From Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2009,) a recipe for Caramel Pecan Bars that will leave you kissing your own ass. Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero are award-winning vegan chefs and the authors of several bestselling cookbooks, including Veganomicon and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. They host the vegan cooking show and Web site The Post Punk Punk Kitchen. Romero lives in Queens, New York and Moskowitz lives in Portland, Oregon.   Their recipes rock our world.  And this one is perfect to whip up on an icky, rainy day and eat the whole batch in front of some thoroughly revolting reality TV.

The World Peace Diet: How you can change your life and the world around you - simply by noshing differently.

If you’ve been reading GirlieGirl Army for a number of years, you may have already figured that there may be more to this vegan thing than looking great, feeling great, and being green. Not to say these aren’t important, of course, but according to the foxy and brilliant Dr. Will Tuttle, there’s a whole lot more to it. Veganism’s about creating a new world where peace, equality, sustainability, and freedom are actually possible.  Sounds totally idealistic?  Then you will love reading Tuttle’s critically acclaimed book, The World Peace Diet.

This is not a book that just summarizes what we already know, this is a book that presents a bold synthesis that shines a brilliant light on the hidden forces in our culture (and in our own heads!) that hold us back.

For example, the chapter “Domination of the Feminine” goes further than anything yet to illuminate the connections between our culture’s routine mistreatment of female animals-especially dairy cows and laying hens-and the ongoing suppression of women and the feminine principle of intuitive wisdom, which he refers to as “Sophia.” And the chapter “The Metaphysics of Food” is a real eye-opener too, showing how the metaphysical toxins in animal-based foods-the anxiety, fear, depression, and panic-are probably more damaging than the physical toxins. This is a provocative and illuminating read, and an ideal book to give to friends and family who just don’t get it -The World Peace Diet shows the big picture in a friendly, non-threatening, smart-pants way.

Now for the really good news! - There’s never been a better time to pick up your copy of The World Peace Diet. On Friday, March 12 (only), anyone purchasing The World Peace Diet at Amazon or Barnes & Noble will be eligible for lots of terrific bonus gifts (such as downloadable e-books, great raw and vegan recipes, audio, and more by well-respected authors; discount coupons (like 10% off anything from Vegan Essentials); and the chance to enter drawings for prizes (such as free dinner for 2 at Candle 79, stays at vegan resorts and healing centers, a signed and dedicated original art poster by Peter Max), and much more! Go here for the details: www.worldpeacediet.org

Let’s help boost The World Peace Diet to the top of the bestseller list and create more opportunities for media conversations about the ramifications of our culture’s ongoing violence toward billions of animals for food and other products. This is the real goal of this promotion, according to Will Tuttle.  His pitch; “If you can let your friends know and buy a few copies as gifts to spread the word, we can bring the world of freedom and peace a little closer.”

In fact, Donald Watson, who coined the word “vegan” back in 1944 in England, passed away a few years ago at the ripe old age of 95, and the book he was having read to him by his son-in-law right up till his departure was this one, and he reportedly said that this book expresses “the essence and potential of the vegan message.”

Will (below) and his long-time vegan spouse Madeleine, a visionary artist from Switzerland, have now been travelling full-time in their solar-powered “rolling home” for 15 years, putting on 150 events yearly throughout North America to spread the message of compassion for all life.

The World Peace Diet is a fascinating journey of discovery, guiding us to see the liberating big picture of our culture, and learn how to live a life filled with freedom, joy, meaning, clarity, and yes, great skin as well. And we highly recommend you read it asap. To further sweeten the deal, The World Peace Diet is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper and soy-based inks, so the eco-footprint of buying this book is tiny, and the eco-benefits are huge.

“Will Tuttle, the author of this eloquently written book, challenges our thinking about our relationship to non-human animals with respect, sensitivity, and grace. His understanding of the human psyche is deep. His use of language is divine, and his compassion reaches out and jumps off each and every page. I highly recommend this book, and I dare you to not be moved by its gentle power.” — Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, host of Compassionate Cooks

“Use The World Peace Diet as a guide to empower yourselves and others in making dietary choices that are powerful beyond what you can possibly imagine.” - Julia Butterfly Hill

If you’ve been meaning to get a copy of The World Peace Diet, Friday, March 12, is the day. If you’ve already got a copy, you might consider buying a copy for a friend or family member, or for your local library. You’ll be reading and sharing what may be one of the most transformational, liberating, and benevolent ideas in society today.  Go here for all the details: www.worldpeacediet.org

Madeleine Shaw is co-founder of Lunapads International and proud Mom to almost-5 year old Gigi . And she knows more about cloth diapering than anyone you know.  Today she shares her extensive wisdom with the Mommazon’s of the GirlieGirl Army;

Your belly’s looking nice and round and you’re looking forward to the bliss of snuggle & smiles - and on the other hand, the not-so-blissful reality of dealing with your bundle of joy’s toileting needs. Mainstream disposables are an eco nightmare: what are the alternatives?

