Mom Goes Green

“Be Out There!” The best things in life ARE free!

2009-11-09T14:11:57Z

I know this for a fact, because this weekend, our kids reminded us!

Saturday morning was spent sleeping-in (far too late), but after we got moving, we really GOT MOVING! After long discussions about how we should spend the day, we decided to make the best of an unseasonable warm Ohio day (68 degrees!) and simply get outdoors.

We went to our daughter’s school and ran around looking at all of the amazing wonders in her school’s Land Lab. This area in front of her school has a pond, decks, walking paths and large planter boxes that the families can adopt. We cultivated our box and planted some bulbs (and will eagerly await their Spring arrival) and added a little metal sign that said “GROW”! (…somewhat of a double entendre for growing some of nature’s gifts as well as growing little minds!)

We came home and planted more bulbs in our own yard, raked leaves, the kids ran around playing every sport imaginable and jumped in (and sometimes destroyed) our perfectly raked piles. Fortunately, living on a ravine, our leaves are simply raked down the hill so they can decompose and be recycled by nature.

The kids spent a half hour cracking open acorns to “make hors d’oeuvres” for the squirrels! We even made ourselves S’mores over an outdoor fire and continued to run around and play, and enjoy the day long after darkness fell. Everyone was in a fabulous mood. And I don’t doubt for a second that it had everything to do with simply being outside and enjoying breathing the fresh air.

I sometimes forget that a great day with my family doesn’t need to include museums or amusement parks, trips or expensive events or vacations. Everything we need is outside our own backdoor or a short, local drive away… all found in nature, most often for free.

Kids today spend twice as much time indoors as we did (a very sad fact), so if you need ideas, reasons or simply more encouragement, check out NWFs “Be Out There” program and you’re sure to find something that clicks!

At the end of the night our daughter could hardly relax as she settled into bed. She talked about how excited she was to see our flowers grow and proclaimed the day as “the best day ever”!

Thanks for the reminder, my little sweet pea!

November 15 is America Recycles Day, America!

2009-11-04T15:27:37Z

This year I’m posting early! November 15 is America Recycles Day and what a great opportunity to make some dramatic, but not difficult, changes in our daily lives. This is a day that “encourages more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment by recycling and buying recycled products” and “promotes the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling.”

Last year I used this opportunity to hold a project at our daughter’s school that centered around America Recycles Day and this year will be no different. I’m encouraging all students to submit their best recycling tips or their favorite way to recycle and will then compile all of their great ideas and turn them into a recycling newsletter that will be sent home to each family. I never doubt that the greatest way to learn is from each other. I’ve even added a footnote on each flier reminding families that the paper is recyclable!

I’ve also added a little incentive and will randomly select a bunch of entries to win some really cool “eco-friendly” prizes, like recycled drink pouch pencil cases from Terracycle, BPA-free water bottles, recycled note pads and pencils made from recycled newspapers.

This is a great opportunity to remind kids (and all of us) why recycling is so important:

To reduce pollution
To save energy
To help the environment
To save natural resources
To keep trash out of landfills and prevent contamination

If you have kids in school, there is still time! Talk to your principal and ask if you can do a project too. All it takes is a little time… and really, isn’t a little bit of time worth the impact that you can make to help set kids and their families on the road to Recycle-ville?!? (If you email me, I’ll even send you the flier!)

November 15 is America Recycles Day but the most important thing to remember is that we should make EVERY DAY a RECYCLE DAY!

Making a difference begins with one.

2009-11-03T05:53:10Z

Having been extremely exhausted, overwhelmed, overcommitted (and at times, stressed out!) I felt like I should simply start the week with some inspiration… maybe even more for myself than anyone else.

Life, in general, can be overwhelming without “adding to our already overloaded plates”, but we all sometimes need reminders about the importance of decisions we make and the difference we can make, even if we sometimes feel like an “army of one”.

I have felt this way lately for so many reasons. Sure, there is strength in numbers but there is also strength in one committed effort that creates a trickledown effect that can sometimes, unknowlingly, make an even bigger difference… even if we don’t often see the result.

