Eco-novice: Going Green Gradually

Green Phone Booth: Bread Storage

2012-01-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

First it was plastic bags. Then a plastic CD container. Then a few weeks ago I had a flash of insight about a plastic-free-ish way to store my homemade bread. Read about it today at the Green Phone Booth: Plastic-Lite Bread Storage Hack.

I Like My New Water Filter

2012-01-24T21:33:00.000-08:00

I used to have a pitcher water filter. First a Brita, then a PUR. Recently, we finally switched to a faucet filter, and I much prefer it.

First off, I have gone to great lengths to avoid beverages in plastic (we buy our milk in glass bottles), so it always seemed a shame to me to have my water, which is what I drink most often, sitting in plastic. Second, that darn pitcher took up a lot of counter real estate. Counter space is always in short supply in our kitchen so this was very much not appreciated. Third, the pitcher always looked gross, because I rarely washed it and it got splashed all the time, plus plastic always looks kind of dingy after a while.

The faucet filter does have a few drawbacks. You need to use two hands to operate it, unless you want to waste a lot of water. This was not a big deal, until I found myself carrying around a baby in one arm much of the time. So now we keep a very small glass pitcher with filtered water on the counter (it is much smaller than a pitcher filter) for those occasions when I only have one hand free. Also for when my husband is washing the dishes. The filter also sometimes can be in the way when you are using the sink (especially if your sink is also full of dishes, as mine usually is), but you can easily snap it off completely. This is what we do when we are doing the dishes.

I like how easy it is to switch the filter on and off. I like the little light that tells me when it's time to replace the filter. But mostly I like that my drinking water isn't sitting in plastic.

Thinking of filtering your water? Check out these resources:
Which Water Filter System Is Right For Your Home? (Healthy Child Healthy World)
EWG's Guide to Safe Drinking Water (PDF)
EWG's National Drinking Water Database (including water filter buying guide)
Water filters: green buying guide 2/12 (Consumer Reports Greener Choices)
5 Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water (Mother Nature Network)

This post is part of

Works for Me Wednesday

Climate Change Resolutions

2012-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

This month the Green Moms are blogging about Resolutions to Fight Climate Change. Check out Strocel.com on Monday, January 23 for links to all the other submissions.

I already posted 10 Green Goals for 2012 last week. But today, I'm going to focus on some additional very modest resolutions related more directly to energy usage and climate change.

1. Cancel catalogs.

Last year I published a series of posts called Goodbye, Junk Mail. After ordering a few things around the holidays, though, I am receiving a few unwanted catalogs. I've been saving the address labels in a special spot and now I just need to actually cancel the catalogs. Should take far less time than writing this post. Looking back at my Cancel Catalogs post, I also realize that I neglected to take my own advice and order from a live person whenever possible so that I could tell the representative "Do not send me catalogs. Do not share my information with others." Any other tips for dodging unwanted catalogs?

2. Use fewer paper products.

Yes, I already use cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels. I am pondering what to do about tissues and toilet paper. Do I want to cough up the money for recycled paper products, or just switch to reusables?Yes, folks, some people use cloth wipes instead of toilet paper! I already wipe my two potty trained kids' bottoms with cloth wipes (a natural extension of cloth diapering really), so really it's about what the adults in the house use. I've also used reusable tissues (a.k.a. handkerchiefs -- we used mini single-use-before-washing ones from cut up T-shirts), but was not thrilled with them. Please share your favorite alternatives to conventional TP and tissues.

3. Turn off power strips at night.

Easy to do. Easy not to do. Since our power strips are carefully tucked away behind cut up cardboard boxes and furniture, this actually does require a modicum of effort. Maybe I should buy some of those "Smart" power strips. How do you avoid having a "phantom energy load"?

4. Eat a lower-carbon diet.

Did you read the Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change and Health, published by Environmental Working Group last year? I was surprised to learn about the large carbon footprint of cheese. We already eat little meat, and we try to insure that the meat we eat is organic, local and humanely raised. But we could still stand to up our bean intake and lower our meat/cheese intake. I only recently switched to organic cheese, and it's so much more expensive than regular cheese that I've naturally reduced consumption some already (and monitor waste like a hawk!). Still, I'd like to be more conscientious about our family's cheese consumption and also get a bit more creative with beans. What is your favorite bean recipe?

5. Sign lots of petitions.

Although I believe individual action is important, what we really need with respect to climate change is collective and political action. What are your best suggestions for effective online activism?

How will you fight climate change in 2012?

I Love Baby Carriers (Wordless Wednesday)

2012-01-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

This post is part of

Wordless Wednesday @ Farmer's Daughter

Book Excerpt: The Non-Toxic Avenger by Deanna Duke

2012-01-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

Through her very successful blog The Crunchy Chicken and her recently published book The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, Deanna Duke shares with others her efforts to live free of toxic chemicals. Earlier this month, Deanna answered several of my questions regarding her transformation from a trusting consumer to the Non-Toxic Avenger.

Today as part of The Non-Toxic Avenger's Blog Book Tour I'm posting an excerpt from Duke's book (reprinted with the author's permission) in which she discusses using some expensive technology to identify toxic materials in her children's toys.

***

The moment of truth: XRF analyzer
When it came time to test some of our household products for heavy metals, Erika Schreder at Washington Toxics Coalition helped me out yet again. She was the one who initially counseled me about where to find body burden testing and which tests would be accessible to me. This time around she saved my skin by offering up the use of the Coalition’s XRF analyzer gun. Because these machines are expensive (generally around $30,000), buying one wasn’t exactly practical and renting one was costly. And also, I wanted to make sure I was using an XRF analyzer that would give a scientifically significant analysis. Cheaper ones exist on the market, but the results wouldn’t have been as definitive. In any case, in early February we managed to find a time that worked for both of us and I trooped down to their offices with a large bag of common household items to test out.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers are widely used by government regulators and product manufacturers to test for hazardous materials in consumer products without destroying the sample being analyzed. They can test for chemical elements like chlorine, lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, tin and antimony. They can also tell you if a product is made out of PVC, which came in handy with the stuff I brought in.

After scaring me with some results they had just gotten regarding the amount of formaldehyde in crib sheets, infant clothes and pretty much all textiles that aren’t organic, we got down to business. Erika had her intern, Rachel, join us to show her how to use the analyzer which meant that I got to learn alongside as well. After Erika explained the safety hazards of shooting x-rays at people and calibrated the gun, we were ready to begin.

