Gasland: An Eyeopening Documentary

This is not sexy sharing… then again… not everything can be sexy.  I just finished watching a documentary by Josh Fox called Gasland and I encourage you to set your DVR and so you can watch it on HBO, hurry, the last day to catch it is July 29!

Josh takes the viewer on a road trip around the country exploring the impact of the primary method of Natural Gas Drilling – known as Fracking – on everyday American’s, their water, homes and towns.

I have to admit I knew nothing about this before watching, now I plan on learning more.  This film was eye opening and worth adding to your summer watching.

The New York time wrote this article on the subject and if you want to dig even deeper… the site – Un-NaturalGas.org has extensive information on the subject.

Check out this preview:

Welcome back to PND. It's good to see you again!Gasland: An Eyeopening Documentary

7 Puppies – The Runyan Puppies – Coco and Captain

The diva family is fostering 7 puppies that are 4 weeks old – they had to be seperated from their mother who was too weak to care for them.

In a moment of weakness Dude talked me into this adventure. They have been dubbed the Runyan Miracle Puppies by their rescuer, comedian Rebecca Corry.

Read the full story of their rescue – the short version is it took Rebecca a week to talk their owner into surrendering them to her, the babies were near death and the mother not much better.

The mother has been fostered, but was unable to care for the babies. The diva family stepped in to foster the babies until they are old enough to be place in homes.

To donate to their care, Rebecca has set up this fund through Chip-In.

UPDATE – July 10, 2010

Lil’ Pip – just went to the vet.  He’s very seriously ill.  We’re not sure if he’ll make it.  We’ll keep you posted.

UPDATE – July 10, 2010 – Late Afternoon

Lil Pip was taken to heaven.  The little fighter didn’t make it.  We are so glad that he spent the entire morning cuddling with Lil Diva on his last day.

Update – July 19, 2010

Coco and Captain Morgan both went to their forever families tonight!  We are so happy for them.  There are 4 lil guys who are still looking for homes!  Dude is really hoping that Bella’s forever home is OUR home and of course Lil’ Diva is just assuming that is the case!

The negotiations are in full swing!

7 Puppies – The Runyan Puppies – Coco and Captain

Diva Guide: Suncreen

Summer is coming – which sunscreen will you slather on your skin?

Sunscreen is a product that we are encouraged to use to protect ourselves from harmful UV rays while enjoying the outdoors. If you’re a parent, it’s likely you are even more concerned about protecting your children’s sensitive skin and making the safest choice possible.

But what to do we really know about the safety of the products we are choosing – in my research – it seems clear that we don’t know enough.

Note – be prepared when switching to safer sunscreens you are going to move into products that are going to be thicker, whiter and slower to absorb that other sunscreen choices.  This is because they rely on a high concentration of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block the suns rays.

Look for:
At least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for UVA & UVB protection.

What to Avoid:
Spray and Powder Sunscreen
Sunscreen insect repellent combo – pesticides absorbing into your body
Ingredients; Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3, skin absorption, allergies, hormone problems
Brands; Coppertone, Banana Boat and Most Neutrogena

From the EWG:
No one understands the health implications of our exposures to complex mixtures of industrial compounds and pollutants: remarkably, federal health standards do not require companies to test most products for safety before they are sold, including nearly all chemicals in sunscreen and other personal care products. Little is known about the safety of most industrial chemicals. In the absence of data the federal government approves new chemicals for the market using computer models to predict if they are toxic to humans.

After 30 years of debate,the government has failed to set mandatory sunscreen safety standards. Companies are free to make their own decisions on everything from advertising claims to product quality. FDA now stands in direct violation of a Congressional mandate requiring the agency to finalize sunscreen safety standards by May 2006, flouting not only Congress but also consumers, who are reliant on sunscreen to protect their health.

EWG’s Top Ten List:

Blue Lizard
California Baby (SPF 30 or Higher)
CVS (with zinc oxide
Jason Natural Cosmetics – Sunbrellas Mineral Based Sunblock
Kiss My Face – Paraben Free series
Neutrogena – Sensative Skin Sunblock
Olay Defense Daily UV Moisturizer with zinc
SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense
Solar Sense Clear Zinc for Face
Walgreens Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose, & Ears

My Picks:

After studying the EWG’s extensive list the following products have an EWG score of 0-3 for toxicity. My selections are for individual products, not the brands in general, as brand scores can vary widely.

