Leaves are falling on the ground, on my roof top, all around!

We have a huge English Walnut tree in the backyard. I love it! It was one of the many things that "sold" us when we bought our house. It' has been right there, being a house for the squirrels, creating shade and yummy walnuts, for over 50 years. The people that built the house planted it. It is the center of activity in our back yard. It gets climb in, swung from and relaxed around. I love everything about this tree except the leaves when fall comes. They are huge, just like the tree, and there are a ton of them. Most years they fall almost at the same time. One day they are there hanging on the tree and then next morning we wake up and they are on the ground.

Fall creates a dilema for me because I can't compose these leaves, they are acidic and once they fall I have to get them off the lawn. Mother Nature was pretty smart with these trees. Everything they drop (leaves and walnuts) has a built in chemical that kills everthing aroung it- excellent survival of the species. So what to do with bags and bags of leaves?

This year I saw paper leaf bags!! I had never seen those before and was so excited to find a better option than pastic (because we all know that plastic is not such a great option). Sears sells them and you can find them online as well. This fall take one small step and use the recycled paper leaf bags. They'll break down with the leaves and help the environment.

Go green this Halloween!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, but it's not so healthy or even green with all those indiviually wrapped treats and goodies floating about.  My cute friend Jessica sent me this website.  It has some fun ideas.  Take a look around and see what you think.

http://www.greenhalloween.org/

Over the years we have tried a few different things to make Halloween a bit more healthy and allergy friendly for the family.  The best one yet, is to have the Halloween witch comes to visit on Halloween night after the kids have rooted through their haul. They get to pick out 15 of  their favorite treats to keep and then the rest is left out to trade with the Halloween witch.  She usually brings something bigger and better like a book or legos or something the witch knows they are wanting.  At first I thought it would be a hard sell, to get the kids to give up their candy after their hard work of gathering it all.  But, it turns out they are more than happy to pick their favorites, give up the rest and look forward to waking up to a new treat!  The real trick is-to make sure the Halloween witch takes the other candy far far away from the house or you might be tempted to hide it and eat it all by yourself (I may or may not know this from experience). 

What are your traditions? 

Happy Haunting!!  

Packin'

Ready or not, it has begun. School. I was not ready! I'm not basking in the fact that now I have to have a schedule! Let alone keep people focused on their homework and deal with all the annoying paperwork that comes home the first week of school. Why can't they do it all online? Another thing that doesn't float my boat is packing the sack lunches.

I found these statistics interesting:

Close to 2.7 billion juice boxes end up in landfills every year. (Container Recycling Institute)

Each child who brings a brown-bag lunch to school every day will generate 67 pounds of waste by the end of the school year - that's 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for an average-sized school! (EPA)

According to the 2004 U.S. Census data, there are 36.4 million elementary school-age children and 16.8 million high school-age children. If every child adopted a waste-free lunch (including finishing all of their food), we could divert more than 3.5 billion pounds of trash from our landfills each year.

Each year the U.S. consumes over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps. (EPA)

Lunchtime trash is second only to office paper as the leading source of school waste. (Green Teacher Magazine, Fall 2004)

So you ask what is a green girl suppose to do? Here is a quick guide to packing a eco-friendly lunch.

1. Buy a reusable, washable, colorful, character laden (if you want) lunch bag or box. There are some way cute ones out there! They even carry some that are made from recycled material on this website. http://www.reusablebags.com/store/lunch-bags-more-c-4.html


2. I bought some of these re-usable wraps for sandwiches and snacks. They are fun and easy to use and clean. (You can wash them in the washer or just by hand) But what I really love is not throwing away the little plastic sack each day! Here are some links for cute ones.
http://www.snacktaxi.com/
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/lunch-bags-more-sandwich-snack-bags-c-4_13.html

3. Buy reusable bottles. Stop buying bottled water and juice boxes and pack your own. Your best bet for a reusable bottle is stainless steel. You can find these just about anywhere. Even Old Navy had some last time I was in there a few weeks ago.


