Mama Goes Green

Mama Goes Green: FOR SALE

2011-09-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

My duties as a farmers market manager and as a part-time consultant for other markets, has made it impossible to devote the energy necessary to make Mama Goes Green the successful business it could be. So I have decided to sell the website and business. As it is right now, you could basically just switch over the passwords and start making money immediately. The greatest part is all of the wonderful manufacturers and businesses I've poured the effort into making relationships with, will all be ready for you. No cold calling, or emailing, hoping they'll allow you to carry their products. I've spent hundreds and hundreds of hours writing descriptions and meta-tags, designing, tweeting, blogging, etc etc, and I just can't do it any more. The hardest work has been done...the launching. People recognize the name, and the business has the potential to really make some money. Email sara at mamagoesgreen dot com for more information. Thanks!

EarthDay is 40!

2010-04-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

Happy EarthDay!

This is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, and there is so much to celebrate! Many of you have taken the first steps to go green, like carrying reusable bags & bottles with you and recycling when you can. This is fantastic! This Earth Day choose one more thing to get a little "greener". Here's a list of ideas:
Eat Local & In Season

There are so many reasons why this is important. As far as eco-impact, when you eat locally you cut down on transport miles & fuel usage to get food from one place to the next. Also, small family farms are much more likely to use sustainable practices, preserving farmland and soil health. This keeps our air, water and food sources clean and healthy for all! To find local sources near you check out: Local Harvest

Commit to going Waste-Free

Most of us have a reusable water bottle...but do you still pack things in plastic baggies for to go lunches? How about use paper towels for cleaning or paper napkins for dinner? Choose one disposable product you can't imagine living without...and give the alternative 2 weeks. You'll wonder why you waited so long! Not to mention how nice it feels to completely skip the disposable aisle at the grocery stores!

Buy Less, Buy Used, Buy Quality

Before you buy something new ask yourself these questions: Do I have this item in another form already? If so, Do you need another, or is the one you currently have sufficient? If not, can you buy it used? If you can, check craigslist, consignment & thrift stores, or yard sales first. If you must buy a new item, buy quality that will last, instead of cheap items that are essentially disposable. Just asking yourself these simple questions will lead you to consume less, and buy more thoughfully.

There are so many things I could add to this list, but this is a good start. If you have another, would you please share?! I'd love to hear what commitments you are going to make or renew this Earth Day.

GIVEAWAY!!

To help my readers make a change, MamaGoesGreen is going to give away a LunchSkin snack bag and Skoy cloth pack to 2 lucky people! Just comment below to be entered! For the month of April you can receive an extra 10% off in the store with the code: APRIL. Also, any order over $50 receives free shipping! Remember...buy thoughtfully...buy quality! Happy Earth Day!! Comments accepted until midnight Saturday, April 24th. Winners contacted Sunday, 25th. Good luck!

Celebrate Earth Day ALL MONTH!!

2010-04-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

We are kicking into gear over in the store! We'd like to celebrate Earth Day all month, and give all of our customers an extra 10% off. We are having some killer sales right now, so don't hesitate! This is a great chance to check out some products that you've been considering for your home, but haven't used yet. All the products we stock we use in our own home in order to waste less, save more and reduce our impact on this planet. They are practical, affordable, useful and fun too! Keep you eyes peeled for some great new products soon! Use code: APRIL for savings all month long!

National Green Week Feb 1-5

2010-02-03T06:02:00.001-08:00

Did you know it's National Green Week? Well, neither did I! From Feb 1-5 schools around the country are observing National Green Week. The "objective is to empower students to become environmental stewards within the context of their own lives", according to the Green Education Foundation. They are running several challenges, including a energy saving program, a green thumbs/gardening challenge, and a waste-free lunch challenge. I love that the kids are being taught about recycling, composting, saving energy and using reusable items. These small changes truly add up to make a big difference, and many parents need the extra encouragement from their kids to follow through. (I know mine are always vigilant and keep me accountable). Since we homeschool, we'll have to do this on our own, but the GEF site has activities and suggestions to do with your children or co-op. Leave me a note if your children are participating, I'd love to hear how it's influenced your home.

Cooking From Scratch

2010-01-16T05:29:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy of: Dalboz17

In an effort to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup in our house, one of my goals this year is to cook from scratch more often. The most eaten things around here are snacks and bread....we go through these almost as soon as they enter the house! So there is also a financial incentive to make these things in bulk ourselves. So far we have made granola bars, granola, pizza, honey oat bread and light wheat bread. Everything has turned out wonderful so far! Our dinners are almost always from scratch, and I love www.allrecipes.com for the reviews and selection of recipes. I'd love to hear what you're making from scratch!

Recycling Your Christmas Tree

2010-01-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

Now that we've begun 2010, most of us have taken down our Christmas trees, and you may be wondering what to do with it. Traditionally, recycling programs have turned the trees into mulch, but there are many other programs and uses for your used tree.

Photo Credit: Michael Woodruff via flickr.com

This year, we've decided to turn our tree into a bird habitat/feeder. We have it outside, still in the base, anchored with some rocks inside. Tomorrow the kids and I will spend some quality time making pinecone feeders and stringing popcorn. Not only will this provide some winter shelter for the birds, but it will also give us a chance to do some bird watching. This will definately be part of our homeschool science lessons. Along this same vein, you could also take the branches and spread them out around your property as shelter for wildlife. Check with your local Department of Natural Resources to find out if they have a program for trees in place. Many municipalities use the trees in soil and erosion prevention programs, and also in lakes and rivers as fish sanctuaries.
Besides wildlife habitat and mulching, recycled Christmas trees also provide: energy, heat, and even vaccine ingredients. Keep it out of the landfill, and check out what programs are available to you by visiting Earth911.com.

How to Cook a Pastured Chicken

2009-10-14T14:19:00.001-07:00

I can never roast my pastured chickens right....I usually end up making them too dry. Pastured meat is a different kind of bird because there is more muscle, and less fat, making cooking times different from what you may be used to with a conventional chicken. So finally, I decided to crockpot the bird.....and I am now in heaven. Not only does it make a juicy, delicious dinner, but the meat just falls off, and you can utilize every last shred of meat without too much work. After I remove the meat, I simply leave the bones and skin in the crockpot, add some filtered water & seasonings and turn the crockpot back on low overnight. It produces a delicious, and oh-so healthy for you, bone broth that will help stave off the flu and other winter viruses. Not too mention you just can't buy broth like that at the store! With the extra cost of pastured poultry, utilizing every jiblet is important to keep the relative cost down. Works for me, hope it will work for you!

Stainless Steel Filterable Water Bottle: EcoUsable

2009-08-06T13:12:00.001-07:00

We have all seen the studies: Bottled Water is no better than Tap Water. Not to mention that bottle water costs dollars when tap costs fractions of a penny! For this frugal mom, that fact alone would have me bringing my own! But when I saw the pictures of the Great Plastic Garbage Patch in the Pacific, the impacts of plastic really hit home.

I love my reusable water bottles, but often when I'm on the go, refilling leaves me with less than desirable tasting water. I know, I know, bottled water is not much different from normal tap water, but my taste buds care! I couldn't bear the eco-guilt of buying a water bottle, so I generally went unhydrated instead. Enter the Ech2o; the perfect solution for a busy mom on the go(or any person for that matter!)

EcoUsable has created the first stainless steel water bottle with a filter built in. A durable water bottle that will last for years, and can be completely recycled when you can't use it anymore! The filter is effective for about 500 fills, 1yr or 100 gallons. The most amazing part: It is effective in filtering ANY kind of water except salt water. You could dip this in a nearby river and the filter removes up to 99.9 percent of sediment, dissolved solids, chemicals, and biological pathogens.

I love our ech2o water bottle, and you will as well. Also great for Back to School; teachers or students! Would make a great gift for any new college student, active outdoorsman or overseas traveller. For all my readers I am offering FREE shipping at www.MamaGoesGreen.com with code: eBfreeship!

Are the Farmers Markets really more expensive?

2009-07-27T07:47:00.001-07:00

This post taken from The Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance Blog :

Are the Farmers Markets really more expensive?

While it is true that our markets offer many specialty items and unique products that might fall in to the category of splurges or special treats, the vast majority of the fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries are actually cheaper at the farmers markets, especially with organics. Additionally, the quality and variety of the products at the farmers markets often far exceed what one gets in a conventional grocery store. Berries are one example: there are more varieties at the markets (look for blueberries, tayberries, golden raspberries, numerous varieties of strawberries and red raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries (both red and green), marionberries, huckleberries, red currants…). Berry pints are nearly always cheaper at the markets - and, you can buy whole or half flats (which means if you don't gobble them up before the next week, you can freeze several pints to use for smoothies or pies when berry sesason is over).

Below are a number of price comparisons conducted from 2003 to the present, showing the Farmers Markets to be more cost-effective than regular grocery stores. We will continue to monitor this issue closely and publish new comparison studies.

Remember, too, that there are other ways to save at the markets. For eg., if you're buying large quantities for canning, most farmers will give you a discount; and many farmers also sell seconds.

Photo by M_J_M

First study, conducted in 2003: we compared identical bags of 10 items purchased the same day (items selected were a mix of fruits and vegetables such as a family of four might buy). This study was done three times, over a period of three weeks, to compare three different stores to the University District Farmers Market. Some items cost more and some were less but the total balance weighed heavily in favor of the Farmers Market:

Week one was Whole Foods vs the Farmers Market (the bag of groceries at Whole Foods cost $30.75, vs the Farmers Market bag of identical fruits and vegetables for $22.12). Week two was PCC ($38.11) vs the Farmers Market ($32.00). Week three was QFC ($35.83) vs. the Farmers Market ($22.98).

Testimonial (unsolicited) from a shopper:

Fall 2004: "Last week I headed to the U district market to stock up on fall vegetables and fruits. Most of the items I purchased store well so I purchased in larger than normal quantities. The farmers were quick to offer a "deal" and many offered to carry the boxes to my car. I spent a total of $76 and went home with the following:

50 pounds of organic Yukon and Russet potatoes ($30)
10 pounds of organic rutabagas ($8)
10 pounds of organic mixed beets (8)
2 organic celeriacs ($4, $2 each)
! pound organic German Red garlic ($5)
23 pounds of organic apples (mixed varieties) ($17)
4 fat bunches of leeks ($4 not organic)

"When I got home, I calculated the pounds and price of each vegetable that I purchased. I then calculated how much everything would have cost if I bought it at PCC. Overall, I calculated a remarkable savings of nearly $90. I love PCC and am always grateful to have a coop like that in our community. But when purchasing in large quantities for my family of five and the upcoming holidays, I was truly impressed with my recent U-District market experience. Thanks." -Missy Trainer

June 4, 2007: article in the Seattle Times: "Farmers-market food costs less, class finds"

Spring 2008: study by Stacy Jones' SU statistics students found that the average cost per pound of all organic produce at QFC was $2.98, at Whole Foods is was $2.53, and at the Broadway Farmers Market is was $2.36. A few items were more expensive at the Farmers Market, but most items were more expensive at the grocery stores, so the total average was less at the Farmers Market - which means that a shopper's grocery bill would average lowest at the Farmers Market.

Comparisons by a market volunteer in early fall with the Columbia City Farmers Market:

First week:

Safeway (Rainier Ave.) organic prices 10/7/08

Gala apples $2.79

Golden apples $2.00/lb.

Medium Tomatoes $4.19/lb.

Head red leaf lettuce $2.19/head

Large onion $1.89/lb.

1 medium green pepper $1.79 each

Blueberries 1/2 pint $4.99

vs.

Columbia City Farmers Market organic prices 10/8/08

Gala apples $1.50/lb.

Golden Apples $2.59/lb.

Medium Tomatoes $3.50/lb.

Red Leaf Lettuce $3.00/head

Large onion $1.50/lb.

1 medium green pepper $1.30 each

Blueberries 1/2 pint $4.00

Second week:

Safeway (Rainier Ave.) organic prices 10/14/08

Butternut squash $1.79/lb.

Acorn squash $1.79/lb .

Chard (medium bunch) $2.99/lb.

Gala apples $2.79/lb.

Romaine lettuce (med.) $2.19/head .

Green beans $3.00/lb

Golden delicious apples $2.79/lb

vs.

Columbia City Farmer's Market organic prices 10/15/08

Butternut squash $1.00/lb.

Acorn squash $1.00/lb

Chard (med. bunch) $2.50

Gala apples $1.99/lb.

Romaine (med.) $1.50

Green beans $2.79/lb

Golden Delicious apples $1.99/lb

Winter study by SU statistics class, November 2008 at the University District Farmers Market:

Stacy Jones' 2008 fall quarter statistics class conducted a price comparison study between the U-District Farmers Market, Whole Foods and QFC. They summarized their report as follows:

"According to the FDA, the average family should spend about $330 a month on groceries. At the Farmers Market, $330 will get you 152.25 pounds of organic produce; at Whole Foods you can get 131.80 pounds, and at QFC a mere 118.6 pounds for the same $330. I.e., the average price per pound is lowest at the farmers market."

January 2009 study by Seattle Central student: U-District Farmers Market vs. Whole Foods and QFC. Note: all produce at the market was local, everything at Whole Foods was from CA except apples from WA, and QFC simply said from "USA"

Squash $1/lb at market, $2/lb at Whole Foods, n/a at QFC

Potatoes $1.60/lb at market, $2/lb at Whole Foods, $1.99/lb at QFC

Fuji Apples $2.50/lb at market, $3/lb at Whole Foods, $2.99/lb at QFC

Braeburn Apples $2.50/lb at market, $2.50 at Whole Foods, $2.99 at QFC

Whole Chicken (free range) $4.50/lb at market, $3.29/lb at WF, n/a QFC

Chicken breast (fr. range) $11.63/lb at market, $5.99/lb, $7.99/lb QFC (WA)

Cabbage $1.00/lb at market, $2/lb at WF, $1.99/lb at QFC

Artichoke $2.49/lb at market, $2.50/lb at WF, n/a at QFC

Beets $2/lb at market, $2/lb at WF, n/a at QFC

Carrots $1.99/b at market, $1.29/lb at WF, $1.29/lb at QFC

Brussel Sprouts $5.50/lb at market, not available at WF or QFC

Eggs (xl, free range) $7 doz at market, $4.50 doz at WF, $4 doz at QFC

Arugula $3 bunch at market, $3 bunch at WF, n/a at QFC

Kale $3 bunch at market, $3 bunch at WF, $3 bunch at QFC

Average savings at market: $.62

Average miles saved by buying local: over 900

Main points to consider (as presented in class report): Farmers market offers largest selection of organic local produce, greater varieties unavailable outside of WA. Farmers at market take home 100% of their sales (vs grocery stores buy cheaply and mark up - the longer the item can sit on the shelf, the lower the wholesale price given to the farmer). Farmers sell based on their inventory - are also sometimes able to bargain! Many say pricing is the hardest part of the market job. We all benefit by shopping at the markets: putting $$ directly back into the local economy, produce is fresher, lowering carbon emissions from farm to table, learning about how your food is produced, soil quality, preparation ideas, meet the grower.