Natural:
Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock SPF 30+
Kiss My Face Sunscreen Spf#30 + With Oat Protein 100% Paraben Free
Nature’s Gate Organics Be Solective Sunscreen for Face, SPF 30
All California Baby Sunscreens

Luxury
Dermalogica Super Sensitive Face Block, SPF 30
Mustela Sun Cream for Sensitive Areas, SPF 50
Kiehl’s All-Sport ‘non-Freeze’ Face Protector, SPF 30
DDF Organic Sunblock, SPF 30

Value:
CVS Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+
Walgreens Sunblock with Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose & Ears, SPF 45+
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, SPF 30 – Available at my Target
No-Ad Ultra Sunblock Lotion, SPF 60

If you must use a spray – these are your best bets:
Almay Sun Protector for Body Spray, SPF 30
Dermalogica Waterblock Solar Spray, SPF 30
Banana Boat Ultra Mist Kid’s Tear Free Continuous Spray Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30 – Only SPF 30 the SPF 50 is rated 9!

Shopping at Target:
I was recently at target, they had walls of sunscreen. I could only find one of the above products – After an hour of research using my telephone I was able to find 2 sunscreens that were an EWG 3 and the lowest score for a spray was a 5.
Coppertone WaterBabies Pure & Simple – SPF 50 – oil, fragrance & dye free
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion – SPF 60+
Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen – SPF 50

To learn more:
www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09

Diva Guide: Suncreen

The Wild Chicken Way

We live in Los Angeles – one thing I never expected to hear from my children is “Mama, can we take the wild chicken way” as we go about our day.  Yet this is the chant that echo’s from the backseat of my mini van – repeatedly.

Not to far from our home we have discovered 2 wild chickens.  Yes.  You read that right.  Wild Chicken’s in LA! So, whenever we’re in the area the lil’s always ask for a drive by, I typically slow down to see if we can spot them.

You might be wondering how I do I know these particular chickens are in fact wild?  The first time I spotted them – I was take aback.  These chickens are hanging out a half a block from Ventura Boulevard – we’re talking a long way from Kansas.  So, being  Canadian – that means “too nice” according to Dude -  I stopped with the intention of coming to their aid.  I thought they must have owners missing them, but I didn’t really have a plan for EXACTLY how I was going to help them… I digress.

After I’d spent a little time trying to corral the hens a neighbor pulled up,  I asked if he know who the chickens belonged to – and he informed me they were wild and had been in the area for YEARS!!!

The “wild chicken way” isn’t usually the fastest way to our destination, yet I consistently detour hoping we spot the elusive hens.

When we actually spot the hens – we’ll usually take the time to double back and watch them peck around.  Nothing much happens, but the children love it and always hate it when I finally start inching the car away.

We’ll have conversations and wonder how they came to live here, where they sleep and how they stay safe at night.   We’ll not spot them for some time and wonder if they are OK.

In a world where the pace of life has gotten so fast my head often spins.  The “Wild Chicken Way” has become a tiny reminder to slow down and appreciate the little things in life.

Now clearly not everyone has “wild chicken’s” around the corner, but I’ll bet there is something unique in your neighborhood, something that will pull you out of the craziness of life and let you slow down to  take time and observe life’s little miracles.

Others might race through this intersection and miss the little treasure it hold for our family.  Plus, what mother’s heart wouldn’t melt just a little when hearing their childrens voices chime with this seemingly odd request…. “Mama, can we take the wild chicken way?”

The Wild Chicken Way

Gardening 101: Week 3

Six weeks ago we had a patch of grass next to our pool that we converted to an organic vegetable garden.  Click here to read all about my lack of skill in the gardening department and all the help I required to get this project off the ground.

We were a little late getting the plants in the ground… I was worried the heat would prevent them from getting established, but fortunately it’s been a cooler June in LA so most of the plants survived.

Not only did they survive, they thrived.  When I took the family to away to the Evolution of Women in Social Media conference in Park City, Utah we were gone for a total of 5 days.  We came home and all my itty bitty plants literally exploded!  I knew the tomatoes would need staking as soon as we got back from from the trip, but was shocked to come back and find the plants falling over only days later.

Tonight we made our first salad out of lettuce, radishes and basil harvested from the garden.  The tomatoes and cucumbers are close behind!  I’m also SURE before I know it the butternut squash, zucchini are going to be overrunning my pantry.  What will I do with them all!

To give you an idea of how tall the tomatoes have gotten – I staked them on 4′ Bamboo U-Stakes – if you can’t see from the picture I’d say they are easily 2′ tall already.  And there are baby heirloom tomatoes sprouting all over the place!

More Photos from my gardening adventures to date:

This little pepper plant has been the same size since the day I planted it!  It hasn’t died, but at the same time it refuses to grow.

This pepper is growing on a plant that is almost smaller than it is!   How is that possible?

I think it’s almost time to thin the lettuce – not sure what that entails – but I’m sure google will be happy to help guide me through.  I also think it’s about time to plant more lettuce seeds… they say to sow every 3 weeks or so for continual harvest.

I’m pretty sure this means I’ll have more cucumbers than I know what to do with very, very soon!

