GO GREEN EXPO!

Happy belated Earth Day! Going “green”. Does it mean more than just “saving the earth” or rainforest? How about your own health? Over the past years “green” products have been developed to help rid those that contain chemicals that are detrimental to our health. It will certainly take much to handle the air that we breathe, but at the recent Go Green Expo in New York, there were over 600 vendors and companies waiting to talk about and sell their “green” merchandise or services.

Gay Browne is the founder of Greenopia, a non-paid guide listing and rating thousands of local eco-friendly retailers, service providers and organizations in major metropolitan areas, such as the 325-page book for New York City. It says, “We personally surveyed every corner of the five-borough area to uncover, identify, and evaluate green businesses.” Even the guides are printed on FSC-certified or recycled chlorine-free apper with soy inks. www.greenopia.com

Although there were a few companies with reusable dry cleaning bags, the one that stood out was company called Agreenday.org. In an effort to rid the use of plastic, Darleen Reilly has come up with the solution to all of those plastic bags that come on the hangers of your clothes when you have your cleaning done. The way it works is that you place your bag upside down on a hook placing your soiled clothes in the bag. Bring the bag and leave it. Once you’re ready to return to the dry cleaners you have your clean items returned in your very own bag eliminating the use of plastics in the dry cleaning industry (and the fabrics used are from the USA). Product include: 100 % organic cotton bag; the Celebrity Global Bag with great fab design, and the Green Sleeve, 100% Nylon material that’s water repellent and can be recycled. www.agreenday.org

Nada Chair is a unique line of back support systems designed to use your body to support itself. They are in the business of easing and preventing back pain. The Nada-Chair is the chair that you wear. That’s right! This slouch-busting sling lets you sit comfortably for hours with effortless good posture. When you sit forward, the back support follows. Since the Nada-Chair follows your body with every move, you constantly enjoy firm, adjustable and dynamic support hugging your low back. They have a variety of “chairs” depending upon that “non-activity” that you’re engaged in, from sitting at your computer to fishing. Great idea if you’re going to a sports game with no back support! www.nadachair.com

Salute Sante grapeseed oil. Here’s the 101 on it all. Salute Santé! Grapeseed Oil has long been the secret of gourmet chefs who love its light and nutty, yet neutral flavor. It has the unique ability to enhance the flavors of ingredients instead of overpowering them and leaves no greasy aftertaste! It makes savory marinades and salad dressings that will not cloud when chilled, so you can use them right out of the refrigerator. The high smoke point (485 F) makes it ideal for hot food preparation which means you can sauté, fry or bake without any smoking, splattering or burning. The excellent emulsification properties make it ideal for whipping mayonnaise and creamy dressings that will not separate when chilled. The Salute Santé! Infused Grapeseed Oils shine with delicious fresh flavors, making them ideal as a liquid spice in all your cooking or as a simple and delicious dip for bread in place of butter or margarine. The oil is an ecologically sound product that is made from the seeds of grapes after the wine is pressed. There is no need for hybrid or genetically engineered crops, nor does it require new farmland, crops or water to produce.

Salute Santé! means “to your health” in Italian and French. Grapeseed oil is high in vitamin E and is 76% essential fatty acid, linoleic acid (also known as Omega 6). It is low in saturated fat, contains natural chlorophyll and valuable antioxidants (known as proanthocyninidins). Studies have shown a unique ability that may significantly raise HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), lower LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides; the effect of which may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and impotency, something that no other food product has been known to do!
It contains NO cholesterol, NO sodium and NO preservatives such as TBHQ or BHT. It is NOT hydrogenated and contains NO solvents, NO trans-fatty acids or free fatty acids.
Now, let’s add that Salute Santé! Grapeseed Oil is 100% natural Italian grapeseed oil. We sign off with our quality logo on every new batch of grapeseed oil which assures you the freshest and best quality grapeseed oil available. We guarantee a two year shelf life in our special dark glass bottle which filters out ultra violet light, unlike commonly used clear glass or plastic bottles. Try the lemon, roasted garlic, rosemary or basil infused!

Oh yeah. Did I tell you that they also make this unbelievably delicious grape juice called Vin Jus? It’s a white grape juice taken from the grapes that are grown for wines. Virgin grape juice that’s just sweet enough and much better than non-alcoholic wines! www.grapeseedoil.com

Theo Chocolates! When I met the guy I told him that I am a chocoholic and he admitted to being one also. They use green energy sources to power their factories and sustainable packaging and printing methods. Pure ingredients. What’s even more important is that they are doing their own roasting of the cacoa beans, which means that Theo sources it’s own chocolates rather than gets it from another “bulk” company. So, how good it is? I tried the fig fennel and almond bar; cherry and almond; orange (oooh…orange and chocolate) and the 70% cocoa. www.theochocolate.com

Olivier was there. They are an olive oil soapery located in the province of New Brunswick, in Canada. I interviewed them on my radio show a while back. That's a photo of them on the top right. The owner is the guy with the curly hair in the middle.

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