Published on September 14th, 2009
In 2005, helpful big sister Brittney Maxson tried to enter an A&F dressing room at the Mall of America to assist her younger sibling, 14-year-old Molly, who is autistic.
She was confronted by store staff, who said that Abercrombie policy didn’t allow more than one person in a dressing room at a time in an attempt combat shoplifting. The girls had encountered the same policy at another store, but they allowed the sisters in the dressing room at that store after they understood the situation.
At Abercrombie & Fitch, Brittney explained her sister’s special needs, but was still refused. Their mom, Beth, tried to talk to management and the girls were still refused. Beth even called a customer service hotline while at the store and the request was still ignored.
Four years later, the clothing store has been ordered to pay $115,264 for discriminating against a disabled person.
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Published on August 14th, 2009
If you’re looking for an easy, free way to raise money for your favorite environmental group, nonprofit, school, or charity, the new Freelanthropy toolbar can turn your searches into cash! Read the rest of this entry »
Published on July 29th, 2009
It appears that our “New Economy” has made people take a good look at needs vs. wants. These days, more people (as much as 1/3) feel that a dryer is no longer a necessity, rather its a luxury and an expensive one at that!
Line drying used to be the standard and we are trending toward that again (We’ve doubled the number of people who say the dryer is a luxury in the last three years). Here’s how to fire your dryer which will result in lower energy bills (good for you and the planet) and happy clothes (the dryer is hard on clothing).
No matter the climate you live in, you can air dry clothing. Read on to learn how to fight restrictive CC&R’s for your right to dry and ways to circumvent such silly ordinances. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on July 28th, 2009
Mama bloggers get a lot of free stuff. And that was one of the issues discussed at BlogHer ‘09. There, I met many ladies who said the boxes of goodies would be piled high by the time they got home.
Companies look for cheap advertising in the form of positive reviews. And they often turn to broke mom bloggers with the promise of free stuff to lure them into a few kind words.
And as “green” has become the “new black”, many products are greenwashed, hocked to green-minded bloggers in the hopes that we’ll overlook some of the obvious faults and rebrand the crap the product for them.
Maybe you and I know to look for parabens and fragrance, but does the average blogger, who may gush over the “green”?
NPR’s All Things Considered looked at the swag issue on Monday. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on July 27th, 2009
My kids keep outgrowing EVERYTHING. I hear this is normal, but sheesh… would someone slow them down so my wallet can keep up with their clothing needs? With five children (16G, 9B, 9G, 7G, 4G) to dress, it becomes even more important that I choose clothing which will last and is cost effective. My Fall clothing budget is around $100-$150 per child (with the older ones taking a larger chunk of the overall spending because the younger girls get lots of hand-downs). When nine pair of undies can run $20.00 (or more!), I have to be very careful with our funds. I also want to purchase items which will hold up well to kid wear and tear so that it can be saved for the next child (or passed on to a friend). If you are looking for a new backpack, check out Wenona’s post. Here’s how we do it. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on July 15th, 2009
Most people would love to buy “green” or “organic” foods, but choosing organic foods can be a pricey proposition. If you think your budget cannot afford 100% organic, here is some simple advice on making the most of your GREEN GROCERY dollar:
Eat organic at the top of the food chain: Livestock eat pesticide-laden feed and are dosed with antibiotics and hormones. This all of this ends up in the package at the super market. There is no way to remove or reduce the contaminants. Purchasing organic dairy, egg and meat products is a great place to begin.
Avoid the following unless they are organic: Pesticides levels vary in produce. The Environmental Workers Union found that you can reduce risks of pesticide exposure by as much as 90 percent by avoiding what they call “the dirty dozen”. Here is the list: Apples, Bell peppers, Celery, Cherries, Grapes (imported), Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Potatoes, Red Raspberries, Spinach, and Strawberries. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on June 29th, 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law by President Obama in February provides financial opportunities for homeowners, specifically tax credits, rebates, and loans for improving energy efficiency. The Act also provides tax credits for buying a house and for hybrid and alternative fuel car purchases. The problem is that the 400 page legislation can be tough to work your way through to find what’s available to you. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on April 15th, 2009
A new report claims that the increasing number of ‘all-natural’ and ‘organic’ products on the market may be guilty of “the seven sins of greenwashing”.
TerraChoice Environmental Marketing released its report The Seven Sins of Greenwashing today. The report defines greenwashing as “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.”
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Published on March 11th, 2009
If you live in a northern climate like I do your kids are probably going stir crazy and take to the yard any day that the sun is shining. Cabin fever is probably driving you all a bit mad but maybe you don’t have much money to spend on taking the kids out for entertainment. The good news is you don’t need a lot of money if you know where to look for fun and often free events for kids.
Keep reading for tips on where to look for fun and free things to do with your kids and for a list of upcoming events in the Flint and Genesee County, Michigan area. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on March 2nd, 2009
Saturday, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius accepted President Obama’s request to become secretary of health and human services.
She sure does have a lot on her plate, what with the proposed overhaul of the health care system.
But what you might not know is that Sebelius is a champion of a “bring your baby to work” policy. Currently, 21 government agencies in Kansas allow babies in the boardrooms.
We live in a society where too many people make workers choose–do you want to be a good parent, or do you want to be a good worker?
Sebelius seems to think: choose both.
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In 2005, helpful big sister Brittney Maxson tried to enter an A&F dressing room at the Mall of America to assist her younger sibling, 14-year-old Molly, who is autistic.
