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Category Archives: Blog

Swaddle Those Bums!

Written on July 23, 2010 by Anne (A Little Bit Crazy)

Cloth diapering is one of my favorite ways to be green. For as many fears as people have about getting started with cloth, it is honestly much easier than you think it is. I always tell everyone that even my husband is a huge fan of them. (Seriously, isn’t it always the guys who are the most squeamish?!)

Well, for those of you who are ready to get going, or have a few and want to stock up on a few more, my favorite site has a huge clearance sale going on right now! Swaddlebees puts items in their clearance store a few times a year and I almost always grab up a good pile.

in Blog, For The Kids

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Summer Green Isn’t Easy

Written on July 13, 2010 by DianaP

2 Comments

Sandman on Flickr Commons

You know that old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”? It’s inspiring in theory, but let’s be honest here; sometimes, when the going gets tough, even the tough get overwhelmed, frustrated and feel at least a little bit guilty when their actions fall short of their ideals. Summer is one of those tough times for me. It’s a season that has been full to the brim with commitments from work to recreation since… well, since humans have had leisure time anyway.

In fact, I don’t know who coined the phrase “the lazy days of summer” but around here when the sun gets hot and the days long, they’re anything but lazy.

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Do You Need a Reason to Go Barefoot?

Written on June 3, 2010 by Jennifer (Milk & Honey Mommy)

1 Comment

going barefoot

Soles4Souls announced that National Barefoot Week is stomping ground again next month, June 1-7, 2010. I have been a fan of Soles4Souls and their efforts for a few years now. Disasters don’t stop happening and people always need help even if it is just receiving a pair of shoes to wear on their feet.

A little closer to home in Nashville where Soles4Souls is based, they have already started responding to the needs of their immediate community by providing shoes and other items of necessity to help people who are still trying to recover from the storms they were hit with earlier this month.

in Blog, Eco-Friends, For The Kids, Green Outreach

- 1 Comment

Staying on the Green Bandwagon

Written on April 21, 2010 by Amy Whitley

5 Comments

You know how the easiest way to stick to a diet is to not bring ‘problem’ foods into the house in the first place? Well, I’ve found I do the same thing with keeping to a ‘green’ diet. There are certain (decidedly un-environmental) conveniences I simply can’t resist if they’re easily accessable, so instead I don’t purchase them at all.

Maybe I have the will power of a knat, but I find this works for me. Out of sight, out of mind! The following are non-green items I try to avoid like the plague (because if they’re in my house, I’ll gladly use them!):

in Blog, For The Home, For The Kids, Frugal Living, Green Thoughts, The Green Consumer

- 5 Comments

Free Green Family Entertainment

Written on April 20, 2010 by DianaP

0 Comments

Tomorrow, April 21, 2010, PBS will broadcast Food, Inc. If you haven’t already seen it, now is your chance! Grab a bowl of popcorn, a few of your favorite drinks, gather around the television and have a family movie night.

Produced by Robert Kenner and Eric Schlosser, Food, Inc. ” lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer” and is, obviously, a film near and dear to my heart.

Check your local listings now and after you’ve watched, let me know what you thought in the comments here.

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A Little Inspiration Can Go a Long Way

Written on March 17, 2010 by Amy Whitley

3 Comments

I don’t know about you, but March is my least favorite month. In my part of the world, it’s not yet spring, but the lingering winter is no longer welcome; the crocuses try to unfold, just to be deadened by frost. Fog sets in, along with days of rain. Mud cakes boots. And all those best intentions I made back in January seem so very, very distant.

In short, by March, I could use a bit of a boost, so today, I’d like to share a few links with you all. The following are websites and blogs which inspire me to take those big (and small) steps toward a greener me.

in Around the Greenosphere, Blog, Eco-Friends, For The Home, Great Green Finds, Green Parenting, The Green Consumer

- 3 Comments

In Case You Missed It — March 1-5

Written on March 8, 2010 by DianaP

0 Comments

Did you miss a daily dose of 5 Minutes for Going Green last week? Never fear, we’re here (with a recap!)

Asking’s One’s Self the Hard Questions kicked off a series in which I’ll be examining all the things I’m doing wrong in our family’s quest for The Green Life. And the way it came about was quite unexpected.

A couple weeks ago we invited another couple over for dinner and games. I’ve been friends with the wife for sometime but we hadn’t yet gotten together as couples more than a few times — her husband didn’t know me as well as she did and had no idea what it is that I do for a living.

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Happy Healthy Eating: Community Supported Agriculture

Written on March 3, 2010 by SusanC

2 Comments

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a great way to support your local farmer and keep fresh vegetables on the table. Most CSA‘s work something like this:

Families (or single folk) buy a “share” (or two if you’re a large family)- ranging in price from say $400.00 to $800.00+ and each week you meet at a pick up location for your box of vegetables and fruits. Most CSA shareholders pay in installments, some take advantage of work-share options, and all pay a down payment of some sort. And that’s in part the beauty of CSA– because buyers pay the farmer upfront she can estimate how much to plant.

in Blog, Eat to Live, Green Gardens, The Green Consumer

- 2 Comments

Creative “Green” Date Nights

Written on March 2, 2010 by SusanC

1 Comment

My husband and I are always busy with work, kids, our personal time, and sometimes it’s hard for us to make time for our relationship. But it’s always so rewarding when we do.

Since we don’t always have the money to go out for dinner or a movie, I like thinking of creative ways for us to share time together or with other adults in a playful and romantic way.

Last month I was dreaming up the perfect date night and come up with these fun ways to spend time together.

1) Have a potluck. Instead of heading to the restaurant, invite friends over for a candle light dinner; plan for a house large enough to accommodate kids with a movie and special dinner while the parents (adults) have a special night of conversation and cocktails.

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After-School Snacks that Tread Lightly on the Planet (and your Grocery Budget)

Written on February 11, 2010 by Amy Whitley

6 Comments

If you’ve been following my posts here at 5 Minutes for Going Green, you know I’m all about taking baby steps toward eco-living. In other words, I tend to take two steps forward, followed by at least one squarely on my cushy bottom.

One step forward I’ve taken recently is to bake and cook healthy, whole-food after-school snacks for my kids. I’m tired of buying over-processed, heavily-packaged snack foods that destroyed my grocery budget.

Three winning recipes my (picky) kids happily eat:

Egg and cheese sandwiches:

2 packages English muffins (I buy wheat)

2 dozen eggs (I go with free range)

24 slices cheese (cheddar for our family)

Optional: ham slices or the veggie equivalent (we like Yves brand)

Fry the eggs individually (we cracked them right into circular cookie cutters on the griddle to keep their shape).

in Blog, Eat to Live, For The Home, For The Kids, Frugal Living, Green Parenting, The Green Consumer

- 6 Comments