OC Family Green Mom

Do you know where your food comes from?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:45:00 GMT

Unless you grow it yourself in your backyard, the answer is probably a resounding no. I always thought I had a fairly good idea. But last weekend, I watched “Food Inc.” and realized I only knew a small part of the story. The movie had a profound effect on me and has totally changed how I look at food.

"Food Inc." is packed with information and made me ask questions like: Why can we can get ripened tomatoes year round? Why is it that a bag of chips costs less than a bundle of carrots? What is the reason that many chickens are never exposed to sunlight? And who on earth ever thought it was a good idea to feed corn to fish?

It was tough to watch at times but ultimately, I found it pretty inspiring. Knowledge is power and with more knowledge, I can make better decisions.

There is a great summary at the end of the movie that describes what we can do as consumers to make better food choices. Here are the suggestions that appear one by one on the screen:

Buy from companies that treat workers, animal and the environment with respect.
When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season.
Buy foods that are organic.
Know what’s in your food. Read labels.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket. Buy foods that are grown locally.
Shop at farmer’s markets.
Plant a garden (even a small one).
Cook a meal with your family and eat together.
Everyone has a right to healthy food. Make sure your farmer’s market takes food stamps.
Ask your school board to provide healthy school lunches.
The FDA and USDA are supposed to protect you and your family. Tell Congress to enforce food safety standards and re-introduce Kevin’s Law.
If you say grace, ask for food that will keep us, and the planet healthy.

It’s a great reminder that as consumers, we can vote to change this broken system. We get the chance to exercise our vote three times a day. For more information and suggestions of what you can do, visit Take Part.

I hope that everyone makes time to see “Food Inc.” Please see it for you, see it for the people you love and see it for the planet. Remember “you can change the world with every bite.”

Two-year old logic and global warming

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:54:00 GMT

Have you heard the news: it’s snowing back East? Oh my gosh, it’s snowing…in the Northeast…in February. Can you believe it?

In the middle of this week's storm, climate change naysayers are declaring that this storm in one region of one county totally disproves climate change. It’s people like Senator James Inhofe who constructed an igloo in Washington, DC and posted a sign reading "Honk if you heart global warming." It’s Senator Jim DeMint who tweeted "It's going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries uncle." And you better believe that Fox News has jumped all over it, with story after story that totally distorts the facts to fit their agenda.

It’s hard for me to believe that some of this is even real. I mean, really, it’s ridiculous. It’s like me looking up at the night sky and saying “Well the sun must have gone away because it’s dark outside.” It’s two-year old logic, but there are people lapping it up and it scares me.

Now I realize that this is a particularly harsh storm impacting millions of people. I'm not trying to make light of it. But the climate change deniers are totally missing the point. As Giselle Barry from Repower America points out “Extreme weather is climate change! Not only does "Snowpocalypse" not disprove global warming, it actually matches scientific predictions that climate change will increase extreme weather events of many kinds, including heavy snowfalls in regions like the Northeast.”

The fact is that climate change is a very complex issue. It will lead to more temperature extremes, both cold and warm. And I don’t remember Al Gore ever saying that it would never snow again ever. I’m quite sure that’s not what hundreds of years of scientific evidence and study predict.

This clip from Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show is genius, and sums it up best. As usual, a little dose of humor makes me feel so much better:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Unusually Large Snowstorm

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Last minute Valentine cards for kids

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:05:00 GMT

As usual, we are scrambling at the last minute to get our Valentine cards together for school. I always think I’m going to be that mom who has everything planned and organized well in advance, but somehow, I never seem to get there. This year, I totally forgot that Friday is a school holiday, so our Valentines cards have to be ready for Thursday’s class party.

If you are a last-minute like me and you’ve run out to the store to find that everything is sold out, why not try making Valentine’s cards? And you can spend nothing and use only things that you may already have at home.

We did just that tonight. The kids and I rummaged through the house and found all our extra colored paper, stickers, markers and stamps and gathered them together. Then, we printed a few labels on the computer (the “to, from” part of the card), and cut them into rectangles. Using scrap paper, we made larger colored rectangles cut slightly larger. The kids glued the labels on the colored paper scraps. Then, they addressed and signed each one and decorated with stickers, foam cutouts, stamps and markers. It got a little messy, but was a great exercise in creativity for the kids.

Finally, we hole-punched the cards on one side and tied each one with curling ribbon to a Trader Joe’s organic lollipop.

It took about an hour to make our Valentines using only materials we already had at home – no waste, no cost! Okay, I did have to run out and buy one extra box of Organic Lollipops from Trader Joe’s because we only had one box in the pantry. So I spent $3 on 58 Valentine’s for both classrooms. Here are the results:

They turned out cute I think. And best of all, not a plastic goody bag or cheap plastic trinket to be found.

Go green for Valentine’s Day

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:23:00 GMT

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I didn’t always enjoy this “Hallmark holiday”, even once I actually had a Valentine. But my attitude about the holiday changed about ten years ago when hubby and I decided to ditch the traditional Valentines’ day route and started our own tradition. Every year since, we avoid the hassle and expense of going out (reservations, overpriced wine, finding a sitter) and instead stay home. He cooks while I get the kiddos in bed early. Then, we pop open a great bottle of champagne (the kind that would be unaffordable at a restaurant but is reasonable at the store) and enjoy a gourmet home cooked meal with candles and the good china. No gifts either – our dinner, champagne, and time alone is our gift.

