Moving Day!

Welcome to The Green Parent!
Remember that big news I was talking about a few weeks ago? Well, The Green Parent has officially moved to it's own domain! All your favorite stuff is still there: in-depth green parenting info, product reviews, polls, and interviews. And now we also have a Green Parents Forum so that you can have your say! To celebrate our new move I'll be giving away some awesome green prizes every day in September, so come on over and join the fun!

Don't forget to update your links. The Green Parent's new home is:

http://www.thegreenparent.com

See you there!

Serve up Some Eco-Friendly Pizza

I have yet to meet a kid who does not like pizza. So it’s no wonder that pizza is the ultimate family favorite and easy dinner fallback. According to American Heritage Magazine, 93% of Americans eat pizza at least once a month. That’s pretty much right on target around my house, maybe even a bit more if work and school schedules get hectic. With all that pizza, I couldn't help but wonder if I was serving up the most eco-friendly pie. Here's how to green your pizza:

DIY It: If it’s a distance to your local pizza place, make your own pizza at home. (Better yet, let your kids make it.) You'll save money on the pie and on the gas (not to mention saving the planet)

Plan It: O.K., I know pizza delivery is tempting, but unless your favorite spot delivers their pizza by bike or hybrid, avoid these unnecessary driving miles by picking up your pizza on the way home from school or work.

Order It: Speaking of pizza places that delivery by bike or hybrid, each of these pizzerias are going the extra mile to go green, (using organic ingredients, eco-friendly cleaners, recycled products, and in some cases…bikes and hybrids for deliveries.) So if you’re lucky enough to live near one, be sure to stop in for some planet-saving pizza.

Pizza Fusion: With a motto like “Saving the Earth One Pizza at a Time,” you just know you can feel good about the pizza at Pizza Fusion. There are currently 22 Pizza Fusion locations across the U.S. Check out their site to see if there’s one near you.

Galactic Pizza: Galactic Pizza serves up “Pizza with a Conscience” in uptown Minneapolis.

Amici’s Pizza: Amici’s Pizza in Berkley, Michigan recently received green restaraunt certification from the Green Restaurants Association.

Veg It: Stick with cheese and veggies when dressing up your pizza. These ingredients are healthier for you and for the planet. (For more info, check out this old post on the environmental impact of eating beef.)

Recycle It: Your cardboard pizza box is recyclable, but only if it’s clean. Grease/cheese/sauce covered cardboard really shouldn’t get tossed in with the recyclables as it could contaminate the whole lot, so tear those sections off and recycle the rest.

Reuse It: Pizza boxes make excellent craft (and unusual) craft supplies. Here are a few cool ideas to try:

• Felt Box: Use non-toxic glue to cover the inside of the pizza box top with felt. Cut out assorted felt shapes and store them inside the box. Voila! A traveling felt kit!

• Portfolio: Use pizza boxes to store your child’s art projects. The size is perfect for holding all sizes of artwork and it fits neatly under the bed. (Let kids jazz them up with stickers, markers, recycled paper, cut outs from old magazines, and paints. )
  

• Wreath Box: A pizza box is the perfect size for storing your out-of-season wreaths.

• Stepping Stone: Check out this DIY site to learn how to make a garden stepping stone from a pizza box.

• Solar Oven: Here’s one way to get cooking. This site will show you how to make a solar oven from a pizza box.

Got more pizza box craft ideas or know of another eco-friendly pizza joint? Share your ideas here...

Dr. Martin Luther King and the Quest for Environmental Justice

It goes without saying that environmental issues and social issues go hand in hand. As I mentioned in a previous post on world hunger, you can’t expect someone to worry about choosing a CFL bulb when they are trying to figure out where to get their next meal. Ditto goes for the woman who is being abused by her husband, the man who can’t get health care because he doesn’t have insurance, or the child who’s getting bullied at school.

Even more disturbing are the cases where environmental justice is in question, or more precisely, where environmental racism, is occurring. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s support of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike may well have been the first campaign to bring environmental justice issues into the limelight. But don't be fooled into thinking that environmental racism is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, as green goes mainstream, some less-than-reputable companies are simply moving their environmental damage into poorer communities where they know they will face less opposition.

Take, for example, the case of a recently proposed liquefied natural gas facility in which the company proposed to add 7 miles to their pipeline so that it would not affect the wealthy community in Malibu, CA. Instead, this pipeline would bring its air and water pollution to the low-income, farm-based community of Oxnard, CA.

Fortunately, Dr. King’s legacy of fighting for environmental and social justice found a champion in 16 year old Erica Fernandez. Upon learning about the proposed plant, this young eco-hero went door to door to rally her community to fight it. Thanks to Erica, 3000 people attended the town meeting to discuss the LNG project. And Erica and her community continued the fight all the way to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s doorstep, where the LNG plant was finally defeated.

Erica Fernandez won a Brower Youth Award for her actions to protect the environment and her community. Here's an excerpt from her acceptance speech:

"I was born and raised almost all my life in Mexico, surrounded by the beauty of nature. But when I arrived here to the United States, everything I (saw), was cars and pollution… I could not accept any more pollution… I wanted to be the voice for those who thought they didn’t have one; I wanted to be the hope for those who believed there was no way we could stop BHP Billiton; I wanted to be the inspiration for those who believe a person can make a difference; I wanted to be heard, and I was heard. And for that, I thank my community for teaching me a life lesson: a united community is more powerful than money.”

Sounds like Erica Fernandez has a dream...let's just hope there's lots more like her.

What can you do about environmental racism?

• Be on the lookout for environmental racism, both in your community and in nearby neighborhoods. Check out the Environmental Justice Scorecard to get a better idea of the distribution of environmental burdens in your community.

• If you think environmental racism is occurring in your community, contact your local Sierra Club. And while your there, check out check out the projects they already have underway to fight for environmental justice throughout the U.S.

Eating Out: How To Green Your Dinner

Whether you have the kids in tow or you are heading out for a much needed reprieve, eating out can be a fun break from the usual hum-drum of the home kitchen. But eating out also gives you less control of what you will eat and how it will be served. Here's how to eat out the green parenting way.

Go Local: Keep the location in mind when you select a venue for your meal. Choose a spot that's close to home to minimize driving. If possible, walk, take public transportation, or ride your bike and you will save time, money, and traffic/parking frustration.

Eat Your Greens: Patronize restaurants that use local and organic foods in their selections. Check with your favorite restaurant to find out if they incorporate healthier “green” foods into their recipes. Check out the Eat Well Guide for a list of restaurants that use local, sustainable ingredients.

Go Veggie: If you have a choice, go for a vegetarian selection. A vegetarian meal is better for your health and that of the environment, and it is often one of the cheaper items on the menu. And it may just give you a creative new meal idea to try at home.

B.Y.O.P (Bring Your Own Place Setting) Sometimes you can't always control where you will be eating. If you know you will be headed to a restaurant that uses paper napkins or plastic silverware, consider bringing your own reusable napkins and silverware from home to minimize waste. Sure, you may get a few odd looks. But any parent who has ever taken their child to a restaurant should be used to these looks by now.

Greener Take Out: If you decide to abandon the restaurant setting and get your order to go, ask that your food be packaged in as few boxes/bags as possible. Also ask the restaurant to forgo the usual wad of napkins, plastic utensils, and unnecessary condiments.

E-Cycling: The Green Parent's Guide to Disposing of Electronic Gadgets

As a parent with young children, I have found that it is almost as hard to keep up with technology as it is to keep up with a two year old. Old model computers, televisions, and cell phones are replaced faster than you can say VCR. But where do all those gadgets go when they die?

According to Earth 911, Americans tossed 1.5 billion tons of e-waste in 2006, including 44 million computers and televisions. Worldwide, 88 billion tons of e-waste were trashed in 2006.

Each one of these electronic gadgets is chock full of toxic chemicals like mercury and lead that create an environmental mess when they leach into the soil and groundwater. CRT-based computer monitors and televisions (the kinds that have tubes) contain on average 4-8 pounds of lead. Flat panel models contain less lead but more mercury. (Earth 911 site can give details about the nasty stuff that can be found in your TVs, cell phones and computers.) Industry experts estimate even though e-waste currently accounts for only 1 to 4% of municipal waste, it may be responsible for as much as 70% of the heavy metals in landfills, including 40% of all lead.

Landfilling electronics also wastes the otherwise useful materials such as glass, copper, aluminum, plastic and other components that could be extracted and reused. Finally, of the e-waste that is recycled (an admittedly small percentage of the lot) roughly 50-80% is exported to countries such as China and Mexico where it is dismantled without regard to human or environmental safety.

So if you have an old gadget that you want to get rid of, it is extremely important to make sure it is disposed of properly. Here’s how to green your e-waste:

Find It A New Home: Keep your old electronic devices out of the landfill by finding them a new home. Ask around among friends and family, Freecycle, or donate the item.

Send It Back: Contact the product’s manufacturer to find out if they have a policy for taking back their old gadgets. Some companies, such as Dell, will take back not only their own products but their competitor's as well.

Recycle It Right: Check out the EPA’s Plug-In to Recycling site for a list of companies that sponsor e-waste take back events and to find an e-cycling event in your community. If you can’t find one nearby, check out the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s list of Responsible Recyclers in your area.

Toilet Talk: Green Parenting for the Potty?

Are you flushing money (and the environment) down the toilet?

In the typical American household, 35 to 45% of all of the drinkable (or potable) water is used to flush the toilet. Older model toilets are the worst offenders, using 7-10 gallons of water with each flush. Newer models are slightly more conservative, using between 3-5 gallons. Flushing gallons of water down the toilet is not only a waste of the water itself, but also of the energy and resources used to filter that water and transport it to and from your house. It also costs you money twice: once on your water bill and again on your sewer bill.

So save yourself some money and help keep the environment from going down the toilet with these easy green parenting tips:

• Use The Can:Don’t use your toilet as a trash can. Toss tissues, dead bugs, and cigarette butts (make sure they’re out...better yet, don't smoke!) in the garbage to avoid unnecessary flushes.
  
  
• Gotta Leak? Not sure if the toilet at your house is leaking? Drop a little food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, there is a leak.
  
  
• Dam It! You only need about 2 gallons of water to successfully flush your toilet. If your toilet uses more than that, make a toilet dam by filling a plastic water bottle with pebbles or water and place it in your toilet tank. This will reduce the overall volume of the tank and cut down on the amount of water flushed down the drain. If you have an active toilet (and if you have kids it's likely that you do), this can save you roughly 300 gallons of water each month.

It's Good To Share

Mornings in my house revolve around a frenzy of food. Between preparing breakfast for my girls (they are on a cinnamon toast kick) to packing their lunches (PB&J, carrots, and applesauce), and taking a stab at defrosting what we will have for dinner, it seems almost surreal to me that outside my home, throughout my town, my country, and certainly throughout the world, there are mothers who will not be able to feed their children today.

It is heartbreaking and it is humbling.

Lest you think that hunger is a social issue and not an environmental issue, remember, many environmental problems such as air pollution, water pollution, and genetically engineering livestock and crops are the direct result of our desire to feed people in need.

And it’s pointless to beg people to recycle or install a CFL lightbulb when their only thoughts are on feeding their children.

So parent to parent…let’s go green this year by making sure that other parents have the food they need for themselves and their children. Here’s how:

• Go Local: Contact your local food bank, soup kitchen, or church to find out what you can do to help. Donate non-perishable items, distribute flyers, organize pantry shelves, or volunteer to serve.

• Get Clicking: It’s easy to become jaded and think that the money you donate will simply get lost in an administrative slush pile. But there are charities out there that are really making a difference by getting food and funds into the hands of the people who need them. Here are a few worth checking out:

Meals on Wheels: Meals on Wheels organizations provide hot meals (either at local community centers or by delivery) to elderly, homebound, and disabled folks in need throughout the country. Check out their website to donate or find a program near you.

Target Hunger: Target Hunger aims to alleviate hunger in inner-city neighborhoods. They distribute about 3 million pounds of food each month to families in need in addition to offering courses in nutrition, self-esteem, English-As-A-Second Language, adult literacy, math and job search workshops.

Heifer International: Give a man a fish and he’ll have food for today. Teach him to fish and he’ll have food for life. That’s the idea behind the programs at Heifer, International. This organization provides farm animals to the world’s hungry so that they can have something to eat today, as well as hope for the future. Heifer’s recipients also become future donors, as they pledge to donate their animal’s offspring to another family in need.

• Get Your Kids Involved: After all, we teach our children from an early age that it’s important to share. What better way to walk the walk than to show them how sharing benefits kids in their community and in their world.

Photo of child eating corn courtesy of Radharadhya d
Photo of child and goat courtesy of Heifer International

Green Your Dry Cleaning

Kids and dry cleaning? You’re joking, right? These two go together like oil and water (literally). But for those of you who are adventurous enough to mix kids and dry cleaning, here's what you need to know about the toxic chemicals used at traditional dry cleaners and how to find a greener alternative.

Why Go Green?

The standard solvent used in 85% of the dry cleaners in the U.S. is is perchloroethylene (or Perc), a central nervous system depressant known to cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness. It has been linked to reproductive problems, including miscarriage and male infertility and it hasbeen listed as a hazardous air pollutant and a probable human carcinogen under the federal standards. Perc is also rough on the planet, contributing to both air and water pollution.

How To Green Your Dry Cleaning

1. Skip It: It goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyhow), the most eco-friendly thing you can do is to avoid clothes that require dry cleaning.

2. Get Wet: If you do have clothes that need to be dry cleaned, look for a “wet cleaner” that uses computer-controlled washers and dryers in combination with water and non-toxic, biodegradable detergents to clean delicate fabrics such as wool, silk, linen or rayon. Wet cleaning does not contribute to air or water pollution and it's safe for the people cleaning your clothes. (Here's a directory of wet cleaners.)

3. Give It Some Gas: Dry cleaning that uses liquid carbon dioxide is another green alternative. This technology uses CO2 that is captured from existing industrial and agricultural emissions (so it doesn’t contribute to global warming) . Several years ago, Consumer Reports compared eco-friendly dry cleaning methods and gave the edge to liquid CO2 for producing the best results in tests for shrinkage, discoloration, and preservation of texture. However, this method is "less green" than wet-cleaning as it does use detergents that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

4. Green Earth: GreenEarth dry cleaning utilizes a silicone-based solvent, siloxane, to clean clothes in a process similar to traditional cleaning. It is often billed as “green” because the chemicals it uses are less toxic than Perc. However, there is still concern about the safety of siloxane for both human and environmental health. Siloxane is highly flammable, it is manufactured using chlorine, and its use may release dioxin emissions. And the verdict is still out on whether or not siloxane is a carcinogen.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Tubes

Oddly enough, one of the most common green parenting questions that I am asked is centered on those pesky toilet paper and paper towel tubes that accumulate so quickly in the family recycle bin. Sure, you could do a craft with them (there are several craft ideas list below) but that idea may lose its luster after you've made your 18th eyeglass case or pencil holder. So here are some great green parenting tips for reducing, reusing, and recycling your old toilet paper and paper towel tubes.

Reduce

Want A Deeper Shade of Green? If you want to be really hardcore, you can reduce your family’s overall use of toilet paper tubes by eliminating the roll altogether. Enter, the family cloth. If you’re not familiar with this concept, here’s a quick primer. You take a couple of clean old rags (old t-shirts and towels are popular choices), cut them into “wipe” size pieces and place them in a basket next to the toilet. On the other side of the toilet, place a clean bucket to hold the used cloths until you are ready to toss them in the wash. It may sound a bit extreme, but it is similar in concept to cloth diapers. And in addition to being very green for the planet, it will save you some green on paper products each month.

Reuse

Give your toilet paper and paper towel tubes a second life by reusing them before or instead of recycling them. Here's how:

• Donate old toilet paper or paper towel tubes to your local school or library to use as craft projects.
  
• Use toilet paper tubes as packing material.
  
• Give them to your pet hamster or bird (or to a friend that has one) to play with.
  
• Store holiday lights by rolling them around paper towel tubes to prevent tangling.
  
• Attach 2 or 3 toilet paper and/or paper towel tubes together to make an art organizer that holds pens, paint brushes, markers, etc.
  
• Do a Craft: Here are some great craft ideas for reusing toilet paper and paper towel tubes:

Toilet Paper Tube Crafts

Gift Box
Puppets
Vase
Napkin Rings

Glasses Case

Menorah/Kinara/Advent Wreath

Recycle

Recycle toilet paper and paper towel tubes with your cardboard or paper products. Also, consider buying toilet tissue and paper towels made from recycled paper as these products are most likely to also contain tubes made from recycled paper. For example, Green Forest paper towel and bathroom tissue tubes are 100% recycled, with a 75% post-consumer recycled content.

Eco-Friendly School Fundraisers

We are not even halfway through the school year and already I have been inundated with forms and catalogs from my daughter’s school for fundraisers that almost always include low-quality foods, junk, or paper products that I neither need nor want. Stuff that is designed to clog up my closets while depleting resources and inevitably filling up landfills. Isn’t there are greener way for kids to help raise money for their school without trashing the planet? Here are some great ideas for greening your child’s next school fundraiser:

Sell Green Stuff: A number of upcoming organizations, such as Greenraising (www.greenraising.com) and Lets Go Green (www.letsgogreen.biz) now offer eco-friendly fundraising opportunities. Both offer a range of products to choose from such as SIGG water bottles, eco-friendly cleaning products, and recycled office supplies that can support and protect the eco-friendly cause while also raising some much needed green for your child’s school. Another great green option is to sell reusable grocery bags through companies such as Chico Bag (www.chicobag.com) or ReuseThisBag.com (www.reusethisbag.com). Imprint your school or club’s logo on these eco-friendly bags to show-off your school spirit.

Host A Green Event: You can raise a pot of cash for your school with a green, waste-free event such as a spaghetti dinner or pancake breakfast. Hold the event in your school’s cafeteria or your local fire hall and hit up local businesses to donate food, reusable napkins, and compostable dishes.

Pledge To Be Green: Kids can raise money and get a little exercise with a green fundraiser such as a walk-a-thon or obstacle course. Pledgers can donate cash for every lap walked or obstacle achieved. The only resource your kids will use is their own boundless energy!

Photo credit: André Menegatti

Where To Donate Your Old Stuff

Cleaning house? Consider donating things you no longer want or need to someone who does. Donating old stuff is not only great for folks in need, it is also great for the environment, as it reduces waste and the consumption of new resources. Get your kids involved by filling them in on where the old items are going and how they will help. Here's where you and your kids can donate anything from appliances to eyeglasses.

Appliances: Most thrift stores, including Goodwill and the Salvation Army accept small appliances for donation. Contact them first if you have something large to drop off or consider listing the item on Freecycle to see if someone in your local area might be interested. Also check with your local women’s shelter or group home.

Books: Contact your local library to find out their policy on donations. Most will accept virtually any book or magazine (within reason, of course.) Other options include children’s museums, women’s shelters, hospitals, or your local thrift store.

Cars: Got an old jalopy clogging up your driveway? Contact area high-schools, colleges, or vo-tech programs to find out if they could use your old car. Advertise the heap in Freecycle to see if anyone in your local area is interested in it for parts. Or look into donating it to a charity programs such as The National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Cars or Habitat for Humanity’s Cars for Homes.

Cell Phones: Donate old cell phones directly to your local women’s shelter, or check out The Wireless Foundation’s Call to Protect Campaign or Verizon Wireless’s HopeLine, where money raised through phone sales are donated to domestic-violence shelters.

Clothes: Click here for a recent post on donating (and fixing, selling, or swapping) old clothes.

Computers: Check with your local schools, libraries, or charity organizations to see if they could use your old computer. If not, contact The National Cristina Foundation, Computer Recycling Center, or The World Computer Exchange to make sure your computer gets in the hands of someone who can use it.

Eyeglasses: Don’t toss your old frames, donate them instead. Check out The Lions Club’s eyeglass recycling program or New Eyes For The Needy, an organization that distributes glasses, sunglasses, and hearing to those who need them.

Furniture: Freecycle your old furniture or contact your local thrift store to see if they will accept it and/or pick it up.

Toys: Clean out those overflowing toy bins and pass along those old toys to your local thrift store, hospital, children’s museum, women’s shelter, or library.

The Green Parent Is Coming To You!

Check out the calendar to see when The Green Parent Awards are coming to a town near you. This calendar is updated frequently, so if your town isn't on here yet, but you think it should be, drop me a line. And be sure to register now for a chance to win some great green gear!

The 2008 Green Parent Awards

April 12-13 Seattle, WA Seattle Green Festival
Green Parenting Presentation: Sat. April 12th, 11:00am, Room 4

April 21 Charlottesville, VA Whole Foods Market
Green Parenting Presentation and Eco-Craft For Kids: 4pm

April 26 Washington D.C Whole Foods Market
Georgetown Store: Green Parenting Presentation and Eco-Craft: 9-11am
P-Street Store: Green Parenting Presentation and EcoCraft: 12pm-2pm

May 10 Luray, VA Festival of Spring

May 17-18 Chicago, IL Chicago Green Festival

May 30-Jun 1 Ithaca, NY Ithaca College Alumni Weekend
Green Parenting Presentation: Sat, May 31st, 10:30am School of Business
Eco-Crafts For Kids, Sat May 31st, 11:00-2:00pm, Picnic on the Quad

Nov 8-9 Washington, D.C. D.C. Green Festival

Nov 14-16 San Francisco, CA SF Green Festival

Cleaning House? What To Do With Your Old Clothes

If you're like me, the new year has you itching to clean house and get rid of some post-holiday clutter. Time to go through those closets and set aside the clothes that have seen better days. Just don't even think about tossing them. There's plenty of ways to get a second (or third or fourth) life out of your old duds. Here's are some green parenting ideas for dealing with your old clothes:

Fix: If you’re handy with a needle in thread, go ahead and fix that torn hem in your skirt or patch up the hole in your son's favorite flannel shirt. Need a guide? Check out these handy sites for some quick and easy clothing repairs…

Thrifty Fun

Easy Clothing Repairs

Heloise’s Quick Clothing Repair Hints

Swap: You know what they say…one green parent’s junk is another green parent’s treasure. If you have a bag full of clothes that you no longer want, consider swapping them for a bag full of clothes that are gently used, yet new-to-you. Organize a swap with friends to exchange kids’ clothes or clothes for your own closet. Or check out these sites to trade with green parents from around the world…

Swap-O-Rama-Rama

Swapstyle

Swapthing

Clothing Swap

Sell: If you have some clothing items that are worth a pretty penny, consider selling them at your local consignment shop or online to earn some New Year $$$. Check out www.consignmentshops.com for a list of clothing consignment stores near you. Online auction/listing sites include:

Ebay

Craigslist

Donate: Another great option is to donate your old duds to a worthwhile charity. You can even deduct your donation as long as you keep an itemized list of what you gave and get a receipt from the donation site. (To get a general idea of the fair market value for your clothes, check out www.goodwillpromo.org or www.salvationarmyusa.org.) Check out the following sites for info on donating your old clothes.

Goodwill

The Salvation Army

AmVets

Dress for Success

The Glass Slipper Project

Top 5 Green Parent New Year’s Resolutions

It's that time of year where we all reflect back on the past 12 months and make a plan for the months to come. If you're ready to really make a difference in 2008, try making a promise to go easy on the planet with one (or all) of these Green Parent New Year's Resolutions:

1. Park It: Make every effort to walk, bike, or take public transit instead of driving you car. For inspiration, check out Alan Durning’s Year of Living Car-Lessly to read about his family of five’s car-free adventures.

2. Eat Local Foods: According to a recent report by the Natural Resource Defense Council, the average American meal contains ingredients from at least five countries outside the U.S. These ingredients are shipped by boat, train, and plane to our dinner plates, leaving a path of pollution and resource depletion in their wake. Make an effort this year to eat foods that are grown closer to home. Check out Sustainable Table for a state-by-state list of the seasonal foods that are found near you.

3. Trim Your Trash: Why put yourself on a diet when you can make a resolution to put your trash on one instead? The average American produces roughly 4.5 pounds of trash each day (that’s 17 pounds of trash thrown away each day for a family of four!) Trim that waste-line by practicing the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Check out these posts for great ways to reduce waste:

Stop Junk Mail
Make A Waste Free Lunch
Test Your Trash Can I.Q.
Recycling 101
Got Leaves? Get Composting
Skip The Water Cooler
Toting Canvas

4. Turn Off A Light: There’s nothing worse than heading out the door with your arms full of kids, diaper bags, sippy cups, and snacks, only to realize that every light in the house is still burning. Make it your New Year’s resolution to turn off lights as you leave a room…better yet, put your kids in charge of “light patrol.” You'll save a bundle in energy bills and light bulbs!
   

5. Vote Green: 2008 promises to be a big year at the ballot box, both at the national and local level. So before you cast your vote, check out the League of Conservation Voters to see where you favorite (and not so favorite) candidates stand on the environment.

Green Your New Year's Eve Celebration

It’s just about time to say good-bye to 2007 and ring in 2008. Get your new year off on the right foot with these eco-friendly tips to green your New Year’s Eve celebration.

Send Evites: Paper invitations are so 2007. Send email invitations, or evites, for your New Year’s Eve celebration. Check out www.evite.com for free evites as well as party planning ideas and themes.

Green Decorations: Get creative with your party décor. Repurpose items you already own to jazz up your party in lieu of single-use paper or plastic party decorations. Pull out a fancy bowl and fill it with greenery from your yard, fruits, or leftover bows and ribbons from your holiday celebrations; drape a scarf over your book case or end table; or enlist your kids help in making handmade crafts to decorate your event.

Eco Eats: Challenge yourself and your guests to bring local and/or organic foods and dishes to your party.

Don’t Trash The Planet: Ring in the New Year with a minimal amount of waste with reusable dishes, napkins, and silverware. If you need more dishes than you own, try renting dishes or using biodegradable products that you can throw in your compost pile after the party. (Try www.plumparty.com for biodegradable plates, cups, and even straws).

Get Toasted: Check your local yellow pages under party rentals or party supplies to rent champagne flutes for your celebration so that you and your guests can toast the New Year with eco-savvy style.

Tis The Season...For Coughs, Colds, and the Flu

Members of a family get used to sharing. Older kids share toys and clothes with their younger siblings, parents share snacks, drinks, and occasionally the clothes from their own backs with their children, and even the family dog might be required to share a place on his cozy bed from time to time. And when one member of the family brings home an illness, whether it’s a scratchy throat, a runny nose, or a full-blown flu, it’s likely they will share their germs with the rest of the clan as well. Chances are at least one (if not every) member in your family will get sick this winter. Here’s how to stay green when you’re feeling…well…green.

For Your Nose

Sure, if you live by yourself, you could skip the paper and use a cloth hanky to wipe up a drippy nose. But in a house with kids, where germs spread like wildfire, it’s best to toss those germs as soon as they hit the tissue. Here are a few great eco-friendly options:

Seventh Generation: Seventh Generation facial tissues are made from 100% recycled paper, (with a minimum of 80% post-consumer recycled paper) and they’re whitened without chlorine bleach. According to their website (www.seventhgeneration.com) if every person in the U.S. purchased just one box of recycled paper tissues instead of a box made from virgin paper, we would save 299,000 trees, 772,000 cubic feet of landfill space, equal to 1,100 full garbage trucks, 108 million gallons of water, a year's supply for 850 families of four, and avoid 18,000 pounds of chlorinated pollution.

Green Forest: Another great green buy, Green Forest facial tissues are also made from 100% recycled paper (40% post-consumer minimum) and processed chlorine free.

Cooling, Soothing Cough Drops

Organix Organic Cough Drops: Soothes the throat and nose with all organic herbal ingredients including peppermint oil, sage, thyme, marshmallow root, hyssop, and slippery elm and no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

Hebron Naturals Organic Cough Drops: Relieves coughs and sore throats with organic and natural ingredients. Flavors include Adventurous Tingle (Echinacea) Wild Cherry, Glacial Mint, and Lemon Honey.

Savory Soups

Amy’s Soups: Amy’s offers a number of yummy, wholesome soups that will take the chill out of your bones and . Some favorite vegan options include No Chicken Noodle (as it’s name implies…there’s no bird in this cure-all), Organic Alphabet, and Organic Black Bean.

ShariAnn’s Organic: ShariAnn’s Organic is another great source for full-flavored soups that will help you feel better fast. Vegan selections include Tomato with Roasted Garlic, Vegetarian French Onion, and Great Plains Split Pea or try the Vegetarian Vegetable Barley.

Ahh…There’s Nothing Like A Cup of Tea

Newman’s Own Organics: Look to Newman’s Own Organics for organic black or green teas that will soothe achy muscles, sore throats, and a pounding headache.

Choice: Choice offers an amazing selection of Fair Trade Certified organic teas in white, green and black to tackle your wellness woes. Favorites include White Jasmine, Himalayan Green, Chamomile Herb, and Darjeeling.

Herbal Medicine DIY

If you like you medicine to come from a plant rather than a factory, you might be interested in the Herbal Medicine Kit, This kit includes all of the ingredients and instructions you need to make an echinacaea tincture, and herbal healing salve, and herbal infusions.

Deck The Halls with Eco-Friendly Christmas Deocrations

Looking for holiday decorations that are safe for your kids and the environment? Follow these tips to deck the halls with eco-friendly style:

1. Go Lead-Free: Watch out for ornaments and holiday decorations that are coated in lead-based paint. Instead, look for decorations that bear the 100% lead-free label.

2. Go -Au Naturale: Look to nature when decorating your home this year. Here are some great ideas for natural holiday decorations: organic popcorn, cinnamon sticks, holly, ivy an evergreens, pine cones, cranberries, homemade gingerbread, organic fruit and vegetables, and dried Indian corn.

3. DIY: Give your kids some markers, eco-friendly paints, scissors, and recycled paper and let their creativity shine. If they need some inspiration, suggest they cut out shapes of stars and snowmen from the paper and decorate with markers and/or paints. Another idea is to make a candy cane using alternating stripes of red and white recycled paper. Or they add some festive flare to pine cones with gold or silver paint and some leftover holiday ribbon.

4. Keep It Fair: Green is, at the very least, the hippest new trend. So impress your friends and family with fair-trade decorations that show off your eco-savvy style. Look for decorations that are locally made or check out Ten Thousand Villages for Fair Trade Certified options.

Green Your Christmas with Low-Energy Holiday Lights

Whether you like lights that are white or multi-colored, make them green with LED lights that use 90% less energy and last much longer than traditional bulbs. LEDs don’t heat up like standard bulbs...so they stay cooler, are safer for kids, and pose less risk of fires. And if one bulb does break or burn out, the rest of the lights in the strand will keep glowing.

If you can't find LED Christmas lights at your local store, check out Holiday LEDs or Forever Brights from Christmas Treasures to light up your holidays while going easy on the planet. To get even more green from your outdoor Christmas lights, try Solar Illuminations for solar-powered Christmas LEDs.

Photo credit: Graham Soult

The Greenest Tree: Is Your Christmas Tree Eco-Friendly?

You can't celebrate Christmas without setting up a Christmas tree, but how do you know what type of tree makes the most eco-savvy choice? According to the National Christmas Tree Association, about 29 million Americans brought home a real, live Christmas tree in 2006. But that still pales in comparison to the 70% of Americans who prefer to set up an artificial tree. Whether you choose real or artificial, here's how to make sure you get the greenest tree:

The Green Parent Pick: Go get a real tree. Sure, it means cutting down a tree. But these days nearly all Christmas trees are grown on tree farms. So deforestation is not an issue and it is really no different than harvesting corn or any other crop. From a global warming perspective, sustainable tree farms actually provide a continued “sink” for carbon dioxide emissions. Just be selective about the tree farm you choose to buy from and look for one that does not use an excess of pesticides and other chemicals.

Green Parent Tip: Get the family together and head out to your local tree farm to cut your own Christmas tree. Surf over to EcoBusinessLinks to see if there is an organic tree farm in your area. When the holidays are over, toss your undecorated tree in the backyard to provide wildlife habitat or in the compost bin for next year’s mulch.

Live Trees: A live, potted Christmas trees may seem like a good option for Green Parents, however, you have to make sure that you live in an area where your tree will thrive once it is planted. In addition, live trees are truly not meant to endure the warm temperatures inside your home. So it’s best to either leave it outside or bring it in for only a few days during the season.

Green Parent Tip: If you really want a live tree, your best bet would be to find a suitable tree in your backyard, and decorate it (with eco-friendly decorations, of course) right where it stands.

Artificial Trees: Artificial trees require the use of a significant amount of energy and petroleum-based (PVC) resources in their manufacture. In addition, most artificial trees today are manufactured in China, and are literally shipped halfway around the world to their destinations. And there are also some new concerns about residues of lead and other chemicals on artificial trees.

However, if you are going to buy one tree that you are sure you will use and reuse year after year for the next few decades, the environmental damage caused by producing and shipping your tree would be minimal when averaged out over the lifespan of the tree. And just think of all the gas and energy you will save from year to year by not having to head out to the local Christmas tree farm.

Green Parent Tip: Purchase an artificial tree that is made in the U.S.A to minimize the pollution and resource consumption caused by shipping. (Check out ChristmasDepot and USChristmastree for artificial trees that are 100% lead free and made in the U.S.A.) Reuse the same tree from year to year.

Photo credit: Marcelo Terraza

Go Green: Environmentally-Friendly Holiday Travel Tips

The holidays just wouldn't be the same without a visit with friends and family. So for many of us who have wandered a little from the proverbial family roots, that means a trip by sky, rail, or road. Here's how to green your holiday travel.

1. Leave The Flying To Santa: Traveling by airplane releases significantly more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere (and therefore causes more global warming) than traveling by car or by train.

2. Tune Up Your Sleigh: If your holiday travel includes a road trip, make sure your car is in tip-top condition so that you can maximize gas mileage, curb air pollution, and save a few bucks at the pump. Get an oil change, check your car's fluid levels, belts, and spark plugs, and make sure your tires are properly inflated. Click here and here for more info about driving green.

3. Lighten Your Load: Go easy on yourself and the environment by pairing down your holiday luggage. Whether you travel by car, train, or plane, the more baggage you have, the more pollution will be emitted to get it to your location.

4. Offset It: Offset your holiday carbon emissions with companies such as GreenTags or Green-e that invest in projects to absorb or prevent the release of carbon dioxide. (Green Parent Tip: Carbon offsets also make a great gift! Click here for more eco-friendly gift ideas.)