Green, Eco-Friendly Wedding Ideas from LiveESP.com

Essential Safe Products (ESP) is committed to helping families live a healthy and non-toxic lifestyle in the kitchen and on-the-go as well as promoting a healthy and sustainable environment. Non-toxic and eco-friendly lifestyle choices are applicable in many aspects of one’s life, including a wedding, so ESP has put together a list of eco-friendly wedding ideas to give couples creative inspiration.
Plantation, Florida (PRWEB) March 01, 2012

Essential Safe Products (ESP), a website dedicated to helping families make healthier and non-toxic lifestyle and environmental choices, has put together a list of green , eco-friendly wedding ideas to help others get inspiration for incorporating environmental sustainability into a wedding.

Planning a wedding gives couples the freedom to explore creativity, inspiration, and tradition that brings together one of the most celebrated moments in their lives. Wedding ideas, themes, and decorations are endless, so one thing to keep in mind is to create a concept that stays true the couple. Coming up with a broad concept is a great way to start the wedding planning process because it will be a solid foundation to all the little details that come up throughout the detailed process.

“I’m getting married in less than two weeks, and because wedding, wedding, wedding is always on my mind right now, I thought it would be great to share some eco-friendly wedding ideas to others planning a wedding! I have incorporated some of these ideas into our wedding, and just a few small eco-adjustments to a wedding can have a huge and positive impact on a healthy environment,” says Hannah Masimore, President of ESP.

For those interested in planning a green, eco-friendly wedding, ESP has put together a list of some green wedding ideas that can easily be incorporated into any wedding.

1. Invitations: Search for PCW or recycled paper wedding invitations. Many companies now have this type of paper an option, and the designs are just as beautiful. An even more environmentally friendly idea is to send out online invitations.

2. The Dresses: For the bridal gown, many designers are now creating hemp wedding dresses or organic fabric wedding dresses—both options that are more environmentally friendly than traditional wedding gowns. For bridesmaid dresses, a great, sustainable idea is to donate the dresses that they may “never wear again” to a charity.

3. Wedding Favors: Couples can get very creative when it comes to deciding how to thank their guests for attending the wedding. One eco-friendly idea is to give a take-home slice of the wedding cake in a recycled paper cake box wrapped in jute or hemp ribbon and accompanied by a reusable bamboo spork. The bamboo spork is great novelty gift that guests can use time and time again. A couple of other ideas for favors is to donate to a charity in honor of each guest or give each guest a seed to plant.

4. Wedding Rings: Search for jewelers who use recycled metals and conflict-free diamonds.

5. Decorations: Instead of using plastic straws or trendy striped paper straws, think about incorporating stainless steel straws or glass straws. They are reusable and great take-home gifts for guests. Another eco-friendly idea for decorations is to use organic flowers throughout the wedding décor and in bouquets.

About Essential Safe Products (ESP)
Susan Masimore, mother of 6 children, started ESP because she wanted to spread the word about toxins and give families a place where they can confidently purchase non-toxic products for the kitchen and on-the-go. Through ESP’s website http://www.LiveESP.com, families can learn about the toxic chemicals, find tips and tricks on how to avoid exposure to toxins in food and drink, and purchase kitchen and on-the-go products that are non-toxic and food safe. ESP is dedicated to promoting healthy and non-toxic lifestyles for families as well as a healthy environment.

Tips for Choosing Safe, Less Toxic Cosmetics

Since 2004, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has called for government regulation and voluntary transparency in the cosmetic and personal care products industry.  On one hand, many companies have incorrectly labeled their products as “pure”, “natural”, and “organic”, even though there have been no legal standards set for these terms with cosmetics.  Additionally, existing law doesn’t require companies to test for the safety of their products nor does the law have the power to issue mandatory recalls of products that have been proven to contain harmful chemicals.  Due to the flaws in current laws, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has made it a priority to find out what some of the most popular personal care products really have in them and the negative effects they may be causing.

Because everything seems so vague and inconclusive in the cosmetics industry, one of the best ways to stay protected from harmful chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products is to be educated on the toxic chemicals commonly found in these products.  To help you stay informed, I’ve put together a sort of “cliff notes” list for you!  Below you will find ten harmful chemicals found in many products in the cosmetics industry.  These chemicals can serve as a “red flag” if you may when looking at a product’s ingredients:

1.      Antibacterials:  Some antibacterials absorbed by the body may be toxic or carcinogenic.  They can also be killing both the “good” and harmful bacteria, increasing your susceptibility to infection.

2.      Coal tar: This human carcinogen is used to soften skin and soothe itchy skin.  Sometimes, it's even used as a colorant.

3.      1,4-dioxane: This chemical is known to cause cancer in animals and is suspected to do the same in humans.

4.      Diethanolamine:  This chemical can be absorbed into the body through the skin.  It is a hormone disruptor that acts as a carcinogen and robs the body of choline, an essential nutrient in fetal brain development.

5.      Formaldehyde:  Already banned in the European Union, it is associated with multiple health concerns including breathing issues, irritation problems, and immune system and genetic damage.  Unfortunately, formaldehyde is not always clearly mentioned on product labels, making it an even greater focal point for safe cosmetic activists.

6.      Fragrance:  This ingredient can encompass number of chemicals, most of which may be toxic.  The term “fragrance” is sometimes used in place of the term phthalate.  Phthalates are obesogens, can cause developmental defects and delays, and can disrupt normal endocrine function (including reproductive health).

7.      Lead:  Lead acetate, a neurotoxin, is an ingredient in some lipsticks and men’s hair dyes.

8.      Mercury: Although the FDA permits the use of a certain amount of mercury compounds in eye makeup, mercury has a record of causing harm to the body as it readily passes through the skin.

9.      Talc: A product used to provide an allusion of sparkle, talc acts as a human carcinogen and has been directly linked to ovarian cancer.  It can also lead to lung tumors if inhaled.

10.  Toluelene:  Used to add gloss, toluelene is a toxic chemical that can decrease a person’s fertility and can cause liver and kidney damage.

You may be asking, what products can we trust if not all are properly labeled? Since regulation for cosmetics and personal care products is currently weak, the best way to find trusted, harm-free brands is to use the companies named “champions and innovators” by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Hope this helps you find safer cosmetics! If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment in this post. 

~ Ivana

Resources

http://chemistry.about.com/od/healthsafety/tp/toxic-chemicals-in-cosmetics.htm 

http://safecosmetics.org/

We are going to the GRAMMYs!

Yes, we ARE going! Early December I received a wonderful, ESP-changing phone call from a lovely representative of the company Distinctive Assets.  For over 10 years, Distinctive Assets has been the official Grammy Awards Talent Gift Lounge enablers.  And after all these years, they have never had a non-toxic, eco-friendly company like ours in the mix.  That’s why they reached out to us.  This year, Distinctive Assets wanted to bring more than just products to the lounge…they wanted to bring a concept that could make a difference as well!  At ESP, we are proud to bring this to the GRAMMYs and the talent because we hope that through the power of the celebrity and media, we can reach people all over the world and introduce them to a healthier lifestyle.

So many people in this world have never even heard of toxic chemicals, let alone know what kind of negative health effects they can have on our bodies.  With this opportunity, we hope to shed light on the issue of toxins and help make a difference in the lives of others.  Maybe the next step can be more regulation!  I mean, the more people on board, the closer we can get to more stringent and safe regulations for chemicals. 

And maybe (fingers crossed) we can get some celeb backing!  I’m thinking Taylor Swift would look pretty good with some ESP in her life J…okay, I digress…

Now what’s in the gift bag you may be wondering? When figuring out which products we thought would be best to put in our gift bag, we had to take into consideration that fact that we were giving products to people who pretty much have access to everything. So, to make things a little different, applicable, and necessary for anyone, we came up with an on-the-go concept for a gift bag.  We all have on-the-go lifestyles and using non-toxic and eco-friendly products while on-the-go is a perfect combination. With the help of several brands featured on our site, we came up with this:

Reusable Produce Bag: Perfect for carrying produce at a farmer’s market or the produce section of the grocery store! It’s also made from 100% organic cotton—much more environmentally friendly than conventional cotton.

Lifefactory Water Bottle: LOVE these! They help keep water tasting fresh and completely toxin-free. Perfect for on-the-go and the gym.  Oh, and I swear they are a great conversation starter! Can’t go anywhere without mine.

ECOlunchbox ECOdipper: The stainless steel ECOdipper is great for salad dressings, snacks, hummus, and more! It fits neatly in a lunchbag or lunchbox for you and your kids…and even your purse when you’re out and about and need a quick, healthy snack.

LunchSkins Snack Bag: This reusable snack bag is not only non-toxic but also dishwasher safe! It’s another great choice for taking on-the-go or packing in a lunchbox.  Plus, the designs are too cute!

To-Go Ware REPeat Bamboo Utensils: These utensils are eco-friendly, non-toxic, and reusable.  Pack it with your lunch or keep it with you in your bag…it can come in handy anywhere and is a much better choice than those disposable plastic forks!

We also included a www.LiveESP.com gift certificate so the recipients can pick and choose non-toxic products based on their own lifestyle changes!

So that’s that! For the next three days, my fiancé and I will be meeting with the GRAMMYs talent, presenters, and media to spread the word about healthier lifestyles…wish us luck! And I will have many updates for everyone when we return…

~ Hannah

Essential Safe Products to Bring Non-Toxic, Food-Safe, and Eco-Friendly Lifestyle to the 54th Annual Grammy® Awards as the Official Featured Sponsor of the 54th Annual Grammy® Awards Talent Gift Lounge

Essential Safe Products (ESP) has announced that as the official featured sponsor of the 54^th Annual Grammy® Awards Talent Gift Lounge it will be bringing a non-toxic, food-safe, and eco-friendly lifestyle to 54^th Annual Grammy® Awards, which will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network from 8 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Sunday, February 12^th at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

As the featured sponsor of the 54th Annual Grammy® Awards Talent Gift Lounge, ESP hopes to spread the word about avoiding toxic chemicals in everyday kitchen and on-the-go products, promote a healthier and more chemical-free lifestyle, and encourage eco-friendly lifestyle choices to consumers. At the lounge, ESP will be showcasing non-toxic, food-safe, and eco-friendly kitchen and on-the-go products sold on their website www.LiveESP.com.  Visitors of their site can learn about toxic chemicals and purchase products for a safer, less toxic lifestyle in the kitchen and on-the-go.

“Through www.LiveESP.com our goal is to have a positive impact on consumers around the world who want to learn about potential hazards of toxic chemicals, get tips on how to avoid toxic chemicals, and have a resource for trustworthy, non-toxic products for their homes.  That’s why when given the opportunity to represent healthy and non-toxic lifestyles at the Grammy® Awards, we knew we had to get involved in order to really get the word out about avoiding toxins.” says Hannah Masimore, President of ESP.  “It’s a lifestyle my family and I have really benefited from and we hope others can benefit as well.”

Recently, the media has been reporting more and more on toxic chemicals in everyday products; however, ESP believes more media attention should be placed on this area of concern because there are many people all over the world who have still not heard about the potential effects of toxic chemicals nor know about ways to help avoid exposure.  With the power of the media and the grandeur surrounding the Grammy® Awards, ESP hopes to spread their message, have a positive influence in the lives of others, and help families lead healthier, less toxic lifestyles in the kitchen and on-the-go.

ESP will be the only company representing non-toxic, food-safe, and eco-friendly products for the kitchen and on-the-go at this year’s 54^th Annual Grammy® Awards Talent Gift Lounge. The LiveESP.com gift bag is valued at over $250 and includes all non-toxic, food-safe, and eco-friendly products: a reusable produce bag; reusable glass drinking bottle; a reusable snack bag; a reusable stainless steel snack container; a reusable bamboo utensil set; and a gift certificate to www.LiveESP.com valued at $200.

About Essential Safe Products (ESP)

Susan Masimore, mother of 6 children, started ESP because she wanted to spread the word about toxins and give families a place where they can confidently purchase non-toxic products for the kitchen and on-the-go. Through ESP’s website www.LiveESP.com, families can learn about the toxic chemicals, find tips and tricks on how to avoid exposure to toxins in food and drink, and purchase kitchen and on-the-go products that are non-toxic and food safe. ESP is dedicated to promoting healthy and non-toxic lifestyles for families as well as a healthy environment.

