Inland Empire Family - Moms. Kids. Life. - (Green Mom)

Good news found on your trash can

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:20:00 GMT

As I went to pull my trash bin from the street to my backyard a couple weeks ago, I found this attached to it:

In case you missed it (which, judging from the amount of these flyers that my family and I picked up off the ground on our walk that evening, quite a few people did), I wanted to share some of the highlights.

Waste Management (which serves more than 25 million residential customers across the United States), continues to expand their list of recyclable items. Here are some of the recent changes:

Waste Management now accepts all number plastics (1-7) for recycling! This is big news. In the past, only No.1 and No. 2 plastics were recyclable in most residential recycling programs. Now, all numbered plastics can be placed in the recycling can.
Waste management now recycles plastic bags! Although eliminating the use of plastic bags is one of my primary goals in life, somehow these ubiquitous little suckers still end up at my house. I used to save them and make a special trip to the grocery store to recycle them. Now, you can bundle them up together inside one of the plastic bags and toss them in your recycling bin. Great news!
Shredded paper can be recycled. Due to the small size of the paper, this often cannot be recycled. Now, if placed in a bag and tied up, Waste Management will accept it for recycling.
Paint cans (completely dried out) and aerosol cans (completely empty) are accepted. If you need to throw out paint or aerosol cans with liquid still in them, do not put them in your trash or recycle bin. Instead, make a trip to your nearest hazardous recycling center. For a list of Orange County hazardous waste disposal centers, click here.

For more information about how to recycle virtually anything, you can also check out earth911.com.

Cleaning up the beach feels good

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:12:00 GMT

Last weekend, my kids and I participated in a beach cleanup in Seal Beach.

It was our second cleanup with the Save Our Beach organization. Both times, I have been extremely impressed with the organization of the clean up effort and dedication of the volunteers who run it.

There were hundreds of participants in Saturday’s cleanup. We filled eight dumpsters with trash (not to mention the recycling that was collected separately) just in one day! And the most amazing part, you can go out again this weekend and find just as much.

It’s a never-ending process, but an important one. Every piece of trash collected on the beach is less that washes out to sea, to potentially be eaten by sea life or end up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (that double-the-size- of-Texas island of trash floating in the Pacific).

The best thing about a beach cleanup is that it’s such a hand-on activity. It’s something good that you can do for the earth that is specific and measurable. We don’t have many opportunities like that.

Also, if you sign up and register before this Friday, February 26th, you can qualify for Disney’s “Give a Day. Get a Day” promotion. Clean up the beach for a few hours, get a free ticket to Disneyland. You can’t beat that.

My kids worked so hard that day – crawling down between the rocks picking up pieces of plastic; Styrofoam (and Styrofoam, and Styrofoam, and even more Styrofoam); empty bottles and cans; chip bags and other food wrappers; a few random items like balls, hubcaps and kids toys; and lots of cigarette butts. They never once complained. I was one proud momma.

At some point into our day, my son looked up at me and said “It’s unbelievable how people treat the earth.” Later on my daughter asked “Mom, can’t we do our own cleanup every time we go to the beach? We can just bring our own bag and gloves, right?” And that is worth so much more than a ticket to Disneyland.

Here's my Whrrl about our beach cleanup. Click anywhere on the story below to see it.

More check-ins at Beach cleanup

Do you know where your food comes from?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:57:00 GMT

Unless you grow it yourself in your backyard, the answer is probably a resounding no. I always thought I had a fairly good idea. But last weekend, I watched “Food Inc.” and realized I only knew a small part of the story. The movie had a profound effect on me and has totally changed how I look at food.

"Food Inc." is packed with information and made me ask questions like: Why can we can get ripened tomatoes year round? Why is it that a bag of chips costs less than a bundle of carrots? What is the reason that many chickens are never exposed to sunlight? And who on earth ever thought it was a good idea to feed corn to fish?

It was tough to watch at times but ultimately, I found it pretty inspiring. Knowledge is power and with more knowledge, I can make better decisions.

There is a great summary at the end of the movie that describes what we can do as consumers to make better food choices. Here are the suggestions that appear one by one on the screen:

Buy from companies that treat workers, animal and the environment with respect.
When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season.
Buy foods that are organic.
Know what’s in your food. Read labels.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket. Buy foods that are grown locally.
Shop at farmer’s markets.
Plant a garden (even a small one).
Cook a meal with your family and eat together.
Everyone has a right to healthy food. Make sure your farmer’s market takes food stamps.
Ask your school board to provide healthy school lunches.
The FDA and USDA are supposed to protect you and your family. Tell Congress to enforce food safety standards and re-introduce Kevin’s Law.
If you say grace, ask for food that will keep us, and the planet healthy.

It’s a great reminder that as consumers, we can vote to change this broken system. We get the chance to exercise our vote three times a day. For more information and suggestions of what you can do, visit Take Part.

I hope that everyone makes time to see “Food Inc.” Please see it for you, see it for the people you love and see it for the planet. Remember “you can change the world with every bite.”

Two-year old logic and global warming

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:11:00 GMT

Have you heard the news: it’s snowing back East? Oh my gosh, it’s snowing…in the Northeast…in February. Can you believe it?

In the middle of this week's storm, climate change naysayers are declaring that this storm in one region of one county totally disproves climate change. It’s people like Senator James Inhofe who constructed an igloo in Washington, DC and posted a sign reading "Honk if you heart global warming." It’s Senator Jim DeMint who tweeted "It's going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries uncle." And you better believe that Fox News has jumped all over it, with story after story that totally distorts the facts to fit their agenda.

It’s hard for me to believe that some of this is even real. I mean, really, it’s ridiculous. It’s like me looking up at the night sky and saying “Well the sun must have gone away because it’s dark outside.” It’s two-year old logic, but there are people lapping it up and it scares me.

Now I realize that this is a particularly harsh storm impacting millions of people. I'm not trying to make light of it. But the climate change deniers are totally missing the point. As Giselle Barry from Repower America points out “Extreme weather is climate change! Not only does "Snowpocalypse" not disprove global warming, it actually matches scientific predictions that climate change will increase extreme weather events of many kinds, including heavy snowfalls in regions like the Northeast.”

The fact is that climate change is a very complex issue. It will lead to more temperature extremes, both cold and warm. And I don’t remember Al Gore ever saying that it would never snow again ever. I’m quite sure that’s not what hundreds of years of scientific evidence and study predict.

This clip from Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show is genius, and sums it up best. As usual, a little dose of humor makes me feel so much better:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Unusually Large Snowstorm

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Last minute Valentine cards for kids

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:21:00 GMT

As usual, we are scrambling at the last minute to get our Valentine cards together for school. I always think I’m going to be that mom who has everything planned and organized well in advance, but somehow, I never seem to get there. This year, I totally forgot that Friday is a school holiday, so our Valentines cards have to be ready for Thursday’s class party.

If you are a last-minute like me and you’ve run out to the store to find that everything is sold out, why not try making Valentine’s cards? And you can spend nothing and use only things that you may already have at home.

We did just that tonight. The kids and I rummaged through the house and found all our extra colored paper, stickers, markers and stamps and gathered them together. Then, we printed a few labels on the computer (the “to, from” part of the card), and cut them into rectangles. Using scrap paper, we made larger colored rectangles cut slightly larger. The kids glued the labels on the paper scraps. Then, they addressed and signed each one and decorated with stickers, foam cutouts, stamps and markers. It got a little messy, but was a great exercise in creativity for the kids.

Finally, we hole-punched the cards on one side and tied each one with curling ribbon to a Trader Joe’s organic lollipop.

It took about an hour to make our Valentines using only materials we already had at home – no waste, no cost! Okay, I did have to run out and buy one extra box of Organic Lollipops from Trader Joe’s because we only had one box in the pantry. So I spent $3 on 58 Valentine’s for both classrooms. Here are the results:

They turned out cute I think. And best of all, not a plastic goody bag or cheap plastic trinket to be found.

Go green for Valentine’s Day

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:57:00 GMT

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I didn’t always enjoy this “Hallmark holiday”, even once I actually had a Valentine. But my attitude about the holiday changed about ten years ago when hubby and I decided to ditch the traditional Valentines’ day route and started our own tradition. Every year since, we avoid the hassle and expense of going out (reservations, overpriced wine, finding a sitter) and instead stay home. He cooks while I get the kiddos in bed early. Then, we pop open a great bottle of champagne (the kind that would be unaffordable at a restaurant but is reasonable at the store) and enjoy a gourmet home cooked meal with candles and the good china. No gifts either – our dinner, champagne, and time alone is our gift.

But if you are in the market for something for your sweetie, here are a few suggestions to make your gift a little greener:

Organic Flowers –when you touch or inhale the scent of non-organic flowers, it is likely that you are exposing yourself and your family to harmful chemicals. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals used on flowers also affect the health of farm workers and florists. Keep everyone pesticide-free by purchasing organic and in-season flowers. Some sources include California Organic Flowers, Organic Bouquet, and Local Harvest.

Fair Trade Chocolate - Traditional cocoa farming forces hundreds of thousands of children in West Africa to work under forced labor conditions on cocoa farms. Young boys are sold into slave labor and forced to work in cocoa farms, under inhumane conditions and extreme abuse. Kind of make’s that Hershey’s bar not taste so good doesn’t it? But when you buy Fair Trade chocolate, you ensure that farmers and workers receive a fair price for their product, helping them support their families and send their children to school rather than the field. Most Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate is also certified organic and shade-grown, which helps maintain the biodiversity of ecosystems, provides shelter for migratory birds, and uses far less energy than conventional farming. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but do we really need that much chocolate anyway? For eco-friendly chocolate, try one of these sites: Global Exchange, Equal Exchange, Dagoba Chocolate, and Coco-Zen (fair trade, organic and local – a triple winner!).

Eco-friendly Jewelry – Go for jewelry that is fair trade, responsibly manufactured, and made from sustainable materials. The good news is it’s also generally super affordable too. You can find jewelry made from recycled glass, like this line we sell at buygreen.com; handmade, eco-friendly bling at etsy.com; or, if you have a bigger budget, there is brilliantearth.com for ethical, conflict-free diamonds.

More Sustainable Love – After the champagne, flowers, chocolate and jewelry, there’s the umm…love…the best part of Valentine’s Day. And yes, there is in fact, even an organic line of personal lubricants – think of it as the “green” KY. The majority of personal lubricants on the market are made with petrochemicals and preserved with methyl and propyl parabens. But Good Clean Love personal lubricants are natural and organic so they not only feel good, but are good for you. I especially like this Cupid’s Travel Kit – would be a perfect Valentine’s gift.

So spoil your sweetie this Valentine’s Day with eco-friendly gifts that are not only good for them, but also the planet. Happy Valentine’s Day!

(Note: It's important to me to point out that none of the companies or products on this list paid me anything or gave me anything for free. Even my own company, BuyGreen.com - I don't get paid by them either (hee, hee), but maybe someday. These are just companies and products that I run across in my work and I enjoying sharing to help others find better, greener alternatives to traditional products.)

I can’t stand the smell of clean clothes

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:48:00 GMT

The other day, one of my daughter’s friends dropped off a bag of my daughter’s clothes at our house. For some reason, my daughter just can’t seem to come home with all of her clothes when she has a sleepover, or often lets her friends borrow clothes when they are at our house.

Like most times, I opened the bag, immediately caught a whiff, and stuck them right in the laundry. Were they still dirty? Did they have some awful smell on them? Am I a freak about germs?

Nope, it’s none of the above. I ended up washing the clothes even though some nice family already washed them for us – the reason is that I can no longer handle the smell of traditional chemical laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Once you get away from them, you will find that the smell is quite overpowering and you can’t go back.

Traditional laundry detergent, bleach, and fabric softeners are no good – for your family and the environment. As we strive to have clean, ultra-white, fresh-smelling clothes, we have inadvertently invited a whole host of toxic chemicals into our homes. We absorb these chemicals through our skin. In addition, those harsh chemicals are washed down the sink, entering the waste stream and contaminating our ground water.

Fortunately today, there are hundreds of eco-friendly products for getting your laundry fresh and clean. You can find them online and even in grocery stores and Target. Be sure to read the ingredient list and steer clear from the chemicals listed below and remember that “natural” does not necessarily mean eco-friendly.

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying detergents & other laundry products:

Do not use detergents or stain removers with phosphates (which are linked to lung cancer and damage our water systems).
Also steer clear of alkylphenol exthoxylates (APE's), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS) - both are known toxicants.
Do not use bleach with chlorine or sodium perborates. Chlorine gets into the waste stream and contaminates ground water. Use non-chlorine alternatives made from hydrogen peroxide or oxygen.
Do not use detergents with petroleum-based, chemical fragrances. Fragrances and harsh solvents like ammonia contained in some typical detergents and fabric softeners can trigger your allergies and asthma, and cause skin irritation.
Stay away from conventional fabric softeners. These are a skin irritant and also build up on clothing, making it look dull. They also lower the absorption of your towels and can leave a residue on your skin when you dry off. Yuck!

If you make the switch to eco-friendly laundry products, you will be surprised that your clothes can get clean without chemicals, don’t develop instant static cling without dryer sheets and are still soft without fabric softener. Really, we can have clean, fresh-smelling clothes without chemicals. And once you see how easy it is, you won’t want to go back either.

Check out the Go Green Expo this weekend

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:42:00 GMT

The Go Green Expo is this weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event is open to the public on Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-5.

If you are just starting your journey to going green or even if you are well on your way, green expos and festivals like this are a great way to discover tons of green products, services, and information all in one place.

There will be over 300 booths and exhibits, interactive seminars and speeches (you can download speaker schedule). In addition to the Green Marketplace, there will be a screening of the film “Tapped” with a Q&A with the Director and Producer, Film Presentations by Blue Planet Film Festival, a rock climbing wall, yoga classes, and lots of demonstrations and hands-on activities. Tons of giveaways too – if you don’t already have a bunch of reusable shopping bags, this is the place to load up on them (for free).

For more information, go to gogreenexpo.com.

The rain should clear over the weekend and it’s a quick drive up to the Los Angeles Convention Center. Admission is just $10 for adults (which includes admission for both days) and free for kids under 12.

If you happen to go, stop by and say hi. We’ll be in booth 113.

If you can’t make this expo, here are just some of the many other upcoming Green expos in California:

Green Meets Green Expo – Del Mar, January 22-24
Natural Products Expo West - Anaheim, March 12-14. This is the premier event for healthy products. While it's primarily food (tons of samples - go hungry), there are also personal care and home goods. It's ranked one of the top 100 shows in the U.S. With thousands of vendors, wear walking shoes and bring some water. It's an all-day event with thousands of new products to discover.
The Green Festival – the mother of all green festivals and my favorite event of the year, organizers have just added a Spring show in San Francisco on April 10-11. The traditional fall festival will still be held Nov. 5-7. If you have never been to this show, it’s awesome – worth a trip to Northern California for sure.

Double digits and greener birthdays

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:57:00 GMT

This week, my daughter (my little girl) is turning 10. Yes, double digits – what the heck?! I’m freaking out about this and I’m not sure why. It’s not a case of “wow, if I have a ten year old, I must be old”. It’s just that I’m enjoying my kids so much at the age they are right now, I don’t want them to grow up. My husband and I always say to them, “Can you do me a favor and please stop growing?” Which we are kidding about, sort of…

Some unsolicited advice I would give to moms with younger kids is to enjoy every age to the fullest. When my kids (who are only 18 months apart) we young, I missed out on the enjoyment of their age just waiting for them to be older. I was so exhausted by nursing, diaper changes (two in cloth diapers – need I say more), and the endless supervision of young children that I didn’t stop to enjoy it as much. Now, I’m making sure that I don’t do that. I’m really trying to enjoy the now.

In honor of my baby girl’s birthday, here are some quick tips for keeping your birthday celebration simple and green:

Easy, inexpensive, reused party décor –You don’t need to spend a bunch of money on decorations. You (or some of your friends and neighbors) already have many things in your own home you can use to decorate for the party – decorations from previous parties, scraps of material, stickers. Use your creativity to save money and reduce waste.

Ditch the plastic goodie bag – I’m a big believer in no party favors or just one small favor for each guest – like a fairy wand if you having a princess party or a sword for a pirate party. Ditch the plastic goodie bag filled with cheap trinkets. Those end up broken and in the trash by the time your guests make it home. Not to mention the plastic bag is always trash bound and totally unrecyclable.

Think reusable –Most of us can find enough plates, cups and cutlery for a small group of kids. If you are having a larger party, consider biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery, or paper goods made from recycled paper.