The initial cost for your lunch supplies will be more up front but do not fear!! You will not only help the environment you will save money going green! And who doesn't want a little more money these days! If you are going to purchase online make sure that you do a search for a coupon code. I saved over $15.00 on my order by doing this.

A disposable lunch costs $4.02 per day, versus $2.65 for a waste-free lunch. That translates to a savings of about $246.60 per child per year. wastefreelunches.org

I better start planning how I want to spend my $739.80 that I'm going to save this year! Disneyland, Moab, Snowboarding passes.....hmmm the possibilities are endless!

Go green girl Go!

ROCKIN' Utah

Did you know that if you live in Utah you can check out a state parks pass from your local library? How stinkin' cool is that!! It is part of the ROCKIN' Utah program that the Utah state parks is running. They are wanting to get families and kids outside, in nature and having fun!! There have been studies that show that time spent outside is just as important as having enough sleep and the right nutrition!

ROCKIN stands for Reaching Out Connecting Kids In Nature! They are offering classes and clinics on all sorts of outdoor activities. Here are some examples: fishing, hiking, camping, wildlife viewing, kite flying, boating or history exploring. They are all filled up for the 2009 season but plan on running the program next year. For additional information, email them at rockin@utah.gov or call (801) 537-3123.

The park passes are available all year long to check out. So head to your library and check it out and go see what great things are available around our fabulous state. Check out their website at http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/.

You could head out the Bison Round Up at Antelope Island!
The 'Wild West' returns to Antelope Island State Park! Join us for the 23rd Annual Bison Roundup, October 31 and November 1, 2009. Volunteer wranglers will saddle-up and move the park's herd of 600 free-roaming bison from the southern tip of the Island to the bison corrals on the northern end of the island.

All events are open to the public. Park visitors are welcome to come out and watch as we bring in the herd. See these wild bison up close as they rest comfortably in our bison corrals.

I think that we will try that this year. Could be very interesting!!

Organics 101

The book The Unhealthy Truth, is so packed with interesting information that it will take several enteries to tell you about it. This blog will be Organic 101. It can be so confusing out there with all the different labeling that goes on. Robyn has a great section in the back of her book that breaks it down. Here is a summary of that section.

Health Benefits of buying organic:
A recent study into organic food found that it appears to :
-Strengthen your immune system
-Improve sleeping habits
-Cut the risk of cancer
-Reduce the risks of heart disease
-Reduce a child's exposure to hidden allergens
-Promote weight loss.

An insightful four-year, $25 million European study found that:
-Animals fed an organic diet were slimmer (yes, skinnier) than their un-organic fed counterparts because fat cells appear to trap and store the heavy pesticide residues found in un-organic produce.
-Organics appear to promote weight loss by reducing your exposure to chemical pesticides that bind to fat and once absorbed may stay in the body for a lifetime (over 350 chemicals can accumulate in our body fat!).
-Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants.
-Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants.
-Organic food also had higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc, critical minerals in the development of a child's brain.


Here is what you are getting when you buy somehting organic:
The term "organic" refers to foods grown and process without chemical toxins, artificial ingredients, chemical preservatives, or ionizing radiation. The guidelines for organic foods were established on October 21, 2002, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To use these terms, producers mus pay additional fees and follow strict guidelines and regulations:
-100% Organic- All ingredients are organic.
-Organic-95 percent or more of the total ingredients are organic.
-mad with Organic Ingredients- At least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic.