Rachel had brought with her two sets of Lego toys — one from 1979 and one from 1984. The significance of this was that Lego changed the materials of their plastic toys between these dates. Modern-day Lego toys are generally fine, although the clear plastic pieces are made from polycarbonate and, most likely, contain BPA. So, it is essential that I make sure the kids aren’t sucking on those particular pieces.In the 1979 set, the red Lego brick measured at over 7,000 ppm (parts per million) cadmium. In contrast, the 1984 red (and yellow) bricks found no cadmium detected. Cadmium, which is a known carcinogen, can hinder brain development, similar to lead. Even though our kids play with recently manufactured Lego, I mention this because we have been offered sets of Lego from yesteryear that somebody or other’s grandparent had been storing in their basement. Usually we refuse them because of the mildew and high ick factor of these long-lost treasures, but now there’s more reason to be concerned about plastic toys made in the 1970s. What’s the significance of 7,000 ppm cadmium? While there are no federal limits of cadmium in children’s toys (yet), 7,000 ppm is extremely high. For comparison, the European toy standard is 75 ppm. In other words, really, anything about 100 ppm is high — 7,000 ppm is insanely high.

***

Doesn't that just make you want to run out and buy a $30,000 XRF Analyzer? Since my mom just brought me some of my old Lego sets on a recent visit, this passage was of particular interest to me. The Non-Toxic Avenger is full of these in-depth looks at the toxins in our everyday products, as well as the author's search for acceptable alternatives.

I'm looking forward to finishing The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You and posting my own book review soon. In the meantime, check out the book reviews, interviews, excerpts, and guest posts by Duke that are all part of The Non-Toxic Avenger's Blog Book Tour.

Ten Favorite Posts of 2011

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Since I only know what Blogger tells me, I can only tell you my 6 most popular posts from 2011 (apparently, everyone loves a giveaway). So I'll add 4 more posts that were some of my favorites.

6 Most Popular Posts

Etsy Reusable Sandwich Bags Giveaway and Review (12 Stores, 6 Winners)

Eat Less Plastic
Stainless Steel Drinking Straws by The Mulled Mind (Giveaway and Review)
Goodbye, Teflon. Hello, Le Creuset.
Green Cleaning - Laundry
Celeste Blake Designs Gallon-size Reusable Bag Giveaway & Review

4 of Eco-novice's Favorite Posts
How to Be a Green Consumer

Things I Avoid Eating
Which is Worse: Aspartame or High Fructose Corn Syrup?
When to Put Your Child on the Potty

What topics would you like to see discussed more by Eco-novice in 2012?

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

The Complete Green Holidays 2011-2012

2012-01-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

I just packed up my Christmas decorations, so I guess it's time to publish this year's edition of The Complete Green Holidays. Hope you enjoyed my and Kelly's posts about a simpler, cheaper, greener holiday season.

A series of posts about being green and saving green during the holidays by Eco-novice and miskellany.

2011

Posts by Eco-novice
How to Be a Green Consumer
Green Moms Carnival: Green Your Black Friday
Two Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Thanksgiving Reflections
Etsy Gifts For Kids
Green Gifts for Adults: Reusables
Green Gifts for Adults: Cookbooks
Current and Aspirational Christmas Traditions

Posts by miskellany
free DIY soccer goal project

eco gifts for little ones

free thankfulness bulletin board
10 free Kindle books to download
building a greener wish list
Stuff an Eco-Stocking
It’s Not Too Late for Intangible Gifts!
The After-Christmas Cleanup
10 loans i’ve made

2010

Posts by Eco-novice
Family Holiday Traditions
Eco-friendly Gift Wrapping
Why I Love Shopping for Toys on Etsy
My 10 Favorite Etsy Wood Toy Stores {GIVEAWAY}
The Greenest Tree: What Type of Christmas Tree is Best for the Earth?
Green Gifts for Kids
Eco-novice's Green Gifts for Grownups

Posts by miskellany
a low cost christmas
intangible gift ideas for kids
make your own green gifts
gifts that grow with kids
avoiding materialism
top 10 eco-books for kids
green gifts for grownups
feed the birds
10 favorite christmas traditions

Green Phone Booth: Book Review of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story

2012-01-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

I'm back posting over at The Green Phone Booth. Click HERE to read my book review of and a few favorite excerpts from Plastic: A Toxic Love Story.

10 Green Goals for 2012

2012-01-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Last week I evaluated my performance on my half-year resolutions made in July 2011. Today I'm posting some goals for this year. These goals will mostly be modest, because I like to feel successful, and because I have a new baby and won't be accomplishing much of anything for several months.

Make my own hummus from scratch.
So, I know how to make hummus from a can of garbanzo beans and from garbanzo flour. But I don't like the BPA in canned foods, and I was never completely sold on the texture from the hummus I made from garbanzo flour. We own a pressure cooker, which my husband mostly uses to make black beans and pinto beans. But I know how to use it and it's not that hard, so it's high time I cooked my own garbanzo beans to make into hummus. Several of my friends do this and when they bring their homemade hummus to the park, my kids always gobble it up. This goal isn't particularly difficult in and of itself, it's just a matter of fitting it into my routine, which already entails making homemade bread, yogurt, snacks, etc.

Buy houseplants.
Yep, this is going on my list of goals again. I just can't seem to get myself to OSH or Home Depot with my list of air-cleaning plants in hand. Hopefully, this year will be the year of the houseplant .

Find a better conditioner.
I really like my old "natural" conditioner. Sadly, it's not quite as non-toxic as I had previously believed (although certainly a large step above most conventional brands), so I'm in the market for a new one. Maybe even a bar of conditioner.

Learn the names of local plants and animals. I'm sort of half-way to success on this one (yet another carry-over from last year). Last year, I bought a bunch of books on local plants and animals, and have even flipped through a couple of them. But I have yet to take my tree book on a walk with me and figure out the actual names of the trees in our neighborhood. In addition to being able to identify several native plants and animals, I'd like to learn something about them with my kids.

Try more DIY cleaners.

I've compiled quite a list of recipes for DIY cleaners, but I have yet to branch far beyond using vinegar, which I do use to clean nearly every surface in my house. I'd like to try making a few more cleaners myself this year. I even already purchased some tea tree oil!

Provide my children with regular opportunities to interact with and observe animals.

Much to our sorrow, we cannot have a dog or cat, or any furry pet, in our current rental. So I'm thinking a pet fish or reptile and a bird feeder. And maybe we can find a nice neighbor who will let my kids play with their dog. Or a community program like our old library's read-a-book-to-a-dog program. And I have a friend with chickens we should visit more often. I'd also like to visit several of the local farms with farm animals this year.

Take my children to a wild place at least once a month.

This was one of my half-year resolutions that I actually succeeded in doing it last year. But this year, with a baby, I expect it to be even more daunting to make these outings, so I'm putting it on this year's list too. I'd also like to make an effort to diversify the parks and beaches we visit, and find some new favorites.

Plant and/or can tomatoes.

I canned organic tomatoes from my farmer's market last fall with the help of my friend and canning guru Heidi. This year, wouldn't it be lovely to can tomatoes I actually grew myself? This one is a bit of a long shot. I'd be lucky to grow enough tomatoes for my family to consume each week. I'll actually be lucky to garden anything this year, but I'd sure like to.

Start early potty training around 3-4 months, and then stick with it.