Better gifts – Every year my kids end up with gifts (from well meaning family and friends) that we just have no room for, no patience for, or they have no interest in. Here is a great solution - invented by two moms who were tired of all the birthday party waste, Echoage makes greening kids birthday parties easy. With this service, you select an eco-friendly birthday party invitation, choose a cause and invite your friends. Instead of buying presents, guests simply rsvp online and make secure online contributions. All the contributions are pooled for the purchase of one memorable gift for the birthday boy and girl and the rest of the money is donated to the cause of your choice. How easy, stress free and waste free is that?

Here’s to making each birthday a simple, green, stress-free celebration and enjoying our kids at every age!

Are toxic cleaning products contaminating the air in your kids’ classroom?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:22:00 GMT

The Environmental Working Group just released this new report titled “Can Cleaning Supplies Contaminate Classroom Air?”. The answer, as you can imagine, is a resounding yes.

Although I use natural, non-toxic cleaners at home, it didn’t really occur to me that my kids spend a big portion of their day at school, so they are being exposed to all kinds of toxic cleaning products there that are outside my control. And if you have kids with asthma or other health problems, there’s even more cause for concern.

After reading this report, I contacted the principal at my childrens' school. I requested a list of the cleaning products used at school. Pretty quickly, she got back to me and said she’s happy to provide the information (although at the moment, I’m still waiting for it) and what’s more, she said that the district is in the process of transitioning over the “green” cleaning products – good news! Even better, I don’t think she has labeled me the “problem mom”. I think she’s receptive to the whole idea. So far, this is working out well.

If you are also concerned about the cleaning products used at your children’s school, here are some suggestions for how to talk to your school about green cleaning. Go ahead, be the mom who stirs the pot. After all, natural cleaning products are healthier for everyone - kids, teachers and school staff too. Really, they’ll thank you some day. Okay, probably not, but you’ll feel better because you took some positive action to protect the health of all our kids – and that’s worth standing up for.

Yes to safe, natural, non-toxic, biodegradable products with ingredients like deionized water, vegetable based cleaning agents, surfactants, emulsifiers. That’s it!

No brand names to protect the not-so innocent but you know who these are - with ingredients like phosphates, alkylphenol exthoxylates (APE's), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS), ammonia, chlorine , sodium perborates and petroleum based colors and fragrances, these are a toxic soup.

Join me for No-Impact Week

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:42:00 GMT

This week, I’m participating in No-Impact Week hosted by the Huffington Post and Colin Beavan, better known as No-Impact Man.

It’s a weeklong carbon cleanse designed to help you live a better, happier and healthier life by reducing your consumption and buying less stuff.

The challenge runs Sunday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 25. If you would like to try, it’s not too late to join. Each day has its own unique activity so you can participate each day or only some – any level of participation is better than none at all.

Sunday was the first day of the challenge. To get started, participants were asked to collect and save all their trash for the day – all of it. I collected every scrap that our family of four threw away that day. On Monday, the first thing to do was to sort Sunday’s trash according to things that you used for less than 10 minutes and things that were used for more than 10 minutes. This was to demonstrate that 99 percent of the stuff we use on a daily basis is trashed within six months – yes, 99 percent! Yikes! Looking at your trash for just one day is kind of eye-opening – more on that later.

Monday’s challenge was to do everything you can to stop making trash. As a start, participants were instructed to assemble a no-trash travel kit for the week. The kit includes a reusable water bottle, resealable food containers, reusable utensils (I included my glass straw, reusable shopping bags, produce bags, etc.).

Today’s challenge is burn calories, not fossil fuels. It calls for participants to look for alternative forms of transportation like biking, walking and carpooling.

Here is a summary of the upcoming challenges for the rest of the week:

Wednesday – Healthy eating can lessen your footprint.
Thursday – Explore no-energy alternatives to accomplish your daily tasks.
Friday – Soak up the personal benefits of using less water.
Saturday – Pay it forward. Feel the benefits of service.
Sunday – Take a break from everything – a day of rest and reflection.

For more details on each challenge, download the “No-Impact Week” guide here.

I’ll blog about some of my observations at the end of the week and would love to hear any of yours too. So, come join the challenge. It’s not too late to sign up and start reducing your impact today.

Reduce your plastic use

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:36:00 GMT

We’ve talked about the problem with plastics and how to use plastics more safely, and the last step now is to reduce plastic use.

As a start, here are three items that I carry with me every day. Each is small and inexpensive but has a big impact on reducing the use of disposable plastic:

A reusable water bottle – I have a pretty good collection going (in many sizes, colors and brands), but my favorite is the classic 27-ounce stainless steel Klean Kanteen bottle. It doesn’t scratch or wear, fits in the cup holder of my car and is made from safe, nonleaching food-grade stainless steel. It also helps me save money. I never have to purchase bottled water. I bring it pretty much everywhere – even when I’m traveling. You can take your reusable water bottle on the plane – just make sure it is empty before you go through security.

A reusable shopping bag – The only thing that outdoes my collection of reusable water bottles is my assortment of reusable shopping bags. I ended up with so many that I gave them away at our last garage sale – along with a free dissertation on the problem with plastic bags to each person who received one (I’m sure they so appreciated that). But, of all the shopping bags, the one that I always have with me, that has reduced my plastic bag use by hundreds of bags, is the Chico Bag. It’s so compact and light, and I have it in my purse all the time. It’s always there (no forgetting it in the car) and handy, even when I didn’t expect to do any shopping.

A reusable glass straw – I like to drink just about everything from a straw. And those suckers, even though they are small, can really add up. McDonald’s alone serves 52 million meals PER DAY. Imagine how many straws are thrown away from that chain alone? Straws are not reusable or recyclable, so reusable glass is a much better solution. I carry my GlassDharma straw in my purse all the time. It’s easy to carry and easy to clean, and something about drinking through glass instead of plastic just makes everything taste better, too.

Other suggestions for reducing plastic use:

Use reusable lunch kits, instead of plastic baggies.
Use real tablecloths instead of plastic and real silverware instead of disposable.
Carry reusable utensils like this To-go ware to reduce your use of disposable plastic utensils.
Bring your own coffee mug to work or your local coffee shop.
Bring your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store.
Ask your dry cleaner to return your clothes to you in a reusable bag like this one from Clothenik.
Pay attention to packaging and purchase products that use less plastic.
For even more suggestions on reducing plastic use, see the “plastic-free changes” page of fakeplasticfish.com.

These are just a few of the many ways to reduce your plastic use. And while some of these suggestions cost a little money up front, you save money in the long run by purchasing less disposable plastic. You don’t have to implement all the suggestions – just try incorporating one change into your day. Once you see the impact, you may be hooked and willing to try more. Reducing plastic use is good for your health, good for your wallet and good for the planet – now what could be greener than that?

Reduce your plastic use

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:36:00 GMT

Use reusable lunch kits, instead of plastic baggies.
Use real tablecloths instead of plastic and real silverware instead of disposable.
Carry reusable utensils like this To-go ware to reduce your use of disposable plastic utensils.
Bring your own coffee mug to work or your local coffee shop.
Bring your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store.
Ask your dry cleaner to return your clothes to you in a reusable bag like this one from Clothenik.
Pay attention to packaging and purchase products that use less plastic.
For even more suggestions on reducing plastic use, see the “plastic-free changes” page of fakeplasticfish.com.

Plastic by the numbers

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:13:00 GMT

I hope you will check out my previous post, “The problem with plastics,” for a better understanding of the need to reduce your plastic use in the first place. In addition to all the information I included there, in case I haven’t convinced you yet, please read this Planet Green blog post, “Is plastic making us fat?”

So not only is plastic bad for your health and bad for the environment, it can also make you fat?! What the heck – I’m never using plastic again. The problem with that solution is it’s totally impractical. The fact is that plastic is everywhere, so avoiding it altogether isn't realistic for most people. There are people who do almost entirely avoid plastic and live to tell – they even share their journey with us. For a look at a life (almost) plastic free, check out fakeplasticfish.com and lifelessplastic.com.

If avoiding plastic completely is not practical for you, what’s the answer? I think it’s to use plastics more wisely and more sparingly. You can reduce your use of disposable plastic, and choose safer plastics, particularly for those items that are likely to come into contact with your mouth, which is the most common way the chemicals in plastic enter our bodies.

The first step to choosing safer plastics is to understand what the numbers represent. So turn your plastic container over, check out the number inside the triangle and read on to see what those numbers mean.

Safer plastics include:

No. 1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) – this plastic is used for most clear beverage bottles, such as water bottles and 2-liter soda bottles. It is one of the most commonly recycled plastics on the planet. The key here is to think about the No. 1 meaning “one-time use." So don't reuse single-use plastics. They can break down and release chemicals into your food or beverage when used repeatedly.

No. 2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) – used to make most milk jugs, shampoo bottles and laundry detergent bottles. Because No. 2 plastic has been found not to leach, Nalgene water bottles are now made from this plastic rather than No. 7 as they were previously.

No. 4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) – used in most plastic shopping bags, food storage bags, some cling wraps and some squeeze bottles.

No. 5 PP (polypropylene) – used in opaque, hard containers, including some baby bottles, cups and bowls, and reusable storage containers (i.e., Tupperware). Drinking straws, yogurt containers and cottage cheese containers are sometimes made with this.

Avoid these plastics:

No. 3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – commonly called “vinyl,” it is used in commercial plastic wraps and salad dressing bottles, shower curtains and, believe it or not, kids toys, backpacks, lunch bags and binders. PVC contains phthalate (softeners need to make the plastic bend), and they have been found to interfere with hormonal development. The production of and burning of PVC plastic releases dioxin, a known carcinogen, into the atmosphere. It’s bad for our health and bad for the environment.

No. 6 PS (polystyrene) – used in Styrofoam cups, meat trays and clamshell-type containers. No. 6 plastics can release potentially toxic materials (including styrene), especially when heated. Yep, that’s right, when heated. So that insulated Styrofoam coffee cup and the to-go container that you put hot food in, well those don’t seem like such a good idea, do they?

No. 7 Other – A wide range of plastic containers are lumped into this category, basically any plastic not rated 1-6. The plastic to be concerned about in this category are the hard polycarbonate plastic bottles, which contain bisphenol-A (BPA). No. 7 plastic is used in some reusable water bottles, baby bottles and some metal can linings. Soft- or cloudy-colored plastic is not polycarbonate. Avoid polycarbonate, especially for children's food and drinks. Trace amounts of BPA can migrate from these containers, particularly if used for hot food or liquids.

In addition to understanding the numbers, you can also use plastics more safely:

Don't microwave in plastic containers. Heat can break down plastics and release chemical additives into your food and drink. Use ceramic or glass instead. Cover food in the microwave with a paper towel instead of plastic wrap.
Use plastic containers for cool liquids only, not hot.
Don't reuse single-use plastics (the No. 1 – PET plastics). They can break down and release plastics chemicals when used repeatedly.
Do not use old, scratched plastic containers. Exposures to plastics chemicals may be greater when the surface is worn down.
Wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element, or by hand.
When using an electric mixer, use a glass or metal bowl instead of plastic to avoid chipping bits into your food.
Use wooden cutting boards instead of plastic ones.
Pick a cotton shower curtain instead of vinyl.
Choose glass or BPA-free baby bottles with a clear silicone nipple.
Avoid plastic-to-mouth contact, especially for babies and kids. Give your baby natural teethers like frozen washcloths.
Look for toys made of natural materials, like wool, cotton and uncoated wood.
To avoid PVC in school supplies, check out the Center for Health Environment and Justice’s (CHEJ) "Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies," which lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of toxic PVC and suggests safer PVC-free products in more than 20 product categories.

Finally, when rethinking and reducing your plastic, remember to recycle any that you don’t need or don’t feel safe using any more.

Keep in mind that No. 1 and No. 2 are almost universally recyclable. No. 5 plastics are usually not recyclable in curbside programs. Other numbers depend upon the recycler. To simplify plastics recycling, here is the basic rule of thumb – if the plastic bottle has a neck that's smaller than the body and has an "alor2" symbol on the bottom, nearly every recycling program will accept it. But please remove the caps from the bottles and throw them in the trash or participate in a program to recycle them. If left in with the recycling, those little caps can ruin a whole batch of recyclables.

The problem with plastics

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:47:00 GMT

When people ask me where to start going green, one of the first things I always suggest is to reduce the use of plastics, particularly disposable ones. I say this because it is one way to go green that is easy to do, healthier for you, better for the planet and puts money in your wallet. It’s a win-win for everyone.

But first, what’s the problem with plastics?

The toxicity of plastics is not fully understood or adequately tested. Most plastics contain chemical additives to make the plastic more pliable or UV resistant, etc. Some of these ingredients or additives are not thoroughly tested, and others we know are harmful, such as bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates (a chemical used as a plastics softener). These chemicals are both shown to be potent hormone disruptors and are increasingly linked to adverse health effects like cancer, infertility, early puberty, obesity, behavior changes and reproductive system damages. For more information, see this post, “What plastics do to your body.”

BPA is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic or items marked with the No. 7 on the bottom. BPA also is used to line the inside of metal food and soda cans, and can leach from the can liner into the food. Phthalates are found in No. 3 plastic, made with polyvinyl chloride or PVC and marked with the No. 3. In addition to the health concerns with PVC plastic, the production of and burning of PVC plastic releases dioxin, a known carcinogen, into the atmosphere. Basically, it’s bad for us and the environment.

We also know that plastics' chemicals leach into the food and water they contain. So that means BPA, phthalates and a host of other chemicals found in plastics end up in our food and water, and eventually, our bodies. While the amount may be small, it is still of concern. In fact, plastics are considered safe not because they have been proven to be safe, only because they have not been proven to be unsafe.

"There is very little published research on the potential adverse health effects of chemicals that leach from plastic food containers, so it's difficult to say they're safe with any degree of certainty, especially with long-term use," according to EWG senior scientist Dr. Anila Jacob.

The second problem with plastics is that they are a huge environmental problem. First, they are a nonrenewable, fossil fuel-based substance. Plastics are made from petroleum so they never ever biodegrade. In fact, every piece of plastic ever produced is still in existence in some form today. Over time (a long period of time) plastics actually photodegrade into smaller and smaller toxic pieces but never disappear. Many of these tiny pieces end up in our oceans and waterways, and are eaten by marine life.

There is so much plastic in the ocean that we have inadvertently created something called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is roughly the size of Texas and contains approximately 3.5 million tons of trash, primarily plastic. In this accidental dump floating midway between Hawaii and San Francisco, plastic-to-sea-life ratios are 6-to-1. Birds and mammals are dying of starvation and dehydration with bellies full of plastics. Fish are ingesting toxins at such a rate that soon they will no longer be safe to eat.

“But I recycle my plastic,” people argue. The fact is, most people don’t. Only 3 percent of the 380 billion (that’s right, billion) plastic bags used in the U.S. each year get recycled. Even if you are one of the few who does recycle your plastic waste correctly, recycling plastic is an inefficient system. It’s actually referred to as “downcycling.” Unlike aluminum or glass, plastic degrades so not only can it never be made into the same form of plastic (like a plastic water bottle into another plastic water bottle), but we also need to introduce new virgin plastic during the recycling process. So while recycling plastic is certainly better than throwing it away, it’s not the silver bullet to solve our plastics problem.

Now that you know the problem with plastics, my next post will discuss how to choose safer plastics and handle them more carefully. Next up, how to reduce your use of plastics overall, and how that benefits your health and actually saves you money.

Safer cell phone use

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:28:00 GMT

Last week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released an interesting report on cell phone radiation. After a 10-month long study, scientists at EWG found that cell phones do indeed release radiation, and this radiation may be linked to possible cancer risks. So, the news for cell phone users (and really that means just about everyone) is not good.

Does this mean that we should all give up our cell phones? Of course that’s not practical for most people, but because many studies suggest that frequent cell phone use can lead to an increased risk for brain and mouth tumors, we should try to limit our cell phone radiation exposure as much as possible.

I encourage you first to download and read EWG’s guide to safer cell phones. There are many more details found there, but here is a quick summary of EWG’s recommendations for safer practices:

Buy a low-radiation phone – You can look up your phone on EWG’s buyer’s guide. If the radiation level of your phone is high, you may want to consider replacing your phone with one that emits a lower level. I was sad to find that my beloved iPhone does not rate well in EWG’s guide – it has a relatively high amount of radiation. But, I can’t even think about living life without it, so, instead, I’m going to try to limit exposure by implementing some of the other suggestions from EWG’s report.

Use a headset or speaker – Headsets emit much less radiation than phones. You can choose either wired or wireless – experts are split on which is safer – choose whichever works best for you. Some wireless headsets emit continuous, low-level radiation, so it is best to take yours off your ear when you're not on a call. As an added bonus, you won’t be embarrassed because you’ve been walking around all day and forgot your blinking bluetooth is still attached to your ear (unless you like that look of course). You can also talk on your phone in speaker mode, which reduces radiation to the head.

Listen more and talk less – Your phone emits radiation when you talk or text outgoing messages, but not when you're receiving messages.

Hold your phone away from your body – Keep your phone away from your body when you're talking (with headset or speaker), not against your ear, in a pocket or on your belt where soft body tissues absorb radiation.

Text more and talk less – If you are the parent of a teenager, this is probably already your primary form of communication. For those who have not yet embraced texting, consider it. Texting is convenient, and your phones use less power (therefore less radiation) to send text messages than phone calls. Also keep in mind that when you are texting, the phone is away from you so less radiation is close to your head. Of course, the one exception is if you are in a car. Texting or e-mailing in the car is not safe (and actually illegal in California). It’s better to talk on a speaker or on your headset.

If you have a poor signal, stay off the phone – Fewer signal bars on your phone mean that it emits more radiation to get the signal to the tower. Make and take calls when your phone has a strong signal and avoid calling when the signal is weak. Also, you won’t annoy callers by dropping the call and having to call back over and over.

Limit cell phone use for children – OK, this is scary. EWG's study shows that young children’s brains absorb twice the cell phone radiation as an adult’s. So, it’s better to wait on cell phones for kids as long as you possibly can – or until you can’t stand the whining anymore. Even then, limit cell phone talking for kids for emergencies only.

Skip the “radiation shield” – Radiation shields (antenna caps or keypad covers) and other radiation blocking devices actually do the opposite of what you may be purchasing them for. In fact, they reduce the connection quality of your phone, making it transmit at a higher power – therefore, higher radiation. So save your money and pass on any such devices that claim to lower the radiation level of your phone.

So, with a few modifications, cell phones can be used more safely. They are a way of life and one that we have become accustomed to, but they are not without their potential dangers. Therefore, like most things, good sense and moderation is the key.

Breathe easier during fire season

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:23:00 GMT

Unfortunately, fires are a reality of living in Southern California, especially in the late summer and fall. As we’ve seen this week, fire season has started early this year. And as hot and dry as it is right now, I fear this is not the last fire we will see before the end of the year.

Two years ago, the fires that were burning in Southern California felt like they were in my backyard. I mean really – here’s a picture taken from my backyard at that time.

I remember firsthand how bad the air quality was. It was awful for months. School was closed for a week, we wore masks every time we had to go outside, I had multiple air filters running day and night, and the ash covered every square inch of my yard for months after. I would clean it all up, then the winds would pick up at night, and it would be covered again.

But even if you aren’t near the area that is burning, air quality can be impacted for many hundreds of miles. For more information, see this article from treehugger.com: “Wildfires Causing Further Deterioration of Southern California’s Air Quality.” In it, Michael Kleinman, a professor of community and environmental medicine at UC Irvine, noted that soot particles (like those currently in the air from multiple fires) "can penetrate deeper in the lungs and have harsher health effects," often causing "tissue damage, inflammation and irritation."

What can you do to protect your lungs and keep your family breathing easy during fire season? Here are some suggestions:

If there is visible smoke in the air, stay inside as much as possible. And definitely do not exercise outside.
Sensitive individuals, such as those with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases, should stay indoors as much as possible even in areas of Southern California (or anywhere that large-scale fires are burning) where smoke, soot or ash cannot be seen in the air.
Use an indoor air filter – if you spend most of your time in a couple rooms of your home, a portable air filter should do the trick. If you are looking to purify the air throughout your home, consider a whole-house filtration system. The performance of portable air cleaners is typically determined by its “Clean Air Delivery Rate” or CADR, which is basically the amount of clean air delivered each minute by the machine. CADRs can usually be found on the box of the air cleaner. For more information about CADRs and air filters, check out the Associate of Home Appliance Manufacturers' (AHAM) explanation of air cleaners here. You can also check out the EPA’s information on indoor air quality here.
If you run your air conditioner, make sure it is set to recirculate your inside air rather than pulling air in from the outside. As I found out a couple years ago, my air conditioning unit could be set to do either/or, so I had to read the manual to make sure I had the unit set on recirculate.
Keep more plants (the real kind) inside your home – plants not only look good, but they can remove dangerous chemicals from the air and produce clean oxygen. You don’t need a green thumb to keep them alive. There are many types that require just a little water once a week or so. To see which plants are most beneficial to your inside air, see “Top 5 Plants for Improving Air Quality.”
Do not use fireplaces (either wood burning or gas), candles and vacuums. Use damp cloths to clean dusty indoor surfaces. Basically, don’t do anything to stir dust particles into the air.
Don’t contribute any extra pollutants to your air – chemical-based cleaners, pesticides and cigarette smoke all contribute to poor indoor air quality. Switch to green cleaning products, natural pesticides and of course, don’t smoke (for many other reasons other than air quality, but add that to the list).

Finally, a big thank you to all the firefighters and other employees at the fire department who work so hard to protect our homes and families. It’s dangerous work, and they deserve all the recognition they receive and more.

'What was I thinking?'

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:29:00 GMT

"What was I thinking?!" This is the phrase that seemed to roll around in my head quite a bit this summer. By this I mean: How is it that I thought I could run a business full time and be a full-time mom at the same time? By full-time mom I mean: no nanny, no after-school care, no babysitter, no parents to help on a regular basis, no husband around to help (I mean I have a husband, but he travels A LOT). Yep, it’s me, taking care of two kids and trying to get a struggling business off the ground all at the same time.

This summer, with no school to occupy my kids during the day, it’s really hit home how crazy I must be. It’s been a struggle. Through a combination of working from home, bringing the kids to the office, some camp, swapping child care with neighbors, my mom helping out every once in a while, we have made it through – but barely. It’s been a juggling act for sure. The funny thing is that thinking back, I really thought I could do it. I thought the juggling act would be manageable. I’m finding out it may be more than I am willing (or able) to do some days.

I decided to start my own business so that I would have flexibility in my work schedule and not have someone else raise my kids. While I do have flexibility, at a certain point, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to even get things done, no matter how I arrange my schedule. Kids need time and attention, my business needs time and attention, household chores need to get done, and sometimes I need to have a little bit of time to myself (and I mean something other than my 6 a.m. 4-mile runs that I squeeze in when my husband is not traveling and my kids are still sleeping).

So, now I find myself at a crossroads – a place that I suspect many mothers find themselves. I feel like I am going to have to decide between the two jobs. My business, buygreen.com, is struggling in the current economy. If I want to make it over that hump, I’m probably going to have to devote my entire being into the business – put my kids in after-school care, put my head down and just go for it. With this effort, maybe I can make it through. On the other hand, I could give it up and devote myself full time to being a mom. Or, I can continue the juggling act, but at what expense to my family and me?

So, I realize that this is not really a “green” topic, but it certainly is a mom topic, and one that I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggles with. If you can relate (or commiserate), or have words of wisdom or advice for me, I would love it if you would share. I’ve found over the years that rather than suffering in silence, it’s better to reach out and ask for help. If anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them. I sure could use some advice.

Back to school in green style

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:23:00 GMT

If you’ve turned on the TV, opened the newspaper or been out shopping lately, you can’t avoid the fact that it’s almost time to go back to school (even if you want to). While I’m a little sad about the end of summer drawing near, I’m also excited for the kids to get back in a routine again and looking forward to an end to my daily juggling act of being a full-time mom and full-time business owner.

Back to school usually means a lot of shopping. This year, get school started off right by making a back-to-school supply list that is better for your kids and good for the planet. Here’s how to do it:

Reuse – The first, easiest and more cost-effective thing to do is to reuse school supplies from last year. Dig through your kids’ desk drawers to find the pens, papers and pencils that you already have and can be used again. I realize this is not as much fun for your kids, but it saves money for you and reduces waste.

Look for reusable products – When you do buy new, look for reusable products, such as refillable highlighters like these AusPen markers or recycled binders by Rebinder, which have replaceable covers.

Buy used – Instead of buying new books, try looking in a local used bookstore for textbooks. You can also check out betterworldbooks.com for information about donating or purchasing used books.

Buy recycled – Most traditional school supplies consume vast amounts of virgin materials, particularly paper. Look for school supplies made from recycled materials, particularly those containing a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content! Check out these New Leaf recycled paper products, Smencils made from recycled newspaper or the Ellie Pooh products made from elephant dung. That’s right, paper made from elephant poop.

Purchase supplies online – Studies show that shopping online is more eco-friendly than driving to the store to purchase items. It’s also much more convenient. Last year, I purchased all our school supplies online. I didn’t drive anywhere, nothing was out of stock, and everything arrived at my door within days. I will never drive around town looking for backpacks and binders again.

Ditch dangerous toxins – Many children’s school supplies, such as lunchboxes, backpacks and binders, are often made out of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a toxic plastic that is dangerous to our health and the environment. PVC, commonly referred to as vinyl, is dangerous throughout its entire life cycle – when manufactured, in use and when it’s thrown away. Unfortunately, you can’t always tell what products contain PVC. To avoid it, check out the Center for Health Environment and Justice’s (CHEJ) Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies, which lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of toxic PVC and suggests safer PVC-free products in more than 20 product categories.

Say no to hand sanitizer – Research shows conventional antibacterial gels may do more harm than good. A better solution – just wash your hands with warm water and eco-friendly soap (free from petroleum solvents, dyes and artificial fragrances). If you must use hand sanitizer, look for all-natural, plant-based hand sanitizers, which are alcohol free and still kill 99 percent of germs.

Pack a better lunch – The average school-age child eating a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste during the year for just one average-size elementary school! If you switch to using reusable containers and reusable water bottles rather than traditional baggies and prepackaged food, you will save about $250 per school year per child and feed your kids healthier food too – prepackaged food is generally high in calories, sodium and fat, and most drink pouches are filled with high-fructose corn syrup. Remember to look for lunch boxes that are lead-free, BPA-free and PVC-free like these bento boxes from Laptop Lunch.

In the midst of the school shopping, remember to enjoy the last of the lazy days of summer with your family. The kids will be a grade older and back in school before you know it.

Composting part three: How do I compost?

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:35:00 GMT

If you have read my previous posts on the why and the what of composting, maybe you are ready to think about trying it yourself. This is part three of this series (sorry for the delay – I was busy enjoying a great vacation and some needed downtime with the family).

Here are some methods and products to help you start composting:

Basic Method – If you have a large yard, a low-cost, hassle-free, mess-free method to composting is to simply bury the kitchen scraps a shovel length or so deep in the garden (or in another low-traffic area of your yard) and then cover them back up with the soil and mulch. You can even plant immediately right on top of your buried compost.

Build It Yourself – You can build a compost bin yourself out of chicken wire and wood or metal posts. For instructions to building your own compost bin see this article from backyardgardener.com or this one entitled “How to Build a Compost Bin”

Compost Bins – Compost bins are the most traditional and reliant composters. They are the tried-and-true models of compost production. Whether your gardening or composting activity is passive or active, the compost bin accommodates both methods. Compost bins come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from slatted mesh and wired pens, to conical models. Here are some examples:

58 gallon compost bin

Outside Gourmet compost bin

Clean Air Gardening’s large bin – I especially like this one, because it’s made from 100 percent recycled polypropylene ( No. 5) plastic, which helps fuel a demand for recycling this widely used material that is generally not recycled.

Compost Tumblers – If you have a small space, this is the composter for you. I have this type of compost bin for two reasons. First, it takes up very little space in my yard. Second, I live next to an open area that houses lots of little critters. This raised, closed system keeps them from accessing my compost material and stealing my food scraps before they even have a chance to turn into compost. These tumblers also make it super easy to rotate your compost material to allow airflow to the waste material. Here are some examples:

Compost Tumbler

Eco-composter

Pet Waste Composter – As I mentioned previously, you cannot compost pet waste in your food waste composter, but there are composting systems available just for this material. For example, this Doggie Poo Eliminator installs in the ground, for clean, convenient waste disposal and odor control. You just drop in dog waste, and then occasionally add digester powder and water for continuous waste breakdown. This unit works by a leach-style system. It has an open bottom so that as the fast acting enzymes and bacteria action break the waste down, the liquid is absorbed into the ground. This unit also has a foot operated Lid Opener. So no more smelly trash can – you can compost your pet waste right in your own backyard.

To make your composting even easier and mess free, also check out these compost accessories:

Countertop collection bin – To reduce the hassle and mess of composting, I use this kitchen counter-top composting bucket and Biobag biodegradable compost bags. So, when my collection bin gets full, I just remove the bag and tie it at the top, then toss the whole thing into my composter. The bag biodegrades along with the food – no mess!

Compost accelerator - Although you can make compost perfectly well without a compost accelerator (also known as compost starter), a lot of people like to use them to speed up the composting time.

These are just a few of the many products on the market today to make composting easy and affordable for everyone – no matter how small a budget or a yard you have. So if you are ready to start reducing your household waste and creating fertilizer for free in your own backyard, go ahead and take the leap. You will find it easier and more enjoyable than you think. Happy composting!

Composting part two: What do I compost?

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:59:00 GMT

Once you are ready to start composting, one of the first things you need to know is what type of food waste can be composted and what can (or should) not.

Good compost material:

Fruit & vegetables. You can compost any part of your fruit and veggie waste – the peels, pits, stems, cores – even those tomatoes you find rotting in the bottom of your crisper because you bought more than you could use.

Egg shells. Egg shells are great, but not the actual eggs.

Tea bags and coffee grounds. Include the paper filter if you use one.

Yard waste. Cut grass, flower stems, leaves – almost any yard waste can be composted.

Biodegradable bags, cups, plates, etc. There are a variety of corn-based bags that can make collecting your compostable food easier and safer. They are fully biodegradable and compostable too – no plastic!

Straw. Straw is a good material for helping to keep a compost pile aerated, because it creates passageways for air to get into the pile. Be sure that the straw gets wet though, as it is very slow to decompose otherwise.

What not to compost:

Meat (including bones) or dairy. Although they will eventually biodegrade, animal products should generally not be composted in backyard composters. These materials smell and are more attractive to pests, so you are better off without them.

Animal waste. Though there are special composting bins just for this; more on that in my next post.

Diseased plants & pernicious weeds. Believe it or not, certain weeds can actually grow in your compost pile. If you are going to compost them, make sure they are dried out first so they can’t reproduce in your composter.

Very large yard clippings. I would keep large branches and leaves out of the home composter, as they just take a long time to break down. But if you have a compost bin for yard clipping through waste management, be sure to put that material in here. It’s more suitable for a commercial composting environment.

Now that you know what types of food waste you can compost, my next post will outline the various types of compost bins and systems available – they will make it easy and economical for you to get started composting today.

Composting part one: Why should I compost?

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:49:00 GMT

I understand how most people feel about composting. In my own journey to going green, composting was one of the last activities that I embraced. I was worried that it was complicated, time consuming and that it would be messy and smelly. I also thought I wouldn’t have room for a compost bin in my yard or have enough garden space to use the top soil it would create.

I’m here to tell you that composting is not hard; it’s not messy, and you don’t need a large yard to do it. So, here's everything you need to know but are afraid to ask about composting.

Compost refers to decomposed organic material. It’s a simple and totally natural process. All you really need to compost are three things we all have readily available: food waste, air and water. If you have a large property or garden, you can literally just bury the food waste in your yard and let nature run its course. For those of us with Southern California-sized yards, you probably want some type of composting bin – more on all the many types of compost bins and systems in a future post.

The first question to answer is: Why even bother composting in the first place? The main benefits of composting are that it significantly reduces food waste in the landfill, and it provides an almost constant source of free fertilizer and soil conditioner.

According to a recent study by the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate roughly 30 million tons of food waste each year – about 12 percent of the total waste stream. All but about 2 percent of this food waste ends up in landfills. In addition, the rotting food that ends up in landfills causes odors; attracts flies and vermin; and produces methane, a major source of greenhouse gases (and according to the EPA, 20 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide).

Not only does composting divert a considerable portion of your family's food waste from the landfill and water treatment facilities, but it is a natural method of taking organic materials that would otherwise be thrown away and turning them into valuable humus, or compost. Flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, grass and even houseplants all grow better in soil mixed with compost. Compost also helps retains water in the soil, adds nutrients to the soil, cools the soil's surface and helps mitigate erosion. And it’s totally free – why go out and buy topsoil when you can create your own endless supply in your backyard?

Home composting is also a great activity for kids. It teaches kids about conservation, and it’s a home science experiment every day. And hey, if it gets the kids to voluntarily do yard work, even better. Seriously, my kids argue over who gets to bring the food waste out to the compost bin and who gets to turn the handle to aerate the material in the composter. Of course, my kids just had a serious argument over who got the little plastic thing that comes in the middle of the pizza box, so maybe that’s not the best example, but I do see that they enjoy being part of the process and seeing the material biodegrade in the compost bin.

So, hopefully I gave you enough to think about that you might consider the idea of composting. If you are ready for more information now, you can check out these links for more information about composting:

Stay tuned: Next up, the types of food and yard waste that can be composted and how to find the perfect composting bins and systems for any price range and property size.

Be green while you celebrate the red, white and blue

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:41:00 GMT

Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. I love the warm weather, barbecues, block parties and fireworks. Here are some ideas for making this year’s celebration a bit more sustainable.

Recycle – If your neighborhood has a block party, volunteer to collect and recycle all the bottles and cans. Every year, my neighborhood has a huge Fourth of July celebration. A few years back, I was enjoying the party but then noticed that there were no recycling bins, and all the cans and bottles were being thrown in the trash. As I tried not to hyperventilate at this realization, I recruited another neighbor and we quickly rolled over our recycling bins to collect everything. Over the past few years, I’ve been more prepared, and now a few neighbors and I have all the recycling bins labeled and ready to go before the event even starts.

Ditch disposable plastic – If you are hosting a party or barbecue, consider reusable plates, utensils and table cloths instead of disposable plastic, which will be sitting around the landfill for the next 100 Fourth of July celebrations (at a minimum). Or, if it’s a large gathering, try compostable plates, cups and utensils instead of plastic.

Reuse decorations – save and reuse your Fourth of July decorations. Our neighborhood has a bike parade for the kids every year. For about four years running, my kids have used the exact same decorations and found new creative ways to apply them to their bikes. Each year, we take them off and box them up until next year’s contest. Here is what the finished product looked like last year (which I think was year No. 4 of the decorations and still going strong):

Avoid fireworks – Look, I love community fireworks displays as much as the next person, but I’m going to be the party pooper and tell you that there is a downside to those beautiful displays. Unfortunately, fireworks contain a variety of chemicals, many of which are toxic to humans and animals. From the gunpowder (usually a mixture of charcoal, sulfur fuel and potassium nitrate) used to launch them, to the metallic compounds that provide the color, fireworks contain radioactive, carcinogenic or endocrine-disrupting substances that seep into the soil and water. Now, isn’t that a bummer? For more information on the environmental problems with fireworks, check out this post from the Mother Nature Network (mnn.com) “Are fireworks bad for the environment.”

The good news is that there are some alternatives on the horizon. In 2004, Disney began using compressed air instead of gunpowder to launch fireworks at Disneyland, reducing the issues of smoky particulates in the air and perchlorates in the water. Researchers are also developing alternative propellants that use nitrogen-rich materials in place of perchlorates, but those will not be available for a few years. So the greenest thing to do for now is to avoid the fireworks show in favor of a parade, campout or laser show. But, if a fireworks show is part of your plan (my family is going to the Angels game, so fireworks will definitely be part of our day), enjoy them without guilt. They would be going on whether you were there or not. But please do not purchase or set off your own fireworks – they are not safe, they pollute and they are illegal in most neighborhoods in California due to the fire danger involved.

I hope you have a happy and safe Fourth of July. Here’s to celebrating our great country while also respecting the earth this holiday.

Green summer activities for kids

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:15:00 GMT

Summer has officially started, and my kids could not be more excited. About day No. 2 though, I heard the dreaded “Mom, I’m bored.” Now, I’ve already told my kids it’s not my job to keep them occupied all summer, but to help us stay busy (and me stay sane), I decided to look for some fun, economical, eco-friendly activities. Here is what I came up with:

Museums and exhibits – These are always a great learning experience and generally economical, too. For those of you in the Orange County area, there is a new traveling eco-exhibit at The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Called “Smokey Bear, Woodsy Owl, Home Sweet Home,” this exhibit helps kids learn about protecting the Earth and its many ecosystems. We previewed it last week with a group of five kids, ranging in age from 3 to 9, and there was something to keep them all occupied.
Here’s our group hanging out in the tent having a “camp out.”

If you are interested in visiting the Discovery Science Center, here is an admission coupon good through the end of June.

The library – What could be more economical and green than a trip to the local library? Borrow some books, read and return. Now that’s a sustainable activity. While you are there, look for these great green summer reads, recommended by the Mother Nature Network. My kids' favorite from this list is “The Lorax” by Dr. Suess (which, is it just me, or does that Snuggie advertised on TV remind you of a Thneed?).

Green TV – I admit it, when I need to get some work done, or just want some peace and quiet, I let my kids tune in to TV. Here's how to turn it on guilt-free. Avoid useless programming that fills the time without offering any real benefit (yes Sponge Bob, I’m talking to you). Instead, tune in to Discovery’s Animal Planet; Stuff Happens” with Bill Nye the Science Guy on Planet Green; or "Zoboomafoo" or “Sid the Science Kid” on PBS. Or, rent the “Planet Earth” DVDs – a beautiful, fascinating series for kids and adults. If you have not seen it yet, please go rent it today. You will not be disappointed. You can also rent “March of the Penguins,” "Wall-E"or other movies for kids with uplifting, planet-positive messages.

Plant some seeds – It’s a bit harder to grow things in hot weather, but your local nursery can help you find some good summer seeds to plant. Or, plant the seed inside in a clear glass jar with a paper towel and water. Add more water every day and watch how the seed grows roots, gets taller and changes over the summer.

Organize and Donate – A great activity for kids during summer is to organize their school supplies, rooms and closets. Take any outgrown clothes and toys and donate to charity. Let your child carry in the donation and get the receipt. It will help them feel good about their hard work.

Remember, you can make virtually any summer activity greener by packing your own healthy, organic food in reusable containers, filling up your reusable water bottle and protecting your skin, with all-natural, mineral-based sunscreen.

Small choices like these can ensure your kids have a green summer, all summer long.

The better, safer, greener way to get that golden summer glow

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:07:00 GMT

In my last post, I encouraged you to protect yourself and your family from the sun as much as possible, limiting exposure, and wearing a safe, mineral-based sunscreen every day. So what’s a fair-skinned girl to do – forgo any hint of a summer glow? I know that I don’t want to be a shade of shocking white when I hit the beach this summer - so, what’s the alternative?

Hit the tanning bed of course – okay, just kidding. I wish I could say I never did this, but I did have a brief period when I sported big hair and jeans that cinched around my waist (wait, those are back, but why?!); and had a friend who worked at a tanning salon. Free tans sounded like quite a bargain back then. Now that I’m concerned about things like skin cancer, wrinkles and sun spots, I realize, well…not so much.

A better, safer alternative is to apply a self tanner. They’ve come a long way from the QT days (anyone else remember this?). New self-tanners are safe, effective, and won’t make you turn orange. For a sun-kissed look without downside of painful sunburn and increased risk of skin cancer and wrinkles, try one of these safer self tanners:

Lavera - Organic soy extracts provide the active ingredient and are combined with extracts of sugar to deliver a smooth application and a natural, even result. Winner of the "Best Sunless Tan" Award by GorgeouslyGreen.com's 2008 Beauty Awards.
Sircuit Soliel - an oil-free bronzing lotion, this unique formula is quickly absorbed into the skin, and spreads easily. At $48 dollars for 4oz. it's one of the higher priced natural self tanners but offers the added benefit of firming and toning the skin, not something offered by most self tanners.
Kiss My Face Instant Sunless Tanner - No animal ingredients, artificial colors, or animal testing. At $12.95, a much more reasonably priced way to get a golden tan.
DIY – For a do-it-yourself recipe using ingredients found in your kitchen, check out this Care2.com post. I haven’t tried this yet, but it sure is safe and inexpensive. If it’s effective too, what a bargain!
More Sunless Tanning Alternatives – If you have read my blog before, you know I’m a huge fan of the Environmental Working Group’s cosmetics database. You can find many more sunless tanning products complete with EWG’s safety ratings here. When looking for a self tanner, try to find “plant-derived DHA” in the ingredients list, with a concentration of 2-5 percent. And as with all personal care products, look for those that are free from chemical fragrances, chemical preservatives and parabens.

Other self tanner tips (and I’ve applied enough poorly over the years to speak from experience):

Apply to clean, dry, freshly shaved skin.
Avoid streaks by exfoliating well before you apply.
Moisturize any dry areas and put some moisturizer on hands, feet, knees and elbows before applying self tanner – sunless tanners absorb more readily on dryer areas.
Wash your hands thoroughly after application. If you have experienced the “tan hand” look before, you know what I mean.
If you can, wait about 15 minutes to get dressed after applying self-tanner. (I know, what mom has 15 minutes to just hang around waiting for self tanner to absorb?).

It takes a little practice, but it’s worth it. You can get the sun-kissed glow of summer without any harsh chemicals; and without risk of burning, wrinkles and skin cancer. Not that’s a summer glow that’s green.

Go green this summer without getting red

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:12:00 GMT

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to stock up on sunscreen. But it’s more than just an issue of what’s on sale and what level SPF to buy. Sunscreens vary widely in terms of safety and effectiveness. A recent study of 1,000 sunscreens by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that four out of five sunscreens the organization tested contain chemicals that may pose health hazards and/or don't adequately protect skin from the sun's damaging rays. The report found that some of the worst offenders are the leading brands like Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena.

For the study, EWG looked at each sunscreen’s effectiveness in blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards. Unfortunately, only 14 percent of sunscreens tested met the EWG criteria. For more on this study and for detailed ratings of more than 800 sunscreens, check out EWG’s cosmetics database and the Guide to Safer Sunscreens.

To get a better idea of what makes sunscreen effective and safe, I think it’s good to discuss the two main types of sun protection available – chemical sunscreens and mineral sunscreens.

Chemical sunscreens (as the name implies) use chemical compounds (like avobenzone, oxybenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate) to block the sun. These chemicals absorb the light rays rather than deflect them, with the majority of them only blocking one kind of the sun’s rays (either UVB or UVA). To account for this, many chemical-based sunscreens use different types of chemicals to block both kinds of UV rays. A problem with chemical sunscreens is that they tend to break down quickly after application (especially when exposed to water and sweat). Also, these sunscreens use very small chemical particles (often called nanoparticles), which are small enough to penetrate the skin and enter the blood stream.

The other type of sunscreen is mineral-based sunscreen. Mineral sunscreens contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which are minerals that deflect the sun’s rays. So, unlike chemical sunscreens that absorb the rays, these sunscreens form a physical barrier to protect your skin from absorption. Look for sunscreen with at least 7 percent zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad-spectrum protection. One issue with mineral sunscreens is that they can also contain micronized particles. So look for mineral sunscreens with larger mineral particles (larger than 100 nanometers).

There are a number of safe, effective mineral sunscreens on the market. You just may have to look beyond the big brands to discover some safe and effective sunscreens – like UV Natural, Soleo Organics, Marie Veronique and California Baby. These brands can be found in health-food stores, online and even in some traditional drug stores.

More sunscreen tips:

The majority of sun damage occurs before the age of 18, so it’s important to keep kids protected from too much sun exposure.
Apply sunscreen often – more frequent applications protect even better than a high SPF rating. As a general rule, try to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before sun exposure and then reapply every two hours at a minimum.
You don’t have to have SPF 90 to be protected – SPF 15 blocks 93.3 percent of UV rays while SPF 30 blocks 96.6 percent, even though concentration of active ingredients is doubled. While a minimum SPF 30 is recommended, some rays will penetrate your sunscreen no matter how high the rating – that’s why you need to reapply frequently.
Apply generously – many dermatologists recommend using a full ounce on sunscreen (an amount that would fill a shot glass) if you are applying to your face and body. Most people use about half that amount.
Broad spectrum is crucial. Look for broad-spectrum products that filter the UVA rays that penetrate to the dermis, causing damage that may show up years later. There is no FDA requirement for sunscreen to block any UVA rays at all, so read the label and buy carefully.
Include antioxidants – with sun exposure, free radical formation is inevitable, but damage to your skin can be minimized with the use a topical Vitamin C or antioxidant product at night, especially after a day in the sun. Also look for mineral sunscreens that are high in antioxidants like green tea.
Prevent sun damage now and later – the UVB (burning) rays are 1,000 times stronger than UVA rays, while UVA (aging) rays are 1,000 times more prevalent than UVB rays.

So, when it comes to sunscreen your rule of thumb should be: To prevent burning, wear a lot, to prevent aging, wear it all the time.

Should I buy a new car?

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:47:00 GMT

After the recent bankruptcy of General Motors, experts say that this may be a great time to get a new car. I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while now, and it may be time for me to go for it.

The decision of whether to buy a new car is complicated for me. First and foremost, I would have to accept that I actually have a car payment. I have had my car for seven years and really like not having a car payment. But, my car is getting older, it may need repairs soon, and I want a car with better gas mileage. So, I’ve worked the payment into my budget, and now the questions are: Should I replace my current car, and, if so, what should I get?

One factor in my decision is what truly is the greenest car-buying decision? Is it to keep my current car well-maintained and running efficiently, with regular oil changes, scheduled maintenance, proper tire inflation (for a great list of how you can get maximum gas mileage from your current vehicle, check "66 Ways to Save Money on Gas" from treehugger.com); or is it to get a new car that is cleaner burning and gets almost double the gas mileage? For some of the most and least fuel-efficient 2009 vehicles, check out this list from fueleconomy.gov or this article from CNNmoney.com.

My current car, which for some reason people always ask me about, as if my answer to this question will determine how “green” I really am, is a Honda Pilot. Yes, an SUV. But, in my defense, it’s no Hummer (don’t even get me started on this car). And when I bought it seven years ago, it was the most fuel-efficient eight-passenger vehicle available. It’s also an ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) and virtually 100 percent recyclable. And yes, I really did use the space when I had two small kids, and I was often shuttling around extra kids too – I’m big on carpooling. Also, when we would go on vacation years ago, we would schlep around a double stroller, pack and play, two car seats – you know the drill. But, my kids are getting older, their friends are getting older, and with new airbag technology, I can actually seat some of the older kids in the front passenger seat now. Most of the time, I don’t have that many people or that much stuff in the car where I need all the space. Still, there are a couple times a week when the third row comes in handy – when I get that last-minute call to pick up my neighbor's kids or I’m driving four or five kids back and forth to practice, or even when I fold down all the seats and I’m hauling around stuff for my business. But really, is this enough to justify the extra gas that I’m guzzling?

So, I’m thinking about buying a smaller hybrid car where I would lose space but make big gains in fuel efficiency. The two that I’m looking at are, of course, the Toyota Prius and also the Honda Insight. I really love Hondas – I’ve owned two now that were the most reliable and well-built cars I have ever had.

So, what do you think? What’s the greenest choice – make the best of what you have or buy the new, more-efficient car? If it’s to buy a new car, what are some other economical, family-friendly, fuel-efficient models available right now? Also, any moms out there who downsized your car, and, if so, are you happy about it or did you regret it? Please share – I would love to hear your thoughts.

Tree free mail is here!

Fri, 29 May 2009 08:25:00 GMT

What if you could send and receive correspondence without using a single piece of paper? And, no I'm not talking about just e-mail; I mean everything – from bills to advertisements, to birthday cards. Well, I discovered an awesome new service the other day, and I'm happy to say that now you can. The service is called Zumbox, and it is like a snailmail/e-mail hybrid that is (in my opinion), genius.

This is the first all-digital online alternative to the traditional paper postal service, according to Zumbox, and as long as you have a street address, you can start using it. Every U.S. street address can create an online mailbox with Zumbox. Businesses, restaurants, banks, nonprofits, even your grandmother – anyone who sends you mail through the postal service can sign up with Zumbox and send the mail electronically instead.

At first glance, I was wondering exactly what mail I will be saving with this service. I pretty much receive all my bills online and pay them online, too. The problem is that only 3 to 5 percent of people in the U.S. actually do this, according to Zumbox. In addition, many businesses have a hard time going totally paperless because it is difficult to securely send information to e-mail addresses. However, with Zumbox, your mailing address is the place where digital mail is securely sent, opening the door to send virtually anything, well virtually.