Baby Bottles & Sippy Cups

A Little Bundle of Joy, Big Situation, and an Enormously, Easy Fix!

So you have just welcomed a new baby in your life, and one of your first jobs as a parent is to get to feeding! Whether you choose to breast feed or use infant formula, you are likely to use a baby bottle at some point—if not all the time. As your baby grows older, the next step is a sippy cup, and we all know how important these are to help avoid spilling, yikes!  But with feeding your little bundle of joy (a constant task—they are always hungry it seems!) there comes a big situation: BPA in plastics, which some scientist believe may have harmful effects on your child’s health.  Luckily, there is an enormously, easy fix!  In this article we talk about the potential dangers of exposure to BPA and how you can help prevent exposure in your child’s life, helping you promote a non-toxic lifestyle from the very beginning.  Read on… J

 

The Big BPA Situation

Up until 2007, 90% of baby bottle were made out of polycarbonate plastic.  Unfortunately, polycarbonate plastic contains the dangerous chemical called BPA, which can leak (also referred to as leach) into the liquid stored in your child’s bottle or cup.  A bottle filled with room temperature water will leach BPA, but add boiling water to the bottle and the leaching rate increases 55 times as much! With BPA in your baby’s bottle or cup, there are various potential dangers your child is being exposed to. Several recent animal studies have linked low levels of BPA to issues such as hyperactivity, learning disabilities, increased diabetes risk, early onset of puberty, and certain types of cancer.  It has also been confirmed that most babies, as well as adults, have low levels of BPA in their systems, which is why we are here to help give you an option to avoid exposure in the first place.

The Enormously, Easy Fix

At this point, scientists are still debating the seriousness of the effects BPA may have on humans, but as my mother always says, better safe than sorry!  In order to be proactive with this information, I have listed some tips below on how to reduce the BPA in your child’s system.

If you already have bottles at home:

·         Get rid of your old and worn bottles and sippy cups.  Overly used bottles will leach BPA at a faster rate than newer bottles.

·         Don’t heat your bottles.  If you have polycarbonate plastic bottles at home, never add boiling water to them because that will drastically increase the rate at which BPA leaches out of them.

If you’re going bottle and sippy cup shopping:

·         Some plastics are safer than others.  If you are looking for plastic baby bottles, try to get bottles with the following codes punched on the bottom: LDPE #4, PP #5, PA #7, or PES #7. (although I would suggest trying to avoid plastics as much as possible!)

·         Use drop-in liners with your plastic bottles.  These liners are made of safer plastic, but you will have to replace them. (again…I personally still want to avoid plastic!)

·         Get glass bottles.  Glass bottles do not have BPA in them so they are a much safer option.  There is always the fear that glass bottles may easily break, but Lifefactory has some great bottles made from borosilicate glass, which is more resistant to breakage, and has a silicone sleeve to protect the bottle when dropped.

·         Stainless steel bottles.  This material will not leach, so it is another safe option.  It’s also lighter than glass! Klean Kanteen has a new line of stainless steel baby bottles coming soon. In the mean time, their stainless steel sippy cups will do!

·         Nipples made of medical-grade silicone.  Silicone is BPA free and it is durable and dishwasher safe.  Both Klean Kanteen and Lifefactory use nipples made from medical-grade silicone.

·         Avoid aluminum.  Some low end aluminum cups may be lined with a resin that contains BPA.

·         Avoid polycarbonate plastics. This type of plastic is a #7 plastic and can leach BPA.

·         Double check that all parts are BPA free.  That means the caps, sippy caps too! BPA can be in more than just the bottle or cup itself.

By using BPA free baby bottles and sippy cups, you will be giving your child a safer option. You’ll no longer have to worry about BPA leaching into their drinks and feel confident in their health.  Avoiding plastic and opting for glass or stainless steel bottles and sippy cups is also better for the environment. Plastics are often made from petroleum, so by using glass or stainless steel, you will decrease oil consumption. Additionally, glass and stainless steel products are reusable and recyclable, which help minimize waste in our environment.