But if you are in the market for something for your sweetie, here are a few suggestions to make your gift a little greener:

Organic Flowers –when you touch or inhale the scent of non-organic flowers, it is likely that you are exposing yourself and your family to harmful chemicals. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals used on flowers also affect the health of farm workers and florists. Keep everyone pesticide-free by purchasing organic and in-season flowers. Some sources include California Organic Flowers, Organic Bouquet, and Local Harvest.

Fair Trade Chocolate - Traditional cocoa farming forces hundreds of thousands of children in West Africa to work under forced labor conditions on cocoa farms. Young boys are sold into slave labor and forced to work in cocoa farms, under inhumane conditions and extreme abuse. Kind of make’s that Hershey’s bar not taste so good doesn’t it? But when you buy Fair Trade chocolate, you ensure that farmers and workers receive a fair price for their product, helping them support their families and send their children to school rather than the field. Most Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate is also certified organic and shade-grown, which helps maintain the biodiversity of ecosystems, provides shelter for migratory birds, and uses far less energy than conventional farming. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but do we really need that much chocolate anyway? For eco-friendly chocolate, try one of these sites: Global Exchange, Equal Exchange, Dagoba Chocolate, and Coco-Zen (fair trade, organic and local – a triple winner!).

Eco-friendly Jewelry – Go for jewelry that is fair trade, responsibly manufactured, and made from sustainable materials. The good news is it’s also generally super affordable too. You can find jewelry made from recycled glass, like this line we sell at buygreen.com; handmade, eco-friendly bling at etsy.com; or, if you have a bigger budget, there is brilliantearth.com for ethical, conflict-free diamonds.

More Sustainable Love – After the champagne, flowers, chocolate and jewelry, there’s the umm…love…the best part of Valentine’s Day. And yes, there is in fact, even an organic line of personal lubricants – think of it as the “green” KY. The majority of personal lubricants on the market are made with petrochemicals and preserved with methyl and propyl parabens. But Good Clean Love personal lubricants are natural and organic so they not only feel good, but are good for you. I especially like this Cupid’s Travel Kit – would be a perfect Valentine’s gift.

So spoil your sweetie this Valentine’s Day with eco-friendly gifts that are not only good for them, but also the planet. Happy Valentine’s Day!

(Note: It's important to me to point out that none of the companies or products on this list paid me anything or gave me anything for free. Even my own company, BuyGreen.com - I don't get paid by them either (hee, hee), but maybe someday. These are just companies and products that I run across in my work and I enjoying sharing to help others find better, greener alternatives to traditional products.)

I can’t stand the smell of clean clothes

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:36:00 GMT

The other day, one of my daughter’s friends dropped off a bag of my daughter’s clothes at our house. For some reason, my daughter just can’t seem to come home with all of her clothes when she has a sleepover, or often lets her friends borrow clothes when they are at our house.

Like most times, I opened the bag, immediately caught a whiff, and stuck them right in the laundry. Were they still dirty? Did they have some awful smell on them? Am I a freak about germs?

Nope, it’s none of the above. I ended up washing the clothes even though some nice family already washed them for us – the reason is that I can no longer handle the smell of traditional chemical laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Once you get away from them, you will find that the smell is quite overpowering and you can’t go back.

Traditional laundry detergent, bleach, and fabric softeners are no good – for your family and the environment. As we strive to have clean, ultra-white, fresh-smelling clothes, we have inadvertently invited a whole host of toxic chemicals into our homes. We absorb these chemicals through our skin. In addition, those harsh chemicals are washed down the sink, entering the waste stream and contaminating our ground water.

Fortunately today, there are hundreds of eco-friendly products for getting your laundry fresh and clean. You can find them online and even in grocery stores and Target. Be sure to read the ingredient list and steer clear from the chemicals listed below and remember that “natural” does not necessarily mean eco-friendly.

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying detergents & other laundry products:

Do not use detergents or stain removers with phosphates (which are linked to lung cancer and damage our water systems).
Also steer clear of alkylphenol exthoxylates (APE's), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS) - both are known toxicants.
Do not use bleach with chlorine or sodium perborates. Chlorine gets into the waste stream and contaminates ground water. Use non-chlorine alternatives made from hydrogen peroxide or oxygen.
Do not use detergents with petroleum-based, chemical fragrances. Fragrances and harsh solvents like ammonia contained in some typical detergents and fabric softeners can trigger your allergies and asthma, and cause skin irritation.
Stay away from conventional fabric softeners. These are a skin irritant and also build up on clothing, making it look dull. They also lower the absorption of your towels and can leave a residue on your skin when you dry off. Yuck!

If you make the switch to eco-friendly laundry products, you will be surprised that your clothes can get clean without chemicals, don’t develop instant static cling without dryer sheets and are still soft without fabric softener. Really, we can have clean, fresh-smelling clothes without chemicals. And once you see how easy it is, you won’t want to go back either.

Check out the Go Green Expo this weekend

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

The Go Green Expo is this weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event is open to the public on Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-5.

If you are just starting your journey to going green or even if you are well on your way, green expos and festivals like this are a great way to discover tons of green products, services, and information all in one place.

There will be over 300 booths and exhibits, interactive seminars and speeches (you can download speaker schedule). In addition to the Green Marketplace, there will be a screening of the film “Tapped” with a Q&A with the Director and Producer, Film Presentations by Blue Planet Film Festival, a rock climbing wall, yoga classes, and lots of demonstrations and hands-on activities. Tons of giveaways too – if you don’t already have a bunch of reusable shopping bags, this is the place to load up on them (for free).

For more information, go to gogreenexpo.com.

The rain should clear over the weekend and it’s a quick drive up to the Los Angeles Convention Center. Admission is just $10 for adults (which includes admission for both days) and free for kids under 12.