To get started, just put in your name and address at zumbox.com. The company will mail a security code to your home address via the U.S. Postal Service (yes, through snail mail, but this is just to get your account set up). It takes 3-4 days to receive your code. When you receive the code in the mail, you return to zumbox.com and type in your security code to register your address for a Zumbox account. Then, you will be ready to send and receive your confidential mail through Zumbox. Any person or company who uses this service can send you electronic mail instead of traditional mail. As an added bonus, this service is even more secure than your average mailbox. And, you can get your mail anywhere – from work, on the road, even on vacation.

So, for this system to work and for us to see the environmental benefits, a large percentage of the population would need to be using it. That's why I'm spreading the word. We need lots of people to sign up for this service. Currently, about 700 million pieces of paper mail are delivered daily in the U.S. – this includes letters, cards, advertisements and bills. Wow, that's a lot of paper!

Zumbox projects that if all U.S. households received and paid their bills electronically, the country would save 16.5 million trees annually. That's the amount of lumber needed for 216,054 single-family homes. Not to mention all the emissions spared from mail trucks as well.

Be one of the early adopters and tell your friends and family about it too. It's free, it's easy, it's secure, and it's green. How cool is that?

Greener birthday parties for kids

Tue, 19 May 2009 13:21:00 GMT

My son’s birthday party is this weekend, and he is so excited. He can’t wait for his party. This year, we are keeping it simple with just a few friends coming over for a sleepover – very low key – and my son could not be more excited. Just goes to show, it doesn’t have to be over the top. Kids are happy with simple things. And parents are happier too. I know I am. I can do without the stress and expense of a big party.

Over the years though, my kids’ birthday parties have run the gamut, from a quiet celebration at home with the family, to an all out themed bash, complete with decorations, games, and tons of food and drinks for kids and adults. At times, I have gone over the top. The funny thing is, most of those parties were when my kids were really young and they don’t even remember them anyway.

My advice is first and foremost, to keep it simple – especially when they are young. You can go all out on a child’s second birthday party, but odds are you will cause yourself a lot of stress and expense, and your child may end up over stimulated and in tears by the end of the day.

Simple parties are easier to plan, less expensive, and better for the planet too. Here are some tips for keeping it simple and green:

Easy, inexpensive, reused party décor – You don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of decorations. Odds are you (or some of your friends and neighbors) already have many things in your own home you can use to decorate. A couple years ago, my daughter wanted a High School Musical birthday. I vowed that other than food, I would not purchase one thing for the party. Well, just by scouring my house to see what kind of things we already had in storage, I was able to decorate the whole party with things I found around the house – metallic stars from New Year’s eve parties past, vinyl records from her Dad’s collection that he can’t part with, place mats cut from red fabric left over from Halloween costumes long gone. We did print some pictures from the movie on the computer (on 100% post consumer recycled paper – bonus!) and put a couple of those in frames and hung them on the wall to complete the theme. So I did it – the only new thing we purchased was my daughter’s gift, High School Musical Sing-It for the Wii – which she opened early so it doubled as a party activity. Here’s a picture of the girls at the HS Musical themed table having dinner –

And, I was told by one of Emma’s friends the next day that it was the “best birthday party ever!” I considered that a big compliment coming from an 8-year old girl who’s been to many much pricier birthday parties in her day. Goes to show again, it’s about the friends and fun, not the stuff.

Better party favors – I’m a big believer in no party favors (yes, we’ve done it and lived to tell. As a matter of fact, only a couple of kids even noticed). Or, just one small favor for each guest – like a fairy wand if you having a princess party or a sword for a pirate party. For my daughters HS Musical party, we gave out reused favors (and got away with it). We found old blank CD’s stuffed in drawer of the office (from the days before iPods) and burned soundtracks for each girl as a party favor. Whatever you do, please ditch the plastic “goodie bag” (which really, is “good” for no one) filled with cheap trinkets. Those things end up broken and in the trash by the time your guests make it home. Not to mention the plastic bag is always trash bound and totally unrecyclable.

Reusable or biodegradable food serving – Our recent birthday parties have been small so I didn’t need to buy any disposable plates or cutlery. Certainly, most of us can find enough plates, cups and cutlery for a small group of kids. If you are having a larger party, consider biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery, or paper goods made from recycled paper.

Better gifting with less waste – Let’s face it, every year your kids end up with gifts (from well meaning family and friends) that you just have no room for, no patience for, or you child has no interest in. Save your guests the money and yourself the hassle by considering no gifts or a group gift. Here is a great solution - invented by two moms who were tired of witnessing first hand all the birthday party waste, Echoage makes greening kids birthday parties easy. With this service, you select an eco-friendly birthday party invitation, choose a cause and invite your friends. Then, instead of bringing wrapped and packaged presents, guests simply rsvp online and make secure online contributions that are pooled for the purchase of one memorable gift for the birthday boy and girl and the remainder of the money to donate to the cause of your choice. What a great solution!

So here’s to happy kids, happy parents, a happy planet and Happy Birthdays!

Natural cures for insomnia

Wed, 13 May 2009 13:21:00 GMT

I hope this topic doesn’t apply you. But if (like me) you suffer from insomnia, maybe I can provide some help to you as I try to help myself. Or, maybe you have experienced similar issues and can help me.

I’m working on this post at 4 a.m. – a time when hopefully most of you are tucked in bed, off in dreamland. Because if you haven’t experienced insomnia, count yourself as very fortunate. This isn’t a problem I would wish on anyone. It’s frustrating, exhausting and makes for one tired and cranky momma during the day.

There are different types of insomnia: transient, intermittent and chronic. Transient – or short-term – insomnia occurs when you have problems sleeping for a single night or up to a few weeks. Intermittent is short-term insomnia that occurs from time to time. Chronic insomnia is difficulty sleeping most nights and lasts longer than one month. Both transient and intermittent insomnia are more common and caused by stress, change in your environment, temperature extremes, outside noise, medication side effects or a change in your sleep schedule (such as jet lag). I have what I would characterize as intermittent insomnia brought on by periods of high stress. When my stress level goes up, my sleep hours go down. It’s a bad combination.

I have tried a number of tricks and techniques over the years and sometimes feel tempted to resort to sleeping medication. I do not want to go down that road, so first I’m researching natural solutions. Here is what I’ve found.

Melatonin – a natural hormone produced by the pineal gland, which regulates many hormones in the body. Among its roles: controlling the body’s circadian rhythm, which is the internal time-keeping system that controls when we fall asleep and wake up. Readily available in health food stores, there is evidence that Melatonin can help regulate sleep for insomnia sufferers. It’s best to start with a low dose (under 3 mg) and increase or decrease according to your reaction to it. For more information, see this article: "Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement and ADHD."

Valerian Root – a natural nontoxic herb that may help with insomnia. Not as common or commercially available as melatonin, it would be best to talk to your doctor about trying this as an insomnia solution. More information on Valerian Root and insomnia can be found in this article from about.com.

Diet & Exercise – As is true of pretty much everything in life, a healthy diet and exercise will improve the situation. Avoid caffeine late in the afternoon or evening (but for those of us with insomnia, caffeine in the morning is usually a must). Many friends have suggested I try alcohol to help with sleep, but actually alcohol works against the body in establishing a sleep schedule, especially on the back end – you can go to sleep but not stay asleep, which is my challenge, so alcohol is not helpful. For more on alcohol as a sleep aid and other sleep myths, check out "5 Sleep-Myths Busted."

Routines – Getting in a regular sleep routine is very important. See "10 Tips for Restful Sleep" for suggestions on how to make your sleeping environment more conducive. Of course, I’m breaking rule No. 4 right now: “Your bed is not a desk.” Working on my laptop in bed just makes me feel better than going downstairs in the dark and working in the office. So sorry, No. 4 is out for me. Many other great suggestions are here though for making your environment more conducive to sleep.

Relaxation – yoga, acupuncture, meditation, there are many ways to manage anxiety that are good for sleep and healthy for your body, both physically and emotionally. I was a big yoga fan for years but haven’t kept up with it because of my lack of time. I think it’s time to get back into it again. It’s great exercise and really good at helping you relax and quiet your mind.

If you have ever suffered from insomnia and have any recommendations, please leave a comment and let me know what worked for you. I’m open to almost any suggestions that will help me to get the sleep I need. The quality and quantity of sleep that we get is crucial for health, safety and longevity. It’s not something we can function without. Here’s wishing all of us sweet dreams and a full restful night’s sleep.

Close the loop, buy recycled

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:38:00 GMT

The final critical step of the recycling process is to purchase products made from recycled material. If we increase the demand for recycled products, recycled material becomes more valuable. If recycled material is more valuable, guess what, more people recycle. It’s a win-win for everyone. Here are some products that you can and should buy recycled:

Paper – Look for the highest percentage of post-consumer content possible. Post-consumer waste is a term used to describe material that is being reused/recycled after it has been in the consumer’s hands (like a newspaper going back to the paper mill to be recycled into new recycled content paper products). It also indicates that the material is not from the manufacturing process, but from a finished product that has already been used by another person. I love the 100 percent post-consumer recycled copy paper from New Leaf Paper. You can also find paper made from agricultural waste including banana, coffee, lemon and mango fiber, or even paper made from elephant dung. Yep, you heard me right, elephant dung – and no, it doesn’t smell.

Glass – Many products can be made from recycled glass. Glass is a great material for recycling because unlike plastic, it doesn’t downcycle. By downcycling, I mean the recycling of a material into one of lesser quality. So if you can, choose glass over plastic when you are purchasing items in the first place, then recycle it and buy products made from recycled glass. From smaller items like jewelry or dishware to large items like countertops, recycled glass is a beautiful material with many applications.

Plastic –When compared to other materials like glass and metal, plastic polymers require much more processing to be recycled (i.e., significantly more energy consumed in the process). Plastics also must be of almost identical composition in order to mix efficiently. When different types of plastics are melted together, they tend to separate, like oil and water, and set in layers. This results in a structurally weak material with limited applications. Generally, the most recyclable plastic is PET, or No. 1 plastic. Many products use recycled PET from backpacks to shopping bags to one of my favorite T-shirts from a company called Revenge Is. That T-shirt is so soft, I really can’t believe it's made from plastic bottles.

Bags and Accessories – From purses to earrings, messenger bags to pencil pouches, many of the accessory items we use can be made from recycled material – incorporating great design and function, too. TerraCycle is an industry leader in creating upcycled products. With bags made from juice pouches, candy wrappers, chip bags and gum packaging, there seems to be no end to what this company can make from our trash.

Know of more great products made from recycled material? Leave a comment below to share it.

I can even recycle that?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:41:00 GMT

If you read my last post on recycling, you know that 75 percent of what we throw out can be recycled through most municipal recycling programs. What to do with the remaining 25 percent? Well, don’t throw it out yet. There are many programs designed especially to handle recycling of these problem materials – the special plastics and other items that can’t be recycled by traditional methods. Here are some tips for recycling some of those leftover items:

Styrofoam – Also known as expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, it’s a version of plastic No. 6 (polystyrene). Here’s the problem: Even if your community recycles plastic No. 6, it may not accept EPS. Because it’s so lightweight, EPS takes up 0.01 percent of the total municipal solid waste stream by weight, but its volume is a greater problem than its weight. It takes up a lot of space in landfills and doesn’t biodegrade. A better solution is to recycle it, and here’s how:

Drop-off sites – Check Earth911 to find polystyrene recycling sites in your area. Bring empty containers free of food waste, tape, labels, plastic film, etc. These contaminants can ruin the recycling process.
Mail-back – If you can’t find a drop-off site in your area, you can also use a mail-back program such as the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers.
Reuse for shipping – What about packing peanuts? Their simplest reuse is in another package for shipping. If you aren’t shipping something anytime soon, you can donate them to UPS or other shipping stores that will reuse the material. If you are in the Southern California area, you can also drop off packing peanuts and any other shipping supplies to the office of buygreen.com in Irvine. We ship all our orders in all reused packaging. In fact, we have never purchased a new box or packaging material – everything is reused. We depend on friends, neighbors and local businesses for these materials. Here’s a picture of the BuyGreen team in front of our box catcher that we built especially for holding all our reused boxes.

Bottle Caps – Before recycling plastic bottles, you should remove the caps so they don’t ruin the batch of recycling. The good news is that you don’t have to throw them away. You can collect and recycle these too (just not in your municipal waste can). Aveda has a nationwide in-store program to recycle plastic caps. Just bring your bottle caps to participating stores and schools. The caps are sent by Aveda to the recycler where the material is recycled into new caps and containers.

No. 5 Plastics – Items such as yogurt, margarine, deli tubs and plastic cutlery (usually No. 5 plastic) frequently are not recyclable in municipal waste programs. Consider washing and reusing them instead. If you can’t reuse, Preserve (a company that creates household products out of recycled plastic) has teamed up with Stoneyfield Farms for the Gimme 5 program. By dropping your No. 5 plastic containers in a Preserve Gimme 5 bin (which also accepts Brita water pitcher filters), your old plastic can be turned into new products such as toothbrushes, razors and tableware. You can drop off all No. 5 plastic items at participating Whole Foods locations nationwide.

Eye Glasses – Go to One Sight to find your nearest drop-off location. After cleaning, the company will send them to developing countries and pair them up with people with similar prescriptions.

Coats – Go to One Warm Coat to find out how to donate your old winter coats. The organization's goal is to provide any person in need with a warm coat, free of charge.

Athletic Shoes – Since I am training to run my first marathon and I have old knees, I go through running shoes about every six months. I was especially happy to find two options for recycling them. The first is One World Running. You can send your still-wearable shoes to this agency, and it gets them to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America and Haiti. The second is Nike’s Reuse-a-shoe program. It can turn your tired, can’t be worn again shoes into playground and athletic flooring.

Crocs – Yes, even your beloved, unattractive but oh so comfortable Crocs can be recycled. Crocs Inc. launched a recycling program, SolesUnited, in early 2008. SolesUnited is a first-of-its-kind program created in response to the desperate need for quality footwear in impoverished countries and areas affected by tragedy. Blending environmental and humanitarian efforts, the company is collecting, regrinding and remolding your old Crocs shoes into new and donating these to people in need of shoes around the world. You drop them off at participating retailers or you can mail your Crocs to one of two recycling centers:

Crocs recycling – west
3375 Enterprise Ave.
Bloomington, CA 92316

Crocs recycling – east
1500 Commodity Blvd.
Lockbourne, OH 43137

Computers – The National Cristina Foundation gives companies and individuals the opportunity to donate their used computers, which are matched to charities and schools in their area. This keeps good working equipment from local landfills, and provides training and computer access for people with disabilities, students at risk and economically challenged persons.

Mobile Phones (and other rechargeable batteries) – The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. is a nonprofit agency dedicated to rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling. Go to the site locator where you can type in your zip code to find a participating location near you. Mobile phones are refurbished and resold if possible with a portion of the proceeds going to charitable organizations. Rechargeable batteries are recycled to reclaim reusable materials such as nickel and iron to make stainless steel. None of the by-products of this process are sent to landfills.

Batteries – Battery Solutions' easy-to-use recycling kits are designed to make battery recycling for homes or businesses as easy and hassle-free as possible, while helping you protect the environment.

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) – Take them to your local IKEA store for recycling. You can also order a Sylvania RecyclePak online and mail them in for recycling.

Those are just a few of the many programs out there for recycling otherwise unrecyclable items. With just a little bit of research, you can find an organization that will accept almost any item you may need to throw out. Do you know of more? If so, please post a comment and link below. Let’s keep the list growing.

Can I recycle this?

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:24:00 GMT

Of all the questions I am asked about going green, probably the most common is, “Can I recycle this?” Most people want to do the right thing by recycling, but it’s not always clear what is recyclable and what is not. Every day, the average American produces 4.6 pounds of trash – 75 percent of which is recyclable if we just pay a little attention to how and where to do so.

If you aren’t recycling at the home and office, start today. Many cities like mine have adopted a "single stream" collection system, meaning that recyclables do not need to be sorted in separate bins. All recyclables can be placed in one bin and are taken away and sorted at the site. So really, it only takes the addition of one separate recycling can in your home, and you are well on your way. Despite this fact, members of my own extended family (who shall remain nameless but know who they are) still can’t seem to participate. Of course this drives me completely crazy, and I just end up just taking my recyclables home with me whenever I visit them. For me, recycling is just something you do as a member of society – like paying taxes or obeying the rules of the road. It’s just a given, and there is really no excuse for not doing it, except lack of information. So, let me try to shed some light on the recycling rules for the different materials we should all be recycling.

