Written on
August 20, 2008 by
SusanC
I can vividly recall riding the school bus when I was a kid. I remember the ride as being very long, very boring, and very stinky. And while I was probably exaggerating the long and boring parts (my ride lasted about 15 minutes) I now know that I wasn’t imagining the stink…
A recent Yale University study found that children who ride a school bus are exposed to up to 15 times more particulate pollution than average. Researchers estimate that this increased exposure is due to the idling and queuing of school buses. In other words, as school buses line up and wait in front of the school, they fill up with harmful (and stinky) particulate pollution that will stay with the kids throughout their ride.
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These great reads made their way into our minds and we couldn’t keep them to ourselves:
Talking about the latest in toy safety at Grist.
Getting a fresh perspective on reducing, reusing and recycling at Recycle Your Day.
Reading about new ideas on greening your family reunion at Green Baby Guide.
Speaking up about greening up your lady business at Crunchy Domestic Goddess.
Learning about more great ideas about canning your food, from our newest contributor–Chez Artz.
Which links rang your bell this week?
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Written on
August 6, 2008 by
SusanC
With prices skyrocketing at the pump, you’ve probably already taken some serious steps to improve your gas mileage and reduce the amount of money you spend on gas. Carpooling, avoiding aggressive driving, and giving your car regular tune-ups are great ways to save money on gas, but don’t forget these equally effective yet surprising ways to save money at the pump….
1. Go green, get clean. The latest research shows that washing and waxing your car on a regular basis can improve your fuel efficiency by up to 7%.
2. Get rid of that junk in your trunk. A junky car could cost you more than just your sanity.
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I’ll tell you it is easy to be an organizer if you have no limits. But what about an ecochic organizer like me? My boundaries are simple. I will try at all costs to use what I have already in my home first before ever buying something. I’ll go to my recycling bin, think of how to sew something or just plain rethink a way to make it work. If I do buy something I usually try to purchase second hand. The last resort is buying local if possible, fair trade, environmentally friendly, organic materials.
Some simple thoughts on organizing:
- Since sewing has become a new obsession for me, I have taken outdated purses and filled them with supplies.
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I must confess, I have never written a confession post. When I was invited to write for 5MFGG, I was eager to express more personal feelings about being green. As much as I love writing at teensygreen about eco-products, services, and activism that helps all of us, being eco is also simultaneously a deeply personal part of my life (as I know it’s probably yours if you’re reading this). That being said, I do have some ranting I’d like to “put out there” in a purely hypothetical, non-offensive manner.
My oldest daughter is turning six in October. I’m not ready to let go of birthday parties just yet, so we’re going to have a small gathering of some friends and family.
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So many juicy pieces of green to sink your teeth into this week. Here’s a sampling:
–Our own Crunchy Domestic Goddess gave us the dish on throwing an eco-friendly party (and there’s a giveaway, too!)
–Eco Child’s Play told us a story about getting rid of lice naturally (I’m still itching since reading this one).
–I reviewed Kiwi Magazine and Preserve toothbrushes over at Mama Speaks (a rockin’ review blog). One of them keeps your green cravings happy, the other cleans up afterwards.
–Our lovely Crunchy Chicken found herself linked up on The Huffington Post (and coincidently I’m watching Arianna Huffington on “Supper Club with Tom Bergeron” on Planet Green right now, but I digress…), in an article about eco-friendly dining out.
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There are times when I wish I had the knowledge I have now, back when I was starting my family. It seems that parents are so much more informed environmentally than they were even 13 years ago when I had my first child. There was no internet when I had my son. What I learned was from books I read or people I talked to. There was no emphasis on cloth diapers or BPA issues. It’s wonderful to see parents of young children and babies making the conscious effort to teach their kids from the start how to live “green”. These children will grow up understanding that our earth is precious and worth saving from the beginning.
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No one wants to be greeted with bugs in their home. They create everything from fear to annoyance to health hazards. So let’s look green and natural ways to get rid of them!
There are two key things you want to avoid:
Keep your rooms free of clothes and materials on the floor that provide great places for bugs to move around unnoticed. Don’t leave food out and keep your counters clean.
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Written on
July 21, 2008 by
SusanC
I never knew raising kids required so much energy! And I’m not just talking about the energy that I expend chasing my kids around all day. I’m talking about the energy I use in my home to feed, wash, entertain, and clean up after them. Americans use nearly a million dollars worth of energy every minute…EVERY MINUTE! The good news is that it’s much easier than you think to reduce your contribution to that figure, trimming your monthly energy bill while helping you protect the planet. Here are some easy ideas for reducing energy consumption in your home:
Control Your Temperature: About 2/3 of the money you spend on energy is used to control your home’s temperature.
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Written on
July 21, 2008 by
SusanC
#8DCB41, #7A7700, #1D3403…No, I’m not speaking Klingon nor are these words from a lost episode of Seinfeld. These are hexadecimal values or “hex colors” and they are all shades of green. Jennifer K. and her husband are olive and after reading Sommer’s post, I felt compelled to share a little bit more about me. I guess, to confess.
When I was asked to participate as a writer at 5M4GG, I was honored and then a little concerned because going green is still somewhat new to me. I was never a fan of the color green. I was a Brownie, but never became a Girl Scout.
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