TheFind Blog

Beautiful Makeup!

Teri Cosenzi, editor in chief of Beautiful Makeup Search, began her love for beauty products at an early age of 17. Since then, she has been obsessed and has been bringing her latest and greatest beauty information to the web since 2001, right here at Beautiful Makeup Search.

Each and every day, Teri writes about the newest beauty products, shares the latest beauty news, and chronicles her beauty obsessions for readers all over the world. Check out Beautifulmakeupsearch.com for the latest in eco-friendly cosmetics!

Ten Innovative Green Homes

By: Brie Cadman
In an attempt to create a more sustainable domicile, some homeowners use energy-efficient light bulbs, swap out normal showerheads for low-flow ones, or put on a sweater so they can turn down the thermostat. However, others are taking sustainability—and their homes—to the next level. These ten innovative designs move the owner off the grid, into the trees, and toward a more environmentally-sound future...

Read more at Divine Caroline

It's a Nice Day For a Green Wedding

Ah…weddings. It's almost that time of year, and as much as I love parties, most weddings aren't much fun (and the rest are....fabulously, dangerously, notoriously fun). But emotions, bodices, and cocktails aren't the only things overflowing at nuptials; they produce a mini-landfill's worth of waste, from carbon emissions generated by guests and flowers traveling from afar, to tons of garbage.

Portovert is an amazing resource for the bride-to-be, bridesmaid/maid of honor or friend to check out pre-event. It's the web's only green wedding guide and it's got information and resources on everything bridal and groomish from gorgeous recycled invites to eco wedding dresses and sustainable jewelry and flowers. So after you've advised floppy-armed Aunt Sue NOT to wear the spaghetti strap wedding dress to her fourth marriage, consider offering up some eco-advice to make the Big Day a little smaller (environmental-impact-wise).

To find an eco-friendly wedding dress, check out styles from Audrey Hemp, Rene Geneva, and more from TheFindGreen.com

Post courtesy Eco Chick for Elle magazine

Stylishly Green Sites

During our Earth Day (for fun, we're calling it Earth Week around here), one of our goals is to share some of our favorite places on the web for information on greener living. Check our a few of our favorites below.

Ode Magazine, the magazine for intelligent optimists, people who are passionate and those committed to taking positive action on the world, will offer several articles to TheFindGreen consumers, including information on the top organic products consumers can buy and how to recycle everything from old computers to Crocs.

Daily Cookie brings you daily morsels about anything and everything related to fashion and beauty, with a green twist.

Ode Magazine, the magazine for intelligent optimists, people who are passionate and those committed to taking positive action on the world, will offer several articles to TheFindGreen consumers, including information on the top organic products consumers can buy and how to recycle everything from old computers to Crocs.

Daily Cookie brings you daily morsels about anything and everything related to fashion and beauty, with a green twist.

TheFindGreen.com Honors Earth Day With Best-Of-the-Web Green Living Tips

Mountain View, CA – April 22, 2008 – TheFindGreen.com, the web’s leading shopping search engine for the discovery of ecologically responsible lifestyle goods, today announced that in honor of Earth Day 2008, it will kick off a week-long roundup of the web’s best tips for living green. Over the course of the coming week, TheFindGreen.com will introduce consumers to some of the challenges being faced by those actively working to protect the environment, and the ways in which consumers can quickly and easily make choices that will contribute to the earth’s preservation.

With new updates every day on its blog (http://blog.thefind.com), TheFindGreen will offer its users helpful green living tips from leading bloggers, columnists and environmental charities. Topics and participants include:

· Global Green USA, an environmental organization focused on creating a value shift by reconnecting humanity to the environment, will offer tips on how to live a greener lifestyle, as well as educate consumers on how to become advocates for the environment by joining their non-profit organization. (www.GlobalGreen.org)

· Mongabay will highlight ways that consumers can make choices that preserve the world’s rainforests – offering tips on choosing responsibly when it comes to building a home, traveling or entertaining. Mongabay is a leading web destination on the preservation of rainforests, and seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development. (www.Mongabay.com)

· Elle.com has selected the hottest fashion and beauty products and designers this month, part of Elle Magazine

'

s Green Issue 2008. TheFindGreen users can check out the latest in green style trends this week, as recommended by Elle.com and their guest blogger, Eco Chick. Topics covered by Eco Chick include green decor, environmentally responsible accessories and the most sought-after beauty products. Readers can also discover unique ways to recycle elements of their wardrobe into stunning, eye-catching pieces sure to capture the eye of even the most discerning fashionistas, courtesy of Elle.com.  

· Ecofabulous, a website dedicated to the intersection of style and sustainability, will be discussing tips, anecdotes and insights regarding eco-friendly home furnishings and how it relates to quality of the air we breathe inside our homes. (www.ecofabulous.com)

· DivineCaroline, a place where women come together to express themselves, find answers and share life through storytelling - will cover some of the most innovative green homes. While many homes have water-saving faucets and energy-efficient appliances, these homes are using the uniquely original materials and practices to promote environmental responsibility and awareness. DivineCaroline.com celebrates the sensibilities of women and their affinity for sharing and connecting. By enabling everyday women to easily submit – and automatically publish – their stories alongside professional content, DivineCaroline empowers women to share their wisdom and connect with others in an online community.

· Ode Magazine, the magazine for intelligent optimists, people who are passionate and those committed to taking positive action on the world, will offer several articles to TheFindGreen consumers, including information on the top organic products consumers can buy and how to recycle everything from old computers to Crocs. (www.odemagazine.com)

· TheClick, the popular shopping blog on TheFind.com written by leading fashion and entertainment journalist Merle Ginsberg, will have exclusive insight on how Hollywood’s A-listers are going green. Ginsberg will also cover some of the easiest and most fashionable ways to make this summer’s weddings eco-friendly – from invitations to bridal wear and beyond. (http://theclick.thefind.com)

· BeautifulMakeupSearch.com and DailyCookie.net will offer inside scoop on some of the best ecologically-friendly beauty products on the market. Moms’ Buzz will offer tips to moms on how to choose green products for their family and home, and FeteaFete.com will highlight some eco-friendly ways to entertain.

“Through TheFindGreen, we’ve already made shopping green incredibly easy for consumers,” said Siva Kumar, CEO of The Find Inc. “Now, with this diverse lineup of content providers with whom we have partnered to celebrate Earth Day, we’re able to educate consumers on many of the ways that they can make ecologically sound lifestyle choices. It’s incredible that there are so many unexpected, simple ways that consumers can live a greener lifestyle. TheFindGreen helps readers find the green products recommended by these experts quickly and easily.”

Green Living with ecofabulous

More and more everyday, living a ʽgreenʼ lifestyle does not mean you have to sacrifice aesthetics or efficacy. ecofabulous.com, a website dedicated to the intersection of style and sustainability, will be discussing tips, anecdotes and insights regarding eco-friendly home furnishings and how it relates to quality of the air we breathe inside our homes . ecofabulous will discuss the benefits of choosing eco-friendly products, how this relates to your health and the health of the planet as well as guidelines and suggestions for choosing your next beautiful, earth friendly item.

How you can help save rainforests

Most people understand that tropical rainforests are critically important in regulating rainfall and global climate, while providing habitat for millions of species and unique indigenous cultures.  Yet despite this significance, rainforests continue to be destroyed at a furious pace -- in 2008 Brazil and Indonesia are expected to each lose at least 8 million acres of forest cover.

Is there anything an individual can do to help save the majestic forests of the Amazon, the Congo, and Southeast Asia? Thankfully, there is.  Here is a look at some small actions that can help tropical forests.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle

First, it is important to realize that the usual steps to reduce your ecological footprint at home indirectly benefit rainforests half a world away by reducing resource consumption, which in the end is the ultimate driver of most forest destruction today.  Therefore conserving energy and water; recycling; walking, riding a bike, or using public transportation instead of driving; and curtailing unnecessary purchases of products are all things that help avoid contributing to global deforestation.

In some cases your impact on rainforests may be more direct -- many wood and paper products are derived from rainforest trees.  While it's notoriously difficult to determine the origin of such products, make it a policy to learn as much as your can about the products you buy by doing research online. At present, it's safest to avoid tropical hardwoods (like mahogany) unless they have been certified as having been produced in an environmentally responsible way (though even certification isn't fool-proof).  Better yet, work to minimize your use of paper and wood in the first place through recycling and re-use (i.e. double-sided printing).  Look for products made from recycled materials (some wood "composites" incorporate recycled plastics) or buy used.

While this will come as a no-brainer to the eco-conscious, don't buy products made from rainforest animal skins or parts.  Don't purchase exotic pets that have been collected from the wild. You can ask pet stores whether animals are "wild-caught" or "captive bred." With "captive bred", you can have the peace of mind that your pet has not been torn from its natural habitat.

Supporting rainforest conservation efforts

As a consumer you can take a pro-active approach to supporting rainforests by purchasing products linked to conservation efforts.  For example, studies have show that shade-grown coffee and cacao support higher levels of biodiversity than conventionally grown monocultures.  Accordingly, a number of companies and organizations offer rainforest-friendly coffee and chocolate, but offerings will likely be significantly expanded in coming years.  For now, the Rainforest Alliance web site (rainforest-alliance.org) is an excellent starting point for learning more about certified products.

Travel

Travel is another way to ensure that rainforests are protected as intact ecosystems. Look for eco-friendly and socially responsible operators that follow guidelines for ecotourism and are run by, or at least employ, local people. Rainforest Expeditions in Peru is a great example, but check out Whole Travel (wholetravel.com) for other ideas.

If international travel is too expensive or the idea of increasing your carbon footprint is too much to bear, try a visit to a local zoo, especially if it is involved in conservation efforts.  As an alternative, look around your neighborhood for local rainforest residents.  Many song birds spend at least part of the year in the tropics -- figuring out which ones are the migrants can be a great learning experience for kids and can demonstrate how the health of rainforests directly impacts your local community.  As forests fall, migratory birds lose their nesting grounds and fewer return to temperate areas.

Donate and get educated

Donate time and money to organizations working to ensure that rainforests are around for future generations.  Look for groups that have a local impact and don't have a lot of overhead.  The Amazon Conservation Team (amazonteam.org), which works with tribes in the Amazon to protect culture and forest, is a great example.

Learn more about rainforests -- why they are important and what's happening to them.   Spread the word to your friends and colleagues.

 

Article : By Rhett Butler/Mongabay

Photos: Rhett Butler/Mongabay

So how can you make a difference?

It's about living green - from philosophy to practice. It's also about supporting organizations that are working to conserve the earth's natural resources. One such organization is Global Green USA, which has also been a recipient of TheFind's Color For a Cause campaign in 2007.

Global Green USA is an environmental organization focused on creating a value shift by reconnecting humanity to the environment. Global Green addresses three of the greatest challenges facing humanity today: stemming climate change through the greening of buildings and cities, eliminating weapons of mass destruction, and providing clean, safe drinking water for the 2.4 billion people who lack access to clean water.

Global Green encourages you to act now to reduce your carbon footprint, and offers these tips to live green & drive green. In addition, you can help Global Green continue it’s green rebuilding efforts in New Orleans – Global Green has completed one single family home as part of the Holy Cross Project but has 4 more, plus an apartment building, to go. You can help make a home a reality for those who need it most, the displaced families of New Orleans.

Make sure and check out the Global Green website for more information on their efforts and how you can help at www.GlobalGreen.org.

EARTH DAY’S BIRTHDAY 4/21/08

“Green” used to be a word reserved just for Earth Day – but now you hear it every day. Elle Magazine just dedicated their entire May issue to green clothing lines, non-leather shoe lines, and beauty products that help save our depleted environment. Vanity Fair has done all-green issues, too. Let’s face it – what’s the good of dressing chic and looking fabulous if the environment is being wreaked havoc on? Fashion and shopping take on a whole new meaning – as does narcissism – when the air and water and climate are in such global peril. No one can afford not to be green. Strike out this earth day. Paint your toes green, wear recycled clothes, and conjure Al Gore.

And in our celebrity driven culture, it’s reassuring to know that celebs are very increasingly involved and some  - like Leo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Adrian Grenier, and Cameron Diaz – have been supporting green projects for many years. In fact, get ready for many more environmental documentaries along the lines of  “The Eleventh Hour” and “And Inconvenient Truth” – Disney this week created an environmental wing to product only environmental docs.

