A to Z of homemade Valentine's gifts made with love + green giving. Instead of gifts coming from obligation, give handmade gifts that you made with love, or sought out with love from places that make the planet healthier, greener and support local artists.
To help you produce the perfect gift for everyone on your list, we have found a wealth of wonderful things to cook, sew, craft or grow for Valentine's giving. 
Making your own liquid castile soap for use in skin and hair care recipes is quite easy although it does take some patience.
In the following shampoo recipes you can use either fresh herbs or essential oils, but remember that a shampoo using fresh herbs won't last as long without preservatives as one that uses essential oils. 
There's more to soap than froth and bubble. If feeling a little adventurous, here are some exotic handmade soaps for special occasions. These recipes make unusual and personalised gifts - or something special to keep for when you feel like pampering yourself.
Rosewater Soap
Rosewater soap is a fine-textured soap which retains a faint scent of roses. Its properties are slightly astringent, which means it is good for oily skins, although it does not leave the skin feeling tight and harsh li... 
Of course the only real way to make ice cream is in one of those old churns filled with ice and salt that your grandmother used to have. However, if you have to use a mere freezer, the only way to avoid lumps of ice is to whip the mixture every half hour when it is freezing. So start early in the morning unless you are one of those night-people. If you have your own cows and chooks, use cream and eggs to make the real thing.
One of the key ingredients in ice cream is cream / milk of course! Nor... 
Suddenly the heat is on and media around the world are drawing attention not only to the 'global warming' issue but Locavores, eating food from 100 miles of where they live, versus Organic only Consumers.
Buying food does influence our quality of life, the usage of oil (gasoline and petroleum) resources and toxic chemicals such as fertilizers worldwide.
There is no one right way to consume food, all the time. 
Everyone could play a part in protecting and restoring our environment - and today is a good time to start. You can help the environment in your daily life at home, the office, shopping or in the garden.
You can make a difference! The first step along the green path is often the hardest to take. Ecobites will give you the information and inspiration you need to set you on your way.
The transformation starts with yourself, pamper with homemade, chemical-free beauty. Then move on to the total ho... 
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Bayer CropScience LP has been told to pay about $2 million for losses sustained by two Missouri farmers when an experimental variety of GM rice cross-bred with the farmer’s crops. Organisations such as Greenpeace say the verdict conf... Green Transport - Fuel Saving Tips
Car design can go a long way to improving fuel efficiency, however no matter what type of car you drive, you can save 25 per cent or more by keeping on top of general maintenance tasks as well as employing smart driving techniques.
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By the end of 2011, a record 70 students will graduate with a diploma in organic farming, after TAFE Riverina (which currently offers one of Australia’s only farm-based Diplomas in Organic Farming) secured government funding for a re... Organics heating up menus:Top chefs reveal “hottest ” trends for 2010
Organic produce has been tipped as one of the “hottest” fine dining trends for 2010 in a survey of over 1800 professional chefs of the American Culinary Federation (ACF).
The annual “What’s Hot” survey revealed that 73 perce... A Child's Space
Scouring the shops for decorating product is like being a kid in a candy store - plenty of colour, texture and the potential for ill health. Children breathe in the bi-products of their environment and with the incidence of childhood a... Sleep Like a Baby
Family issues, strained finances or other life upsets can cause the occasional sleepless night for most of us. If you have modified your lifestyle for two weeks without improvement, natural sleep aids are the next best course of treatm... EcoKids Mini Worm Farm
Through the clear glass or plastic ecokids can observe the change in color and structure of the soil and watch their new friends munch their way through discarded kitchen scraps, turning them into nutrient-rich, water-soluble fertilise... SOS - Save Our Skin
Have you noticed your skin becoming dry, chapped or sore? The drying effects of heaters and air conditioners may be one factor. While exposing your skin to soaps, household cleaners or products at work, may be another.
During winter, ... Herbal Remedies for Colds
Surviving the cold and flu season can certainly be a challenge. On any given day, we are exposed to a multitude of viruses and bacteria. A healthy body will usually cope with these pathogens. However we need to ensure that our defence ... 121 Tips to Help Green the Planet
Everyone could play a part in protecting and restoring our environment - and today is a good time to start. You can help the environment in your daily life at home, the office, shopping or in the garden.
You can make a difference! The... DIY Instant Moccasins
The word moccasin was first used by the Algonquin people along the New England coast of America to identify their type of footwear to the white settlers. The word has since been used to describe the soft, tanned, leather footwear of th... The Story of Stuff
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff will teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it jus... Like this article. Share it!
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