I ran across two quotes this weekend that really spoke to me and I wanted to share…

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Anthropologist Margaret Mead

“How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

These quotes speak volumes… and I, myself, think I needed to be reminded. When I have questioned continuing this blog (and readers have been so kind as to say “No! You have to keep writing!”) or when my efforts with my one, little, individual family seem a bit in vain, I need to look back at this post… and remind myself: Yes. There IS strength in numbers but every huge success begins with only one.

Every day, we need to, AND CAN, continue to improve and change the world. If you haven’t already started, make today the day!

The FULL story of pesticides and produce.

2009-10-30T13:54:49Z

The other day I wrote a post about pesticides and using sea salt and water to wash fruits and vegetables before we consume them to remove those dangerous pesticides.

Well, a close, personal friend, Will, was bold enough to call a foul. He is very passionate about the topic and went so far as to call the post “lame”… (ouch!).

I’ll first say that the post was written in response to a few readers’ prior comments that they didn’t feel the added expense of organics was in their budget and had limited access to affordable and available organics because of where they lived geographically. While I wasn’t attempting to mislead anyone or act irresponsibly, and this sea salt and water wash can remove the pesticides from the surface of produce, this is (admittedly) only part of the story.

The reality is that you absolutely cannot prevent consuming pesticides unless you are willing to invest in organics… period.

The fact of the matter is also that pesticides aren’t sprayed on the produce just prior to harvesting; they are applied constantly, being spraying and absorbed all throughout the growing process. No amount of soaking and scrubbing can eliminate that. This “solution” isn’t the solution!

And while we continue to buy conventionally-grown produce, we are actually (financially) supporting this farming practice, therefore lessening the demand for organics, slowing widespread distribution AND keeping their cost high. All the while these pesticides are harmful to us as consumers, extremely dangerous to farm workers and contaminate our ground and surface water, as well as wildlife and the environment… a cycle that goes on and on unless practices change… dramatically. Pesticides (and herbicides) are simply bad news all around.

So, I’ve said all along that this “greening my life” would be a journey, mistakes included. But now you know the FULL story… supporting organic farming is the only true option for an abundance of reasons.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program… hopefully with any further lame posts excluded!

Remove pesticides from produce… the cheap, easy way!

2009-10-30T13:57:50Z

I’ve talked a lot about the pesticides and chemicals sprayed on conventionally-grown, non-organic produce. It always seemed crazy to me that our most healthy foods often come with a load of non-healthy “additives”. And it’s especially alarming where our children are concerned.

You can stick with the “Clean 15” list and buy non-organic, but if you’re on a budget and run across that “Dirty Dozen”, what do you do? Well, some solutions can be especially expensive to make. And Fit can also get quite costly.

At a Health and Nutrition session I recently attended (where I learned about all of the grossness of fast food!) I also learned about a quick, easy and cheap way to clean our produce and remove those harmful pesticides… a recipe I had never heard before.

All you need is fine-grain sea salt and water!

First, wash the fruit or vegetable with water.
Prepare the solution in a large bowl by mixing one teaspoon of sea salt to each cup of water and stir it to dissolve the salt.
Soak your produce for all of TWO minutes. (For sturdier produce, you can give it an extra scrub with a vegetable brush if it makes you feel better!)
Rinse the produce under fresh water, pat to dry or dry on a clean towel and voila!… clean produce!

It’s best to do this right before you plan to use or eat the fruits or vegetables, to help maintain freshness and because it’s quick and easy, it won’t add a bunch of extra time.

There you have it. Now walk away and be sure to add sea salt to your grocery list! Healthy produce, HAPPY MOM!!!

(The issue doesn’t end here… please read the FULL story.)

Black, orange and GREEN your Halloween!

2009-10-26T15:06:14Z

This post is long overdue since the ghosts and goblins of Halloween are beginning to gather for a spook-tacular night! This is often a season where we can simultaneously go fabulously green AND bust the radar on breaking the rules!

If you still have plans in the works here are a few things to remember when you want to lean toward the greener end of the dial!