I started putting my second child on a potty around 6 to 9 months, and although we had a rough patch around 18 months, she pooped in the potty more than in a diaper from 1 year onward and was completely trained right around 2 years. My husband and I are so very pleased to have only one child in diapers. Although I know we may have a different experience with a different child, I consider our early potty training efforts worthwhile for a number of reasons, and I hope to start even earlier with our third child. No, I am not imagining that she will be potty trained by one year. Mostly, I just want to give my baby the opportunity to poop somewhere besides her diaper.

Schedule my computer time.
This is another carry over from last year. The days I end up hating are the ones where I pop on and off my computer one million times in a day without actually accomplishing anything. I need a schedule. It won't be a hard and fast schedule, because I'll be working around my unpredictable children, but I need some type of schedule, and then I want to stick to it. This schedule will include day-long Internet fasts at least twice a month.

For two alternative ways of making resolutions, check out these posts by Amy of Progressive Pioneer and by Kelly on Green Phone Booth.

What are your green goals for 2012?

Photo credit: Albertas Agejevas

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

Deanna Duke: Mom on a Mission

2012-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

Deanna Duke, long-time environmentalist and parent of two, used to believe that products sold in stores were generally safe since the FDA said they were. Although she started to think otherwise after reading Slow Death by Rubber Duck, still she was satisfied to let other environmentalists focus on toxins in products while she concerned herself with reducing waste and energy use. Then in 2007 Deanna received a "Double Whammy": members of her family were diagnosed with autism and cancer. Deanna was forced to confront the reality that environmental toxins, including those her family was exposed to through the use of everyday supposedly safe products, most likely played a role in these conditions. She then undertook a mission to reduce her family's exposure to toxic chemicals.

Through her very successful blog The Crunchy Chicken and her recently published book The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, Deanna shares with others her efforts to live free of toxic chemicals. Below, Deanna answers several of my questions regarding her transformation from a trusting consumer to the Non-Toxic Avenger.

Q&A with Author Deanna Duke

How did you become concerned about the impact of environmental toxins?

When my son started having developmental problems and my husband was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, I started looking at the increase in rates for both of their conditions and realized that they couldn't be explained from genetics alone. There had to be some environmental element to it and the more I looked into it, the more it looked like environmental toxins played a heavy role.

When you first became interested in living a less toxic life, how did you avoid feeling overwhelmed and stay motivated?

I focused on changing a few things at a time, otherwise it would have been completely overwhelming. I started by overhauling things that were easier to change and easier to research, items like personal care products that had relatively easy to find alternatives. As I conquered each chemical group, I moved on to a new one. If I felt overwhelmed by something, I would just put it aside until I was ready to deal with it. I stayed motivated mostly because I knew that I would be getting follow-up blood testing to see how I was doing on reducing my exposure. So, that made it difficult to slip up!

What do you hope to accomplish through your blog and now your book?

My hope is to educate people on the potential dangers of the toxins they are exposed to every day and do so in an approachable and humorous manner. I don't want people to feel overwhelmed by not only the effort to reduce exposure, but also by the science behind it.

What has your family’s attitude been towards your eco-friendly efforts?

They have been mostly open to it. The biggest issues really revolve around food and, occasionally, other products. But, for the most part, they have been receptive and haven't minded the changes.

How do you share your concerns about toxins with others (in real life) without seeming crazy or overbearing?

That's a very difficult line to walk. It's a hard topic to introduce without coming off as a conspiracy nutjob or as preachy. So, I generally frame my response with something like, "here's what we do or use" because we are trying to avoid (name your toxin here). Ultimately, it's all about balance. I recommend that people pick their battles and focus on things they are willing to change.

Is eco-friendly living affordable?

It certainly can be. For those who think they need to completely overhaul all their potentially hazardous products, then that can be expensive. I usually suggest (except for things I feel need to be replaced right away) that, as items run low or wear out, replace them with eco-friendly alternatives.

What are your favorite resources for research about environmental toxins and for non- toxic alternatives to consumer products?

My favorites are, hands down, the Environmental Working Group, Healthy Child, Healthy World and Safer Chemicals for research and for beauty products I always consult the EWG cosmetic safety database.

What has been the most difficult change you have made? The most enjoyable?

The most difficult change has been trying to eliminate Teflon and non-stick based chemicals because they are in everything from wrinkle-free, stain-resistant and water-resistant clothing to the lining of chip bags and candy/sports bars to tooth floss and beyond. The most enjoyable change was really in knowing that I no longer am exposing my skin to toxic chemicals, so overhauling all my personal care products has been the most satisfying.

What was the biggest surprise that came out of your research for your book?

Really, the biggest surprise was how inescapable a lot of chemicals are, generally from toxins that persist in the environment (like pesticides and the like) to things like flame retardants, which are in more products than you'd expect.

How are you currently working on reducing your family’s and other families’ exposure to toxins?

I'm hoping that by writing The Non-Toxic Avenger and discussing it that more people become aware of not just what chemicals they are being exposed to and how to avoid them, but also how to encourage better laws to protect consumers from this chemical soup we are surrounded by.

Healthy Child Healthy World's Mom on a Mission campaign celebrates special and inspiring American parents who are dedicated to creating healthier and happier environments for children and families. Do you know a Mom on a Mission? Nominate her HERE!

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

Half-Year Resolution Reprise

2012-01-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

Back in July, I posted 10 Half-Year Resolutions. Before posting any resolutions for 2012, I thought a review of my progress on my Half-Year Resolutions was appropriate.

1. Make my own yogurt.
I did buy a yogurt maker, and now, after a bit of trial-and-error, I'm making the majority of our yogurt. We use the homemade yogurt for smoothies and recipes. I strain some of the homemade yogurt and eat that myself several times a week. It is thick, creamy and delicious and I like it better than any store-bought yogurt. I use the leftover whey for baking whole wheat bread and our healthy whole grain "cookies," among other things. However, if my kids eat yogurt in a bowl (with honey or granola), it has to be Trader Joe's/ Straus' European-style Organic Whole Plain Yogurt, because they are very used to that flavor and consistency. At any rate, now we are going through 1 four-cup container of store-bought yogurt per week instead of 3 or 4 containers.

2. Plant something.
3. Buy houseplants.
For the last many months, we've had a basil plant in our kitchen window. I've nearly killed it several times, but I find that basil revives itself very well after long-neglect if you compensate with copious watering for a day or so. I didn't plant anything outside (phooey), but since basil is an herb you can eat, I'm counting my basil plant as a minor success for Resolutions 2 and 3.

It looks like it's dead, but after a little time in the sink with a lot of water...

Ta da! -- it lives again.

4. Take my children outside every single day.
I am doing really well with this one. We go for a walk, play at the park, and/or just play in the backyard every day. On our walks, we often collect natural "treasures," and we've even made nature collages. The weather has been most cooperative. We'll see how it goes once it starts raining a lot.

