Tom's Of Maine toothpastes and gels

I've been a fan of Tom's Of Maine for some years now, and have enjoyed most of their personal care products, from deodorants to mouthwash to dental floss to many varieties/flavors of toothpaste. For my money, the toothpaste is unusually good, and the presence of cavity-crushing xylitol (a natural sugar alcohol/sweetener that actually kills the harmful bacteria that cause plaque, which leads o cavities) makes it all worthwhile. Imagine - a toothpaste that (A) tastes good, (B) uses only naturally-sourced products, (C) is environmentally-conscious, and (D) actually reduces the presence of elements that CAUSE cavities. In fact, right now I'm enjoying their cinnamon & clove gel, and my dentist visits have never been better! I don't see any reason to pick up conventional toothpastes anytime soon. I've even found Tom's products at mainstream retailers like Target and Big Lots, and sometimes their products can be found with coupons or on sale for reasonable prices.

Tom's Of Maine website

Invasive Species Awareness

This is a major environmental issue that has only really come to prominence in recent years. This telling video is both entertaining and educational. Thanks to Defenders Of Wildlife for producing it.

Is this the box from the last Morningstar Farms corn dogs I will ever enjoy?

Okay, so this blog's most popular content, above all others, and by a long-shot, is the continuing saga of Morningstar Farms Corn Dogs and Veggie Dogs, which mysteriously disappeared earlier this year from store shelves nationwide. I was one who was disturbed enough to contact the Kellogg Corporation (who own Morningstar Farms) and inquire about the future of this amazing vegetarian food, especially as I've been a steady purchaser for years. My response was like the one on this official page:

Veggie Dogs page

However, I'm now seeing some conflicting media coverage, supposedly from Morningstar Farms, that refers to these products as "Discontinued", with little chance or hope of seeing it re-introduced, as originally inferred. Well, look at this official page for further clarification:

Discontinued

A shame. I know of no other products out there in this class that are as satisfying or delicious. To all you Morningstar veggie and corn dog fans...please write to them and express yourselves:

Contact page

Edison endorses natural, renewable energy!

"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that."

--Thomas Alva Edison

Recycling old/worn CDs/CDRs/DVDs/DVDRs?

If you're a big music geek like me, and you happen to use a lot of CDRs/DVDRs, you may wonder how much environmental damage you're doing by using/trashing them. I certainly do.
Or alternately, if you work at a business where large numbers of CD or DVD discs (instructional, training videos, etc.) are often thrown in the garbage, you may be able to help to keep these out of landfills. This site, which I noticed linked from respected underground/experimental music site Brainwashed, is one possible solution: CD Recycling Center

Check it out and see if you may be able to help.

FREE green product coupons!

Is there a natural foods, green living, or health & wellness store near you? If so, you would do well to have a look at this site, which offers a variety of free coupons towards some good things -- money saved is, well, money put towards something else! I've used many of their coupons, and have absolutely no regrets. Visit their website here and sign up for your free coupons...or pick up the new coupon book FREE at your local natural foods store...

Mambo Sprouts website

Arm & Hammer Essentials natural deodorant

Ah, "greenwashing". This is a pretty new-ish term to describe advertising or product labeling that, in some way, misleads the public into believing that it's all "environmentally-friendly". Sometimes, products are really, truly eco-conscious, and others make no bones about being "dangerous" or hazardous. Nowadays, as the greening of America gets deeper and more mainstream, some manufacturers are making misleading claims or packaging. I recently found that my Arm & Hammer "Essentials Natural Deodorant", which the front packaging claims to be "Natural protection, aluminum-free, paraben-free". Yup, check. No problem there. But listed in the ingredients is the potentially-harmful antibacterial agent Triclosan (present in many hand (and body) washing products). Not that it's something that really matters a whole lot, but it DOES contribute to the algaefication of our natural bodies of water, and can potentially usher in new, super-viruses that are resistant to our antibodies. So, in effect, as much as I love Arm & Hammer baking soda (and many of their products), this deodorant isn't all it's cracked up to be. It does seem relatively effective in keeping my odors at bay, for what it's worth.