"Autumn truly is what summer pretends to be:  the best of all seasons.  It is as glorious as summer is tedious; as subtle as summer is obvious; as refreshing as summer is wearying. Autumn seems like paradise."

Gregg Easterbrook

Autumn is definitely my favorite time of the year, unfortunately it flies by in a flash!In Autumn the days have cooled down, the leaves have turned, and the world is busy preparing for something new: the winter,school,going back to job...i love this feeeling of starting something new! And there's also something magical in the air wich brings the first smell of the woodstove or the fireplace.When i tell my friends that i prefer Autumn to our looong exasperating hot (Portuguese) Summer they would eye me with a strange look,how could i prefer it to the days of summer?well....just take a look at the beautiful images above and maybe autumn will become your favorite season too!;)

Autumn can be somehow nostalgic but also very fun!Check the following list of 50 Fun Fall Activities to do!!;)

http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/entertainment/fall-activities-00100000084199/index.html

The Cat is Organic last Fair in Portugal-Lisbon

Saturday, the 28th September,from 14h to 21h, The Cat is Organic will be holding its last fair in Lisbon/Portugal!This little Kiiten here loves a good adventure so just decided on moving overseas!

And he is quite excited about that!;)

 So, be sure to come and visit us in this farewell Summer Fair-Mercadinho de Verão,in Alfama!

We will be serving free hot Tea,Chocolates and discounts on The Cat is Organic products!

The place is awesome and the view...breathtaking!!!

See ya there*

Let It Grow, Plant your Own Vegetables... On your window!

Hi Catity Cat Cats!
With our day-to-day run and over-population of urban environments one of the common habits is forgetting the knowledge that many of our parents/grandparents passed down to our days, and that even with the change they made in their way of life they eventually forgot a bit about it, but with a little effort to come back to the surface. What am i talking about? The habit of agriculture!

With the hustle and bustle of our daily lives we often let our food get a bit neglected and we lost a little interest in how the cultivation of the vegetables we consume is made. Do not blame yourself, it happens to everyone, but is in the hands of us all save and create a healthy and chemical-free plantation, with the bonus of still light our porches and windows.

They begin to appear here and there, a vase full with corianders, one bowl filled with lettuce, a balcony with floor covered in dirt or a small backyard (for those lucky enough to have them). And what are they? Nothing more than the urban gardens, small                                                                 plots of land where people cultivate as much vegetables as possible.

Well, over the past few days I've been walking trough the city of Guimarães (Portugal) and I've found some of these examples... Even in my building lives of these examples, a cheerful vase balcony filled with  green and sparkling fresh Coriander.

If you've thought about doing or plan to do something of this kind, don't worry because we have some ideas to give you and some advice to guide you in the world of window-agriculture. You can also follow our Pinterest to find some good examples of this type of cultivation.

Organic Cotton & Ethical Shopping

Today went Sunday Shopping,but buying consciously aka looking for Organic-Natural-Fair Trade items-is no piece of cake, specially on the largest shopping mall of the Iberian Peninsula,The Centro Comercial Colombo!

But somehow i seemed to manage:i bought a Blue  Organic Cotton Sweater from Zara;an Organic Cotton Black dotted Tshirt from the L.O.G.G Label ( the H&m casual line in wich almost all its apparel,are Cotton Organic) and finally the Organic Bourjois Bio Détox Fondation.

H&m,Zara and C&A are Top Organic Cotton Users http://www.ecouterre.com/hm-still-worlds-no-1-buyer-of-organic-cotton/,but unfortunately, except for the annual Spring/Summer H&M Conscious Collection...

...there aren´t many apparel variety to choose from...since the Summer Conscious Collection was now over,i had to choose between a blue,white or a brown basic sweater and a beautiful, non organic cotton. envelope Jacket...,the choice wasnt easy but in  the end,i choose the organic,afcourse!Off with the vanity!

The veredict?i love my new blue comfy organic sweater and iam quite happy for my conscious and ecological choice!

BUT ethical doesnt mean you have to look boring!Besides this basic organic sweaters you may commonly find in this popular brands,you can also look for quite fashionable ethical apparel online,check some of my favorites on the end of this post!

'Conventional' cotton DIRTY FACTS

Cotton is considered the world's 'dirtiest' crop due to its heavy use of insecticides, the most hazardous pesticide to human and animal health. 

The pesticides used on 'conventional' cotton increasingly threaten people, wildlife and the environment. Most pesticides were originally developed as toxic nerve agents during WWII and it is no wonder they have been linked to many forms of cancers. 

Conventionally-grown cotton occupies only 3% of the world's farmland, but uses 25% of the world's chemical pesticides.

WHY is Organic Cotton better?

Organic cotton items are fashionable, durable, and healthier for your family. The greenest companies make organic cotton clothes without toxic chemical bleaches and finishers.

Choosing Organic also protect workers and communities by keeping thousands of tons of harmful pesticides out of the air, soil, and water!

So,give organic cotton a try  for yourself and our environment!

You can try to start buying more organic cotton little by little – I started in my own home by buying pillowcases, washcloths, and t-shirts. Many familiar companies and stores now carry organic cotton products, and there is a range of prices, making it a reachable goal for everyone’s budget:

GAP

Levi’s

Bed, Bath and Beyond

Patagonia

Nike

LL Bean

H & M

The Organic Cotton Directory  http://www.organiccottondirectory.net/  is a great resource for finding organic cotton products in whichever country you live.

For a list of online sources for Organic Cotton clothing, see:

http://www.eartheasy.com/wear_orgcot_clo.htm

You can learn more about organic cotton at:

USDA - http://www.usda.gov

Sustainable Cotton Project - http://www.sustainablecotton.org/

The Organic Trade Association – http://www.ota.com/index.html

Perfect combination would be,Organic Cotton Apparel&Fair Trade!

But why Fair Trade?Because it also ensures that the clothing is ethically grown and that the cotton growers and garment manufacturers are all paid a good wage, ensuring that they can send their kids to school (no child labour here), save for the future and have enough for the present, and they work in safe, healthy environments!

Learn about ethical Shopping here: http://www.ethical.org.au/get-informed/

My favorite online Ethical Apparel&Acessories brands are:

The People Tree

http://www.peopletree.co.uk/

Ciel

http://www.cielshop.co.uk/

Global Girlfriend

http://www.globalgirlfriend.com

The Azadi Project

http://www.azadiproject.com

Bhalo

http://www.bhaloshop.com/

Howies

http://www.howies.co.uk/

Edun

http://www.edun.com/

Kuyichi

http://www.kuyichi.com

more brands here:http://www.ecofashionworld.com/Activewear/listA.html