Organic Fruits and Vegetables must be grown without the use of:
Synthetically created chemical pesticides
synthetically created chemical fertilizers
sewage sludge
genetic engineering that appears to introduce novel proteins, allergens, viruses and toxins into crops.
irradiation (a type of chemotherapy for produce)


Organic Beef and Chicken
Fed only 100% organic feed, are not the offspring of cloned animals, and have never been administered growth hormones or antibiotics. In addition, their meat must never be irradiated.
-Natural (or All Natural) meat or poultry products contains no artificial ingredients and are minimally processed. They are not necessarily organic.
-"No hormones administered" or "no antibiotics added" is sometimes seen on labels, but it can only appear if the producer can document the absence of hormone or antibiotic administration.
-Free-range or free-roaming poultry have access to the outdoors with out a minimum time. They are not necessarily organic.
-Cage-free poultry means nothing as most chickens are kept indoors (but cage free) if they are grown for meat.


Organic Milk
Comes from animals that were fed 100 percent organic feed and were not given antibiotics, prophylactic drugs, or genetically engineered and synthetically created growth hormones (such as rBGH) for at least the last year. (RBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is a genetically engineered, synthetic chemical protein hormone vaccinated into cows to artificially boost their milk production.)


Organic Eggs
-Produced by hens that are fed 100 percent organic feed and have never been given growth hormones or antibiotics.
-Cage-free eggs are produced by hens that are not confined in cages. The hens might not have access to the outdoors, though, and are not necessarily organic.

Organic Seafood
-The USDA currently has no guidelines set for seafood: However, farm-raised fish is often caged underwater and treated with pesticides to prevent the spread of disease.


Organic Bread
Cereal and grain crops are regularly sprayed with pesticides that collect in the grain's outer layers, raising concerns about chemical residues in un-organic bread, cakes and cookies.


The following terms are often found on packaged products and can be confusing.
-Natural is often a misnomer. There are no true guidelines for this term when used on packaged products, although it is used frequently and often assumed to mean organic or healthier.
-Gourmet is another misleading term that leads consumers to believe that they are purchasing a product made with finer ingredients, when in reality there are no established guidelines or regulations.


The Dirty Dozen

According to the Environmental Working Group, "The Dirty Dozen" is a list of twelve fruits and vegetables that contain the highest levels of chemical and pesticide residues.
-Peaches
-Apples
-Sweet bell peppers
-Celery
-Nectarines
-Strawberries
-Cherries
-Lettuce
-Imported grapes
-Pears
-Spinach
-Potatoes



I know that buying organic is more expensive but there are a few cheaper options to consider.

-Check the internet and see if there is a CSA (Community supported Agriculture) in your neighborhood. It's a great way to support local farmers and get great organic produce weekly.

-Do a search for "slow foods" on the internet and see what you come up with.

-Shop your farmers market and roadside stands. (Ask to make sure they don't use any yuck stuff)

-Costco often has organic produce avaliable at very good prices.

-Check your local craigslist or newspaper ads for people that have produce to sell.

-See if there is a community garden close and join it. This is a great way to get involve with people in your community.

-Best yet, plant your own garden and eat yummy stuff all summer long. If you are ambitious, you could do some canning and freezing!

The Unhealthy Truth

Last month I read the book The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It, by Robin O'Brien. It caught my eye because her whole "adventure" started when her youngest had an allergic reaction to eggs. And since we get to deal with allergies at our house, I though I'd check it out. It was an eye opening read and I'm still trying to process it all. Here is a little summary on it taken from her website.

"Robyn O’Brien is not the most likely candidate for an anti-establishment crusade. A Houston native from a conservative family, this MBA and married mother of four was not someone who gave much thought to corrupt government agencies and chemicals in our food. Until the day her youngest daughter had a violent allergic reaction to eggs, and everything changed.
­ The Unhealthy Truth is both the story of how one brave woman chose to take on the system and a call to action that shows how each of us can do our part and keep our own families safe. O’Brien turns to accredited research conducted in Europe that confirms the toxicity of America’s food supply, and traces the relationship between Big Food and Big Money that has ensured that the United States is one of the only developed countries in the world to allow hidden toxins in our food—toxins that can be blamed for the alarming recent increases in allergies, A.D.H.D., cancer, and asthma among our children."