Metal – One of the most recyclable materials, virtually all types of metal can go in the recycling bin including soda cans; canned food containers (a quick rinse of these is fine, only remove labels if requested by your recycling facility); rinsed aluminum pie tins and foil; metal bottle caps; wire hangers; empty aerosol cans (yep, even aerosol cans as long as they are empty); and other scrap metal. Only note on metal recycling – no batteries or electronics. Those items should be dropped off at your local hazardous waste disposal location (check earth911.com to find the drop site nearest you).

Plastic – The key to plastics is the numbers found on the bottom of the containers. No. 1 and No. 2 are almost universally recyclable. No. 5 plastics are usually not recyclable in curbside programs. Other numbers depend upon the recycler. To simplify plastics recycling, here is the basic rule of thumb – if the plastic bottle has a neck that's smaller than the body and has an "alor2" symbol on the bottom, nearly every recycling program will accept it. But please remove the caps from the bottles and throw them in the trash or drop them off to a company that will recycle them (more information on that coming in a future post). If left in with the recycling, those little caps can ruin a whole batch of recyclables. Plastic bags are also not recyclable in curbside waste collection but are recyclable at most grocery stores – you will find a bin at the front of the store for dropping these off for recycling.

Glass – Just rinse out glass bottles and jars, and throw away or recycle their caps. Don’t worry about the labels. They will be burned off at the recycling facility. The only thing to remember about glass is that some programs won't take certain colors of glass (particularly blue). Also treated glass, like broken dishes, incandescent light bulbs and window glass should be thrown in the regular trash can.

Paper – Paper can be recycled up to seven times, and it is easier, cheaper and more energy efficient to make pulp out of recycled paper than wood. So, recycling paper makes a huge difference. In 2008, 57.4 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. You can recycle paper in almost all forms, from cardboard to newspapers, copy paper to envelopes (yes, even with that little plastic window), and even the glossy paper found in advertisements and magazines. You don’t even need to remove staples, paper clips or spirals in notebooks; they'll be taken out during the recycling process. Now really, could they make it any easier for us? The only things to watch out for are pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), which can ruin an entire batch of recycled paper. So, please remove any complimentary address labels and other stickers before you toss your junk mail. The same goes for sticky notes. Stamp adhesive is fine, it’s just the peel-and-stick kind of stuff that gums up the paper recycling process. Also, don't shred paper unless you really need to. Most recyclers are not able to accept shredded paper.

Probably the most important thing to remember about paper is to leave out anything that's food-stained, like pizza boxes (though you can rip the box apart, discarding the soiled part and recycling the rest). Here’s an interesting blog post to check out on this subject from the Mother Nature Network. When in doubt though, throw it out. Food is one of the worst contaminants in the paper recycling process. Whole batches of otherwise recyclable paper end up in the landfill because of spoilage due to food. Also out: plastic-coated paper plates and cups (but flattened milk cartons are usually acceptable); heavily dyed, brightly colored paper (it’s just too difficult to bleach it back to a usable form); and books (but you can donate these to a local library, school or charitable organization).

Still unsure about what can be recycled or where you can go to recycle your items? The single-best source of information on this topic can be found at earth911.com. Just enter what you want to recycle and your zip code to find out almost anything you need to know about recycling in your area.

Earth Day activities for kids

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:31:00 GMT

This week we celebrate Earth Day. The first official Earth Day was in 1970. It used to be celebrated on the first day of spring (the March Equinox) and still is by some. As a worldwide celebration, however, it is celebrated April 22, the more widely recognized date.

Earth Day is a great holiday to get the kids involved, and there are plenty of ways to do it. Here are some ideas for getting in the Earth Day spirit with your kids:

Pick up trash around your neighborhood, at your school or at the park.
Plant a tree, or flower, or even a houseplant – they all absorb CO2 and produce oxygen.
Make crafts with reused materials – you can find instructions for making a milk carton bird feeder, cereal box magazine holder, aluminum can pots and many more at kaboose.com. And even more Earth Day crafts can be found at enchantedlearning.com.
Make your own recycled paper – a great activity to do with your kids. An interesting experiment for moms, too.
Play Earth Day-themed games online – a few to check out are the Clean up Your World Game and the Earth Day Fun Center.
Talk about water conservation – go to getwise.org for kids' activities and teacher resources for learning about water conservation.
Get your kids involved in recycling – it's a perfect age-appropriate activity and something that kids can do themselves and see a real impact.
Read Earth Day poems and rhymes.
Read Earth Day-themed books with your kids – there are many great suggestions here, including "Earth Day Hooray." Over the years, my son latched on to this book. I am so happy that he did, but he pulled it out again (for the 100th time) the other night, and I admit, I cringed at the thought of reading it – but not because it’s not a good book. I just can’t bring myself to count bags of aluminum cans one more time. So, we’ll be searching this list for a new Earth Day book that mom hasn’t read way too many times already.

The most important thing you can do on Earth Day and every day is to be a good role model for your kids. Our children look to us to set an example. If we really care about kids, we will take better care of Earth. After all, our kids will be around much longer than us to see the results of our actions.

Green your taxes

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:37:00 GMT

Finally, my taxes are done. Boy – this is a weight off my shoulders. Being a business owner, I’m also responsible for corporate taxes in addition to my own taxes for my family. It’s really stressful. Thankfully, I have a good CPA – someone I could not live without. Honestly, I don’t know how people in this field do it, but I’m glad that they do, and I applaud CPAs and accountants everywhere.

Hopefully, your taxes are done too, but if not, there is still time to get them done. And to make the process a little less stressful and little greener, file your taxes online. By taking this one simple step, you save paper, get your refund faster, minimize errors and reduce your risk for an audit. Sound too good to be true? Well, thankfully it’s not. The Internal Revenue Service encourages individuals and businesses to file over the Internet, and the agency provides plenty of e-filing resources on the IRS Web site. And if you made less than $54,000 in 2007, you can even file for free using either software (provided through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies) or by completing forms online.

If you file an extension, you can buy yourself some time to get organized and can still file electronically through the IRS Web site through Oct. 15. E-filing is awesome – no paper, no mailing, no hassle.

There are also plenty of companies that can help you prepare your taxes and file online. Many of them will file your federal taxes for free and charge a small fee for state tax filings. Check out these sites for more information:

express1040.com – free federal returns and state returns online for less than $10.
H&R Block – online options for a variety of budgets, from free filing to premium services.
taxact.com – provides totally free federal tax filing and a small fee for state filings.
esmarttax.com – online tax preparation including access to online help.
turbotax.com – If you prefer to use a software package, this is the largest and most well known. There's a wide variety of software packages available, from the Free Edition to Business Edition, all at various prices. The services offer free preparation, free printing and free e-filing for a simple federal tax return.

To continue your green filing, authorize an auto deposit of any refund directly to your checking account. You can file your entire year’s state and federal taxes without using a single piece of paper – cool!

Green your entertaining

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:11:00 GMT

If there is one thing I love, it’s a good party. I love to host them. I love to go to them. I love it all, except for one thing: the trash they generate. It’s enough to make you want to call it a night.

My company buygreen.com is hosting a big open house this week to celebrate the official grand opening of our new office in Irvine, so green entertaining is on the top of my mind right now. Here are some tips for hosting a greener gathering that demonstrate style and sustainability:

Ditch the disposables. For smaller gatherings, use reusable plates, cups, utensils and cloth napkins. My guess is most of us can come up with enough plates, cups and utensils for a gathering of less than 10 people. If your dinnerware doesn’t match perfectly, so what? Say you are going for the eclectic look. Guests will feel extra special when you treat them to “real” dinnerware.

For larger parties, consider borrowing from friends or renting dinnerware. If your party is outside or if renting is not a possibility, skip the disposable plastic for biodegradable dinnerware. There are many varieties of disposable plates, cups, utensils and even trash bags on the market today that are all totally durable and fully compostable.

Pass on the plastic tablecloth destined for a lifetime in the landfill for a reusable one made from hemp or organic cotton.

If you throw parties often and have a little room for storage, consider purchasing some inexpensive reusable party supplies. Years ago, I spent about $20 on a couple dozen wine glasses from Ikea. A few times per year, we break them out for a party – our guests enjoy their wine in a real wine glass, we prevent hundreds of disposable cups from entering the landfill, and over the years, we’ve saved money, too.

Send your invitations electronically. A quick e-mail to friends often works. For more formal invites, Evite makes it easy. As a bonus, no paper invitation to get lost (as it sometimes does at my house), and Evite will automatically send a reminder to guests right before the party, ensuring more RSVPs.

Serve locally grown organic food and beverages. For a great selection of organic wine, try theorganicwinecompany.com. For organic recipe ideas, check out the Organic Valley Coop.

Provide mood lighting with CFL’s, LED white decorative lights and soy or beeswax candles.

Make it easy for your guests to get their trash in the right bin by placing clearly labeled trash, compost and recycling containers where they're easy to find. For large gatherings, have a few trash-sorting stations so guests don’t have to search to find them.

To avoid possible food waste, send guests home with leftovers. You can offer your guests any leftovers in biodegradable takeout boxes.

This last tip comes from my husband. For large gatherings, go with a keg of beer instead of dozens of bottles or cans. My husband says I got the “Wife of the Year” award last Father’s Day for buying him a kegerator. Little did he know I also had a secret hidden agenda – zero-waste. The kegerator can produce more than 100 beers with zero-waste, since the empty keg is reused by the brewery.

So for your next event, no matter how small or large the gathering, consider some of these suggestions for hosting a green gathering that won’t leave your guests or the planet with a hangover the next morning.

Green your coffee

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Once I became a mom, I discovered the wonders of coffee. And I’ve been hooked ever since. Often, it’s the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning when I just want to stay under the covers. And, when my husband wakes up before me and makes it and brings me a cup, wow, few things are better.

While it’s just a small part of our day for coffee drinkers, how you drink your coffee does matter. Coffee is the No. 2 import in the U.S., right behind oil. Since we buy so much of it, our purchasing decisions can have a big impact. Fortunately, you can have your cup of joe, and support workers and the environment.

Here’s how:

The cup (reusable or disposable) – This post from slate.com covers the dilemma much better than I can. After reading it though, my choice and recommendation remain: a reusable ceramic mug.

The coffee beans – Fair trade, shade grown, bird-friendly, organic, the labels can be confusing. Just remember to look for the fair trade logo on the coffee bean package. Eighty-five percent of fair trade coffee is also shade-grown and organic. You’ll get a high-quality cup of joe and ensure that your purchase will help coffee-growing communities worldwide. You can find fair trade coffee at any store that sells coffee, or search for local fair trade coffee suppliers here.

The machine – There has been an obsessive amount of analysis on this topic; sustainability experts must be a bit sleep-deprived. The bottom line is: A coffee maker with a reusable metal filter and a thermos-style metal coffee pot is the greenest way to go. You can also forgo the coffee maker all together and go with the French press, which is what I use to make coffee when we are camping. Takes a bit of work to learn how get it right but makes a great cup of coffee.

Finally, the best way to green your coffee is to brew at the home or office, and avoid the drive to the coffee shop. Brew at home, and bring it with you in a to-go mug. This way, you can pass on the $4 dollar cup of coffee and the long line that you have to wait in to buy it.

Green your lunch box

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:36:00 GMT

The other day, I was driving my kids to school – my daughter had a field trip later that day. I asked her if she was excited for the trip, and she said yes but then she paused, and from the back seat of the car she said, “Mom, there is one thing that I don’t like about field trips.” “What’s that?” I asked. “Well, I have to throw away all that trash from my lunch.”

Right then, I just started to laugh. I couldn’t help it. It was so cute, and I was also so proud. The thing is, whenever the kids have a field trip, the instructions are very clear that their lunch must be completely disposable – no items will come back to school with them. It’s a big difference for my kids over the lunches they normally take to school. Their reusable lunch containers make them aware of the trash generated by a typical lunch, and they don’t like to create this waste.

It’s a small part of our daily lives, but actually, our kids’ lunches can have a big impact. The average school-age child eating a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste during the year for just one average-size elementary school.

There is also a hidden cost of disposable lunches – convenience foods are expensive and generally not as healthy for your children. In fact, if you switch to using reusable containers rather than traditional baggies and prepackaged food, you will save about $250 per school year per child, and feed your kids healthier food, too.

For a greener lunch, there are lots of great reusable container options – here are a few:

Laptop Lunch – mom-invented lunch kits that are American-style bento boxes designed to help families pack nutritious, environmentally friendly lunches. These sustainable lunch containers (which are lead-free and made of FDA-approved polypropylene plastic) are reusable, recyclable and dishwasher safe. Laptop lunches are also portion-controlled to help you provide the right amount of food for your child.

Eco Lunchbox – these kits are 100 percent plastic-free, waste-free, lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free and vinyl-free.

Lunch Sense – the machine washable, BPA/lead/PVC free lunch box is available in three sizes to suite all ages and stages of lunch packing.

LunchBots – or snack-size containers, a great choice if you would like to avoid plastic containers. Made entirely from the highest quality 18/8 stainless steel.

To-Go Ware – a good selection of stainless steel food containers, food carriers and (my favorite) the To-Go Ware utensil set that you can carry in your purse. Never use plastic utensils again!

Water Bottles – And of course, don’t forget the reusable water bottle. There are many on the market. I prefer stainless steel like Klean Kanteen or aluminum, like SIGG bottles over plastic, because my kids leave their water bottles in the sun, and I’m concerned about the potential leaching of chemicals from plastic bottles when exposed to heat.

So, my daughter enjoyed her trip and got over the fact that she had to throw away her paper lunch sack, a couple plastic baggies and plastic water bottle. Because, like we discussed that morning, we can’t do everything perfectly all the time and having a disposable lunch a couple times a year for a field trip is not something to worry about. But, we are back in our normal routine now – the kids headed out the door with their waste-free lunches this morning. Now, if I can just get them to actually eat it all – I guess that’s the next step. It’s still a work in progress.

Green your grocery shopping, part four

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:41:00 GMT

The final step to green grocery shopping is using reusable shopping bags. I know that many of you have already taken this step, but maybe you are looking for some better reusable bag options, or maybe you haven’t stopped using them but are ready to do it now.

In fact, many people do still use disposable plastic bags – about 380 billion plastic bags are used annually in the U.S. The average American consumes 18,000 plastic bags in a lifetime, or about 360 bags per year. Wow, that’s a lot of plastic! Each bag is used for about 25 minutes, less than 3 percent are recycled, and they never biodegrade. In fact, they photodegrade, which means they break down into smaller and smaller toxic bits that contaminate soil, pollute waterways and enter our foodchain. Paper bags are not a good option either – we cut down 14 million trees per year to produce 10 billion paper bags for grocery stores in the U.S. You can find much more information about the problem with plastic bags in this National Geographic article, “Are Plastic Bags Sacking the Environment.”

OK, so maybe you know all that, but you still can’t stop using disposable plastic or paper bags. I have compiled a list of all the reasons for not using reusable shopping bags, with a solution for each one:

1. I forget to bring my bags with me when I shop. This is the all-time favorite and the No. 1 excuse I hear. First and foremost, leave your reusable bags in the car – not at home. Then, the next time you are shopping at the grocery store and forget your bags in the car, make yourself walk out to the car and get them. Yes, you may have to get out of line and walk (possibly with kids complaining the whole time) out to the parking lot, but it will probably be the last time you do that. Next time, you will remember them. Start a great new habit today.

2. I end up buying something when I didn’t expect to, and I don’t have a bag. I have one product to solve this problem – the Chico Bag. This handy little bag is with me all day, every day. It takes up almost no room in my purse, and when I need it, it unfolds out of its handy attached pouched and makes a roomy shopping bag. If you have a large purse, carry two or three, and you will always have bags with you (which, come to think of it, would also solve problem No. 1).

3. I buy a lot of food and don’t have enough bags to fit my groceries. First, any plastic bag you eliminate is good. If you only use a few reusable bags and the rest of your groceries are in disposable bags, that’s a great start. If you make big shopping trips and would like to try to eliminate most or all of the plastic bags, here are a few recommendations. First, the Follow Your Conscious bags come in a four-bag set, which conveniently roll up to fit in a small pouch that can easily go in your purse or glove box. Each bag can carry up to $50 worth of groceries. And they're on sale now for only $20 for the set. You can also try the Envirosax Greengrocer – brightly colored ultra-strong polyester rip-stop bags, which also have a waterproof backing. Individually priced at $7.95, but with each purchase of a set of five bags, you get a free pouch to store the bags. Five bags roll up to fit in the pouch, which would fit easily in your bag or glove compartment. A third great pick is the Sackaroo, which is a unique canvas pouch that fits over your shoulder like a purse but is specifically designed to keep up to 12 of the brand's lightweight, reusable shopping bags handy.