If you happen to go, stop by and say hi. We’ll be in booth 113.

If you can’t make this expo, here are just some of the many other upcoming Green expos in California:

Green Meets Green Expo – Del Mar, January 22-24
Natural Products Expo West - Anaheim, March 12-14. This is the premier event for healthy products. While it's primarily food (tons of samples - go hungry), there are also personal care and home goods. It's ranked one of the top 100 shows in the U.S. With thousands of vendors, wear walking shoes and bring some water. It's an all-day event with thousands of new products to discover.
The Green Festival – the mother of all green festivals and my favorite event of the year, organizers have just added a Spring show in San Francisco on April 10-11. The traditional fall festival will still be held Nov. 5-7. If you have never been to this show, it’s awesome – worth a trip to Northern California for sure.

My dog’s poop is not your problem

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:02:00 GMT

I don’t understand people who don’t clean up after their dogs. What is the deal?

My neighborhood has a beautiful walking trail around it, with views like this:

But instead of looking up, enjoying the view while I run, I spend a lot of my time looking down to avoid the landmines left by other people’s dogs.

Hey, I understand it is sometimes inconvenient. I’m convinced that when I run with my dog, this is what goes through her mind “Hmmm, I have determined that we are now at the furthest-most point from a trash can, so I’m going to choose this exact location to do my business.” So, I stoop down, pick it up in the bag, look up and I swear this is her next thought “Oh look, there’s that big hill ahead that you struggle with. It will be extra fun for you to carry this smelly bag of my poop as you run up it.”

And believe me; I’m tempted to leave it - especially because I use these biodegradable doggie waste bags. I so want to leave that mess in the bushes and let nature take its course. But I don’t because of all the following reasons:

Leaving my pet waste is essentially leaving sewage on the fields where we play, trails where we walk, and beaches where we swim.
Dog waste runs off into streams, rivers and groundwater, impacting our water quality. Runoff containing dog waste causes bacteria levels to rise in waterways and can make beaches unsafe for swimming.
Genetic studies of the U.S. water pollution from fecal waste have found that roughly 20 percent of it comes from dogs.
Pet waste pollution in the water promotes the growth of aquatic weeds and algae, which limit light penetration and reduce oxygen levels. This creates a deadly environment for fish and other marine life.

Finally, it’s just rude. My dog’s waste should not be someone else’s problem. To me, people who don’t clean up after their dogs are right up there with people who throw trash out their car window. What this kind of thing says to me is "I can’t be inconvenienced to clean up my own mess so can you just do it for me?" My kids already do that to me. I don’t need grown adults doing it too.

Cleaning up after your dog is a simple and courteous thing to do; and such an easy way to make a difference for people, pets and the environment. I really wish we all could just do it.

The last remnants of the holidays

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:13:00 GMT

I'm embarrassed to admit that today (ten days into the new year) is the first day of 2010 that it doesn't look like it's December 25th at my house. But finally, after working almost the entire day yesterday, everything is boxed up, put away, recycled, donated, or at the very last resort, put in the trash.

There’s only one pile left. It’s still sitting in the middle of my island and I do not know what to do with it. It’s like I’m paralyzed. I can’t throw it away, it can’t be recycled and yet, I can’t think of anything to do with it.

I don’t know what to do with all these holiday cards. It’s not the paper holidays cards. I know what to do with those. I recycle them by sending them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children for their card recycling program. They are accepting cards through February 28, 2010 so if you still have any hanging around the house, mail them in.

It’s the photo cards that I struggle with. All my friends and their kids with smiling facing – the family trips to Hawaii, the photo sessions at the beach, the selecting of which photos to include in this year's photo collage. I know all the work that goes into making them. I can’t possibly throw them away. But what purpose do I have for them now? So, they just sit there, like the last reminders of the 2009 holiday season.

Does anyone have any ideas for how put all these holiday photos cards to good use? Do you have any creative ideas, projects, or inspiration? I’d love it if you share and I will finally be able to move on from the Christmas holiday season once and for all.

If you could only do one thing

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:30:00 GMT

This year, in addition to the usual resolutions - exercise more, quit bad habits, practice patience (okay, maybe that’s just me), eat right – it would be great if we all resolved to make a change that would positively impact the planet in 2010.

If you only do one thing in the New Year, I’d like to suggest a resolution that is easy to do, saves money, is better for your health, and helps the environment too. It might sound too good to be true, but it’s not. Okay, here it is (drum roll please) …

Eat less meat.

That’s it - pretty simple. I’m not going to suggest you give up meat entirely and become a vegetarian - just eat a little less. If all Americans reduced their meat consumption by only 20 percent it would be equivalent of every single one of us switching from a standard sedan to a hybrid, according to calculations by geophysicists Gidon Eshel and Pamela A. Martin.

One of the easiest ways to begin eating less meat is to participate in a growing trend called Meatless Monday. One day a week, forgo meat and start a new healthy habit. Why Monday? Because studies suggest we are more likely to maintain behaviors begun on Monday throughout the week. That makes Monday the best day to make a change for the better for your health and the health of our planet.

Health benefits of eating less meat:

Reducing your saturated fat and your cholesterol intake may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
Eating less meat helps you lose weight. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are great sources of fiber, which is totally absent in animal products. Fiber-rich foods make you feel full with fewer calories, resulting in lower calorie intake and less overeating. On average, Americans’ rich diet provides less than half the recommended daily quantity of fiber.
In recent studies, it has been found that vegetarians weigh less, have lower cholesterol, live longer, and have fewer serious diseases than those who eat meat.