I want to put a warning out there: If you read this book, be prepared to change the way you think about food, what you eat and buy. As well as spending more time reading the labels on your favorite foods. You might even be on the Internet looking up more articles.

My kids curse this book because it has changed the way we eat and what we buy. I would say that for the most part, we were fairly healthy before reading it. We tried to eat our daily fruits and vegetables and a home made meal at least 4x a week. But it is the snack and convenience foods that got us!

The last few times I've gone to the grocery store, I've had my three kids with me. Yeehaw!
I don't know about you but, when I take my kids to the store, our cart seems to fill up a ton faster with stuff I would not normally buy. However, after reading this book I've put my kids to work at the grocery store. If they come asking if they can have their favorite bag of chips or candy, I say, "I don't know does it have any of the yucky ingredients in it?" They will then read the ingredients list and most of the time it does but, when they find a product that is o.k. they are so excited. It's made them more informed shoppers. My kids are thinking about what is put in their food. And starting to ask questions of why the manufacturers need to put the crap in that they do. My kids have discovered chips that they love, that are organic and others that don't have the food dyes and high fructose corn syrup in them. They have found that the orange Goldfish crackers that they eat like they are going out of style are ok. We have even found some candy that can pass the test. Grocery store shopping has become a bit more work and takes a little more time but as we learn what is better for us, we can just walk by all the rest.

Here is a short list of the ingredients we consider in the "yucky" or not so good for us category.
-high fructose corn syrup.
-Food dyes in general.
-Milk products that contain rBST .
-We try and stay away from things with soy products too but it's almost impossible.
-Nitrates

It's hard to get off everything at once so, we have kind of eased into it. I'm not totally hardcore, we still have crap in our house. We have just eliminated some things out of our diet and replaced them with better versions. I think the biggest thing is just being more aware of what is in our food! Try for products that have the least amount of ingredients or at least ingredients you can pronounce.

May the force be with you if you choose to listen to this crazy green girl.

We've got worms- and they are the good kind!

Last spring, I was looking through my Family Fun magazine and came across an article that described a fun project to do with your kids over the summer-worm composting. It looked fun so we gave it a shot. I know it sounds kind of yuck but don’t be afraid, you don’t even have to touch the worms if you don’t want to. Worm composting is an excellent way to reduce your food waste, create your own all natural fertilizer, and get your kids interested in gardening. It also opens your eyes to how much garbage we create.

Worm composting, or vermicomposting for you gardening gurus, helps kids learn about ecology while turning your food scraps into usable compost. Using worms (typically red wigglers), vermicomposting processes organic food into nutrient-rich soil. You can start with a small bin (such as a 12-gallon plastic storage tub) and a pound of worms, or go larger if you have a large family. You could also do this for a science fair project or classroom activity.

There are fancy worm composting bins you can buy on the internet, but being what my husband calls “frugal to fault” we made our own and it’s very easy all for under $20.00.
Here is what you need: -An aerated container (we used a black plastic bin and drilled holes every 2 inches all over the bottom, lid and the top 3-4 inches on each of the side) -Bedding which is fancy talk for shredded newspaper or any non glossy paper. -Moisture and proper temperature (worms don’t like it too hot or too cold). -Small amount of soil and last but not least-Redworms (Eisenia fetida) Here is what you do:
Start by drilling holes into the bottom, lid and top 3-4 inches of your bin with a drill, about every 2 inches. Use a 1/8 inch drill bit. Next, shred up some newspaper, fill the worm bin halfway up with the newspaper strips and then get them nice and wet. Once the newspaper is all damp, push it to one side of the bin and repeat the process until the bin is full BUT you want the newspaper to be fluffy not packed down. Make sure there are no standing puddles collecting at the bottom. Add half a cup of sawdust or soil so that the worms have some grit to work with. Then add your pound of worms and watch as they wiggle their way down into the soil and newspaper. To encourage them to burrow down leave the lid off and they will skedaddle on down. Next, bury your food waste into the bedding a few inches deep and cover the bedding back up with the shredded newspaper. Worms love cardboard too. Just make sure that it is moist when you put it in. After a few days you should notice some cool results – the worms are digging in and out of the bedding, eating the food waste, soil and newspaper, digesting it and leaving behind worm castings or worm poop! Your kids will love that! It’s the worm castings that you really want for your garden. To keep your worms happy keep adding food wastes every few days or so and they’ll keep producing that great soil for you. It’s fun to go out and check on them and see how much they have eaten and what their favorite foods are. Now don’t ya just want to go get down and dirty!