***********

The real cost of cheap, mass-produced foods: higher taxes, more health problems, worsening environmental conditions.

With large, well-stocked grocery stores dotted throughout our urban and suburban landscapes, our modern food system appears efficient and effective, enabling most of us to buy an abundance of food for a relatively small percent of our paychecks. Americans, in fact, spend a smaller percent of their paychecks on food than nearly every other country in the world, even in our current economic climate. Unfortunately, while we save pennies at the checkout counter, we’re spending more on taxes for large farm subsidies ($114 billion between 1995 – 2002). Additionally, when we buy products shipped in from long distances that are also locally available, it adds to our carbon footprint and increases our dependence on foreign oil.

Our main-stream food system also depends upon 500 million pounds of pesticides annually, resulting in $8 billion in environmental and health costs, and 300,000 farmers with pesticide poisoning. Furthermore, some pesticides banned in America are still widely dumped into developing countries, providing us with cheaper produce yet causing terrible environmental and health problems in those countries. Runoff from overuse of synthetic fertilizers also ends up in our lakes and rivers, killing fish and other wildlife, and costing us more tax money in cleanup. Small, diverse, local farms do not depend on mass amounts of chemicals, packaging and long-distance shipping - instead, they produce smaller and more varied amounts of high-quality fruits and vegetables. Buying directly from these farms enables shoppers to support a more sustainable, healthier food system, with more diversity of products and far less waste and depletion of resources.

Waste Free Lunches

2009-07-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

My guilty green conscience pricked up whenever I threw away plastic baggies and juice boxes from our bagged lunches. All that non-recyclable garbage, generated in one sitting! I knew there had to be a better way to serve my kids lunch on the go that didn't involve mostly pre-packaged items. But I also knew I couldn't afford hours of my time spent every day on such a task. Simple and Waste-free....could there be a solution? I'm happy to report that there are MANY solutions, and I'd like to share some that have worked for us.

Equipment: Avoiding plastic baggies, aluminum foil and prepackaged items were my primary concern. So the first step was to replace them. My kids love sandwiches and wraps, so we do lots of variations on these. The Wrap-N-Mat is a perfect solution to eliminating plastic baggies, and works well for other snacks as well. We also use our Laptop Lunch boxes with mini sandwiches & wraps. Our newest favorite lunch aid is the LunchBots. I love that there is no plastic at all in these, they are 100% stainless steel. This makes them very durable, and stylish enough for my husband to take to work without feeling like a school child!

What to Eat: Sandwiches are the easiest thing for me to pack. Along with this, I generally mix up some sort of almond/nut mix with popcorn & raisins. Carrot sticks, celery sticks & other veggies work well to pack for on the go lunches. Cut up fruit is easy and you can do it in bulk for the week. If you are using a Laptop Lunch, applesauce or yogurt can be made or bought in bulk and packaged without the waste. For more ideas visit:

www.wastefreelunches.org

www.flickr.com/groups/laptop_lunches/pool

It's all about habit. At first it will be an extra thing to think about that can be quite annoying. But after a week of consistent packing, you get more creative, and fall into a groove of things. The best part for us....our wallet is fatter! Stopping for a quick snack because I am caught unawares happens much less frequently. And DON'T FORGET YOUR WATER BOTTLES!! We refill ours whenever we see a water fountain so we don't get in a situation where we need a plastic water bottle. Having a lunch tote hanging by the back door is super convenient for me, I just throw our stuff in and grab it with my purse on the way out the door.

According to wastefreelunches.org: "It has been estimated that on average a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school." More and more schools are switching to waste free lunches, a great step in the right direction. I hope to feature one of these schools in the future. Please share your successes or problems with packing a waste free lunch!

Menu Planning-Frugal, Green & Simple!

2009-07-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

More Menu Plan Monday found here: http://www.orgjunkie.com/

Menu planning is one of those skills that kills lots of birds with one stone! My biggest vice is eating out, which is not only bad for the environment, it's bad for my wallet, the local economy, and family time. But when I plan my menu, our family life goes so much smoother, not to mention my local farmers get my support rather than Taco Bell (hanging my head in shame). With 4 kids, I have found great benefit from planning even our 2x a day snacks. Less arguing, no scrambling for something to eat. Simplicity at its finest! Here's what we're eating this week:

Photo courtesy of: dexter_mixwith

Monday
B: Cereal & Milk
L: Sandwiches & fruit
D: Quesadillas with grilled veggies
Snacks: Homemade Trail Mix & apple slices with honey

Tuesday:
B: Homemade Blueberry Muffins & Milk
L: Grilled Cheese & Soup
D: Chicken Cacciatore (this is a Slow Cooker Recipe that I will double & freeze the extra portion. I work on Tuesday evenings, so Tuesday is always Crock Pot day!)
Snacks: Granola Bars, (snack at sitters)

Wednesday:
B: Eggs & Cheese, Bacon
L: Sandwich & Carrots
D: Garden Veggie Pasta
Snacks: Crackers & Cheese, Apple Slices w/ honey

Photo courtesy of: shivery

Thursday:
B: Yogurt, Fruit & Toast
L: Leftover Pasta
D: Hamburgers & Sweet Potato Fries
Snacks: Trail Mix, Bananas

Friday:
B: Pancakes
L: Chicken Nuggets & Apple Sauce
D: Baked Mac N Cheese & Veggie Sticks
Snacks: Choice of Fruit & Cheese, Popcorn

Saturday:
B: Eggs or Oatmeal (I work, this will be hubby's decision)
L: Sandwiches
D: Spaghetti & Meatballs (Triple meatballs will be made & frozen)
Snacks: Popsicles, crackers & cheese

Sunday:
B: Cereal & Fruit
L: Chicken Nuggets & Sweet Potato Fries
D: Honey Maple Pork Chops, New potatoes & farmers' market veggies
Snack: Granola Bars & apple slices

All of this is pretty simple stuff, easy to make and double. All the veggies will be in season from our farmers' market, and almost all the meat, eggs & milk from there as well. I made a huge batch of blueberry muffins with in season blueberries, and froze them, I'm trying to do this 2x a month. Sandwiches are generally planned on days we will be out and need to bring lunch with us. They will be tuna/chicken salad, ham & cheese or pb&j. I'm certainly not the most homemade cook I know...no canning experience or homemade yogurt here! But you can eat in season, locally and healthy even if you're busy!

Food Independence Day

2009-06-08T06:49:00.000-07:00

"This July 4th, let's declare our food independence by sourcing the ingredients for our holiday meals as locally, sustainably and deliciously as possible and let's ask our nation's first families to do the same"
Visit www.foodindependenceday.org for more info.

I have been severely neglecting this blog lately, due to my new job as Market Manager for our local farmers' market in Abingdon, VA. If you are ever in the area, visit our vibrant market, a premier market for this region! I am so proud to be a part of this community, and am enjoying every minute of it! Lots of new and exciting things to learn, and real-life greening to encourage! I'll be around more, don't give up on the blog!

National Healthy Schools Day

2009-04-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about the RuMe Bag Giveaway! I am so pleased to have a guest post today to inspire us to get active for our planet and our children; Earth Day & every day!

National Healthy Schools Day

What you can do to make sure no child’s health is left behind

Guest Post by Janelle Sorensen

When my husband and I first toured schools to find the one we wanted to enroll our daughter in, I’m sure I was silently voted one of the strangest parents ever. Why do I feel I was secretly endowed with this title? Because every room and hallway we were taken through, I sniffed. A lot. And, according to my husband, I wasn’t terribly discreet.

I didn’t have a cold or postnasal drip. And, I’m not part bloodhound. I was simply concerned about the indoor air quality. My daughter was (and still is) prone to respiratory illnesses and I wanted to be sure the school she would be attending would support and protect her growing lungs (in addition to her brain). For many air quality issues, your nose knows, so I was using the easiest tool I had to gauge how healthy the environment was.

While air quality is a significant issue in schools (the EPA estimates that at least half of our nation’s 120,000 schools have problems), parents are also increasingly concerned about other school health issues like nutrition and the use of toxic pesticides. Many schools are making the switch to healthier and more sustainable practices like green cleaning, least toxic pest management, and even school gardening. What they’re finding is that greening their school improves the health and performance of students and personnel, saves money (from using less energy, buying fewer products, and having fewer worker injuries among other things), and also helps protect the planet. It’s truly win, win, win.

To highlight the issue, the Healthy Schools Network coordinates National Healthy Schools Day. This year, over three dozen events will be held across the country (and more in Canada) on April 27th to promote and celebrate healthy school environments.

What can you do? Healthy Schools Network recommends simple activities such as:

Adopting Guiding Principles of School Environmental Quality as a policy for your School;
Distributing information related to Green Cleaning or Indoor Air Quality (IAQ);
Writing a letter or visiting your Principal or Facility Director to ask about cleaning products or pest control products;
Walking around your school: looking for water stains, cracks in outside walls, broken windows or steps, and overflowing dumpsters that are health & safety problems that need attention. Use this checklist.
Writing a Letter to the Editor of your local paper on the importance of a healthy school to all children and personnel.

You can also help support the efforts of states trying to pass policies requiring schools to use safer cleaners. (Or, initiate your own effort!) There are good bills pending in Connecticut, Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, and Oregon. According to Claire Barnett, Executive Director of the Healthy Schools Network, the key pieces to promote on green cleaning in schools are:

Not being fooled by ‘green washing’ claims—commercial products must be third-party certified as green (to verify claims);
Understanding that green products are cost-neutral and they work; and,
Learning that “Clean doesn’t have an odor.”

She encourages parents and personnel to tune into one of the archived webinars on green cleaning (like the first module for general audiences) at www.cleaningforhealthyschools.org.

The fact of the matter is that whether you’re concerned about the quality of food, cleaning chemicals, recycling, or energy use – schools need our help and support. Instead of complaining about what’s wrong, it’s time to help do what’s right – for our children, our schools, and our planet.

What are you going to do? There are so many ideas and resources. Find your passion and get active on April 27^th – National Healthy Schools Day.

Additional Resources:

Creating Healthy Environments for Children (DVD): A short video with easy tips for schools and a variety of handouts to download and print.
Getting Your Child’s School to Clean Green: A blog I wrote last year with advice based on my experience working with schools.
Healthy Community Toolkit: Healthy Child Healthy World’s tips and tools for being a successful community advocate and some of our favorite organizations working on improving child care and school environments and beyond.
The Everything Green Classroom Book: The ultimate guide to teaching and living green and healthy.

Janelle Sorensen is the Senior Writer and Health Consultant for Healthy Child Healthy World (www.healthychild.org). You can also find her on Twitter as @greenandhealthy.

RuMe Reusable Bag GIVEAWAY

2009-04-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

Even the lightest of greenies are starting to bring their own bags to the supermarket, and saving millions of pounds of waste each year. But even with the best of intentions, many of us leave our bags at home, in the car....anywhere but in the store with us! With so many types of reusable bags out there, choosing the right system for you can be daunting. I'd like to share with you why RuMe reusable bags are my personal favorites!

The Ease: Compact & simple to fold up into my purse. After I unload my market goods, groceries, or shopping exploits from the bag(s), I simply fold it up and return it to my purse. When I used plastic bags, I emptied them and stuck them in a designated spot for recycling. Now the spot is in my purse....and my cabinets are free of clutter!

The Design: Specifically the square designed seams. These make the bags easy to stand up, which makes your bagger like you. Other reusable bags can be slippery and annoying for baggers who are used to a system....which has led to me being left to bag myself! Never happens with my RuMe Bags

The Size: HUGE! You can take 3 and get an average size grocery cart into them. I'm not kidding...I've done it! They are also great at farmer's markets because they are water-proof and easily fit over your shoulder for easy carrying.

The Style: Who wants to walk into the mall or Target with a $2 grocery-store branded bag? RuMe bags are so cute, they move beyond the grocery store, and replace ALL one-time use bags! Not to mention many of the styles are masculine...your man will thank you!

The Options: If you don't need a bag as big, buy the Mini! Same style, durability and design...just mini! Great for packing lunch, going to the library, the gym, wherever!

There are really more reasons why this is my go to bag constantly, but I'll stop here! Actually, I'm not stopping, I'm giving away 3 of these bags to celebrate Earth Day! To enter, leave a comment about what one green thing you've resisted doing, and why. For an extra entry, subscribe the the MamaGoesGreen newsletter. And lastly, Twitter about it, and let me know! Do it before April 23rd, I'm choosing the winners on the 24th. Have fun!

TAKE 10% off ALL ITEMS

2009-04-15T06:03:00.001-07:00

SKOY Winners

2009-04-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

The winners have been chosen and contacted! Keep your eye out for another giveaway this week!

SKOY is here!

2009-04-08T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Sara and I am a dish rag addict. I fully admit that I have an obsession with avoiding paper towels. Maybe some of you can relate. It started as a frugal thing, I hated the extra dollars they added to my grocery bill, but then I realized how much waste they created. But lets be honest....a traditional rag doesn't always get the job done quite as neatly as the paper towels did. Not to mention how icky they get after just one use....getting a whiff of a stinky dishrag is the worst! We got a chance to try out SKOY, and I am officially in love! I had to order some immediately to offer on MamaGoesGreen!

I've been using my SKOY for about a month now, and as other moms must imagine, I have had PLENTY of opportunities to test out the durability and effectiveness. Dried up egg, jelly, peanut butter, and various unidentifiable messes are all tackled efficiently with the SKOY cloth. And just a quick rinse and ring, and the SKOY will be ready for its next use. I've had one in use for a month, and it has held up to the dishwasher every night, and just now needs to be replaced. At this price, these will save you money from the start!

SKOY is eco-friendly because they are 100% biodegradable, and made from a unique blend of cotton and wood-pulp cellulose. They are manufactured in Germany, in a facility that makes every effort to be as eco-friendly as possible. Independent tests have shown this to completely break down in compost within 5 weeks. All of the colors and inks are made using water based materials.

In celebration of EARTH DAY 2009, we will be featuring 1-2 products that we love per week, and doing giveaways for each of them! SKOY starts off the festivities, with a total of 3 winners! Here is how to enter:

1. Leave me a comment about how you are trying to cut down your waste
2. Twitter @Mamagoesgreen about this giveaway
3. Visit http://www.mamagoesgreen.com/ and tell me what you'd love to see the next giveaway about
4. Subscribe to this blog
5. Become a Facebook fan

3 winners will be chosen on April 10th, 12pm EST. Be sure to leave your email address so you can be reached. Have fun!

Joel Salatin - Ballet of the Pasture

2009-03-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

The auditorium is abuzz with the bubbling excitement of a beehive. The lights dim ever so slightly and the buzz slowly turns into a low hum. I scan the audience and see that the number of college students, worn farmers, and families are roughly in proportion. It impresses me that so many different groups have come together to learn about the same thing. Joel Salatin is here, and we are hungry for his point of view.

