Love is in the air… and the pressure for the perfect Valentine’s Day date is high.  Add the desire to keep your celebrations eco-friendly and keep the costs within budget while “wowing” your sweetie and you may just be tempted to crawl under the covers and skip the whole thing altogether.

Fret not, your Lifekind Cupids (that’s us) have come up with a few ideas to make your Valentine’s Day memorable and earth-friendly. There is no need to go out and buy expensive jewelry or electronics, or have roses shipped halfway across the globe with these tips that are sure to impress:

5.  Make Memories Together
Skip the standard “dinner & a movie” date and take your valentine out for a night on the town– get dressed up and go Salsa dancing (many places even host lessons on Valentine’s Day) or wander around a local museum holding hands and enjoying each other’s company.  Don’t feel like getting dressed up?  Stay in and have a game night with your favorite take-out.  Be sure to keep score, with the winner earning coupons for something fun like kisses or a back rub.

4. Give Flowers That Will Last
A dozen cut roses isn’t the only way to say “I love you”.  Remind your valentine you love them all year with a potted plant or flower.  A beautiful orchid from a local nursery is sure to make her heart flutter.  Feel like roses is the only way to go?  Get a pot (or three) of mini roses that can be planted out in the garden for years of enjoyment.

3. Chocolate, Chocolate, Sweet Organic Chocolate

Some traditionalists will insist on a heart-shaped box of chocolates.  In that case, get some delicious organic chocolates to woo your sweetie.  I love Smith Organic Chocolates, especially their amazing Organic Fresh Raspberry Truffles.

2.  Make Your Valentines by Hand

No need to depend on Hallmark for your heartfelt sentiments.  Recycle pretty cardstock, paper doilies and fabric scraps you already have on hand to make your cards.  Cut out hearts, glue on candies or buttons, and add a favorite poem.  Seal the envelope with a kiss (use bright red lipstick!) and hand-deliver your one-of-a-kind message.

1. Go Treasure Hunting
Surprise your wife with a piece of vintage jewelry or a cut glass vase from an antique store.  If your man already has everything, scour the shops for antique fishing lures, a unique pocket watch or something to hang in his man cave. Sometimes it just takes a little digging to find the perfect gift.  Art, jewelry and clothing created by community artisans are often carried in locally-owned stores – and  feel more special than a mass-produced bauble picked up at a chain store.

We all have a favorite pillow on our bed that we love and gravitate toward. Mine has a special pillow cover, so I know exactly which one it is. It started out so nice and tall, and slowly, over time, became as flat as a pancake without my even realizing how much it was changing.

It got me thinking: How do we really know whether a pillow is right for us or when it’s time to replace it?

Here are some questions that can help you determine when it’s time to replace that beloved pillow. A “Yes” answer to any question is a good indicator it may be time to move on:

Is your pillow misshapen or lumpy?

Place it on a flat surface. Rather than laying flat,  do you notice lumps or a misshapen surface?

Does your pillow fail the “force test”?

For latex pillows, place your hand in the center of the pillow and push down. Is there sufficient resistance, or does your hand go all the way down to the surface underneath?

For down pillows, fold them in half and then let them go. Natural-down pillows should slowly regain their shape, while synthetic down should spring back quickly. If they don’t, it may be time to move on.

Do you ache when you wake up in the morning?

Did you buy your pillow more than 24 months ago?

Do you wake frequently to readjust your pillow or change your head’s position?

Having an inadequate or uncomfortable pillow can cause pain and prevent a restful night’s sleep. If your neck or back hurt, it may mean your pillow isn’t properly supporting your neck throughout the night.  If you wake up periodically to readjust your head, it’s also reducing the amount of rest you’re getting. Without good, deep sleep, it can be harder to function throughout the day.

Discovery News posted an article explaining why pillows become heavier as they age: “With just two years of use, one-third of a pillow’s weight is comprised of dead skin cells, bugs, and dust mites and their droppings.”  (For more information on what may be inside your pillow, visit Discovery News at http://news.discovery.com/human/pillow-insides-110627.html.)

