Joyfully Green: eco-friendly

Green vs. Convenient: Where Do YOU Draw the Line?

When do you choose convenience over being environmentally responsible? I think we all have certain areas where we could be a deeper shade of green, but it's not always easy, affordable, or even desirable for us to give up some die-hard conveniences. Here are five "trouble zones" in which convenience often battles it out with earth-friendliness--along with some suggestions to tip the balance in favor of the planet:

1. Parties. Can we all just agree right now that the worst part of parties is the clean-up? Is it any wonder that those plastic red cups (which I jokingly refer to as "The Evil Red Cups" due to their propensity to wind up on lawns and in gutters) have become a permanent staple at parties? But when you really think about how long the detritus of your parties hangs around on the planet, it's not that hard to switch to "the green party." Just run an extra load or two through the dishwasher on the day after. And use machine-washable cloth napkins--they're much more festive anyway! (If you can't give up The Evil Red Cups, at least give them a quick rinse and recycle them.)

2. Lunchbox meals. Sure, it's a hassle to pack lunchboxes on mornings when you're begging the kids to get dressed faster so you're not careening to the bus stop. But those squeezable, plastic, one-time-use lunch items and juice boxes will last longer than ten thousand lunchtimes. (That's just a guestimate.) To ease the morning frenzy: On the night before, pack lunches in dishwasher-friendly containers and fill thermoses for the fridge. (The super-cute lunch and snack packs pictured below are from my super-green friend, Jennifer Larsen, and are available in her Etsy shop.)

3. Traveling. Those mini-bottles of shampoo and conditioner have become the norm for air travel due to security restrictions. Is it bothersome to pour your hair products into reusable travel-size containers? Sure! Is it less bothersome than the air and water pollution created by the manufacture of all those little plastic bottles? Why yes, I believe it is! Get a small funnel at the store to simplify the job of pouring liquids from big containers into small ones.

4. Shopping. Many countries (and now, some U.S. cities) have started charging customers for plastic grocery bags or banning them altogether. I used to feel like a "green freak" for carrying my own canvas bags, but last week, the woman in front of me at the check-out actually apologized for using the store's plastic grocery bags. "I've gotta remember my canvas bags next time," she said sheepishly. (I call that "Progress.")

5. Diapers. I briefly thought about cloth diapers when my two children were babies, and by "briefly", I mean "for about an hour each." Babies go through a LOT of yucky diapers. (If I'm remembering correctly, I think it was--at minimum--five per day). I kidded myself that the disposables were just as "good", due to all of the hot water and detergent needed to clean the cloth ones. But let's face it: Disposable diapers are bad news for the planet because of the excruciatingly huge number of them going to landfills--and the fact that they aren't going anywhere. If I had to do it all over again, I wish I could tell you with certainty that I would choose cloth diapers. But if I'm being completely honest, I don't know if I would do it any differently.

We all draw our own lines in the sand for what we will and won't do in the name of green-ness. I'm not proud of it, but I drew the line at diapers.

Where do you draw your green lines? Be honest--let's hear it!

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Posted on 03/25/2014 at 09:02 PM in eco-friendly, home | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: disposable diapers versus cloth diapers, green party, plastic bags being banned from stores, reusable lunchbox containers

5 Kitchen Items That Radically Simplify My Life

I am not an advocate for buying more stuff--far from it. But lately, as I keep reaching for the same items in my kitchen, I've been thinking about how these items (all purchased within the last two years) have radically simplified my life, especially at mealtimes. The bonus is they've also made my life a little greener. How many of these items are you using to simplify your mealtimes?

1. Small colander. No, it doesn't have to be a gorgeous, fire-engine red like the one pictured above, but it certainly livens up the room (and has made it into about 5,000 of my photographs). I use this mini-colander every single day to rinse off fruits and vegetables (healthy points!), and it's small enough so it fits right into the top rack of the dishwasher. No paper towels necessary for drying off the produce.