It can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but I’d like to share my own story in the hopes of assuring you that you too can find a way to manage your child’s waste in an eco-friendly way that suits your lifestyle.

Benefits

The benefits of choosing alternative diapering products and practices are practically identical to those of choosing cloth menstrual pads or the DivaCup (something to think about for when your period resumes, if you’re not already a fan), namely:

* Financial savings: up to $2000 per child.

* Earth Friendly: keep more than 7000 disposable diapers out of landfills - equivalent to one tonne of solid waste per child.

* Easy to use: innovations in recent years have made cloth diapers just as easy to put on and take off as disposables: no more pins and crinkly plastic pants!  And the washing - if you can operate a washing machine you can do this, without getting your hands dirty.

* Reduce exposure to potential toxins: parents choosing to use cloth diapers know exactly what is up against their child’s delicate skin 24 hours a day.  Disposable diapers don’t always include full disclosures on their “ingredient” list.

* Promote better skin health: with less chemical exposure in cloth and cloth diapers being changed more often, babies in cloth often have a healthier environment for their skin.

* Earlier Potty Training: Parents using cloth diapers tend to be very aware of their child’s elimination patterns and are able to help them learn in a more efficient manner.  Children that have been diapered in cloth often retain the association with “I pee and I am wet” facilitating earlier and easier learning.

What’s the tradeoff?

* There is an initial investment that is not present with weekly purchases of disposables (you can use a gift registry to get started, or look into picking up some second hand cloth diapers - most are so well made that they can easily last for several children - and no, this is not gross.)

* There is a bit of a learning curve - you need to educate yourself about how to make this system work in your life.

* Without the needed learning, there is a higher rate of families discontinuing cloth diapering due to perceived failure.

* There will be two to three extra loads of laundry to do each week.

Cloth diapering: My “Recipe for Success”

When I had my daughter in 2005 I already knew that I wanted to use cloth and got a few different types to start me off. I experimented and adapted to suit my own lifestyle and would like to share my “recipe” for successful cloth diapering in the hopes in inspiring any fence-sitters out there.

You will need:

- about 2 dozen cloth diapers and 6 covers (or equivalent AIO diapers - more on the different designs shortly)

- a large pail with a lid

- biodegradable detergent and hydrogen peroxide

- washing machine and (preferably) dryer

- a roll or 2 of diaper liners (disposable or cloth -  I have never had much luck with them personally, but many people find them really useful.)

Use the diapers, remove any fecal matter into the toilet (this is easier once your child starts eating solids), and leave the used diapers in the bucket. If you are out of the house, store them in a plastic bag and/or reusable “wet bag”. I washed a load about every 3 days.

Initially I soaked the diapers, but after a while realized that it wasn’t really necessary in our climate, which made things a lot easier. Wash the diapers twice in hot water with biodegradable detergent and tumble or line dry.

Once I got comfortable with cloth diapers, I moved on to cloth wipes. I liked these so much that I now make a package of a wipe warmer and cloth wipes as a shower gift for friends. Take the wipes on the road with you as well (I used one of the plastic ones that you can get with a small quantity of disposable wipes.)

You will need:

- 1 “wipe warmer” (readily available at baby stores)

- about 4 dozen kiddie washcloths or cut-up bits of flannel or other cotton fabric (Lunapads sells organic fleece wipes that would be perfect for this)

- liquid soap

Note: the wipe warmer instructions will tell you not to put water in it - ignore this. Take the cloths and stack them inside the warmer. Take a tall drinking glass and add 1 pump of liquid soap, then fill with hot tap water. Empty the glass into the warmer on top of the cloths. Use the wipes as necessary and put the used ones in with the diapers & wash together. You will notice that these homemade wipes work better than disposables and are also not chilly on baby’s bum.

What cloth diapering options are out there these days?

There are cloth diapers made for any parent’s lifestyle whether your priorities centre on budget, convenience, natural options or simplicity.

A cross section of what’s available today includes cloth diapers made from natural fibres such as organic cotton, hemp or bamboo, wet-proof cloth diaper covers made of high tech breathable fabrics, one-step cloth diapers with everything integrated and one-size cloth diapers that can be used from birth to potty training.

Starbunz Pig, $24.95 @ earthybabes.com

There are 3 main types of cloth diapers: prefolds (flat diapers that do in fact need to be folded), fitted diapers, covers (used for both prefolds and fitted diapers, and All-in-One - commonly known as AIOs, that include both the diaper and the cover in one piece.  Fitted diapers are further subdivided into Pocket diapers (where a cloth insert is folded and inserted into the cover) and a style where the fitted diaper goes on first, followed by the cover.

And the newest invention: a swap-in disposable insert that is compatible with your existing cloth diapering system so that when life demands something more convenient, you can have some guilt-reduced convenience.

So how do you choose?

I wouldn’t worry too much about finding the “right” or “best” style. As is the case with cloth menstrual pads, anyone who cares enough to make them for a living probably has an excellent product - the important thing is to commit to going for it and making at least an initial choice.

