Articles Written by Julie Hancher

Happy Friday! Hope you'll been outside soaking up some of the last rays of August this weekend (or last night, a la Diner En Blanc). Here's a few green links & news you may have missed:

40% of the food in the US is never eaten and thrown away, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council in a report released this week. This breaks down to 20+ lbs per person per month, 25% of the groceries purchased & wasting an estimated $1300-$2300 for a family of 4 annually. How can you waste less food?

Just like Marc Vetri, we're frustrated by the Phone Books that end up on our Philadelphia stoops. The good news is that (most) phone books are (find out about recycling phone books & how to opt out, after the jump!)

When I first read a pitch for a feminine, 'natural' cleaner, I was slightly apprehensive about greenwashing. However, talking with healthy hoohoo founder Stacy Lyon was informative, enlightening and straight-up fun. And I totally understand why her products are essential in the market. A self described "outdoor, wildlife & mountain woman", Stacy Lyon grew up a simple lady and was living with the closest grocery store 21 miles away. Then, one of her friends was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and she heard the word "paraben' for the first time.  Compiled with 2 other convos in 1 week with her OBGYN and another friend, she realized that women are in the perfect storm for their lady parts with popular products: polyester thongs, processed food & cheap toiletries. And then there was this statistic, which shocked me: (Find out the shocking statistic AND essential tips to keep your VJ healthy, after the jump:)

Happy Shark Week! To continue in the aquatic tradition of this week, we’ll explore a few activities you can do in the H20! (Plus, Shark Week mentions some encounters of Sharks with Paddle Boarders…) For Family Beach Week 2012, I was itching to do something athletic & aquatic… My bike on the boardwalk could only get me so far mentally. Since it’s important to support sustainable tourism where you can to prove that animals are worth more money alive than dead, I was psyched when my cousin asked me to join her in Stand Up Paddle board Lessons. What is Stand Up Paddle Boarding? (Find out more, after the jump!)

Happy Shark Week! The Discovery Channel's yearly celebration of sharks began last night. Last year we took a week to embrace ocean themes, including the truth of Shark Finning. We'll continue the tradition and explore more aquatic green-isms this week... Nothing is more pristine than taking in nature, sitting on the beach and looking at the ocean... even if it's the lame Jersey Shore (compared to Hawaii...) After spending the past week at the Jersey Shore with my family, I was highly disappointed to not be allowed in the Ocean for 2 days due to trash and a "high bacteria count" of the water. If the water wasn't safe for me to take a swim, what's going on with the marine life in the rest of the oceans? Did you know that one of the largest 'landfills' on Earth lies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? (Find our more about this plastic pollution garbage, after the jump!)

Get snacks from Whole Foods or takeout containers from last weekend's dinner delivery? Those plastic food containers are handy to store food & other household goods. As tempting as it is for a quick reheat, put the plastic down! Don't subject plastic food containers to (find out more, after the jump!)

Food is a precious resource that shouldn't be wasted - but what about those blemished produce typically discarded by farmers? A local company is helping families in need and saving space in landfills with a creative new product. Campbell's Soup created a recipe of (Find out how Campbell's is helping local families and farmers, after the jump!)

Arcadia has long been the idea of earthly paradise & wilderness, captured by artists. The Philadelphia Art Museum currently has their own Visions of Arcadia: Gauguin, Cézanne, Matisse exhibition running now through September 3. Three of these mural-sized paintings capture the theme of a mystical place of contentment and harmony, setting the tone of foundations of modern art. This exhibit is exclusive to Philadelphia and includes masterpieces by Picasso, Gleizes, and Signac. Want to experience this for yourself? (Find out how to win a pair of VIP tickets after the jump!)