Our first Salad from the garden – Basil, Romaine Lettuce and a few radishes – or pink & whites as I called them in an attempt to get lil diva to like them! No luck BTW.

So far so good, but my gardening adventure has just begun… I’m sure there will be more stories to come!  And… if you need any Basil… I have a lot, let me know I’m happy to share!

Gardening 101: Week 3

Diva Family Disney Adventure

Living in Southern California – I think I delayed our inevitable  first family visit to the Disneyland Theme Park for as long as possible – Lil’ Diva was 4.5 and Lil’ Dude was 3 .  We decided to make our first visit special and stay overnight, allowing us to spend 2 days at the park.

My mom & younger sister were also visiting southern California, making the timing perfect.  Mom had never taken us, needless to say, being able to go with 2 of her daughter and her grandchildren was quite a treat for her.

I knew the kids were going to have the time of their life and while we were there – I wanted to find out what green efforts were a going on at this classic California theme Park – if any.

Turns out I was able to uncover some of the parks effort without even visiting their website:

Lil Dude hasn’t quite discovered his inner speed demon – yet – so one of his favorite rides was the Disneyland Railroad Train.  We rode it a few times.  On one of our rides it stopped to get fuel  Imagine my surprise when the conductor informed us that the steam was generated with BioDiesel collected from the park restaurants. No fancy stickers or pre-recorded promotion, just a mention in passing by the conductor.  Nice.  Can they convert the Race Cars to the same fuel – those are a little stinky!

I noticed  recycling receptacles throughout the park .  These are great – sadly most  people don’t bother to use them or use them incorrectly.  Imagine my surprise when I noticed one of the park employees dumpster diving!

Having recycling receptacles (say that 5 times fast) is one thing, but I happened to walk by when “Cast Member” Verola was emptying trash and  she did something that astounded me… I caught her fishing out the recyclable bottles out of the trash and walking them across the way to the recyling receptacle.  I had to investigate further!  It turns out that Disney donates the money raised by the recyling to charity – and Verola was motivated.  She proudly informed me that it was for the dogs.

 

While we visited the park we took advantage of the fruit stalls located near Pirates of the Caribbean.  It certainly would have been more economical to pack our own fruit, but in the absence good planning it was nice to have a few healthy options to mesh in between the cotton candy and bbq we hit for dinner.

Disney has also set some strong eco milestones.  In the next 2-4 years they plan to cut their emissions by 50%, their electricity use by 10% and lastly they plan to reduce their waste by 50%.  Their long term goal is zero emission and waste.

I would love to see them taking a stronger stance on the impact of Disney products, but overall they are making inroads in many areas, and have set some lofty goals.  I can’t wait to see how close they get to achieving them and in the meantime – we ended up purchasing season’s passes – so the lil’s will be sure to experience more joy at the happiest place on earth.

Diva Family Disney Adventure

Diva & Dude on ABC News – Couples in Dispute Over Green Living

Dude and I were recently interviewed by ABC News – The producer found me after I wrote this article “Is Going Green Making Your Spouse See Red” – all about the tension that can be created at home when partners aren’t on the same page.

For the record – Bamboo underwear are super soft and I ASKED him if he wanted them after a company approached me to work with them!

In the event the video feed isn’t working try clicking HERE to read the story.

Image Courtesy of Don’t Smile Now Photography – Thank You Shani!

Diva & Dude on ABC News – Couples in Dispute Over Green Living

Oprah & Pure Natural Diva

Oprah is Having a Contest and my friend, Desiree, at Bottles To Britches told me I HAD to enter.  So I got to work.

Now that my video audition is complete – please check it out – and more importantly – VOTE!!!  Voting couldn’t be any easier – no forms to fill out – just one second to click on vote.

I Need Your Votes – TODAY, TOMORROW, OVER and OVER and OVER again!  The math goes like this -  I need every single fan to generate 8 votes daily.  Yet we know that only 10% of people really get involved that really means I need my biggest fans generating 65 votes every single day… hmmm…

Your votes will get Pure Natural Diva one step closer to having a show on the air that is fully dedicated to Whole Living with Style and Ease – imagine the difference we could make.

This is a hardcore competition with high stakes.  The current leader of the contest is Rener Gracie – he has the entire Fighting Community voting for him  – in two weeks he’s gotten over a million votes.

Spread the Word – Share – Share – Share

Forward this via email to everyone on your contact list, copy and paste the message below on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and all other social media networks.

Tweet & Status Update

Vote for Pure Natural Diva to win her own show on Oprah’s network  – give a voice to healthier, greener living! http://bit.ly/dwAlGP

Blogger’s:  I’ve created a simple post that you can use on your blog

Click Here to grab your story!

Check out the Audition

http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=5711&promo_id=1  to view my audition piece – then click “Vote” – that’s it!