Environmental benefits of eating less meat:

A diet filled with meat, eggs, and dairy is an extremely inefficient use of natural resources. It takes over 2000 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat, compared to 220 gallons of water per pound of tofu and just 25 gallons for a pound of wheat.
Over 80% of the agricultural land in the U.S. is used to grow food that we feed to farmed animals. These same farm animals produce over 130 times the amount of excrement as the entire human population in America each year (okay, that’s gross). All this waste ends up polluting our lands and waterways.
A 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concludes that animal agriculture contributes more greenhouse gases to the earth’s atmosphere than transportation – all cars, trucks, planes and ships in the world combined! So even better than driving a hybrid is eating less meat. It costs a lot less too.
Eating less meat reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to just 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein.

Going meatless once a week can improve your health, save you money, and reduce your carbon footprint in a way that’s greater than any other single thing you can do as an individual consumer. You can pledge to participate in meatless Monday in 2010 at meatlessmonday.com.

You can also tweet about your Meatless Monday ideas, recipes and suggestions; just use the hash tag #meatlessmonday. You can follow me on Twitter @buygreen and @ocgreenmama.

The best mashed potatoes ever!

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:51:00 GMT

These mashed potatoes are seriously to die for. And they are so simple you won’t believe it. My secret is out and now my family members (about 20 who come to my house every year on Christmas Eve) will know how easy it really is.

I stumbled across this recipe in my “Fix it and Forget It” slow cooker cookbook a few years ago. Not only are these potatoes delicious, they make my life so much easier because I prep them in the morning and they just cook all day. They are always hot, creamy and ready to go whenever dinner is ready.

First (you know I’ve got to throw this in there) start with organic potatoes. The problem with conventionally-grown potatoes is that they are treated with fungicides during the growing season and sprayed with herbicides both before harvesting and after they're dug up to prevent them from sprouting. Potatoes, being a root vegetable, absorb all the chemicals that wind up in soil. Washing and peeling is not enough – all those herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides are absorbed into the entire vegetable. Still not sold? See this article “7 Foods that should never cross your lips”. One of those seven of course… non-organic potatoes.

Organic potatoes are around $1-$2 a pound, just slightly more expensive than conventional spuds. It’s worth the few extra dollars. They aren't hard to find. I just picked up mine at Trader Joe's.

Extra Good Mashed Potatoes
(makes 12 servings)

5 lbs. of potatoes, peeled cooked and mashed
8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups sour cream
3 tsp. onion or garlic salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp butter, melted

Peel and cook the potatoes. I like to leave a little bit of the skin on to give the potatoes some texture – and since they are organic, I’m not worried about chemicals on the potatoes’ skin getting into our meal. Also, they don’t have to be mashed completely as they soften up in the slow cooker and you can stir them every couple of hours to creamy perfection.
Combine potatoes and all the ingredients in your slow cooker
Cook on low for about six hours. That’s it!

You can also add shredded cheese, chopped garlic, paprika or other spices to the mix. Experiment and see what works for you. Seriously, these mashed potatoes are so easy, so delicious, and make meal preparation much less hectic. I promise you’ll love them.

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, peaceful holiday season.

Visit Irvine Regional Park during the holidays

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:31:00 GMT

Irvine Regional Park recently invited the OC Family crew out to check out what they have in store for the holidays.

First, we got a tour of the Orange County Zoo, which was all decked out for the holidays. There are a few things that I really appreciated about this zoo. First, my kids loved that they got to interact with some of the animals – like these very hungry goats:

Next, is the price - just $2 for admission. You can’t beat that!

Finally, what I liked best about the zoo is that the animals are rescued. There are birds missing wings, bears with seizure disorders (now managed with medication and great care), and animals rescued from poor conditions from homes where they were kept illegally as pets. Each time we were introduced to a new animal, we heard the story of the animal’s background. Like this little screech owl, who can only see out of one eye:

Our next step on our tour was the nature center. If you go to the zoo, don’t skip this stop. There are interactive exhibits and educational activities. Just that day, my son had a test at school on Native Americans of OC. We were just reading about the Gabrielino structures the night before, we walk into the nature center, and what do we find:

It was fun for my son to see his text book come to life right in front of his eyes – cool stuff!

The best and final stop of the tour was Irvine Park Railroad’s annual Christmas Train. The train departs from the brightly-lit Train Station and drops passengers off at the North Pole. There, kids can share their wish list with Santa and have their photo taken with him too. I liked that you can take pictures with your personal camera or purchase a photo taken by Irvine Park Railroad – I can’t say that about any of the mall Santa stops that we’ve been to.

Find some time to go in the next couple of weeks. You won’t be disappointed. Here’s the scoop on the Christmas Train:

When: November 27 through December 23 Irvine Park
Location: Irvine Regional Park. 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange
Cost: Train ride $8 per person. Additional fees for other activities.
Parking: $3 per vehicle weekdays. $5 per vehicle weekends.
Website: irvineparkrailroad.com

You also might want to check out Christmas at the Zoo this Saturday, December 19th. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., kids can visit with Santa, see the animals receive treats hidden inside packages and Christmas trees and enjoy story time with Mrs. Claus. There will also be crafts and face painting.

There is always something happening at the OC Parks, check out ocparks.com for holiday activities and much more!