Some of you may be asking the question, doesn't it smell? Odor is minimal if you don't overload the system. Worms in a 16"x19"x12" bin can process 2-3 pounds of garbage a week. Capacity of a 20" x 24" x 12" bin is up to 5 pounds of garbage a week.

Plan on about six months from the time you set up your bin to be able to use the finished product. As you compost your garbage every week, the worms will process the garbage and bedding, the contents of the bin and it will turn dark brown. You can then harvest the vermicompost to use on your plants and in your garden.

If you treat your worms right they will reproduce. You will find cocoons in your bin from which baby worms will hatch. After several months, you may have twice as many worms. You can use them to go fishing, or help a neighbor set up a bin, or just leave them in your bin. Overpopulation will not be a problem.

Bags, bags and more bags!

Grocery shopping is right up there next to having a tooth pulled or cleaning a toilet on my fun list, I don't love it. I try to keep my shopping to once a week or even longer. I avoid it like the plague. So when I spent more time than I care to admit at the grocery store this past week, I was none too happy. Chalk it up to poor planning and spur of the moment parties for the holiday weekend, but I seemed to be there almost everyday. After filling my cart each time I would proceed to the check stand to total the damage. Every time you go to check out the inevitable questions is asked, "Paper or plastic". So my friends what is the answer?

NEITHER!!

One of the easiest things to do to go a little greener is to bring your own bags with you to the store. There are all kinds of cute reusable bags out there. You just have to find some that fit your personality and/or budget. Most grocery stores sell them for $1 and they are durable and will last a good long time. I got three of mine free on Earth Day at Dans with one of their promotions. They aren't hard to find or come by.

Try these cute little numbers:
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/envirosax-mikado-pouch-reusable-shopping-bags-p-1077.html?osCsid=400874fb80d37f53c123832bd2fccef6

or these: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/envirosax-planet-green-pouch-reusable-shopping-bags-p-1564.html

Any search on google will turn up plenty of fun options.

The real trick is to remember to take them into the store with ya! Mine are nifty in that they fold up to about the size of a cd case, so I keep them tucked between my car seat and the center console. They are right there when I unbuckle and that helps me remember to take them in. I also keep one in my purse (it's very compact) for the smaller shopping excursions.

Another great thing about bring your own bag is that most stores give you a "bag credit". It ranges from 5-10 cents per bag, which isn't a ton, but hey it's better than nothing.

Some interesting plastic facts:

Plastic bags are:
-Made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource.
-A serious litter problem since they are lightweight and hard to contain (blow around).
-Non-biodegradable, breaking into smaller particles BUT never fully disappearing.
-Mistaken for food by marine animals (particularly sea turtles).
-One of the most numerous items of litter along with cigarette butts and Styrofoam.
-A major part of waste in our landfills.
(http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-sea-turtles.html)

One more thing to think about: There is what is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a heap of debris floating in the Pacific that's twice the size of Texas, according to marine biologists.
The enormous stew of trash - which consists of 80 percent plastics and weighs some 3.5 million tons, say oceanographers - it floats where few people ever travel, in a no-man's land between San Francisco and Hawaii. (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/19/SS6JS8RH0.DTL&hw=pacific+patch&sn=001&sc=1000) CRAZY!!

OK enough of heavy stuff. I promise to keep this "environ-light" so we don't get too overwhelmed. Small changes can make a difference is our motto.

