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I’m not really a hiker, so this issue has never come up before. But Jason and I are planning on hiking Mount Katahdin in July, and I’m freaking out about it a little. I don’t want to break a leg because my shoes don’t have enough tread, or twist one of my weak ankles. And I want the stupid boots to get here in time for me to break them in a little bit before the 10-hour hike. Is that too much to ask?

Have you tried either one of the boots? Do you know of any other vegan hiking boots on the market? I’ve made my decision and I’m (im)patiently waiting for it to arrive, but maybe it’ll help the next person.

Okay, so the curtain can only do so much for my ugly bathroom...

I couldn’t use vinyl curtains anymore because Ask Umbra’s mantra—no vinyl, that’s final—runs through my mind whenever the word comes up. The reason for it is that the manufacture of vinyl (or PVC) produces dioxins. These chemicals can cause cancer and disrupt reproductive systems. There’s some talk about the curtains’ off-gassing being bad for your health—think of the dintinctive smell they give off—but the real issue is dioxin pollution around factories that produce vinyl. (Also, have you ever tried to clean them? Impossible.)

The glass doors are probably a very good choice for the environment (very durable), but cleaning them can be a pain, and they seem to build up soap scum at a much faster rate than shower walls. Or maybe it’s the same rate, but you can just see it better through glass.

Cloth curtains, on the other hand, can just be tossed in the washing machine if they’re starting to get dirty. I get a little pink mold sometimes on the bottom of my polyester one, but the makers of hemp curtains even claim that they’re naturally mold-resistent. (I wish I’d know that before I bought mine three years ago.) Anyone ever tried these? Are the claims true? As a bonus, the cloth curtains look prettier, too.

1. By far the most common is a stamp somewhere inside of the shoe that says “leather upper,” “all man-made materials,” or something like that. It’s often on the inside of the heel or the underside of the tongue.
2. Sometimes there’s a sticker on the bottom of the sole with symbols, but no explanation. Here’s a key:

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If it’s textile, all man-made materials, or other materials, you’re all set. Now go forth and shop!

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Where to Look

• Mooshoes.com – Truthfully, I do most of my shoe shopping online. It can be tough to track down a wide enough selection in Boston, and Mooshoes has a great interface for browsing (and a generous return policy if they don’t fit).
• Sudo Shoes -  A completely vegan shoe store that recently opened in Porter Square in Cambridge. They carry many of my favorite styles, so walking through is like catching up with old friends. Unfortunately, they have a relatively small collection, and didn’t have the size I wanted in many styles. (This is a problem with vegan shoes in general, since the market for them is so small.) But I’m hoping they’ll grow if we continue to support them.
• Hempest – Carries Earth Vegan shoes. Not a great selection and the cashiers can be, frankly, a little out of it.
• Aldo – A vegan coworker told me she gets a lot of her shoes here (thanks, Bobbi!). Lots of heels. I’m surprised at how many aren’t leather.
• Steve Madden – The Madden Girl collection has some cool vegan shoes, but I had a hard time finding them in the store. (And the salespeople had no idea that they even carried non-leather shoes.)

My Favorite Brands

• Earth Vegan – These have a negative heel, so they’re not for everyone, but I think they’re super comfortable. And they last forever.
• Novacas – Their Alta boots are the best boots I’ve ever owned. I’ve had the zipper replaced twice because I couldn’t bear to part with them.
• Vegetarian Shoes – They have everything, including a great men’s line. Almost all of Jason’s shoes are from here.

Any recommendations? I’m sure I’m missing something, and I get a little obsessive in my search for the perfect pair of shoes.

Mineral sunscreens containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are the way to go, but I generally find them too thick and greasy.

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For what it’s worth, here are the moisturizers I’ve tried, in descending order of preference. None of them are tested on animals, so they’re at least better than Oil of Olay.

