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Eco Moms: Inspirational Green Links

As a new mother, I am always researching various topics regarding child rearing and environmentally friendly practices. Here are a few sites that I frequent or find inspirational.

Healthy Child, Healthy World
Formally the CHEC (Children’s Health Environmental Coalition,) Healthy Child, Healthy World is an organization recommended here before, and it is certainly worth another mention. Founders Nancy and James Chuda tragically lost their daughter to cancer that they believe was induced by exposure to toxins. The Chuda’s passion for protecting future generations from environmental hazards has led them to some of the most famous names in politics, entertainment, and grassroots activism. Healthy Child has inspired scientific research and legislative action. Their board is comprised of the likes of Erin Brokovich Ellis, world-renowned pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, and Olivia Newton-John, among others. Healthy Child has a blog that provides useful information for parents who want to keep up on the latest eco-endeavours.
I love the site because there are many videos, articles, and glossaries for people wanting to educate themselves regarding current federal policy on environmental pollutants, or for those who just want to keep their home and family as healthy as possible. Also, any time I have emailed them with a question, they are always quick to respond with answers. According to Healthy Child, the U.S. EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection (the only govt. office assigned to oversee and protect the environmental health of our children) will possibly be dismantled soon. They are urging citizens to write to congressional leaders to guarantee funding for this branch: National Children’s Study

Eco Mom Alliance
I came across this site in my travels recently and it is a great motivator for mothers to empower themselves to be inspirational to their children. The Eco Mom Challenge, created by founder Kimberly Danek Pinkson, lists ten ways to start making a difference at home. Pinkson reminds us that embracing the concept of sustainability on all fronts – self, home, and planet – is what is going to implement true change in our lives. By taking care of ourselves as individuals and mothers, through communion and action, we generate positive health that permeates our lives.
Some of the tips mentioned on Eco Mom Alliance, such as “One Night Off” campaign, are great ideas to put into action. Reminiscent of Adbusters “Buy Nothing Day,” the concept of “One Night Off” originated with Australia’s “Cool The Globe” initiative, which advises choosing one night a week to turn off/unplug every energy-draining device in the house. While this saves natural resources, it inspires families to be creative with their time together.

Nature Moms
Tiffany Washko is a freelance writer and mother of three who cares about the environment. Working to minimize her family’s footprint and share her experiences with others, Tiffany maintains Nature Moms. Discussing everything from vaccinations to sippy cups on the blog, Nature Moms is a useful site to raise awareness and investigate the experiences of others on the ‘eco mom’ path. Grassroots mamas unite!

Holistic Moms Network
This is a good place to find local groups of parents who are holistically inclined. There are lots of articles on virtually every topic related to parenting. The links page on this website is a thorough and useful spot to check when looking for information relating to various topics: home-schooling, attachment parenting, vaccination safety, natural birthing, et cetera.

Enviromom
These ladies make me wish I lived in Portland so I could meet their group and hang with them at the park. For those in the Pac Northwest, there are lots of eco events happening and Enviromom keeps locals up to date. There are always interesting new ideas on the site, along with a tangible appreciation for a simpler way of life.

A few more great links: (sorry don’t have more time to elaborate on these, I’ve got twins needing to be fed!)
Nonchalantmom
Mindful Momma
Mothering Magazine Online
La Marguerite
Green as a Thistle (I don’t think Vanessa is a mom but props to fellow Canadians… speaking of which: Envirowoman is another!)
For a good reference source: BEST GREEN BLOGS

There are many more. Just check out the blogroll on any of the links above and you will find oodles of eco-minded folk out there.

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Country Home's Planet-Friendly Projects for Fall

1 Comment

by Starre Vartan · 09/03/07

Reuse is the oft-forgotten part of the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra (though the DIYers are usually reminding us!) Country Home Magazine has taken up the idea in a big way in several great features in September’s issue.

Along with celebrity green-auteur Danny Seo’s “Fresh Thinking” column where he transforms flea-market finds into centerpiece-pretty candles (see results below), there are articles on converting an armoire into a storage area, old screens into a laundry hamper, making shutters into a cabinet, a stepladder into an organizer, and how to make your own memory box from found materials.

Articles like these are a good reminder that eco-friendly living has it’s antecedents in the way people actually used to live, and still do, in rural areas where repurposing household items (and fixing them!) just makes sense, not to mention saves money.

Go from these common attic finds, to….