What are friends for?

My friend Shelley has been a fabulous resource for me! THANK YOU Shelley, I owe you much. One of the many great things she told me about was the food co-op that we have here in the Wasatch front area. It is not only a fantastic bargain it is also healthy and green in that they try and buy as much food locally as they can which cuts down on the whole transportation yuck, supports local businesses and the produce is fresher! Yahoo! Do a search online to see if there is a food co-op in your neck of the woods.


Here is how ours works. The co-op (http://www.foodco-op.net/) is a project of the CrossRoads Urban Center, which is a non-profit community organization that has been helping meet peoples basic needs since 1966. They are a "volunteer-powered, nonprofit food buying network, bringing people together for good food, community & savings of up to 50% on high quality fresh foods." (taken from their newsletter). They are buying the same quality (often even better) of produce you get at the grocery stores, but can offer it at such great prices because of the amount of food they are buying.

They have three different options to choose from. You can get 1 share for $23.00 which includes:
(This was March's, it changes every month)
2- 8 oz. Top Sirloin Steaks
4-5oz. PorkChops
2 lbs. Chicken legs and thighs
1 lb. Leaned ground beef (85/15)
3 varieties of fresh fruits
5 varieties of fresh vegs.
1 loaf of Stone ground artisan bread
16 oz. rice

Or you can get my favorite, a harvest share, which is like the standard share but has no meat and more fruits (three) and vegs. (six). This was only $14.00!! (1 pkg. mushrooms, 1 bunch asparagus, 1 bag of red potatoes, 4 artichokes, 8 kiwi, 6 oranges, 6 green apples, 2 bunches green onions, 1 head of red lettuce plus bread and rice).

Harvest Share

During the summer months they offer a farmer's market share for $13.50. The Farmer's Market Share is provided by East Farms in Syracuse (http://www.eastfarms.net/. Everything in it is locally grown to organic standards, and items vary according to the season. It is offered throughout the summer and fall. It includes seven vegetable and herbs to you can plant.


There are add ons that are great deals too. You can get the Nutty guy sampler, which is 4 lbs. of different nuts from the Nutty Guys (http://nuttyguys.com/) for only $11.50. Screamin' deal!


You order the 1st Friday of the month and then pick it up at your team site (right in your neighborhood) usually the 3rd Saturday of the month. Pick-up is really slick and takes 10 minutes tops. You sign in, pick up your share (you get to individually pick the produce) and then sign out. Make sure to bring your own bags! The only thing they ask is 2 hours of volunteering in your community and that isn't much for what you are getting!


We have loved doing the co-op. We have tried new fruits and veggies that we might not have and love it! My youngest son devoured the kiwi fruit and we didn't even know he liked em! It helps me get more fruits and veggies in everyone. The only thing I wish is that it was a weekly option rather than just once a month. There are options there however but that will be a different blog. I must fix my kids breakfast!

Here we GO!

I would say that I always have had a soft spot for all things "green", "environmentally friendly or "earth friendly". I remember joining the environmental club the year it started in high school, though it didn't go far, I was excited to be a member. These types of issues have always seemed to strike a cord with me and have been a part of how I define myself. Perhaps it was because I was raised by a father who recycled and was energy conscious before it was p.c. to do it or a mom who was frugal and the queen of bargains. Whatever the reason, being environmentally conscious or friendly has always been an interest.

So, as I've read books, blogs, website and talked to people over the years as issues have come up with my family (i.e. food allergies, asthma, health problems, attention issues and the likes) my quest for the more natural and good things in life has come to pass. And that my friends is what this is all about. Sharing! Sharing what I know or have learned (which sometimes doesn't seem like much) and hoping to learn more from any of you that has information. As a mother of three, working part-time, trying to keep my house clean and have a little fun, life is busy, so if we can share what we know with each other it will make life a little more simple and happy. And isn't that what we want?