Resource: http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/children-and-babies/safe-baby-bottles-and-sippy-cups/

ESP Holiday Gift Guide Tips!

This year, thanks to the ESP Holiday Gift Guide, you can get your friends and family non-toxic and chemical free gifts for the kitchen and on-the-go! Giving non-toxic gifts is an out-of-the-box idea that friends and family will not only enjoy but truly benefit from. By giving non-toxic gifts, you can help family and friends lead a healthier and safer lifestyle—and who doesn’t want that!?

On a more personal note, this year I think giving my friends a Lifefactory glass water bottle in their favorite color (so many colors and sizes to choose from—it’s great) will be a big hit. As college students, a new reusable and bpa free bottle is perfect for taking water, juice, or, more realistically speaking, a highly caffeinated iced coffee with us to class—they’ll be thanking me, I know it J.

So now that I've got gift ideas for friends all set, what about my family?  Something I think every family could use is a non-toxic set of cookware and food storage containers for safe cooking and safe food storage of holiday leftovers.  My family has actually already transformed their kitchen into a non-toxic zone, but it is still a great idea—the more the merrier in my opinion.  But if you have family or friends that still use PTFE coated pans or plastic containers for food storage, safe cookware and glass food storage are a perfect gift.  These non-toxic gifts can encourage family to take a step closer to a chemical free lifestyle.  Another clever gift that can get children involved with the BPA-free movement from an early age, are the Klean Kanteen and Life Factory Sippy cups!  They're safe to use and a great size for those Saturday ball games or long car rides...

I have to admit that while holiday shopping, I always end up getting something for me.  So, if you’re like me a lower-cost idea for your own personal gift giving is ESP’s bamboo spork set. They are super cute and a great conversation starter, believe me, I have them!

There are endless possibilities when you choose to give non-toxic products to show how much you REALLY care, so enjoy this holiday season and spread some ESP cheer!

~ Ivana

Giveaway ~ Baking Bonanza

Good morning!  I am hear to do our very first giveaway on the A Cup of ESP blog!  So excited about this one because...

1. It's our first giveaway.
2. Today is lucky 11.11.11, and someone out there will be the lucky winner!
3. Who doesn't love a giveaway!?
4. The Cupcake Creations Snowman baking cups we are giving away are peeerfect for this coming holiday season.

Now, it's on to contest details!  

Baking Bonanza Prize:

Two 32/pack of Cupcake Creations Snowman Standard Baking Cups!  These baking cups are made of all natural, eco friendly paper, are BPA free, use food-safe inks, and are non-toxic...a great combination!  To read more about how awesome these cupcake cups are, visit our Cupcake Creations page on LiveESP.com.

Baking Bonanza Contest Rules:

Today is 11.11.11...we are feeling lucky, and so is one (and maybe more) of our Facebook fans!  Our goal is to reach 200 Facebook Fans by 11:11 AM EST on November 14th (Monday).  Currently, we have 138 fans, and as a new company, we think this 200 number is attainable!  That's where you all come in...

1. If luck doesn't strike us at 11:11 AM on 11/14, only ONE of our Facebook Fans will receive two packs of the Cupcake Creations Snowman Baking cups!
2. If we reach 200 Facebook Fans by 11:11 AM EST on November 14th, TWO of our Facebook Fans will each win two packs of the baking cups!

So....spread the word! Get your family and friends to "Like" ESP on Facebook! The more people hear about ESP, the more we can help spread awareness about hazardous chemicals in our everyday products...and help prevent exposure through a non-toxic and chemical free lifestyle in the kitchen and on-the-go :).

Winner (and we hope WINNERS!) will be randomly chosen on Monday, November 14th and will be announced on our Facebook page.  Winner will be contacted via a Facebook message so we can get address information.

Let the Bonanza Begin!

~ Hannah

Wyland Living Green Fair Wrap Up

I'm so excited to write this post because we just wrapped up our first green event! This past weekend, we set up a super large booth at the Wyland Living Green Fair to help promote going non-toxic and chemical free...it was a great success! We had hundreds of visitors stop by our booth and give us great feedback. Everyone showed great interest in what we were doing at ESP, and I hope we were able to spread awareness about prevention of hazardous chemicals :).

