Accidental Locavore: The Locavore Challenge 2

If you could only pick 5 things to cook with and/or eat that weren't local, what would they be?

There are way too many things I like to eat that come from more than 100 miles from NYC -- or even Dutchess County. And eating local would get pretty tough/boring come January. That's why I consider myself an accidental locavore. But there's plenty to eat that's great and local, especially in September: corn, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, squash, lots of other good foods!

Dede's Green Scene - Living with Ed Begley Jr.

Ed Begley Jr. may have been in the film “Best in Show,” but he’s also the best in being green. Ed is a well-known environmentalist. He’s toured across the country discussing ways to reduce one’s carbon footprint. He even sells his own line of natural cleaning products that you can even drink! Now, Ed Begley Jr. and his family star in their own reality show, “Living with Ed,” on Planet Green. The show is already in its third season and focuses on Ed and his wife, Rachelle, and the struggles of being married to one of the greenest men on the planet.

Designing Green with Robin Baron: The Kitchen

Hi! I’m very excited about my new column “Designing Green with Robin Baron.” I have been an interior designer with my own firm for 20 years, and I have always been eco-conscious. What is inspiring to me now is that sustainable design has become a high priority of home décor manufacturers and vendors creating the opportunity for green products to have more style than ever before.  Style no longer has to be sacrificed when designing an eco-conscious home! From recycled glass tile to no VOC paints and finishes to reclaimed wood and sustainably-harvested wood…there are so many sustainable products available so that style does not have to take a back seat. I’m looking forward to sharing these with you!

Accidental Locavore: Happy Memorial Day, First Farmbasket

You know I stumbled into the locavore arena last summer with my surprise farmbaskets. That's why I consider myself an accidental locavore. Also, living in New York, there are way too many things; tea, salt (sorry Nanny Bloomberg) and olive oil, to name a few, that are not, and will never be made within a 90 mile radius. Could you live without them?

Geothermal Energy

We rarely see evidence of the immense heat deep below the Earth's surface. Yet the power of volcanoes, deep-sea vents, and hot geysers is proof that it exists. Magma, melted rock carrying heat from the core of the planet, bubbles under the Earth's crust. When magma finds its way to the surface, it becomes lava and volcanic rock, but more often it remains underground, heating the surrounding rock and water.

Chryso's Beauty Buys: Eco-Friendly Body Lotion

Welcome to my beauty column! We will devote this space to a different product category for the month, be it body wash, nail polish, or bath salts. We’ll let you know which brand outshined the rest in the categories of safety, environmental responsiveness, packaging, practicality, and results so that you can make informed choices about what you slather on, dust on, and lather up with. This month we take on body lotion…

There’s nothing sweeter than slathering on body lotion after a shower. And it’s all the more indulgent to do so with a scent that you completely adore—like vanilla, lavender, watermelon or bubble gum! Sweet bouquets aside, what counts when it comes to a product that you use all over your skin, day after day, sometimes more than once a day, are the ingredients it’s made of.

Picturing A World Without Trash - Life Cycle Assessment and Cradle to Cradle Design

Recycling everything we use is a massive undertaking, from sorting items correctly to processing them in the most efficient way. To fully eliminate waste from the picture, it's crucial to assess how a product is manufactured, used, and handled in the waste stream. Life cycle assessment and cradle to cradle design are two tools that have been used successfully to improve manufacturing so that items are useful for a longer period of time, and sometimes stay out of landfills entirely.

Dede's Green Scene - The Summit on the Summit

Celebrities walk the red carpet, but what about mountains? Do they walk to the top of an infamous mountain such as Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa? That’s exactly what a group of celebrities, led by the musician, Kenna, did in January to raise awareness of the global drinking water crisis.

Chryso's Beauty Buys: Eco-Friendly Concealer

A good concealer is like an undercover lover. It works incognito without anyone ever knowing it’s a part of your life—and it might even make you glow.

Use concealer to banish under-eye circles, redness, acne scars and pimples, minimize fine lines and brighten your eyes and skin. Wear it under foundation or solo—that’s my M.O!

Chryso's Beauty Buys: Eco-Friendly Lip Gloss

Spring has sprung and, as with the weather, makeup palettes have lightened up and brightened up. First step, ditch your heavy matte lipstick for a weightless lip gloss. Second, let go of the winter reds and say hello to the hottest hue of the season—coral, according to Chanel celebrity makeup artist Kara Yoshimoto Bua, who offers up her tips on how to apply the shade.