In any event, the following Monday, I received an email from a PR person representing Kumon asking me to participate in a blog hop to promote Kumon’s poetry contest in honor of Earth Day on Facebook. Well, after having two friends recommend the program, and wanting to be part of Earth Day (even though I’m quite cynical and grinchy about it), I said I would participate in the blog hop.

Why a blog hop? Well, the concept behind a blog hop is to introduce everybody to new bloggers and/or new ideas. Kumon has chosen some green bloggers and we are all talking a bit about Earth Day, favorite green tips and other green ideas. Yesterday, Katy from Non Toxic Kids posted a poem! (go Katy). Tomorrow’s blog hop is hosted by Sommer at Green and Clean Mom.

To be honest, I have a hard time getting excited about Earth Day because it seems that there is a lot of greenwashing. But this year, I’m trying because my kids are excited about Earth Day. We’re planning on participating in a local volunteer clean up this Saturday (official Earth Day). We’ve been talking about how we can reduce our use of plastic and recycle more. All year, we’ve been trying to do waste free lunches, and my kids seem to be finally getting why I give them foods from bulk containers into reusable individual containers instead of packing single serve foods. FINALLY! (And, plus, it is way cheaper.) Today in the car on the way home, we talked about whether people will become extince and what the Earthy will look like in 20  years or 50 years or 100 years.

Well, to celebrate Earth Day, Kumon is sponsoring a contest for our kids.  It is a Poetry Challenge in celebration of Earth Day. Kumon encourages students to be good citizens and stewards of the Earth, and Kumon is asking students to tell it how and why the students take care of the Earth, in a poem. The poem should be 200 words or fewer and should celebrate Earth Day.  The poem should be in one of four forms – haiku, limerick, acrostic or free form. Parents submit their child’s poem about nature through Facebook. Each child has a chance to win $500 and an all-expenses paid trip to New York City with a visit to Kumon North America. There will be 6 winners! Please read the contest details.

And,  you have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate (preferably in electronic form to reduce plastic) donated by Kumon. Just leave a comment on this post below and you’ll be entered to win. Winner will be chosen randomly on May 8, 2012 and notified via email (so make sure you leave your email when you comment).

Reports of children being poisoned by folk remedies are more common then you would think.  One story expressed a young mother’s grief and guilt over poisoning her two children and a niece with greta.  She gave it to them to help with stomach problems.  She is quoted as saying “[i]nstead of doing something good for them, I did them more harm.”  Luckily, the high levels of lead were detected a week later during a routine checkup.  The children have reportedly suffered no ill effects.

Traditional and folk remedies are the second most common source of lead poisoning in the United States.  The CDC estimates that traditional or folk remedies may account for as much as 30% of all childhood lead poisoning cases in the US.  But, it is suspected that many cases go undetected.  Many doctors don’t ask about alternative medicines, and most people don’t volunteer the information.  And only about 14% of children are tested for lead.

Many of these remedies are manufactured outside the US and purchased in ethnic grocery stores and neighborhood shops, or brought into the US by travelers.  These remedies are often cultural traditions, handed down by generations.  For example, ayurvedic remedies have been used in India for at least the last 2,000 years.  But, one survey of ayurvedic remedies sold in the Boston area found that 20% of them contained potentially harmful levels of lead, mercury and arsenic.

Many people think “my grandmother used it, so it must be okay.”  Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it safe.  The traditional or home remedies can cause serious cases of lead poisoning because the lead concentration is often very high and the medicine is intentionally swallowed.

So, since you can’t tell just by looking at a folk or herbal remedy whether it contains lead or another potentially harmful ingredient, do a little bit of research before taking a folk or herbal remedy. Following is a list of common herbal or folk remedies that have been found to contain harmful ingredients – but this list isn’t comprehensive.

Lead in Folk Remedies:  Smart Mama’s Simple Steps To Reduce Exposure

Skip the remedy.  If you don’t know whether it is safe or no, skip the remedy.  I understand that many of these remedies have been used for generations.  But, they can contain high levels of lead.  If you don’t know whether they are safe or not, then skip them.

Discuss with caregivers.  Discuss medications and remedies with all caregivers, including remedies.  Make sure your caregivers, including your relatives, do not provide any medical care, including home remedies, without checking with you.

Household cleaners, scented products, and paints and coatings contribute to indoor air pollution.  Although emissions from paints and coatings are highest during and immediately after application, they release low levels of toxic emissions into the air for years after application.  Some paint-related activities can dramatically increase indoor air concentrations of VOCs.  A basic science lesson:  a paint consists of a resin (or binder), a carrier, and pigments that gives the paint its color.  Once the paint is applied to a surface, the carrier evaporates, leaving behind the solid coating.  The carrier is usually a VOC.