Decorate green this holiday

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:53:00 GMT

The holidays are one of the best times of the year, but can also be among the most wasteful. Here are some tips for making the season a little greener:

Switch to LED lights – I was in holiday lighting hell last weekend. I think every strand I took out of the box and plugged in was half lit. Or worse, worked initially and then burned out the instant I had it up on the tree. The exception - all my LED lights worked like a charm. Many strands we have had for four or five years now and not one light was burned out! LED lights cost a little bit more initially but are totally worth it. They last forever (well not literally forever but up to 100,000 hours vs. 1,000 hours for incandescent bulbs) and use about 10% of the energy of regular lights. As my old strands burn out, I’m replacing them with LED exclusively. I’m done with the half-lit strands.

But don’t send your old non-working strands to the landfill - you can recycle them! Here are two companies that will recycled your old holiday lights: Holiday LEDs and Christmas Light Source. Both will send you coupons for new LED lights and Christmas Light Source uses the recycling proceeds to benefit Toys for Tots.

Think beyond poinsettias – Instead of filling up the landfills with these “throw-away” plants once the calendar changes to 2010, consider other longer-lasting plants (like Norfolk pine, gardenia, or even a Christmas cactus) that will get you in the holiday spirit as much as the poinsettia, but will be around much longer. See “6 holiday plants beyond poinsettias” for some great alternatives.

Use soy candles –The problem with most candles is that they are made from paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is petroleum-based and produces carcinogens and soot when burned. Research has shown that the soot from a paraffin candle contains many of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel.

Soy candles are a great alternative, and more affordable than beeswax. Compared to paraffin candles, soy burn slower and cooler (helping to better distribute fragrance), are non-toxic, less likely to trigger allergies, clean up with soap and water, and produce very little soot. They also last up to 50% longer than paraffin candles. Unlike paraffin, soy wax spills can easily be cleaned up with hot soapy water. Finally, soy candles are all natural, made from a renewable resource and are totally biodegradable.

Rethink the inflatables – My least favorite holiday decoration is the inflatable lawn ornament. You know, the giant Santa, snowman, or my favorite, the manger scene - because nothing celebrates the birth of Jesus like a giant inflatable made entirely from nylon (i.e. plastic) that requires a constant stream of electric power to remain upright. I know, I know, kids (and many adults too) love them, so if you do have one, please cut the electricity when it gets dark, let Santa deflate during the night, and plump him back up again the next day.

In general with holiday decorating, to go green, go for natural decorations rather than artificial, and old (reused, passed down) rather than new. But here is my holiday “ecofession”- my favorite decoration at my house is far from eco-friendly. Here it is…

I know that this little tree is made from petroleum and contains PVC (yes, the poison plastic), but this tree needs our love, and we give it anyway. Because really the holidays are about tradition, family, and joy – what makes you joyful is good – and if you can make it green too, even better.

Be a big spender on Black Friday

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:45:00 GMT

I'm planning to spend big this Black Friday, but I won’t have to get up early, clip coupons, fight the crowds, or lug around armfuls of shopping bags. How am I going to do it?

On Friday, I’m going to sleep in, take a hike with the family, play board games and watch movies. And sometime throughout the day, I’ll get online and take the money I didn’t spend shopping on Black Friday and contribute it to charity. So instead of getting more stuff I don’t need maybe I can help feed some people, clean up the oceans, or fund research to cure disease. That sounds like a much better deal – no coupon required.

What I neglected to say in my last post, is that what I really do like about Thanksgiving is the being thankful part. So as my new Thanksgiving tradition, I’m going to make a list of all the things I am most thankful for, and on Black Friday, donate to charitable organizations that either fight to preserve those things (environmental organizations), or provide those things to other people (shelters and soup kitchens), or who protect the people I am most thankful for (childrens' hospitals and charities).

With charitable giving down by almost 6% in 2008 and continuing to trend down this year, I’m hoping this is an idea that might catch on. To find trustworthy charitable organizations to contribute to, check out Charity Navigator.

A Thanksgiving confession

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:33:00 GMT

Okay, here it is...I don’t really like Thanksgiving. There, I said it. I know, it’s terrible and un-American and well, I’m sorry (but only a little bit).

The first problem is that Thanksgiving falls just after Halloween and my daughter’s birthday and right before Christmas. I go all out for those three occasions and just can’t seem to muster the energy for Thanksgiving.

Another problem is that even though I love food and generally like almost everything, on my short list of foods I don’t like: gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. I’m sure you can see the problem there.

So last year, I decided to pass on cooking food I don’t like, cleaning for days and entertaining large groups of people and just get away with the family instead. Four days off from school and work don’t happen often, so we took advantage of the time off to get out of town.

And, we had our first Thanksgiving dinner out. I thought it would be weird but it was so relaxing - no cooking or cleaning; and my son got to order pasta instead of turkey so he was happy as can be. Here we are, all smiles:

My final issue with Thanksgiving is the waste involved. Luckily, there are many great solutions for making the celebration less wasteful:

Buy locally produced and organic foods whenever possible. For information on buying a fresh, local turkey, check out this post at planetgreen.com.
Ditch the disposable utensils, plates, napkins or tablecloths. Take this opportunity to break out the good china that has been collecting dust. If you don’t have enough place settings for your guests, here’s an idea that I love from this post entitled “Put the meaning in greening your Thanksgiving” - ask each guest to bring their own place setting along with a story about the plates. At the table, ask guests to explain what is special about the setting.
Use the holiday as an opportunity to start composting. Food waste and Thanksgiving just go hand in hand, but you can make better use of that waste by composting. For composting tips and advice, check out my three-part blog series on composting.
Remember to recycle as much as possible. See “Can I recycle this?” for more tips and advice.
For more green Thanksgiving ideas also check out “How to have a tasty vegetarian Thanksgiving “ and “Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving tips”.

