Comments kayakpatty has made

  • I agree with Menchita - I bought Better basics for the Home a few years ago and I use it so much it's almost falling apart. It has good recipes for lotions, good combinations for essential oils, along with the usual baking soda, vinegar, etc. It is a great book!

     

    On Ask Umbra on green cleaning posted 3 months ago 7 Responses

  • Omitted the best of Amy's dinners

    Well you really missed the best of Amy's dinners - you happened to choose the 2 worst. I usually keep a couple in the freezer at work for emergencies and the ones I buy are delicious! The enchiladas, burritos, lasagna and the black eyed peas bowl are all very good. In fact I am eating one of the burritos as I write this and it is tasty and far from salty.

    PS - I tried one of the Kashi dinners for a change the other day and it did not even come close - it just tasted fake.On A taste test of seven 'natural' frozen dinners posted 12 months ago 9 Responses

  • Faux Gift Giving

    I have a problem with this "gift" giving strategy. Don't get me wrong - for the most part I think we all have too many things and I know I need nothing from anyone for Christmas except their love. And I hate having to get something for someone just because it is expected. However, I hate it when someone decides to do something like this and calls it giving a gift. If the "receiver" is someone that would prefer this type of gift, then that's fine (I happen to be one of those people). Just make sure it's an organization to which they would like to contribute or one of which they approve and that it's not just YOUR favorite charity.

    And by all means do make a donation but don't justify it by saying it is someone's gift - just say "I didn't get gifts for anyone this year because I thought my money would be better spent on doing good, etc...." and then give handmade gifts or baked goods so you can still have the fun of giving and getting.   On Umbra on rainforest-protection gifts posted 1 year ago 6 Responses

  • What about shopping locally?

    I do a lot of shopping online for things I cannot find locally and I am glad to find out that it's generally good for the environment BUT don't forget about your local shops. A lot of cities have wonderful shopping areas to which you can walk, bus, or bike where you will find unusual, locally made items. You will also avoid the craziness of the mall.On Umbra on holiday shopping posted 1 year ago 4 Responses

  • Green Party Vote

    Unfortunately, in this presidential election, I feel that a vote for anybody other than Obama is a vote for McCain. We just can't take the chance. On Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney talks to Grist posted 1 year, 3 months ago 19 Responses

  • Shaving Brush

    I recently bought a shaving brush and find it works great with any soap - liquid or bar. It makes a thick shaving foam, is cheap and makes very little waste (if any). Of course I use it on my legs so I may not be as picky as guys who are dealing with more sensitive face skin. However - I do remember my grandfather always using a shaving brush.On A dozen men's shaving creams get put to the blade posted 1 year, 6 months ago 13 Responses

  • I didn't know Method was "green"!?

    I didn't even realize Method was "green". I bought some Method detergent the other day because it seemed better than the other HE ones available at Target but their ingredients were not fully listed. Whenever that happens I assume they are hiding something. Glad to hear more about them.

    - PatriciaOn An interview with the founders of Method green home-care products posted 1 year, 8 months ago 9 Responses

  • Tom's of Maine

    I agree with the previous post. Cinnamon-Clove? Give me a break and be fair. That's a really weird flavor. I often use Tom's of Maine Peppermint and it is great - good texture, good minty flavor. On A family-friendly review of six eco-toothpastes posted 1 year, 8 months ago 20 Responses

  • 1/2 pound plain silken tofu?

    So what's with the "1/2 pound plain silken tofu"? It's the first ingredient listed for almost all of these recipes. That's gotta be a mistake right? I don't even see it mentioned in the recipes themselves.On Readers share instructions for tasty Thanksgiving treats posted 2 years ago 3 Responses

  • Amy's Frozen Foods are great.

    I was just going to say the same thing. Amy's (http://www.amyskitchen.com/) makes wonderful frozen vegetarian meals using natural and organic ingredients - and they are delicious. I keep some at the office so I can have something tasty and healthy when I can't leave for lunch.

    They are a little bit more expensive than Lean Cuisine but the taste alone is worth it! On Umbra on the impact of food purchases posted 2 years, 2 months ago 21 Responses