POLYFACE FARMS

Salatin is the farmer of Polyface Farms, featured and made notorious by Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. Self-described as a "Christian Libertarian Environmentalist Lunatic", he's here tonight, at Appalachian State University, to present his lecture "Ballet of the Pasture". With a witty delivery, and first class pictures, we take a virtual tour of Polyface Farms, where "plant-animal symbiosis heals the landscape, the community, and the eater." Truly this common sense approach to farming and animal husbandry shouldn't be so revolutionary....but sadly it is! Huge, corporate agro-business has taken over the global market, and we've been suckered into thinking bigger is better and more efficient. But it has instead given us sub-par food, a disconnect from our own communities, and rampant disease. However, "it's not enought to say NO to what we don't like-we must say YES to the good, " according to Salatin.

POLYFACE FARMS

What is our food culture as a whole in this country? There are stories of corporate greed, polluted environments, mad cow disease, salmonella outbreaks, genetically modified organisms, and bankrupt farmers by the hour. Can this be normal? Can it be normal for the average community to import 95% of its food? Can it be normal that the average hamburger has meat from 400 cows in it?! Joel put it poetically when he said, "If we think in our cleverness we can outbid nature-nature bats last." We don't have a relationship with our food, instead Salatin describes it as a "one-night stand of prostitution."

POLYFACE FARMS

There is another model. A local, sustainable and noble model. It is a model relationally oriented and ecologically healing. The land, and animals are not creatures that are just to be manipulated however we please. Instead, Salatin offers a different point of view, celebrating "the pigness of the pig." When we let the animals do work they enjoy, we fully honor and respect them. As Micheal Pollan puts it: "The pigs on Polyface Farm have a happy life, and one bad day." The cows rotate grazing fields, the chickens follow behind them picking out bugs and parasites, whilst leaving ecologically sound fertilizer, and the Ballet of the Pasture is played out. Instead of exploiting our resources, we instead steward them, and preserve them for future generations. Ecology and Economy are not at odds-we can have both. Polyface Farms provides food for 1,500 families, 10 retail outlets, and 30 restaurants through on-farm sales and metropolitan buying clubs. The yields per acre are up to 4 times that of current farming practices. You tell me what makes more sense.

There will be more and more farmers willing to change their models, and even new entreprenuers entering the scene, if we support our local food structure. The corporate power influences the top....and is only concerned about keeping the status quo. Salatin warns that as this movement gains ground, there is an equal push back from the opposite side of the fence. He encourages us who care about our food, our health and our land, to be vigilant and build our local food system faster. Local, grassroots efforts will create successful innovation. Let's do what's right...build relationships with your food and in turn with your community.

Update on Mountaintop Removal

2009-03-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

I watch this video and weep:

And then I read this, and feel hope.
Read more about mountaintop removal at www.ilovemountains.org.
Despite your politics, I think most Americans agree that we need to be looking for renewable energy sources that work and can sustain us while keeping our communities clean. This is a good step in the right direction.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Book Discussion

2009-03-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

I can't recommend this book enough! Written by best-selling author, Barbara Kingsolver, it documents a year of local eating. I live in the same county as the author, and couldn't wait to pick up this book to get some tips that would certainly apply to my local eating options. I was surprised at the quick pace of this book, and how it pulled me in and kept me reading. Peppered with country anecdotes, and sobering statistics, AVM is a book that will likely change the way you eat. Every chapter is followed with numerous recipes, that keep me going back throughout the growing season for inspiration. After reading through it once, I am now enjoying reading it for a second time for the Sound Mind, Sound Mom Book forum hosted by Simple Mom. I do hope you'll join the book forum, and read this groundbreaking novel!

Guide to Your First Recession Victory Garden

2009-03-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

In this economy, more and more of us are contemplating starting a backyard garden. If ever there was a “shovel-ready” project, this would be it! From saving money, to eating healthier, the reasons to start your own garden are plentiful. In fact, during this recession, seed sales have been up 25-40% for every seed company! Starting your own garden is a great way to pinch pennies while loving the planet.

Last year was our first garden, and beginning was very daunting! When to start, how to plant, how to avoid pests, what to choose, how much to water.....there's so much to learn in the beginning. But begin you should, because gardening has so many benefits. Most of our food travels an average of 1500 miles before it gets to our table. This requires the produce to be picked before it is ripened, which in turn makes it less nutritional, and frankly bland. Growing your own produce will help save billions of gallons of gasoline, a non-renewable source of energy which is growing scarcer by the minute. Also, by growing your own produce organically, we can collectively reduce the amount of pesticides that eventually run off into our water sources. Victory Gardens are being revived all over the country! So where can you begin? Here are some of my recommendations:

Read & Learn
There are so many great resources out there, you can get lost! My two favorite books that I am constantly returning to are: Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew and The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food by Tanya L.K. Denckla. As a busy mom of 4, working at home, I don't have much time to fuss with a garden...it's just not an option. The Square Foot Gardening Method is so easy to grasp, and learn, which makes it perfect for beginners. No soil testing, or thinning plants, and even weeding is nearly non-existent. There are also a plethora of gardening forums and helpful websites. Some of my favorites:

Building a Square Foot Garden

You Grow Girl

Backyard Gardening Blog

Helpful Gardener

Plan
Decide what you would like to grow by taking into account what you love to eat. Our family eats tons of squash, zucchini and green beans. I knew these would be the staples of our garden. However, your space or climate may restrict what you can grow. We don't have room for corn, so this is something I buy in bulk at our farmer's market, and then can & preserve. Read up on your favorite veggies and what it takes to grow them. You will start some plants by directly sowing the seed outside, but others you will either need to buy as transplants, or start indoors yourself. If something seems too complicated for your first year, commit to buying them locally and focus on a small amount at first. Last year we started with 4 raised beds, and will expand to 8 this year, along with some blueberry bushes and potted herbs.

Start
Once you've decided what you want to grow, next comes the when. You Grow Girl has an amazing spreadsheet that will help determine your planting times specific to your climate zone. Prepping your ground comes next. For the SFG method, it's as simple as building some raised beds, and making a soil mix affectionately dubbed “Mel's Mix”. Mel's mix includes 1/3 vermiculite, which normally is sold in small bags. Call around to your local, family owned garden centers to see if you can buy this in bulk. This will make it easier to mix, more cost-effective, and create less waste. Also, call your local extension agent for local compost sources. There are local sources that will deliver a load of compost, often for less than you would spend on buying by the bag at a box store. Freecycle is a great source for wood scraps that can be used for your raised beds. Finally, plant! Your local farmer's market is a good place to buy plants to transplant in your garden. Your local nursery will also have a wide variety to choose from, as well as seeds. Other trusted seed resources:

Maintain
Commit to spending ½ hour, to an hour each day to maintaining your garden. Pests will come, but the best defense is a good offense! Buy resistant varieties, and use row covers whenever possible. Watching your garden carefully will help you stay on top of disease and pests before they are unmanageable. Visit Garden Forum for specific remedies to problems you may encounter.
I hope you're inspired to start a garden, whether it's just some tomatos and herbs on your porch, or several beds in your backyard. Next post we'll discuss some advanced gardening skills, including composting, water collection and organic pest control. Get started today!

EcoStore USA Rosemary Orange Shampoo Review

2009-02-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

photo by Laurence Tucker

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I've been agonizing over a good quality, non-toxic shampoo that won't drain my bank account. First off, be warned that I am a low maintenance kind of girl. I have never, I mean never, purchased shampoo from a salon. I am used to buying the Target version of whatever strikes my fancy at the time. So, no, I am admittedly not brand loyal...to anything! So to say that the prices of natural shampoo shocked me would be an understatement. But I do know it is an important step in my journey to be a darker shade of green, so I say farewell to shampoo that cost me $3.49 a bottle!

The first company I decided to try out, EcoStore USA, has left me pleasantly suprised! I have very thick hair, just long enough to pull into a pony tail, and it gets oily within a day of washing. So despite the Rosemary Orange Shampoo description for thin/oily hair, I decided to solve my main problem, which is oil. I ordered the Shampoo, as well as 2 bars of soap. They came packaged in an appropriate box, without too much packaging. Eco-friendly check #1!

The fact that using my new shampoo excited me is a little sad, I know, but you know that you've done it too! After reading lots of reviews on natural shampoos, I knew to expect the shampoo being a little "watery" and so I used care when squeezing this out. When I just used a little at a time, I was able to adequetely spread it around my thick hair. This can be tricky until you get the hang of it, because this shampoo does not have Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which is what gives traditional products their lather, but carries with it concerns of cancer. I rinsed, towl dried, and styled, and my hair looked and felt just as good as it does with my traditional products. At $11/6.8oz , it's not cheap, but less expensive than some of the brands you'd buy at a salon, or other natural products. Per their website, here are the ingredients:

Water
Lauryl-glucoside (from glucose)
Derivatives from coconut and palm oil - olefin sulphonate
Laureth-2
Polyol Coconut Fatty Acid Ester
Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate (from natural amino acid)
Citric Acid
Certified Organic Cider Vinegar
Essential oils of Rosemary Cineol, Orange Sweet Organic, Pine Scotch, Sage and Cypress.

I would recommend this product, but will be trying other ones to find my perfect match as well. Any suggestions for my next try? Happy Greening!

LaundryTree Soap Nuts Review

2009-02-24T05:23:00.000-08:00

As a mom with 4 kids, laundry is a never ending chore. Towels, clothes, rugs, the list goes on and on! I have yet to find a laundry detergent that totally satisfies me. I've been relatively satisfied with Shaklee's Laundry detergent, but just recently got a chance to try some soap nuts from LaundryTree. At first I was a bit skeptical, wondering how nuts from a tree could really get my boys' dirty jeans clean!

When my soap nuts arrived, I instantly fell in love with the packaging. And face it ladies, packaging is one of the things that entices us to try something new! These would make a great and unique gift! I untied the ribbon, and examined the contents, which included a small drawstring bag, soapnuts and some essential oil. As impressed as I was by the packaging, the whiff I got of the nuts made me take a step back! Then I saw the package instructions answer my question: Will my clothes smell like the soap nuts? Answer: No! So I gave them a try, and can happily say that all of our clothes got fresh & clean....and they didn't smell like the nuts! You can choose to use the Energy essential oil blend in the bag with the nuts for a scent, or add your own lavender or lemon drops.

My next thought was: how much do these cost? When you buy in bulk, you receive enough nuts for 150 loads of laundry for under $30. This equals 5c a load!!! Not to mention that once you are done using these, you just throw them in your compost heap! These odd little nuts are definately worth a try in your washing machine.

Fun Weekend Green Projects: Beanbag toss

2009-02-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

Have fun this weekend with this simple project! It's economical, and re-uses items most people have around their house. Beanbag Toss is a favorite game of all my kids, from 3-8yrs old! Here's a list of things to round up:

Fabric Scraps
Ribbon or twine
Empty bucket or basket
(we re-used a container that held bulk biscotti)
dry beans or peas

No sewing required! Just take some fabric, pour some dry beans in the middle, bundle 'em up, and tie a string around it. Make 5 or 6, and have fun tossing them in a pail or bucket that would've ended up in the recycling bin or landfill otherwise! Happy weekending!

Bloggy Giveaway: Recycled Stamp Jewelry

2009-01-25T18:39:00.000-08:00

It's Bloggy Giveaway time again! You don't want to miss this one! This stained glass necklace is made with an authentic vintage stamp, reusing in style! The artist, Lindsay Troutman, has a love for taking old and vintage pieces, and creating a true work of art. An EXCLUSIVE for Mama Goes Green, you won't find this anywhere else! Pictures are a good representation of what you will receive, although exact colors and stamps will vary due to the one of a kind nature to these necklaces.

All creations are made with silver plate chains, and lead free solder.

There are 4 ways to enter, choose on or all 4 for more chances to win:

Comment with the next step you want to take to "go green"

Tweet about this giveaway

Subscribe to the Mama Goes Green Blog

Join the Mama Goes Green Facebook Group

All jewelry is now 20% off on Mama Goes Green! Make a wishlist, and send it to your Valentine. The power of suggestion always works ;) Good luck! Winner will be announced on Feb 1st.

Recycling Made Simple-Tips & Facts to Green Your Routine

2009-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Before "going green" was coined as the latest rage, envionmentalists worked hard to spread the message about the 3 R's. It's a mantra well known by even the least green out there: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The first two Rs are straight forward-use less, and reuse what you've got already. Recycling is where many of us throw up our hands in protest, and for a myriad of reasons. I was always too busy, or it was too inconvenient.

photo taken by: Locator

When I finally decided to go for it and give recycling a try, I stood by the sink with a yogurt container and a steel can, wondering if either of them could be recycled. The whats, and hows of recycling can be daunting, but implementing a recycling routine in your family is an important step in the greening process. Here are some basic tips to help you succeed:

What to Recycle

Start with the items that have the fewest "rules":

Aluminum: just a simple rinse will do

Steel Cans: no need to remove labels, rinse

Newspaper: keep it dry

Magazines & Glossy Inserts: seperate and keep dry

These are all items that are almost all universally recyclable in any community. The next items will vary in recyclability by your locale's services.

Plastics: PETE 1 & 2 are the most recycled plastics & include milk jugs, shampoo bottles, soda bottles, etc. Look for the symbol. Take off caps, unless coded 1 or 2.

Glass: You may have to seperate by color, but never include light bulbs, Pyrex, or windows in this mix. Also take off lids and caps. This would include: beer, soda and wine bottles, as well as glass jars. (Oh, and don't worry about getting the lime out of the beer bottle, it won't ruin the mix!)

Paper & Paperboard: office paper, cereal boxes, etc. Be careful of wax & paper lined milk cartons and food boxes. These are not recyclable.

Corrugated Cardboard: keep dry & clean

Plastic Bags: Keep these dry and clean, and turn them in at your grocery store. Hopefully you don't collect many of these because you have switched to reusable bags.

Where to Recycle

Check with your local waste services for common options:

Curbside Recycling: generally involves a small fee, however you are provided with bins and it can't get more convenient.

Recycling Center Drop-off: This is the more common option, and does require a new routine. We were suprised at how close our drop-off really was, and connected our trips with a weekly trip to the library that was close by. Many grocery stores and schools also have these in their parking lots.

How to Collect Your Recycling

It is important to set up your recycling station at home to be convenient and easy to use. Paper bags & makeshift containers will get frustrating very quickly.

Post a Quick Reference Guide: This helps other members of your family know what to throw in the garbage can, and what things are eligible for recycling. Great cheat sheet here.

Invest in some Plastic Bins: We use 5 that stack together from our local home improvement store. One of them stays in the kitchen to collect recyclables and is taken to be sorted into the others at the end of the day.