VOCs are chemicals that contain at least one carbon atom and that easily evaporate at ambient temperature.  VOCs are emitted as gases from certain liquids and solids.  In other words, VOCs readily volatilize, or evaporate, out of the solid or liquid into the air we breathe.  You are familiar with VOCs.  The smell of gasoline?  VOCs evaporating.  The scent of a freshly mowed lawn?  VOCs evaporating. In fact, isoprene and monoterpenes are two of the most common VOCs emitted from vegetation. Monoterpenes (VOCs) give us pine, lemon, and many floral scents.

The term “VOC” is often used in a precise regulatory context, and the definition is defined by laws.  From a regulatory perspective, VOCs are usually of concern because they evaporate at room temperature and then react in sunlight to help form ground-level ozone, an integral component of photochemical smog.  These VOCs are referred to as smog precursors.  Smog is that green haze that hangs over many large cities, and that we are working to eliminate.

But you are probably more concerned with VOCs because they have health effects.  VOCs can cause respiratory distress; skin and eye irritation; headaches; nausea; muscle weakness; and even more serious ailments and diseases.  For example, formaldehyde, a VOC often found in the home because of its presence in engineered wood products, including furniture, cabinetry and building materials, is considered a probable carcinogen by the EPA, is listed on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, is genotoxic (damaging to genetic material), and also causes eye, nose and throat irritation.

When it comes to trying to reduce toxic chemical exposures, understanding the regulatory framework is important for any class of products.  For example, if you buy a paint labeled “low VOC”, you are usually buying a paint that has low VOC content based upon the definition of VOC under the federal Clean Air Act.  In this context, VOCs are defined in terms of photochemical reactivity (ability to form ozone), and not toxicity.  In the regulatory context, certain VOCs are exempt from regulation because they are not photochemically reactive (they are not smog pre-cursors).  However, these VOCs may be toxic.  For example, methylene chloride and 1,1,1-trichloroethane are not considered photochemically reactive, so they are exempt.  But they are associated with adverse health effects.

Methylene chloride is irritating to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and is identified as a probable carcinogen by the EPA. 1,1,1-trichloroethane is not classifiable as to its carcinogencity in humans.  However, animal studies have shown that 1,1,1-TCAcan pass through the placenta.  Babies of pregnant mice exposed to high concentrations ofTCAdeveloped more slowly and demonstrated behavioral problems. So, even if the paint is low-VOC, you may still want to skip it.  Plus, the amount of VOCs is the amount in the base coating.  The colorant added to the paint may have VOCs, so you need to consider the VOC content of the base plus colorant.

How do you find the right paint?  Conventional paints are generally classified into two categories:  latex (or water based) paints (in which the carrier is water), and oil based paints (in which the carrier is an organic solvent).  When you use oil based paints, the carrier, an organic solvent VOC, evaporates after application and pollutes the air.  Latex paints do not use solvents as the primary carrier so VOC emissions are minimized.  So latex paints are usually a better choice over oil based paints to reduce toxic chemical exposures.  However, latex paints may use solvents to emulsify the binder, which are emitted after application, so they may still be problematic.

Paints labeled as “low VOCs” or “zero VOCs” may have fewer toxins present than conventional paints.  However, remember the earlier discussion about regulatory context?  The low or zero VOC paint is designated as such designed for photochemical reactivity (whether or not it is a smog precursor) and/or odor, not the amount of toxins.  The assumption that paints labeled as odor-free or containing low or no VOC’s are free of toxicants is false. While these paints are environmentally friendly, and I am all for reducing smog, they may still have some toxic chemicals present.  Look for the VOC content in grams per liter on the paint label – choose one with the lowest number.  Generally speaking, and keeping in mind that VOC content is regulated for smog formation potential, not health effects, a paint that says “Maximum VOC Content:  45 grams/liter” is preferable to one with a higher number.

Also, there are several specific private certifying companies that consider toxicity as well as simply regulatory VOC content limits. More on these in a separate blog post.

In addition to VOCs, you should look out for other potentially toxic ingredients, such as ammonia, crystalline silica, fungicides, and biocides.  Biocides include copper, arsenic disulfide, phenol, and formaldehyde.  Almost all paints contain toxic preservatives.  The amounts are relatively low, but you may want to consider biocide-free paints.  Also check the pigment used to make the color.  For both the paint and the pigment, ask the manufacturer or supplier for the MSDS (or get it off the web), which should identify the ingredients and have a section on health effects.

