level of fitness.
• Don't force any movements or poses. Mastery will come with practice.
• Have fun! Enjoy the breathing and relaxation techniques and newfound flexibility and peace you will achieve.

Sources

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/yoga/article_em.htm

 

Maria, the First Mamavation Mom, Rocks Her Roots Hoody on Her Latest Vlog

Meet Maria, the first Mamavation Mom. Watch all Maria's videos as she shares with us her workout routine, food regime, and daily challenges as she changes her life around to create a healthier lifestyle for her and her family. She is totally an inspiration for all of us.

In this video, Maria talks about her new Roots Hoody - the Womens Basic Grassroots Hoody in Grey.

Keep up the good work, Maria!

Your To Do List:

Head to our website to shop for the "nicest, softest, loveliest" hoodies.

Catch Maria's diary as the First Mamavation Mom on Bookieboo.com

Check out Maria's personal blog.

Related Posts:

Walking the Talk - Fitness Regime of Roots Co-Founder, Michael Budman

Getting Started on a Workout Plan

More Superfoods to Eat for Your Health, Brain & Beauty

Roots Green: the 100 Mile Diet, Could You Do it?

Imagine only buying and eating food from within a 100 mile radius of where you live. Sound easy? Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon will tell you otherwise. They recounted their experiences, including motivations and challenges, on restricting their diet for one year to include only foods grown within 100 miles of their residence in their book "The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating."

In 2005, Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon began a one-year experiment in local eating. Their 100-Mile Diet struck a deeper chord than anyone could have predicted, inspiring thousands of individuals, and even whole communities, to change the way they eat. Locally raised and produced food has been called “the new organic" — better tasting, better for the environment, better for local economies, and better for your health. From reviving the family farm to reconnecting with the seasons, the local foods movement is turning good eating into a revolution.

 

While the concept of only eating locally grown food is not new, the book coincided with the emerging popularity of the locavore: someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles. The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to produce their own food, with the argument that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better.

Locally grown food is an environmentally friendly means of obtaining food, since supermarkets that import their food use more fossil fuels and non-renewable resources.movement and farmer's markets. Media outlets in North America examined the feasibility of only eating food produced locally, local food-themed events, and locavore groups. Some restaurants and caterers offered 100-mile menus. Some farmers, gardeners, or regional food producers began offering subscription services to deliver produce or urban farming or gardening services. The 100-mile diet spawned many variations to allow for various circumstances and motivations. Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon now host the show "100 Mile Challenge" on the Food Network. Do you think you and your family could try the 100 Mile Diet?

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_food

http://100milediet.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_mile_diet

Related Posts

The Tyee - 100 Mile Diet

How to...Start Your Own Organic Garden

100 Mile Meal Planner

An Interview with Alisa and James

Nutritional Tip From Tom

When I asked Tom Scull (our personal trainer friend) about diets and eating healthy, he had a few misconceptions that he wanted to clear up. The first is about diets. He maintains that diets do not work until they are a habit. Eating smaller portions and healthier foods for a short time may allow you to lose weight and temporarily feel better but this strategy will do very little for your overall health and longevity. Tom says that eating habits and day-to-day diets should be different for every person depending on what your goals are.

If you’re trying to lose weight the equation is very simple: burn more calories than you consume. That’s it! This means that the best way to lose weight is to try to eat smaller portions of foods that are rich in protein and vitamins while maintaining a regular exercise regiment. If you are able to consistently do these things then you will lose weight at a very healthy rate. If you’re trying to gain weight, you should consume more calories than you are burning. This does not mean that you should be eating unhealthy foods like potato chips, french fries and chocolate on a regular basis however, it means that you should be consuming more healthier food and exercising by using weights in order to build muscle (muscle weighs more than fat).

If your goal is simply to maintain your current weight but to lead a healthier lifestyle then the best way to achieve this is to follow the Canada Food Guide and build your exercise level steadily. It is ideal to participate in some form of exercise everyday whether you’re going to the gym to complete a balanced workout, playing a sport or walking with friends and family. Try to mix high-levels of activity with moderate levels in order to stay motivated.

Related posts:

Getting Started on a Workout Plan

Putting Together Your Workout Plan

Easy Exercises You Can Do At Home