Assign Recycling duties: Rotate this chore like you do any others in your home. My kids love doing the sorting at the end of the day, and it takes the stress off me!

Important to Remember:

This is a process! Don't sabotage yourself by demanding perfection, every little bit counts. Your little bit does make a difference, and shouldn't be taken lightly!

Precycle: Before you buy in the store, take a look at the packaging. Can it be recycled? Could you buy it in a larger container, instead of individual packagings? This is a helpful way to combine reducing and recycling into one step.

Links for the advanced recycler:

Aveda: collects bottle caps to be recycled

E-cycling

The Impact of Plastic

11 Facts about Recycling

With our current economic situation, there are some concerns over recycling. Definately precycle and reuse as much as you can. But I still feel more comfortable recycling my waste when I can, than throwing in the landfill. Working to make recyclables in demand will go a long way into making recycling a great option for the economy and our planet!

A Greener Better Life for 2009

2009-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We are fully entrenched now in 2009, and many of us are reflecting on 2008. Our 2008 was full of "new" things. We planted our first garden, started a new business, and changed our routines to make them green. Looking back at my handwritten goals for 2008, I am happy to report we accomplished most of what we set out to do.

photo by Fred_711

This year, my husband and I are sitting down together to write out our personal and family goals. I prefer the word goal to resolution, because it keeps me focused on the process it takes to get to my goal. I'd love to hear from you: Do you make resolutions, or goals in the New Year? Care to share any? Here are some of mine for this year:

Continue with the green/healthy habits started in 2008

Establish morning routine

Read 1 book a month

Eat more raw, local foods, less processed and take out

Finish our Debt Snowball

Go to our town hall meetings, start to share my voice in my community

Expand the garden, plant more from seed

Be a better friend

Continue to simplify

Continue to grow http://www.mamagoesgreen.com/

Thanks for all the love and comments you guys send my way! Here's to many more!

Coal Ash Spill in TN - Info & Links

2008-12-26T14:34:00.000-08:00

If anyone knows me, they know how I feel about coal. It's the main environmental issue that I've taken a stance on, because I believe it's where the green rubber meets the road, so to speak. There is a major disaster that is not gaining quite the national attention you would imagine, and Christmas festivities are all but making it go unnoticed. Below is a repost from http://www.dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com/, a You Tube Video to view, and a link to an article with more information. I encourage you to read these and inform yourself about coal and the lives that are destroyed by it. If you Twitter, you can search #coalash for more updates.

Dear folks,
December 25, 2008
(Please post to any and all websites, blogs, and online news sources.)
For most of my life Christmas morning was a time of hanging out in my pajamas, opening presents, eating really good food, and spending time with my family. This year was a little different. I spent Christmas in the man-made disaster that used to surround TVA's Kingston Coal Burning Power Plant. Due to TVA's negligence a HUGE coal ash pond exploded into the surrounding countryside dumping HUGE amounts of toxins into the local environment. I awoke around 9am to begin the day's work. I was greeted by an online edition of a front page article in the New York Times which ran today covering this breaking news story. I was happy to see the article listed on the front page but I was dismayed to see that the writer had missed some of the most important information that we had offered. United Mountain Defense's Volunteer Co-ordinator had spent nearly an hour on the phone yesterday getting the NYT up to speed on the issue and when I read the article there was no mention of United Mountain Defense or our Volunteer Co-ordinator.
The NYT got it wrong when they said, " On Swan Pond Road, home to the residences nearest the plant, a group of environmental advocates went door to door telling residents that boiling their water, as officials had suggested, would not remove heavy metals." At no time did we tell people that their water had heavy metals in it as we have not done any laboratory testing and have not seen any test results that claim otherwise. We merely suggested that other coal impacted citizens have had problems with their water and that heavy metals were found in other people's water. The info that we have been passing out to the people is pasted below and is found in the above attachments.
*******Please we want national, international, and intergalactic media coverage on this issue, but we want to keep the facts straight and we want United Mountain Defense to get credit for the work that we are doing.***************
Just think if the NYT called GreenPeace, Rainforest Action Network, or Coal River Mountain Watch don't you think the NYT would write the information correctly and give these groups written credit for their work. What is the difference here?
So once I was able to lasso United Mountain Defense's volunteer force away from their families during this holiday season we headed down to ground zero, Harriman TN. The time was nearly 1pm. TVA had promised everyone that they were so on top of it that they would continue to work through this holiday in order to fix the problem. The work that we observed TVA doing today was continuing to work to clear the railroad track. This is a necessity to TVA because if they can't get more coal to the Kingston Coal Plant then they can't produce more coal ash to dump on people's front lawns. We also observed a trench being dug to place water pipes for a large water pump that was being brought in pump the Frost Hollow Spring water out of a local farmer’s backyard before it floods any more of his barn and threatens to flood his house. This farmer wanted to plant a garden in the fertile ground of the flood plain near the fresh water spring in about 4 months.
After we gave him info about what may be in the coal waste he asked me if I would plant a garden on that coal waste floodplain. It was like a knife in my gut when I said I would not. He thanked me for my honesty. After the work of the past three days delivering info, water, friendly smiles, and handshakes we began receiving phone calls from local residents who were confused, had questions, concerns, and were very mad about the destruction and disruption of their lives. We had an hour long meeting with a resident who feared the impacts to the property value of her house and property. She was concerned about the fact that selling her house would become practically impossible because who wanted to buy a house next to an industrial superfund site. I think this was a valid concern. She also understood that this was not going to be a problem that would be over in 4-6 weeks as TVA had originally told the media.
As we chatted, the bigger picture began to unfold before her eyes that this problem would most likely persist for a decade or longer. She also informed us that her cat had vomited after drinking the tap water. No one in her neighborhood had received any notices that their drinking water was impacted by the spill. They had not received any notices to boil their water. She and her cats were now drinking bottled water. She also informed us that TVA had lied when they stated," Every one of the affected residents has been contacted." She had not been contacted by anyone from TVA, the water department, or the sheriff's department. She lives within a mile radius of the disaster zone. As we continue to learn more we are seeing that this story is not an isolated one. TVA is a liar, liar with pants on fire! As we have been traveling within the disaster zone we have encountered some residents who are very mad about the continued police presence at the entrances to their homes. These residents are shocked to see Independent Media making it through the check points when locals can’t make it through without showing identification and being interrogated. At the same time some of these residents want the media to be allowed through to help get the story out. The media just hasn’t been there for them. I assured them that Independent Media was on their side and was sharing their stories without divulging their identities unless they gave permission. This is what media solidarity looks like!
After our chat we set out to find the silt screens, Coast Guard, gravel berm, and live fish that TVA has been advertising as truths in the Emory River adjacent to the spill site. We launched a boat after witnessing three kayakers yesterday. To our surprise we were not chased down by the Coast Guard. We did not have to paddle over any silt fences. We did not have to portage over any gravel berms. We did not have to look hard to miss the fisherman or fish. Fortunately we took the digital video camera and captured almost an hour of spill footage from the river. The number of seagulls hanging out on the newly formed islands was incredible. Hopefully they were not scavenging any dead fish floating in the ash laden water. The water was very shallow in some parts. There was cream colored film floating on the water. At some times it looked like chocolate milk and may have been almost that thick. This ash was floating downstream unhindered as the current was strong enough to push our boat through the muck with some force at points. The flow was directed at the intake valves of the Kingston Water Utility. As we floated along we were trying to figure out where TVA would store all of this toxic waste. We figured out they were probably planning on storing a good portion of it in the bodies of Kingston residents. A few times while using the camera and framing the ash piles correctly it appeared as though we were looking at a twisted version grey version of the Bad Lands in South Dakota. While being surrounded by the oldest mountain range in the world we were floating amongst the youngest mountain range in the world. We named the highest peak Mt. Ash. We also gathered a sample of the ash using a paddle. As the sun set behind the Kingston Coal Plant Smoke Stacks we cleared the channel, packed up and headed home for the night. Today has been a Christmas that I am not likely to ever forget. I didn't get to stay in my pajamas but I got to help sharpen the stake that will non violently be driven through the heart of TVA. East Tennessee and Appalachia has always been a stronghold of revolutionary movements and I am proud to continue in that long history!!!!
Hey want to help???
1 You need to begin sending requests to the Environmental Protection Agency, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, TVA, State of TN, Congressional Hearings, and anyone else you can think of to request public hearings. United Mountain Defense is mobilizing people here and they are plenty mad. We are ground truthing to provide accurate info to inform you, the public. We need your help in bringing the TVA criminals and their crimes into the light. 2 United Mountain Defense needs money to purchase water for these coal impacted residents. On Dec 24, 2008 United Mountain Defense Volunteers passed out over 50 gallons of water to 30 households. We are going to deliver more water tomorrow. We are buying water at $1.39 a gallon at the local Krogers. 3 United Mountain Defense needs general support funds as we are an all volunteer run organization. We mainly get funds from bake sales, spaghetti dinners, and dance/ house parties. Any funds you could send would be used for our valuable work only. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 non-profit. You can read what we spend money on and we keep all receipts. Alright, Thank you for your time. Till then, Matt Landon Full time volunteer staff person United Mountain Defense Contact 865 689 2778 or 865 257 4029

Frugality & Green Living: BFFs

2008-12-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

I was frugal way before I was a greenie. The hunt, and the thrill of saving hundreds of dollars made me giddy and a bit light headed! In fact, Garage Sale Saturdays became a family tradition of sorts, with stops at the local bakery for croissants! My children have always been dressed in high quality clothes for less than I would pay at Wal-Mart, and our house has been furnished by second hand Potterybarn and antiques. You can imagine how thrilled I was when our family started going green, and I realized how green being thrifty really was!

photo taken by: fromcollettewithlove

With our country's economic troubles, many people are focusing on making it through this crisis, and being green is making its way to the backburner. But being frugal and green living are lifestyles that often walk hand in hand. High priced eco-fashion has good intentions, but second-hand duds are actually more eco-fabulous! Gardening at home is so rewarding, and can save you tons on organic produce! This year we have saved money while making the environment cleaner by: using less water, buying second hand when possible, using less energy, driving less & walking more, and consuming less.

Even if you don't have the resources for a hybrid car, or solar panels on your roof, we can all take these easy steps that helps us save money, and make a big impact on the environment at the same time. Don't be discouraged by the doomsdayers! Work on keeping it simple, and using your green tricks to save some green!

Green Link Round Up

2008-12-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

With Christmas on my heels, and more snow already than all of last year combined, many posts in my head have gone unwritten. So to break my silence, I thought I'd share some great posts I've enjoyed lately. Enjoy your reads!

photo by: Liralen Li

Green link Round-up:

Crunchy Chicken shares some great ideas and links for homemade Christmas gifts

Kale for Sale shares some urgent info and petition links for Food Democracy

EnviRambo posted at the GreenPhoneBooth about a topic near to my heart and my house!

Inspired by The Good Human's post on Living Simply:

I just discovered the WonderofCreation blog, and so happy I did! Wonderful Christian stewardship articles.

Love the Giveaway on GreatGreenGoods...I hope I win!

Not green necessarily, but simple living at it's best: Frugal Dad's Five Daily Actions to improve your Financial Life

And as always TheSmartMama has a wealth of info to learn, and asks us to get involved with speaking up about a potentially harmful law.

Don't forget to check out MamaGoesGreen for free shipping until Christmas!

EPA Approves 11th hour Bush initiatives to approve MTR

2008-12-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

I find this article very disturbing and angering:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/56921.html

Feeling a bit helpless....

Green Your Christmas Traditions

2008-12-01T08:38:00.000-08:00

photo by: SpacePotato

Christmas season is in full swing, so where does that leave us greenies, who are trying to avoid waste and mass consumerism? The statistics don't look good. Consider that we produce 25% more waste during the holiday season, and that Wall-E DVD looks more like a prophecy under the Christmas tree than a simple gift! As a family, we have been trying to take deliberate steps to simplify our Christmas, enjoy eachother more, and celebrate in a green fashion. This is what it looks like to us:

~Meaningful traditions: These include baking cookies, choosing a local tree from a tree farm, caroling and an Advent calender. My kids will remember these traditions long after they forget the glitter of the gifts. They are nearly free, they spread Christmas cheer and have low impact on the environment. Crunchy Domestic Goddess and Green Bean have great posts on these traditions.

~Buying Less: We want to make sure our gifts serve a purpose, whether it's functional or aesthetic. Simple, Useful, Beautiful & Eco-Friendly are our requirements. Great gift ideas: Handmade items, Baked goods, Canned goods from the garden, or low impact eco gifts. This may sound like a conflict of interest for me as a store owner, but I don't want you to buy things just to buy. Buy things that are needed, and will be a safe alternative to traditional options. NatureMoms has some good toy ideas, and we love to offer recycled jewelry for a special touch.

~Reusable Wrapping: We like to reuse newspaper and other items from around the house as much as possible. When that runs out, we go for the post-consumer recycled paper, and natural sprigs of holly and twine. This is a much eco-friendlier options than synthetic bows and virgin paper. Once it's all said and done, Compost and recycle as much as you can! Another great option is using a reusable bag to wrap your gift, fabric or other reusable options.

~Simple Holiday Parties: This is my favorite part of the holidays! Sitting around with friends, a glass of wine in hand, chatting all evening. Try to make your party a waste-free one, with reusable or compostable utensils, by buying local foods, using natural decorations, and sending e-vites. This article on Ecologue has some great tips.

I'd love to hear more of your ideas for greening your Christmas traditions, please comment! Also, for more tips, check out my post from last year. To celebrate the Christmas we're offering 15% off and all products on MamaGoesGreen thru Wednesday~ Shop Simply!

Laptop Lunches

2008-11-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy of axelsrose

So, how green are you when you travel? How about when your kids go to school? This is an area that frankly our family is still working on. When we are busy with life, our best efforts at being green can fall terribly flat while on the go. We end up turning to plastic water bottles, and drive thru convenience.

What's the solution? Laptop Lunches!

Great for kids, and parents alike, these sets will help you in your efforts for a waste-free lunch. Also BPA-free and lead free. Last week, during our giveaway, this was hands down the most commented on item that we carry at MamaGoesGreen. So this week the Laptop Systems are on sale through 11/11. Don't wait, we only have a limited quantity! Not sure how to pack them? Check out the flickr group for inspiration! Have fun shopping green!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2008-11-03T05:11:00.000-08:00

photo by elbeardo

Random.org has chosen comment #7:
amy purple said...
The Green to Grow BPA Free 5oz Baby Bottle
would make such a good gift for all my friends
who are expecting! Thanks for the chance.

Thanks to all who participated~your feedback is greatly appreciated! We will have more sales this week, check back to save for Christmas!

Bloggy Giveaway

2008-10-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Bloggy Giveaway is here! So for the festive occassion, we are giving away a $25 gift certificate to Mama Goes Green! Open to US residents only. This will include free shipping on a $25 order! To enter, go visit Mama Goes Green, and tell me what you love on the site, or even what you'd love to see us carry. Come back here and leave a comment. Tweet about it and get a second entry! It's that easy! And go visit Bloggy Giveaways to enter for more chances to win other great prizes!

Also, for this week there is a 10% off special on all Earthlust Reusable Bottles, no comment required, just go shopping!

Clean Coal is not the answer!

2008-10-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

When I hear Obama ads in this state touting his support of the coal industry, and I hear every other politician repeating the rhetoric, I want to scream! As I lay in bed last night, trying to zone out and fall asleep, up pops one of big coal's propaganda commercials....you've probably seen them. Well, this video put out by the Sierra Club, is an answer to the propaganda. I'm happy to see some response...but I do find it lacks the passionate outcry I feel, and think others need to feel in order for anything to change. At least it's a start!

Better Life Green Cleaners

2008-10-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Want to clean your home without trashing the planet or your health? Most of us know that traditional cleaners are a toxic cocktail of chemicals known to be endocrine disrupters and cancer causers. But many of us don't want to sacrifice a clean home to make the switch. At Mama Goes Green, we have tried a host of non-toxic cleaners in our home, and some of them have fallen short, while many of them have performed just as good as their traditional counterparts. We've happily made the switch, and feel healthier for doing so. However, we are always looking for breakthrough green products that do the job faster, better, and cleaner for the planet. That's when I discovered Better Life cleaners. And I can honestly say I'm in love. Not only with the packaging and hipness of the bottles, but with the superior cleaning power and strength. Seriously!

Better Life Green Cleaners were developed by two dads who were lifelong friends, and concerned about the safety of their small children. Fortunately, Kevin Tibbs just happened to be a formulation chemist, whose specialty was safe and non-toxic skin care! Together, Kevin and co-founder Tim Barklage, embarked on a quest to come up with safe, non-toxic and green cleaners that performed better than their traditional counterparts. They launched late this year, and have already been a hit with all those who use them, including Whole Foods! And you can trust the safety of their products, as they hold themselves to a different standard than the rest of the industry. Many of the "green" products on the market today are held to low standards, and are frankly a case of greenwashing. Barklage and Tibbs set out to make products that were the absolute best for our health and the environment. Specifically, they contain no petrochemicals, no VOCs, no ethoxylates, no sulfates, no monoethanolamines and no diethanolamines. They don't even have alcohol in them-a breakthrough characteristic in the industry!

This week Better Life sets are 10% off in our store, http://www.mamagoesgreen.com/. We are proud to support this new company, and to offer these products to our customers. Each set includes:

* I Can See Clearly, WOW!™ glass cleaner

* Even The Kitchen Sink™ gentle scrubber

* what-EVER!™ All-Purpose Cleaner
and optional add on:
*2am Miracle Nursery cleaner...a truly amazing product!

Sale ends 10/25...have fun shopping!

$25 gift certificate giveaway!

2008-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:8

Timestamp: 2008-10-20 14:28:13 UTC

The winner of the $25 gift certificate is:

Kendra at My First Kitchen

Contact me for info on how to redeem! Congratulations, and remember, sign up for our newsletter on mamagoesgreen.com for special offers available only to our readers!

$25 Gift Certificate Giveaway-Extended!

2008-10-17T16:45:00.001-07:00

We had a problem with the launch of our website, but have it all worked out now! However, if you entered to win a gift certificate by subscribing to our newsletter, your information was lost:(

So... we are extending the newsletter sign up through this weekend. Just sign up for our newsletter on www.mamagoesgreen.com and you'll have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate! We'll announce the winner on Monday!

A Deeper Shade of Green: Changes that make a Big Impact

2008-10-14T06:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we've all probably changed at least some of our light bulbs to CFLs, and bought some reusable bags, but may wonder how to be more eco-conscious. Here are some tips that will make the most impact in your effort to reduce your carbon footprint. They are more intense changes than switching to organic shampoo, but are efforts that will make the biggest change in our environmental crisis.

Photo by pictoscribe

Recycle & Compost-Studies show that only 33% of Americans recycle, despite all of the Earth Day messages we've heard since the 90s! And of those who do recycle, many don't compost. The average American produces 4.4 pounds of garbage, and half of it could be composted. Take the organic materials made of food scraps, paper and yard waste, and compost them in an inexpensive plastic bin, compost heap, or fancy tumbler. This will save you money in the long run, by providing your garden with free carbon-rich fertilizer, and cutting down on the garbage cans at the curb. Between recycling and composting, we can feasibly cut our landfill production by 75%...talk about BIG impact!

WALK-this is simple, but often overlooked. 15% of all our trips in the U.S. are less than a mile long! If we all subsituted one short car trip a day with a walking rip, 8.4 billion gallons of gas would be saved every year! This equates to 8.2 billion TONS of carbon emissions! Take an inventory of the trips you make, and decide which ones could feasibly be walked or biked. Make a schedule: this makes it easier to stick to!

Eat Vegetarian-I am NOT a vegetarian, but the statistics have encouraged me to make at least 2-3 vegetarian meals/wk. This is definately a help on the grocery budget as an added bonus! The UN has listed raising animals for food as "one of the top 2-3 most significant contributions to the most serious environmental problems at every scale, from local to global." This is a resource-intensive practice, using half of the fresh water, and 70% of grains grown in the U.S. Also, 80% of agricultural land is used to rais animals, and a third of all fossil fuels produced in the U.S. is used for livestock. Not to mention the excrement that pollutes the ground and surface water! When you do eat meat, buy locally, from farmer's who do free range grazing and treat the animals humanely.

Eat Local-you can cut down on the petroleum used to ship food when you eat in season, and locally. Better yet, plant a garden and enjoy the freshest goods in town!

Consume Less-Reuse when possible, shop second hand when available, and when you need to buy new, get fair trade, organic, and sustainable. Need convincing? Check out this video at storyofstuff.com

Welcome SITS visitors!

2008-10-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of new visitors from SITS coming over today, welcome! Grab your cup of fair-trade coffee, and have a look around!

Picture by Gilfer

We have just launched http://www.mamagoesgreen.com/, and are offereing a great prize over at SITS, go visit and enter to win for lots of great prizes!

And to celebrate our Grand Opening, we'd love to offer another prize! Sign up for our newsletter on http://www.mamagoesgreen.com/ and get a chance to win a $25 gift certificate! I will announce the winner on Friday morning. Have fun!

New Project

2008-10-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to announce our newest project, http://www.mamagoesgreen.com/ ! The site is still being constructed, so bear with us! Grand opening will be on Friday, October 10th. Keep your eye out for giveaways and special offers, available only to my readers! Any products you'd love for me to carry? Let me know, and I'll do my best! We can't wait to offer sustainable products for practical families, and continue blogging about ways to green your life, and the personal experiences of my family. Thanks for your support!

Eat From Home Challenge

2008-09-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

A great way to go green and save green is to stay out of the drive through lane. Even sit down restaurants have a huge impact on your wallet and the environment! Upon examining our next step in this green journey, my husband and I quickly decided that eating out was the next eco-vice to tackle.

Although I take the plastic milk bottles home with me, and recycle the paper and cardboard, it's just not enough. The fact is that the food industry is a major contributor to many environmental concerns, including energy and water waste, deforestation, and huges amounts of wasted food. Not to mention that the majority of food purchased for our convenience are animals that have been treated inhumanely and treated with antibiotics, as well as other crops that have been fertilized and pesticide-ed to the hilt!

Here are some stats:

Restaurants consume more energy per square foot than any other US industry—over 2.5 times the average commercial building
Restaurants use large amounts of water. The Massachusetts Water Resource Authority’s studies have found that, depending on size and popularity, a single restaurant meal requires anywhere from 6 to 29 gallons of water, meaning most restaurants use anywhere from 1 million to 13 million gallons per year.
Restaurants produce an average of 50,000 pounds of trash a piece per year-EACH!
Americans go through 15 billion disposable hot beverage cups per year !
All of the paper packaging to wrap up every tiny bit of food comes from somewhere. According to the No Free Refills campaign, the Southern Forests are paying the highest price for our convenience. As if the southern biodiversity wasn't threatened enough!

As a mother with 4 small children, not eating out is definately going to be a sacrifice for me. The convenience is always beckoning me, and my kids sure do love the "treats" they otherwise wouldn't get at home! So I am issuing a challenge to help keep myself on track, and so we can share success stories and tips. I am thinking of doing a giveaway at the end of this challenge! So, comment below to enter the challenge, and I'll have a check in post every week or so during the 2 months. The challenge will start Oct 1, and run through Thanksgiving. Let me know if you are just going to cut your eating out down, or go cold turkey like me! Feel free to take the button to put on your blog, and start sharing your tips to end our convenience eating addictions!

Al Gore calls for Civil Disobedience

2008-09-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

In all of the coverage of the magnitude of our economic crisis, Al Gore's comments at the Clinton Global Initiative may have fallen on deaf ears. He compared "clean coal" to "healthy smoking", and is convinced that we need to change our habits now. "I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants that do not have carbon capture and sequestration," Gore said. This type of civil disobedience just happened next door in Wise County, where eleven protesters put their arms into 55-gallon metal drums, fashioned with working solar powered panels. They were there to protest the new Dominion coal fired power plant being built right now, that will inevitably lead to more mountaintop removal. Al Gore stood up against this dirty energy:

Taken from CNN:
"What we should do is make a one off investment to switch our energy infrastructure from one that depends on fuel that is dirty, dangerous, destroying the habitability of this planet and rising in price, to a new global energy infrastructure that is based on fuel that is free forever -- the sun, the wind and geothermal. There is a myth that the technology is not available. It is available," he said.
He called on the United States and other countries to install unified national transmission grids and make renewable energy available to all.
"We have a responsibility to those who come after us and those who are suffering today, to knit together a global commitment to solve this climate crisis and use it as a way to stimulate the economy."

I know that there are many people who rely on coal for work. But I also know that there would be new jobs and economic renewal for these areas that only renewable energy could guarantee forever. Speak up so future generations can enjoy these beautiful mountains, and the biodiversity that can never be "reclaimed".

Saving Our Kids Healing Our Planet

2008-09-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

It was our plan to attend this conference this weekend, in Charlotte, NC:

But then I heard that Charlotte, NC has a serious gas shortage! They think there's more gas coming tomorrow, but who knows?! Not wanting long lines, and the possibility of being stranded, we've decided to stay home. If you are close to Charlotte and can make it, I encourage you to go, it looks like it has a ton of great speakers and exhibitors. They'll be composting their food waste, and have activities for kids. Gas is so lame! Just another reason to move towards energy independence!

Remembering Your Reusable Bags

2008-09-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

If you have purchased reusable bags, or reuse ones you already had, accept an eco-pat on the back from me! But if you're anything like me, you have found yourself without them while on a major shopping trip. When this happens to me, I guiltily look around as I walk to my car, wondering if the equivalent of the scarlett letter in green is emblazoned on my back! I certainly reuse or recycle those unfortunate plastic bags that made it into my home, but I needed a better system. So now, whenever I bring in my groceries, they are always immediately put away, and put straight back into the car. That way, I always have a stash of at least 5 at all times. Whether I am at the grocery store, the farmer's market, Target or Goodwill, I bring my own bags. Works for me!

DO!

2008-09-22T06:12:00.001-07:00

As I was dumping my recycling this weekend, I couldn't help thinking..."Is this really making an impact?" Do my actions really count in the scheme of things?" The melancholy voice inside me came out and said, "You might as well be alone in your efforts, so many others are out there negating your very actions right now!" My very way of life, and all that I am striving to become and accomplish is threatened at times like these, when the enormity of the problem stares me in the face. And then I am reminded of articles like these by Michael Pollan. And then while strolling the global community that is the internet, I found encouragement at Girl At Play:

"Do. I can’t stress that one enough. Take action on your life. Make the change. No more sulking, waiting, thinking, reading, talking about. It’s time."

When we see problems all around us, and we recognize the need for change, we HAVE to change. As Wendell Berry said: “Once our personal connection to what is wrong becomes clear, then we have to choose: we can go on as before, recognizing our dishonesty and living with it the best we can, or we can begin the effort to change the way we think and live.” To deny this transformation would be to deny our very souls. Others may not see the importance of our causes. However, there will be those that will be changed to the core by seeing the passion of our hearts, and the action of our lives. I may not be able to change the world today, but I can change my own actions, and be a catalyst for others to do the same.

Effective Eco-Actions- Water Usage

2008-09-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

photo by Red 10

Back to the issue of effective eco-actions, the next water usage topic takes us straight to the bathroom. I've ranted about my hubby's eco-vice before, so... which is it...Tubs vs showers. Is there a big difference? Well, according to the green routine, there most definately is. A short, 5 minute shower with a low flow head will dramatically reduce your household usage. However, if you can't get shower time down to 5 minutes, a 15 minute shower is roughly equivalent to a bath. So, I say, hurry up and shower, and give yourself a once a week soak! And if you are ever fortunate enough to have the opportunity to install a greywater system, use your water after your cleansing for the garden or the toilet. Speaking of which...

I've written a post before on our dramatic water savings by switching to a new toilet. This is great for all you penny pinchers out there, as well as eco-friends. 70 % of our household water usage is flushed or bathed down the drain, so these 2 places are great places to start to make your first eco-actions effective ones. Using less water is friendly on our pockets, and our earth. Conserving water puts less strain on our municipal water systems which makes for less water pollution, and protects our watershed, a vital part of sustainability for any community. Checking for leaks, and replacing high flush toilet models with low flow versions, are 2 things that most of us can do ourselves, with little effort and budget. For more water savings tips, see eartheasy.com's list of tips.

Pickens Plan for Energy Independence

2008-09-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

People are waking up, join the call!
Find more videos like this on PickensPlan

There is hope: COAL RIVER WIND

2008-09-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

After the doom and gloom I put before you last week, I did want to offer a glimmer of hope. Coal River Valley, WV has had over 50,000 acres of its mountains destroyed by strip mining/mountaintop removal. A group of citizens have created a plan to bring sustainable jobs, and energy to this region, that could be the model for the rest of the country. On the last 6,000 acres left in this area, there is a plan to erect a wind farm. There are investors lined up, and the community is in full support of this.
King Coal...as they call it 'round here....is not very happy about this. Massey Corporation has decided to blow up the last mountains this region has left. And Governor Manchin of West Virginia is happy to let them. Thankfully they are a sloppy company, and did not get all of the required permits, so there has been a temporary halt to their plan. BUT IT IS TEMPORARY! This is a real shot at making a difference, and voicing our opinions. This wind farm could potentially provide energy for 150,000 homes INDEFINATELY! Unlike coal, this is an energy source that can be sustained. Please sign the petition, and make your voice count.

Affluence

2008-09-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

Affluent describes me. I am affluent. My family is affluent. My children live in an affluent household. We will make less than $30,000 this year. To most people, this would not be considered affluent. We are frugal, we live simply, and this is more than enough for us. I consider us affluent because we have so many luxuries, and opportunites, that many others do not have. I sit at one of 2 computers. I drive one of 2 cars. My children all have their own beds to sleep in. We can turn on the water and electricity whenever we want. So many, many people do not live like this.

But I think affluence comes with responsibility. We as Americans have bought into the notion of self sufficiency to the point that we have neglected community. Many of us don't even know our neighbor's names. We have traded our front porches for backyard pools, and lawns that require riding lawn mowers! This anonymity among people of our own communities gives us an artificial distance, and helped insulate us from worrying about anybody's sufferings other than our own.
I just wrote about the plight in Appalachia, and I think it serves to illustrate my point in this case as well. The central Appalachian counties are amont the poorest in the nation, despite being promised fortune and good jobs from the coal companies. We affluent people use the coal to power our homes that has been raped from their land. Homes near mountaintop removal sites often decrease by as much as 90%. These homes and land are often the only assets these folks have, and have been part of their heritage for generations. Our actions as affluent consumers effect the poorest communities the most. We have a duty to stand up for the poorest of our citizens whose voices are not making out of the mountains. We are implicated in their plight when we flip on our lights. We must demand action, demand alternatives, and rally to the cause of those who cannot.

One of the biggest reasons I decided to go green was not for myself, but for the implications my actions had on those with less power than I. Fisherman who lose their livelihoods because of dead zones in our oceans. Children who suffer from allergies and asthma at unprecedented rates due to toxic chemicals in our homes. People starving in third world countries because of the increasing food prices. Families affected by the dirty practices of coal companies. I don't know about you, but I can't make a decision without thinking about these things first. I am not alone in this world, and my decisions are the only thing I can control. It's a powerful thing to be able to make a choice that collectively can force change.

End Mountaintop Removal-NOW

2008-09-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to collect my thoughts and deep emotions about coal in this region for weeks. It is sometimes so difficult to put down in print, what you feel deep in your gut, but here goes. Over at Crunchy Chicken, the topic has been politics, and apparently the obvious choice for President if you care for the environment, is Obama. Yesterday Mr. Obama made a stop here in our small town. He stopped and chatted, drank a vanilla milk shake, shook some hands and then moved on to his scheduled stop in the next county over. The topic in the media today is his "lipstick" comment, and the sexist implications of it against Sarah Palin. Totally lost in the mix, was his obvious effort to win the votes of those in this community that are deeply tied to the coal industry. He spoke of "clean coal" technology, and how he believed in the good it would do for our economy and energy independence crisis. What I don't understand is why NOBODY is taking him to task on this issue. Coal is not clean, it can never be clean, and we need to run FAR from it. In fact, strip mining of coal, aka BLOWING UP THE MOUNTAIN, is the single most important environmental issue of our generation. Forget the polar bears, forget global warming. People are dying, children are wheezing, air quality is declining, and we are losing our mountains in Appalachia. The water, the forests, and the rich land are lost in and around the over 470 mountains that have been erased from the southeast mountain range in the last 2 decades. (imagine an area the size of Delaware!) If you think that this is only an extreme way to mine coal, and rarely used, you are dead wrong. In fact more than 70 percent of coal mined in the US comes from strip mining. It's cheaper, faster, and takes less man power. McCain is no different on this issue. The environment will suffer under either of these men as our President. Once these mountains are blown up to get to the coal seams, the extra rock and debris has to be disposed of. As a result, nearly 10,000 "valley fills" have completely buried over 700 miles of healthy streams have been and thousands more have been damaged. These headwaters are an intricate system, that lead to the ocean and provide the drinking water for millions of Americans, and yet so many of us have no idea what atrocities are happening.

The story that isn't being told is that these communitites that have been promised millions of dollars in taxes to enrich their schools, and 100s-1000s of jobs for their families, have been instead poisoned, watched their home values decline dramatically, and their schools and towns become the worst ones in the country. Coal Powered Plants are the single largest sources of the big four pollutants: 35% CO2 carbon dioxide, 37% Hg mercury, 23% of NOx Nitrogen Oxides, and 67% of SO2 sulfur Dioxides. The fact is that these rural peoples are under attack, but it affects ALL Americans. We almost ALL use this coal when we flip on our lights, heat our water, and read our emails. The link on my sidebar will show you how linked you are to mountaintop removal. Distance does not negate responsibility. To top it all off, this "clean coal" technology is untested, and is the "clean coal" plants are receiving air permits to pump out dozens of pounds of mercury into the air. Apparently our children are safe with a little mercury in their lungs and water.
Furthermore, the testing and regulation is often overlooked in our rural areas. I can attest to how under regulated this area actually is! My husband used to monitor ground water for gas stations and other petroleum sites to make sure they were up to federal code. When we decided to move our family to this area for the opportunity it gave us for sustainability and simplicity of life, he had an interview for a similar job, and we assumed that he would be able to find another job in this specialized area. After all, these are FEDERAL regulations. Unfortunately, the truth is that no one regulates this area, so no one complies. No regulation means no one is paying for monitoring, because they don't need to be accountable. This is notoriously true as well for these coal companies.

This is such an important topic, and our political system is stifling this extremely important issue, so we can sling mud about candidates, their misspeaks, and their personal lives. I challenge you all to take the pledge to end mountaintop removal. Blog about it, spread the word, and make it an issue you care about. I don't like either of our choices. I do believe I am voting for a third party this year.....

Below are some websites, and well written essays on the environmental plight connected to coal. Read them, and be outraged.
http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/02/16/reece/
http://www.coalriverwind.org/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/29/AR2008022903390.html
http://www.samsva.org/?p=80#more-80
http://www.ilovemountains.org/
http://www.appvoices.org/

Effective Eco Actions-Laundry

2008-09-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Our next most frequent chore is Laundry. Some of you nuts out there enjoy laundry as some sort of therapuetic excercise...I do not! However, I will say that after we purchased my ultra energy and water effecient front loaders, it is somewhat more tolerable:) The rule of thumb here is that if your washing machine is less than 10 years old, do everything you can to make it eco friendly until you're ready to purchase a new one. For example, if you have a top loader that is in working condition, keep leaks in check, wash with cold water, and use only the amount of water you need per load. If, however, that washing machine is older than 10 yrs, you will save a significant amount of money, water and energy by upgrading to a front loader. Recycle your old one, and move to the green side! Use an eco-friendly detergent, wash in cold water, and line dry when possible.

Photo taken by elaine a

Appliances that get recycled at a scrap metal place, are going to be fed to a giant shredder large enough to shred a car into small pieces . The pieces are then run through a magnet to pull out iron-containing metals, while the non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum, is separated out by an eddy current (the wonders of science at work). If there is plastic insulation, it is not recyclable, but you don't need to worry about removing those parts; they will become the shredded "fluff" left over after the metals are separated. Refrigerators, or appliances with coolant in them, need to be handled by a liscensed handler, check Earth 911 for someone in your area.

A new place to shop

2008-09-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

A worldofgood.com was just launched yesterday by eBay. Go take a look, you're really in for a treat! It features handmade and fair trade items from all over the globe, with bios of the actual designers and craftspeople. Think etsy, with an eco-friendly and person friendly slant.

Effective Eco Actions-Water Usage

2008-09-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

As a mama going green, we often wonder which choices to make that will be the most effective and friendly to the earth. Cloth vs disposable, hand wash vs dishwasher, clothesline vs dryer, and on and on! It can be a bit overwhelming, so I thought I'd start a series this week tackling some of the most common decisions we face day to day, and examining which choices will make the biggest impact on the environment. I wanted to start out with our household water usages.

Photo taken by Hypergurl

First lets start with the most frequent chore in my household, Dishes! Over at Mom Goes Green, Doreen examined the long held notion that washing dishes by hand would use less water than an automatic dishwasher. But we find out that this is simply NOT true! Especially with the ultra efficient dishwashers out there, the amount of water usage is actually only a sixth, and the energy only 1/2! Now, it's possible if you are just 2 people in a household, that the responsible handwasher would be more efficient than running the dishwasher. However, with a 6 person family like mine, we fill the dishwasher to the brim at least once a day, and handwashing is just simply not efficient. Glad I don't have to have eco-guilt about this one!

We not only use water and energy when we wash our dishes though. We also use DETERGENT. If you have not switched to a non-toxic and non-polluting kind yet, SWITCH! The automatic dish detergents are the only products still allowed to contain phosphates. These are proven to kill fish, and produce dead zones in water ways by spurring algae to overgrow and depleting oxygen. Also, many conventional cleaning products have surfactants that are petroleum based, do not biodegrade for a very long time, and pollute our water supply. Safe choices we have used with success, listed in order of preference:

Shaklee's Get Clean Automatic Dish Detergent
Ecover Tablets
BioKleen Dish Powder

Join us tomorrow as we tackle more household water uses, and how to be the most effective with your eco-concience.

I haven't fallen off of Planet Earth!

2008-08-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while! The summer days sucked me in, and homeschool planning took me to a new vortex! Anyways, I've got lots to share and write about, and a new banner. You like? Thanks for sticking around, leave me a comment, I can hear the echo:)

Green your food Tip # 2

2008-07-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

Here's another Green Your Food Tip: connect with other people who grow food. Your neighbors, friends, church members, anyone with any type of garden. Give away your extras, and offer help if it's needed. For example, when we heard that someone in our church had 200 blueberry bushes that needed to be picked before the bears came and ate them all, we offered our labor for the price of the blueberries:) Seriously, you'd be suprised how many gardeners are willing to swap and share! Get connected to your local community. Here's some pics of our blueberry adventure:

P.S. Look at my tomato I harvested from the garden yesterday! Yum!

From Trash to Treasure

2008-07-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up this metal glider at a yard sale for $2. I just loved the "bones" of it. Well, 2 cans of spray paint later, I have a fabulous bench for my deck:
Although the spray paint is not the most eco-friendly option, it is certainly better than this bench in a landfill.

Green Tip of the Week

2008-07-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

Now that we are all in summer mode, energy efficiency is key! To help keep your cooling bill down, make sure you cover your windows and french doors with heavy curtains, to help keep the sun out during the hottest part of the day. It really makes more of a difference than you think! I just finished making mine:

See! Going Green is fun and can be stylish:)!

Green Your Food Tip # 1

2008-07-08T15:42:00.001-07:00

Us moms are always fighting against the media and peer influences when it comes to nutritious decisions in the supermarket. We hear about eating locally, and from our own gardens, but what about busy moms?! Should we feel guilty about pouring L*cky Charms in our kids bowls?

If you have the same lingering green guilt in the back of your mind every morning, I suggest you run and pick up Mom's Best Naturals. This cereal impressed me first because of the organic whole grains they use. Then while I was pouring it, I noticed the back had info about how they power their productions-100% wind power. That's right, they use ALL green energy! And if that's not impressive enough, their company is committed to recycling and using recycled materials. The best part is that this ultra green & eco-concious cereal is not $5 a box (they are rather large boxes too). I get mine for $1.99/box at Wal-Mart. Seriously. And my kids LOVE it! It's yummy, healthy, nutritious and eco-friendly. Go get some! And no, I was not paid to write this:) Just really love it!

Farmer's Market goods

2008-07-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

These are my purchases from the last farmer's market:

The organic zucchini and squash is so yummy, but hopefully I won't have to buy it anymore once my garden starts producing! The dark fruit is a type of cherry, and tastes a bit like a mini plum. The bag is full of garlic scapes, which are delicious chopped in stirfry or a salad dressing. The flowers are also locally grown, and I love having flowers that are lovingly grown and cut without having to travel 3000 miles to get to me!

Be adventurous and try something new at the farmer's market near you. Eating in season is very satisfying and it's thrilling to try out new foods I've never eaten before. For a map of what's locally in season, take a look here.

Can someone who gardens please help?!

2008-06-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am such a rookie, and pride always comes before the fall! Is this bacteria wilt?

On my zucchini:

On my green beans:

On my pepper plant:

On my squash plant:

On my tomato?!Starting on my honeydew?!

The Harvest Table-Sustainable Dining!

2008-06-26T12:36:00.001-07:00

Living in the mountains of Southwest VA has its perks and its downsides. Loading my recycling into the van is often accompanied with grumbling of some sort bemoaning the lack of curbside options. Heck-I'd pay for it if someone would let me! But the passion for local here is downright ingrained. People want local businesses, local food, local entertainment, and if it's not "from round here" locals are downright suspicious of it. As a transpant of a big city, I am constantly taken off guard by the intricacies of small town life. The fact that people who I have never been introduced to still know who I am and where I live is a bit disconcerting! But for all the culture shock that I have been through, I am thankful for this place. I am thankful that the passion for local has been easier for me to catch here than it would be in a big city. Case in point is The Harvest Table in Meadowview, VA. Everything served here is made locally, and in season. Local farmers' harvest literally comes from the field straight to this restaurant's table. This is a place I can feel good eating out at! Thankfully, I have these organizations built into our local community. If you have a passion for local and sustainable, but not many options, I encourage you to start your own organization. We are all hungry to connect to our food in a personal and gratifying way. We are growing gardens, and supporting our local farmers to do it. It's nice to see what a little effort can bring forth.

My Garden is Growing....but not my worms

2008-06-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we've been out of town for 3 weeks, visiting the Shriner's Hospital for my son. While I was gone, look what sprouted!

My pepper plant:

My zucchini:

And some very yummy lettuce!

Also, tomatoes, honeydew and squash have blooms, everything else has sprouted wonderfully! But sadly, my worms have died. Too much new for me to handle at once I'm afraid. We are going to try again soon. My problem was too much moisture, the poor little guys drowned:(

I am so excited to be blogging again, and at home where things are simple! Lots of driving and eating out all the time can make a green girl feel blue!

Our garden is planted!

2008-05-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here are the promised pictures of our garden! We are waiting on our netting to arrive, and that will complete the verticle frames that the vine plants will grow up on. We planted: Broccoli, Carrots, Eggplant, Straight Neck Squash, Squash Zucchini, Honeydew, Watermelon, some herbs, lettuce, cucumber, Heirloom Roma Tomato, Mr. Stripey Tomato, Beefsteak tomato, and Rutger tomatoes. Lets see how long I can keep these plants alive! How's your garden grow?

It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living by Crissy Trask

2008-05-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

Be a Bookworm Challenge over at Green Bean Dreams had me excited to read a new book this month! I decided to choose It's Easy Being Green by Crissy Trask.

I am a typical stay at home mom for the most part, and going green has got to be simple, cost effective and smart for me. I am willing to sacrifice some, but I am also a realist! I realize that if it is too tough, it won't last, and I want lasting change for my family and the planet! This little pink book and it's title caught my eye in the bookstore:

Upon further inspection, I decided it was definately worth a buy and read. It is printed on recycled paper, and offers a section with specific and effective tips to follow on your path to a green life. Each tip has boxes for you to check off for ones you want to target, are currently working on, or have achieved. These are great, and are targeted at those of us who are busy and need some hand holding. From saving paper, to saving energy and everything in between, these practical tips will empower the average person to feel like they are making progress.