5. Learn the names of some of the local flora.
I'm sort of half-way to success on this one. I bought a bunch of books on local plants and animals, and have even flipped through a couple of them. But I have yet to take my tree book on a walk with me and figure out the actual names of the trees in our neighborhood. Somehow, I just can't imagine my 2 and 4-year-olds standing patiently while I go through the numerous steps of identification. But we have all become much more observant. I've noticed, for example, that about 75% of the trees in my neighborhood are all the same species -- some type of oak, I'm guessing, since they are now dropping acorns profusely. We talk about the texture of the bark, the size and shape and changing colors of the leaves, and the fruits the trees drop.

6. Hang a bird feeder.
Nada on this one.

7. Learn more about composting.
I've kind of given up on this for the time being, despite the guilt I feel every time I dump a bunch of plant matter into the kitchen garbage. I have two good friends that compost with and without worms, and the more I learn about it, the less likely it seems like it's going to happen at this juncture. And I'm too cheap (at the moment) to buy one of those easy-schmeasy rolling composters.

8. Take my children to a natural place once a month.
During the summer, we went to the beach a bunch of times and my kids absolutely loved it (see photo in my blog header). Lately, we've been lucky to just get to the local county park for a hike, but I think we are averaging about once a month.

9. Try a shampoo bar.
Success! I have completely switched over to shampoo bars, and I've taken my husband and sister with me. I rarely even use conditioner now. Hoping to post all about this one soon!

10. Limit my screen time.
Moving my computer to a more remote location in the house (instead of in the living room) has helped, but I still need to work on this one, especially on the occasional day-long Internet fast.

Stay tuned for Resolutions 2012!

A Little Announcement

2012-01-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

Those of you who actually read my blog regularly may have noticed that the frequency of my posts has declined quite a bit in the last couple of months. In fact, I think Kelly of miskellany has been posting here more often than I have.

The reason? Well, folks, I had a baby. A baby girl, in fact.

Generally speaking, I like to keep my personal life off this blog (excepting the documentation of our potty adventures, of course). I definitely did not feel like documenting my pregnancy month-by-month online. Think of me as the opposite of the person who tweets during labor. But, I thought I would give you all the heads up that there is a newborn in my house so that you'll understand why I'm suddenly discussing breastfeeding, nursing pillows, baby carriers and cloth diapers for infants. Also, so you'll know why I'll probably be posting less in general for the foreseeable future.

I hope to post here once or twice a week, and will also be posting two Thursdays a month over at The Green Phone Booth.

Happy New Year!

A big thank you to Kelly of miskellany for keeping this blog going during the last couple of months!

The After-Christmas Cleanup

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a guest post by Kelly Smith from miskellany, long-time blogger and the mastermind behind the Green Holidays series.

I love Christmas – the warmth, the light, the togetherness, and, yes, the food. But there is also something so energizing and renewing about cleaning up after Christmas and starting the new year with a clean slate. If Christmas cleaning and organizing are not among your strengths, here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Take down the Christmas tree.

If you have an artificial tree, then pack it back up to the attic. If you used a real tree, then find your closest tree-mulching facility or other eco-friendly local disposal options.

2. Organize your ornaments.

If you don’t have a good ornament organization system, use leftover Christmas tissue paper, packaging, and boxes to keep your ornaments safe for the year to come. If you live in the humid, roach-filled south, then paper/cardboard storage options may not be the best way to preserve your ornaments in the long term. Instead, you may wish to purchase plastic bins at after-Christmas sales or thrift stores.

3. Take out the trash.

Sort out the recyclables (heavily used cardboard boxes) from the reusable items (gift bags, gift boxes, and ribbons) from the trash (torn, shiny wrapping paper). Store gift wrapping supplies for next Christmas, recycle the recycleables, and take any unsalvageable trash out to the curb.

4. Clean out the toys.

December 26 is a holiday called Boxing Day, which is celebrated in England. The idea is to box up what you don’t need and give it to the poor. If your family enjoyed a gift bonanza at Christmas, consider storing, rotating, selling, or donating items that your children have lost interest in or grown out of. Then use your existing toy storage system to accommodate new toys.

5. Give a good green cleaning.

Once you have picked up and organized, give your house a good green cleaning. Select green cleaning supplies to clean the floors, countertops, and more after all the craziness of the holidays.

6. Get the whole family involved.

Ask each family member to pick up, purge, and clean their own personal space to take the load off of you and increase their personal investment in the family home.

7. Open the windows.

If the weather permits, then open the windows and air out your house. Indoor air pollution is especially problematic in the winter when we have less fresh air circulating in our homes.

8. Sit back and enjoy your clean home.

Put your feet up and relax with a cup of tea and a used copy of one of my favorite children’s books, The After-Christmas Tree by Linda Wagner Tyler.

9. Start a new calendar.

Pull out your new calendar for the new year, and pencil in regular appointments for yourself to clean and organize your home, if that is not something that comes naturally to you. Tackle one space at a time. If your home is well organized, then you are less likely to purchase items unnecessarily and waste money, because you will know where to find everything.

10. What are your tips for cleaning up after the holidays?

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Photo credit: P.tumbleweed

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

It’s Not Too Late for Intangible Gifts!

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a guest post by Kelly Smith from miskellany, long-time blogger and the mastermind behind the Green Holidays series.

Are you a last-minute Christmas shopper? Or are you stumped by some of this year’s gift recipients? Do you have someone on your shopping list who already seems to have everything? Consider some of these eco-friendly intangible gifts for the people remaining on your list.

1. Memberships

Give the gift that keeps on giving - a membership to a local zoo, fitness center, science museum, children’s museum, natural foods co-op, or aquarium.

2. Homemade Coupons

Give a self-designed book of coupons for chores, babysitting, homecooked meals, special outings, car washes, knitting lessons, or whatever you can think of.

3. Gift Cards

Pick a local coffee shop, used book store, bakery, spa, garden center, wine store, or hardware store that your gift recipient would most like to shop at.

4. Birds, Bees, or Llamas

Give a gift of animals from Heifer.org. These animals won’t need to live in your home, but will instead be given to a family working their way out of poverty through agriculture and education. If you are giving this gift to a child, you might like to include a children’s book about Heifer’s mission, such as Beatrice's Goat or One Hen.

5. Kiva money

Another way to help families in need is to donate money that your gift recipient can choose to give as microloans to families who are struggling to rise themselves out of poverty through entrepreneurship.

6. The Gift of Time

Purchase tickets to a show, or plan another exciting experience as a gift, sharing special time together in lieu of a physical gift.

7. Subscriptions

This could take the form of a magazine subscription to an earth-friendly publication such as Wild Animal Baby or Audubon. Or consider subscribing to something like an organic-coffee-of-the-month club through a company such as Green Mountain Coffee.

8. A Family Tree

Create a family tree to share with someone special and help them to learn about their roots. Check out free genealogy sites such as rootsweb.com to get started.

9. The Gift of a Child

Adopt a child in the name of your gift recipient, and pay a small monthly amount for food, clothing, and education for a child in the third world.