I found that my pillow was in need of replacement, so I made sure to get a healthful and comfortable one from Lifekind. I chose the Wool-Wrapped Shredded Rubber Pillow, along with an Organic Cotton Pillow Barrier Cover.  Now I sleep peacefully through the night, and I love my new favorite pillow. I’m also glad to have the barrier cover so I don’t have to worry about it getting dingy or being full of things I’d rather not mention or even think about.

If you’ve determined that you need to replace your favorite pillow, give us a call or visit  www.lifekind.com so we can help you find a new one!

Next Week: How to select your perfect pillow

Our boss, Walt, likes to do something nice for his employees during the December holidays.  This year, he will treat us to a nice sit-down dinner, and then to a play at a local playhouse. It’s always a nice treat to see everyone dressed up and getting to sit around and chat (about something other than mattresses).

In the past, we employees have done a “Secret Santa” gift exchange, but this is the second year that we are going to be donating gifts to our local homeless shelter, Hospitality House. Each of us chose a paper ornament from our office Christmas tree, and purchased the gift listed on the back.  We will be collecting all of the gifts and dropping them off at the shelter before Christmas.

In addition to the gift I put under the tree, I will also be participating in an evening of conscious music where local performers come together to to raise funds for Hospitality House. Each year I have had the honor to sing for this wonderful event, which always leaves me feeling uplifted!

The fact that this year Lifekind employees are giving to Hospitality House instead of our annual Secret Santa event — one of my favorites –makes my heart sing. And this year, when I take the stage on December 17th for the “Night of Giving” benefit concert, I will hold dear to my heart that my Lifekind family has contributed as well!

Here’s wishing you all a peaceful holiday season filled with kindness and compassion.

Kimberly

Hospitality House is a nonprofit program in here in Nevada County, Northern California, that services the homeless. They work in collaboration with local churches and other service organizations to provide meals and shelter to the homeless in our community. The staff and management at the Hospitality House look forward to improving their services even more in 2012 once they have moved into their new facility.

In addition to working at Lifekind as a product specialist, Kimberly Bass is also an accomplished singer/songwriter and musician.

The Organic Trade Association just published a study that says 78% of American familes purchase organic foods.   Read the full story, and let us know what you think about it?  Are you purchasing organic foods for your family, despite the economy?  What other organic products do you insist on?

After four years of assisting Lifekind customers, there’s a story that always touches my heart: Ava, who received her first Organic Cotton Mocha Stuffed Bunny as a newborn. The other day Ava’s mother called explaining that Ava still takes “Bunny” everywhere. When the family goes on vacation, Bunny goes too. But after five years, Bunny was a little worn out. It had been stitched & patched so many times that mending just wouldn’t do anymore, and it was time for a replacement. Ava’s mother was hoping that if Ava were to think it was the same bunny, switching the old bunny for a new one would be a smooth transition. She was relieved to learn we still made our bunny, although we no longer made the mocha-colored version – only vanilla.

A few days later I received a call from Ava and her mom to discuss the situation. I must have said the right thing, because Ava approved the new bunny idea, even in a new color, and they placed the order. I was reminded of one of my most comforting stories, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. For children, comfort objects may take the form of a blanket, a stuffed animal, or a favorite toy, and like Ava’s, mine was a bunny.

A few months later, out of the blue I received a call from Ava’s mom, who said everything was great. Ava loved her new Bunny. Instead of replacing the original, she kept them both, and now they’re included in all her activities.

If you know someone who could use some comforting, get him or her a new bunny at http://www.lifekind.com/index.php/site_category_product/139/?from=28.

Why are Americans clogging intersections in large and small cities from New York to Portland? In my opinion, it really isn’t too complicated. The protesters are desperately trying to show the nation that they believe the American people are no longer being fairly represented within the economic structure of this country.

In the past few weeks, we have all seen network footage that seems intent on ridiculing and marginalizing these people, and we listened to a variety of elected and nonelected voices question the purposes and importance of the protesters. But I believe that the focus of these communicators should be on the fact that these people have been left with few choices, and they are tired of being victims.

Which begs the question, victims of whom?

If you ask them, they will point to the banks and other financial institutions, Congress, past and present Presidents, the Federal Reserve, and large corporations, but I think the answer is far broader.

While most of us are not protesting, I think we are all victims.

