My Trip to the EcoCleaners!

I stopped taking my clothes to the cleaners a couple of years ago knowing the toxins they use could make me and my family very sick. What did I do for 2 years? Well...only when necessary would I hang dry & break the iron out, but mostly would look a little wrinkly at times.Today I made a great discovery, EcoCleaners on Westheimer in Houston. I have driven by many times wondering if they really are "Eco" or just greenwashing, so I finally stopped in today with 3 dresses that I refuse to iron and would look horrible wrinkled. I entered with my mental checklist: 1.Cleanliness  2. Friendliness  3. Smells   4.Knowledgeable employees 5. authenticity  The result of my visit is 5 stars, a check for each mental category! Glenda and her assistant were very friendly and I immediately said. "Hello, It is my first time here, what makes you a Eco Cleaners?"
Glenda smiled and began to tell me they do NOT use Perc which most cleaners use and is a known carcinogen but instead they use Hydrocarbon which is a much safer choice. She said they have been in business for 12 years and are the only Eco-friendly cleaners in Houston. I told her she was very knowledgeable and she replied "I have been to workshops and classes on the dangers of Perc and how to work with non-toxic products in the cleaning business."  Wow! I was getting more and more impressed. Perchloroethylene ("perc") is a Volatile Organic Solvent that could not only be hazardous for us as customers but think about the employees who breathe this toxic solvant everyday!
Let's talk cost because some people are turned off before even investigating anything eco-friendly due to the myth that the cost is higher or even double. I asked Glenda how much my summer dress would cost me to clean minus the toxins :0) $7 was her reply! Hey, that is not bad, they even do men's shirts for 99 cents.
They just got a new customer in me and I hope you will check out the EcoCleaners near you, support local and make a healthy choice for you and your family!

A response worth noting!

I recently had a moment! I live my life 99.9% in a positive place, however when newsletter writing time came around recently I was experiencing that .1% not so positive! Honest, thoughtful but not too upbeat! I am sharing an email I received from a customer shortly after posting the newsletter and she made my day!  Of course I asked her permission to share!!!! Jamie, you give me HOPE!

"Sherry - I just read your email on the topic of whether Houston can go green. As a native Houstonian and avid environmentalist I certainly hope so. I just wanted to say thank you for your store (I shope there fairly often) and for trying to inspire others in Houston to work towards a common cause in making our city more sustainable. We couldn't do it without stores like yours! I don't know if you have considered advertising at some of the local Urban Harvest farmers market or not, or maybe you already do. In any case, it could be a good avenue to gain additional attention for the store. Many of the people I meet there are similarly concerned about their personal health and the environment. Hopefully by working together we can all make a difference. Thanks again!


Best,
Jamie Rawlinson

My favorite NEW product! Lucy B

A regular customer asked me recently, "so, what is your new store favorite?" I surprized myself when I replied without hesitation, "Lucy B Bronzing Shimmer Oil." I mean come on...Organic coconut, Jojoba & Sunflower oils infused with Australian Flower Essences.  I am pretty White if I do say so myself and when the warmer months come around so do the strapless dresses, tank tops and bathing suits that show a little more skin than this girl can handle without a little help....I do love the sun, but have less and less time to enjoy it, so what are my choices if I want to bronze myself and do no harm?  I have enjoyed my trips to Throwing Copper in Montrose where they do Organic Body Hueing, which is a wonderful, safe process and experience. However, for a quickie bronze, Lucy B has won my heart!  The tropic smell is Frangipani which means Plumeria a flower I happen to love both for the beauty and the smell.  This product is for all skin tones and once applied will take you on a journey through the tropics with the look, feel and smell.  Lucy B is in West Hollywood California....well of course it is....I feel like a movie star everytime I am wearing it!!!!

