By Carlyn McClure
With the first snowfall right around the corner, it is time to gear up for the harsh Minnesota winter!
Here are 4 ways to stay warm and green with the winter white on its way!
1. Bundle up in an eco-friendly coat from Patagonia. These coats are made with Patagonia’s environmentally friendly version of an insulating shell called Gore-Tex, which is sure to keep you warm. You can feel good about wearing these coats too because they are made with recycled, worn-out garments and fabrics and used soda bottles. (Check out www.patagonia.com for more information.)
2. Make a hot cup of organically grown coffee. For coffee lovers, nothing compares to a hot cup of coffee on a cold winter day… besides a hot cup of organically grown fair trade coffee that is! Velasquez Family Coffee is a small family owned and operated company that farms coffee plants in Honduras and roasts and distributes the coffee here in Minnesota. The coffee can be ordered online, or if you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, it can be delivered straight to your doorstep on the second Friday of each month. (Visit www.vfamilycoffee.com to order.)
3. Cuddle up on the couch with blanket made from organic cotton. Be sure to pick up an organic cotton blanket to curl up with this winter. These blankets are made with cotton plants that have not been genetically modified with chemicals, such as fertilizers or pesticides. Check out Moss Envy in Minneapolis to get your hands on of these cozy and environmentally friendly blankets! (To order online, visit www.mossenvy.com.)
4. Create a cozy atmosphere with Purple Prairie Botanicals organic soy candles. While cuddling up on the couch with your organic cotton blanket and steamy, organically grown coffee, why not add to the relaxing aura by lighting some organic soy candles? Purple Prairie Botanicals is a Minnesota based company devoted to Mother Earth. There soy candles, as well as all there other products, follow their “green philosophy” standards. The candles come in eight pleasant scents and can be purchased at various locations in Minnesota. (For a list of locations and more information, visit www.purpleprairie.com.)
-Cook up some locally-grown organic ingredients in a tasty homemade soup or stew, or bake something with them. Fresh from the oven/stove food warms you up when you eat it, and after turning off the oven, keep the door open and let the heat radiate into the kitchen. Warms it up in no time!
-For babies – Cloth diapers and wool covers or wool longies are the way to go! Eco-friendly, budget friendly, and the wool is so soft and keeps baby nice and cozy!
-Let the sun in on a nice day! Open those blinds. 100% free and 100% green!
Wait, I cannot fathom it being so stragitfohrward.