Lawn Care

At a recent visit to my parent’s house, I noticed that my mom had these cups and this book . When asked if she bought EVERYTHING suggested on the Mom to Mom blog, her response was “If it’s good!” Well Mom, this is something good.

I’ve been trying to convince my parents to stop using chemical pesticides on their lawn for a while now. Perhaps I’ll have to move in with my Canadian grandparents to make my point.

--Green Mom

Crib Notes: Healthy Snacks

Struggling with whether or not those crackers are really a healthy snack? Check out this list compiled by Better School Food, which is an advocacy organization dedicated to making food in school cafeterias more healthful.

Suggestions Needed

I’m looking for suggestions for two items—diaper cream and sippy cups made out of something other than plastic.

We currently use California Baby diaper cream at home, and that’s what I was sending to the child care center. However, they must use the cream much more often than I do, because my infant alone was going through almost a tube a week (at $11.50 each!).  So we switched to Boudreaux’s Butt Paste because it comes in a giant tub that lasted my first child almost 2 years! Both are a 3 on the Cosmetic Safety Database so I’d actually like a safer alternative. Any suggestions?

My next quest is to find a sippy cup for my 7 month old. We use glass bottles and are hesitant to switch over to plastic (even if they are BPA Free) sippy cups. My center allows the children to walk around with their cups so they need to be indestructible, and they need multiple cups for the day (a liquid can only be left in the cup for an hour, so if they start and stop drinking, it has to be tossed). The only alternative I can think of is stainless, but with the price, purchasing multiples can really add up.

--Green Mom

Validation

My second son was born with hypospadias. I had heard of the condition before and was aware that it was fairly common so I wasn’t overly concerned when we were told in the hospital. Our pediatrician referred us to an urologist who stated that my son’s case was moderate and could easily be fixed when he’s a bit older. He did go on to say that the number of cases has steadily increased since the 1980s and doctors believe this is due to environmental toxins (pesticides, hormones in meat etc.). This was the first doctor out of the many we’ve seen (my first son has a host of medical issues) that has actually attributed a birth defect to environmental toxins. While I’m not happy by any means that my little one will have to have surgery in a few months, it does make me feel like I’m doing the right thing by trying to live a healthier, more green lifestyle.


--Green Mom

Good Things Come in Big Packages

I recently ordered a new keyboard. It arrived in a huge box filled with plastic air pillows. Totally unnecessary. Shame on you WB Mason.

--Green Mom

Merry Christmas Green Mom

Here are a few things this Green Mom has on her wish list for Santa this year:

• Custom Recycled Initial Rings- I only have two children though, who should the third initial represent?
• Water bottle for my desk - Since the whole Sigg debacle, I’ve been without a water bottle at my desk. I think these are a cute alternative to the bottles everyone else has.
• Reusable Snack Bags - I love that these can be put in the dishwasher. I’m sure if I was more crafty, they’d be easy to make.
• Bamboo Utensils - These are really for my boys but I couldn’t resist sharing them.

--Green Mom

Sesame Street Goes Green

This week, Sesame Street celebrates its 40th anniversary. For the next two years, the curriculum on Sesame Street will be environmentally based. Children will learn about birds, hibernation, and sustainable living among other things. I love this trend of characters children can identify with teaching them about the environment. For his birthday, my son was given a Curious George DVD where Curious George goes green. In each short episode, we watched George learn things like how to make compost and what and when to recycle. Speaking of which, I wonder if back on Sesame Street Oscar the Grouch will move from his garbage can to a recycle bin.

--Green Mom

Crib Notes: iPhone Applications for Parents (and Kids) IV

Check this out for eco-friendly Apple iPhone applications.

Diaper Dilemma

I’m considering using cloth diapers on baby #2. I attended a workshop over the weekend at a local store that specializes in cloth diapering and was totally sold on the concept. The owner reviewed all the different types of diapers available, how to launder them and the pros vs. disposable diapers. I really liked the way she presented on the topic. She wasn’t judgmental of those moms that choose to use disposables (in fact, she still sends disposables with her children to child care in case the provider is having a particularly tough day and can’t deal with the cloth).

The problem? My baby will attend child care and I’m afraid to ask them if they’d be willing to cooperate. Cloth diapering will be a big up front expense for me since we’ve only used disposables on my first. Because of this, I’m hesitant to use cloth just during maternity leave, then switch to disposables when I go back to work. I know I have to set up a meeting with the director to discuss my options, but for some reason, it feels like asking your boss for a raise or more vacation time. You know it needs to be done, but it’s an awkward situation. I’d love some advice on how to bring up the subject. Do any of you have experience using cloth diapers in a child care center situation?

--Green Mom

FARMERS MARKET SANDWICH

The first deep red, juicy tomatoes made their appearance at the farmers’ market this week. Whoo-hoo! Did I mention that I manage my local farmers’ market? Forgive me if I talk about it incessantly. But, it’s always a joyous day when the tomatoes come in. This year makes it even more rewarding in that I managed to survive the past winter without consuming any pale, tasteless tomatoes that travelled a million miles to get to the wintery door of my local grocery store. After a feast of local heirloom tomatoes last harvest and my “all local” frozen tomato sauce as my only saving grace through the barren winter, I feel like I have earned the right to say, “All hail the mighty local tomato!” Or, at least, thank you to the organic farmer who brought this red beauty to me.

My first dish had to be my summer staple…The Farmers Market Sandwich. It was especially good because I was able to secure all my ingredients (less the olive oil) from the market or my own garden.

The Farmers Market Sandwich

YOU NEED

2 slices of favorite country bread or foccacia
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 red ripe local tomato
2-3 slices of fresh local mozzarella cheese
1-2 leaves basil

MAKE IT

1. Preheat the broiler on low (Or, you can use the toaster oven).
2. Slice the bread. Brush olive oil on one side of each slice.
3. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until just toasted. Be sure not to brown too much. Peel the garlic and rub on toasted bread.
4. Slice the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
5. Layer on one bread the tomato slices, the basil and mozzarella slices. Place under the broiler again until cheese is melted.
6. Top with other bread slice. Enjoy!

--CookingMom

Fancy Nancy and Summer Lovin’

My sister-in-law bought my oldest daughter “Fancy Nancy Tea Parties” for her birthday. My daughter is very practical, as far as six-year-olds go, and EXTREMELY literal, so she usually says things like, “There is nothing ‘fancy’ about her. She just looks crazy.”

But this book, “Fancy Nancy Tea Parties” had her hooked and folding over the pages of the book to mark the things she wanted to do. She apparently has a new appreciation for Nancy. There are all sorts of little activities and crafts in the book to help you have the most “magnificent” gatherings. First on my daughter’s list was to make sun tea and of course, to have a tea party.

Not being a big iced tea drinker, I have never made sun tea before. Yum! So easy, so fun and so good. It is definitely going to be part of our summer life from now on. We used decaf tea. Just Lipton, nothing Fancy. We used 14 bags and let it sit out in the sun all day. The girls kept checking on it and giving me updates on how dark is was getting. Then we added simple syrup (bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil and let cool) and a trick we learned from the book, orange juice. I used about a half a cup of sugar and we added a few glugs of juice. I didn’t measure it – we just kept doing taste tests. It was delicious. Then we made some cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches (with cucumbers from our garden) and had ourselves a little tea party at the dining room table.

Speaking of the garden, I just had to take this picture of my kitchen counter. A trip to the Farmer’s Market (blueberries and carrots) and our first big harvest in our garden.

And can we talk about these flowers?

I love summer. What are you growing?

---CraftyMom

Green Mom: Let Them Eat Dirt

The other weekend, I was doing some yard work that consisted of emptying planters from last year and redistributing the soil. As I was working, my 22 month old was watching me and exploring our back yard. After a while, he walked up to me, with a fistful, faceful and mouthful of dirt and a look that said “help!” Apparently the potting soil was irresistible to him and he took a bite. With a “kids will be kids” attitude and a good laugh, I took him inside and washed him up.

Turns out he was only trying to improve his immune system. I have to admit that from time to time, I do forget to wash my son’s hands before he eats…especially if we are out. Since he still eats with his hands, I’ve always thought this bad habit of mine was especially gross. Now that I’ve read this, I won’t feel as badly about it…but I’ll still keep my all natural hand sanitizer with me.

Green Mom: Doctor’s Orders

My son has had a rash on his stomach, back and legs for a while now. It started out as the perfect outline of a diaper, but has continued to spread. I’ve been trying everything to get it to go away…changing from Pampers to those without dye or chlorine, changing then eliminating creams. You name it.

Finally I took him to the doctor. She said it’s eczema, most likely caused by the elastic on his diapers because his skin is super sensitive. She gave me a skin care regimen that consists of Dove Liquid Soap, Eucerin cream and Cortaid. My heart sunk and my stomach turned when I heard this. I tried to reason with her that we only use all natural skin care products and all natural laundry detergent. How could using soap and cream with chemicals be better for his skin? She explained that the products we’re using might be too stripped down and even though they are natural, doesn’t mean it’s good for his skin (ex. poison ivy is in nature but it’s not good for skin). I’m heartbroken…I actually cried about it. Knowing about the harmful chemicals in skin care products, I told my husband I felt like I was handing our son a pack of cigarettes and saying “go to it.” (Dramatic I know, but hey, I’m 9 months pregnant!)

On the one hand, I want to continue using the products that I trust. On the other hand, why bother to have a doctor if I’m not going to listen to what she says. After all, if she had prescribed a medicated cream, I would not have thought twice about using it. I just keep telling myself that this too is like a medication for him and that once the rash clears up, I can slowly introduce the all natural products again. Reluctantly I went out last night and bought all the new recommended products…but I’m not happy about it at all.

Green Mom: Quick Sand

My father built my son a sandbox for his birthday…last July. It is currently sitting in our backyard, empty, because I can’t find sand to fill it. I know you can find play sand at any big box store, but that sand contains tremolite (a form of asbestos) and crystalline silica, both of which are known carcinogens. Some brands have a warning on them because it is required if they are sold in California, which leads me to believe it shouldn’t be sold anywhere. Some research insists it is not the sand that is harmful, it is the dust…but what child doesn’t create dust in a sandbox? I understand that river or lake sand is the best to use, but I can’t seem to find that for sale anywhere (and I’m guessing lugging a trash can to the beach and “borrowing” some from Mother Nature is frowned upon). The few landscaping places my husband called had no idea what he was talking about and tried to steer him in the direction of play sand. They are willing to sell us Mason’s sand, which is a reasonable choice, but they only sell it by the yard, which is far more than we need. A coworker, whose daughter has also had an empty sandbox for over a year, discovered Safe Sand, but it is very expensive so she’s in the same boat I am. Now that the weather is nice, I’m hoping to find something soon so my son doesn’t have to spend the whole summer sitting in an empty box. Any ideas?

Green Mom: Happy Earth Day Oprah

I know Earth day was a while ago now, but I just got around to watching Oprah’s Earth Day episode. I figured it would be mostly tips on how to go green that I’ve already heard, but she had some guests on that had interesting things to say.

Fabien Cousteau (grandson of Jacque Cousteau) talked about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Apparently there is a garbage heap in the Pacific Ocean that is twice the size of Texas. It stretches from the coast of California to Japan and in some places is 90 feet deep. It is estimated that 90 percent of the heap is made up of plastic and 80 percent of the total litter is not from boats, but from land — debris that has been thrown or has blown into waterways from as far away as Iowa. The photos that were shown of birds with stomachs so full of garbage (because they think it’s food) that they actually starve to death, or of a turtle that has grown into adulthood with an elastic band around its shell resulting in an hourglass shape were pretty eye opening. I don’t make a habit of throwing my trash, plastic or otherwise, directly into the street or waterway, but it does make you think about where all the trash goes and how it’s affecting us by affecting other animals.

The second most eye-opening nugget for me was probably the most obvious. Oprah had Michael Pollan, an author that writes about food, talk a bit about pesticides. One of the things he said was, “You wouldn’t let your child go under the kitchen sink and drink the cleaning products, so why would you use harmful products that when washed down the drain end up back on their plates via their food?” I do try to use eco-friendly products but I never thought about them actually being washed down the drain then consumed via the foods my family eats. The same goes with lawn fertilizer. We use organic lawn products because we have a dog and a toddler, but we are often on the lawns of others that do not. Even though the lawn care company is claiming that the lawn is safe for children to play on after 24 hours, that doesn’t take into account the chemicals that are then seeping into the soil, and ending up in the produce that we buy at the grocery store. That, on top of the pesticides used to grow non-organic food, equals a lot of chemicals being ingested.

For a limited time, Oprah is offering coupons on her site for things like Sigg bottles. Say what you will about Oprah, but this Green Mom was happy to learn something from her.

Green Mom: Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. In celebration, here are some links with interesting ideas, activities or giveaways.

Reynolds Recycled
Visit this site today to find out how to get a free roll of Reynolds Wrap Foil made from 100% recycled materials.

Earth Day Reads
Books for various ages on the environment.

Activites and Resources for Children
Various craft, food, and activity ideas.

Milk Carton Crafts
Discover what can be done with milk cartons other than recycling them.

Green Mom: IKEA

My family spent Sunday afternoon at IKEA. My husband wanted to enjoy some of their famous Swedish meatballs so we spent some time in their restaurant (which is really more like a cafeteria). While there, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of disposable items. We ate off of real plates, used real silverware and drank from real cups. There were no little cups for ketchup or salad dressing; you were expected to bring your items up to the food bar for condiments. There were paper napkins and disposable straws, but because of all the reusable items, we didn’t feel as guilty about using them. Throughout the store, there were recycle bins for paper next to each of the trash cans. We even picked up some great recycling bins for our house.

I think whoever created their carts should invent strollers for kids. The beauty of the IKEA cart is that not only does it go forward like a regular shopping cart, but it goes side to side. Wouldn’t it be nice to do the same at the mall or to make room for someone on the sidewalk? I think I might be on to something.

Green Mom: Sandwich Bags

I’ve been debating whether or not I want to buy reusable sandwich bags. After seeing this though, I think I want to try making my own. Now if only I knew how to use a sewing machine…

Green Mom: Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour takes place tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. wherever you live. By switching off your lights for one hour, you can show your support of the Earth and take a stand against global warming.

Green Mom: Going Green Room By Room

In honor of St. Patricks' day, here are some helpful ways to make your home more green.

http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/default.htm

http://www.kiwimagonline.com/articles/articlepage.php?art_id=36&cat_id=3&full=1