10. What are your favorite intangible gifts to give?

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Photo credit: z287marc

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

We Love Our (Plastic-Free) Play Kitchen

2011-12-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post about our wooden play kitchen for a while now.

We love it.

It was a joint gift to my 4-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl when they had birthdays over the summer. I deliberated and saved up quite a while before purchasing it. The grandparents contributed. I think I finally was galvanized to buy it when I read about and saw the picture of Soule Mama's wooden play kitchen in her book The Creative Family. It is the centerpiece of our play room. A constant favorite for our kids as well as their friends.

I shopped around a while before finally purchasing our wooden play kitchen from Heirloom Wooden Toys. There are a few cheaper wood play kitchens out there, but I wanted one made of all or almost all solid hardwood (not plywood or particle board). Also, many mass-market wood play kitchens had pretty mediocre user reviews (flimsy, poorly made, pieces don't fit well together, etc.). Our exact model of play kitchen is no longer available, but I also considered purchasing this wooden play kitchen by Willow Toys, which is very similar to ours and 100% solid wood, which I'm sure we also would have loved. If you want a wooden play kitchen with a hutch (shelf above), consider this one, this one, or this one. So many great options!

For us, it was a big-ticket item, but since I purchased it, I've seen several plastic kitchens that cost even more, and don't have any of the quality, aesthetic appeal, and open-ended charm of our wooden play kitchen. It's true you can often find plastic play kitchens at garage sales or on Craig's List for next to nothing, but I personally think most plastic play kitchens look kind of grimy after 6 months, and I also really didn't want to bring an additional 10 pounds of plastic, used or new, into our play room.

Heirloom Wooden Toys also has a lot of great play food and play kitchen accessories. I reviewed one set by Plan Toys in this post. I favor the wooden and fabric variety, particularly because my children tend to put play food right in their mouths, despite my many admonitions not to ("Just pretend to eat it!"). Heirloom Wooden Toys currently has a coupon for 15% off everything in their warehouse, including lots of play food and kitchen accessories (coupon code LASTMIN2011, good through December 22).

To keep our play kitchen always exciting, I rotate our play food and play dishes every couple of months (when I rotate most of my kids' toys). I plan to post all about our favorite play food and kitchen accessories in a few days.

What is your child's favorite toy for pretend play?

Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Heirloom Wooden Toys and receive a small percentage of purchases made via links in this post. I purchased our wooden play kitchen from Heirloom Wooden Toys with my own money and received no compensation for writing this post. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Current and Aspirational Christmas Traditions

2011-12-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

This post was inspired by miskellany's 2010 Green Holidays post 10 favorite christmas traditions. Last year I once again pretty much let the Christmas season pass us by with minimal fanfare. But I swore then that Christmas 2011 would be different. So here are 10 easy, inexpensive and/or eco-friendly Christmas traditions that we are trying to do this year.

Put out a basket of Christmas books.
After Thanksgiving, I got out all of the children's Christmas books and put them in a large basket in the living room. The kids have been enjoying reading them alone or with adults ever since. I hope to get a few new (to us) children's picture books about Christmas each year (the library has a great holiday collection too). Earlier this year I picked up a few used ones that were recommended by my friend Megan on her blog. I also want to be sure to read the Luke account of the nativity with my children several times before Christmas this year.

Use an advent calendar.
Ideally, I would like to make an advent calendar that we could reuse every year, or maybe make a new one periodically from upcycled materials. But that didn't happen this year. Instead, we are using an advent calendar I bought on clearance from the Metropolitan Museum of Art last year (actually, I bought two different ones, so we're all set for next year too!).

Decorate a real Christmas tree.
My husband took my son to pick out a real Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. It took another week to acquire some LED Christmas lights and put up the ornaments. My kids have been undecorating and re-decorating our tree ever since. I love having a real tree! Sort of makes up for the fact that I've been meaning to (but have yet to) populate our home with houseplants for 5+ years. I found out about an actual Christmas tree farm in our area where you can cut down your own tree, and I'd love to try that place next year.

See the lights.
We don't decorate the outside of our home. And in previous years, we haven't even so much as walked around at night to see the neighbor's lights. But this year I'd like to take the kids to a couple of nearby attractions that go full-out with the Christmas lights. Might as well benefit from their energy use, right?

Display friends' and family's Christmas cards.
This is one of the few traditions I have managed to do every year, even with kids. Every year I drape long stretches of ribbon along the kitchen and living room walls. Then we clip on Christmas cards and photos as they arrive with clothespins or paper clips. In fact, the Christmas card photos of close family members from last year are still hung up in my kitchen, waiting to be replaced by this year's photos.

Homemade decorations.
Two items I'd like to have every year: countdown chain and paper snowflakes. This year I'll save any red and green used paper that comes my way to make paper chains at the end of November. In the last few months, I've managed to make part of a fabric chain (still haven't finished 25 links, but I finished 15 links by December 10, so that's good enough for the time being). I'm still hoping to make some snowflakes with my kids. My 4-year-old loves loves loves to use scissors, and he's pretty good at it too.

Get out the child-friendly creches.
I have two creches I'm happy to let my children play with. One is felt figures glued onto 2x4 pieces of wood and the other is a beautiful wooden set inherited from my husband's parents when they moved into a smaller place. Both are displayed at my children's eye-level in accessible locations so that they can move the pieces around and enjoy them all season long. This was a favorite activity of mine as a child.

Watch holiday shows.
Currently, we are enjoying watching A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the 1966 animated one, of course). I'll have to watch for some of the old animated specials on TV or Hulu too. And, most importantly, we watch a beautiful and realistic version of the nativity on Christmas Eve and a few other times throughout December.

Help kids make cards/gifts for family.
This one falls in the aspirational category. This probably won't happen this year, except for a very few relatives (maybe). This tradition possibly needs to begin in October or November to actually happen. Hopefully we'll at least manage to make some cookies together for (ourselves and) the neighbors.

Sing Christmas carols.
I own several books of Christmas music, and this year I made sure to get them out December 1 and put them on top of our piano. My kids love to sit at the piano with me and sing songs. This year I'm making sure plenty of Christmas songs make it into the mix! I also got out some favorite Christmas CDs to put in the CD player (yep, I still have one) and the car.

What is your favorite winter holiday tradition?

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Photo credit: sociotard

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

Green Gifts for Adults: Reusables

2011-12-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Don't forget the reusable gift wrap.

This post is part of the December Green Moms Carnival hosted by Citizen Green. Click over to Citizen Green on December 10 for more green gift ideas.

Initially, [disposable] products were a tough sell – at least to the generation that had come up through the Depression…The ethos of reuse was so deeply ingrained that in the mid-1950s when vending machines began dispensing coffee in plastic cups, people saved and reused them. They had to learn—and be taught – to throw away…We learned to throw away so well that today half of all plastics produced go into single-use applications.
-- Plastic: A Toxic Love Story

Before plastics, reusable products were the norm. For me, part of the journey to greener living is going back to this culture of reuse by replacing disposables with reusables. A reusable gift is the gift that keeps on giving while reducing consumption. Be sure to wrap your gift in reusable gift wrap!

