Oils from Bergamot, Grapefruit and Petitgrain are essential, uplift ones spirits, decrease anxiety and depression. Also antiseptic, antispasmodic and deodorizing agent.

This weekend's Green Music Festival was a great time.  Listeneing to the Wailers and The Aggrolites was amazing and we made so many new friends.  Thanks to everyone who came out and thanks as well to all the support of our carbon neutral process.

It's back to work today and I'm making small batches of our zen-ful Bergamot and Grapefruit high lather body bars and massage oil today.  Ohmmmm.  They say if you truly love your work you never work a day in your life.  So true.

Bergamot’s distinctive citrus smell helps lift a blue mood, builds confidence and self-esteem.  Coming from the Citrus bergamia tree its oil is mechanically cold-pressed from the fruit’s rind. I've obtained the finest quality oil however which is hand-pressed.  

Grapefruit oil is believed to reduce cellulite and fluid retention, as well as reducing muscle aches and pains when massaged into the affected area.  The oil is obtained from the fresh peel of the fruit, by means of a process known as cold expression; which involves rupturing the fresh peel and pressing out the essence or zest.

In Chicago, vegan and don't have a lot of money to waste?

Check out the Chicago Vegan Co-op buying club to get discounts and wholesale pricing.  Buy in bulk or get your friends together and chip in on some Daiya Cheese for pizza night or pick up those great vegan hikers for the upcoming trek.  Saving money is fun and an ethical plant based diet should be rewarded.  Tell all your friends.

http://chicagoveganco-op.wikispaces.com/

Ethically Engineered Tour Date Announced

Don't miss Green Music Fest on Chicago Avenue between Ashland and Noble, Saturday and Sunday, June 26th & 27th from 12-10pm. The innovative green technology-themed event reflects our eco-conscious city by fusing environmentally-friendly bands with green vendors, local retailers, arts & crafts, and educational kid’s activities. greenmusicfestchicago.com

We had a great time, last year, turning new friends onto the No-Bottle Shampoo and Conditioning Bars while listing great bands like Art Brut.

This year's event features great live music on the main stage with the legendary reggae band The Wailers plus The Aggrolites headlining Saturday 6/26, and indie-rock legends Cloud Cult and David Bazan headlining 6/27.

Why Ethically Engineered will never contain fragrances.

Both Joe and I have been, and continue to be, deeply troubled about the effects of chemicals in our bio-sphere. Toxins are poorly regulated and tested prior to them being approved by the Federal Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, or the United States Department of Agriculture.

For those of you that have asked why we refuse to use chemical fragrances and only use essential oil in our products the answer is only as far as your shower drain. Ethically Engineered's mission includes the promise to only use ingredients that safely and harmlessly return to the water table and our planet.

In this article from CNN detailing the "5 toxins that are everywhere" you'll find the problems, research and solutions to avoiding chemicals like the following:

bisphenol A, or BPA; phthalates; PFOA; formaldehyde; and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PDBEs

Ethically Engineered will never contain the Phthalates.

Source: Full Story

Phthalates

What they do: This family of chemicals softens plastics. They also are used to bind chemicals together.

Where they're found: Shampoos, conditioners, body sprays, hair sprays, perfumes, colognes, soap, nail polish, shower curtains, medical tubing, IV bags, vinyl flooring and wall coverings, food packaging and coatings on time-release pharmaceuticals.

How we're exposed: Absorbed into the body through personal care products, ingested in drugs, on food, in water and dust. Infants can be exposed through infant care products like baby shampoos, lotions and powders. Fetuses are exposed in the womb. Virtually everyone is exposed to phthalates.

Health effects: A new study by the Mount Sinai Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research found a statistical association between prenatal exposure to phthalates and incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder years later. Phthalates are considered endocrine disrupters, and studies have shown a statistical association between phthalate exposure and male sexual development. Research has also shown phthalates disrupt reproductive development of male laboratory animals.

Regulation: Phthalates are an EPA "chemical of concern." The FDA allows for plastic containing phthalate in flexible food packaging. The U.S. government last year banned or restricted six phthalates for use in children's toys and children's products.

What you can do to reduce exposure: Avoid shampoos, conditioners and other personal care products that list "fragrance" as an ingredient. These may contain phthalates. (Companies are not required to disclose the ingredients in their scents, and the industry says this phthalate is safe.) The federal government recently ended one source of exposure, banning the sale of toys containing any of six phthalates.

Chicago city ordinance: Anti Bull-hook and long term chaining of Elephants

Originally posted: April 8, 2008
Posted and reporting by Jack Nugent at 9:20pm

For almost four hours today, a City Council committee heard testimony and debated an ordinance regarding the use of bull-hooks and long term chaining of circus elephants within the city limits of Chicago.

The ordinance would ban the use of a broad range of devices, such as bull hooks, ax handles, and electric shock, within city limits. The ordinance is currently backed by 25,000 signatures from Chicago City residents and introduced by Alderman Mary Anne Smith.

Smith defined the ordinance as "A legislative tool that will not prohibit (circus) business but will set the highest standards and best practices for a city that signs off on permits. The ordinance’s intent is to modernize the industry and allow for process improvement rather than rely on 100 year old tools that are outdated. It’s a matter of pain and suffering as well as ethics."