One voter had this to say on the Oprah site:

“We need Pure Natural Diva Live! America needs this show! I love that Tania is a mom who wants to make a difference in all our lives. She has passion and really dives into the issues, makes you feel passionate too about wanting to make changes in your own home and life. In addition to being a hilarious and genuine person she is incredibly smart. Tania has invested her heart & soul in Pure Natural Diva….out of not just her own family & personal needs but seeing a genuine need in all of our lives & in society today Please pick Pure Natural Diva Live to be an Oprah show!”

View Tania’s audition here and don’t forget to vote – http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=5711&promo_id=1

Very Important – So I’ll say it again!

Voting is not limited  – so please vote AS MANY times as possible before the deadline on July 3rd.

Thanks guys! Together we can make this happen and positively impact lots of lives.

Extra Bonus Points

Help get the producer’s attention by posting a comment too!  Show the producer’s that you believe a show like PND live can make a difference in lives around the country!

Oprah & Pure Natural Diva

Tyler Florence Wishbone Los Angeles TweetUp

Pure Natural Diva opened our doors to some fabulous Los Angeles Twivas for a lovely brunch!

For this event we made Tyler’s Salad and an  EggFrittata.

Tyler Florence’s  Arugula, Roasted Cherry Tomato & Bocconcini Salad:

1. Preheat oven 350°.
2. Arrange tomatoes in roasting pan, then drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic and thyme. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes or until tomatoes are tender and start to burst.

 

This event was sponsored by Wishbone.

Tyler Florence Wishbone Los Angeles TweetUp

Gardening 101: Diva Style

I am not the gardener in my family.  To keep my yard looking remotely presentable a team of people show up for one hour every Wednesday mornings and presto flowers.  Attempting to grow  food – other than my citrus trees – is monumental for me.

We live in one of the best growing climates in the world and I have a weekly gardener coming to tend to my yard, sprinklers to water it and NOTHING to show for it… ever.

This year I decided that it was time to try to grow some food.  My mother is an avid gardener, as are both of my sister… I could do this.

The initial idea was to plant in an amongst my regular plants.  That didn’t work out very well… turns out our team of expert gardeners is not very adept at steering around newly sowed seeds and the soil wasn’t very good.

Not to be discouraged I pitched Dude on the idea of turning a thin sliver of our yard into a garden.  By some miracle, not only did he agree – he also said “why not make it bigger”!

So I set to work – which in this case required a meeting with my gardener and we set a time to tear up a section of our yard, put in a drip watering system and import some compost.  Now, after a few hiccups in the execution I have a lovely raised bed garden.

I’m still not sure we found the best soil.  I searched high and low in Los Angeles for organic compost and ended up going with compost that is made from clippings from Griffith Park and zoo doo – yep exotic poo!  The city calls it TOPGRO – they say it’s organic, it’s free for the taking and well tested to ensure that it is ready to be used.

In the LA area you can also get compost from the Green Recycling Center – 2649 Washington Street, Los Angeles.   Fri/Sat/Sun from 9-3.

Once we got the compost in the fun started.  My family had set up a rough plan for me that I tried to follow… and I’ve been trying to companion plant using this guide.  There are many moments of confusion… will this lettuce really work in full sun, I need a taller plant that will work in the shade here… and so on.

The children are over the moon excited.  I bought them each their own watering can to avoid the ongoing battles that would have come with one.  I also faced an interesting dilemma at the garden store when purchasing a watering can of my own… Buy the plastic can that is made in the US or the Metal Can made in China?  I opted for plastic – I think it will hold up much longer and not need replacing.

So far we have planted: Strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red & green peppers, butternut squash, melons, cucumber, snap peas, lettuces, spinach, basil, broccoli, leeks, basil, chives, beets, carrots and grapes!  Still to come are parsley, oregano, zucchini, beans and baby pumpkin.

We did a couple other things to help create a natural good growing environment:

• Worms – The kids went crazy over the container of worms I bought to get my worm population started… never thought I’d use those words together in a sentence!
• Ladybugs – Apparently ladybugs eat aphids and other undesirable pests… We’ll see because I set at least a hundred of them free one night.  Releasing them at night, they don’t fly away.  Instead they look for food and will hang out and lay more eggs.  We’ll see!

I’m still noticing that some critters are munching on my delicate fresh plants, so I need to determine what is doing the damage to find the right natural predator for the job.  I’ve also planted nasturtiums throughout the garden to help.

The gardener got me up and running and I’m doing the planting myself.  For the gardening purists this may seem wrong, but for this Diva I’m going to call it a happy starting point.

Once I get this plot going – I’m going to go through my landscaping and see where we can find places to add raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

Please VOTE for my Oprah Audition!

Gardening 101: Diva Style

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