Lunch bag
For the students or workers who pack a daily lunch. Also can be used for picnics, outings and adventures.

Food bags
Perfect for packing a lunch or storing food in the fridge, or for any non-food use you would normally grab a Ziploc baggy for (travel toiletry bag, small toy storage, etc.). Read about some of my favorites here.

Cloth napkins
Cloth napkins are so classy. I would love to receive an attractive set purchased from a thrift store, antique store, or Etsy.

Water bottle
There is a water bottle out there for any taste these days: stylish, lightweight, plastic-free. Personally, I love my Klean Kanteen bottles. Or for the coffee/tea lover, consider an insulated travel mug or cup.

Shopping bags
Who wouldn't want to own this stylish set of reusable shopping bags? And anyone could use one of these ultra-compact bags to stash in a purse or glove compartment.

Misto
To the home chef in your life, give the Misto and he'll never have to buy a can of Pam again.

Stainless steel straws
Got a friend who loves to sip her favorite beverage through a straw? Give her a set of stainless steel straws (available in a several lengths and diameters) from Etsy store The Mulled Mind.

Reusable gift wrap
Wrap your gift in a reusable gift bag or fabric and your wrapping material becomes a gift as well.

More Green Gift Ideas for Adults

Eco-novice's Green Gifts for Grownups

Green Gifts for Adults: Cookbooks
miskellany's green gifts for grownups

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links, which means if you purchase items through them I receive a small percentage of your purchase. Read my full disclosure statement here.

This post is part of

Frugal Friday

Your Green Resource

Green Gifts for Adults: Cookbooks

2011-12-09T20:26:00.000-08:00

Don't forget the reusable gift wrap.

This post is part of the December Green Moms Carnival hosted by Citizen Green. Click over to Citizen Green on December 10 for more green gift ideas.

Home-cooked meals save money, allow greater control over ingredients, reduce food waste, and eliminate the need for take-out packaging. Make cooking easier and more fun with the gift of a cookbook. Here are some of my favorites.

How to Cook Without a Book
This is my latest cookbook find and I am really enjoying it. The premise is that today's home cook needs to be able to put a meal on the table quickly using whatever is in the fridge (and without making a special trip to the grocery store for the one or two ingredients you forgot or ran out of). The book is essentially a set of cooking techniques and formulas (for soups, stews, sauteed meat, stir-fries, egg dishes, and so on) that you can easily memorize and customize using whatever protein, starch, or produce you have on hand. Instead of generating a shopping list to go with your meal plan, you can create meals each week using whatever looks good at the farmer's market.

Six O'Clock Scramble Cookbooks
The Six O'Clock Scramble cookbooks by Aviva Goldfarb are full of family-friendly, fairly simple, fast and forgiving recipes made with ingredients that are easy to find. They also include a fair share of meatless recipes. Many of Six O'Clock Scramble's recipes have entered my regular rotation. Read my full reviews of these two cookbooks (including sample recipes) here and here.

America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

I am a little bit of a Cook's Illustrated/ America's Test Kitchen junkie. I have found their recipes to be highly reliable. If you are only going to own one of their cookbooks, the Family Cookbook is the one to get. I also really like The Best 30-Minute Recipe.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
For the bread lover in your life, consider this cookbook which makes homemade bread doable for even the busiest of folks. I often have dough in my fridge which can quickly be made into a boule, baguette, pizza crust or naan. Two other cookbooks in the same vein: Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients and My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method.

The Joy of Cooking
A cookbook classic. An indispensible reference guide as well as source of hundreds of traditional and contemporary recipes.

More Green Gift Ideas for Adults

Eco-novice's Green Gifts for Grownups

Green Gifts for Adults: Reusables

miskellany's green gifts for grownups

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links, which means if you purchase items through them I receive a small percentage of your purchase. Read my full disclosure statement here.

This post is part of

Your Green Resource

Etsy Gifts for Kids

2011-12-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

Still searching for the perfect gift for the little one in your life? Hoping to support artisans of handmade goods this year? Check out my guest post on miskellany: Etsy Gifts for Kids.

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Stuff an Eco-Stocking

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a guest post by Kelly Smith from miskellany, long-time blogger and the mastermind behind the Green Holidays series.

It can be expensive to buy eco-friendly Christmas gifts if you are shopping in green boutiques with high end organic wares. Fortunately, there are other ways to go green at Christmas, such as buying gently used gifts, making your own gifts, giving intangible gifts, and giving practical gifts that will actually be used.

Use these principles to create a practical Christmas stocking that is not full of plastic toys and novelties soon to be dumpster-bound. Instead of trying to fill a stocking to the brim with lots of different cheap things, choose a few very nice things to include in the stock that will definitely be used.

1. postage stamps
Even folks who pay their bills online or people who have everything sometimes need actual postage stamps for their correspondence. Choose a beautiful stamp design that fits your recipient’s style, and include some recycled paper stationery to accompany it.

2. wool socks
Wool socks are comfortable, fashionable, and non-stinky. They also keep our bodies warm in the winter months so that we can keep the thermostat set at a lower temperature.

3. fluorescent bulbs
Christmas is celebrated with a variety of lights. Why not bring some practical, eco-friendly lights into the mix as well?

4. organic olive oil
A basic, organic kitchen staple such as olive oil will always be used and appreciated by someone who cooks.

5. unscented laundry detergent
Even if you can’t find an eco-friendly detergent at your local store and you don’t have time to purchase online, fear not! Choosing a detergent that is free of scent, color, and other additives is a more environmentally sustainable choice than a standard fragrant detergent.

6. a membership card to a local museum or zoo
Intangible gifts such as a membership to a local organization are a great alternative to gifts that will eventually end up in a landfill, and they have the added benefit of strengthening family and community ties.

7. a used book
Pick a favorite book off of your shelf to give, or pick up a treasure to share from your local used book store. You can also find used books online through such retailers as Amazon.com, Half.com, and Paperbackswap.com.

8. a gift card to a favorite local business
Sometimes a gift card can seem impersonal. However, a carefully selected gift card in the toe of a Christmas stocking could be just the right thing. Perhaps your gift recipient has a favorite local spa, restaurant, bookstore, or coffee shop where they would love to pick out their own small treat.

9. flower bulbs for the garden
A useful gift for the garden, such as bulbs which will bring beauty and pleasure year after year, could be a lovely stocking stuffer. If you are stuffing multiple stockings, you could even purchase a larger package of bulbs and then divide them between the stockings in order to reduce packaging waste.

10. What practical or eco-friendly gifts would you like to find in your stocking?

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Photo credit: sarah nussbaum

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

Thanksgiving Reflections

2011-11-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays. I love the traditional Thanksgiving meal. I love that gifts are not exchanged. I love that the holiday has not been hijacked by marketers and retailers -- possibly because gratitude is in many ways the antithesis of consumerism. I love that it is a non-denominational holiday that unites all Americans. In honor of Thanksgiving, here are a few things I am thankful for.