Decorations – nature provides the greatest resources! Pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, leaves, Indian corn… all gifts of nature can be used for fabulous decorations and composted afterward. Because we have a ravine behind our house, all of them go down the hill to be recycled by Mother Nature (and devoured by the animals that haven’t already abused them for a special “treat”!)
Costumes – your own closets and drawers can be an amazing costume store. Get creative and go to town! Consignment stores and thrift shops are also great resources and a far better choice over purchasing new. And reconsider face paint unless it’s homemade and non-toxic – the FDA does not regulate them, so you or your children could face some nasty chemical exposure and a reaction that’s even worse!
Treats & candy – buy organic candy or simply be aware of those that are over-packaged to avoid a lot of excess trash. Or forgo the candy all together and instead give pencils made of recycled materials, paper pads or stickers. All are better than coated papers that wrap tons of candies. And avoid a bunch of plastic trinkets that will eventually meet the trash.
Treat bags & “loot collectors”! – instead of buying cellophane bags, buy themed or Halloween-colored paper bags. Instead of buying a big plastic pumpkin for trick-or-treating, buy a reusable bag. You can find them anywhere and everywhere!
Parties – there are lots of ways to be greener but start by using fabric table cloths instead of disposable plastic. Reusable dinnerware is best, or even uncoated plates and cups that could be composted… but at the very least, avoid a bunch of disposable plastic.
Crafts & games – try making crafts using recycled materials. Cans and jars can be turned into great Halloween candy holders! And try a game of “Rotten Pumpkin” (instead of “Hot Potato”) with a small pumpkin or “Pin the Nose on the Jack-o-Lantern” (use a homemade paper jack-o-lantern and paper noses – all materials can be recycled afterward!)
Make good use of the excess – if your children collect an overabundance of candy (that you don’t want them to have), consider taking it to a homeless shelter instead of throwing the majority of it away.

This list is frightfully late but there is always time to keep it “EEK-O”-friendly! (Okay, I can be “boo’ed” for that one! Wait… I just did it again, didn’t I?… never mind… just keep it green for Halloween, and ENJOY!)

De-chlorinate tap water in one simple (free) step.

2009-10-23T13:43:20Z

I’ve always been, and will always be, an advocate of drinking tap water over bottled water.

Some readers agree, others have said “never without a filter first”, but one of the most common comments is the concern over the chlorination of tap water. A good filter can remove the chlorine but did you know you can remove the chlorine in one simple step, even without a filter?

This is all it takes…

Fill a pitcher with water, leave it (uncovered) overnight on your countertop and by morning, your water will be chlorine-free… the chlorine will actually evaporate out of the water overnight!

Drink it throughout the day, store it in your refrigerator, cook with it….what you do with it after that is all up to you.

That’s it for today… short, sweet and (chlorine-)free!

Is there a danger lurking in our recycled toilet paper?

2009-10-21T13:43:22Z

No one likes to retract a recommendation or end up eating their words, but I knew this would be part of my “green journey”… and it seems another retraction has to be made. (Ugh!)

Last time it was Sigg bottles when it was discovered that their epoxy liner actually contained BPA prior to August 2008. This time the culprit is recycled toilet paper. (I know my husband is going to LOVE this one, because he revolted over my switch to a not-so-cushy recycled brand!)

I happened to stumble upon Jennifer’s post at Eco Child’s Play (who happened to stumble upon an original post at Z Recommends!) about the ugly fact that recycled toilet paper appears to contain BPA. While BPA is not added to the toilet paper it is often present due to the recycling of thermal printing paper (a common component OF the recycled toilet paper).

It seems this is the reason BPA is often turning up in wastewater and tap water. While I’m always an advocate of keeping our water sources safe, I can’t help but wonder what happens when we continually “use” this recycled toilet paper on our… well, “nether regions”. There has to be a degree of absorption into our bodies that, quite frankly, makes me a little uncomfortable.

So now, I’m back to the drawing board. What options are there? Aside from installing a bidet (… by the way, I have a fabulous bidet story if you ever meet me!) or other ideas I’ve read (that include using fabric swatches that you place in a sealed container and then wash {note: not likely to ever happen in THIS household!}) I simply don’t know.

As much as I love to save trees, I think we’re going back to traditional toilet paper until I can find another viable option. In this house BPA is a major no-no.