4. Reusable shopping bags aren’t stylish. One of the trendiest bags in the past few years was Anya Hindmarch’s “I’m Not a Plastic Bag.” So popular, you had to be on a waiting list to get one, but can now find them on eBay. Additional (and easier to find) stylish bags are available at B Happy Bags, Gracen Bags and What’s UR Bag.

5. I can’t afford reusable bags when the store bags are free. You can find reusable shopping bags at most stores for a dollar or two. At BuyGreen, we sell an organic cotton shopping bag for $2.95. Most stores will also provide a discount every time you shop with your own bag. Also keep in mind that there is a hidden cost to those free plastic shopping bags. In California alone, it costs taxpayers $20.5 million to collect and landfill plastic bag waste each year. And this isn't counting external costs such as pollution, risk and threat to marine life, etc.

And, finally, for anyone who still isn’t on the reusable shopping bandwagon, here’s a deal for you. If you leave a comment below pledging to stop using plastic or paper shopping bags and start using reusable bags instead, I will send you a free BuyGreen organic cotton shopping bag (up to 10 winners). Note: In order to participate, you must ALSO e-mail momsquad@churmmedia.com with your contact information.

So, there are no more excuses: Stop using plastic bags today.

Green your beer

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:30:00 GMT

When I think of St. Patrick’s Day, I think of green, and of course I think of beer, so why not combine the two? And no, I’m not suggesting you add green food coloring to your beer – I mean making greener choices in the beer you drink. In honor of St. Patty’s Day, here are some suggestions for beer that taste good and are good for the planet, too.

Fat Tire – New Belgium Brewing Co. is about as green as a beer maker can get. From hops in to beer out, practically every stage of New Belgium’s brewing process has been designed for energy efficiency. The brewery uses its own wastewater to produce 10 percent of its electricity, purchases remaining electricity from wind farms, runs trucks on biodiesel and donates 1 percent of revenue to environmental organizations through 1% For The Planet. The company also encourages employees to commute to work carbon-free by giving a cruiser bike to every employee after one year on the job. This Fort Collins, Colorado-based brewery is doing it right and making a great tasting product, too.
Local beer – enjoy some local brews that have a lower carbon footprint because they don’t travel far from brewery to pint glass. One of my favorites in Southern California is Stone Brewing Co. Located in Carlsbad, this brewery also has a fabulous restaurant/beer garden where plenty of healthy, delicious, organic food is served. Other great local brews I am partial to are Bierbitzch in Santa Ana and Tustin Brewing Co.
Check out these Five Ideas for Eco-Friendly Beer Consumption from the Mother Nature Network. In summary, this post recommends you buy organic, buy local, order on tap, get a keg instead of cans or bottles for your next party and recycle your empties.

And to really make your beer drinking green, ditch the plastic cup and go for a reusable pint glass. Your beer will taste much better too. Happy St. Patrick’s Day – cheers!

Green your grocery shopping, part three

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:46:00 GMT

The third way to green your shopping is to reduce the amount of packaging you buy. Packaging waste makes up half of all U.S. municipal solid waste by volume. In fact, more of your average grocery bill pays for packaging than goes to the farmers who produce the food!

How To:

Buy larger packages – You save money and cut down on the packaging of smaller containers and individually wrapped products. However, steer clear of bulk items that are just small containers grouped together and wrapped in even more packaging.

Buy from bulk bins – Henry’s and Whole Foods both have a great collection of bulk foods. You can load up on all your essential items (sugar, flour, rice) from the bulk bins. There is a large selection of snack items, too.

Bring your own containers – You can bring your own containers to fill with bulk bin foods without any packaging at all. I bring my own Tupperware-type containers, as they only add a few extra pennies (because they weigh slightly more) over using the plastic bags provided by the store. Also, with my own containers, I end up buying the perfect amount of food, rather than coming home with a plastic bag filled with too much or too little for my container.

Just make sure you have some portion control when you go shopping. I have a tendency to see bulk produce at a good price and buy too much, half of which goes bad. In fact almost half the food we buy goes straight to the landfill uneaten as food waste – scary. So, make sure “bulk buying” doesn’t equal food waste.

Make your own rather than buying prepackaged items. For example, on the weekends, when you make homemade pancakes or waffles for the family, try making an extra-large batch and freezing the remaining food to use throughout the week. No need to buy frozen breakfast foods, and no packaging waste. Plus, homemade waffles are healthier and better tasting than Eggos anyway. For directions on making pancakes to eat today and freeze for later, check out this recipe from foodiemama.com.

The Benefits:

Save money – Pay for the product instead of excess packaging. A bulk pound of organic oatmeal can cost less than $1, while the same amount of packaged single-serving oatmeal costs about $9.

Save even more money – Save again by making a big batch of that bulk oatmeal and freezing in single-serving portions for later. After the oatmeal cools in the pan, just divide it into single-serving freezer bags and put in the freezer. When you are ready to eat, take it out of the freezer, put it in a ceramic or glass bowl and heat up for a few minutes – stir it up and it’s ready to eat.

Save time – Buying in bulk reduces the number of trips you need to make to the store. Few things make me happier than running out of a product and finding that I have more in the pantry so I don’t have to run out to the store.

Eat healthier – a big batch of homemade pancakes or oatmeal is much better for you than buying frozen ones made with ingredients with long names you can’t even pronounce.

The last step to reduce packaging is to bring your own shopping bags to the store. This is a topic that deserves its own post, so I’m saving it for next time. I’ll have tons of reusable bag recommendations to suit every shopper and budget. If you have found the perfect reusable bag, let me know. I would love to include reader-tested recommendations.

Green your grocery shopping, part two

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:03:00 GMT

The next step to greening your food shopping is to “buy local” by purchasing food that is grown in your immediate and surrounding area. Buying local food is often better for the planet than buying organic, since an organic cucumber from across the country takes far more energy to transport than a nonorganic one from here in California.

The important thing to consider when purchasing local food is “food miles,” or the distance between where food is grown or produced, and where it is purchased and consumed. The simplest calculation would be for a single-ingredient, single-origin food. For example, according to Green America, a California tomato sold in Washington, D.C., has traveled about 2,800 miles from farm to plate. Using the EPA calculator, the transportation alone adds 165,256 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. So, the fewer food miles traveled before that tomato ends up on our plate, the better.

People who buy only locally grown food are called locavores. A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles. The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers markets or even to grow their own food, with the message that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better.

Tips for purchasing locally grown food:

· Look for "locally grown" signs when shopping. They have been popping up next to the organic signs at Whole Foods, Henry’s and even at some of the supermarket chains.

· Find farmers markets in your area, and try to make the majority of your fruit and vegetable purchases there. You can go to localharvest.org to find farmers markets, family farms and sustainable foods in your area.

· Support small-scale farmers globally, too. Many of the foods we consume are not indigenous to the U.S. – like coffee, cocoa, tropical fruits (including bananas) and rice. However, you can still support small-scale farmers by purchasing Fair Trade foods.

· Ask your supermarket to support local farmers – you can work to bring local produce and foods to your supermarket by asking the store manager to look into local food options or e-mailing the supermarket to request more locally grown foods.

· Check out eatlocalchallenge.com to read about other people’s experiences and challenges finding locally grown food.

For a truly local food source, try growing fruits and vegetables in your own backyard. Our mild weather makes it fairly easy to grow a wide variety of produce, even in small spaces. It’s a great activity for kids – provides them with a real sense of accomplishment when they can see (and taste) what they have grown. For tons of information about getting your kids involved in gardening, check out kidsgardening.org.

Green your grocery shopping

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Going green involves many aspects of your life, but the one that I believe has the most direct impact on the health of you and your family is greening your food choices. This is a broad topic, so I’m breaking it into three posts. In this first one, I’ll address organic food, next local food and finally food packaging.

Why buy organic?

In the rush to produce more and more crops to satisfy growing global food demand, farmers have resorted to a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control disease and insects. These pesticides are really bad for us and for our planet. The reasons to avoid pesticides are many – too lengthy to fit into this post. For more information about the problems with pesticides, check out this article from the Environmental Working Group.

The best way to avoid pesticides in your food is to buy organic. Some facts about organic food:

· The average nonorganic fruit contains over 20 pesticides, which are not eliminated by washing and/or peeling.

· When you eat dairy or farm produce that is not organic, you are eating the chemicals, drugs and growth hormones given to the animals.

· Conventional factory farm workers have some of the most dangerous jobs in the country due to high chemical exposure.

· Organic foods are much richer in vitamins and minerals and maintain those nutrients longer.

· Organic farmers respect our water resources and do not leach nitrogen and other pollutants into the soil.

· By supporting organic farms instead of conventional factory farms, you can help protect the environment and support sustainable farming practices.

· To be assured that the food you are purchasing is produced, processed and certified to be consistent with national organic standards, look for the USDA Certified Organic seal.

How to buy organic

Organic foods taste better and are healthier, but unfortunately, they generally (but not always) cost more. I wish I could buy everything organic, but sometimes it’s not affordable or available. As with all things about going green, it’s not an all-or-nothing deal. The more things you can buy organic the better, but it doesn’t have to be everything.

A good point of reference for buying organic is the Environmental Working Group's pocket guide of the 10 foods you should try to always buy organic:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Grapes (imported)
10. Pears

Keep in mind that fruits you peel like bananas, melons, etc., are the ones that you can generally get away with not buying organic. For a complete list of EWG’s 43 recommended organic foods, click here.

If you are new to organics, I would suggest starting with one category of food. When I started buying organic when my kids were young, I began with dairy products because my kids loved dairy, especially yogurt and milk. Organic dairy products are antibiotic and growth hormone free, two things I did not want to feed my kids. From there, I moved on to fruits, then vegetables, etc.

Keep in mind that any small steps you take toward organic food make a difference, so start with what makes sense for your family. Just take it one step at a time and before you know it, organics will become a regular part of your shopping list.

Green your cleaning

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:07:00 GMT

The warm weather this weekend reminded me that spring is around the corner, which means it’s time for some spring cleaning. This year, get your house clean in a way that is safer and healthier for your family, as well as better for the environment.

Traditional cleaning products are made from a surprising number of toxic chemicals (synthetic cleaning agents, anti-redeposition agents, bleaches, builders, enzymes and optical brighteners, just to name a few). When we use these products in our homes, the chemicals they contain remain in the air long after the product has been used and can easily be inhaled. These chemicals also remain behind as residues on surfaces where they can be absorbed through the skin. In addition, when chemicals from different cleaners come into contact with each other, they can react to form new and highly toxic substances. Finally, even once all those chemicals are washed down the drain, they enter the waste stream and contaminate our ground water. It’s a toxic soup that we do not need in order to get our homes clean.

As moms, we must be especially careful of cleaning products around our children. Unlike adults, who are finished growing, children are particularly susceptible to the health effects that can be caused by exposure to the synthetic ingredients and toxins found in many conventional cleaners. Another issue is these household cleaners can be deadly when accidentally ingested by children. In fact, cleaning products are responsible for nearly 10 percent of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers, over half of which were about children under the age of 6. You can find good information about how to talk to your kids about safety and cleaning products here.

When using household cleaners, keep these things in mind:

·To detoxify your house now, get rid of cleaners that are toxic or that you suspect may be toxic – all the ones with the poison, hazardous or warning signs on the label. Do not dispose of them in the garbage. Take them to your local hazardous household waste facility. For a list of the location closest to you, visit earth911.com.

· Do not use bleach with chlorine or sodium perborates. Chlorine gets into the waste stream and contaminates groundwater. Use nonchlorine alternatives made from hydrogen peroxide or oxygen.

·When you buy new cleaning products, look for manufacturers that list all their ingredients on the label. Did you know that household cleaners are not required to disclose their ingredients; so many times you don't even know what's in the products you're using? Do not buy cleaners that do not have a full list of ingredients on the package.

·Look for cleaners containing nonpetroleum-based surfactants, that are chlorine and phosphate free, nontoxic, do not have synthetic fragrances and are biodegradable.

The good news is household cleaners don't have to be toxic to get the job done. For safer cleaning, you can make your own cleaners or purchase from a wide variety of safe, nontoxic cleaners that you can find online and in local health food and grocery stores.

You can make your own cleaners using items you already have in the kitchen such as baking soda, lemon juice and white vinegar. These work well and cost only pennies. For instructions on how to make your own household cleaners, click here.

For those who like the convenience of prepared cleaning products, there are many safe, natural, nontoxic, biodegradable cleaners on the market today. These cleaners work well, are safe for you and your family and are priced comparably to traditional cleaners. Click here to check out the safe, nontoxic, eco-friendly cleaners we carry at buygreen.com.

This spring, create a clean home using natural, nontoxic cleaners. It’s easy, affordable and safe for your family, and good for the planet.

Green your ball gown

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:04:00 GMT

OK, I know, finding a green ball gown is not very practical, but there is a point to this story.

A few months ago, our friends (who are from New Orleans and relocated to Orange County after Katrina) invited us to go back to the Big Easy with them to attend a Mardi Gras ball. Well, we thought, what the heck? This should be a new experience.

The only thing I knew about the ball is that I needed a gown – and it had to be a full-length gown, which was not something I had just hanging in my closet. So, I had to go buy one. I figured that since I always say you can find a green alternative for just about everything, I would challenge myself to find a green ball gown. A vintage gown would probably have worked, but I wanted something made from recycled or sustainable material, not just reused. I admit, I thought it would be hard to find – as it turns out, it wasn’t.

Around the time of the Inauguration, I was spending time on Twitter (which if you have never tried it, is one of the Web’s greatest sources of information and is more addicting than Facebook). You can follow me on Twitter here. Anyway, a link on Twitter led me to etsy.com, where I found my dress. A dress made from all recycled neckties – that qualified as green to me.

As it turns out, my “green” dress was very cute – I got lots of compliments from people who didn’t even know what it was made from. It was custom made for my occasion and to my measurements, it was shipped quickly to my doorstep, and it was all at a price that was less than many of the conventional gowns I had run across. And best of all, it’s an original. Nobody will ever have the same dress, as that combination of neckties and colors will never be replicated.

To round out my green theme, I borrowed all my accessories from friends, which saved time and money while reducing waste. Of course, it helped to have my good friend Sylvia, owner of pursonality.net, who has a garage full of purses and jewelry. But even without a friend like Sylvia, if you send out a quick e-mail or ask around, you can almost always find someone to loan you most of those one-time-use items. People are usually happy to do so too – they like it when the things they spent their money on get more use.

Here is a picture of the finished product – my “green” ensemble – my husband and I at the Orpheus Mardi Gras ball:

The point of this (other than to indulge my girly girl side by writing about dressing up and going to a ball) is that with very little effort, I found a cute, original and affordable “green” ball gown. So, the next time you think that you won’t be able to find a green alternative to what you are looking for, think again. There’s almost always an eco-friendly alternative out there, just waiting to be discovered. If there is anything you are struggling to find, let me know. I like a good challenge.

And finally, since it is the big day today, happy Mardi Gras!

Green your Oscars

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:39:00 GMT

I’m a big Oscar fan. I like to watch all the preshow nonsense to see what everyone is wearing. I love the best dressed and worst dressed. I love the awards. (Although at the end, I always think they were way too long.) Of course, I've never seen any of the movies because they aren’t on DVD yet – the reality for most parents of young kids I suspect – but it’s still fun.

On Oscar night, my husband and I fill out the Oscar ballot, competing to see who can best pick the winners in each category – Best Live Action Short is always a complete guess. Each year, the winner of our contest gets something good like no dishes for a week, or the other puts the kids to bed every night for a week, or a date night filled with all the winner’s favorite things. And even though I do my homework (OK, I read Entertainment Weekly, but that counts), and my husband fills the ballot out five minutes before show time, somehow he beats me every year. Darn it!

One thing I don’t like about the Oscars though is that I have heard that the awards aren’t quite keeping up with the green theme they adopted in 2007. Perhaps they were just trying to impress Al Gore that year and are now going back to their typical ways. I hope not. I hope they have learned more, and maybe Leonardo Dicaprio is keeping them on their toes.

But regardless of how green the Academy Awards are this year, you can have your own eco-friendly Oscar celebration at home.

First up on the list, of course, would be organic wine. For a wide selection of organic wines, try the Organic Wine Co.

For a nonalcoholic treat, try Izze sparkling juices or Steaz Organic Ice Teas.