So, what do you think? Is there anyone else that doesn’t enjoy this holiday or am I alone here? Am I crazy and missing the boat? Anyone have suggestions for non-traditional ways to spend the day? Are there any unusual Thanksgiving traditions that you have started in your family? I’m still trying to figure out what we are doing this year and would love to hear your ideas.

Double digits and greener birthdays

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:26:00 GMT

This week, my daughter (my little girl) is turning 10. Yes, double digits – what the heck?! I’m freaking out about this and I’m not sure why. It’s not a case of “wow, if I have a ten year old, I must be old”. It’s just that I’m enjoying my kids so much at the age they are right now, I don’t want them to grow up. My husband and I always say to them, “Can you do me a favor and please stop growing?” Which we are kidding about, sort of…

Some unsolicited advice I would give to moms with younger kids is to enjoy every age to the fullest. When my kids (who are only 18 months apart) we young, I missed out on the enjoyment of their age just waiting for them to be older. I was so exhausted by nursing, diaper changes (two in cloth diapers – need I say more), and the endless supervision of young children that I didn’t stop to enjoy it as much. Now, I’m making sure that I don’t do that. I’m really trying to enjoy the now.

In honor of my baby girl’s birthday, here are some quick tips for keeping your birthday celebration simple and green:

Use easy, inexpensive, reused party décor –You don’t need to spend a bunch of money on decorations. You (or some of your friends and neighbors) already have many things in your own home you can use to decorate for the party – decorations from previous parties, scraps of material, stickers. Use your creativity to save money and reduce waste.

Ditch the plastic goodie bag – I’m a big believer in no party favors or just one small favor for each guest – like a fairy wand if you having a princess party or a sword for a pirate party. Ditch the plastic goodie bag filled with cheap trinkets. Those end up broken and in the trash by the time your guests make it home. Not to mention the plastic bag is always trash bound and totally unrecyclable.

Think reusable –Most of us can find enough plates, cups and cutlery for a small group of kids. If you are having a larger party, consider biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery, or paper goods made from recycled paper.

Buy better gifts – Every year my kids end up with gifts (from well meaning family and friends) that we just have no room for, no patience for, or they have no interest in. Here is a great solution - invented by two moms who were tired of all the birthday party waste, Echoage makes greening kids birthday parties easy. With this service, you select an eco-friendly birthday party invitation, choose a cause and invite your friends. Instead of buying presents, guests simply rsvp online and make secure online contributions. All the contributions are pooled for the purchase of one memorable gift for the birthday boy and girl and the rest of the money is donated to the cause of your choice. How easy, stress free and waste free is that?

Here’s to making each birthday a simple, green, stress-free celebration and enjoying our kids at every age!

Toxic cleaning products and your kids’ classroom

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:45:00 GMT

The Environmental Working Group just released this new report titled “Can Cleaning Supplies Contaminate Classroom Air?” The answer, as you can imagine, is a resounding yes.

Although I use natural, non-toxic cleaners at home, it didn’t really occur to me that my kids spend a big portion of their day at school, so they are being exposed to all kinds of toxic cleaning products there that are outside my control. And if you have kids with asthma or other health problems, there’s even more cause for concern.

After reading this report, I contacted the principal at my childrens' school. I requested a list of the cleaning products used at school. Pretty quickly, she got back to me and said she’s happy to provide the information (although at the moment, I’m still waiting for it) and what’s more, she said that the district is in the process of transitioning over the “green” cleaning products – good news! Even better, I don’t think she has labeled me the “problem mom”. I think she’s receptive to the whole idea. So far, this is working out well.

If you are also concerned about the cleaning products used at your children’s school, here are some suggestions for how to talk to your school about green cleaning. Go ahead, be the mom who stirs the pot. After all, natural cleaning products are healthier for everyone - kids, teachers and school staff too. Really, they’ll thank you some day. Okay, probably not, but you’ll feel better because you took some positive action to protect the health of all our kids – and that’s worth standing up for.

Yes to safe, natural, non-toxic, biodegradable products with ingredients like deionized water, vegetable based cleaning agents, surfactants, emulsifiers. That’s it!

No brand names to protect the not-so innocent but you know who these are - with ingredients like phosphates, alkylphenol exthoxylates (APE's), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS), ammonia, chlorine , sodium perborates and petroleum based colors and fragrances, these are a toxic soup.

What I’m really scared of this Halloween

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:17:00 GMT

Let me first say that I love, love, love Halloween, so I’m not trying to spoil the fun. But lead in face paint, toxic costumes, high-fructose corn syrup and mounds of trash can make Halloween not so sweet. With only a few simple changes, we can enjoy the holiday while protecting our kids’ health and our planet.

Here are some suggestions for a Halloween that’s not so frightening:

Forgo the face paint – The Environmental Working Group tested many brands of face paint marketed to children and found low levels of lead in EVERY SINGLE ONE. They also found nickel, cobalt and chromium, which can cause lifelong skin sensitization and contact dermatitis. To read the full report, click here. The best thing to do is to avoid face paint for kids. You can also try homemade versions (using food grade ingredients) or use mineral-based make up instead. If you have to use face paint, keep it away from kids’ mouths, eyes and off their hands to avoid ingestion.
Look for PVC-free costumes - many Halloween masks and costumes are made out of PVC, the “poison plastic”, which can leach harmful phthalates. When shopping for Halloween masks and costumes, look for those labeled "PVC-free”. The problem is that very few are labeled so you can try asking the store clerk (yeah, right) or the manufacturer (probably more likely) whether the mask or costume is made out of PVC. As a general rule, avoid anything that is or looks like vinyl.
Reduce the plastic - Decorate and entertain with reusable items and fabric instead of plastic. In the interest of honesty, I do have plastic Halloween decorations. Most, we have had for years and we use over and over (unless the dog has chewed them into pieces). But we avoid disposable plastic items like table cloths, bowls, cups and bags. Those just create unnecessary and toxic trash.
Use soy candles – use them around the house and in your Jack-o-Lantern instead of petroleum-based to cut down on air pollution.
Consider the candy - Most Halloween candy is filled with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial coloring; and far from fair-trade certified. While fair-trade chocolate is a bit expensive to give out to hundreds of trick-or-treaters, there many new healthy eco-friendly treat options coming on the market that are more affordable. You can also consider more non-traditional items. We have a large popcorn maker, so we pop popcorn and hand it out in paper bags. So, we’re not the “weird house” that hands out raisins (thanks mom, I still remember that year). Instead, we are the “popcorn house” and our neighbors say they make sure to stop by every year for a break from all that candy.
Use a reusable bag – for your kids to collect Halloween candy. Chico bag makes a cute one just for Halloween.
Host a costume swap with friends and neighbors. Save money and avoid buying new.
Try second hand stores or even your own closet when putting your costume together – with a little creativity you can save a lot of money.

These are just a few suggestions for the many ways that you can bring a little green to your Halloween celebration. For lots of other ideas, check out greenhalloween.org, an organization that helps families and communities to go green on Halloween.

Hope you have a happy, safe, and green Halloween!

Join me for No-Impact Week

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:30:00 GMT

This week, I’m participating in No-Impact Week hosted by the Huffington Post and Colin Beavan, better known as No-Impact Man.

It’s a weeklong carbon cleanse designed to help you live a better, happier and healthier life by reducing your consumption and buying less stuff.

The challenge runs Sunday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 25. If you would like to try, it’s not too late to join. Each day has its own unique activity so you can participate each day or only some – any level of participation is better than none at all.

Sunday was the first day of the challenge. To get started, participants were asked to collect and save all their trash for the day – all of it. I collected every scrap that our family of four threw away that day. On Monday, the first thing to do was to sort Sunday’s trash according to things that you used for less than 10 minutes and things that were used for more than 10 minutes. This was to demonstrate that 99 percent of the stuff we use on a daily basis is trashed within six months – yes, 99 percent! Yikes! Looking at your trash for just one day is kind of eye-opening – more on that later.

Monday’s challenge was to do everything you can to stop making trash. As a start, participants were instructed to assemble a no-trash travel kit for the week. The kit includes a reusable water bottle, resealable food containers, reusable utensils (I included my glass straw, reusable shopping bags, produce bags, etc.).

Today’s challenge is burn calories, not fossil fuels. It calls for participants to look for alternative forms of transportation like biking, walking and carpooling.

Here is a summary of the upcoming challenges for the rest of the week:

Wednesday – Healthy eating can lessen your footprint.
Thursday – Explore no-energy alternatives to accomplish your daily tasks.
Friday – Soak up the personal benefits of using less water.
Saturday – Pay it forward. Feel the benefits of service.
Sunday – Take a break from everything – a day of rest and reflection.

For more details on each challenge, download the “No-Impact Week” guide here.

I’ll blog about some of my observations at the end of the week and would love to hear any of yours too. So, come join the challenge. It’s not too late to sign up and start reducing your impact today.

Reduce your plastic use

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:16:00 GMT

We’ve talked about the problem with plastics and how to use plastics more safely, and the last step now is to reduce plastic use.

As a start, here are three items that I carry with me every day. Each is small and inexpensive but has a big impact on reducing the use of disposable plastic:

A reusable water bottle – I have a pretty good collection going (in many sizes, colors and brands), but my favorite is the classic 27-ounce stainless steel Klean Kanteen bottle. It doesn’t scratch or wear, fits in the cup holder of my car and is made from safe, nonleaching food-grade stainless steel. It also helps me save money. I never have to purchase bottled water. I bring it pretty much everywhere – even when I’m traveling. You can take your reusable water bottle on the plane – just make sure it is empty before you go through security.

A reusable shopping bag – The only thing that outdoes my collection of reusable water bottles is my assortment of reusable shopping bags. I ended up with so many that I gave them away at our last garage sale – along with a free dissertation on the problem with plastic bags to each person who received one (I’m sure they so appreciated that). But, of all the shopping bags, the one that I always have with me, that has reduced my plastic bag use by hundreds of bags, is the Chico Bag. It’s so compact and light, and I have it in my purse all the time. It’s always there (no forgetting it in the car) and handy, even when I didn’t expect to do any shopping.

A reusable glass straw – I like to drink just about everything from a straw. And those suckers, even though they are small, can really add up. McDonald’s alone serves 52 million meals PER DAY. Imagine how many straws are thrown away from that chain alone? Straws are not reusable or recyclable, so reusable glass is a much better solution. I carry my GlassDharma straw in my purse all the time. It’s easy to carry and easy to clean, and something about drinking through glass instead of plastic just makes everything taste better, too.

Other suggestions for reducing plastic use:

Use reusable lunch kits, instead of plastic baggies.
Use real tablecloths instead of plastic and real silverware instead of disposable.
Carry reusable utensils like this To-go ware to reduce your use of disposable plastic utensils.
Bring your own coffee mug to work or your local coffee shop.
Bring your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store.
Ask your dry cleaner to return your clothes to you in a reusable bag like this one from Clothenik.
Pay attention to packaging and purchase products that use less plastic.
For even more suggestions on reducing plastic use, see the “plastic-free changes” page of fakeplasticfish.com.