• Kiss My Face Everyday SPF 15. Octinoxate. Oxybenzone. Not tested on animals, contains no animal ingredients or parabens. No greasy residue. Smells faintly of honey. 11 ounces, $13.
• Alba Sea Moss Moisturizer SPF 15 – Octinoxate. Oxybenzone. Avabenzone. Similar to Kiss My Face , but more expensive. Smells kind of like green tea. 2 ounces, $15.
• Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion – No sunscreen, so it doesn’t fit my initial criteria. But it goes on so smooth, almost like water, and smells vaguely citrusy, so I’d be happy to use it at night. (And I love Aveda stores.) 5 ounces, $32.
• Juice Beauty SPF 30 Mineral Light Moisturizer – Titanium Dioxide. Fits all my criteria and smells lightly citrusy, but thicker, harder to rub in, and a little greasy. 2 ounces, $29.
• Aveda Inner Light Mineral Tinted Moisturize SPF 15 – Titanium Dioxide. Similar to the Juice Beauty, but tinted. Kind of like a thick liquid makeup. Smells like makeup, too. 1.7 ounces, $28.
• Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 – Parabens. Oxybenzone. Octinoxate. Octocrylene. A decent moisturizer (a little greasy). Fragrence free. 8.4 ounces, $34.
• Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion with SPF 15 – Octinoxate. Zinc Dioxide. Fragrance free, but stings my face and tarnishes my jewelry. 4 ounces, $4.49.

Any more suggestions? It may be a while before I try them. I admit to being more than a little cheap, so I’m going to finish off the bottles I have (even if I hate them) before getting more.

ACA Waste Services
40 Eads Street
West Babylon, NY  11704

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I have to admit, I’d never heard of Aveda before this, and they’re pretty cool. Everything in their store is vegan (except for the beeswax in some products), not tested on animals, and paraben free. The salesperson I spoke to was very knowledgeable about their products and about environmental issues in general, and was really helpful in narrowing down what I was looking for. And they offer neck and shoulder massages in-store! I’m generally a little weird about my personal space, but these guys are so nice and friendly I might actually think about it.

First off, the heat and the stress of my first day in Cuba overwhelmed it, and I had to switch to an antiperspirant. (You’re welcome, Roya and Debbie!) This is the first time I’ve had to do that in the whole year that I’ve been using it, and, admittedly, it was in very special circumstances.

Ouch

I also think I’m ready to get a new stick. There’s still quite a bit of the old one left , but it’s started to melt in an uncomfortable way—there’s a hole in the center now, with jagged edges. I can still use the sides, but I have to be very careful about it, and sometimes when I’m hurrying I jab an edge into my armpit.

I’m amazed that this one stick has lasted almost a year. When I first started using it last January, I thought it would just be a crazy experiment I was doing for the blog. I never imagined I’d like it so much that it would replace my old antiperspirant!

One year ago: The Least Toxic Way to Melt Snow and Ice

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Everyone knows you can extend a razor’s life by keeping it outside of the shower and dry, preventing rust from forming. But every time I tried to dry mine off, I wiped off the aloe strip. This way’s much easier.

I originally read about this at Green Living Tips; Wise Bread lists it and a bunch of other shaving tricks. Any sort of oil will do: vegetable, mineral, baby. Even alcohol or vinegar. I just chose olive oil because that’s what we had on hand. And any oil that’s left on the blade just makes your shave smoother.

One year ago: My Anti-Thanksgiving

Don't I look like a thug?

I ended up getting a skull cap and liner gloves, and they’ve been working just fine the last few weeks. My helmet definitely feels tighter than it does without the hat, but it works. And my head and hands have stayed pretty warm. My neck on the other hand… Time to break out the scarves.

On the plus side, cold weather means fewer people out on the bike path, so I can go faster. I’m not a speed junky, but it can be pretty exhilarating!

One year ago: The Single Most Delicious Potato Leek Soup Ever

One concession I have made is conditioner. Michelle has told me that if you’re going to spend a little more money on one or the other—shampoo or conditioner—spring for a good conditioner. She actually recommends Rusk, but they test on animals. (She swears that most things don’t anymore, but Rusk specifically says on their label, “Final product not tested on animals”—a mealy mouthed method of saying that the ingredients are.)

So I use Pureology conditioner, which I think is a good substitute. It doesn’t contain any animal products and it’s not tested on animals. I’ve got really fine hair, so I need a light conditioner that doesn’t weigh it down too much, and Pureology does the trick.

For shampoo, I just use Kiss My Face Whenever. It’s vegan and not tested on animals, with a light scent. I tried using their conditioner, too, but I didn’t like it as much as Pureology.

I know there are people who make their own shampoo and conditioner, and I plan to try that out this winter break (when no one but Jason has to see me). But I’m happy with my choices for now. What do you use?

One year ago: Composting at Whole Foods.