Then, serve up some eco-friendly appetizers – you are going to need some food to get through that four-hour telecast. Go for local organic options. You can find healthier snacking versions of popcorn, chips, pretzels – almost every snack item imaginable. Try Trader Joe's, Henry’s or Whole Foods.

for a wide selection of better snack foods. A crudités plate of organic veggies with Trader Joe’s Organic Ranch Dressing (which, if you have never tried, is hands down the best ranch dressing of all time) sounds like the perfect appetizer for an Oscar celebration.

So here’s to some good organic food and drink and great escape television. And here’s hoping I actually win this year. Just need to figure out what the stakes should be this time around, hmmm – any ideas?

Green your cookware

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:58:00 GMT

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), better known as Teflon, is a popular choice for cookware, but it's not good for your health or the environment. A key Teflon ingredient, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is a chemical the EPA considers a “likely human carcinogen.” PFOA chips off the pan at high temperatures and with sharp utensils. These particles get into your food and into the air, too. Once airborne, it’s proven toxic to birds. This condition is called Teflon toxicity. According to a study by the Environmental Working Group, in two to five minutes on the stove, cookware coated with Teflon and other nonstick surfaces can exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases linked to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pet bird deaths and an unknown number of human illnesses each year.

Fortunately, there are many better, safer, greener cookware options out there. Here are a few:

Stainless Steel – Stainless steel is a terrific alternative to a nonstick cooking surface. It’s a bit more work to clean up, but most chefs agree that stainless steel browns foods much better than nonstick surfaces. Where to find: There are many stainless steel pans available in all price ranges. One of the best reviewed is All-Clad Stainless.

Cast Iron – Cast iron is another good alternative to nonstick cooking surfaces. Cast iron will withstand oven temperatures well above what is considered safe for nonstick pans. Cast iron is extremely durable and can now be purchased preseasoned and ready-to-use. These pans are a bit heavy, but think of it as a bonus: You can build up your arm muscles while you cook. Where to find: Le Creuset.

Other Cooking Surfaces – A relatively new nonstick alternative is called Thermalon, the first patented ceramic-based nonstick coating that performs at temperatures up to 850 degrees without deterioration. Thermalon also releases 50 percent less greenhouse gases during production and contains no toxic substances that might be released at high temperatures. Where to find: Crate & Barrel; The Original Greenpan.

This is one of the few times when I’m going to encourage you to go buy something. Please ditch the Teflon and other traditional nonstick cookware and select one of the better options – there are many sets to suit various cooks and budgets.

Green your laundry

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:39:00 GMT

I am not a big fan of laundry. As a goal-oriented person, it drives me crazy because there is never an end to it. As soon as I think I'm finished, someone in my family drops off another item of clothing in the hamper. Lately, I tackle this chore all at once, over the weekend. And recently, I got my husband involved. What do you know, he can actually do laundry?! As we finished up the 10th load of laundry this weekend, I started thinking that greening your laundry would make a good topic for my Green Your Life series.

The first step to greening your laundry is to use eco-friendly cleaning products. Unfortunately, traditional laundry detergent, bleach and fabric softeners are no good – for your family and the environment. As we strive to have clean, ultra-white clothes, we have inadvertently invited a whole host of toxic chemicals into our homes, raising concerns about our own health, the well-being of our family and the health of the environment. We absorb these chemicals through our skin. In addition, the harsh chemicals are washed down the sink, entering the waste stream and contaminating groundwater. The good news is that laundry detergents don't have to be toxic to get the job done.

Some things to keep in mind when buying laundry detergents & other cleaners:

Do not use detergents or stain removers with phosphates (which are linked to lung cancer and damage our water systems).
Also, steer clear of alkylphenol exthoxylates (APEs), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS) – both are known toxicants.
Do not use bleach with chlorine or sodium perborates. Chlorine gets into the waste stream and contaminates groundwater. Use nonchlorine alternatives made from hydrogen peroxide or oxygen.
Do not use detergents with petroleum-based chemical fragrances. Fragrances and harsh solvents like ammonia contained in some typical detergents and fabric softeners can trigger your allergies and asthma, and cause skin irritation.
Do not use conventional fabric softeners. These are skin irritants and also build up on clothing, making it look dull. They also lower the absorption of your towels and can leave a residue on your skin when you dry off. Yuck!

Fortunately, there are many safe, natural, nontoxic, biodegradable detergents on the market today. You can find them online, and even in grocery stores and Target. Be sure to read the ingredient list and steer clear of the chemicals listed above. Natural does not necessarily mean eco-friendly.

The next step in greening your laundry is to look at your water and energy use. Washing machines are the second largest water consumer behind toilets.
Here are some tips to use less:

Only wash full loads of laundry. If you are in the market for a new washing machine, consider purchasing a high-efficiency front-loading washer, which uses 40-50 percent less water and 50-60 percent less energy than traditional top-loading machines. These machines cost a bit more but save water and energy in the long run. You can also qualify for energy rebates from your local utility providers when you purchase these items. I bought my front-loading washing machine about five years ago, and I couldn't be happier with it. As a bonus, the reduced agitation of my machine helps our clothes last a lot longer.

Finally, you can simply wear clothes more than once before washing them. I try to get my kids on this program, but we are still a work in progress. This is more practical for us with pajamas, jeans, skirts, jackets and sweaters. The day I can get my son to stop wiping his mouth on his shirt will be a good one. For those of us who use a napkin, wearing shirts and blouses more than once, especially if you choose darker colors, is certainly possible. You can also air clothes in the sun and moving air, before wearing again - UV light is a good sterilizing agent.

Green your Valentine’s Day

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:26:00 GMT

Flowers – a bouquet of roses may look beautiful, but chances are, when you touch or inhale the scent of nonorganic flowers, you are likely exposing yourself to harmful chemicals. When you buy organic flowers, you don’t have to worry about chemicals on your flower bouquets being toxic to you and your family. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals used on flowers also affect the health of farm workers and florists. Keep everyone pesticide-free by purchasing organic and in-season flowers. Some sources:

Cards – This year, why not try handmade Valentine’s cards? Yes, it will be a bigger hassle than buying the pre-packaged kind from the store, but think of it as an exercise in creativity for your kids. Do the project this weekend, so you aren’t pressed for time. This year, my kids and I are going to make handmade Valentines (they'll also double as bookmarks so maybe they won’t end up in the trash) using all the stuff we already have around the house – paper, stickers, sequins, ribbon, you name it. If you aren’t up to that, then try something store-bought, but steer clear of plastic goodie bags full of trinkets that will most likely be in the trash by day’s end.

Chocolate – Buy fair trade, organic chocolate. Traditional cocoa farming causes hundreds of thousands of children in West Africa to work under forced labor conditions on cocoa farms. In fact, young boys are sold into slave labor and forced to work in cocoa farms under inhumane conditions and extreme abuse. By buying Fair Trade chocolate, you ensure that farmers and workers received a fair price for their product, helping them support their families and send their children to school rather than into the field. Most Fair Trade Certified chocolate sold in the U.S. is also certified organic and shade-grown, which helps maintain the biodiversity of ecosystems, provides shelter for migratory birds and uses far less energy than conventional farming. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but do we really need that much chocolate anyway? For eco-friendly chocolate, try one of these sites:

Global Exchange
Equal Exchange
Dagoba Chocolate
Coco-Zen (fair trade, organic and local – a triple winner!)

Jewelry – Go for eco-friendly jewelry that is fair trade, responsibly manufactured and made from sustainable materials (recycled glass makes beautiful jewelry). As a bonus, it’s also generally super affordable. We have a line of eco-friendly jewelry at buygreen.com. You can also check out etsy.com for handmade eco-friendly bling.

So, spoil your sweetie this Valentine’s Day with eco-friendly gifts that are good for people and planet.

Green your life

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:56:00 GMT

I am about to start a series here on greening your life, one step at a time. We will start with greening your home – your laundry, your kitchen, your bathroom. We will also look at greening your activities – your driving, your shopping, your travel. There is a lot to cover.

But before I start, I’d like to share with you a couple of links to information that has been important to me in taking my own journey to becoming more environmentally conscious. Now, while I’ve always considered myself fairly green, I have grown from a lighter to darker shade over the years. The more I know, the more I realize that I can and should change.

The first is the “Story of Stuff." Please spend a few minutes to watch this important piece. There are few videos that will make you think more about your daily purchases and the impact of those decisions. Each and every product we buy has a story behind it. They have a life cycle – they are manufactured, purchased, used and disposed. In fact, according to the "Story of Stuff," 99 percent of all items we purchase are in the landfill within six months. Wow, think about that for a minute.

The second link I would like to share is to an article entitled “Our oceans are turning into plastic, are we?” which describes a vast swath of the Pacific, twice the size of Texas, full of a plastic stew that is destroying marine life and entering our food chain. This will really help you to understand the impact trash has on our oceans – it's a powerful but disturbing read.

Now, I realize this information can be a bit depressing, but I’m sharing it not to make you frustrated but rather motivated. Because the good news is there is time to change. If you understand what can and should be done, we can clean up our environment. It takes many people making small changes, but collectively, those changes will make a big difference – and the time is now to start making it.

Go green, save green

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:30:00 GMT

OK, so the go-green, save-green thing is a little cliché by now. But given the current state of the economy and the fact that everyone is trying to save money, it really is true. With a little creativity and a return to some old-fashioned values, you can be green and save at the same time.

Here are some easy ways to save money by going green:

Kick the bottled-water habit – I’ve written about this before, but bottled water is extremely expensive. Buy a water filter (you can pick one up for under $30) and a few reusable water bottles, and save yourself hundreds of dollars per year while keeping plastic water bottles out of the landfill.

BYO – Bring your own bags, bring your own coffee mug, bring your own cup. Many stores and restaurants will give you a discount. Starbucks gives a discount each time you bring your own coffee mug (even better, brew your coffee at home and take it to-go in a reusable mug); grocery stores give you money back for each bag you bring in to bag your own groceries; and even the gas station convenience stores will give you a discount for bringing your own cup to fill up with coffee or soda.

Don’t use disposable items – There are many disposable items you can eliminate, but I’ll give you one example. Stop using disposable napkins. Cloth napkins are inexpensive and can be used forever. Even better, use what you already have. At my house, I took one small kitchen drawer, deposited all our never-used washcloths in it (from baby years, towel sets long gone), and now those serve as our napkins. Each time I throw a load of towels in the wash, I toss the dirty napkins in, too. They don’t even require an extra load of laundry. It’s a 100 percent savings with zero-added expense.

Host an exchange party – You can exchange clothes, toys, kitchen gadgets, whatever. Get the girls together for some wine and cheese, and swap items you no longer need for some you really do. Kids’ toys and clothes seem like the perfect place to start.

Don’t toss it; fix it – In my parents’ day, they fixed things. They even darned socks (I’m not really sure what that means). While I’m not suggesting we all get out our needles and thread to sew up holes in our socks, there are things we can repair instead of replace. Sew on a button, have your pants hemmed at the tailor, paint furniture instead of replacing it, you name it. You can save a lot by just taking what you already have and putting it to better use.

Buy in bulk – You’ll save money and cut down on the packaging of smaller containers and individually wrapped products. You can even bring your own containers to the store and fill up on bulk items (from the bulk bins) without any packaging at all – it saves money and reduces waste. Your own containers weigh next to nothing, so don’t worry about the few extra pennies you spend by using a reusable plastic container instead of the plastic bag from the store. You'll still save a bunch by buying in bulk, and you'll use far less packaging.

Use less energy – Every time you turn off a light you don’t need, unplug your unused appliances, turn down your thermostat or use CFL bulbs instead of regular ones, you save money. Conserve, conserve, conserve – it's better for the planet and your pocketbook.

For even more ideas on how to save by going green, check out these links:

Inhabitots: 10 Easy Ways to Save Money by Going Green
Worldwatch: 10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green
Sustainlane: 10 Easy Tips on How to Go Green and Save Green

The trashiest purse

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:30:00 GMT

I admit that I have a purse obsession. Over the years, I’m sorry to say I’ve purchased far too many. Those I don’t use anymore I have donated to local women’s organizations, and I’m trying to pare down to just one everyday purse and one evening bag. I don’t really need much more than that – though I may sometimes want it.

But of all the purses I’ve ever owned, my favorite is the one I have now. It is cute, stylish and functional. It’s the perfect size with lots of pockets, so I’m not constantly digging around to find my cell phone, keys or lipstick. It matches almost any outfit, and it is virtually indestructible. And, best of all, it’s made from trash. That’s right, trash – recycled rubber inner tubes, to be exact. Here is a picture of my prized possession:

These days, designers are finding innovative ways to incorporate reclaimed and recycled material into stylish handbags. Eco-bags are a hot trend, with new brands entering the market all the time. You can buy purses made from recycled rubber, candy wrappers, billboards, aluminum can pull tabs, vintage car seat fabrics, even your kid’s juice boxes.

These handbags are affordable (no Louis Vuitton prices here), unique and stylish. And because they are made from trash instead of mass-produced material, each is a one-of-a-kind bag. With these bags, you can carry a stylish purse and keep material out of the landfill at the same time. Sounds like a win-win to me. So, the next time you are in the market for a new purse, before you run out to the department store to buy another mass-produced, over-priced, trend-of-the-moment handbag, consider something a bit more unique, a bit more sustainable and just a bit trashier.

The green economy

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:30:00 GMT

This week marks a time for new beginnings and a time for hope. One thing I am hopeful for is that we are now embarking on a journey toward developing a green economy that will stimulate the creation of new jobs, drive innovation and clean up the planet all at the same time. The green economy is one that creates jobs through renewable energy, encourages us to live within our means, helps people purchase green goods locally, invests in our communities and holds corporations responsible for their actions.

For a deeper look into what the green economy might look like, I recommend this article from Green America (formerly Co-Op America) entitled “Solutions for the Green Economy.” You can also check out this article from Green America’s Real Money magazine entitled “7 Fixes from the Green Economy.”

OK, so that’s my big topic for this week. Next week, I will get back on task by providing information that helps you take small simple steps to green your life. These simple steps however are part of a much bigger picture. I wanted to take a quick moment to share the hope of what that picture might look like – a more prosperous, sustainable and hopeful world that cares for both people and planet. I, for one, am optimistic that this is where we are headed and ready to do my part to help us get there. I hope you are too, now let’s get to it.

The holiday aftermath

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:49:00 GMT

This is my first blog for OC Family. I'm happy to be part of the momsquad team. In the coming weeks and months ahead, my goal is to provide useful, practical information to help you live a little greener. I also hope to hear from you about the kind of information that you are looking for. So, please send me your questions, ideas or dilemmas that you have on your journey to going green.

Now, onto the first topic: the holiday aftermath – what to do with all that stuff? The gifts are open, guests have gone home, and you are looking around your house thinking: "How the heck did all that stuff get here, and what do I do with it?" Here's some tips to help green your holiday cleanup:

Wrapping paper – Reducing the amount of wrapping paper you use is the first and most important step. According to stopglobalwarming.org: "During the winter holidays, 4 million tons of wrapping paper and shopping bags are thrown away each year." Scary! But, it's a little late for that now. So, let's talk about how to deal with the paper that remains. Some of it can be recycled. Most municipal waste services (such as Waste Management) will accept nonmetallic wrapping paper for recycling. Tape (which is plastic) should be removed prior to recycling. You can call your waste management company, go to its Web site, or visit earth911.com to see if wrapping paper is recyclable in your area. Note that paper with a metallic coating is usually not recyclable, and neither are bags, bows and ribbons, so be sure to reuse these materials as much as you can.

Electronics – Personal electronics are a big gift item. The question remains – what to do with the outdated stuff. If electronics are thrown away, once in the landfill, they leach toxic chemicals (like lead, cadmium and beryllium) into groundwater over time. Here is what you can do instead:

1. Ask when purchasing new electronics if there is a take-back program.
2. Donate usable electronics that are no longer needed. They are many programs such as the National Cristina Foundation that will put your old electronics to good use.
3. Check out the EPA Web site for a list of ewaste recyclers in your area.
4. Choose rechargeable batteries whenever possible. Used batteries are hazardous waste and should not be thrown in the trash, so the fewer you use, the better. Rechargeables cost a bit more initially, but you save a lot of money over time and reduce your e-waste.

Holiday Lights – When buying new lights, consider purchasing LED lights. They cost a little bit more but use about 10 percent of the energy of regular lights and last forever. Well, probably not forever, but we are on year four with some of our LED strands and still not a light out or any of those annoying half-strand burn outs. For your old nonworking strands, don't trash them. Send them away for recycling: You will receive coupons for new LED lights, and the proceeds benefit Toys for Tots. You can check out the links below for more information about the programs and how to participate.

Holiday LEDs
Christmas Light Source