Written on
September 9, 2008 by
SusanC
Need physical proof we are daily polluting our most valuable and natural resources? Look no further than the Hawaiian islands.
Lapping lazily in a relatively stationary section of the North Pacific Ocean, in between San Francisco and Hawaii, accumulated waste swirls in a never-ending circle, pushed along by the North Pacific Gyre, a large-scale vortex of ocean currents. Comprised primarily of various plastics, it has been estimated that 80% of the garbage comes from land-based sources, and 20% from ships at sea.
Charles Moore was sailing in a Los Angeles-to-Hawaii sail race when he and his crew first saw the dense mass of trash, floating in what he calls “one of the most remote regions of all the oceans.”
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Previously, I wrote about my weight loss journey and overall, journey to be healthy. My children are an extension of me and therefore my journey is their journey. What I eat, how I exercise and the way I view the world affects them. This is why it is extremely important, for me, to set a good example in as many ways as possible. The way I see it, when parents set good examples the children learn what the parents does. Children usually do as they see. I love reading, for example, and I continually saw my mother read and encourage us to read, instead of watch television.
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We love finding fabulous links from around the web for you each week, and this week they are all from the personal blogs of our awesome Green Team here at 5M4GG. Enjoy!
Sommer from Nature Moms is sharing about her success with homeschooling, and making me realize how fun it could be.
Jennifer from The Smart Mama spreads the word about the potential for chemical burns from tagless labels.
Green Mamma, Jessica, started a great series on trash that continues our quest for reducing waste and safely getting rid of the rest.
Sommer from Green & Clean Mom gives us tips on green camping (I adore fall camping!)
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Written on
September 5, 2008 by
SusanC
My mother always told me to eat my greens. That advice is as true today as it was when I was young. But these days, green foods go beyond spinach and broccoli to organic selections of coffee, fruits, veggies, and burgers.
Conventional farmers use around 300 different pesticides to grow foods that are sold in supermarkets every day. These chemicals pollute the soils and waterways, harming fish, birds, and other wildlife. Pesticides are also dangerous for the farmers who are exposed to them on a daily basis. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides are responsible for 20,000-40,000 work-related poisonings each year in the United States.At
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While those of us living a green lifestyle are committed to practicing the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle), every now and again even the greeniest of us may need to discard of items that our community trash collection does not accept at the curb (or is inappropriate for reuse and donation). What to do? Here are a few suggestions for safe and environmentally friendly disposal of a few tricky items from around the house:
In the medicine cabinet
To safely get rid of old and unused prescription medications, the Office of National Drug Control Policy recommends the following:
1. Remove medication from its container and place pills in the trash.
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Written on
September 4, 2008 by
SusanC
It seems like every home has a “home office” these days. For some, it’s their sole place of employment, for others it’s simply a place to pay the bills, surf the computer, and help the kids with homework. But whether yours is a dedicated room, a corner of the kitchen table, or just a state of mind, there are lots of things you can do to make it a greener and cleaner place to take care of business. Here’s how to green your home office:
Install CFLs: Replace traditional light bulbs with long-lasting and money-saving compact fluorescents that are better for the planet and better for your wallet.
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Earlier this week, some friends and I were talking about how to continue our weekly gardening play dates into winter. Throughout spring and summer we have been relishing the benefits of planting, tending and harvesting without looking past fall. Now that Labor Day approaches and autumn lurks around the corner, how do we relinquish this simple pleasure we share with our children outdoors?
Brows crinkled and faces twisted with despair as we recall those days spent indoors during the winter months. What to do? What to do?! How do we find a city garden that needs our superior weeding expertise all year round?
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A few weeks ago, late at night, I received an email from a public relations exec about an all-natural children’s hair care product. Called oopsy daisy! leave in detangler and conditioner, this “incredible, must-have” product was $18 for 8.25 ounces. What!!?? My hair care products don’t even cost that much (I admit, I may have screamed out loud)! This was the last straw in a series of eye-popping price tags that I just couldn’t let go without comment. After I hit “reply,” I was as calm and polite as possible, asking the exec to please explain me how a hair care product for children could be so pricey.
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Pressure Canning…..does that cause fear to run it’s icy fingers down your back? The idea of something sitting on your stove boiling to un-godly temperatures with pressures that exceed normal atmospheric levels? It did for me. The thought of pressure canning made me nervous and scared. I’m not really sure why I was nervous about it. I’ve never had any bad experiences with pressure canners in my past. I think it was the fact that I’d NEVER used one, nor had I ever seen anyone use one, that caused me to fear the unknown.
Now, please know that I am not talking about pressure cookers.
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