Freedom
There is plenty to be depressed about in the world of politics and policy. Still, while certainly imperfect, the American experiment has endured pretty well. I am grateful to be able to write and say what I think, to vote, to support non-profit organizations that promote my values. I am also particularly grateful for the opportunity to practice my faith without persecution.

Choices
I love shopping for freshly picked fruits and veggies free of pesticides at my farmer's market, buying grass-fed beef from a ranch I have personally visited, drinking organic milk from a local dairy. I am grateful that when I go to Home Depot, I can find a safe alternative to conventional pesticides to deal with my pest problems. I can find household cleaners free of harmful chemicals at Target. I can find handmade toys made of all-natural materials on Etsy. I am grateful to the farmers, producers, artisans, and businesses making these greener products available to my family.

Natural World
The Earth is an amazing place. I am enjoying rediscovering its beauties and wonders with my children. I am grateful for those who strive to be good stewards of our planet.

Internet

When used in moderation, I find the Internet is an invaluable source of information, inspiration, and community. It allows a SAHM like me easy access to political participation through electronic petitions and emails to my representatives. And, of course, it enables me to blog and connect with all of you. Thanks to all of you who read this blog and sometimes even leave a comment. I appreciate your support and your input.

Family
Nothing means more to me than my family. Like many of you, I was inspired to take steps towards a greener lifestyle by my desire to protect and create a healthy environment for my own children. They continue to motivate much of the research I do and changes I make.

Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Eco Gifts for Little Ones

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to Kelly from miskellany, long-time blogger and the mastermind behind the Green Holidays series. I hope you are enjoying her posts about saving money and saving the planet while celebrating the holiday season as much as I am. Kelly is a mom, writer, and brain tumor survivor. Just as the name suggests, Kelly's personal blog miskellany covers all kinds of topics. In addition to green living and frugality, Kelly writes about parenting, vegetarian cooking, travel, and books.

1. Stainless steel thermos or sippy cup

With all of the concerns about the chemicals in plastics, it is best to play it safe and choose nontoxic dishes, cutlery, and cups for children. BPA-free plastic is available, but stainless steel can be an even more durable option for safe drinking.

2. Gently used clothes or toys

Check out local thrift stores, yard sales, or consignment sales to pick out gently used clothes or toys to give as gifts. Be certain to wash anything you purchase before giving it as a gift, and investigate the safety of toys that you find. Old plastic toys may or may not be safe, depending on the type of plastic and what condition it is in.

3. Wooden toys

Choosing long-lasting, chemical free wooden toys is always an excellent choice for children. Many mainstream retailers now offer wooden toys, or you may wish to check sites such as oompa.com.

4. Handmade cloth wipes or washcloths

If you are interested in making a practical gift, cloth babywipes are a quick, easy, and inexpensive project, and most fabric stores offer a selection of fun colors and patterns of flannel. A store-bought package of cute washcloths is also a very practical and useful gift for little ones.

5. Organic drinks, snacks

Purchasing healthy, organic snacks and drinks for children can be expensive. There is always the option of farmer’s market fruit or homemade zucchini bread, but sometimes quick, prepackaged foods are what is needed for a spontaneous snack emergency. Check for dietary restrictions before selecting organic juices, chocolate milk boxes, granola bars, and the like.

6. Cloth hankies

Little noses can get big colds, and children often don’t like having their noses wiped repeatedly. Handkerchiefs in bright colors or featuring favorite characters could be a practical gift for cold season and a fun toy to imagine other uses for (Picnic blanket? Doll skirt? Head scarf? Hobo pack?).

7. Wooden teethers

Teething is a painful process that occurs over the span of a few years. Wooden teethers are an eco-friendly alternative to plastics, and they also bring less concern about chemicals, as long as they are treated with food-safe oils. Many folks on Etsy.com sell inexpensive wooden teethers that double as fun toys in shapes such as guitars, giraffes, dolls, and tractors.

8. Handmade toys

And speaking of Etsy, homemade toys are an excellent option for young children, whether you feel ambitious enough to craft your own cloth doll or wooden blocks, or whether you choose to purchase homemade toys made by someone else. Such gifts are one-of-a-kind treasures that will be loved longer than mass-produced plastic toys.

9. The gift of time

Instead of buying a toy or gear that little ones will grow out of, give the gift of an experience, such as a trip to the zoo, tickets to the ballet, or a ballpark adventure. Or simply give the gift of your time, by planning a tea party together at home, or organizing a backyard kickball game.

10. What are your favorite sustainable gifts for young children?

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

Photo credit: followtheseinstructions

This post is part of

Top Ten Tuesday

Turn Off the Dry Cycle on Your Dishwasher

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another scintillating edition of: Lazy and Cheap Ways to Be Green.

We almost never run the dry cycle on our dishwasher for several reasons:

It's pretty much unnecessary. The residual heat and steam in the dishwasher from the wash cycle dry the dishes anyway, as long as you leave the dishwasher door closed for a while after the cycle is over. I should note that we do live in a reasonably dry climate.
It saves energy and money!
If you are prone to loading your dishwasher too full and with dishes that still have plenty of food caked on them, sometimes the dishwasher can't get the dishes completely clean. If you use the dry cycle, these little leftover bits of food that didn't get washed off essentially get baked onto your dishes. If you don't use the dry cycle, you can usually just rinse off any dishes that did not come out completely clean.
If you are too lazy to hand wash all of your plastic dishes, skipping the dry cycle at least lessens the degradation of your plastic dishes a bit.
And last but not least: turning off the dry cycle diminishes your exposure to the harmful toxins that dishwashers release.

That last one I just recently learned from the book Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning. I was surprised to learn that dishwashers are considered "the most toxic appliance in the modern home." Why?

Dishwashers are a leading cause of indoor air pollution.
Because of the high water temperature they utilize, dishwashers release water pollutants and detergent chemicals to your indoor air throughout each operating cycle through their vents.
If you open your dishwasher before the contents have completely cooled, a large burst of contaminated steam is released into your air.

So I guess I shouldn't be opening my dishwasher three times during the wash cycle (and inhaling in a whole bunch of dishwasher steam) to add a spoon or plate, which is my usual M.O. In addition to ditching the dry cycle, here are a few other easy steps the authors of Naturally Clean recommend following to reduce your exposure to toxins from your dishwasher:

Use chlorine-free phosphate-free dishwasher detergent (pretty much any eco-friendly/ green detergent fits this bill).
Only run your dishwasher when full. This also saves energy and money!
Ventilate your kitchen during and after dishwasher operation.
Keep your dishwasher closed and sealed for at least an hour following a cleaning cycle.

All you have to do is push a button (probably), and you save energy, money, and reduce your family's exposure to harmful toxins. You also make it easier to clean any less-than-pristine dishes that come out of the dishwasher. That's what I call Lazy, Cheap and Green!