Here's a recap of our weekend:

Let me preface the weekend by letting you all know it was my mom's birthday on Sunday. As a birthday surprise, I thought we'd get our whole family together to attend the Living Green Fair with my mom and me. My three younger brothers are in middle school and high school, so they were already home. But one of my younger sisters worked out in California while the other is abroad in Costa Rica! So with a little bit of secrecy and work, we were able to get the two of them to fly in on Friday night...to get ready and surprise my mom Saturday morning.

Friday night:
Both of my sisters stayed with my fiance and me in Fort Lauderdale.

Saturday morning:
7 AM ~ My two sisters, my fiance, and I all drove over to my parent's house to surprise my mom. We opened the door, walked in, and saw my mom's SURPRISED face! She had no earthly idea that we were all going to be with her this past weekend to celebrate her birthday.  Let's just say a few happy tears were shed :).
8 AM ~ It was off to Mizner Park in Boca Raton, FL to set up!
9 AM ~ Set up began...with the whole fam!

11 AM ~ Doors opened up for the Wyland Living Green Fair!  We were all ready to go :)

5:30 PM ~ End of day 1! It was a beautiful day at the fair...and I think we did a great job spreading awareness!  You can see more pictures from the event on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.198993640176451.49369.130037260405423&type=1

That night, we all had family dinner at my parents house.  Because one sister is in college and the other lives in California, it is amazing when we get the chance to all get together--all eight of us! I think my mom had a very, very Happy Birthday!!

Sunday:
Another great day! My mom, sister, and I were at the event from 12 to 5.

I would have given an exact play by play of the weekend, but I think you all got a good idea of how it went! We sold bpa free bottles by Lifefactory and Takeya--which EVERYONE loved! (Including us...we all have at least one bottle each haha).

More pictures to come on our Facebook page soon!

Thank you!
Hannah

http://www.liveesp.com/on-the-go/takeya-on-the-go/

Essential Safe Products Exhibiting at Wyland Living Green Fair in Boca Raton, FL, November 5-6, 2011

LiveESP.com

We hope that while exhibiting at the Wyland Living Green Fair, ESP can make a difference and have a positive influence on families looking for a safer and healthier lifestyle in their home.

 

Plantation, FL (PRWEB) October 27, 2011

On November 5-6, Essential Safe Products (ESP) will be exhibiting at the annual Wyland Living Green Fair in Boca Raton, FL, to help spread awareness about hazardous chemicals and assist in prevention through the sale of non-toxic kitchen and on-the-go products.

“We are always looking for ways to help spread awareness about the dangers of hazardous chemicals in our everyday kitchen and on the go products. So, when we heard about the Wyland Living Green Fair taking place just around the corner from us, we knew this would be a great opportunity to educate families,” says Hannah Masimore, President of ESP.

Attending the Wyland Living Green Fair is a great way for ESP to spread awareness outside of the web. Families from all over South Florida are expected to attend the fair, and ESP their message of a safer and non-toxic lifestyle resonates with visitors to their booth. ESP will also be selling bpa free water bottles from Lifefactory and Takeya and stainless steel food containers at their booth.

Susan Masimore adds, “We hope that while exhibiting at the Wyland Living Green Fair, ESP can make a difference and have a positive influence on families looking for a safer and healthier lifestyle in their home.”
ESP’s “Learn” section of their site LiveESP.com is a product of their continuous efforts to help educate and promote awareness about dangerous chemicals. LiveESP.com goes into detail about the different types of toxic chemicals found in kitchen products and gives tips and tricks on how to avoid exposure to hazardous chemicals. The information provided is incredibly useful for families who are learning about or want to know more about BPA, lead, PFCs and other chemicals.

Coupled with their “Learn” section is a “Shop” portion of their site where families can purchase safe cookware, bpa free bottles, bpa free food storage, cast iron cookware and other great non-toxic kitchen and on-the-go products.

The Wyland Living Green Fair was started by David Etzler, an event planner and eco-enthusiast who wants to help educate communities on living a greener, healthier and more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. This year, the Wyland Living Green Fair is expected to bring in over 10,000 attendees—making it the largest Green themed event in South Florida.