(By the way, that visible shaking you just saw through your monitor was my husband jumping for joy!)

More toxic mattress “lies” that boil my blood!

2009-10-19T15:18:18Z

I had a completely different post planned for today, but in light of a recent conversation, I just had to write this instead.

You might recall a post last spring when we were in the market for a mattress for our son. We wanted an organic, chemical-free mattress so we could have peace of mind while he was getting a peaceful night’s rest. The issue is the excessive chemicals sprayed on traditional mattresses to make them meet government standards for fire retardants. They are so, so dangerous for everyone, since we inhale these toxic chemicals each and every night, but especially for children with developing bodies and systems.

Well, a friend of ours recently contacted us and wanted to know about the mattress we ended up buying. When I sent him the information he told me that the mattress store he just visited told him that he was “unable to buy that type of mattress without a prescription” (presumably because they are also hypo-allergenic) and “they have to use chemical fire retardants to meet standards”.

This is where my blood started to boil.

The reality is that they were lying to our friend simply because they didn’t HAVE what he was looking for and, obviously, would go to any length to make a sale.

The truth of the matter is this: Mattresses do NOT need to be sprayed with chemicals to make them fire retardant! They do, however, need to meet standards for BEING fire retardant. There are other ways to meet this standard but unfortunately, for consumers, the cheapest way to do this is simply to spray on a load of dangerous chemicals.

The mattress we chose was from Savvy Rest (via Healthy Home Sleep Gallery). Since organic wool is quilted to the inside of the organic cotton fabric cover, THIS is the non-flammable layer that inhibits burning and makes it pass these tests.

I absolutely hate the fact that a mattress retailer would tell such lies just for the sake of a sale. But on top of that, they are completely misleading consumers about the truth.

Of course, there are honest retailers out there, but if you are in the market for a new mattress, don’t be misled. You CAN buy a safe, non-toxic mattress… no prescription needed.

10 simple ways to make grocery shopping “greener”.

2009-10-16T15:03:50Z

We all have our standards for grocery shopping… that list of do’s and don’ts for what we choose. Maybe it’s a choice of organic produce and/or ingredients. Maybe it’s a matter of avoiding certain contents, like artificial ingredients. Maybe it’s just looking for the overall healthiest choices.

But above and beyond the food we select, there are many ways we can make our grocery store trip “greener”. Consider these 10 simple ways:

Buy the most minimal packaging. Consider things like fresh breads. They often come in paper bags that can be recycled – a far better choice than plastic wrappers (sometimes double-wrappers!) of mass-produced bread. This holds true for many products. Select those with minimal or the most recyclable packaging.
Buy a chunk or a brick of sliced cheese over the individually-wrapped version. A package of 24-slices will include 24 sheets of plastic otherwise.
Buy the big can instead of multiple smaller cans – less packaging and less to recycle. If it’s more than you need, put a reusable container to work and store it in your freezer until you do need it!
Buy local, every time you can! Did you know that produce in the US travels between 1,500 to 2,500 miles before it even reaches your grocery store? … lots of emissions are created to make that happen!
Choose fresh over frozen or canned. They use a lot less energy… from the energy used to process and manufacture them, to the energy needed for storage… choose fresh!
Choose sustainable wild fish over farm-raised – they actually contain less metals and create less contaminates since the concentration of farm-raised fish creates high levels of contaminating waste that will eventually reach our water sources.
Buy a gallon of milk or juices versus multiple 2-quarts, and buy in boxes versus individual packages. This often means one recyclable container versus two non-recyclable cartons, and one recyclable box over a dozen plastic wrappers. It’s obvious and fairly easy to break down single-servings into reusable containers.
Embrace the soybean! They’re a fabulous source of protein and cost a lot less than cattle farming! If you replaced one beef meal per month with a soybean product, it would save TWENTY THOUSAND GALLONS of water per year!
Shop the counter. Buy meats at a counter where you can select the exact amount you need. Prepackaging ends up in excessive waste and often the needless disposal of foods when you “have too much”.
No paper, no plastic, no arguments! Reusable bags are the only option.

It’s Friday. Now get to shopping… but just remember to think “green-ER” before you buy!