These are just a few of the many ways to reduce your plastic use. And while some of these suggestions cost a little money up front, you save money in the long run by purchasing less disposable plastic. You don’t have to implement all the suggestions – just try incorporating one change into your day. Once you see the impact, you may be hooked and willing to try more. Reducing plastic use is good for your health, good for your wallet and good for the planet – now what could be greener than that?

Plastic by the numbers

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:28:00 GMT

I hope you will check out my previous post, “The problem with plastics,” for a better understanding of the need to reduce your plastic use in the first place. In addition to all the information I included there, in case I haven’t convinced you yet, please read this Planet Green blog post, “Is plastic making us fat?”

So not only is plastic bad for your health and bad for the environment, it can also make you fat?! What the heck – I’m never using plastic again. The problem with that solution is it’s totally impractical. The fact is that plastic is everywhere, so avoiding it altogether isn't realistic for most people. There are people who do almost entirely avoid plastic and live to tell – they even share their journey with us. For a look at a life (almost) plastic free, check out fakeplasticfish.com and lifelessplastic.com.

If avoiding plastic completely is not practical for you, what’s the answer? I think it’s to use plastics more wisely and more sparingly. You can reduce your use of disposable plastic, and choose safer plastics, particularly for those items that are likely to come into contact with your mouth, which is the most common way the chemicals in plastic enter our bodies.

The first step to choosing safer plastics is to understand what the numbers represent. So turn your plastic container over, check out the number inside the triangle and read on to see what those numbers mean.

Safer plastics include:

No. 1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) – this plastic is used for most clear beverage bottles, such as water bottles and 2-liter soda bottles. It is one of the most commonly recycled plastics on the planet. The key here is to think about the No. 1 meaning “one-time use." So don't reuse single-use plastics. They can break down and release chemicals into your food or beverage when used repeatedly.

No. 2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) – used to make most milk jugs, shampoo bottles and laundry detergent bottles. Because No. 2 plastic has been found not to leach, Nalgene water bottles are now made from this plastic rather than No. 7 as they were previously.

No. 4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) – used in most plastic shopping bags, food storage bags, some cling wraps and some squeeze bottles.

No. 5 PP (polypropylene) – used in opaque, hard containers, including some baby bottles, cups and bowls, and reusable storage containers (i.e., Tupperware). Drinking straws, yogurt containers and cottage cheese containers are sometimes made with this.

Avoid these plastics:

No. 3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – commonly called “vinyl,” it is used in commercial plastic wraps and salad dressing bottles, shower curtains and, believe it or not, kids toys, backpacks, lunch bags and binders. PVC contains phthalate (softeners need to make the plastic bend), and they have been found to interfere with hormonal development. The production of and burning of PVC plastic releases dioxin, a known carcinogen, into the atmosphere. It’s bad for our health and bad for the environment.

No. 6 PS (polystyrene) – used in Styrofoam cups, meat trays and clamshell-type containers. No. 6 plastics can release potentially toxic materials (including styrene), especially when heated. Yep, that’s right, when heated. So that insulated Styrofoam coffee cup and the to-go container that you put hot food in, well those don’t seem like such a good idea, do they?

No. 7 Other – A wide range of plastic containers are lumped into this category, basically any plastic not rated 1-6. The plastic to be concerned about in this category are the hard polycarbonate plastic bottles, which contain bisphenol-A (BPA). No. 7 plastic is used in some reusable water bottles, baby bottles and some metal can linings. Soft- or cloudy-colored plastic is not polycarbonate. Avoid polycarbonate, especially for children's food and drinks. Trace amounts of BPA can migrate from these containers, particularly if used for hot food or liquids.

In addition to understanding the numbers, you can also use plastics more safely:

Don't microwave in plastic containers. Heat can break down plastics and release chemical additives into your food and drink. Use ceramic or glass instead. Cover food in the microwave with a paper towel instead of plastic wrap.
Use plastic containers for cool liquids only, not hot.
Don't reuse single-use plastics (the No. 1 – PET plastics). They can break down and release plastics chemicals when used repeatedly.
Do not use old, scratched plastic containers. Exposures to plastics chemicals may be greater when the surface is worn down.
Wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element, or by hand.
When using an electric mixer, use a glass or metal bowl instead of plastic to avoid chipping bits into your food.
Use wooden cutting boards instead of plastic ones.
Pick a cotton shower curtain instead of vinyl.
Choose glass or BPA-free baby bottles with a clear silicone nipple.
Avoid plastic-to-mouth contact, especially for babies and kids. Give your baby natural teethers like frozen washcloths.
Look for toys made of natural materials, like wool, cotton and uncoated wood.
To avoid PVC in school supplies, check out the Center for Health Environment and Justice’s (CHEJ) "Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies," which lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of toxic PVC and suggests safer PVC-free products in more than 20 product categories.

Finally, when rethinking and reducing your plastic, remember to recycle any that you don’t need or don’t feel safe using any more.

Keep in mind that No. 1 and No. 2 are almost universally recyclable. No. 5 plastics are usually not recyclable in curbside programs. Other numbers depend upon the recycler. To simplify plastics recycling, here is the basic rule of thumb – if the plastic bottle has a neck that's smaller than the body and has an "alor2" symbol on the bottom, nearly every recycling program will accept it. But please remove the caps from the bottles and throw them in the trash or participate in a program to recycle them. If left in with the recycling, those little caps can ruin a whole batch of recyclables.