Smart Family Tips

Green Baby Steps

Beth — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:32:40 +0000

If you’ve decided you want to live a little greener, but don’t know where to begin, below you’ll find some easy tips to baby step your way to green. All of the information out there can be overwhelming and there’s as much greenwashing as there is good green advice. The good news is that you don’t have to sell all of your possessions and walk everywhere to be green. It’s really more of a mindset than anything else. Living a greener life is all about living a more mindful life — thinking about your impact on the world around you.

Let’s get started. Here are a few places to begin:

1. Start recycling. Check your city or county website to find out if they offer curbside pick-up. Many places don’t even require you to separate your recyclables. If curbside pick-up is not available in your area, commit to recycling just one type of product (for example, glass, or number 1 plastics). Find out where you can drop them off and do it.

2. Take reusable bags to the store. Most stores sell the bags for around $1 each now and many places will give you a credit for using them. It’s easy (as long as you remember the bags) and can save you money in the long run.

3. Be more mindful of how much water and energy you use. Remember to turn of lights when you leave a room. Focus on how long you leave the tap running when you’re washing dishes or brushing your teeth.

4. Combine errands. Try planning your stops so you make fewer trips in your car.

5. Spend some time outside. Often just connecting with nature on a regular basis will be all the incentive you need to move in the right direction.

For green veterans, these tips may sound obvious, but they are all things I need to be reminded of. I’m pretty good at recycling, but sometimes I get in a hurry and don’t pay as much attention to my energy and water usage as I’d like.

What other suggestions do you have?

Need help becoming a little greener? Email me any time with questions. I’m happy to help.

Photo Credit: Charlotte SpeaksSimilar Posts:

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Green, Good Resource List

Beth — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:58:21 +0000

Sometimes it helps to have lots of green resources in one place. I’ll continue to update this list as I find more resources; you may want to bookmark this page and check back often.

Recycling

◊ Earth 911

Local Food

◊ Local Harvest

Growing Your Own Food

◊ Organic Gardening

◊ Mother Earth News

◊ Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening Site

◊ One Green Generation

◊ Square Foot Gardening Posts on SFT

Green & Safe Products

◊ EWG’s Cosmetics Database

◊ Good Guide

◊ Budget Green & Safe Products on SFT

Doing Good

◊ Charity Navigator

◊ Change.org

◊ Doing Good on SFT

Books

◊ Healthy Child, Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home

◊ Smart Mama’s Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child’s Toxic Chemical Exposure

◊ Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

◊ Anything by Michael Pollan

◊ Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World

◊ Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and Meaningful Life

◊ See the Good Reads Page on SFT for more suggestions.

Green Blog Directories

◊ Best Green Blogs

◊ Alltop: Green

Help me grow the list; what resources would you add?Similar Posts:

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Brighter Days

Beth — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:13:27 +0000

I have goals. I bet you do, too. I want to be someone that I can be proud of. I want my actions and my speech to reflect the person I mean to be, not the stressed-out, scatter-brained maniac I sometimes turn into. I want to be patient and loving with my children, not the mom who thinks, “Oh My God is that really the 15th time you’ve whined that you want caaaaaaaaaaandy?!”

Here’s the thing. I stress myself out. My husband helps A LOT around the house and with the girls. He’s a nice person. He’s not obsessive or demanding. My children are just children. They are demanding, but they are 4 — sort of goes with the territory.

I know all of this. And yet . . .

I’m stressed out. My day job isn’t what I dreamed it would be and I feel a little trapped. Other than that, though, my life is good. Really good. Crappy things happen sometimes (like February), but compared to a lot of people, I’ve got it really good in more ways than one.

I know this. And yet . . .

I think I just needed to hear it again — to write the words and know they are true. To imagine all of you reading this and thinking, “I’ve been there,” or “Quit your whining and get on with it,” or “Okay, pity-party’s done.”

I am grateful to all of you for reading this blog, for leaving comments, and for emailing and tweeting me. I promise brighter days ahead.