We live in a society that has been borne of a culture in which greed has been permitted, and often encouraged, with little concern for overall social accountability – the consequences of one’s behavior. This was not the intent of our founders.

John Locke (1632-1704) greatly influenced our Constitution, as well as much of our Western political philosophy. Dr. Locke was fascinated with how the rules of human nature influence the rules of moral behavior and how they interacted.

Locke was an important thinker on individual liberty and personal rights, and was respected by the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine. Dr. Locke balanced the individual’s actions against the consequences of those actions using a moral compass that he called THE NATURAL LAW: “No one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.” To paraphrase, don’t pursue a goal whereby you make a victim of someone else.

Locke made the point that for an economic system to work it must protect individual rights, but it cannot work if that system exercises those rights without respect for the rights of others.

I believe that our system is failing because the majority of our institutions have no regard for, or feel any social responsibility for, the country as a whole. America’s corporations have lost their moral compass, and if you suggest this they cry socialism. Corporations – and those who run them – simply have all the money and power to influence anything they want, and the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision put the icing on the cake. Our representatives have permitted it, and our Supreme Court has enshrined it.

In her book Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand said that there is nothing wrong with greed, and I agree. Greed is the energy that motivates us to get out of bed in the morning. But where is the counter balance to greed? What is it that prevents those seeking their own agendas from trespassing on the rights of other individuals, to make them victims for their own benefit?

In her book, Rand described a Western society in which government over-restricted the rights of entrepreneurs, and  the entrepreneurs  walked away to prove that without them the engines of production would stop. I wonder what she would say today if she were to see a nation in which the entrepreneurial class has become the bureaucrats – albeit indirectly through influence and election. What would Rand think if she were to see a nation in which one entrepreneurial class had the ability to pass, or greatly influence, whatever legislation facilitated their corporate goals simply by throwing more lobbyists and money at the issue, with no social considerations applied to their desires?

Where in our current culture are the social goals that ensure that pursuing greed does not mean making victims out of Americans?

Who is protecting us? Who insures that there is balance?

A recent study done by Duke University showed that 80% of common baby products tested contain high levels of toxic flame retardants linked to cancer, decreased IQ, thyroid disruption, and learning problems. All of the products contained polyurethane foam, a prime offender when it comes to chemical exposure in our everyday lives, and included crib mattresses, car seats, changing pads, and baby carriers. This is especially alarming because babies’ delicate systems are still developing and are extra vulnerable to chemical-laden dust and toxic fumes.

With every study that shows the risks of exposure to toxic chemicals, it becomes more important to make sure that babies and young children are exposed as little as possible. Look for products that are third-party certified for chemical offgassing, such as Lifekind GREENGUARD-certified organic crib mattresses. Avoid polyurethane foam whenever possible, and always ask how what kind of flammability protection is used (organic wool is all we ever use at Lifekind).

Making informed decisions will go a long way toward protecting you and your family from the health effects of chemical exposure. For more information, go to watoxics.org/healthy-living/healthy-families/safe-start-for-kids-1/safe-start-for-kids or give us a call at Lifekind — we’re always glad to talk.

Most Lifekind customers are familiar with our passion for purity and reducing chemical exposure in our homes, even the Purity Promise: “If you can find a purer mattress, we’ll give you ours for FREE!“  What you may not know about is the behind the scenes commitment to supporting a healthier environment.

As the newest Product Specialist I am amazed to see how much consideration goes into every detail here at Lifekind.  From 100% US grown, first staple, certified organic cotton to the organically reared sheep who roam free on family-owned property in Northern California untreated by pesticides or other harmful chemicals.  With intense research of our products from start to finish I was able to see through my own jaded veil of “green” to accept the fact that people do still uphold ethics with honest high-quality products just because it’s the way things should be done.  It will come as no surprise that this is a way of life, not just isolated to business.

It is crucial that we support the delicate balance of the web of life and remember that every choice we make has consequences, known or unknown, that demand our responsibility.  We must protect the invaluable gifts of our Earth.  Without our oceans, life as we known it would cease to exist.  The same can be said about wildlife and nature in general, which is why we support organizations like Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).   In pursuit of a less toxic world Lifekind also contributes to companies such as Pesticide Action Network (PAN), Washington Toxics Coalition and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) that promote healthier alternatives and provide opportunities to support change on even the smallest level.