Consider a less costly option for your first diapers as you’ll need the most of them and use them for the shortest time.  The second set won’t be as numerous and you’ll use them for longer so this is where to weight your budget.  You’re often also dealing with wigglier babies at this stage and easier (ie AIO) diapers may work better.

Even if you go for very simple/economic such as prefolds, it’s a good idea to have a few “one step diapers” like Pockets or AIOs around for trips out or grandma, etc.

There are several cloth diaper companies that offer “Sampler Kits” that allow you to try several brands.  I would try to connect with some other local Moms who are already cloth diapering (the forums at Motheringdotcommune - known as “MDC” at www.mothering.com/discussions, are the best way to “find your tribe” locally) and get tips from them about local suppliers or leads on second-hand diapers.  Again, chances are that you will be able to find a Mom-owned business close to where you are who will have a good selection and be happy to answer your questions just by googling “cloth diapers (my city or town)”.

What are some of the myths of cloth diapering?

The biggest ones are the anticipation of how difficult it will be, the worry about leaking and the cost.  As we’ve already discussed, the work of cloth diapering is relatively minimal and the cost is surprisingly affordable over the three years of cloth diapering.  Leaking is a fixable issue. Cloth diapers are engineered to prevent leaks and contain what comes out of your baby.

That said, there are no chemicals in cloth diapers to make them super absorbent like disposables. To get the best performance from a cloth diaper we suggest the following:  ensure a good fit around the legs and the waist (no gaps), increase absorbency in special situations like at night or long car rides and change your baby every 2-3 hours during the day.  These are simple, yet effective methods to ensure that your cloth diapers do what they are meant to!

What other alternatives are there?

New biodegradable disposables, as well as Elimination Communication (skipping diapers completely in favor of learning when you child needs to go and helping them on the toilet) are other options to consider - see the links below for more information.

Congratulations and good luck!

Businesses we recommend for cloth diaper supplies:

New & Green (Canadian Orders only, sorry!)

Happy Tushies (Great selection of wet bags here)

Earthy Babes

Cotton Babies

Diaperware

Jam Tots

…and don’t forget to pick up some Lunapads or a DivaCup while you’re there ;-)

Other Alternatives

G Diapers

Broody Chick

“Flip” diapers

Nature Babycare

Articles about Alternative Diapering from the Lunapads blog

Elimination Communication

Cloth Diapering

Cloth Wipes

More information about Elimination Communication

http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/

Madeleine Shaw is a former fashion designer, co-founder of Lunapads International and proud Mom to almost-5 year old Gigi who calls Vancouver BC home. She is a longtime designer and proponent of all things reusable, including menstrual pads and cups, shopping bags, napkins and more. You can learn more about her company and products at http://www.lunapads.com.

Madeleine offers many thanks to Karen Randall, founder of the New & Green Diaper Company in Vancouver, whose excellent articles about cloth diapering were liberally plagiarized here. You can read them below;

Cloth Diapering Guide Part 1

Cloth Diapering Guide Part 2

The Painted Sole is the creative brainchild of artist Gina Nagy Burns who has had a life long love affair with shoes and art.

And being an eco-chick, she realized that older and plainer shoes could be upped into works of museum-quality art with a flick (or two hundred) of her magical paintbrush, rather than pushed to the back of the closet.  So she launched The Painted Sole, a company that custom paints and accessorizes your very own shoes for you.

How does it work?

You’ll request a consultation which can take place on the phone, in person, via email or skype, and Gillian will shoot you a price quote.  Gina will even send you beautiful design ideas or you can thumb through her inspiration book online.

You may already have an accessory in your wardrobe that is ideal for transformation, or you bought yet another pair of simple black boots on sale that could really use a kick in the heels, or you want Gina to paint your dream wedding slippers to perfectly match the velvet paisley of your Betrothed’s suit.  This couture foot work ensures that nobody else will be wearing your shoes!

Via DailyWorth.com by MP Dunleavey Jenny Newcomer, founder of LobotoME.com (organizational products) paid off $15,000 in debt last year by working the eBay system to her advantage.  And you can too.  Here’s how;

As an entrepreneur and mother of two young kids-and with a bundle of student loans to pay off-Jenny decided to get radical about generating income using eBay.

Here’s her five-step selling strategy:

1. Get the goods. Go through your house, basement, attic, garage and make an inventory of items to sell. Note the size, weight, materials, and other details of each one.
2. Get pix. Take good digital snaps of each item; the better the photo, the better the price. Work in batches of 10.
3. Prep to ship. Before listing, get accurate estimates of shipping costs online at www.usps.com or www.ups.com. Set up your PayPal account.
4. Price It. Research sales of similar items on eBay so you can set a fair opening price.
5. Sell it! Log on to www.ebay.com and click on the “Sell an Item” tab, and list the items, one by one. (Newcomer says: “Once I got into the rhythm, I could post 10 items in an hour.”)

Cash money, yo.

Thinking you want to try it? Jenny has written a detailed step-by-step guide. Get it here.

DailyWorth is a free daily personal finance email for women.  They deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants.