How Celebs Go Green

By Andrea Robinson
From Health magazine

It’s more affordable than you might think to drink natural, eco-friendly wines: Organic, biodynamic and other forms of chemical-free farming are already common among quality wine producers, and many of them haven’t stopped there.

Now vintners are coming up with ways to reduce the carbon footprint and landfill impact of wine through innovative packaging solutions. Here, our favorite natural picks at great prices:

Emiliana Natura Sauvignon Blanc
Casablanca, Chile 2007 ()
This winery’s commitment to the environment extends from farm to table: Organically grown grapes; labels that use soy-based inks and less cellulose from trees; and bottles made from 80% recycled glass. Plus, the wine is delicious. It’s a pow! of passion fruit, key lime and pineapple, at a steal of a price.

Louis Bernard Bonus Passus Cotes du Rhone red
France 2007 ()
A classic, affordable French wine in a plastic, screw-cap bottle? Yes! And it’s 100 percent recyclable, shatter-proof, easy to open, lightweight for shipping, and results in a 60% smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional Cotes du Rhone. The blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes is also mouthwateringly spicy and juicy, with strawberry compote flavors.

BOHO Central Coast Chardonnay
California 2007 (.99/3L cask; equivalent of 4 regular bottles)
This boxed wine yields a 55% smaller carbon footprint than the 4 regular glass bottles it replaces. The cardboard shell is made from 95% recycled materials, and the printing inks are soy-based. In a blind taste test versus bottles at three times the price, this wine stood tall with nutty-toasty, buttery notes and luscious, creamy mango-pineapple flavors. The internal bag protects it from oxidation, which means it will keep for much longer—up to six weeks—making it a great option for your “house” wine.

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Go Organic for Less
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8 Ways to Protect Your Health (And the Planet!)

Last Updated: March 16, 2009
Filed Under: Healthy Food and Cooking

Inexpensive Natural Wines That We Love

By Susan Hornik
From Health magazine

Celebs reveal the big and small steps they’re taking to protect our planet:

“I turn off the water when I’m shaving my legs or brushing my teeth. I do what I can every day, but I don’t obsess.”—Minka Kelly, star of NBC’s Friday Night Lights

“I started a soy-candle line to help benefit Heifer International, an incredible organization that gives animals to people all over the world. Heifer teaches them to care for the animals in an ecologically friendly way and helps lift them up out of poverty. The line is called Nell’s Compass, which we’ll sell through our store, RoomsAndGardens.com. I really feel organizations like Heifer lift up people and the Earth at the same time.”—Mary Steenburgen, co-star of this summer’s The Proposal

“I just launched a hair line with hairstylist David Babaii called David Babaii for WildAid. I wanted to do a product that was natural and relatively affordable. It was really important to me that it was safe for the environment.”—Kate Hudson, star of Bride Wars

“Whenever I left the house, I used to leave all the lights on, because I’m afraid of the dark, but I’ve gotten over it to conserve energy. And I don’t waste water while taking showers or washing my face. I still drive an SUV, but I’m gonna get rid of it. Tesla’s coming out with these little electric cars that I want to get as soon as they’re out.”—Megan Fox, star of this summer’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

“I’ve always been obsessed with turning lights off when I leave a room. I’m very frugal! I like opening my windows and not turning the air-conditioning on—that kind of thing. I think if I turn my dryer off a little more frequently that would be awfully helpful, too.”—Jane Kaczmarek, star of TNT’s Raising the Bar

“I try to do everything that is eco-friendly … even with the dog food that I buy!”—Paula Abdul, judge on Fox’s American Idol

“I really want to buy a Kindle. It holds hundreds of novels in its memory. It’s eco-friendly because there’s no paper. And if you’re going on vacation, you don’t have to lug all these books around!”—Debra Messing, star of USA’s The Starter Wif

“I take the train! I don’t have a car in the city, so I am always taking public transportation.”
—Rachel Maddow, host of MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show

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Last Updated: March 16, 2009
Filed Under: Natural Beauty and Style