For more Lazy and Cheap Ways to Be Green, click HERE.

Photo credit: David Locke

This post is part of

Works for Me Wednesday

Your Green Resource

Frugal Friday

Two Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes

2011-11-19T20:00:00.001-08:00

This post is my kick-off of the Green Holiday series by Eco-novice and miskellany.

Are you thinking about Thanksgiving yet? Here are two of my favorite side dishes anytime, but especially for Thanksgiving. Both can easily be adapted for special diets: dairy-free, sugar-free, grain-free, vegan, etc. Sadly, I can't remember the exact origin of either recipe (both have been adapted from whatever the original source was), nor do I have my own photos of either of these dishes. Oh well. Enjoy!

Photo from Martha Stewart

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, halved and sliced thin
4 T butter
2 T cream or milk
1/2 t salt
pinch pepper

Combine potatoes, butter, cream, and salt in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, 30-40 minutes. Remove pan from heat and mash until smooth. Add pepper to taste. You can double the recipe -- just use a larger pot and increase cooking time. You can sweeten with 2 T maple syrup if you like (add with pepper). You can also use 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of butter and cream for a dairy-free version (which is delicious topped with cilantro). I usually make the basic recipe, because I love the taste of plain old sweet potatoes.

Roasted Spiced Carrots

2 T olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T sugar
1 t ground cumin
½ t kosher salt
½ t ground cinnamon
2 pounds carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces, or baby carrots
¼ c white raisins
juice of 1 lemon
¼ c chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Heat oven to 400 F. Combine the oil, garlic, sugar, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and carrots in a shallow baking pan. Roast 20-25 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from the oven and add the raisins, lemon juice, and parsley. Toss well. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

What is your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

Click HERE to read the complete Green Holiday series.

This post is part of

Meatless Mondays

Cockroaches, Fruit Flies, and Ants, Oh My!

2011-11-15T21:26:00.000-08:00

Imagine that one day you look into an emptied out toy bin in your family room and you find a pretty large dead black bug in it. Gross, but you don't think much of it.

Let's say a few weeks later at night, you turn on the light in the garage and see a pretty large black bug race across the ground. Oh well, it's just the garage. Practically outdoors anyway.

Let's say a few weeks later, late at night when you are up with a sick kid or because you need to use the bathroom, you see a pretty large black bug scurry across the hall or in a corner. This happens maybe once a week for a few weeks. You tell your husband. He says he's sure it's just beetles.

Imagine that you start to see these black bugs scurrying around your house at night almost every night now. At least every night you are awake past 9 pm. Sometimes you see two in one night. You decide to do a little Internet research. You conclude those black bugs are not beetles. They are cockroaches. (One site advises you: "If you suspect that you might have cockroaches, you have cockroaches.")

Let's say you see one of these black bugs scurry across your white tile floor in your bathroom in the middle of the night when you have to pee and you don't even have your contacts in and now you are WIDE awake and won't be falling back asleep for a while. You tell your husband you really need to do something about this. Your husband, who spent many formative years in apartments in East Los Angeles, is significantly less phased by your nighttime visitors. When you tell your friends, they are completely grossed out, and share cockroach horror stories from their time living in less developed countries.

Let's say your husband runs into a Terminix guy out front the neighbor's house. The Terminix guy says that several of your neighbors are infested with cockroaches and are having their homes and garages sprayed. He says you will have one million cockroaches in your house in 3 days if you do nothing (or something along those lines) because they lay eggs so fast. He says that for every cockroach you see, there are hundreds of others in your house. Upon hearing this report from your husband, you try to remind yourself that the guy is a salesman. Walking around your neighborhood the next few weeks, you often see a Terminix truck parked outside a neighbor's home.

Let's say not long after, you are sitting in the dark on the sofa with your husband watching a little TV after the kids have gone to bed, it's a little bit cool in the house, so you pull a down blanket out of the bin in the corner next to the sofa (where you cleverly stash blankets for just this kind of occasion). You put the blanket over your lap, and then see a black something scurry across the tan blanket in your peripheral vision. Well, heck, you're sitting in the dark so you are not sure what you saw, but with an equal mixture of fear and curiosity, you shift the blanket for a second look, and sure enough, there's a cockroach (on your lap). But you don't move fast enough to kill it (because you are kind of in shock), so now it's under your sofa or in a crack in your wall.

At this point, what should you do?
A. Have a nervous breakdown.
B. Move out of the house. You're just renting, after all.
C. Call and book Terminix immediately.
D. Go to Home Depot and buy an arsenal of pesticides and begin fumigating and spraying your home immediately.
E. Go to Home Depot, buy traps for the inside, and a spray that claims to be eco-friendly for the outside, and thank your lucky stars that Home Depot sells something that doesn't have a skull and crossbones on it.

As you may have surmised by now, this is the true story of what happened to me earlier this year. This was after the ants, after the fruit flies, and after a lice scare. Oh, yes, we also had mice in our garage at one point. Sometimes I think of this past year as the year of the pestilences.

And I chose option E. And you know why? Because as much as I am freaked out by cockroaches, I am freaked out even more by pesticides. The supposedly eco-friendly spray I bought (Eco-Smart) is indeed, as far as I can tell, safe and non-toxic (both active and inactive ingredients are disclosed; active ingredients are plant oils). The label says that it is safe to use indoors around food, kids and pets (any conventional pesticide is not allowed to use the word "safe" on the label at all). I still chose to use it only outside, and only when my kids wouldn't be out there playing for at least half a day. And we put lots of traps inside, out of reach from little hands. And you know what? It worked. After a few weeks, no more cockroach sightings. I think I've seen one or two cockroaches around the perimeter of my house, and one or two inside my house in the last many months.

My advice to all of you: be proactive. As soon as you see pests, do something. If we had acted the first time we saw a cockroach, we probably could have just used traps and that's it. And I never would have had to experience that episode where a cockroach crawled across my lap late at night in the dark. If things get worse, use some kind of spray/material that is safe and eco-friendly outside, and traps inside. If things get even worse, hire a company that uses eco-friendly materials. Ask about the active and inactive ingredients that they use and do your homework before booking them. Most importantly (and we all have the last decade of advocacy, research, and consumer agitation to thank for this), remember that you have options. You do not need to expose your children or yourself to conventional pesticide chemicals. You can find something safer to use, even at Home Depot.

Additional Resources
Ants (Eco-novice)
Beyond Pesticides
5 Easy Steps -- Step 1: Avoid Pesticides (Healthy Child Healthy World)

A Doctor’s Viewpoint: Pesticides (Healthy Child Healthy World)
Pest Control Without Pesticides (Healthy Child Healthy World)
Pesticides in Rentals and Condominiums: No More Pesticides at Home (Healthy Child Healthy World)
Get Answers: Pesticides (Healthy Child Healthy World)

How have you dealt with pests?

Photo credit: masterbutler

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