Another option is natural based paints and finishes.  These paints are made from natural raw ingredients such as plant oils, plant dyes, clay, chalk, milk casein, and bees’ wax.  Natural paints typically use linseed and soy oils as binders, pine- and balsam-derived terpenes or citrus oils as carriers, minerals and sometimes plant-derived compounds as pigments, and lime and chalk as thickeners.  These paints are preserved by linseed oil or other natural ingredients.  Although natural paints and finishes do not contain petroleum products, they may still emit VOCs from ingredients like citrus based solvents.  Some of these contain essential oils which can cause allergic reactions.  Certain natural oil paints emit odors or compounds, such as those from citrus oil, which chemically sensitive people may find hard to tolerate.  Mineral, lime and milk paints are generally well tolerated and are the least toxic paints available.   But, always check the ingredient list or MSDS.  Not all “natural” materials are safe.  Cadmium may be used as a bright yellow pigment, but cadmium is toxic.

But, a recent article by Mother Jones has crushed that optimism. According to the article, The Lorax has over 70 launch parties, including many not so environmentally friendly products, such as standard fuel injection engine Mazda SUV, Pottery Barn Kids, dispoable diapers and more.

Wasn’t one of the more compelling messages in Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax that conpicuous consumption will result in environmental gloom and doom UNLESS we care? Shouldn’t the good folks behind the movie care a bit more about the launch partners, consistent with the environmental message of the story? Shouldn’t the products be at least environmentally friendly, even if they are products that we don’t really need? An electric car? Disposable diapers made with reclaimed materials or some environmentally friendly concept?

Or are those good folks just like the Once-ler – caught up in making money?

Pimping products is just, well, #loraxwashing.

And then, I was approached to be part of a compensated blog tour in support of Universal Pictures’ Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and I was even more thrilled. Rarely do I get to participate in such activities for a variety of reasons. As an added bonus, the other blog tour participants are bloggers and people I admire and respect (see below). As a result, I am thrilled to blog about Lessons from The Lorax: Hope Will Change The World.

Now, the book The Lorax is a more than a bit gloomy. The Once-ler creates demands for his Thneed with slick marketing, and ultimately chops down the entire Truffula Forest to knit Thneeds. In the process, the Bar-ba-Loots get the Crummies because of gas and “no food in their tummies” so The Lorax, speaking for the trees, sends them away. The Swomee Swans get sore throats from the “smogulous smoke” and their singing falls silent. Again, the Lorax sends them away. The Humming Fish can’t hum because of Thneed manufacturing by-products being dumped in their ponds so the Lorax sends them off too. Eventually, no Truffula trees are left, and the Once-ler’s factory shuts down. The Lorax leaves with an ominous “UNLESS” inscribed on a pile of rocks and our bit of hope is tied to a single seed the Once-ler passes to the boy (representing the reader).

Quite a lesson. A narrative of gloom and doom. A tragic scenario of creeping doom UNLESS we mend our ways.

When my mom read The Lorax to me when I was little. I remember being so depressed – overwhelmingly depressed by the plight of the Truffula, the Bar-ba-Loots, the Swomee Swans and the Humming Fish. But my mom always gently reminded me that it was a cautionary tale, and encouraged me to do something about it if I was moved. I encourage my kids to do the same.

Much environmental journalism uses the Lorax narrative to seek to compel change. And I’m honestly not sure it works to compel change as a doomsday scenario. Most of us can’t see the potentially world ending results from our individual actions. So, it doesn’t compel us to change our ways according to most studies. Or we think our individual changes won’t amount to anything or won’t stop the doomsday from coming. So we don’t do anything at all.

We don’t heed the warning “UNLESS.” And often we don’t see the hope present in the remaining Truffula seed.

But with hope we will change the world. And that is the lesson from The Lorax I want to pass to my children. Whether you see hope in science and technological advances, or hope in sustainable design, or hope in a mere seed, that hope will change the world.

The movie The Lorax encourages hope too, and causes us to question our indulgence in all things technologically advance and artificial. The movie changes the narrative a bit (although it ultimately remains a tragedy). The town is called Thneedville, where everything is artificial and no trace of nature remains. Director Chris Renaud explains:

We came up with the idea to have Thneedville be a bit more relatable. It’s like Vegas or Disneyland or Abu Dhabi. We see ourselves in it a bit, and it is kind of fun. There are inflatable bushes and mechanical flowers and trees, and it’s a place with no real nature. Everyone seems to be happy, and they have everything they want: from giant cars to robots and other mechanical devices. But then it becomes a question about sustainability. While all this stuff is fun and great, is it in balance with the broader planet, and how do we maintain that balance?