2. Custard cups. (There's that fire-engine red again!) I use these little stoneware cups for countless things, none of them involving custard. I break eggs into them so it's easier to fish out the shells. I use them at parties for dips or sauces. I save leftovers in them (they come with lids). I serve yogurt or applesauce in them to the kids, because we all know "the foods can't touch each other!" And I don't want to use those plastic segmented plates for kids anymore--ever since the dangers of BPA made the news, I'm just waiting for the next report on which plastic is toxic to our systems. These stoneware cups avoid the plastic issue altogether.

3. Cookie cutters. It's fun to bake with the kids (and it keeps them focused on a positive activity instead of arguing about who owns that meaningless yellow pencil on the floor). Baking our own cookies cuts down on processed snacks (we know exactly what's in our cookies--mostly organic ingredients), as well as cutting out "the middle men" of manufacturing, packaging, and shipping. Better still, if we bake them on weekends, the lunchbox snacks are all taken care of for the week ahead. (Yes, we include the aforementioned fruits in the lunchboxes, too.)

4. Natural Choices Orange 100. One 32-oz. bottle is going on Year 2 in our house. We need just a few drops mixed with water (one little ounce for every gallon) in a spray bottle and--presto!--the counters are clean, shiny, and smell like oranges. What's not to like? (No, I'm not getting any money for plugging it--I just love it!)

5. Dinner bell. I don't know if it's more like "Downton Abbey" or Pavlov's dogs, but I do know it's a lot easier to summon the kids to dinnertime by ringing a pretty bell than screaming at the top of my lungs like a maniac with a house on fire. We had a dinner bell like this in my childhood home, but since it went missing decades ago, I got this antique school bell on eBay for about $10. (Plus, it's greener to buy antiques--old, well-loved things--instead of brand-new stuff that's most likely made in China.) Saved by the bell, indeed!

What do you use to make your mealtimes a snap?

Posted on 03/18/2014 at 09:02 PM in eco-friendly, simplify | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: dangers of BPA, greener to buy antiques, kitchen items to simplify meals, plastic is toxic, simplify life, simplify mealtimes

5 More Things To Cut Loose for a Simpler Life

Last Wednesday, I wrote about 5 Things to Cut Loose for a Simpler Life and I'm happy to say that I'm still on the simplicity kick! Here are five more things to consider ditching:

1. Plastic bags. Not only are plastic bags a pain in the neck for the planet, but they also have a way of exploding out of your kitchen drawers and closets, building up like a runaway snowball on its way to an avalanche. So, take that gigantic heap of flimsy bags to your local grocery store and put it in their plastic bag recycling bin, buy a few canvas bags, keep them in the front seat of your car, and just say no to the plastic bags for good.

2. Magazines. As somebody who used to be addicted to new magazines, I can tell you with 100% confidence that my life has gotten much easier by just borrowing them from the library. No more dusty stacks spilling all over the floor to contend with, and passing along copies of magazines instead of buying them is like the ride-sharing equivalent of commuting.

3. Coupons. Unless the coupon is for a dollar or more (few are!), skip them altogether. Is it really worth your time, kitchen drawers, and wallet space to cut out coupons for ten cents off? Don't you forget to use them anyway? Just sign up for a savings card at your supermarket and be done with the coupons.

4. Big-box store memberships. If you have the admirable self-control to walk into a store like Costco or Sam's Club and pick up only the 50-lb. bag of cat litter that you went in for, then by all means, keep your membership. It's very green to buy in bulk and cut down on packaging. The problem arises when these stores lure you into buying things you do not need at all, filling up your house like a hoarder on speed. Do you really need a mega-box of stuffing mix? Five hundred pens at once? A gallon of pepper? Simplify your life by buying just a little more than you'll really need until the next shopping trip at the (regular-sized) store. Remember: It's not a bargain if you don't need it.

5. Salon hair color. I used to have my hair lightened at salons, and my goodness, how I wish I could get back all of those two-hour chunks of time that I spent with my hair wrapped in tin foil, looking like an extra from "Lost in Space." Yes, I squeezed in some magazine-reading time in the chair, but now that I'm coloring my hair at home, the whole process is done in less than a half hour--a half hour while I'm doing more important things than reading about who's dating whom in the entertainment world.

Are you 5 for 5 yet? What have you cut out of your life to simplify it?

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Posted on 03/11/2014 at 09:01 PM in birds, declutter, eco-friendly, minimalism, simplify | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Joyful Reads for the Weekend, Vol. 15: Green Superheroes Edition

Although I have a green blog, I'm far from being "the perfect environmentalist." I've already admitted (in The Many Shades of Green (or: "Get Off Your Green High Horse!") that I still drive a mini-van and live in a house bigger than necessary for four people (and one high-energy dog). And yet, I do what I can (composting, shopping as little as possible for new things, growing some of my own herbs and vegetables, buying organic and local, being an advocate for nature and wildlife...you get the drift). I try to add more green efforts little by little, and I'm always looking for new ideas. To that end, the bloggers featured in this weekend's round-up of Joyful Reads represent the Green Superheroes for me--people who are walking the walk and talking the talk, BIG-TIME! See if they can inspire you to change at least one of your daily habits. Every little bit helps, right?

Lois Field at Living Simply Free wins my award for the most thoroughly green person I know. It seems like every aspect of her life is kind to the planet. See how many of her ideas you can adopt by checking out Part 1 and Part 2 of her Change the World Wednesday.

Mama Fearse at The Fearse Family has 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Trash.

I nodded at this tough-love thought from The Minimalist Mom: "Everything that is in your home, you bought or allowed to cross your threshold": The Toys You Want Your Kids to Love (But They Don't).

I'm a huge advocate for buying children's clothes from consignment shops, so this piece from Living Green Magazine resonated with me: Save the Environment with Thrift Store Shopping.

From Ways2GoGreen, are you 7 for 7 yet?: 7 Things You Should Reuse or Recycle.

I can't write an environmental post without including one of my childhood heroes, Jane Goodall: Bring Back Hope.

And finally, if you're looking for a longer read on ways you can go green, look no further than Ed Begley, Jr. and his book Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life.

With these inspirational ideas to ponder, I hope your weekend is greener than you ever thought it could be!

Your turn: Who's your green superhero? Any blogs you'd like to recommend for a greener planet, minimalism, or non-consumerism? Please share in the comments section below.

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© 2014 by Joy Sussman/JoyfullyGreen.com. All rights reserved. Photo and text digitally fingerprinted and watermarked. Site licensed by Creative Commons.

Posted on 02/20/2014 at 09:02 PM in eco-friendly, Joyful Reads | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: eco-friendly ideas, Ed Begley, environmental heroes, green living, green living ideas, how to be greener, Jane Goodall, Jr. Living Like Ed

Meeting the Girl with a Pearl Earring

Last Saturday, my son and I set out on a very early train to New York City (we're an hour away, the perfect distance!) with the nervous hopes of seeing Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring on its second-to-last day in America. I've loved that painting since my college days (I was an art history major), had a framed poster of it in my first apartment, read the book, saw the movie...but somehow, missed the rather big news that it was on loan to the Frick Collection from the Netherlands through January 19th. In a stroke of good timing, my son chose to cover it for his fourth grade art report. As soon as we learned about the Girl's stateside visit, we enlisted the help of my art-loving, New Yorker uncle, who arranged to stand in line for us an hour before the museum opened. Even then, there was still no guarantee we'd get in, as the lines had been circling around the block for weeks and the exhibit was in its final days.

For over two hours (three for my uncle), we waited in a line that barely inched forward, getting pelted by big, wet snowflakes, which froze our toes and chased away less determined people from the line. But in the end, we made it! We were face-to-face with a celebrity of historical proportions, and guess what? It was worth every shivering minute.

Actually, I think we enjoyed the exhibit even more because of the wretched wait. It was especially rewarding to be admitted to a toasty-warm museum on a frigid day and get up-close-and-personal with the likes of Rembrandt, The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius that inspired Donna Tartt's best-selling novel of the same name, and most of all, the Girl we came to see.

The most surprising thing about the Girl with a Pearl Earring is that it's quite small, in the same way that the Mona Lisa is surprisingly small in real life. The picture above was taken in the atrium outside the exhibit, right before I was told to put away the camera-phone. The Girl is the ultra-miniscule speck in the frame on the far wall, within the arch. (Yeah...I can't see it either--I just know it's there because I was there.) Also surprising: We learned that pearls of that size were undocumented at the time, so the subject's earring was probably made of glass, or was a figment of the artist's imagination.

Afterward, we took brisk walks around the (finally dry) city, then cabbed downtown to our favorite bookstore in the entire world, Strand Books. If you visit New York and love books, that is theeeee place to go! (Within the link above, there's a great video tour of the store that really captures its essence.)

There are three vast floors of books, with a huge (but somehow cozy) children's section on the second floor, and the top floor (pictured below) is reserved for rare books. A very large portion of the books at the Strand are pre-owned, which is the greenest way to go when it comes to acquiring books.

Post-Strand, we had a quick bite to eat at Pret a Manger, my favorite "fast food" stop. It's also super-green. They serve organic food, donate each day's unsold food to homeless charities, and have an impressive recycling system at each restaurant. The first time I ate at a Pret restaurant was several years ago, during a layover at London's Heathrow Airport, when I wondered, "Why don't we have this type of healthy fast food chain in America?" I'm so pleased that Pret made its way across the pond!

Finally, we were homeward bound. I'd forgotten my reading glasses at home in the haze of the morning rush, and I'm totally "Mrs. Magoo" without them. Being without glasses drastically limited my peeks at my iPhone and iPad throughout the day, which turned out to be a good thing, as I'm slightly addicted to the dopamine buzz from receiving new messages. It also thwarted my plan to read on the train home, so I spent the trip just watching the world whiz by my window. (Sometimes, I need these "enforced breaks" from technology--don't you?)

It was a perfect Saturday, when everything came together just as we'd hoped. A day spent really and truly concentrating on my son, having the most interesting chats together, and enjoying the city's sights. The best of them, of course, was the Girl with a Pearl Earring.

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Your turn: Have you ever seen a painting up-close that you've long admired? How did it compare to your expectations? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)

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Posted on 01/21/2014 at 09:00 PM in books, eco-friendly, family, fun, NYC | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Donna Tartt, Frick Collection, Girl with a Pearl Earring, New York City, Pret a Manger, Strand Books, The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius, Vermeer

Turning Over a New Leaf in Autumn

Isn't it amazing (and downright merciful) how many opportunities Mother Nature gives us to start a new chapter? Winter with its blank slate of fresh, white snow and New Year's resolutions; spring with its hopeful blooms and closet clean-outs; summer with its slower pace and leisurely vacations; and now autumn--all bursting with vibrant leaves, crisp apples and comical pumpkins, new teachers and sharpened pencils, cooler air scented with cozy fireplaces, and the clearest blue skies. With each season, it seems like we're perpetually beginning.

In keeping with this theme, I'm working on exciting new projects for this blog, which I'll unveil within the next couple of months. Here's a clue: Two of them have to do with photography, which is becoming more and more my favorite passion. (I don't want to call it a "hobby"--for me, the word "hobby" always conjures up messing around in basements, creating a lot of sawdust and glued-on rickrack, and doesn't convey any deep or lasting sense of interest.)

Continuing in the spirit of Grand Beginnings for fall, I went to a wedding in Montauk last weekend. Montauk is at the very end of the Hamptons, and is completely "un-Hamptons-ish", which is to say that it doesn't put on any airs. The groom, an effortlessly charming fellow whom I've long-called "one of the last of the great New York bachelors", said it was fitting that he would have a beginning that started at "The End." In perfect harmony with the evening, two swans glided past the ceremony on a mirror of water, as if on cue, modeling pure grace and supreme elegance in the way that only swans can. You cannot buy better wedding decorations than these...

I have one more beginning for fall, but this one is for you to try. It's an easy, inexpensive switch that will make a big impact for years to come. This season, perhaps as an homage to the lovely trees, switch from paper napkins to cloth napkins. We haven't bought paper napkins in years and we don't miss them at all. (I guess you could call me a "woman of the cloth.") If you buy a good stash of cloth napkins (or sew them yourself, if that's your hobby passion), you will be set for years of use (or more specifically, re-use). They generally can pass through more than one (unmessy) meal for your family if you keep them in their settings at the table, so you don't need to fret about the ever-growing Laundry Mountain. Buy a big enough supply and use them for parties, too--they are so much more elegant (and much more economical). There's really no need for paper napkins, and the trees--with their beautiful leaves most resplendent in fall--will thank you.

Your turn: What new leaf are you turning over for fall? Any big changes in the air? Have you made the switch to cloth napkins at your house? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)

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Posted on 10/09/2013 at 09:30 AM in autumn, birds, eco-friendly, leaves, nature | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: autumn leaves, fall foliage images, Montauk wedding, seasonal changes, switching from paper napkins to cloth napkins

How to Free Yourself from the Magical Spell of Catalogs

"Who is rich? One who is satisfied with what he has."-- Ben Zoma

When I was a child, pretty typically for a middle-class American kid, the Christmas season was a very big deal. As soon as the holly wreath was hung on the front door, I'd be studiously poring through the Sears catalog (as thick as the fall issue of Vogue), composing my wish list for Santa, scribbling down all of the bright, shiny toys that were calling out my name. The list was always long and I certainly did not get everything I asked for, but I did get a fair share of it (also typically American, no?). An Easy-Bake Oven, Color Forms, a giant Barbie "beauty salon" (which consisted of just her head and neck, yet somehow, it was not grisly), on which I could apply sparkly blue eyeshadow and frosty pink lipstick, and curl her almost-realistic blonde hair. I always wanted the game Operation (otherwise known as "electrocuting the patient"?), but for some reason, it never made the cut. Instead, I got Ants in the Pants and Madame Alexander dolls. And I was quite satisfied--grateful, even. Until the next holiday or birthday rolled around, and an all-new wish list could be conjured up with a catalog.

As we grow older, a great many of us continue to keep a running wish list. Like squirrels hoarding nuts in October, we're on a crazed and continuous search for MORE. When does this hamster wheel of wanting and buying come to a halt? I'll tell you what has worked wonders for me: Just like I fast-forward through TV commercials, I avoid catalogs like the plague. I treat them like germ-covered, poison-ivy-ish things--touching them as little as possible on their way to the recycling center.

Getting yourself removed from catalog lists is a job in itself--I've officially opted out through Catalog Choice. It does work, but it's also more labor-intensive than I thought it would be, searching for and separately listing every single catalog I wanted to stop receiving. And, I'm sorry to have to break this news to you, but here it is: Junk mail will never stop vomiting into your mailbox. (Sorry, too graphic?) When you opt out of mailing lists, some catalogs will disappear for a year or so, but then, they will sneak back into your home, insidiously joining the other catalogs that never took a hiatus. (Sigh...)

So, here's my advice: Do not, for one second, open a catalog. I guarantee that you will find something in there that you will want, but most likely, do not need. (Remember the Thneed in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss?) And once you order something, you're right back in the database. Captured again.

Further advice: Do not use catalogs as reading matter to "fill up" spare minutes, waiting for the water to boil or guests to arrive. Aren't there slews of real books you've been meaning to read? Have a stack of books at the ready, and have a conveniently placed recycling bin for the catalogs. If it's too tempting to take a quick peek at them, put the recycling bin in the garage and toss in the catalogs on the way back from the mailbox. Don't even give them a chance. Mentally opt-out. Free yourself of catalogs and you'll find your life richer--not just financially.

Your turn: How do you handle catalogs? Like hot potatoes, time-fillers, or pleasure-reading? Are you ever excited to receive a particular catalog? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.

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Your turn: In the immortal words of Pat Benatar (I know, I know...I'm showing my age), "Hit me with your best shot!" Please link to your favorite photo in the Comments section below--the photo that fills you with beaming, giddy pride and makes all of your friends enviously say, "WOW! You took THAT?" If you're feeling a tad humble, submit one that simply makes you smile. (Fellow bloggers, this is your chance to plug your blog, so for goodness' sake, have at it!) If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.

Reader's Note: See the sidebar on the main page for some truly spectacular photography books.

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Reader's Note: See the sidebar on the main page for some truly spectacular photography books.

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If you enjoyed reading this post, please support this blog...

Click HERE to like Joyfully Green on Facebook, where you'll receive new posts first, plus the latest green news.
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Posted on 07/16/2013 at 08:21 AM in declutter, dogs, eco-friendly, minimalism, non-consumerism, organize, perspective | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: a richer life, advertising, Catalog Choice, Dr. Seuss, getting off catalog mailing lists, having less stuff, junk mail, minimalism, reducing clutter, The Lorax, Thneed

Subtracting the Pony: A Simple, Green Birthday Party for Kids

I don't know when or why kids' birthday parties got so ridiculously complicated and expensive, but some of my happiest childhood memories involve easy-going backyard parties where my mom served homemade cake and store-bought ice cream, we played a few outdoor games, and then we ran around chasing each other, playing tag and hide-and-seek. Super-simple, inexpensive, but loads of fun. So this month, when my daughter turned six years old (where did the time go?), I decided to recreate one of those parties--and of course, do it "greenly."

The idea for an "old school" party came about almost by accident, as my daughter's birthday crept up on me and all of a sudden, I realized, "Oh no! I need to make a reservation at a kids' party place!" Then I paused and thought, "Why exactly do I need to make a reservation someplace?" My daughter has a June birthday--we could have the party outside at our house.

Other solutions fell into place. Too many kids in her class to invite? Just invite all of the girls. How not to offend the little boys in her class? Make it a "Perfectly Pink Party." None of the boys would be clamoring to attend a pink party! We could even hire the same pony from last year's local farm party to give the kids a ride around the yard! Wait...no, that would completely negate the "simple" part, so the pony was out.

Invitations: Evite. Is there anything simpler or greener for party invitations? Bonus: it's free. We invited the nine girls in my daughter's class plus four more of her good friends, and after the RSVPs, we ended up with nine girls including the Birthday Girl. I can get stressed out about a lot of things in life, but for me, hosting nine little girls around the age of six is not one of them. I don't think I could say the same about nine little boys--of any age!

Theme: For the "Perfectly Pink Party", guests were asked to wear something pink (that they could run around outside in), and pretty much everything at the party was pink (cake, drinks, decorations, favors). The girls were also invited to bring along a favorite stuffed animal or doll. Basically, I just wanted a big playdate for my daughter and her friends!

Food: Since the time of the party was from 2:00 to 4:30 pm, no lunch was necessary. My daughter and I baked the cake (strawberry) the day before the party, and I frosted and decorated it the next morning. For pink smoothies, we tossed strawberries, yogurt, strawberry ice cream, and a splash of milk into the blender about an hour before the party. Done! And yum!

Decorations: I cut pink peonies from the garden and put them in vases we already owned. I hate vinyl tablecloths due to the disposability factor--not to mention the offgassing--so I bought pink cotton tablecloths that we could reuse.

No juice boxes: I'm practically allergic to the idea of juice boxes (because they're marketed as disposable but will last for hundreds of years in the landfill), so we just poured the smoothies into our smallest glasses. No plastic forks were used either--it's easy enough to put real forks in the dishwasher! We did use paper plates because we didn't have any pink plates and I wasn't about to buy some of those. I couldn't find any pink cloth napkins at the store, so we had paper napkins. Still, the only things that got tossed out were biodegradable, so I'm satisfied with that.

Party favors: I really can't tolerate the "bag-o'-junk" type of goodie bags (those flimsy plastic bags loaded with candy and super-cheap plastic items that break in the car on the way home from the party), so each girl received a pretty pen & paper set. (Those were a big hit--the girls started doodling in them immediately.) Yes, they were packaged in plastic wrap, but that was the extent of the throw-away factor. And no bags were necessary.

Gifts: My daughter requested no presents for herself. Just as her big brother did, she wanted to collect donations for the charitable organization that saved our dog, Eleventh Hour Rescue. This time, we accepted dog goods as well as checks or cash, so that if the guests really wanted to pick out a gift for the host, they could pick out dog toys or dog food. (Her parents, grandparents, and cousins still gave her special presents of her own--after all, she is six!)

Schedule:

1) Storytime with stuffed animals and dolls. (I read Princesses on the Run, which was a refreshing twist on the usual princess fare, with the princesses realizing they didn't need so much "stuff" to be happy.)

2) Backyard free time. I had planned to coordinate a few outdoor games at this point, but as soon as the girls headed outdoors, they made their own fun immediately. They headed straight for the swingset, then to the big hill in the backyard.

3) A little snack. (Pretzels, pink cookies from the store, and water. Simple!)

4) Coordinated games: Duck-Duck-Goose, Mother-May-I, and Cut-The-Cake (similar to Duck-Duck-Goose--click here for a variation of it).

5) Hide-and-seek on their own.

6) Each guest got a picture taken with the Birthday Girl, along with the guest's stuffed animal or doll. (These photos can be emailed with a thank-you message to the guests.)

7) Cake and strawberry smoothies.

8) Free time to blow soap bubbles in the backyard.

9) Farewell!

All in all, this party was a piece of cake (sorry, couldn't resist). Although it was a drop-off party (which I think is a nice little gift for the guests' parents!), two of the moms who are good friends of mine stayed to help out--even joining in on the Duck-Duck-Goose game (are they troupers or what?). Maybe this type of "old school" birthday party can make a comeback...or am I just too nostalgic?

Do you have any party tips to share--simple, low-cost, green, or all of the above? I'd love to hear about them!

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Posted on 06/10/2013 at 04:38 PM in creativity, eco-friendly, family, simplify | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: affordable kids' parties, eco-friendly birthday parties, green birthday parties for kids, green parties, no-fuss parties, simple birthday parties for kids

Keep Off The Grass: Experts Sound Off on the Health Hazards of Lawn Chemicals

Isn't it funny how much children love dandelions? They can spend a whole afternoon blowing the seeds off into the wind, making wishes and chasing after them. For many adults, though, dandelions are The Enemy of The Perfect Lawn, and that enemy must be stopped with weed-killers.

Here's the (really) bad news, though: In our efforts to have the greenest, weed-free lawns possible, we're also releasing poisonous chemicals into the air we breathe and the water we drink--chemicals that have already been banned in Canada and Europe because they can lead to various forms of cancer, birth defects, liver damage, kidney damage and more. There are very good reasons why you, your children, and your pets are not supposed to set foot on lawns with the little signs warning you they've been sprayed. The problem is that the signs warn you to stay off the lawn for 48 hours, but you're far from "in the clear" after that time period is up.

Years ago, I watched environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on TV, talking about how we all live in a closed system--how you can't just wash things down the drain and expect them to magically disappear. As Kennedy explained, if you spray chemicals on your lawn, the rain washes them into the gutters, which carries them to your local drinking water system, and guess what? Those poisons come right back to you when you turn on your tap. Every year, my town issues the required report from the EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on our drinking water, and I'm always shocked by the allowable percentages of chemicals in our tap water.

I recently interviewed Dr. Claire Gervais, Associate Professor at the Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Gervais co-founded the Healthy Lawn Team in Madison, a group of concerned citizens out to spread the word about the harmfulness of lawn chemicals. Said Dr. Gervais, "When I was pregnant with my second child, I couldn't help but notice the lawn care pesticide signs that were up at the family practice clinic, where I was getting my prenatal care. I had read about endocrine disruptors in Theo Colborn's book, Our Stolen Future, and was acutely aware of the contradiction between our health care organization's mission to do no harm and the business mission to attract patients by having a weed-free lawn."

When I asked Dr. Gervais what surprised her most in her research, she replied, "First, that cumulative exposures of very small amounts of herbicides over time increases the risk of cancers and other diseases, contradicting the theory that the dose makes the poison. Secondly, there is no regulation for mixtures of pesticides that have several herbicides mixed together, increasing the efficacy and toxicity by as much as 1000-fold!" Dr. Gervais recommends Environmental Health Perspectives and Beyond Pesticides for further reading on the web; at the latter I found this eye-opening fact: "Of the 30 most common lawn pesticides, 17 are detected in groundwater, 23 have the ability to leach into drinking water sources, 24 are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms vital to our ecosystem, 11 are toxic to bees, and 16 are toxic to birds."