I’m off to try on my new outlook.Similar Posts:

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Weekend Roundup: Good Riddance February Edition

Beth — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:48:07 +0000

We’ve had a pretty rough month around here. I’ll stifle the whine and spare you the gory details, but suffice it to say that for the last several weeks it seems like we’ve been hit with one thing after another. I’m hoping things will settle down and we’ll get to catch our breath. For now, I’m bidding February good riddance and hoping March brings brighter days.

While I’m riding out the last day of the month, here are some things I enjoyed reading around the web.

I can’t wait for warmer weather so I can start working on our square foot garden. To get some ideas going, Simple Organic wrote this week about Starting a Garden With Repurposed Materials.

Tammy at Rowdy Kittens will release her first ebook on March 1, Simply Car-Free: How to Pedal Toward Financial Freedom & a Healthier Life. If you’ve ever considered doing more biking than driving, at only $9.95, this ebook is a steal.

Jeffrey at The Art of Great Things wrote a thought-provoking post titled, A Question of Legacy.

Most of you know that I make my own laundry detergent. Nicki, at Domestic Cents, shared a homemade dishwasher detergent recipe that I can’t wait to try.

Gina Lincicum of MoneywiseMoms.com wrote a guest post for Get Rich Slowly this week about How to Save While Shopping for Children’s Clothes.

Have a great day, everyone!Similar Posts:

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Do Good, Feel Good

Beth — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:26:51 +0000

I’ve just started reading Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Happiness Project. One of her “Secrets of Adulthood” is Do good, Feel good. This is a concept that’s been around for ages, but it’s important to remind ourselves of the idea once in a while.

The fact is that when we do good for others, we feel better. It makes us happier people who then do more good. There are lots of ways to do good — you can find a charity you’re passionate about and donate time and/or money to it, you can take action by promoting a cause that’s important to you, you can do something as simple as holding a door for someone or giving a hug to friend.

Below are a few resources to get you started.

Charities/Nonprofits:

There are so many charity groups, it’s hard to know where to start. It can also be difficult to determine which charities are set up in such a way that your money will actually do some good for real people in need. I tend to focus on charities where there is some personal connection — I like to know someone either working for the charities, or someone promoting them.

Love146.org. Ending child sex slavery and exploitation. I wrote about Love146 the other day. It’s difficult to read about the atrocities committed against these young girls, but the work Love 146 is doing is amazing.

Charity: Water. Chris Guillebeau has recently partnered with this group to build wells in Africa. Without access to clean water, communities cannot begin to dig themselves out of poverty.

The Environmental Working Group. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of this advocacy group. They conduct extraordinary studies and lobby Congress to promote real change for the safety of our products and our food.

Healthy Child, Healthy World. Another favorite here at Smart Family Tips. Healthy Child focuses all of their efforts on making the world a safer place for our children.

Find a Cause:

Visit Change.org to browse through a number of causes and click the links to take action. When taking action, you can send letters to Congress, among other things, right from the web site.

Go Local:

Find a homeless shelter or a nonprofit in your area that needs some help and volunteer your time. Volunteer Match is a good place to start if you’re unsure.

Get Personal:

Helping other people doesn’t require a formal organization. If you know of someone in need, help in any way you can. You can even help anonymously if you’re more comfortable doing it that way. Some ideas:

– If you know someone is really struggling financially, buy a gift card to a local grocery store or gas station. You can give the cards directly, or have them delivered anonymously.

– Cook a meal for someone who’s overwhelmed. Make sure to find out their tastes and any allergies they have before proceeding.

– Write a note to someone who’s been down lately.

– Tell someone you love them.

– Sign up at It Starts With Us to participate with a large group of others in “Weekly Missions” that provide you with lots of great ideas.

– Listen when someone needs to vent.

– Say nice things to others. When someone does something that impresses you, say so.

