by Jennifer Lance on February 18, 2008 · 0 comments
Feel like you are alone out there in the Eco wilderness? Are you the only one on your block who buys organic food; the only one who recycles; the only one who worries about phthalates? Sure you can go online and find a large community of like-minded moms but, what about in your neighborhood?
I recently had a blogger mom from my neck of the woods e-mail me asking me to write more on local opportunities. I can, but better yet, I can let her know how to meet moms just like her and me and probably you.
[read the full article...]
by Derek Markham on February 17, 2008 · 8 comments
www.FreshBaby.com
By weight, a baby will eat more, drink more, and even breathe more air than an adult. This means what you feed your baby (or child) has a much greater impact than it would have on you.
Most people would love to go “all organic” with their food choices. Who really wants the pesticides, hormones and preservatives in their food anyway? But going organic can be a pricey proposition. If your family is like most, your budget cannot afford 100% organic, so why not consider buying organic for some foods. Here is some simple advice on prioritizing your organic food purchases:
1. Eat organic at the top of the food chain: Purchasing organic dairy, egg and meat products is a great place to begin organic food purchases. Livestock eat pesticide-laden feed, are often dosed with antibiotics and hormones, and all of this ends up in the package at the super market. Even though produce is often associated with organic food, many of the residues on these foods can be eliminated or greatly reduced by properly cleaning and peeling them. There is no way to remove or reduce the contaminants in the meat, dairy and egg products. [read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on February 15, 2008 · 8 comments
The more I read about food additives, the more my convictions to feed my family natural, organic food is confirmed. Just yesterday, my daughter brought home tons of junk Valentine’s Day candy from school. At first, she wanted to eat it, but then we had a talk about the candy’s contents. By the time her father got home, she was explaining to him why the candy was bad, and as always, we offered to trade her the junk candy for organic sweets.
In the past, I have written about how food additives have been linked to hyperactivity in children. Recently, there has been more discussion on the harmful effects of food additives. Here’s a round up of articles I have lately come across on the subject:
Some children are more sensitive to food chemicals and display immediate effects soon after ingestion of additives, colours in particular. In small amounts additives are not harmful. Effects are dose related and, tragically, dose for weight, children are consuming several times more additives than the acceptable daily intake (ADI) [read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on February 14, 2008 · 0 comments
I love yoga and could not live without it. My children have experienced my practice in utero and throughout their childhoods. Sometimes they are inspired to join, but more often than not, they crawl under my downward facing dog or sit atop my bridge asana. I have tried to encourage their own practice through games and books, but they often lose interest. Finally, I have found the solution: Nothing inspires a child to practice yoga more than their very own yoga mat, eco-friendly of course!
Lotuspad makes eco yoga mats and yoga accessories for kids. Lotuspad eco yoga mats are made from TPE, meaning they are PVC-free, biodegradable, and non-toxic. These mats are sized perfectly for children and certain to inspire their practice. They do not have an odor and come in many colors sure to delight any child. My daughter is now excited to do yoga with me; all she needed was her very own mat. [read the full article...]
(image courtesy Aine D on Flickr)
Did you know that nearly half the sugar we bake those heart-shaped cookies with comes not from sugar cane, but sugar beets? Additionally, by next year, much of that beet sugar could be from genetically-engineered beets? The new beet seed was created by Monsanto to be able to withstand direct application of the herbicide Roundup, which has the active ingredient glyphosate.
The Environmental Protection Agency has enabled Monsanto in releasing the new GE crop by increasing the allowable residue of the herbicide by FIVE THOUSAND percent. Beets, being a root vegetable, are especially susceptible to retaining chemical residue. [read the full article...]
by Derek Markham on February 14, 2008 · 4 comments
by Derek Markham on February 14, 2008 · 3 comments
I miss the days of elementary school when Valentine parties were more about treats than potential love interests. I don’t miss the mass-produced valentines with tiny, flimsy envelopes, with glue that doesn’t stick properly and horrible pun phrases juxtaposed by cartoon characters. I’m pretty sure I gave out some awesome Duck Tales valentines at some point in my K-5 career…
Fortunately for kids (and grown-up kids) there’s a new eco-alternative. Launched in 2006 by Portland, Oregon’s Kate Rosenthal, Stubby Pencil Studios has created the Color ‘N Kids line of “interactive cards” made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper that are processed chlorine free and made with certified renewable energy. The cards are “interactive” because they are black and white and are designed to allow kids to color them in any way they desire. The words and phrases on the cards are made of dotted lines so children can practice tracing their letters.
[read the full article...]
Last week, Kelli shared with us Green Valentines made by Stubby Pencil Studio. Stubby Pencil Studio offers 100% recycled (post-consumer) coloring, interactive cards, as well as eco-friendly art supplies for children and adults (see Victoria’s post on Crafting a Green World about toxic art supplies). Stubby Pencil Studio has graciously offered to give a “Green to the Letter” Stationery basket to one of our readers, a $60 value! Included in the basket:
