Get in Touch Girl!

Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, executive director, founder, cancer kickin' survivor and health activist as well as one of our neighbors here in Milford started the Get In Touch Foundation after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her foundation encourages gals of all ages to “Get In Touch” with their bodies, information, and each other in a crusade against breast cancer. Mary Ann developed a fun ‘Daisy Wheel’, that explains the importance of breast self-examination and facts about breast cancer. She has also worked tirelessly to convince health educators nationwide the importance of "starting early". Mary Ann developed a program whereby health educations give out the ‘Daisy Wheel’, when girls are in grades 5-12 during health and hygiene classes.

October is national breast cancer awareness month and we wanted to give a well deserved shout-out to Mary Ann for all of her hard work and efforts on all of our behalves.

If you would like to donate to the Get In Touch Foundation click here

LOCAL PROUD

Buy local, buy local, buy local, at GG2G it's our mantra...and now you can get involved in Milford's own Local Proud campaign too! Check out the website, there are loads of good stats about what buying local means to the environment and to the community. Whether you are in Milford, CT or Macon, GA your can give back to your community simply by buying local. Everything from produce to platform shoes, if it's made or sold locally (in an independently owned store), it can make a difference Did you know that:

Studies show that dollars spent locally tend to stay local; local businesses contribute more to local non-profits and participate more in community life; and local independents demand less energy resources and public infrastructure.  A thriving local economy creates more opportunities for entrepreneurs and builds community economic strength for everyone. 

And that's just one of many statistics you'll find when you go to Milford Local Proud dot Com

MOD GREEN POD

How many times have you said to yourself and your BFF's "Why, oh, why does organic fabric have to be so blahhhhh?" It was, of course, rhetorical at that point but not so now -- Mod Green Pod has taken that oatmeal floating in a sea of beige and turned it on it's boring little head. Above are just some of the gorgeous fabrics that await you (and now wallpaper too). Their 100% organic cotton home textiles and wallpapers are US-made and follow Global Organic Textile Standards to help create a healthy home.

They also have a really groovy Room Creator page so that you can get a sense of scale before you purchase.

Changing the Shape of Modern Surfing

thomas meyerhoffer: changing the shape of modern surfing
since 2004 thomas meyerhoffer has been developing a new kind of surfboard which is now considered by some as the most radical leap in surfboard design in the last 50 years. the 'meyerhoffer' board is shaped like an hourglass to emphasize noseriding and tailriding for recreational surfers. it is supposed to be a longboard that rides like quicker more manoeuvrable shortboard. 
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3.5 Billion Wire Hangers Go into U.S. Landfills Each Year

We don't have to tell you how terrible dry cleaning is for the environment, right?
All of you savvy greenies out there ONLY use green dry cleaners, of that we are sure.
But we digress, we want to talk to you about those pesky, ever-tangled wire hangers that you get with every shirt, skirt and pair of pants. 35 Billion wire hangers are tossed into the landfill every year! Where they just sit...and sit. Did you know that it takes 40 inches of wire to make one hanger? Just one year's worth could wrap around the earth 88 times! Aghhhhh!
Good news! There are a number of very non-painful ways to get around this.
Here we go, starting with the simplest.
1) Every time you pick-up from your favorite green dry cleaner drop off the ones from the previous pick up. They will love you for it!
2) Have your clothing pressed and folded.
3) Insist that your already green dry cleaner get with the program and use eco-friendly hangers

Here's a list of the ones we like best:
EcoHangers
Bamboo Hangers
Green Hanger

Now...what to do about that plastic they wrap everything in...

DIRTY DOZEN

At GG2G we are all so excited about the bounty of summer. So we thought that this might be an apropos time to talk about the Dirty Dozen. The 12 most contaminated fruits and veggies - we are talking about non-organic here folks. Take a look and then buy organic versions. Because we subscribe to the "glass is half full philosophy" there is a list of the top 12 safest non-organic fruits and veggies at the end. Bon Appetite!

THE MOST CONTAMINATED FRUITS & VEGETABLES:

1.PEACHES: Over 94% tested positive for traces of 45 different pesticides.

2.CELERY 94% tested positive for 29 different pesticides.

3.APPLES: 92% tested positive for 36 pesticides.

4..SWEET BELL PEPPERS: 68% tested positive for 39 different pesticides.

5.CHERRIES: 91% tested positive for 25 different pesticides.

6.IMPORTED GRAPES: 86% tested positive for 35 different pesticides.

7.NECTARINES: 97% tested positive for 26 different pesticides.

8.PEARS : 94% tested positive for 35 different pesticides.

9.POTATOES: 79% tested positive for 29 different pesticides.

10.RASPBERRIES: 59% tested positive for 39 different pesticides.

11.SPINACH: 83% tested positive for 36 different pesticides.

12.STRAWBERRIES: 90% tested positive for 36 different pesticides.

THE LEAST CONTAMINATED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES:

1.ASPARAGUS

2.AVOCADOS

3.BANANAS

4.BROCOLLI

5.CAULIFLOWER

6.SWEET CORN

7.KIWI

8.MANGOES

9.ONIONS

10.PAPAYAS

11.PINEAPPLES

12.SWEET PEAS

BYE-BYE Reefs!

Reefs could perish by end of century, experts warn

LONDON (Reuters) - Increasingly acidic oceans and warming water temperatures due to carbon dioxide emissions could kill off the world's ocean reefs by the end of this century, scientists warned on Monday.

The experts told a meeting in London the predicted pace of emissions means a level of 450 parts per million of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere will be reached by 2050, putting corals on a path to extinction in the following decades.

The two dozen coral reef specialists and climate change exerts represented universities, government research offices and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"The kitchen is on fire and it's spreading around the house," Alex Rogers of the Zoological Society of London and the International Program on the State of the Ocean, said in a statement.

"If we act quickly and decisively we may be able to put it out before the damage becomes irreversible."

Read full Article

SIMPLE AND PATRIOTIC

We thought that the 4th of July would be the perfect time for a nudge to not only buy local but to buy American-made products whenever possible. Think of it this way: You are not only helping to boost the economy, create jobs and help local manufacturers you are also keeping that pesky carbon footprint low at the same time. From your bar-b-que to your dishes keep it US made and while your at it how about reusable too...

Here are some great red, white and blue buys:

Fiesta Ware  - yes they are still around and still USA made! 

Webber Genesis Grills need we say more?

Northwest Planks  - got to have smoky cedar plank flavor, we love this company!

Cream City Ribbons - Feeling like you need red, white and blue decorations, check'em out.

Do Your Part to Stop the Slaughter

Each year, Canada allows fur companies to brutally kill baby seals. Hundreds of thousands of precious baby seals have their skulls smashed, and their eyes, mouths, and cheeks hooked to avoid damaging the fur before they are dragged across the ice. PETA has passionately joined forces with the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee to persuade the Canadian government to end the slaughter of seals. You too can urge the Olympic Committee.

Shades of Green

Our friend and award winning documentariana - Christina DeFranco Taylor will do it again with Shades of Green. Shades of Green: New England is a weekly magazine-format show that highlights the green movement sweeping the nation. This half-hour program showcases New England companies that have an environmental mission linked with their business plan - some putting “planet” before profits; others demonstrating that being green can also be good for business.We were lucky enough to be part of the pilot episode along with a fantastic company called Eco-Fish. Have look here then pass it on! Just think, this way you can say you knew us when...