Proponents argued that children learn to act violently when they witness cruelty against animals. Animal Welfare advocates suggested alternative animal control measures such as Protected Contact guidelines which are currently in use at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and The Lincoln Park Zoo.

Aldermen heard testimony from retired police officer Blaine Doyle who had the unfortunate task of bringing down a raging elephant in 1992. The elephant was shot 47 times by Doyle and required 2 armor piercing rounds before it was killed. Doyle told the Aldermen that "Bull-hooks and chains are a facade of control".

Testimony was heard from former animal handlers, animal welfare workers, residents and Circus Industry spokesmen. Industry Spokesmen Tom Albert and Sarah Lashford presented the Industry argument stating that if this ordinance is passed Ringling Brothers and Feld Entertainment will not perform in Chicago.

Alderman Toni Preckwinkle questioned the Industry representatives asking if Ringling Brothers had ever performed without animals previously. Lashford responded that "Large cats, lions and tigers, were sometimes not used in shows". Ald. Preckwinkle and Smith rebuffed the Circus Industry’s statement to not do shows in Chicago stating that "economic threats are common threats heard in these chambers" and a common tactic used by Industries hoping to defeat progressive legislation.

In the end today’s meeting resulted in a call for reconvening this ordinance meeting with a discussion set for the third week of May. Ald. Smith strongly reprimanded the Circus Industry stating that new arguments were needed if they hoped to stop this legislation’s approval. Smith stated "The Industry must work with PETA on this issue. We can do better and this (bull-hook and chaining practice) is going to change. Zoos are changing and I see no reason, after today, why the circus industry can’t progress also."

Local coverage

Vegan peanut Butter cups

Peanut Butter Mousse
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu
(2 cups), blanched and drained
1 cup maple syrup
3⁄4 cup smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3⁄4 cup light natural cane sugar, or more to taste
3⁄4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Candy Cups
8 ounces nondairy chocolate chips


Tip: Admittedly, this is a time-consuming process, but chocolate cups can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container, so make them when you have time to play.

Peanut Butter Mousse in Chocolate Candy Cups
Yield: 4 cups mousse

I practically lived on peanut butter cup candies one semester at college. I don’t know why I was so drawn to them, but I do know it wasn’t a good thing. Tofu and organic peanut butter, both healthful foods, are the main players in this more healthful version of the popular treat, but it’s still not okay to eat too many. Of course, if peanut allergies are an issue, you can use another nut butter in its place.
To make the Chocolate Candy Cups, you’ll need paper candy cup liners or small cupcake liners (mini cups) and a clean, small watercolor paint brush, small pastry brush, or spoon. A pastry bag will be needed to fill them with the mousse.

1. To prepare the mousse, crumble the tofu into a food processor and process 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and process 1 minute. Add the peanut butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt, and process until the mixture is perfectly smooth and creamy. This can take up to 5 minutes. Stop the processor a few times to clean the sides of the bowl.

2. The mousse is ready to use, but can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to two days. Bring to room temperature when ready to use.

3. To prepare the chocolate cups, fit the paper liners into mini muffin tins or place on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Do not overheat. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.

4. Spoon some melted chocolate into each cup. Use the brush to coat the liners as thoroughly as possible. Make sure to coat the inside rim; you want to prevent it from breaking when the paper is peeled off the chocolate.Wipe off any chocolate that drips onto the outside of the rim. Refrigerate or freeze the cups until the chocolate has hardened; this will take 10 to 30 minutes depending upon how cold your freezer is, and how thick a layer of chocolate you have made. Place the bowl of melted chocolate back on the saucepan and keep it warm over barely simmering water.

5. Check the cups for thin spots. Add another layer of chocolate, coating the thin spots more generously. The chocolate doesn’t have to be smooth; the cups will be filled. Chill again until hardened.


6. Slowly and carefully peel the paper off in a spiral motion; don’t pull straight down, or the rim may break. (You may find it easier to peel the paper from the cups after you have filled them. Test one or two and decide which method works better for you.)

7. To assemble the candy cups, spoon or pipe some peanut butter cream into each cup using a pastry bag fitted with a plain or star tip. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Don’t believe the hype: Myths from the meat board

Every once in a while I run into a meat eater that has read these page E13 newspaper articles questioning the value of soybeans in a diet. Ethical eaters: here’s a link you want to save to your favorites. It may be a handy tool to use should you ever get this question from meat eaters: "But I’ve heard tofu is bad for you because____________(insert myth here).

The Safety of Soy

My first response is to tell them that; even if the junk science reports being sold to the media by the Texas Cattlemen Lobbyists, or the "Meat, it’s whats for dinner" board, were true then I would still eat wheat protien, nuts, beans and other vegetable protiens. I would still ensure my diet was cruelty free, varied, healthy, and most importantly I would get the satisfaction of not using my dollars to support an industry that the UN Panel on Climate Control reports is the largest producer of greenhouse gases (Yes, factory farms produce more GGs than all the SUVs on the road).

Examples of myths:

Soya disrupts thyroid function: Busted
Processed soya foods are bad for you:Busted
Soya makes you get man boobs:Busted (hell, I bust this or any of the guys over at Veganbodybuilding.com!