One of the biggest impacts you can make is to go organic in any way possible, knowing you are in fact taking responsibility for the consequences of your actions.  Foundations such as Green America and Organic Consumers Association are more than helpful, offering product lists and organizing relevant information.  Listed below is a list of foundations that I encourage you to include in your effort to live a more conscious life.  After all, Lifekind simply means to be “kind to all life.”

Recommended Foundations to Support:

Habitat for Humanity International                                    Ocean Conservancy
National Wildlife Federation                                    Union of Concerned Scientists
Nature Conservancy                                                Organic Trade Association
South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL)

Back in the 1970s, consumers were shocked to learn that a flame retardant called Tris had been contaminating children’s pajamas with toxic chemicals. Clothing manufacturers stopped using it when the risk became publicized, but it was never officially banned in the U.S.

Now a report from Duke University shows that in recent tests, eight out of 10 commonly-sold baby products contain high levels of the retardant, long suspected as a carcinogen and linked to brain damage in infants and young children. More than a third of the products – all of which contained polyurethane foam – also tested positive for penta-PBDEs, neurotoxins that were banned in 2004 when it was found that toddlers with high levels of them had lower IQs and reduced motor skills. (Chemical flame retardants are typically added directly into polyurethane-foam mixtures, rather than applied to finished products, to meet flammability requirements.)

Products tested in this case included car seats, changing pads, and baby carriers, but polyurethane foam is also used widely in the manufacture of both crib and adult-sized mattresses and bedding.

Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, called the Duke findings a “wake-up call” for parents and manufacturers – and we agree.
“I am concerned about not only cancer,” Birnbaum says, “but reproductive or neurological effects as well – the developing brain.” Could there be any more urgent issue for parents or anyone concerned with the well-being of children?

Chemical companies, of course, continue to claim that their products are safe, and manufacturers defend their use (“protecting children is Evenflo’s number one priority…[we use chemicals to] meet mandatory federal and state flammability requirements”). It’s the same old story – bringing to mind cigarette manufacturers’ claims that smoking wasn’t a health threat until forced by government agencies to admit the danger.

There’s a safer alternative, of course: Mattresses and other products made from CERTIFIED ORGANIC MATERIALS. Lifekind uses Texas-grown certified-organic cotton, 100%-natural rubber latex made from USDA-certified organic sap, and organic wool grown in California for flammability protection – PERIOD. Anything less is putting your own safety and the safety of your family at risk.

As a result of the study, Duke lead researcher Heather Stapleton told reporters she’s ridding her home of products that contain polyurethane foam and replacing them with safer products. Shouldn’t we all be doing the same?

Dear Lifekind,

I just got an email from your company saying your prices are going up again. The prices are already so far out of most people’s range of affordability that it’s truly disappointing. Each year I keep hoping to be able to replace the king size bed I purchased from you 12 years ago….now I wonder if I’ll never be able to buy one of your beds again.

Thank you for taking the time to write. Believe me, no one could feel worse than I do about where the prices of our products are.

My entire life has been devoted to providing safer, less-chemical alternatives to today’s all-chemical consumer products.

As a small company, we do not have the ability to hedge costs through futures trading or commodity purchases. Neither do we have any influence over the demand from countries like China and India that are consuming the organic materials we use to make our products.

It bothers me tremendously that customers such as yourself are priced out of the market. Ultimately our company suffers as well, since we have no other materials that we can (or would want to) substitute to get prices down. The email you received was only intended to alert anyone who is contemplating a purchase that unbelievably prices are going up again.

I apologize for not being able to figure out how to reduce prices without compromising our integrity, but I am working on it. The web is full of companies who claim to be “chemical free,” non-outgassing, certified organic, etc. None of it is true, but there are no enforcement agencies that address these bogus claims.

So here we sit in the unenviable position of having an honest product whose prices are turning customers away at the same time the competition is claiming to be us.

Thank you for purchasing a mattress from us in the past.

Very truly yours,

Walt Bader
President/CEO