Ted seeks to win the affection of the girl of his dreams, Audrey, by finding her a real tree. And he learns about the history of Thneedville, its artificiality, and then seeks to set things right with the last Truffula seed, we get a bit more hope than we do in the book.

I’m not sure if the message will ultimately be more persuasive to effectuate significant change in our quests to consume. But I am certain that it will at least inspire conversations about nature, environmentalism, extinction and more. Most importantly, about hope. And that is a lot. More than most big screen movies today. Conversations I am more than happy to have with my kids. And conversations that can be readily adapted to encourage kids to be more involved with nature, to consume less and differently, to question marketing messages, to understand the interlocking web of our planet, to take joy in simply planting a tree.

What are the Lessons from The Lorax? This blog tour is highlighting quite a few. For example,  yesterday Jennifer Lance at Eco Child’s Play reminds us to identify and skip the Thneeds in our lives.  Tomorrow, Beth at My Plastic Free Life will tackle yet another.

I personally had a hard time settling on just one lesson. The Lorax has a lot to teach us. At first, I thought I would talk about that the lesson from The Lorax isn’t about not having what you want, it is wanting what you got (thanks to Sheryl Crow’s Soak Up The Sun for that appropriate lyric).

I settled on hope will change the world because it is the reason to keep going and being green. There is no reason to give up on being green – one seed could change the world. So, take heed of the Lorax’s warning of UNLESS. Keep hope alive and stay being green.

If you need some background on what is BPA, I’ve got a FAQ on it.

The study is consistent with other epidemiological studies which have shown links between BPA and metabolic disorders.  Because virtually all American adults have BPA in their bodies, this study suggests that BPA may pose a significant health risk. 

BPA is used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic, so food and drink stored in polycarbonate plastic can result in exposure (think of those 5 gallon water bottles).   BPA is also used in the manufacture of epoxy resin linings for virtually all canned food and drink in the US – so to avoid BPA, skip canned foods. Think fresh, frozen, dried or jarred in glass over canned.  At least one study confirmed that you can reduce BPA dramatically by eliminating canned foods.  BPA is also used in the manufacture of certain thermal receipts, and can be absorbed through the skin.

Just one more reason to avoid BPA.

“about one-third of all albatross chicks die on Midway, many as the result of being mistakenly fed plastic by their parents.”

Photographer Chris Jordan has been documenting birds on Midway Atoll (way out in the Pacific Ocean, near the Great Pacific Garbage Patch). And his images of the carcasses of baby birds with bellies full of plastic bottle caps will get you doing what you can to make sure those bottle caps don’t get swept into the ocean or any other plastic debris.  Five tons of plastic comes to the remote Midway Atoll every year – cast off and forgotten by us.

So, yet again, let’s take steps to eliminate disposable plastic. Switch to reusable grocery and produce bags. Use a reusable stainless steel bottle instead of buying bottled water. Buy items in bulk instead of single serve containers. Let’s keep in mind that plastic just doesn’t go away and our world is an interconnected web. Need more ideas? Check out Beth’s My Plastic-free Life.

So I got a copy.

And it is beautiful. And lovely. And just wonderful and enchanting and charming. So I am doing a review despite saying I wouldn’t. It is that good.

Mr. FitzSimmons photographs relatively common animals – animals you might find in your backyard – against white backgrounds. (Except for the pink katydid – which is hard to find as it is a result of a condition called erythrism). This approach allows the animals to shine. You can focus on the textures, colors, and features of the animals. The presentation makes the animals seem quite exotic and interesting. It makes you realize that the world, especially the world in your backyard, is an amazing place.

Plus, the text is not only informative but fun. Really fun.

Take the story about the Ohio Crawfish -

“Do you know why I’m waving my giant claws? I’m warning you: Don’t come any closer. Snap! Snap! Snap! I catch my food with these claws. I also attack and defend myself with them. Snap! Snap! Snap! Do you want to know something really cool? If any of my legs get hurt, including my giant claws, I can grow new ones. Pretty neat, huh? Now, enough chitchat. Back off! Snap! Snap! Snap!”

Each of the 21 critters tells its story. Plus, the book includes additional natural history information for each critter and more. The information on the book indicates that it addresses all the National Research Council’s life science standards for grades K – 5.