Guest Blogger Yuliana De La Rosa blogs in Spanish about The EcoLuxe Experience

Estoy muy orgullosa de participar en EcoLuxe Experience en la tienda de  One Green Street my tienda favorita que ofrece productos organicos, libre de quimicos desde maquillaje hasta colchones.

Cuando estuve en la escuela de cometologia fue dificil estar expuesta  la mayor parte del dia al olor  de acetona, acrilico y esmalte. Despues de buscar alternativas mas naturales encontre la respuesta perfecta para mis clientes y yo misma.

Utilizo productos 100% organicos en todos los tratamientos de manos y pies conocidos tambien como manicure y pedicure, esto para mi es muy importante ser conciente y evitar  usar productos que contienen diferentes sustancias quimicas y toxinas terriblemente malas para la salud, porque a lo largo del tiempo he aprendido que todas las sustancias que ponemos en nuestro cuerpo son absorbidas por el y los quimicos de estas sustancias nos afectan a corto o largo plazo.

Cuando hablo acerca de los servicios que ofrezco la primer pregunta que recibo es acerca de el esmalte de unas (nail polish) Que marca de esmalte utilizo? La durabilidad y Calidad? Variedad de colores? My marca favorita es Priti Nails y  Priti Nails  removedor de esmalte a base de soya. Priti Nails es un esmalte no toxico, no contiene DBP, Toluene o Formaldehido,  cuenta con  una gran variedad de colores incluyendo algunos con brillo,  la durabilidad es buena comparado con  otros esmaltes  populares en en mercado,  pero my parte favorita,  priti nails es  un esmalte  seguro para que lo utilicen adultos y ninos.
Manicure Basico incluye  limado de unas,(nails) cuidado de cuticulas, masaje y esmaltado.
Pedicure Basico consiste en sumergir los pies  en una refrescante infusion  de aceites essenciales y sales de mar, te de arbol y menta,  siguiendo con el cuidado de cuticulas, remover piel seca, exfoliacion, un delicioso massaje y esmaltado.
Esto es por mencionar algunos de los diferentes servicios, algunos de estos incluyen extra masaje o fruta fresca.

Me apasiona tanto my trabajo que puedo continuar dia y noche hablando de esto, pero solo me queda mencionar que Ahora pueden recibir un manicure o pedicure con  productos 100% organicos y un servicio de alta calidad.

Estoy localizada dentro de la tienda One Green Street 5160 Buffalo Spdwy, Houston Tx 77005
 Citas (281)8889518 o yuliana@onegreenstreet.com  No olviden visitar la pagina de internet http://www.onegreenstreet.com/

Gabbing Green with Sherry: Can Houston Go Green?

I have to admit when I heard that the “Going Green with Yolanda Green” show was cancelled my heart skipped a beat! What? Are we going backwards or forwards with the “Green” movement? Yolanda has done so much to bring sustainable businesses, ideas and action to the forefront in Houstonians lives, how could this be happening? I have customers all the time visiting or moving from Colorado, Austin, LA and other “Green” cities, they are often surprised there are not more stores in Houston like One Green Street. Since opening the store I have met many wonderful people like myself, eager to change the world, especially Houston. We want to help people, we care for our friends, neighbors and the city we live in, we have educated ourselves on the dangers of certain chemicals in the food we eat, the products we put on our body and the air we breathe. I struggle daily with finding ways to let Houston know about One Green Street so that we can continue to grow, prosper and share all I have learned. I am a fighter but I cannot do it alone! When shows like “Going Green” get cancelled and “Green” businesses in Houston are fighting daily to stay around I think we need to take a closer look at which direction we are truly moving…and if Houston and Houstonians can really “Go Green.” If you believe in living a healthy lifestyle, that our planet and our people are suffering you obviously support One Green Street and our “Green” community. How can you then, help Houston and Houstonians realize the importance of “Going Green.” Vote with your dollars, use your voice, share your experiences, and patronize triple bottom line businesses on a regular basis. If each of you were to share your One Green Street experience with just one person, a big difference could be made in the future of our store and other’s like us. Let me be clear about something...my window washers make more money than I do a month. It is not as much about money for me as it is about creating value and inspiring change in my community and the world! I humbly say “I need your help!” It is time we put Houston on the map as a sustainable, healthy city where we, our children and our children’s children will live long, healthy, happy lives! Let’s move FORWARD, together!