About liveESP.com LiveESP.com is a website dedicated to encouraging and helping people learn about hazardous chemicals and make healthier decisions for a safer and chemical-free lifestyle in the kitchen and on-the-go. LiveESP.com is a great site where people can both learn about the dangers of harmful chemicals and purchase products that are non-toxic and human safe. Through ESP, founder Susan Masimore and her oldest daughter Hannah hope to have a positive impact in the lives of others. LiveESP.com was founded in 2011 in Plantation, Florida.

ESP Launch Potluck!

On September 13, 2011 we lived our http://www.liveesp.com/ site! So to celebrate, we held an ESP Launch Potluck Party in our offices on Friday, September 15th! Everyone brought healthy and/or organic foods and drink for everyone to enjoy.  At our offices here in South Florida, we are always looking for a good excuse to have a potluck and launching ESP was the perfect opportunity. A lot of hard work was put into launching the site and we were so excited to celebrate!

Throughout the day we also had a couple contests.  First, we did an "Office Family Feud" game where I asked 15 questions to all our employees (it was lots of fun to answer and see what everyone else had to say!).  Then we also had a guessing game contest where everyone had to guess the number of pistachios in a glass container and the number of "mystery" items in a stainless steel container.  What I loved about the stainless steel container guessing game was that no one had any clue as to what was in it. I purposefully placed the jars behind a window so no one could pick it up and figure it out...so sneaky but so much more fun that way.  The best part was I also placed pistachios in there!  Some of the answers people gave me were hilarious.  Winners of each game got their choice of stainless steel bottles or glass water bottles.

Here are some pictures from our potluck.  Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the party!  Oh and I made sure to get the recipes of all our potluck food...which I plan on posting in our recipe section of the site for everyone to enjoy!

And now for the food :)

Thanks for joining us for A Cup of ESP!

~ Hannah



About Us!

Who We Are

 

Essential Safe Products (or “ESP” as we like to call it…) was started by a Florida mother of six who, like any parent, has always looked out for her children’s safety.  Aside from her typical, “don’t chew while lying down,” “careful when you eat those grapes” and “don’t forget to wear your elbow pads, write guards, knee pads, fluorescent safety vest and helmet!”, she also has taken the initiative of creating a healthier and safer kitchen.

For as long as I can remember, the pantry and fridge always consisted of the healthiest foods available: organic milks, whole grains, veggies, fruits, and occasionally organic sweets.  But our kitchenware and on-the-go productswere not always the “healthiest” option because, quite frankly, we just didn’t know about the effects that kitchenware could have on both our food and bodies.  However, once my mom learned of the dangers and risks associated with chemicals like BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, formaldehyde, etc., the quest for safer kitchenware began.

Our kitchen transformation started by throwing out our plastic water bottles and cups (image how many we went through as a family of 8).  Next thing I knew, I was coming home from college to a kitchen stocked with glass cups, glass water pitchers, stainless steel pitchers, glass food storage containers, stainless steel food storage containers, stainless steel bottles, glass bottles, stainless steel cookware…I could go on but I think you get the picture!

Knowing there must be others out there looking for safer kitchen and on-the-go alternatives, my mom decided to start ESP.

We are here to educate and inform you on healthy and safe lifestyle options that we believe can have a positive impact on your life and the life of those around you.  So no matter what change you make, big or small, we are here to help.  Our goal is to provide you with a single place to research, buy, learn and share about safe cooking, safe eating, and safe choices in life!  

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Just ask! We’ll do the best we can to stock the products you are looking for and the information you need.

What We Do

ESP proudly offers kitchenware and on-the-go products that are free of BPA, Phthalates, PFCs, Lead and other harmful chemicals to the human body.  Before we feature products, we make sure they are free of toxins so you can eat, cook and bake without having to think twice about whether or not your food and drinks are safe to consume!

Our Mission

Whether it’s doing a complete 180 on your current lifestyle or taking small steps to a safer and healthier you, we are here to help.  Our goal is to be a one-stop, friendly resource for easy shopping, easy learning and easy decisions when it comes to your healthy lifestyle.  We make sure to provide only human-safe products so you can bypass the research phase and get straight to shopping.  Join us on our path to a healthier and safer life!