It is a lovely, charming, enchanting book. I recommend it for any child or teacher. It would make a fabulous gift for the holidays. You can find Curious Critters on Amazon. It is scheduled for release on November 7, 2011.
And you can see more of Mr. FitzSimmons’ photography at his website.

I think it will inspire readers to care more about the natural world. And, perhaps, to go exploring to see if they can find a pink katydid.

Green Halloween is a program of the non profit organization EcoMom Alliance. The concept is to make Halloween healthier and safer for our children and for the environment.  In 2010, a record one millionpieces of candy were replaced with healthier and more sustainable treat options. This year, the revolution will continue, and the Twitter party will share information on just how to do that.

Plus, of course, there are prizes.

First, to be eligible for the prizes, make sure you are following @GreenHalloween and then RSVP by leaving your Twitter handle here in the comments. Then, join us for the #GreenHalloween Twitter party on Thursday, October 13, 2011, from 6 to 8 pm. Don’t forget to use the #greenhalloween hashtag in your tweets.

We have a ton of special guests. The partners include HonestTea @HonestTea, Goodwin Heart Pine @GoodwinLumber, Kiwi magazine @KiwiMagazine, Red Tricycle, Practically Green @PracticallyGrn, Endangered Species Chocolate @ESC_Chocolate, Nature’s Path @NaturesPath, Stretch Island Fruit Co. @StretchIsland, Revolution Foods @RevolutionFoods, Plum Organics @PlumOrganics, Surf Sweets @SurfSweets, Angell Bar @OrganicCandyBar, Mr. Halloweenster @MrHalloweenster, EcoMom.com @EcoMom, Celebrate Green! @CelebrateGreen, Today I Ate A Rainbow @eatingarainbow, Terra Firma Cosmetics MoMoGirl, The Damsel in the Attic @DamselInAttic and Neighborcare Health @Neighborcare. The nonprofit partner is Goodwill Industries International @GoodwillIntl. And, the event partners are Womentorz @Womentorz, LiveGreene @ShopLiveGreene, Natural Luxe @NaturalLuxe, Eat Cleaner @EatCleanerFood, EcoPartyTime @EcoPartyTime, Divine Events @AlyZDivine, Divine Moms @DivineMomz, Green Halloween Daytona Beach @GreenHalloween1, Los Angeles Costume Swap @LACostumeSwap and Anna Clark @annaclark.

And, of course, me. I’m hosting as @TheSmartMama.

The prizes are as follows:

(1) Angell Organic Candy Bar sample pack including 2 bars each Crisp, Dark and Snow; an organic cotton t-shirt and assorted stickers generously donated by Angell Bars.

(2) A copy of the book “Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family” generously donated by mother-daughter founders of @GreenHalloween and @CostumeSwapDay.

(3)  Stretch Island Fruit Co. package consisting of 2 cases of 30 fruit strips – winner can choose 1 or 2 flavors from Stretch Island Fruit Co.

(4) 1 Lunchbots Pico, a stainless steel divided lunch container from LunchBots @Lunchbot.

(5) A treat from Honest Tea valued at $64.

(6) A Kiwi magazine subscription from Kiwi magazine.

(7) A Nature’s Path Specialty Gift Basket with a value of more than $100.

(8) Revolution Foods is generously giving away a case of 50 Jammy Sammys.

If you need information on Twitter parties, please check out this informative post.

The article discusses how our microbial systems – acquired beginning at birth – may help “steer normal development, molding immune sysetms and calibrating fundamental metabolic functions such as energy storage and consumption.” These systems may explain why one person gets cancer and another doesn’t.

Yet, we don’t understand these systems yet. And, our rush to use antibiotics, antibacterials, and heavy cleaning chemicals and even electric Caesarean delivery of babies may be disrupting nature’s balance, leading to a host of disease.

So, I was really struck by that the article just gives one more reason why not to use an unneccessary antibacterial such as Triclosan.

And I was also struck by the suggestive evidence that the use of antibiotics during pregnancy, as children and in our food may be leading to obesity. The research suggest that antibiotics may be killing off the bacteria needed to regulate the hormones which are key players in regulating metabolism, hunger and a sense of fullness.

And, I was also struck by the statement that one finding from the recent research is that babies born through Caesarean sections apparently miss out on acquiring their mothers’ microbiota. This may lead to certain diseases, such as perhaps asthma. This should be fodder for those women fighting for vaginal delivery after a Caesarean, and should at least be considered by those considering elective Caesarean delivery.

But I guess what mostly struck me is that you really can’t monkey around with Mother Nature.