– Smile more. It makes both you and the people who come in contact with you happier.

How about you? How do you do good?Similar Posts:

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Can You Spare $1 To Do Some Good?

Beth — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:58:29 +0000

Jamie Martin from Steady Mom and author of the newly released, Steady Days, has a special project going this month. She’s asking each reader of her blog to donate $1 during the month of February to raise money for Love146, a charity that works to abolish child sex slavery and exploitation.

You can read more about her Invitation to Give on her blog and see if this is something you feel you can do. As a mother of two daughters, I am moved by the work Love146 is doing. There’s no doubt it is difficult to fathom the lives these children have had to endure, but Love146 proves that there is hope, and for the girls they rescue, there is life.

Please visit Jamie’s blog to learn more. If enough people donate $1, a real difference can be made in the lives of young girls.Similar Posts:

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What Green Challenges Do You Face?

Beth — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:54:52 +0000

Even the greenest among us face challenges from time to time. I’m progressing in my journey towards a more environmentally and socially responsible life, but I still have a long way to go. I don’t always remember to take my reusable bags into the store and occasionally a cardboard toilet paper roll ends up in the trash instead of in the recycling bin.

Some of what holds me back is my lack of knowledge. There are things I’m unsure about and at times the thought of hunting down all the information seems daunting. I’m learning to reach out, though. Just last week, after officially declaring the end of the sippy cup in my house, I found myself with a bag full of #5 plastics. I hated the thought of throwing them away, but my county doesn’t recycle this particular variety. On a whim, I sent an email to Beth Terry at Fake Plastic Fish, asking for ideas. She told me about Preserve’s Gimme 5 program. They will take #5 plastics and recycle them into other things. Even better, most Whole Foods stores have a collection bin. I contacted the Whole Foods in my area, and sure enough, they have a bin. Problem solved.

Sometimes we don’t have do all the research ourselves, we just have to ask for help.

I’d like to help you.

I’m really interested to know what challenges you face in your attempts to become more “green.” Feel free to write about them in the comments or to contact me directly. I’ll do my best to make your desire to live better an easier thing to do.Similar Posts:

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A Question

Beth — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:30:29 +0000

Today, just a question:

If you could make one thing better, what would it be?

Photo Credit: woodleywonderworksSimilar Posts:

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For Valentine’s Day, Go Fair Trade

Beth — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:33:32 +0000

Equal Exchange, one of my favorite companies, is now offering the Chocolate and Coffee Pairing Gift Bag just in time for Valentine’s Day. Mambo Sprouts, a website dedicated to offering savings and coupons on green and organic products, sent one of these great bags to me to review.

I’ve always been impressed with the quality of Equal Exchange’s products and this is no exception. The coffee is wonderful and the chocolate is delicious. The gift bag includes two 12 ounce bags of Organic, Fair Trade Coffee (Love Buzz and Mind, Body & Soul), two organic Panama Extra Dark Chocolate Bars, two organic milk chocolate bars and a coffee pairing instruction card. All of this is packaged in a 100% recycled, printed gift bag with recycled tissue paper and ribbon.

I make it clear in my review policy that I will not promote products I don’t genuinely love. Nor will I promote products that go against the principles of this site. Equal Exchange is a first rate company that is doing a lot of good.

This Valentine’s Day, why not consider a gift that will not only make the recipient happy, but one that will provide the producers of the products with a living wage?

Visit Equal Exchange to read more about the Chocolate and Coffee Pairing Gift Bag and to order.Similar Posts:

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Organics on a Budget: What Matters Most

Beth — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:49:51 +0000

Most of us don’t have an unlimited budget to buy organic foods. While some prices on organic products have come down, for a variety of reasons, organics still command a premium price. This is one of the reasons we decided to grow our own organic vegetable garden last year, and why we’ll do it again this summer. I’ve written before about where to find coupons on organic products. Recently, I’ve learned that Mambo Sprouts is a good place to try, too.