Anthony Pascale, President of Natural Turf, a green lawn care company serving Northern New Jersey since 2001 (we've been customers for the past seven years) said, "So many people aren't aware that walking barefoot on a chemically-treated lawn means they're absorbing those toxins through their feet. Even if you wear shoes, those toxins are brought indoors and then are deposited in your carpet or rugs." Pascale told me that when breastfeeding mothers come into contact with these chemicals, the chemicals can end up in their breast milk. He also added, "Children are four to six times more likely to get leukemia after being overexposed to lawn chemicals (from Beyond Pesticides: Children and Pesticides Don't Mix). Every other country in the world has banned these chemicals. Even Kuwait banned them in 1984."

It's easy to prevent these toxins from entering your home: Stop spraying your lawn with them. Just google "safe lawn care" or "green lawn companies" in your area--you have more options than you might think. And by the way, if you need any proof that chemical-free lawn care works, that's our 100% organic lawn pictured below. Green and clean!

How do you keep your lawn and garden green? (No lawn? Please pass on the health and safety risks to your suburban friends!)

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Posted on 05/21/2013 at 02:13 PM in dogs, eco-friendly, family | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: birth defects from lawn chemicals, cancer, environmentalist, green lawns, healthy lawns, herbicides, lawn chemicals, lawn pesticides, natural lawns, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., safe lawns

My Top 10 Green Products for Spring Cleaning (and Beyond)

Although my little Italian grandmother died decades ago when I was fourteen, I still remember her vividly: always scurrying about, cleaning every nook and cranny, with the scent of chlorine bleach wafting along behind her. (To this day, whenever I'm near a swimming pool, I think of her.) And whenever I find myself scrubbing away in my house (a lot lately, due to Spring Cleaning Fever), she comes to mind.

Since you're reading a green blog right now, you've probably guessed that I try to choose household cleaners that are the most environmentally responsible, but because I'm asthmatic, I also choose ones that are sensitive to people with respiratory issues (i.e., no bleach--sorry, Grandma). These ten products fit the bill:

1) Apple cider vinegar. Great for disinfecting stainless steel sinks and kids' thermoses (with those pesky straws and caps). Until recently, I used distilled white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar smells so much better. (My long-time friend Alex gave me the tip for soaking thermoses in a vinegar/water solution--thanks, A the K!)

2) Baking soda. Mix it with water for mildly abrasive cleaning (for example, on stovetops and teakettles that have built-up grease).

3) Microfiber cloths (or even regular facecloths, in a pinch) for dusting. No extra products needed--most of them just add waxy build-up to your furniture. The cloths are also absorbent and can scrub, so they can really cut down on your paper towel consumption.

4) Murphy's Oil Soap. For cleaning wooden kitchen tables, chairs, and other pieces of furniture that have food or grit on them, not just dust.

5) Seventh Generation Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner (Lemongrass Citrus Scent). Spray it on, let it sit, wipe it away later. Doesn't smell like heavy chemicals--just fresh and clean.

6) Earth Friendly Products Shower Cleaner. Removes soapy build-up on soap dishes, tubs, and showers.

7) Earth Friendly Products Floor Cleaner. Cuts right through dirt and leaves a nice shine.

8) Citrus Magic Veggie Wash. Not technically a house cleaner, but essential in our home for removing dirt, waxes, and pesticides from any produce. (Yes, we try to buy organic whenever possible.) Unlike other produce sprays, we can't taste it, and that's crucial.

9) Natural Choices Orange 100 Cleaner/Degreaser. Best counter cleaner ever--smells amazing and lasts for ages because you add just a splash of it to your own spray bottle filled with water.

10) ECOS Magnolia & Lily Laundry Detergent. This is expensive, so we don't buy it all the time, but it's my favorite scent for a laundry detergent and works great to freshen up clothes.

And one more of my favorite green cleaning methods:

Open all of the windows in the house regularly for cross-ventilation. How free and easy is that? No room sprays necessary, and now that it's spring, the fresh air is blossom-scented!

What earth-friendly cleaning products and methods do you usein your home? Please share in the comments section.

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Posted on 05/07/2013 at 05:32 PM in eco-friendly | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: 10 best green cleaners, apple cider vinegar for disinfecting, asthma, baking soda, disinfecting, Earth Friendly Products, earth-friendly cleaners, green home, Seventh Generation, spring cleaning