…these pretties! Perfect for Autumnal tablesettings!

autumn, candles, DIY, fall, farm, Home, magazine, recycle, Recycling, reduce, reuse

Ewwww…..This is Why You Need a Water Filter!

3 Comments

by Starre Vartan · 07/23/07

On the left is the filter that was replaced, on the right is the new filter.

Bottled water sucks, we all know that (if you don’t know why, read this article and you’ll know everything): Here are my top 5 reasons for eschewing the bottle….

–It wastes fossil fuels during transportation (especially when it comes from ridiculous locales like Fiji!)

–Bottled water isn’t any cleaner and may actually have all sorts of bad stuff in it because bottled water isn’t regulated by any outside testing agency, whereas all municipal water is tested every day for contaminants and chemicals.

–All those plastic bottles leach toxins into the water (especially if left in the sun or subject to temperature fluctuations)

–Only about 20% of all plastic bottles are recycled; that goes for water receptacles too

–It’s a scam; why spend money on something that should be free? When you do, you’re only supporting the privatization of our natural resources, which should be available to all. Just because you can afford bottled water doesn’t mean that everyone can. By expecting, as citizens, to have access to clean water, we force our government to invest in and maintain water supplies.

At the same time, I know, I know, our municipal water isn’t as good as it could be (some areas have great water, some not so much). I live in a very populous area next to Long Island Sound, so our water is pretty low-quality and it’s chlorinated, which is not something I want to be drinking tons of or showering in. Instead of spending hundreds a year and contributing to massive amounts of plastic waste, I bought a this whole-house water filtration system from Gaiam. They have other types here. I bought a whole- house filter because I wanted to make sure I was showering and watering my garden with non-chemicalized water too.

Also, I carry my cool Sigg water bottle with me wherever I go, and fill up in bathrooms and water fountains when I’m on the go. Even though that water isn’t filtered, most of my agua is, so I think it’s worth reducing waste and energy use to subject myself to unfiltered water a small percentage of the time.

Make sure you dispose of your filters properly, though! They don’t belong in the regular garbage as they are now mini toxic-waste holders. By shipping them off to the landfill you’re taking all the now concentrated wastes you’ve removed with the filter and adding them right back into the environment. Drop those old filters off at your municipal toxic waste collection area.

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renourish!

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by Ann Benoit · 07/20/07

renourish_brand

Finally! A comprehensive green resource for graphic designers! I was delighted to be forwarded a link to renourish.

renourish is a resource for the graphic design industry. When green design is usually discussed, most people think of buildings, products or even cars, but what about packaging? Shouldn’t magazines, business cards, brochures and websites be green? At renourish, we’re helping to start the conversation on green graphic design by providing defintions, tips, and links to sustainable resources designers can use to make their work a little greener.

Brilliant! Renourish has great topics that run the gamut of paper, ink, printers, packaging, green design firms, sustainable living, etc. Having all of this info in one place is genius. Although green design is something that most designers are concerned about and interested in, I haven’t come across a comprehensive site like this before. I would like to see the site eventually include green vendors (other than paper & printing). I’ve been compiling my own list lately and I think that would be a great resource to have accessible to more designers.

Another green design link to check out run by AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Designers) here.

AIGA, business, car, cars, design, designer, designers, farm, graphic design, magazine, magazines, paper, resources, sustainability, sustainable

Green Gossip: What Good Is It?

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by Starre Vartan · 07/18/07

At US Weekly, there’s coverage of John Mayer’s involvement with the green group Reverb:

Reverb, a non-profit environmental organization started by Guster frontman Adam Gardner and his eco-conscious wife, is teaming up with both tours, and will actually travel with Mayer. Their goal is to help reduce the “footprint” of the bands themselves, as well as educate concertgoers with interactive “Eco-Villages” set up at each tour stop.

At MSN, there are reports that Trippin’ host Cameron Diaz and super-hottie enviro-hunk (and author of the Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook) are hooking up.

And at Yahoo News, Factory Girl star Sienna Miller’s involvement with Global Cool is getting the group some more (well-deserved) attention.

Aside from David de Rothschild, who is a billionaire-heir, the rest of these folks are stars using their celebrity to get attention for what they care about (or what’s trendy?). Either way, people are hearing about issues like global warming who otherwise might not pay attention. I know plenty of people say that stars using their popularity in this way is disingenuous or maybe even opportunistic behavior. But Diaz has been involved with environmental causes for years. I think as long as the person knows what they are talking about (like Leo DiCaprio always proves) they should be able to use their power for good, not evil.

{democracy:8}