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I know as well as any other parent that paper towels and other disposable cleaning wipes are darned handy when it comes to cleaning up fast. But it’s actually just as fast to reach for a reusable cloth to do the job. Target has a great line of organic cotton cloths and towels as do Ecover and Seventh Generation. For sponges, look for natural sponges that are biodegradable and can even be composted when they have outlived their dishwashing usefulness. (Just be sure they come from a sponge farm and not a natural ecosystem.)
A recent Yale University study found that children who ride a school bus are exposed to up to 15 times more particulate pollution than average. That’s bad news for the 24 million American children who ride a school bus each day. Researchers estimate that this increased exposure is due to the idling and queuing of school buses. In other words, as school buses line up and wait in front of our kids’ schools, they are filling up harmful particulate pollution that will stay with our children throughout their ride.
What can you do abou it? Talk to your school administrators about the health and environmental implications of bus idling and propose a measure to ban it. Seventh grader Adam Martin from Jericho, VT , appeared earlier this year before Vermont’s House Natural Resources Committee to urge lawmakers to ban bus idling. If he can do it, so can you!
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsors the "Clean School Bus" program in an effort to inform parents and school board officials about the need to ban bus idling. Check out http://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/ for more info.
Eben Bayer grew up around mushrooms, helping his father harvest fungi on their farm in Vermont. But he probably never realized he might be inspired by mushrooms to patent an invention that would take the green building movement by storm. Bayer, and his classmate Gavin McIntyre, graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., recently launched "Greensulate" a organic product they developed together that uses mushrooms as insulation. The fire-retardant board is made of water, flour, oyster mushroom spores and perlite, a mineral blend found in potting soil. While studying at Rensselear, the two grew the mushrooms under their beds. But now they are hoping to take their product wide-scale. The two inventors are hoping the invention will soon be part of the growing market for eco-friendly products.
Can green and glam go together? Celebrities and hot-shot clothing designers recently got together to prove that they could. Twelve fashion icons, namely, Diane von Furstenberg, Missoni, Kate Moss, Jade Jagger, Gwyneth Paltrow, Helena Christensen, Christy Turlington, and Sophie Albou (of Paul & Joe) recently got together to launch a fashionable environmental initiative to raise awareness about the environment. Under the brand name, L.E.N.Y (Limited Edition New York), each celebrity designed an eco-themed T-shirt interpreting an environmental theme based on their personal style. The proceeds from the sales of the shirts will benefit Al Gore's The Climate Project.
Love music? Love the earth? Then mark your calendar for 07/07/07 to take part in this global mega-concert to raise awareness about climate change.
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Whether you are a music lover, an environmentalist, or both, you will definitely want to mark your calendar for July 7th (07/07/07). This is the day that Live Earth will host a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series that will bring together more than 100 musicians and 2 billion people around the world to raise awareness about climate change.
Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, the Worldwide Executive Producer of Live 8, an mega-event that sought to use global awareness to combat poverty. Wall formed a partnership with Al Gore, Chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection and other international organizations to launch Live Earth, an event that is sure to inspire behavioral changes long after 7/7/07.
Live Earth Concerts will be held at Giants Stadium in New York; Wembley Stadium in London; Aussie Stadium in Sydney; Copacabana Beach in Rio deJaneiro; Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg; Makuhari Messe in Tokyo; the Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai; and HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg. Concerts will be broadcast to a live worldwide audience by MSN at www.LiveEarth.MSN.com.
Want more info? Check out http://www.liveearth.org/friends_of_le.php.
As a parent, I knew that I did not want to raise my kids in a world full of toxins. And I wanted my kids to respect the planet and the other species that share it with us. But let's face it, there are days when it is all I can do to keep my girls clean, safe, and happy and I just don't feel up to the monumental task of saving the planet. But the reasons to go green are inextricably linked with my job as a mom. After all it's hard to keep my girls clean, safe, and happy if they are exposed to polluted water, air, and food. So here are the reasons that I choose to go green.
1. Going Green Saves Green
The essence of going green is to use less…less electricity, less water, and less stuff. And guess what, the good news is that using less actually saves you money. Conserve energy and you’ll have a lower electric bill and need less fuel at the pump. Reduce waste and you’ll spend less at the store and have lower trash removal fees. And fix your leaky faucets and you’ll not only conserve water, you’ll also slash the cost of your annual water bill. Now, who couldn’t use a little more green?
2. A Clean Bill of Health
We rely on the environment for more than aesthetics and commodities. It is literally the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Air pollution, global warming, acid rain, and water pollution deteriorate the environment as well as your health. Protecting the environment means protecting these resources and ensuring that your fa mily has access to clean water, healthy foods, and fresh air. 3. It’s For The Birds
Contrary to popular belief, we are not the only species on the planet. Every bird, mammal, fish, and tree depends upon the environment for its survival. And even if you are not an avid bird-watcher, the survival of one species is inextricably linked to the survival of the others. You may not notice when one plant or bird species becomes extinct, but as the number of species on the planet becomes threatened, the pressure on the environment builds up, affecting the survival of humans. 4. So I Can Look My Kids In The Eye
 There is an old Native American adage that says, “We did not inherit the Earth from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children.” One of my obligations as a parent is to ensure that my children have the same access to nature that I enjoy. When I am old and gray and bouncing my grandkids on your lap, I’ll be glad that are growing up in a clean, healthy environment. 5. Raising ‘Em Right
No matter how hard I try to teach my children to do the right thing, they will inevitably learn from what I do rather than what I say. If I show my children that I care about the environment by making environmentally-friendly choices, they will (hopefully) follow my lead. Raising children who understand their connection to the environment is one of the most eco-friendly impacts you can make. 6. Give The Economy A Boost
You do not have to choose between protecting the environment and supporting the economy. Eco-friendly choices drive a free-market economy. Industries such as farming, fishing, and tourism, rely on the health of the environment. Innovative technologies and products that protect the environment create new high-paying jobs. Using the marketplace for eco-friendly products is a win-win solution for consumers and businesses. So by going green, I am helping to foster a strong economy.
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