So often our desires to "go green" leave many of us feeling overwhelmed and uninspired. When we start to hear of all the problems that the green movement wants to tackle, it seems like a hurdle that is impossible to jump. Trask takes these worries to task, and devotes an entire chapter to green myths. Other chapters include Buying Green, Getting Involved and Resources. This book deserves a place on my bookshelf, as I continue to work through the tips, step by step. To quote the book quoting Plato: "Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow."

The Reel Mower gets the job done...Green style!

2008-05-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

We love our Reel Mower. Ree-ly! Never thought I'd use love and lawnmower in the same sentence, but it's true. I love this lawnmower. It's easy to use, no hassle, and gas free! What more could you ask for really? Our gas-powered mowers used to give us all sorts of problems, troublesome maitenance issues, not to mention oil and gas. This one just needs a push! And we have nearly an acre to mow! If we can do it, you can too! It's only tough to push if you let the grass get really high, but even then not so bad. We have some random gravel in our yard from the previous owners who set up a tent to sell stuff out of, and we can run right over it without getting a rock stuck in it either. Works great with or without the grass catcher. We bought ours at Lowe's, right of the shelf for $129. If you've thought you might like to try one, believe me, DO IT! Here's a video of my husband mowing:

Deliquent Blogger Makes Excuses

2008-05-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

I know I have neglected my faithful readers...and for that I am so sorry! I have several half posts written, but with only half a brain, none have gotten finished yet! The square foot garden dances around my head, day and night! So much to learn, grow and do! Here are some pics for the curious, we are mixing our dirt here, and preparing to shovel it into each raised bed. Tomorrow I plant! I promise to take pics and post....hopefully not as delinquent as this time! Thanks for sticking with me!

Green Your Toilet

2008-04-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Forgive my potty mouth for this post, but it simply must be talked about! According to some reports, the average household uses 185-291 gallons of water per day. On average, 60% of a family's water bill goes down the drain in the toilet and the shower, 20% in the laundry and 20% in other indoor areas like the kitchen. WOWZA! 60% of our water flushed down! The ideal solution would be a greywater system. Unfortunately, that is not in the budget yet. Anyways, I digress…
We needed to replace our toilet recently, and went on a search for an affordable, environmental choice for our family. We decided on an American Standard Toilet in a Box from Home Depot that only flushed 1.6gpf. It was actually one of the most cost-effective toilets in the place, it looks great, it’s not dinky, and saves water! I was excited-weird! We have installed it, and 2 months have passed. Let me tell you, our water use has gone down 40%! I had no idea my other toilet was such a waster! It looked fine, but was costing us $100 more/yr to flush! In one year, we will have paid for our new toilet and will continue to save after that.
I think that a toilet is worth replacing if your current one is not as efficient. My big question is always, what to do with the old when you replace it with the new. As far as toilets are concerned, call your local waste disposal company, and inquire about recycling facilities. Toilet recycling facilities typically crush the porcelain and use it to make concrete for roads or sidewalks. In fact, toilet porcelain was collected to provide homes for oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. For more info on disposal, take a look at H2ouse.org. Other toilet options include dual flush toilets and hybrid toilets. These involve separating the urine from the feces, and using less water for the urine, cutting down on water use even more. Check your toilet every few months for leaks and efficiency.

And the Winners Are....

2008-04-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Michelle said...
I've heard great things about Shaklee but haven't tried them yet - great opportunity!
April 21, 2008 9:20 PM

and from the secret double entry post:
Sarah said...
Our Earth Day resolutions include the following:1.Start Recycling2.Switch to green cleaners3.Make cloth knapkins instead of using paper ones
April 23, 2008 12:44 PM

Thanks to everyone who participated in this great giveaway! Please keep reading for more tips on how to go green one step at a time!

Serve God, Save the Planet Review

2008-04-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Serve God, Save the Planet is an answer to my prayers! J. Matthew Sleeth, MD has issued a Christian Call to Action, and writes this account of his journey to become a Christian Environmentalist. Inspiring and practical, this book gives you the information you need to make a difference on the individual level.
Our family has recently made the commitment to go green; we have started recycling, changed out all of our lightbulbs and have begun analyzing our lifestyle for more ways to conserve. There is so much talk of “green”, that this can become a daunting task. Sleeth brings it down to the personal level, and truly presents the challenge as one that can be accomplished. Although I cannot imagine myself giving up my clothes dryer as the Sleeth family has, the overall theme of the book is to consume less, and think more about our impact.
One of the most encouraging themes of the book is the Christian aspect of Creation Care. Our maker has created an entire world for us to be caregivers of, and Sleeth points out that it is our duty and responsibility. He writes, “The Christian is not at liberty to do whatever he likes. Christians are constrained by conviction to think about their lives, their actions, and their responsibilities.” The Christian community as a whole has been slow to come on board, even as Ford, BP, and other big polluters are greenwashing their ads. Many Christians want to distance themselves from the “fanatic, hippie, new age” stereotypes that environmentalism conjure up. Sleeth points out that many of the rules for simple living and environmentalism are supported by the Biblical principles that all Christians hold dear, like the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments. He argues that as Christians, our worship is in every action we do, and failing as stewards of the planet is a direct contradiction to our call to worship.
Even if you are not a Christian, I believe the same principles can be applied to your life. Will this “thing” make you happier? Do we have a larger responsibility to our fellow man to care for this earth? Sprinkled in with practical suggestions and startling statistics, Sleeth tells the stories from his days in the ER. They illustrate the themes that all “greenies” embrace: Live Simply, Waste Less, Stewardship.
Much of the green message that Sleeth writes is interwoven with medical stories and commentaries, some of which are over-generalized. Issues like cancer, depression, medications and health insurance are very complicated, and need to be dealt with more in depth than this book did. However, I didn’t feel like this distracted to much from the overall theme of the book.
If you are a Christian wondering what the green fuss is all about, I suggest you run out to your local bookstore, or go online and order it. As Francis Schaeffer wrote, “If I am going to be in the right relationship with God, I should treat the things he has made in the same way he treats them.”

EARTH DAY

2008-04-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Today is Earth Day! Don't forget about our Earth Day Giveaway here. Enter for a chance to win a basket of non-toxic cleaners from Shaklee. You can also leave me a comment on this post for a second chance to win! Just tell me what your Earth Day Resolution is, and I'll pick 2 winners! For this Earth Day, we are planning on going to some events geared toward the children here in town, the weather is beautiful, and it should be fabulous! As a present to the Earth, we bought a reel mower. It does not use gas, and will never break down! My hubby was so excited, he went out to try it at 10pm! Here are some ideas for gifts to the Earth this earth day:
Switch to non-toxic cleaners
Buy micro-fiber cloths instead of paper towels
Open your windows and turn of the heating/cooling system
Park your car, and walk today
Read a book to your kids about recycling
Start recycling
Make a meal from only local or all organic foods
Bring Your own Bag
Plant a garden
The list could go on and on, get to enjoying your Earth!

Earth Day GIVEAWAY

2008-04-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's Bloggy Giveaway Time, and I have a Spring Cleaning Giveaway! We clean Green here at Mama Goes Green, so in honor of Earth Day, I will give away one of these baskets:

Filled with Shaklee's Basic H2, spray bottles, and a surprise! This stuff will clean your walls, your floors and everything in between! Non-toxic and biodegradeable, you can feel safe handing your kids a bottle and telling them to spray away! Enter your comments and I will pick the winner on Saturday, April 27 at 12 noon. Have fun and good luck!

Get Ready for EARTH DAY

2008-04-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Earth Day celebration is on Tuesday! Check your local library and environmental chapters to see what local events you can join in on. Our library is having family story night with an emphasis on the environment, and a local cafe is hosting a "green your business" seminar. Do you have any plans? Check back tomorrow for more Earth Day ideas!

Spring is here!

2008-04-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to find these at Lowe's! Solar lighted endcapes. They just fit right on top of our posts beautifully! They automatically light up at night, and they look great! No electricity used!

We also went about planting 6 trees last weekend in our yard. 2 are dogwoods to block the view from the sidewalk to our bedroom window, and the other 4 are fruit trees. Peaches and pears mmmmm!

And this is where my 4 raised beds will be for our Square Foot Gardening adventure. Let me tell you, I have never even kept a houseplant alive! A dear friend of mine is growing many organic and heirloom plants from seed to sell. Better her than me this year! I am a bit overwhelmed at all there is to know! Tomorrow is an Organic Gardening class at our town Garden Festival, I'll blog about it! Enjoy your weather, it's almost time to plant!

Our new deck using reclaimed lumber

2008-03-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

I love living in a rural area! Barn wood is plentiful! This wood was actually salvaged from a home being torn down. A local gentleman who is a retired contractor watches out for these things for us, and managed to score enough of this wood to help us build a deck. Now I just need to finish the railing and stairs, and add my girly touches! Pots of herbs, and a special spot for my worm composting system!

Our car is dead

2008-03-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

Well, it had to happen sometime. Our '91 Honda Prelude is dead. The timing chain has broken and bent a valve in the engine and is no longer cost effective to fix. What should we do? Well, we would love to buy the Prius, but since a car payment is not in our budget or our ideals, we will have to find a new/old car. We will sell this one for parts, to ensure most of it is recycled and salvaged. But in looking for a new/old car, we'd like to find one we could use biodiesel fuel with. Does anyone out there do this? We are just starting to research this option, any suggestions?

Ear Infection

2008-02-29T06:52:00.000-08:00

This really has nothing to do with being green, or living simply. However, I thought I'd check in to let you all know why I have been so negligent in posting! I have had an ear infection, which is by far the most excruciating pain I've ever experienced. And yes, I have had 4 children naturally! I tried the homeopathic thing, ear candles and drops when it started hurting, but quickly trucked to the nurse practitioner for hydrocodone and antibiotics! The crazy thing is that I never had a cold, sore throat or anything! I still can't hear out of my right ear, but hopefully that will be restored soon. American Idol just isn't the same:) Oh, and the dreaded antibiotics have given me a case of thrush. Lovely.

Works for Me Wednesday-Green Cleaning

2008-02-13T10:23:00.001-08:00

My quest has been to find a green cleaner that worked on my bathtub. You think that's easy? Well, I've already revealed to all that my husband is a perpetual bath taker. That, plus 4 kids taking a "tub" each day makes for one serious ring around the tub! I used to use Toilet Bowl Cleaner Gel to clean it. I know, horrible! But there was really nothing else that would touch the ring. Switching to green cleaners has left me dissapointed with the ring around the tub problem. Enter in Shaklee's Scour Off Paste. It is intended for really tough jobs, which I just assumed to be ovens. The lightbulb went off in my head to try it, so I pulled it out yesterday....like magic I tell ya! Best of all, you only need a little to clean and it smells very light, and pleasant. TOTALLY Non-Toxic! Try it, it worked for me!

Green Gripes

2008-02-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

Do you have a green gripe? You know, something that seems so obvious to you, but so oblivious to others around you?

Case #1: Today I pulled into a parking lot and was about to start unloading my children, when a woman parked in front of me turned on her car, rolled down her window and THREW OUT AN EMPTY PLASTIC BOTTLE!!!!! I wish there was some hotline to call with her license plate number! Just throwing out a plastic bottle in a trash can will get me griping inwardly, but to just toss it into a parking lot?!?
Case #2: Last week I went to the grocery store and they had their green bags on sale for 99c. I can always use a couple extra at this point, so I picked some up. After I bought them, the cashier asked if I wanted to use them now, or put them in a plastic bag. ARE YOU KIDDING?
Case #3: My husband. My dear wonderful husband. Now, this is not to call him out in front of the whole world about his costs on the environment....who am I kidding! Sure it is! My dh refuses to take a shower. Weird? Yes, I think so. He takes a long, large bath. Every day. Sometimes 2x a day. I've mentioned it nicely, even suggested a 2 day a week shower mandate to get the ball rolling. Nothing has worked. Sigh, I guess there are some habits that die much harder than others.

Do you have any gripes? I'd love to hear 'em!

Sigg Giveaway on GreenstyleMom

2008-02-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

Run, don't walk, over to GreenStyleMom's Blog and enter to win these lovely Sigg bottles in celebration of Sigg's 100th Anniversary!

Composting for the beginning Gardener

2008-02-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

I am starting a garden. This may not sound like a monumental statement, but if you knew me, you'd know it was! And I am the type of person that has to follow through with what I said I'd do....even if I come close to killing myself doing it! That's probably to a fault, but if I want to motivate myself to get something done I just tell someone I'm going to do it, it keeps me accountable.

So....back to the garden thing. We live in Zone 6-7 and plan to garden in raised beds. We want to raise a good majority of our eating veggies, and maybe a few laying hens. I am just dying to start!

First things first! We acquired some reclaimed, untreated hemlock from a barn demolition to make our raised beds with. Can you say reuse! Yipee, so next we are focusing on soil. For that we are going to get some local organic soil from a farmer. Then we are going to start a Vermicompost system. Yes, this means worms. And a lot of them considering how much food waste we have per week.

I will try to post our progress, and please chime in with any stories of your first garden! Tips would help too!

Works for Me Wednesday

2008-02-06T19:33:00.001-08:00

Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I've found me some pretty good deals. In fact, I like to think of myself as a bargain-hunting expert. When we lived in the big city, bargains were EV-ER-Y-WHERE! From Pottery Barn quilts for $2 to designer duds for under $5, I was constantly on the hunt, even with 4 kids in tow. Until the move. The move to rural VA, where designer duds aren't exactly wardrobe staples. Most people haven't even heard of Pottery Barn! So how do I find my bargains? Well, online of course! Thrifting was so green, but I had to find other outlets to fulfill my passion for green and thrifty besides the Goodwill! Here are some of my favorite online sites to shop green and thrifty:

http://www.ebay.com/

This one is an obvious choice considering my business....consignment sales on eBay.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/

Don't buy it at Books A Million if you can find it here! Basically free, fun and saving trees at the same time!

http://www.amazon.com/

I love the great deals you can get here, and you can still buy used items.

http://www.oompatoys.com/

Great non-toxic toys for kids and a loyalty rewards program. 60% of our Christmas came from here.

There's nothing like the rush of finding an unexpected treasure in a thrift store, but these online sites help me stay thrifty and green. If you haven't given them a try, you should!

And the Winner Is...

2008-02-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

I didn't think it was fair to just pick one, so here are the winners:

jayedee said...
what a great way to get the word out there! i love love LOVE this shirt! great giveaway! please toss my name in the hat too and good luck to everyone!
January 30, 2008 12:19 PM

Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...
i love this! please count me in. :)also, like your blog. i'll be back!
January 30, 2008 10:30 PM

Val gal said...
I love the shirt!valgallen@gmail.com
January 30, 2008 1:28 PM

Thanks for playing along! Please check back often and subscribe, more giveaways to come!