Guest Blogger Tori Jade raps about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch!

Did you know that the state of Texas has a twin? It’s called "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” and lies in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Unlike the state of Texas that is populated with people, this so called island is populated with trash. Enough trash for it to be compared to the great state of Texas! Most of this patch is made up of plastic items, which float through our sewers and into the ocean where they meet up in the Pacific. Not only is this hurting us, but it is also hurting the animals of the ocean and the birds that venture above. Birds might mistake these floating trash items for food which inevitably will kill them afterwards. In order to prevent the growth of this patch, our world needs to pitch in and fix this mess. In order to do so we can do beach clean ups frequently and recycle as much as possible. This is a great devastation and a mind blower that I will share with friends and family.

The EcoLuxe Experience is BACK!

I am so excited to announce that the EcoLuxe Experience brought to you by EcoLuxe Organic Spa is BACK at One Green Street. Make your appointment now for an eco-friendly, organic manicure, pedicure or spa treatment. Yuliana De La Rosa is a licsensed manicurist and she is taking appointments for Friday afternoons and Saturdays. What a great eco-friendly gift idea, treat someone you love and care about to a safe ecoluxe experience today. EcoLuxe mani's and pedi's are not just for women, our products are so safe and sexy treat your man to and organic gift. Do you have a pretty princess? Yuliana uses Priti Nails/
Priti Princess line for your sweet little one....don't want those pesky chemicals on our little angels do we? How about a mother/Daughter appointment? Here is Yuliana's luscious list of luxury treatments:
Basic Manicure: $22
Tea Tree Manicure: $29
Essential Pedicure: $30
Coconut Lime Pedicure: $36
Muscle Mender Spa: $42
Lavender Vanilla Spa: $53
Grapefruit Mint Spa: $65

Kids Spa
Fancy Fingers: $15
Fun Feet: $22

Additional Services:
Add Foot Mask: $10
Polish Change: $12
French Manicure:$5

call 281-888-9518 to book your appointment

I am NOT my hair! (feeling a little light headed)

My hair has not been this long in forever! Ponytails, braids, updo's all in my repertoire lately. However, it is getting warmer and it seems to take soooo long to do my hair in the morning I thought maybe it is time for a change. I was voted "Best Hair" in 9th grade, when I met my husband 25 years ago, one side of my head was shaved and the other was long, I have permed, cut, shaved and everything else you can think of over the years. My hairdresser says I am one of the few people she can give a new hairstyle to that actually can recreate the style she cut..usually people seeking a major change end up styling their new cut to look like the old style (go figure)
Well, I decided it is time for a change, short, flirty, fun here I come...so the morning of my appointment I decide to where ponytails to work for the last time. My husband says "Awwww. I am going to miss those ponytails, I love them." When I arrived home that night with my new short do I presented him with my freshly cut ponytails!!! ( I am so clever, I can hardly stand it, see pic of me holding up my freshly cut ponies) I love my new short do! He loves it...but others...not so much! "Why did you cut your hair, it was getting so long!" "I am real funny about hair, I like long hair" blah, blah, blah...I want to scream "I AM NOT MY HAIR!" It is only hair and it grows back...I am still the same fun, smart, cool girl just with shorter hair...duh! There are so many things we cannot change about ourselves, eyes, ears, feet, etc so why not have a little fun with our hair? If you are bored with your hair lately...take a page out of my book and cut if OFF! Then start using our Intelligent Nutrients line of Haircare products that are safe, non toxic and organic....you will be miles aHEAD of the rest! Trust me!