But, for day to day shopping, when you want to avoid as many pesticides and growth hormones and antibiotics as you can, where can you get the safest food for your dollar? Based on my own research, not scientific fact, the list below is where I’ve decided to concentrate my own organic dollars. I hope it’s helpful to some of you.

Produce

For produce, I stick with the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. They list the “Dirty Dozen” and suggest buying these organic:

Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes (Imported)
Carrots
Pears

These particular fruits and vegetables are subjected to the highest levels of pesticides if traditionally farmed. You’ll get the fewest pesticides for your dollar if you focus on these. EWG provides a handy printable pocket-sized guide that you can keep in your wallet. You can read about their Shopper’s Guide and print it out here.

Meat

I’ll say upfront that I don’t skimp on meat. If that means I have to buy less of it, or bulk up meat-based meals with beans or other ingredients, I will. I believe it’s best to know where your meat comes from. If you can buy it locally, from a farmer in your area, all the better. The easiest way to locate sources is through farmers markets and visiting localharvest.org to find local farms and CSAs.

Chicken

I buy organic, free-range chicken which means that the feed the chickens eat is free from pesticides and the chickens themselves are given no antibiotics. Farmers are not allowed to give chickens growth hormones, so while some packaging claims “hormone-free” chicken, that really is a given. I buy organic eggs for the same reasons.

Beef

Aside from the animal cruelty associated with CAFOs (watch Food, Inc. for more information), and the negative environmental impacts they create, I’m extremely concerned about the hormones and antibiotics given to cows and then eaten by us.

I buy only grass-fed/grass-finished beef that is hormone and antibiotic free. I used to watch for it to go on sale in the store, or cook beef less often to help with the budget. This year, we bought a bulk order of grass-fed beef from a local farm which really saved us a lot of money.

Milk

We drink cow’s milk and just like the beef from cows, milk is loaded with hormones and antibiotics. To avoid these, I buy only organic milk and dairy products. This is one that’s very important to me.

Canned Goods

I’m working to avoid these whenever possible. Soon I’ll be writing about BPA and why it’s a problem, but for now, be aware that nearly all cans are lined with it and it’s not good for you. The worst product to buy in cans, because of their acidity, is tomatoes. Unfortunately, there are few alternatives. Some companies (Trader Joe’s, for one) are starting to sell tomato products in Tetra Paks, which are a safe alternative, but they can be difficult to find.

One benefit of buying fewer canned goods is that alternatives can be less expensive. I buy many of our vegetables frozen if I can’t find them fresh. I stock up when there are sales and use coupons when I can. We also eat a lot of beans and there’s almost nothing less expensive than dried beans. It just takes a little bit more planning on my part to remember to soak the beans the night before I want to cook them.

It’s a work in progress, though. As was evident in the photos of my pantry, I do have quite a few canned goods (even tomatoes). But as I’ve become more aware of BPA, I’m slowly but surely working to reduce the number of foods we eat from cans.

To wrap up, in a nifty little list, here are the things I focus on buying organic. I buy other things that are organic when I can, but I rarely compromise on these. It’s worth it to me to sacrifice some things in order to feel better about what we put in our bodies. For us, cutting back on sugary soft drinks and expensive packaged foods has left more room in our budget for organics.

Buy These Organic

Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes (Imported)
Carrots
Pears
Milk & Dairy products
Meat (Chicken, Beef, Poultry)
Eggs
Canned goods (best if organic, but try to avoid canned goods altogether — buy frozen or dried)

And another benefit I’ll mention before I sign off: organics taste better. Truly. I can tell a real difference in good, fresh eggs. I can also tell a difference in the milk and meat that I buy. There’s mounting evidence that organics may be healthier for us, too. As Barbara Kingsolver questioned in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, why is it that we are so willing to spend money on all sorts of things, but the main place we want to cut corners is on the food we put in our mouths?

Photo Credit: jekrubSimilar Posts:

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