Bloggy Giveaway - 3 more days!

2008-01-30T11:09:00.001-08:00

I am opening the Green Giveaway for 3 more days to participate in the bloggy giveaways carnival! Leave your comments here and I will draw a winner for a fabulous Organic Cotton T-Shirt for one lucky gal! International comments welcome! Drawing will be held on February 3rd.

Bottled Water Boycott

2008-01-27T11:25:00.000-08:00

Bottled water companies have got us all thinking they have the corner on "pure" water, when the reality is that their water is usually not any better than tap water. Did you know that many companies actually bottle their water from the same sources? As a frugal mom, that alone convinced me to stop wasting my money on water that costs more per gallon than my gasoline!
As an eco-concious mom, the statistics on waste and pollution that the bottled water industry produces made me SERIOUS about spreading the word.

We just received our Sigg bottles in the mail for the kids, and LOVE them! We have a Best Water pitcher to filter our water, and simply fill these up in the morning. It's great on the go, no more bottled water for us! And have you seen the cute prints for us eco-fabulous moms? I want this one next: The kids got this print: Take the "Think outside the bottled water" pledge by clicking below. The statistics are straight from their site:

Did you know?

Seventy-four percent of Americans drink bottled water, and one in five drinks only bottled water.

Worldwide, consumers spent $100 billion on bottled water in 2005.

Each year more than 4 billion pounds of PET plastic bottles end up in landfills or as roadside litter.

Making bottles to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil last year – enough fuel for more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year - and generated more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide

Green Giveaway!

2008-01-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

This organic cotton tee Needs You! Leave a comment on the blog by Thursday the 31st, 12pm. The winner will be chosen on February 1st. Winner will get their choice of S, M or L in this tee. And just because you're a guy doesn't mean you can't try to win....Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Comment Away!

Greenwashing

2008-01-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

If you are not familiar with this term, you need to be, and QUICK! According to Wikipedia: Greenwash (a portmanteau of green and whitewash) is a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.[1]

If you are just starting to be a green consumer, one who wants to make a difference with their dollars, then greenwashing can really fool you, it's around every corner! Most companies now know that "greening" their image is starting to make economic sense and gain them loyal customers.

I found a perfect example this week on the Ellen show. She has All Small & Mighty as a "green" sponsor, claiming that their product helps to save the environment because it is concentrated. Granted, concentrated is a great first step to helping reduce plastic and waste. As consumers, it's smarter to buy concentrated for our wallets, because we are not paying for water. However, the glaring gorilla that nobody is pointing out is that All is still Toxic, and not very eco-friendly in its chemical makeup. Moms wanting to go green may see this advertisement and promotion and just assume that All is green, it's not!

So what alternatives do we have? I reviewed Mountain Green Laundry Detergent and found it to be eco-friendly, and a great cleaner. However, it is not as concentrated as I would like, and is tough on the pocketbook. The cleaner I finally settled on is Shaklee's HE compatible Laundry Liquid. It is super concentrated, you only use 1oz per load, and it works fabulously! Even better than the Gain HE I was used to and swore by before. Many products are now certified green by third parties to prevent consumer confusion. Read labels carefully, and don't let greenwashing tactics hoodwink you!

'08 Toyota Prius Review

2008-01-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't run out and buy a 2008 Toyota Prius....even if I wanted to my family is too big to fit in one! But I did get to test one out last weekend on a trip to Atlanta. The drive was 260 miles each way, and we drove about 10 miles to the Marta station and some around town the 3 days I was there. Total miles about 600. Total gas used $40 at around $2.90/gallon = 13.8 gallons=43 mpg. Keep in mind that there were a lot of highway miles in that trip, which uses more gas than battery. So definately better than my minivan which averages only 28 mpg on the highway.

The big question here is how does it drive? We all know it saves gas and money....big plusses for our pocketbooks and the planet. But....it's definately an adjustment to drive. Many luxury models have similar systems to turn on the car, such as "plugging" in your clicker, no key, and joystick like shifter. This is a bit awkward when you first start driving. My biggest complaint is that the park button is above the joystick for shifting. I thought that a button on the top, or side would've been more convenient. The display was confusing, and altogether annoying to operate, but I figured it out eventually. Bottom line, great for the environment, smooth drive, fairly roomy and cute, but awkward to get used to. Like anything minor adjustments, and more time spent driving would make this a pretty great car. Now I just have to wait for the minivan version!

New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

According to statistics, up to 75% of Americans want to be "greener" this year. This is the perfect New Year's resolution, because it often covers the more traditional resolutions as well. One of mine this year is to lose weight. Thankfully, eating fresh vegetables from my own garden or from the farmer's market is gentle on the environment too and saves many tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. Biking and walking everywhere you can will save the planet and burn calories at the same time.

Another common resolution is to save money. Going green doesn't have to be more expensive, in fact in many cases it is actually the more frugal thing to do. Using less energy by turning down your thermostat, switching to CFL's and being more efficient with your electricity use can save the average family $200-400/yr. Buying greener cleaning products in concentrate can be much more cost effective than your traditional all-purpose cleaners, and prevents hundreds of plastic bottles from entering the landfill.

Lastly, being a good neighbor and serving others is on the top of many resolution lists. What better way than doing your part to keep the water, air and soil clean for the global community. The people who live in South America who depend on the rain forests or the small fishermen in the world who depend on the fish will be directly affected by your conumer choices. Resolutions are best kept if they are planned out ahead of time. Make a list of 10 green things to do this year, and be well on your way to going green. You can make a difference on an individual level, make it a resolution!

Mountain Top Removal

2007-12-28T12:27:00.001-08:00

This is an issue, that hasn't been widely covered in the media, but that is one of the major environmental issues of our time. Coal is a dirty, dirty reality in our energy use, and we have to start demanding different energy sources, and using less of the harmful ones. This affects us all, take a look.

Green Tip of the Week

2007-12-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

Green Tip of the Week: Buy renewable energy from your power company!

Not everyone has this option. Here in SW VA, it's seriously limited. Check out your power company, and see what options they have. This power may not be much more than what you are already paying, and when demand goes up, these companies will hurry to keep up the supply! We, as consumers, have POWER when it comes to our dollar! If you don't have renewable energy options...demand them! Write to your power company, your state senators, your local officials, your Congress and the White House! There is no reason any new coal plants should be built. Our energy consumption, and the way it is produced is the biggest environmental dilemma of our age. If we can stop the coal burning plants, demand renewable energy, and fight with our monetary choices, we can help solve the global warming problem. This is a great feeling! You don't have to be Brad Pitt and donate $5 million dollars! All you have to do is vote with your money, and you will make a difference! Check out this site for more info on renewable energy and fighting new coal plants scheduled to be built near you.

The Christmas gift that Makes a Difference

2007-12-03T12:39:00.001-08:00

Need a gift for someone who wants to make an impact in this world? Instead of filling their house up with another bauble, head over to Make It Right, and see what's happening in the 9th ward of New Orleans. This project is focused on rebuilding this community, with a GREEN focus and sustainable materials. They have merchandise as well as a place to sponsor houses and donate towards purchasing solar panels and the like. Take a look, it may be just the perfect gift this Christmas!

Give the Gift of Green This Christmas

2007-11-28T12:53:00.000-08:00

This was one of her favorite things, and is a great gift for Christmas! You can save a bundle here, they won't last long!

Green Christmas

2007-11-24T07:23:00.000-08:00

This holiday season has snuck up on us fast, and we are trying to stay as green as possible this Christmas. So what does that mean? Here are my top 10 Christmas green tips:

Buy a real Christmas tree. Some people mistakenly think that going green means you should never cut down a Christmas tree, and should instead buy an artificial one. Christmas tree farms are the superior choice over artificial due to the petroleum products used to manufacture the artificial trees. Recycling your Christmas tree is a great way to stay green, and even better is buying a rooted tree you can replant.

Buy Local. Find a local artist, winery or the like and buy gifts that haven't traveled thousands of miles from overseas and you will have cut carbon emissions!

Use LED Christmas Lights. These will use less energy this holiday season, and last longer, reducing waste and saving you money!

Include Rechargeable Batteries with gifts. Less toxic waste for our landfills. These must be disposed of properly when they are no longer able to hold a charge.

Reuse Gift Bags and Wrapping Paper. Don't throw it away! Be prepared now with organization to save what you can and reuse it! Reuse newspapers this year with fun ribbon and homemade tags.

Buy gifts at antique stores or thrift stores. You would be surprised at how affordable you can shop at a swap shop or antique store. Many of these places have the perfect treasure for someone on your list. Also, many thrift stores have brand new items that were never used that you can get for a steal! Kids don't know if the board game was opened and played with twice! Save some money and the environment!

Recycle your Christmas Cards. And buy ones made out of post-consumer recycled content or go paperless and email your Christmas greeting.

If you are upgrading, donate your old electronics. Don't let your downgrades end up in a landfill!

Buy online. If you have to travel, make a whole day out of it and plan your trip to cut down on gas.

Last, but not least, Give Less. This can mean smaller things that take less waste like theater tickets, online downloads like iTunes, etc. Or it can mean just LESS. Don't try to keep up, buy one gift instead of five, and keep it simple.

Roger Barnett and a Greener You

2007-11-21T07:49:00.000-08:00

I had the privelege of listening to Roger Barnett speak this morning, and was so inspired! Roger Barnett recently purchased a great Green company that makes one of her favorite things, and was featured on the Today show and Time magazine. This company has been in business for over 50 years, and is on the leading edge of the Green movement. We are loving their green cleaning products, and haven't found any better! Check them out!

Green Tip of the Week- E-cycle

2007-11-19T17:10:00.000-08:00

Electronic Consumer Waste is one of the fastest growing category of municipal wastes. The EPA reports that in 2003, nearly 3 million tons of electronic waste were discarded. Only 11% of this was recycled. The threat posed to the environment is huge due to the toxic chemicals contained in our TVs, cell phones, Computers and other electronics. The tip this week is important as we are coming up on the Christmas holiday, where upgrades are abounding. If you can't donate: RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONICS. Research the options in your area online. Some recyclers actually export the electronics to be dumped into landfills in other countries, so check to make sure they are responsible. Many companies are now accepting old electronics to recycle, check with the manufacturer for more info. Don't let it go to waste! Up to 90% of electronic waste can be reused. Make it a habit for the planet!

Green for Christmas

2007-11-17T05:06:00.000-08:00

Greening your holidays can be easy! These great cards were made from 65 % post-consumer recycled paper and the rest from sustainable or well-managed forests, purchased at Target. Try to buy recycled paper for wrapping this season, and reuse as much as you can. We could save millions of trees, and wrap a bow around the globe if we just reused and recycled. Over the holidays we throw away a million extra tons of garbage! Recycle it instead, and use less stuff. The most rewarding thing is time spent with family and friends.

Easy Ways Your Family can make an impact Going Green

2007-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Green is the new black! Everywhere people are talking about "green". From politics, to fashion there is a green slant to nearly every arena nowadays. How does that translate for the average family? I always conjured up images of hippies who lived in tents and protested against tuna fisherman when someone mentioned the environment. I never worried about if I left a lightbulb on, much less about how much water I used when I took a shower. So what has turned me onto green? Being a mother. Suddenly, the importance of taking care of 4 tiny humans and ensuring their future has become my top priority. As parents, we worry about their education, their future jobs, and what kind of person they are going to be. What about what kind of planet they are going to live on? And while they are in my home, what kind of toxins are they being exposed to? Cleaners, energy, and food were on the top of my green priority list, and they should be on yours to.

There have been studies published at the Toronto Indoor Air Conference that concluded that women who stay at home have 54% higher occurance of cancers. This was concluded to be the fault of toxic cleaners used by these moms to clean their homes. Start simply! It doesn't have to be expensive! You can make your own cleaners today with a few things from your pantry. Things like baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar and borax make all the difference in the world. If you are like me, and don't have the time or energy to start making your own cleaners, there are so many companies with great green cleaners out there. Look for a reputable company who labels the ingredients, and sells in concentrate. No reason to waste packaging and pay for water!
The next place to move to green is your energy consumption. The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. This can easily be reduced with a few simple and frugal steps. First, turn up or down your thermostat, depending on which season you are in. Next, change your most used lightbulbs to compact flourescent. This saves you money and energy. Lastly, take an energy survey of your house. These are usually done for free by your local utility company and can give you a personal plan of attack for lowering your energy consumption.
One of the harder places to go green as a family is with your food. But if you are creative and resourceful it doesn't have to hurt your pocketbook. Buy local as much as possible! Visit your area farmer's market, and find the sustainable development agency in your area. These are great places to find organic meat, vegetables, eggs and goods at fair prices. Do you have a service to offer? Barter! Buying local saves the atmosphere from absorbing millions of tons of carbon emissions. If you are inclined, start a garden! This is such a great activity to do with your children to teach them about the work it takes to get our food. Other options are joining a coop or visiting a farm to help with the harvest. Organic milk and eggs are easy to begin buying first, and you can branch out from there.
Start little, and find what works for your family. The important thing is to start! Don't put it off until you have more information, or more time, or more money. Do what you know can help now, and work on the rest! You'll be surprised at how simple it can be.

Bee Colony Collapse - What can your family do?

2007-11-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

The Bees have left! No, this is not my attempt to write science fiction. As weird as it sounds, bees are disappearing. Commercial bee pollinators have lost 23% of their bees this year, and estimates show that up to 70% of the managed bee populations have collapsed. Sooo, what does this mean exactly?

This first came to my attention this spring while I was out at some yard sales. One lady had several items for harvesting honey and making beeswax. She commented several times that her bees had left, so they weren't making honey anymore. I was a little confused, and asked her-"What do you mean your bees left? Did they die?" She said that her bees just left, and have never come back. They are getting confused, and not returning to their hives. This astonished me, so after some research I found out more.

First, I had no idea that there were professional bee pollinators. Did you? These people travel with truck loads of bee hives, and let them loose in an orange grove, or other type of farm for pollination. This is a major industry, and one third of our food depends on this practice. The bees have sophisticated homing mechanisms built into their anatomy, which is what leads them back to their hives, even after traveling miles away. Suddenly, these bees aren't able to find their way back to their colonies.

What can we do about it? This is a complicated question, since experts still don't have the answer to WHY the colonies are collapsing. But here are some suggestions:

Plant some bee-friendly plants in your garden. Free seeds can be obtained here.

Support your local organic farmers. The use of pesticides is widely thought to be a major factor in the colony collapse.

Buy local honey. This is good to do for your children and you if you have allergies, as the honey will build up your immunity to local pollens and allergens.

Stop using lawn pesticides and fertilizers. Find organic ways to keep your lawn lush, or even better, conserve water and nature by planting native plants.

Go see the Bee Movie, and educate your children about being kind to bees to help preserve their habitats. Visit this site for more info.