Greetings!

Green Reflections

Not to worry - this won't be a long, sentimental trip down memory lane. But as the third anniversary of Mrs. Green's debut draws near, there have been pivotal moments. This section of the newsletter is one third reflection/one third humorous reminder/one third serious reminder.

One third reflection:  Chris Jordan's photographs changed my life. Seeing the art on his website was honestly a defining moment. Processing the factual content in the captions was both challenging and painful. It lit my fire. Subscribers from day one: take that quick trip down memory lane and click on Chris's site. Ye shall forever remember where my loathing of plastic bags was born. How could a person not change this one habit? It is such an easy one for me. New subscribers: get ready for what I believe will be a life changing moment for you. Check this out and brace yourself. Any doubts left in your mind about our being one planet, all connected? If so, consider a complete psychological exam.

One third humor: those big blue balls - for the dryer of course. Writing about them makes me laugh and usually gets people's attention. Dryer sheets are unnecessary because static cling is not really a criminal offense - it's just annoying. They are also coated with chemicals, some of which are known carcinogens. They are expensive and they create waste. Dryer balls, on the other hand, can be used over and over and over, do not cause allergic reactions and are MUCH less expensive to use. We haven't worn out our balls in almost 3 years. Even if the manufacturing of them is not 100% sustainable, using them is far better than toxic coated, waste producing, allergy inducing dryer sheets.

One third serious reminder: anti-bacterial soap. I say get it out of your house. It kills the good with the bad and some bodies of research suggest that the chemicals in these soaps increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Researchers, I have come to respect and trust, advise us to get rid of them. I did - over two years ago. The FDA, on the other hand, just recently decided to study them. I might not live long enough to read the outcome of their research. Translation? Trust level low on my part.

Warning: more sentimental trips down Mrs. Green's memory lane possible in the weeks to come.

Mrs. Green's

Congratulations, kudos, cheers to Golden Eagle Distributors from Tucson, Arizona, for winning this challenge. The challenge ended on October 15th with 3,493 votes submitted towards 28 different workplaces. Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. placed first with 1,230 votes. Please read about this company's outstanding commitment to sustainability in every conceivable way - green from the inside out and making a difference for all of us. You can also read about the laudable efforts of our second and third place winners, the Westin La Paloma and Sam Levitz Furniture. I admit that I was surprised and delighted to learn what these two great leaders in sustainable practices are doing to make a difference as well. Take the time to read all about them!