Kiva - Giving To Make A Difference

About four years ago I was watching a TV program on how Americans were giving to a new program called Kiva.  The show caught my attention.  I promised myself then and there that if I started another business that I would make giving to Kiva a part of what we do as a socially responsible company. So when Lisa and I started Good Living Products in July of this year we made giving to Kiva a part of our business plan.


Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.  They do this by allowing you and me to invest in low income people with as little as a $25 investment.

The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on Kiva, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can re-lend to someone else.

Here are some of the people that we have loaned money to.

Teresa is the proud owner of her own in-home daycare business in Massachusetts. 

In her home country of Ecuador she was also a businesswoman. Ten years ago she came to the United States to start something new and it was natural for her to pursue a business of her own.

Jairo  came to the United States from Colombia 24 years ago after the loss of his job and with 500 dollars he started his own office furniture business.




Michael is the owner of CineCipher, a multi-media videography company located in the San Francisco Bay Area. He works with small businesses and non-profits to help them tell their stories.

Mrs.Thida Rous and her husband, Mr. Chinda Duk have been selling flowers and bananas for twelve years they live along the Tonle Basac River, a tributary of the nearby Mekong River, about fifteen kilometers from Phnom Penn, the capital city of Cambodia.


These are real people with real needs.  Please feel free to join us as we all try to make our world a better place. Join our Kiva community at http://www.kiva.org/team/good_living_products.

Thanks - Roger Booth from Good Living Products, LLC

Asian ColeSlaw

I am always trying to find and easy and healthy dish to make and I came across this one that I would like to share with you.

Asian ColeSlaw

It is obviously made with cabbage which is full of nutrients including vitamin C and indoles, important cancer-fighting compounds. In addition, red cabbage also contains anthocyanins, the purple pigment with strong antioxidant activity commonly found in blueberries. In the winter months, cabbage is an abundant nutritional resource when other fresh produce is either expensive or unavailable. This recipe calls for a lot of salt, but it is used in this dish to soften the cabbage. Then it is thoroughly rinsed off so the recipe doesn't provide too much sodium. This coleslaw is colorful and makes a delightful accompaniment to any meat, fish or vegetarian main dish.

Ingredients:

1 medium head green cabbage
1 medium head red cabbage
3 tablespoons sea salt
3 large carrots
1/4 cup minced scallions
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
2/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark-roasted sesame oil

Instructions:
1. Discard the outer leaves of cabbages. Cut heads in quarters; remove and discard cores. Slice cabbage thinly or shred in a food processor. Layer the cabbage in a large bowl with the sea salt. Toss to distribute salt evenly and let cabbage sit for 1 hour to soften.
2. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and grate them into thin shreds.
3. Drain off any liquid produced by the cabbage and rinse the cabbage well in several changes of cold water to remove excess salt. Taste the cabbage; if it is still too salty, rinse it again.
4. Add carrots to the cabbage and mix well.
5. Whisk the rice vinegar, brown sugar and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
6. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and mix well. Let chill. Garnish with minced scallions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
126.8 calories
3.7 g total fat (0.5 g sat)
0.0 mg cholesterol
23.7 g carbohydrate
3.6 g protein
5.7 g fiber

Check out our site for  healthy products to supplement your healthy diet www.goodlivingproducts.com  Thanks - Lisa Booth

We Make Lovin' Fun (And Green!)

Is there such a thing as "green" or "eco-friendly" sex products?   You betcha!

Medical Studies support the fact that an active sex life leads to a longer and happier life. We are all about longer and happier lives!

Using green products that can both increase libido and enhance sexual experiences have a far reaching affect on your overall health and well being. Benefits include:

• Stronger immune response
• Better heart health
• Reduction of chronic pain
• Lower incidence of depression
• Decreased fear and anxiety and have a greater
  sense of well-being

We think those are some pretty strong reasons to both enjoy and look for ways to enhance our sexual well being.

So, why does our company carry eco-friendly sexual enhancement products?  Keep reading.

Lisa and I  met Wendy Strgar in Anaheim at a Natural Products show about 4 years ago.  She was just starting her company called Good Clean Love and was demonstrating a product - no not that kind of product - it was one that you put on your lips to make kissing more enjoyable (not that we needed that - well, maybe we all do). We were impressed with her and impressed with her company, her philosophy and her products and decided then and there that if we started a company or bought one in the natural products industry that we wanted to carry her products.  So, here we are.  Lisa and I started Good Living Products and we are proud to carry the Good Clean Love line.

Personal favorites are the personal lubes - the Lavender Rose and Cinnamon Vanilla in particular (do we have you blushing yet?)  If you're going away on a weekend trip let me recommend the Weekend Get Away package, a little lube, a little oil and...... well, you get to make up the rest of the story.

The products are all natural, organic (95%).  We like to say that they feel good and make you feel good for using them.  Wendy says that "going green never felt so good".  We would have to concur.

Is it about sex?  Yes, but it's more about making your love, and your love life more sustainable.  Don't be afraid to add a little spice to your love life.  And if you're going to do that be good to your mother - earth that is.

Have fun and it's okay to smile!