At the Sundance Film Festival, TheFind and TheFindGreen had a chance to speak with some celebrities about the personal efforts they are making to make the earth a better place:

ADRIAN GRENIER
The “Entourage” star is so passionate about the environment, he recently teamed up with Leo DiCaprio to support ForestEthics, an organization devoted to saying endangered woodlands by curtailing the mailing of junk mail. “Can you imagine how many trees would be saved if there was less junk mail?” he told us at Sundance, where he and his band The Honey Brothers played a set. “And I have this advice for all the fashion people,” he added. “Wearing vintage clothes is inherently green – so keep doing it!” He also attended The Evidence of Evolution Fashion Show at Smashbox in LA in October, to support their recycled fabric line of tops, skirts, pants and jackets, available at Barneys.

MISCHA BARTON
“I did a campaign with Orlando Bloom and Kevin Bacon,” Mischa told us in Sundance, donning a recycled cotton beanie hat by Zola Hats, “for Climatestar.org, which was about the fact that there are six million kids in the U.S. with asthma, which is constantly made worse by global warming. It helps just to use less energy in your house – keep your lights turned off in rooms you aren’t using.”

SARAH JESSICA PARKER
The “Smart People” and “Sex and the City” star confided that she now drives a Toyota Prius.

PARIS HILTON
One way I recycle,” Paris told us at Sundance this year, “is that I give outfits away all the time to fans and friends. If any of my friends writes to me or tells me they liked a certain look, I immediately give it to them or mail it to them. That way, it keeps vintage clothes in circulation.”

And TheFind.com spoke to a number of other stars about their environmental efforts:

KATE HUDSON
“I never though I would lend my name to a fashion or beauty product, even though I’ve been asked several times over the years,” Kate Hudson told us recently. But when she was invited to partner her up with her L.A. based hairstylist, David Babaii (who has been tending to the locks of the stars for years), she finally said yes – because it’s called WILDAID, and ten percent of the haircare product line, which will be distributed this summer for starts, will go to the global wildlife conservation organization Wildaid. They work with governments and communities to try and reverse the wildlife devastation across the planet. Their mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade within our lifetime and strive for a world in which local communities can improve their lives without destroying their environment.  “I would never put my name on something I didn’t use myself,” says Hudson, who will also appear in the ad campaign.. “These products smell amazing and make your hair really healthy and fresh without depleting the environment, without animal testing – and they really are the best things I’ve ever used. Smell my hair! I’ve got our new hairspray on.” Sure enough, it smelled fruity and delicious, and looked pretty great, too.

CHRISTINA RICCI
“I’m using as many green and earth friendly products for beauty purposes and around my house as I can,” the “Speed Racer” actress told us. “And I’ve always loved vintage clothes, which is very convenient!”

NATALIE PORTMAN
The actress recently created a non-leather shoe line because she refuses to wear anything that has come from animals. In conjunction wit Te Casan, a percentage of the line goes to charity.

GWYNETH PALTROW
Not only is she a practicing vegan, Gwyneth is a fan of
the French bath line Patyka,- the organic luxury bath line features face and body skin care as well as perfumes that do not use silicone, petroleum, PEG, parabens, phenoxyethanol or any synthetic matierials that are harmful to your skin or the environment. GP is such an environmental activist is so many ways that she and her mother Blythe Danner were honored by the Environmental Media Association recently – as was Edward Norton.

GREAT EARTH DAY SHOPPING TIPS:

If you feel like shopping this Wednesday, do the earth a BIG favor, and do it on TheFindGreen.com. Even things like nail polish and hair products that are environmentally safe can make a big difference. Here’s some suggestions that can be found on TheFindGreen.com:

TYPE IN “NAIL POLISH” –
And Edible Nature has polishes by Honeybee Gardens for $5.67. Herbaltrader.com features Suncoat Water Based Nail Polish (in Magic Purple) for $7.05. And Greenfeet.com has Corn and Soy based Nail Polish remover for $5.95 – how cool is that? It probably smells a ton better than the usual polish remover.

TYPE IN ‘HAIR PRODUCTS” –
Herbtrader.com sells Jason Natural Cosmetics Hair Styling Products with Aloe Vera for $6.28. The amazing line of Dr. Hauschka hair products is available on the New London pharmacy. Evitaminstore sells Mode de Vie products, Me and Minime has Nature’s Baby Hair Care Products, and Onewithearth.com sells Chemical Free Products for around $35.

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Merle Ginsberg is a bestselling author and internationally-renowned fashion, culture and entertainment journalist, who also contributes to TheClick fashion blog.